The South African, Issue 540, 12 November 2013 by The South African

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12 - 18 November 2013

Issue 540

SA’S SEAN CONWAY 1ST TO SWIM LENGTH OF BRITAIN

INSIDE:

p3 | South Africans abroad not yet able to register for elections

| Zululander turned Briton completed his record-breaking charity swim from Land’s End to John O’Groats on Monday

p7 | Hugh Masekela and Larry Willis to headline London Jazz Festival

BY HEATHER WALKER

p14 | Tokyo earthquake can’t rattle golden boy Chad Le Clos

SOUTH African endurance adventurer Sean Conway is the first person to swim more than 1,000 miles along the length of Britain. Conway, who was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in KwaZulu-Natal, left Land’s End on 30 June and finally reached John O’Groats on Monday 11 November – a journey originally estimated to take three months. However, the epic swim was delayed by unpredictable tides, logistical issues and a detour along the coast of Ireland. Conway, currently based in the UK, refers to his childhood in southern Africa as the ‘fuel’ for the life he has made for himself: as well as a thrill-seeker, he is a professional photographer, fine artist, motivational speaker and a published writer. Last year the self-confessed ‘ginger nutter’ cycled solo unsupported 16,000 miles around the world for Solar Aid, a charity working to abolish the use of kerosene lamps in Africa, and his long swim has raised more than £6,000 for the charity War Child. He was supported by a four-person team on a tiny boat, all. He was guided by skipper Em Bell, who kayaked the entire way alongside him. Conway’s daily routine involved waking up at 4am (or any other time depending on the tides) dressing, sprinting in the water for a minute to warm up then drinking warm fluids from a thermos. He would swim for about four hours in a five to six hour tide,

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eating every 90 minutes. It took Sean about two months to finally work out the best way to balance comfort with keeping warm in the water. His winning ensemble consisted of neoprene tri cap under a swimming cap, silicone ear plugs to stop swimmer’s ear, goggles, wetsuit, hooded thermal sleeveless, and neoprene booties over socks. “These socks went round the world with me and I just wanted to take them on a new adventure. I probably don’t need them but they have history,” he explained. Along the way Conway was interviewed several times on BBC TV and by radio stations around the world. He has swum with dolphins and seals and had a few nasty jelly fish stings. Kenton Kirkwood, a childhood friend and former SA professional swimmer, even flew over to Ireland to swim with Conway for four days to help boost his morale. The five-month swim has taken its toll on Conway’s body. Despite drinking protein shakes, he has struggled with massive weight loss and long-term fatigue. He was welcomed to John O’Groats on Monday by a crowd of friends, family and supporters, including his proud mother Babette Pinder.Pinder said, “I cannot believe the spontaneous generosity of people from around the world towards a young man from South Africa on his nutty epic adventure. “I think a memory he will always have is when they docked on the Isle of Eigg. The locals all came to the pub that night to meet him and his support crew. They passed a bucket around for his charity. Early

|JUST KEEP SWIMMING: South African Sean Conway prepares for the last stretch of his epic journey along the length of Britain.

the next morning when Sean left to carry on his swim after a good sleep in a bed, a shower and food all given free by the locals, all the pipers on the island came down the hill in the mist to the harbour to serenade Sean on his way,” she said. He swam the Midmar Mile at the age of 10 and throughout his teens competed in many endurance kayak

marathons. “I know that it was his early life in Zululand where his dad Tony Conway works for KZN Parks and we lived in Ndumu, Hluhluwe and Umfolozi game reserves where Sean got his love of nature and sense of adventure, and also Clifton Prep and Hilton School he attended,” said his mother.

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South African veterans in London mark time for sacrifices of millions

| For the first time, eight South African veterans saluted HRH Queen Elizabeth at the Cenotaph in Whitehall as part of this year’s Remembrance Sunday commemoration. BY DAVID MANNALL FOR the first time, eight South African veterans saluted HRH Queen Elizabeth at the Cenotaph in Whitehall as part of this year’s Remembrance Sunday commemoration. A large contingent also gathered at Commonwealth Gates to pay their respects, not only to the millions who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms in the 99 years since the start of WW1, but also for contemporaneous conflicts in Africa which included a long Honour Roll of South African servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, during the past 12 months, in pursuit of freedom. Wreaths were laid by veterans and serving British soldiers representing Army and Navy, some of them South African expatriates, and a former South African policeman, now a Chelsea Pensioner. For some veterans of the Angolan Bush War – Warinangola.com – it was obvious that the quarter century, or more, that has passed since their involvement in conflict has not dimmed the trauma they suffered nor the pain of losing brothers-in-arms on the battlefield. On the 11 November 1987 South African soldiers paid the ultimate price in the escalating proxy Cold War battles near Cuito Cuanevale as 62nd Battalion led an attack against FAPLA 16th Brigade. Many lives were lost on that Armistice Day 26 years ago. They were all remembered. Photos by Theo Fernandes and Cameron Kinnear. thesouthafrican.com /news

Britain’s new global shipping port welcomes first vessel, the ‘MOL Caledon’ from South Africa

Married to her English Gentleman, Katy finds herself living in a quiet Dorset town, far away from the bright lights of Cape Town. She loves to write, is an experimental baker, a keen marketer & is the author of A ChopstiX Guide to Taiwan. Most of the time, she plays mom to a hyperactive Spaniel and a dribbling black and white cat named Bill. Katy has her own website: www.freshbrewmarketing.com Follow @katypotatie

| After more than a decade of planning and construction across three square miles of development, DP World London Gateway deep-sea port is now open, providing British exporters and importers with a more efficient way to ship globally, at less cost. by STAFF REPORTER A cargo ship, the MOL Caledon, carrying wine, food and car parts from South Africa was the first to dock at Britain’s first new port in almost 20 years - London Gateway on the Thames at Stanford-leHope, located 25 miles east of London and intended to handle 3.5 million 20-foot containers a year. The vessel is part of the South African Europe Container Service (SAECS) which is made up of

a consortium of shipping lines including MOL, Maersk, DAL and Safmarine. SAECS, which serves the South African cities of Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, switched its U.K. stop to London Gateway from the rival port of Tilbury, operated by Arcus Infrastructure Partners LLP’s Forth Ports Ltd. The service goes on to call at Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Bremerhaven, Germany. MOL Caledon was welcomed by

DP World chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, vice chairman Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Group CEO Mohammed Sharaf, chairman of MOL Liner Junichiro Ikeda, and shipper representatives JFH Hillebrand MD David Mawer and Chingford Fruit MD Gavin McNally, together with other senior executives. The port aims to become one of Europe’s busiest container terminals. London Gateway is located closer to major U.K.

population centers than other ports able to handle 400-meter (1,300foot) ships that can carry more than 18,000 containers. DP World spent 1.5 billion pounds ($2.4 billion) developing London Gateway on a site formerly occupied by a Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) oil refinery. The new port will be able to handle bigger ships than Tilbury and is two-thirds closer to half London than Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. (13)’s Port of Felixstowe.

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South Africans abroad not yet able to register for elections

by STAFF REPORTER

THE Bill has been approved by the National Council of Provinces and is currently before the National Assembly. “Only once the Electoral Amendment Bill 2013 is approved by Parliament and signed into law by the President can arrangements for registering South Africans abroad be finalised,” said the IEC in a statement on Thursday. “It is hoped the Bill will be approved and enacted before the end of November. In the meantime, advance planning for the process is proceeding in conjunction with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO),” said the commission. In terms of the draft legislation South Africans will have to register

14 November 2013 Care to Taste: join Starfish for an evening of stellar wines. The evening will feature a senses-based wine tasting equipping you with wine and food matching expertise. There will also be a fun quiz and raffle with exciting prizes to be won. For just £25 you will be able to learn about and taste some of South Africa’s finest wines while raising vital funds to support Starfish projects in South Africa. 6-7.30pm. Venue: Investec, 2 Gresham Street 15 - 24 November 2013 London Jazz Festival Celebrating it’s 21st birthday, London Jazz Festival is returning to the capital with a heady mix of talent from around the world. It’s the capital’s biggest pan-music festival, widely acknoledged for delivering world-class artists like Hugh Masekela and Louis Moholo-Moholo,and emerging stars Ticket prices from £10 to £27.50 For more information go to www. londonjazzfestival.org.uk 17 November 2013 Saracens versus Scarlets. Saracens take on the Scarlets on Sunday as the LV Cup returns to Allianz Park. Tickets on www. saracens.com. Marita van der Vyver Book Talk. The Half Moon in Putney welcomes SA blues musician Dan following his recent London appearances with guister maestro Nibs van der Spuy. Tickets at www. thehalfmoon.musicglue.com For more events: www.thesouthafrican.com/events

Do you have a will? in person at one of South African’s 124 high commissions, embassies or consulates located in 108 countries. They will need to be in possession of a valid South African ID document (either a green barcoded South African ID book, a new smart ID card or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate) as well as a valid South African passport in order to be registered. According to the IEC, the Bill does not require South African citizens

living abroad and who are already registered as voters in South Africa to register again and they will, as previously, be able to cast a special vote in the 2014 national election. It does, however, for the first time provide for persons who are not yet registered as voters to be able to do so and have their particulars added to the national common voters roll. The IEC said it will announce further details of the registration process for South Africans abroad on

SA government goes to court to prevent release of Nkandla report | Government ministers have applied to interdict the Public Protector in a bid to secure more time to examine her Nkandla report. BY BRETT PETZER After acres of print devoted to what has become known as Nkandlagate Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was to release the report that would tell the nation, once and for all, how President Jacob Zuma came to have a R206-million upgrade to his house on the national tab. But Justice Minister Jeff Radebe has asked for more time for himself and other ministers in the state justice and security cluster to study the report before it is finally made public in a day that newspaper editors have dreamt about for months. Radebe insisted that the State’s intention was not to alter or censor the report in any way – and that this was merely a prudent move for a text that so minutely documented a

National Key Point. But, as the Mail and Guardian and other sources have reported, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa felt differently; so much of the report is sensitive, he indicated, that only a heavily-redacted report could ever become public knowledge. “The respondent is precluded by law from releasing classified, top secret and confidential information, which may compromise the security of the state and the president, and she is interdicted from releasing her provisional report until such time as she has received comments from the applicants on matters which ought to be omitted from the provisional report” the ministers were quoted as saying in the Mail and Guardian.

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Launch of Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation by MICHAEL SPAFFORD

CRYSTAL Palace midfielder and South Africa international Kagisho Dikgacoi launched The Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation at a gala dinner hosted on 26 October by South African awardwinning comedian and TV host Loyiso Gola. at The Guoman Tower Hotel in London. Gola provided laughs to complement the wonderful food and drink on offer in what became a very warm and convivial evening amongst friends and supporters. The charitable foundation will provide youngsters in South Africa with opportunities for better life chances through education and sport. Details on www.kagishodikgacoi.org

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Little girl, big voice: Holland’s Got SA Talent

| A nine-year-old girl with South African roots left judges speechless after singing an renowned Italian aria - most associated with Maria Callas - at the Holland’s Got Talent first audition last weekend by NICÓL GROBLER NINE-YEAR-OLD Amira Willighagen was met with a standing ovation after performing in the first round of Holland’s Got Talent, a TV competition that is the Dutch version of Britain’s Got Talent. The Dutch girl performed the opera classic “O mio babbino caro” and blew the judges away, so much so, she was given a ticket to the live finals of the show. Amira, whose mother, Frieda, is originally from South Africa, became an overnight sensation after appearing on the talent show, and has already received over eight million views on YouTube. “I only wanted to appear on TV once, but now it’s happening so much more,” said Amira. Frieda, who moved from Klerksdorp to Holland in 1995, and her oldest son Vincent (11) play violin and her husband Gerrit, an engineer, plays piano, organ and accordion but none of them ever sing. Amira told the judges, “My brother plays violin, and I also wanted to do something, so I thought, I’m going to sing, and then I heard opera songs, which I found very beautiful and that’s

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| Amira Willighagen takes the stage at Holland’s Got Talent

when I started singing.” She has never had any professional training, and thought everything she was listening to was opera, until her mother showed her real opera. Since then, Amira only wanted to sing classical music, and quickly became phenomenally good at it. Her grandmother, Elsa Brand, is from Potchefstroom, and during a visit from her granddaughter she took her to the nearby Ikageng township. It is here that Amira decided if she won she would

share her winnings with the children of this rural settlement. Brand’s father was an opera singer, and she is extremely proud of her granddaughter. “I am very proud, but extremely worried that she will not be adequately protected, she is still a little child, even though is very emotionally mature,” she said. One commenter said, “Stop the auditions we have a winner,” while another another added, “Congratulations little girl, you just won the internet!”

South African Cultural Talents to bring sounds of home to Shoreditch |The star-studded performances will be

lighting up London from 23 November by STAFF REPORTER CHARLIE Wrights in Shoreditch will host a night of live music from South African Cultural Talents UK featuring Luyanda Jezile on Saturday 23 November. Luyanda Lennox Jezile is the founder, producer and director of South African Cultural Talent UK, an organisation that showcases African culture through performances and workshops on music, dance, bead making and story telling. Jezile, who was first discovered in a Shell Road to Fame semifinal competition in the chaotic late 1980s, has found through his talent a way to give back to Mzansi. Jezile is a former singer and ensemble actor in The Lion King on the West End who has performed on TV with Lesley Garrett and Sibongile Khumalo and with Hugh Masekela at the

Barbican and at the London 2012 Olympics. He has appeared as a dancer and percussion player in a Florence And The Machine music video and has performed in numerous stage shows, feature films and adverts in South Africa. He has sung with artists such as Lucky Dube, Stimela, Rebecca Malope and Simply Red. Jezile also performed and directed the choir for the 2013 Templeton Prizegiving for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Doors open 8pm Show starts at 9pm. Fine Thai cuisine is available and a huge selection of beers and wines from across the globe are stocked at the bar. Venue: Charlie Wrights, 45 Pitfield Street, N16DA London Tickets: £11 on ticketweb.co.uk More details: www.sactuk.com

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South Africa’s Odile Rault stars in London play Dress Rehearsal

| SA singer and actress Odile Rault stars in Dress Rehearsal, a musical play running from 12 to 30 November at The Regal Room in Hammersmith by STAFF REPORTER SOUTH African performer Odile Rault stars in Dress Rehearsal, a new play by AJ Evans running from 12 to 30 November at an emerging fringe venue in Hammersmith. Dress Rehearsal focuses on five performers in the group Lionel King and the Overtones, who hire themselves out to pubs, clubs and parties, singing popular opera arias and musical favourites. Scenes alternate between a function room in the pub and a dressing room over one evening, allowing us to see the characters both in their public and private personas. This intimate story of relationships reveals an operatic dimension, both in its music and themes of love, jealousy, fear and

betrayal. Musical excerpts from La Traviata, Carmen, The Magic Flute and The Mikado parallel the behind-the-scenes struggles of failed divas, unhealthy dependencies and stifling possessiveness. Yet at the same time deep love, loyalty, humour and camaraderie emerge. Dress Rehearsal is not about showbiz or success or failure. It’s about trust and timidity and the masks we all wear; it’s about the complexity of human relationships and our habit of not maximising talents, gifts or opportunities in our limited time on earth – simply because of fear of the consequences. Born in London, Odile Rault has worked extensively in South Africa, Italy and the USA, and is best known for her comedy

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performances in the hit series Jo’burg Follies – a satirical musical revue along the lines of Forbidden Broadway in which she impersonated 18 different celebrities. Odile has co-created and performed three one-woman shows which toured South Africa, the latest of which featured her as eight male singing stars, including Elvis Presley, George Michael and Stevie Wonder and made her an expert in lightningquick costume, make-up and wig changes. Cast: Eryl Lloyd Parry, Stiofan O’Doherty, Odile Rault, Maggie Robson & AJ MacGillivray Director: David Edwards Associate Director: Emily Swain Musical Director: Claire Kitchin Dates: 12 – 30 November Previews 12 and 13 November Performances: Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Sat 3pm & 7.30pm Playing at: The Regal Room, The Distillers Pub, 64 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 9PH

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| Odile Rault, Stiofan O’Doherty and Maggie Robson as Three Little Maids in ‘Dress Rehearsal’.

Public Transport: Hammersmith underground, Bus stop – Hammersmith Broadway Website: dressrehearsalplay.com Email: dressrehearsalplay@ gmail.com Ticket price: £15 &

Concessions £12 To reserve/buy advance tickets online: http://dressrehearsalplay. ticketsource.co.uk/ Telephone Bookings: 0844 8700 887 (a low-rate number, 5p per minute).

| If you decide to live anywhere - let it be your story. Don’t justify it - just believe it

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Be a believer

A VERY clever woman in Cape Town wrote an article about why she lives there. The response was immense, both the ‘hoorah’ team and those who felt wounded by her words. Also wrote about those who have left and how some are the worst types around – you can imagine the response to that. Of course this is going to elicit a vehement reaction. It is an opinion. We all have them and this is where blogging is the arena for such outbursts of attitude and opposing beliefs. If you are prepared to publicly state your views, you will not always find everyone on the same boat. Choosing where to live, for whatever reason is a personal choice. Mine? I just got tired of the fear. Of telling my children someone else they loved had been attacked or killed for some senseless reason. Simple. I have not put myself on a soap box and decried all that I love in South Africa, I simply wanted to give my children another way of life, to open the horizons and let them grow. I could do that, and as I

write, I know that the family may be divided as each finds his or her place and their reasons for living there. That is the chance I took, but I do so willingly. I have given them the gift of choice. More importantly, my life is different to everyone else’s. My reasons for doing what I did, unique to my situation. It has been difficult - there have been oceans of tears and new discoveries. ‘You’ve got mail’ has never had more significance. And I do not want South Africa to go up in flames – my family are there. I do not harbour resentment at the ‘easy life’ of big houses, big cars and perfect weather. I have learnt the beauty of finding gifts in small places – I look for them on the bus, in the parks, even in the dark months and in the greyness of winter. I love it here. If you decide to live elsewhere, choose a life and a path untraveled, let it be your story.

You do not have to justify it, only to believe it. Letting go of the old and beginning the new is going to be the biggest challenge ever, but it will be your story. For a short while, forever, your personal growth will astound you. You may not choose to write about it but allow those who do the freedom to do so. The gist of this little tale? Do not be upset by the words of others if they are not what you agree with. We are all from somewhere else, all descendants of those who opted to write their own story, of which you are a part. You will never be in their skins to understand, as they will be in yours. Standing in the driving rain, an English couple asked me why I was living there. Struggling with an angry umbrella, rain lashing at my face and looking like Hecate, I said: “Ask me tomorrow!” Tea and sympathy anyone?

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Education Africa children and Sam Tshabalala entertain Camden Mayor at Shaka Zulu | The children of Education Africa, specially flown in from

South Africa, stole the hearts of the Mayor of Camden and patrons at Shaka Zulu restaurant by STAFF REPORTER A GROUP of South African school children treated the Mayor of Camden and diners to their rendition of ‘In the Jungle’ as part of Shaka Zulu’s fourth annual fundraising event for its nominated charity, Education Africa. The children of Education Africa, specially flown in from South Africa, stole the hearts of patrons at the African themed Camden restaurant when they revealed that they only learned to play their instruments, the marimbas, seven months ago. Established in 1992, Education Africa strives to reach and uplift the poorest of the poor, aiming to assist disadvantaged South Africans in their quest to obtain a quality, relevant education in order to ensure that they are in a position to become global citizens and a competitive, productive element in the local job market. Shaka Zulu has supported the foundation since its opening in August 2010, in its fight to help disadvantaged and vulnerable children gain access to better education for a brighter future. Shaka Zulu Founder and UK Trustee for Education Africa, Roger Payne said, “Tens of thousands of people have been given a ‘lift up’ so far and the aim is to reach tens of thousands more! I have had the opportunity to see, first hand, the sites in South Africa and people that have directly benefited from

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| Roger Payne (owner of Shaka Zulu & UK Trustee of Education Africa) with the school children at Shaka Zulu (Image: Carl Broadhurst 2013)

the work started by James Urdang. Whether it’s building an academy, supporting local bicycle schemes so that kids can actually get to school; or the building of pre-schools in the townships, everything we have been doing and witnessed, is having an amazing effect on the lives of the children and their families.” The evening’s entertainment also included fire dancers and an acoustic performance by the sensational Sam Tshabalala Quartet, presented by Stevie Ray’s Sessions. Sam Tshabalala is recognised as one of the most outstanding composers to come out of South Africa. His music is applauded for its ‘contagious vitality and magic charm’. Based in Paris, Tshabalala has toured the world enthralling

audiences with sessions, which blend African township music with elements of funk, reggae and jazz. His career began at the end of the 1970s with the ‘Malopoets’ – a band that achieved fame not only in South Africa but also in the United States and UK. Notably in the 1980s, he and the band took part in the Artistes Against Apartheid project, which united some of the biggest names on the international music scene – from Bono to Miles Davis. It was during a tour of Europe that Tshabalala decided to stay in exile in Paris, from the apartheid regime, and when the Malopoets broke up he worked in the city as a percussionist, actor and singer in various international theatre projects.

Hugh Masekela and Larry Willis to headline London Jazz Festival at Southbank Centre | Two-time Grammy winner Masekela and American master pianist Larry Willis will be performing in London on Friday 15 November by STAFF REPORTER THIS week presents a rare opportunity to experience the intimate side of South African two-time Grammy winner Hugh Masekela, in a sumptuously lyrical series of duets with American master pianist Larry Willis, revisiting a friendship stretching back to their days together at college in New York in the 1960s. They will be performing as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday 15 November. Their 2012 four-CD release Friends is a masterpiece of chamber jazz combined with the sheer exuberance of the Masekela style. Friends was given four

stars by Rolling Stone and their intimate appearances around the USA have had both critics and fans cheering. In the first half, performance poet, writer and musician Zena Edwards premieres a new work commissioned by the

PRS For Music Foundation as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival’s 21 Commissions project. Ticket prices from £10 to £27.50. Book at www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ whatson/hugh-masekela-larrywillis-74473

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Looming green light for fracking rouses billionaire’s opposition | The anti-fracking cause has a powerful new backer – | Images of South Africans queueing to vote became one of the iconic folk memories of the peaceful transition that stunned so many in 1994

Nelson Mandela’s Living Legacy Last steps towards the election that would finally end Apartheid

AS the world held its breath, South Africa’s first multiracial elections inched closer to reality. Concerned that COSAG (an unlikely alliance of far-right Afrikaner parties and black ethnicsecessionist groups like Inkatha) would undermine the election, particularly in the wake of the Battle of Boputhatswana and Shell House Massacre – incidents of violence involving the AWB and Inkatha, respectively – Mandela met with Afrikaner politicians and generals, including P.W. Botha,

Pik Botha and Constand Viljoen, persuading many to work within the democratic system, and with de Klerk convinced Inkatha’s Buthelezi to enter the elections rather than launch a war of secession. As leaders of the two major parties, de Klerk and Mandela appeared on a televised debate; although de Klerk was widely considered the better speaker at the event, Mandela’s offer to shake his hand surprised him, leading some commentators to consider it a victory for Mandela. The election went ahead with little violence, although an AWB cell killed 20 with car bombs. Mandela voted at the Ohlange High School in Durban, and though he was elected President, he publicly accepted that the election had been marred by instances of fraud and sabotage. Having taken 62% of the national vote, the ANC was just short of the two-thirds majority needed to unilaterally change the constitution. The ANC was also victorious in 7 provinces, with Inkatha and the National Party each taking Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Western Cape, respectively.

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Johann Rupert, one of the country’s richest men. But can the movement win out against the patience and deep pockets of the oil companies, a government desperate for results and locals hungry for employment? by STAFF REPORTER THE positive signs South Africa’s Mineral Resources minister, Susan Shabangu, is giving to fracking has managed what few thought possible – a broad-based, nonpartisan community coalition centred on a single issue that unites township residents and Johann Rupert, for a long time among South Africa’s richest men. Rupert, whose family wealth currently sits at no. 6 on the Sunday Times Rich List, has vowed that fracking will face a well-funded legal battle if government gives it a green light, as many now expect. The controversial shale gas fracturing technology has produced nearly instant oil wealth – and an end to foreign energy dependency – in parts of the USA, but opponents contend that it has nowhere in the world been tested on a long-term basis. According to anti-fracking groups, there is no adequate proof that fracking can produce safe energy without increasing the risks of earthquakes, groundwater pollution and other forms of serious damage to ecosystems and the tourism and farming economy that depends on these. The Ruperts, who retain substantial land holdings in the area proposed for exploratory fracking and

prospecting by Shell and other energy behemoths, have vowed the road to fracking approval will be as steep and winding as it is in their power to make it. And that power, for the family behind a large number of the world’s luxury goods sales, is considerable. Johann Rupert’s legal team contends, for openers, that a lack of adequate consultation by the Department of Mineral Resources means that key property rights guaranteed in the Constitution have already been violated. Shabangu has indicated that her department is keen to expedite the development of South African shale gas, which the state sees as key to solving the energy troubles that have

beset the national grid since the beginning of load shedding in 2008. To this end, several exploratory licences have been granted. One, to Shell, covers over 95 000 square kilometres. By some measures, this is one fourth of the greater Karoo. Rupert has repeatedly stated that, perhaps unlike some in the broad antifracking coalition, he is by no means opposed to the technology per se. However, it must be proven to be safe before the first wells are sunk: “I’m not a troglodyte…We just want to know they are doing it in a safe way. If they they do not abide by the law and by the constitution then we’ll have to remind them that we do have a constitution” Rupert said.

Business

| 12 - 18 November 2013 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Join the 6000 Saffas who have brought their CashKows home | Moving South African money offshore is complex and time-consuming - let the experts handle your

financial future when you cash in retirement annuities, pensions and investment policies by STAFF REPORTER WHAT does cashkows.com do and what’s with the quirky name? Reverting to Google has become second nature. When typing cashkows into your browser the first entry on the page will read: cashkows.com - assisting South Africans living abroad to cash in retirement annuities, pensions and investment policies. How does the quirky name cashkows.com relate to your retirement investments? A cash cow is an investment or product that provides a steady income or profit, which is what you’re expecting from your South African pension when you retire. cashkows.com’s reason for existence? To help South Africans move their money to a bank or financial institution closer to

their UK homes. Think about it – what sense does it make to have a pension or retirement annuity invested in another country? Who knows how future pension reforms may affect your pension? As a rule: Never gamble with your retirement investments. Moving South African money offshore is a complex and time-consuming process, which strongly suggests that avoiding the DIY route is wiser. cashkows. com has perfected the process of transferring funds efficiently and cost effectively and know their way around SARS, the Reserve Bank and exchange control. Their specialist financial service doesn’t stop here. As a PPS Accredited Advisor they assist South African professionals in evaluating their PPS portfolios with the view to optimizing their Profit Share Accounts. This account counts among the most

significant investments a South African professional can make. All the more reason to have it looked after by a global financial advisor! In a matter of three years they’ve assisted more than 6000 South Africans to move their money to 70 different world countries. That, in a nutshell, is what cashkows.com does.

In one form or another we all have (an often forgotten) cash cow on which we’re relying for financial support after retirement. Is it a clever idea to be so far removed from your cash cow? Definitely not. If you have a cash cow which you’d like to bring home, ring their kow bell on 020 3544 4785 or info@cashkows.com

Minimum Income threshold for spouse or partner visas – appeal listed for March 2014 BY STAFF REPORTER

THE Sole Representative visa is a very advantageous immigration category for overseas businesses that wish to establish a branch or representative office in the UK. Earlier this year, many applicants for the spouse/partner visas felt relief after the UK High Court found the controversial UK immigration rules requiring a minimum income of at least £18,600 for spouse/partner visa applications, as ‘unjustified and disproportionate’ where the sponsor is a refugee or a British citizen. The UK Home Office has however filed an appeal against the judgement made on the 26th of July. This appeal has now been listed for March 2014 in the Court of Appeal. Whatever the outcome of the

challenge, things could possibly change again soon, as the new Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament will at some point in 2014 set out the Government’s definition of the balance to be struck between the financial requirements for spouse and visa applications and the public interest. In the meantime it is still possible to apply for a spouse/partner or child application under the UK family migration rules, but if you do not meet the minimum income threshold, the UK Home Office will ‘pause’ consideration of your application, until further notice. If your application has been ‘paused’ and you withdraw your application, you will receive your passport back, but will lose your application fee. However, applications that will be refused based on the other

requirements not met, such as the English language requirement, and that the relationship must be genuine and subsisting, will be continued to be processed and decided as normal. If you do meet the minimum income threshold requirement, your application will be considered as usual, and should you fulfil all the other requirements, you should be successful in your application. BIC will keep clients updated on the appeal issue. JP Breytenbach Director of BIC, Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Limited. www.bic-immigration.com or info@bic-immigration.com

Rand holding firm against strong US Data

BY STAFF REPORTER

LAST week, we saw an eventful week for the Rand. Data relating to domestic manufacturing and the mining sector indicated weaker economic growth in the third quarter. The platinum and mining sector continued to experience difficulties with employees threatening possible strike action in a bid for higher wage increase. The labour unrest has had a major impact on the Rand’s 22% drop against the US Dollar this year. The Rand opened up today still holding steady amidst strong US Job data from Friday’s release which knocked emerging markets. GBP / ZAR: 16.58, EUR / ZAR: 13.86 USD / ZAR: 10.35 AUD / ZAR: 9.69 Exchange rates as 11/11/2013 :: Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the South African exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for. For expert financial advice on tax, foreign exchange and more, make ‘first contact with us at 1stcontact.com Brought to you by

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Travel

| 12 - 18 November 2013 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

In the heart of the Caribbean, a | St Kitt’s smaller neighbour, Nevis, was named by Columbus for the snows of the Pyrenees. Snow may be in by RICHARD POWELL

BOARD the ferry at St Kitts and you’ll soon be breezing across The Narrows, the threekilometre channel that separates one Caribbean paradise from its smaller sibling, Nevis, at the top of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The short journey to this tiny 36 square mile island is dominated by its magnificent cone volcano, Nevis Peak, rising spectacularly overhead to nearly a thousand metres to pierce wisps of swirling white cloud that conjure adventure. It was this marvel that led Columbus to name the island Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (Spanish for ‘Our Lady of the Snows’) on his second voyage to the New World, in homage to the snow-capped mountains of the Pyrenees. Disembarking at Charlestown, the island’s capital, the differences between here and St Kitts are

immediate. It’s cleaner, easiergoing and less hectic… little wonder, perhaps, when you consider that Kittitians outnumber Nevisians three-to-one, and St Kitts is only twice the size. Nevis also doubles as home to hundreds of corporate residents, with many foreign companies registering there – at least in name – to take advantage of favourable tax laws and Swiss-style secret banking rules. But space remains plentiful and it’s easy to get away from the crowd and find your own piece of paradise, as I was soon to find out. Meeting me off the boat was Ritchie Lupinaci, proprietor of The Hermitage hotel: a familyrun boutique and rustic hideaway in Gingerland up in the St John’s parish, which sits on the southern shoulder of the Peak. The Hermitage is set amid peaceful, leafy surroundings reached via a short drive up

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| Where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean: Nevis, seen from St Kitts (Image: Flickr/CJ Sugg)

winding private roads, and has the feel of a plantation house museum crossed with a wealthy expat’s winter home in the sun. An ornate lobby, well-stocked library and elegant dining room all ooze centuries-old authenticity, which when paired with homely decor quickly fostered the desire to move in and live here… if I won the lottery tomorrow. No doubt Ritchie’s father felt the same when he first arrived here, having since meticulously restored the main house and grounds after buying the estate as a weedridden ruin in the 1970s. Its re-development has clearly been a lifelong project of passion for both father and son. The criss-cross timber frame of what is now the lobby was all that stood intact when the Lupinacis found it, having been erected by Welsh settlers to Nevis almost 400 years ago. A book: ‘Caribbean

Style’ by author Jack Bertholet, even cites it as ‘the oldest surviving wooden house in the entire Caribbean’. Ritchie speaks proudly of the settlers’ handiwork, describing how the structure has stood, unmoved, against untold tropical storms and hurricanes, over the centuries. He also likes to tease guests about the island’s “Lady in White” ghost who may or may not reside in the grounds, but reassures visitors that any bumps in the night are more likely monkeys jumping across their tin roofs, when they come down to pillage the garden’s ample mango trees. The hotel’s 15 guest houses – spread around the estate’s manicured gardens and pool – are charming cottage-like huts, most with their own living room and kitchen, plus a porch or balcony complete with a hammock to doze

on. The four-poster beds also make great frames for the mosquito nets you’ll want to make use of in this humid, pastoral part of the island. Sleeping in this enclave of civilisation on the cusp of the Peak’s rainforest means acclimatising to a hullabaloo of animal activity at night: parrots call, crickets chirp, mongooses forage and vervet monkeys swing between the treetops … rum-punch nightcaps from the bar make for a neat native solution to forgetting your earplugs. Word-of-mouth has ensured the hotel receives a steady but select group of guests who clearly relish its unique offering and location, including rock star deity, eschewing the shiny Four Seasons hotel on the beach in favour of rural privacy and a taste for the quirky. Ritchie asks me not to name names, so all I can say is that they show the place A Whole Lotta Love, and enjoy downtime on their balconies, where they Can See for Miles. Exploring on a scooter A single main road encircles Nevis around the foot of the volcano, connecting most of its towns, so getting lost – off the boat – is all but impossible. With that in mind, I hired a moped and headed out to explore all of the island’s five parishes. Scooting around the base of the misty mountain, lush green jungle whizzing by on one side and dream-like crystal blue sea and cloudless skies on the other, I would stop now and again to walk around a historical church – of which there are dozens – or a sugar mill ruin, or pull up a pew at one of the island’s many bar shacks, and cool off with a cold Carib beer. The island’s best-known watering hole is no doubt Sunshine’s Beach Bar and Grill on Pinney’s Beach, next to the Four Seasons hotel. This area is currently being developed into a park that will adjoin the island’s thriving night-life area: Nevis’s answer to The Strip in St Kitts. Here, locals, tourists and the island’s international medical students ‘lime’ (party) together into the

thesouthafrican.com | 12 - 18 November 2013 |

Travel

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tiny island with a huge welcome short supply in this corner of the Caribbean, but there are white beaches, fresh lobster and history aplenty

| Harbour and mountains on Nevis (Image: Flickr/ClatieK

| Enjoy an ice-cold beer while the Carribean passes; at right, the Hermitage

small hours…Sunshine’s is a mustvisit for its famous “Killer Bee” rum punch, no doubt enjoyed by Princess Diana, Britney Spears, Rodger Daltrey and Beyoncé, to name just a few of the famous faces pictured propping up the bar in days past, with its eponymous proprietor. Less lively perhaps, but no less highly-recommended are the island’s five-acre botanical gardens, located off the beaten track adjoining the Montpelier Estate. Here you can enjoy a tranquil walk around a tropical plant kingdom filled with diverse orchids, cactuses and fruit trees, overlooked by Asian lions and Buddhas … with a replica Columbian Olmec head a centre piece in the park’s Victorian-style Rainforest Conservatory. Ascending on foot A more challenging walk can be found in the daily tours that go up to the Peak, strictly for early-risers

who can keep up with a guide and navigate a good few miles of dense jungle to reach the prized views that reward those reaching the top. The path is often marked with little other than ribbons tied around trees, leading through several acres of untouched rainforest and babbling springs to the summit, where it’s actually surprisingly chilly. The panorama from the top is breathtakingly beautiful, with the entire island laid out beneath you and further out, St Kitts and its French and Dutch island neighbours. Back at The Hermitage, it was Hog Roast day. The suckling pig had been turning on its spit since lunchtime, and the resulting banquet was fit for a king – just the job after a tough but fulfilling day on the trail up to the Peak. Food is a serious business at this place, and mixing the menu up every couple of days ensures that it draws diners

from across the island – residents and visitors alike, creating a social hotspot in the evenings. Descending in style For all of its homeliness and history, I wanted to contrast my stay at The Hermitage with the island’s famous international getaway, the Four Seasons… This polished oasis for wealthy privacy-seekers on vacation is set across a sprawling estate, whose plush resort and blocks of guest rooms start on the pristine sands of Pinney’s Beach and extend up to private residences on the west side of the mountain. Between these boundaries sits surely one of the world’s most picturesque golf courses – with the Peak as its backdrop – plus a spa, tennis courts and gardens. Having dropped by Nevis’s Indian Castle Race Track earlier that day and even been let loose on one of their prized thoroughbred

racehorses for a couple of laps, I headed to the spa for a Deep Tissue massage. The set-up was, as you’d expect, world-class with professional therapists offering a range of treatments, including some obscure sounding Ayurvedic treatments and rituals, in a secluded section of the resort, complete with a stone plunge pool and chill-out terrace. After reaching a heightened state of relaxation, dinner was in order and crab cakes and fresh lobster at the Coral Grill restaurant in the Great House, paired with a crisp Chablis by their expert sommelier, did not disappoint. The island’s other eateries compete to lay on the finest spreads of red snapper and lobster fresh from the sea, including the super-smart Yachtsman Grill on Hamilton Beach, which also features a great stone pizza oven for quicker bites, and top-notch

service – all of which draw the great and good of the island’s social and business scene, making for a colourful upmarket hangout. All in, as I pondered this beautiful island on the eve of my departure, gazing at the distant lights of St Kitts from the Yachtsman’s beach-front balcony, the majestic Peak at my back and soothing ocean sounds filling my ears, I realised Nevis had usurped any previous choice of Caribbean haven to live out my years … if only that choice were mine. Hermitage: www. hermitagenevis.com Four Seasons: www. fourseasons.com/nevis Words and Pictures: Richard Powell Richard Powell is a freelance journalist who also works for Media Contacts Database firm Presswire, but does not work with or for any of the parties mentioned in this article.

Seven great reasons to travel the world by STAFF REPORTER

IN the current economic doldrums, many of us who yearn to wake up looking at a mountain range or a bright blue sea we’ve never seen before feel a certain kind of guilt that keeps us home. We couldn’t be more wrong. Six reasons you should book that flight, now!

Creates lasting relationships

People you meet while on the road usually become some of the most valued ones in your address book, giving you points on the map to visit later on.

Develop skills you didn’t know you had

The satisfaction you get when reaching the top of the mountain, or simply successfully ordering from a menu at a restaurant in rural China.

Learn a language

There’s something satisfying about being able to throw around a few words of how to say hello and thanks in different languages.

A sense of adventure

After zip lining over the jungle canopy in Peru, successfully navigating the alleys of Marrakech, or Jeeping out with the grazing animals in Tanzania you get a feel for what being an active human being is like.

To prove to yourself you can do it

Finishing a trip gives you the satisfaction that you were able to accomplish what you set out to do. And to give you energy to set up the next challenge too.

Makes all your dreams come true

If you want to do it now you’ve probably always wanted to. You imagined it, daydreamed about it, envisioned it. Guess what? Now’s the time to do it.

Worldwide Travel offers flights to many destinations & worldwide hotel bookings at competitive prices. For a high quality, affordable, personal service we are here for you and just a phone call away. Call us now, 0208 732 5486

| 12 - 18 November 2013 | thesouthafrican.com

Sport

Dale Steyn wants to play in all cricket formats by JEREMY BORTZ CHASING an improbable 267 to win the fourth one-day international and square the series, Pakistan were by no means out of it on 228 for 5 after 46 overs with Misbah-ul-Haq well set on 63. Enter Dale Steyn, South Africa’s premier Test strike bowler, and six balls later the match was effectively over as Pakistan had slumped to 231 for 8. Dale Steyn picked up three in a superb over to end with figures of 10-1-25-5, his best in ODI cricket. With this spell, Steyn once again demonstrated how effective he can be in the shorter formats of the game. After being rested for the opening two games of the series, Steyn has come back firing and his hunger is evident. That hunger stretches to playing a part in all formats of the game. After being in injury-free for many years, Steyn struggled with multiple niggles and in order to ensure he was fit for the Test series against Pakistan, he has been rested from the shorter formats of the game, including the last seven T20s. Just recently, Steyn expressed his desire for that to change. With the World Twenty20 scheduled for Bangladesh in March, Steyn has committed himself to all seven T20 matches before then saying: “I want to form part of this puzzle. I want to get my piece solidly in there so people can find a way to bowl around me or we can bowl with each other. I want to play all the Twenty20s. The T20 World Cup is just around the corner and I want to play that”. Steyn says shorter formats of the

game are not as hectic on the body but lots of fun and “you want to play cricket because it’s fun”. “Test matches are really hard but I find ODI’s and T20s a lot of fun. It just keep me going”. He also said he enjoys opening the bowling but is happy to slot in wherever needed. With so much cricket being played these days, it is imperative that players are carefully managed especially as they get a little older (Steyn recently turned 30). Maintaining the #1 Test position is key but a world cup is just that and it’s understandable that players want to be a part of that. And with South Africa’s poor history in the shorter versions of the game, one can completely understand why Cricket South Africa would be happy for the best players to play. (Jacques Kallis is another example of a stalwart who has recently recommitted himself to the ODI side). Perhaps it is worth giving these world-class players one final crack in Bangladesh in March and then the ODI world cup in Australia and New Zealand in February/March 2015? By then Steyn will be close on 32 and if he is still playing in the shorter formats of the game, one would think this world cup in Australasia would be his last. Steyn is third on the list of leading wicket-takers for South Africa in Tests with 340 from 67; Shaun Pollock has 421 and Makhaya Ntini 390, and if managed carefully, the Phalaborwa Express should end his already magnificent career as the country’s most successful Test bowler.

TOKYO BUTTERFLY: Le Clos completing the 100 metres butterfly at the World Cup Series in Tokyo. Image: Doha Stadium Plus

Tokyo earthquake can’t rattle golden boy Le Clos

| South Africa’s Chad Le Clos was woken up by a earthquake but took care of business as usual as he stormed to victory in the 100 metres butterfly at Sunday’s World Cup series in Tokyo. by STAFF REPORTER SOUTH Africa’s Chad Le Clos was woken up by a “scary” earthquake but took care of business as usual as he stormed to victory in the 100 metres butterfly at Sunday’s World Cup series in Tokyo. Shaken but unstirred, the 21-yearold will officially be crowned champion for the second time in three years at the eighth and final stop in Beijing later this week, reports AFP. Le Clos, who famously out-touched his idol Michael Phelps to win the 200m butterfly gold at last year’s London Olympics, said he had his sights on the American’s mantel of swimming’s greatest ever. “I want to be the best swimmer in the world – the best all-round swimmer,” he said after finishing second in the 200m individual medley. “I want to make sure I swim as much as I can and get the best out of me that I possibly can, whether that’s two races, or seven races, or eight races.” The day began with unexpected drama for the swimmers with a quake rocking the capital around the time they would have had their alarm clocks set for. “That was scary,” said Le Clos,

who won the 100m fly in 49.01, almost half a second clear of American Tom Shields. “I was sleeping in my room and thought my room-mate was playing with my bed, then realised I didn’t have a room-mate, so I ran outside.” After his sensational Olympic gold, Le Clos is hungry for more success. “The first thing is to try and get a long-course world record,” added the 100m and 200m butterfly world champion, who ended his weekend with five race victories. “I think the 200 fly is my best shot for now.” That world record is owned by Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time with 22 medals, 18 of them gold. “I’d like to break as many records as I can but I’ve got to take baby steps, just look at things one at a time,” said Le Clos. “At the moment it’s more about getting my medley right. “My breaststroke is probably not the greatest. “In 2016 I’m going to try to break the world record, maybe a bit before. But for now I want to win four gold medals at (next year’s) Commonwealth Games.” Short-course queen Katinka Hosszu added victories in the 400m

individual medley, which she won comfortably in 4:25.97, and the 200m butterfly, when she produced a stunning fightback over the final 25 metres to beat Japan’s Yai Watanabe. The Hungarian, who has wrapped up her second successive World Cup title, also dead-heated for first in the 100m individual medley with Australia’s Alicia Coutts, making it five more wins over the two days. Russia’s Iuliia Efimova kicked the evening session off with a bang, setting a short-course world record in the women’s 50m breaststroke in 28.71. “I’m a little surprised,” she said before coming back to win the 200m. “I had no time to warm up… my hair was still wet.” Japan’s Kosuke Hagino beat Le Clos to the men’s 200 individual medley gold in a Japanese and World Cup best 1:51.50 while Russia’s Vladimir Morozov won the men’s 50m freestyle carve-up, thrashing through the water to win in 20.72, ahead of American Anthony Ervin, who touched in 21.10. Australian quartet Tomaso D’Orsogna, Travis Mahoney, Cate and Bronte Campbell capped the Tokyo leg with a world record of 1:29.61 in the 4×50 mixed freestyle.

thesouthafrican.com | 12 - 18 November 2013 |

Sport

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New Autumn Active Touch Leagues in London

| This week it was the start of the new Autumn Active Touch League, with new players and teams being introduced to the sport and the competition. Within the first couple of minutes the players caught on quickly and produced some great games. by TRACY ANDREW THIS week we saw the start of the new Autumn Active Touch Leagues kick off in Canary Wharf and Wandsworth. The game is a cross between Netball, Rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, Touch and Basketball. With the new season, comes new players and teams entering into the leagues. It was the first week and we introduced the rules of the game and within the first couple of minutes the players caught on quickly which produced some great games for the first week of the competition. We started off with the league at Canary Wharf on Monday. The first

game was Look, Don’t Touch who came second in the previous league playing against a brand new team of individuals, Shake n Bake. They won their game 11 – 8. In the next game we had a new team to this league, Tumeke. They had played in the Wandsworth Leagues for many seasons, however they introduced the game to some new players so they had to learn the rules on the run. Tumeke played Canary Dwarfs who were in fighting form and with some awesome touchdowns, Canary Dwarfs just edged past to win 15 – 11. On Tuesday the Active Touch League continued at Wandsworth, with some new teams in the league as well as new players.The next game was a special game for the Hot

Springboks thump Welsh continued from page 16

when Rolland sent Oosthuizen and Jenkins off for 10 minutes, while the loss of Steyn led to the Boks losing some of their structure. Very solid performance Pat Lambie moved from fullback to flyhalf and failed to make an impact. On the other hand, Willie le Roux, who was brought on off the bench to take over at fullback, turned in a very solid performance. His decision-making was excellent - he seems to see things before others - and he helped to push the Welsh back into their half with his clever kicking. The tricky conditions required someone to step up and take control of the game. Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez did just that. His tactical kicking got better and better as the match progressed and put the home team under pressure. It also resulted in South Africa’s third try. After turning over possession, a well-placed kick by Du Preez put Wales under pressure down the left flank. When the ball sat up, Jaques Fourie grabbed it and turned inside in one movement, passing to the supporting Du Preez, who shrugged off a tackle to run clear for the Springboks’ third try. The other two Bok tries were impressive too. The first began deep inside their half when Bryan Habana saw Richard Hibbard in front of him and used his pace to round the hooker and flash past an attempted tackle by George North.

After flying up the middle of the field, Habana found Bismarck du Plessis in support. He flattened a would-be tackler before offloading to captain Jean de Villiers, who crashed over the try line with two tacklers on his back. South Africa’s second try came from a lineout and ended with Bismarck du Plessis spinning out of a tackle to dot down. “We really started well and we knew it would be important,” De Villiers said of the two early tries after the match. “We managed to build a nice lead [of 17-6] and although Wales fought back to trail by only two points at one stage, we still felt in control. Ultimately, it was a good win over a good side at a very tough venue for the Springboks, but they’ll be looking for considerable improvement when they meet Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday, 17 November, and France at the Stade de France on Saturday, 23 November. Championship, is back in favour, while the hugely talented but injuryprone Johan Goosen, who recently returned to action after seven months out injured, was recalled to the team. Meyer said the Springboks would like to build on their performances during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in the tests against Wales (9 November in Cardiff), Scotland (17 November in Edinburgh) and France (23 November in Paris).

Custard teams as they got to play each other in a farewell match to Axe, one of their star players at Active Touch. There were some amazing touchdowns and skills shown throughout the game and the game came down to the wire. The final score was Hot Custard 8 Hot Custard Jagermaestros 5. The League on Thursday at

Wandsworth was a cracker with three teams from previous seasons and one brand new team, Beer Swilling Vikings. They were first up against Hot Custard who were gentle on the beginners for the first half of the game. Beer Swilling Vikings did extremely well considering never seeing the game before and by the end of the game they started

producing some great touchdowns. Hot Custard won the game 13 – 3. If anyone is interested in playing or entering a team into the next Winter Season starting in January 2014 please feel free to send an email to tracy@in2touch.com or have a look on our website, www.in2touch.com/uk

SPORT

12 - 18 November 2013

GOLDEN BOY CHAD LE CLOS DOES IT AGAIN - P14

NEW AUTUMN ACTION TOUCH RUGBY LEAGUES - P15

NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS

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SPRINGBOKS DOWN SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONS

| Wales’ winless run against the southern hemisphere’s ‘big three’ extended to seventeen matches as a clinical South Africa outmuscled the Six Nations champions 24-15 in Cardiff. By BRAD MORGAN THE Springboks began their tour of the northern hemisphere on a strong note at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday night, outscoring Six Nations champions Wales three tries to nil in a 24-15 victory. The Welsh had provided the vast majority of the British and Irish Lions team that defeated Australia earlier this year and had high hopes going into the contest against the Boks, but the men in green and gold defused their challenge as they have so often in the past to improve their record against the Dragons to 25 wins, a single loss and a draw. By no means were the Springboks near their best, but that underlined the fact that Heyneke Meyer’s charges have improved considerably in 2013. The most obvious difference between the teams was South Africa’s finishing, which brought them three tries, and Wales’ inability to finish. Wales enjoyed an edge in territory and possession, but they never looked as if they would

breach the Springboks’ try line. In fact, after they had made decent ground, they subsequently often found themselves forced backwards by the very physical South African defence. Willem Alberts stood out, both on attack and defence, regularly making the hard yards and time after time driving Welsh runners back in heavy tackles. The Boks gang tackling and their ability to turn over possession made a difference in the game, although some of referee Alain Rolland’s decision-making was headscratching, to say the least. The tight scrums, unfortunately, were also a lottery on the poor playing surface at the Millennium Stadium and one must question the decision by the Welsh Rugby Union to keep the roof open when it had the ability to close it. Scrum Resets were the order of the day and referee Rolland eventually lost patience with the front rows and put both sides on a team warning. This led to the sight of Coenie Oosthuizen coming as a substitute and immediately being sin-binned seconds later after the

| Prince William, Duke of Cambridge hands the trophy to Jean De Villiers of South Africa during the International between Wales and South Africa at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images

scrum went down again. Gethin Jenkins was sent off at the same time. With the pitch breaking up alarmingly, Rolland might have been

better served moving the scrums about a little in search of better footing. Both teams were hampered by injuries, with the Welsh losing three players within the first 20 minutes,

including two front rankers, while the Springboks lost Morne Steyn early in the contest. The Welsh losses led to uncontested scrums continued on page 15

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