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South African skyscraper first to achieve green rating INSIDE

Pistorius advert receives record number of complaints

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NEWS Zuma’s wife suspected of poison plot and banned from Nkandla

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NEWS Six slang words you’ll only hear in South Africa

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COMMUNITY Experience the little treasures of beautiful Dublin

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| TOUCHING THE SKIES: See how Cape Town's tallest skyscraper compares to those in London. Photos by Wieland Gleich/ dhk architects. Read more on page 7

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| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

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Editor: Mareike Pietzsch Production and Design: Andisiwe Juta Registered office: Riverbank House 1 Putney Bridge Approach Fulham SW6 3BQ. Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: editor@thesouthafrican.com Website: www.thesouthafrican.com Directors: P Atherton, A Laird, J Durrant, N Durrant and R Phillips Printed by: Mortons of Horncastle Ltd

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Pistorius advert receives record number of complaints in the UK | A British advertisement making light of Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial by offering “money back if he walks”, drew a record 5,525 complaints in the UK

By Katy Scott Paddy Power’s Oscar Pistorius advertisement has been named the most complained-about campaign in the UK for 2014.

The Irish betting company’s ad appeared in a British newspaper during Pistorius’ murder trial in March 2014, and read “It’s Oscar Time. Money back if he walks” – poking fun at the fact that he is a double amputee.

The ad was aimed at those betting on the outcome of the murder trial, saying that if Pistorius were to be found not guilty, the company would refund all those who bet he would be convicted.

The advert received 5,525 complaints and advertising watch dog, the Advertising

Standards Authority (ASA) ordered the campaign to be pulled immediately, saying that it was likely to cause widespread offence, reported The Guardian.

Paddy Power argued that the advert was not intended to cause offence.

The ASA chief executive, Guy Parker, said: “2014 was the year social media came into its own in making it easier than ever to lodge complaints en masse.

While some ads will inevitably split opinion, as the diverse nature of complaints we received shows, last year underlined the importance of our work in cracking down on misleading ads, including copycat websites, that are simply unfair to consumers.”

Alleged heroin smuggler returns to court | Scott Parker returned to the Isleworth Crown Court on the weekend via video link from prison. He was further charged with being in possession of a “lock knife” at Heathrow Airport. Parker has pleaded not guilty to all charges By john cole-morgan

Seen our new website?

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Catch up with the latest sports news, read up on current events, find a recipe for dinner, learn about the latest events for the expat community and be in touch with your South African heritage more than ever before.

Pet relocation consultant, Scott Parker, formally entered a plea against the charge of smuggling 15kg of heroin, worth £750,000, into Heathrow airport using his employers’ cat containers.

Parker was not in South Africa at the time the animals were shipped to the United Kingdom and was arrested at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre after border agents discovering the drugs hidden in the cat cages.

Parker was immediately arrested and has been in prison since his arrest on 21 November 2014.

The charges against Parker were formally amended on 19 February 2015. Parker has pleaded not guilty to being in possession of heroin.

The second charge was added, namely that Parker was charged with “having an article with a blade or a point in a public place namely Heathrow Aiport”. Parker also pleaded not guilty to this charge.

Parker holds dual citizenship for the United Kingdom and South Africa, and, as he entered the UK with his British passport, the South African High Commission considers the matter to be one for the local authorities entirely.

Parker qualifies for legal aid and British taxpayers will carry the costs of his defence. The costs involved

were discussed in Court and are expected to involve the setting-up of a video stream with South Africa for the duration of the trial. This video stream allows the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Parker’s defence team to interview the parties that may be able to shed more light on the case.

The South African witnesses at this time are expected to be Parker’s employers, Samantha Cary, and her husband, Duncan Harmse, who delivered the animals from the boarding house to O. R. Tambo International Airport, as well as Parker’s wife.

When Parker was first arrested, Cary commented, saying: “There is no plausible way that he could have possibly done this, as he was already sitting in the UK. So it would have been extremely difficult for him to have any involvement whatsoever.”

CCTV footage is likely to be shown of the discovery of the concealed drugs in the animal containers transported from South Africa. This footage will also show the difficulty involved with placing the drugs in the cages in a very short space of time that Parker’s defence team is claiming the concealment occurred.

The CPS is not likely to call any witnesses from South Africa, but did express to the Court that it

reserved the right to call more as their investigations continued. The CPS also voiced its concern that should further evidence be found of the involvement of Noelmed Agencies CC, trading as “Animal Travel Agency” or “Ezee Animal Transport” based in Johannesburg, the CPS would look to extend the charges accordingly.

A further directions hearing will be held in May 2015 to ensure the exact costs involved for the Legal Aid. This hearing is to ensure

that public funds are being used appropriately.

As Cary and her husband Harmse are expecting the birth of their child at the end of April 2015, and are unlikely to be available to give evidence, Parker’s trial has been postponed to 27 April. The trial is scheduled as a five-day fixture hearing and will start on 3 August 2015. Parker’s custody time limit is extended to 7 August and he will remain in prison until that date.

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Zuma’s wife suspected of poison plot and banned from Nkandla, according to report | One of Jacob Zuma’s wives allegedly attempted to poison him last year. She has reportedly been kicked out of Nkandla and has been missing from important events. The president’s office has rubbished the reports as “speculation and gossip”

By Katy Scott One of President Jacob Zuma’s wives, Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma, is suspected of being involved in a plot to poison the president and has since been banned from his Nkandla compound.

According to a Sunday Times report on 22 February, three confidential (unnamed) sources have confirmed that Zuma was admitted to hospital in June last year.

At the time, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told the media that Zuma “went in for a routine health check and like all senior members of the party, simply needed a bit of time off to re-energise”.

According to the report, Zuma allegedly discovered the poison plot while on a business trip to the US in August 2014, when doctors diagnosed Zuma as having been poisoned. He then reportedly flew to Russia to get a second opinion. The newspaper reported that Russian doctors confirmed the diagnosis.

Although the newspaper indicated that a direct link could not be found between Ntuli-Zuma and the poison plot, it is believed that the president thought her to be involved as she was unhappy after being sidelined as a wife following her alleged affair with one of her bodyguards six years ago.

Ntuli-Zuma has since been moved to a house in Durban North with her three children, reported News24.

She has reportedly been removed from the president’s travel roster and was absent from Zuma’s recent state of the nation address and the president’s annual Christmas party.

Revenge porn is now illegal in the UK, punishable for up to two years in prison | Revenge porn has been criminalised in the UK, meaning that anyone who sends explicit pictures of another person could be put behind bars for up to two years

By Katy Scott

| Photo by RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images

As Ntuli-Zuma and Zuma are not divorced, she is still entitled to benefits from the presidency’s spousal office.

The president’s brother, Michael Zuma, confirmed Ntuli-Zuma had moved out “not long ago,” reported News24.

Zuma’s office dismissed the Sunday Times report as gossip.

Sapa quoted Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj as

saying that the allegations were based on rumours.

“It’s based on total speculation and gossip… I’m not commenting any further… I don’t comment on gossip,” Maharaj said.

Mail and Guardian further criticised the publication, saying that the Sunday Times could not confirm that Zuma had been poisoned, nor the type of poison Ntuli-Zuma had allegedly used on him.

Revenge porn, the act of sharing private sexual images or videos of another person without their permission, is now illegal in the UK. Anyone who shares private sexual images of another person without their consent and with harmful intention, may face up to two years in jail.

The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill which contains an amendment dealing with revenge porn gained royal consent on 12 February to pass into law. The amendment states that it is illegal to send sexually explicit images or videos without permission over social networks and text messages, with the intent to cause harm.

The law includes the physical distribution of images without consent as well as sharing images online.

The law defines revenge porn as “photographs or films which show

people engaged in sexual activity or depicted in a sexual way or with their genitals exposed, where what is shown would not usually be seen in public,” reported The Independent.

The criminalisation of revenge porn follows police figures revealing victims being as young as 11 years old.

According to statistics from eight police forces in England and Wales, less than five percent of revenge porn has been prosecuted owing to legal prosecution loopholes.

There are believed to be more than 30 different websites specialising in revenge porn in the UK. On these sites, people can post sexually explicit content including the subject’s name and personal information.

Revenge porn is not limited to ex-couples, and involves any form of hacking into a person’s account as a means of sharing explicit images of them.

WE WILL TAKE YOU HOME/ONS DOEN DIE GROOT TREK HUIS TOE...

Why are prisoners allowed to vote in South Africa but not in the UK? | Prisoners in the UK are not allowed to vote. However, in South Africa all prisoners have the right to vote as stated in the Constitution

By Mareike Pietzsch Last week’s ruling by the European Court of Human Rights has yet again ruled that the voting ban for prisoners in the UK is unlawful. This is the fourth time the European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the UK’s blanket ban on giving convicted prisoners the vote.

In South Africa, prisoners have been able to vote since 1999 when the South African constitutional court declared: “The universality of the franchise is important not only for nationhood and democracy.

The vote of each and every citizen is a badge of dignity and personhood.”

But the UK government seems resistant in the lead up to the general elections. One of the lawyers representing the concerned prisoners, Sean Humber, stated, “Unfortunately, we seem to be in the sad position where the government is taking an almost perverse pleasure in ignoring successive court judgements and is content to continue violating the human rights of thousands of its citizens,” he said.

“It should be worrying to all of us that the government appears to have so little regard for its international human rights obligations or indeed the rule of law.”

The UK is out of step with other

European countries as well as many developed countries around the world. While prisoners are part of society, the UK does not give them the same rights as imprisoned persons in South Africa have.

The case was initially brought forward by convicted murderer John Hirst, who has since been released after serving 25 years in prison. He commented after the last court ruling: “You don’t lose your status in civil society just because you’re in prison – you are still a member of the public, you are still a member of society. The vote has nothing to do with the actual punishment.”

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| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

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South African dentist, based in London, brightens smiles in Khayelitsha | London-based dentist from South Africa is providing oral and dental care to one of South Africa's poorest communities. Even a toothbrush is a rare commodity for most low-income families

by Staff reporter Dr Linda Greenwall, who runs a private practice in Hampstead Heath, founded the Dental Wellness Trust in 2011 to tackle poor dental health in Khayelitsha, a township outside of Cape Town.

The charity is an educational and supervised brushing programme called LiveSmart. There is a shortage of toothbrushes in this community as they are a rare commodity in low-income households. If the family does have a toothbrush, there is only one and the children are not allowed to use it. LiveSmart aims to provide 1 million toothbrushes to the children of Khayelitsha in order for them to brush their teeth every day.

“There are 1 million people living in Khayelitsha. On average, a child in Khayelitsha will have decay in 16 out of their 20 teeth”.

LiveSmart provides a safe place for 3000 children through after school clubs where children are given their own toothbrush and

have access to toothpaste and soap.

It improves the children’s dental health and school attendance is improved -- as tooth decay is the number one cause of missing school.

We asked Linda three questions: Are you coming back to

South Africa soon?

At the moment my family are settled in London but I love to go back home as often as I can and return every three months.

I’m going back in April to visit the teachers and children at LiveSmart.

How can people get involved?

We need help with supplies of soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

That is the biggest luxury. We would also love volunteers to help.

What are your future plans?

I have plans for a specialist dental

treatment for the elderly and the disabled in Cape Town, as well as two further clinics in Khayelitsha.

LiveSmart is currently helping 3000 children, which I would also like to expand.

For more information: Email info@dentalwellnesstrust.org

Commemorate Human Rights Day with the South African Chamber of Commerce | Join Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, as she speaks at London's Chamber in commemorating South Africa's Human Rights Day

by Staff reporter Chakrabarti will discuss the ongoing importance of promoting democracy and civil liberties around the world.

Shami Chakrabarti has been Director of Liberty, The National Council for Civil Liberties, since September 2003, which she first joined.

Chakrabarti first joined Liberty as In-House Counsel on 10 September 2001. She became heavily involved in its engagement with the 'War on Terror' and with the defence and promotion of human rights values in Parliament, the Courts and wider society.

A Barrister by background, she was called to the Bar in 1994 and worked as a lawyer in the Home Office from 1996 until 2001 for Governments of both persuasions.

Since becoming Liberty’s Director she has written, spoken and broadcast widely on the importance of the post-WW2

human rights framework as an essential component of democratic society.

She was born in London and studied Law at the London School of Economics. She still lives here with her son. She is Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University and a Visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford in addition to being a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple.

In 2011, Chakrabarti was invited to be one of six independent assessors advising Lord Justice Leveson in his Public Inquiry into the Culture, Practice and Ethics of the UK Press. She was also chosen as one of eight Olympic Flag carriers at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. She received the great honour to be appointed as Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Manchester in February 2014.

When: 23 April Where: Millennium Gloucester Rd. Visit: southafricanchamber.co.uk

thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

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Six slang words you’ll only hear in South Africa | Have you forgotten how to talk like a real Suff Efrican? Here’s a reminder how to do so and a guide for you to share with your non-South African friends

| Illustrations/Andisiwe Juta

by Mareike Pietzsch While English is the official language of South Africa, we have kind of made it our own.

Check out our six favourite words that give our language a very unique twang.

1. Lekker This is a Saffie favourite – and everything can be “lekker”: the weather, weekend plans, and your emotional state of being, or an ice-cold beer. Unlike German, this word is not only restricted to describing food but it can be used for pretty much everything under the sun. It can be used as a substitute for “kiff”.

2. Ag Oh, South Africans love filler

words. Ag — pronounced as “Ach” — is a filler word. It expresses that deep human emotion of empathy in two simple letters. If you also enjoy using “shame”, then just mix it in for a splash of colour.

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3. Shame This term can be used in almost all social situations. If you’ve run out of things to say just combine “shame” with “ag” or “oh”…and et voilà! For extra confusion, this phrase can be used as a response when someone tells you their dog died, or when someone shows you a photo of their cute baby.

4. Kiff Sprinkle this word into your everyday conversation. The word can also be spelled as “kief” or “kif” but it means all the same.

It’s a suitable replacement for “lekker” and as a good, old classic it’s the perfect adjective for a multitude of situations.

5. Izit?

Place this word at the end of a sentence and make sure your voice rises on the last syllable. Alternatively, it can be pronounced monotonously when agreeing with your chommie (friend). Best used when you have no idea what someone is talking about.

6. Just now Forget punctuality — most Saffas pride themselves on having a loose understanding of time.

We affectionately call it African Time. “Just now” can refer to a few minutes, hours, or well, never. When a South African says, “I’ll be there just now”… you might want to double-check what time that is.

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| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

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The Parlotones on going solo, growing up, and their upcoming UK & Ireland tour | It has been years since South African rock band, the Parlotones performed in the UK and Ireland. Before they head over in March for a handful of gigs, we caught up with band member Paul Hodgson by katy scott Very few know the story of how four Joburgian men went from punky experimental beginnings as a band named Crayon in 1998, to South Africa’s favourite rock band.

Lead guitarist Paul Hodgson is here to tell the Parlotones’ tale.

Rumour has it that your UK and Ireland gigs will feature tracks from your upcoming album.

Other than working on your new album, what else have you been up to?

So the new album is to be released in April or May, but we’re managing ourselves now, we’re completely independent. Kahn and Glen have got acoustic side projects, Neil is painting, and I’m

writing a book about the band, I’ve got from 1998 to 2010 so far. It’s actually been quite cool recapping old things.

What is your special connection with the UK and Ireland?

The first international tour we ever did was to the UK and Ireland, so we’ve built up quite a nice fan base there, made up of South African and UK fans. It’s cool to be going back.

As Saffas, we are unique by default. But what do you reckon sets the Parlotones apart from international acts?

I think a lot of our lyrical content reflects a life growing up in SA, not necessarily political, but things that we’ve experienced in SA, which are not the same in other countries.

Advocate Thuli Madonsela Keynote Speaker Come and listen to one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 influential people for 2014. Our Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela is an incredible defender of our beloved constitution and South Africa’s voice of reason.

“The few problems we face are being tackled head on and should be seen as opportunities for your value add as returning sons and daughters of Africa, bringing global wisdom with you.”

Even if you’re not ready to return immediately, come and find out about exciting careers, property, schools and relocation services. The event also includes top speakers, inspirational case studies and practical workshops.

Entrance is complimentary, but capacity is limited.

Register now at www.homecomingrevolution.com/speed-meet-africa

For example, “Should we fight back” is inspired by Nelson Mandela’s long walk to freedom, and is probably the most South African influenced song. But most of our content covers universal topics like disappointment and growing up.

Do you guys have any pre- or post-gig rituals?

We like to high five just before we go on stage, and we have a couple of drinks backstage to loosen up a little. Sometimes we do star jumps to get the blood flowing, and put music on so that everyone backstage can get in the vibe.

If you had to give your band mates and yourself a spirit animal, what would it be?

Neil would be a ginger lion, Kahn a cheetah, Glen a Kung Fu Panda, and myself a sloth.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever played, and why?

Back in 2009 we were the first South African band to headline the Coca-Cola Dome. It’s usually an international band. We went on a mission and managed to sell the place out. So that was a great achievement and an awesome performance.

But the best shows don’t always have to be the biggest and greatest shows. We’ve played small shows to 50 people in London which were brilliant. A small crowd in a small city can be just as electric.

Can you remember a moment when you really felt that you bonded as a band?

When we started we only kind of knew each other from school, so in the early years it was almost like a new job, working with people you don’t know.

It was during our first tours together, when we were seeing if we could handle each others’ presence, because being together on the road for weeks can make or break a band.

On our first UK tours, we were sleeping in the van a lot, brushing our teeth in the parking lot and eating sandwiches because that’s all we could afford. But we loved what we were doing and the tough times were worth it. It showed us that this is what we really wanna be doing.

Could you walk us through the different phases the Parlotones have been through since you started in 1998?

When we started we were called Crayon. We were all in our first band and hadn’t played instruments much. As a band, you always sound a bit punky when you only know a few chords. So I guess we were a bit punkish, and squeaky.

In 2002 we decided to make it our

| Photos by Facebook.com/TheParlotones

full time thing and changed to the Parlotones. From 2002 until last year, we were with our manager and label and recorded all our albums. We toured all around the world and our sound changed as we were exposed to new countries and influences. That was the biggest chunk of our professional career.

We are now in a new chapter, we’re six months on our own. We left the label to become independent and worked on our first independent release. It’s been quite a learning curve.

Our sound has remained

consistent, though. If you were to put our first album on and then our last album on, you would be able to tell that it’s the same band.

And how are things looking for the near future?

We’re energised and enthusiastic again, excited for the future. We’re going back to all the places where we played our early gigs, like the UK, Germany and small towns in South Africa.

It’s quite cool, we’re completely in control of everything we wanna do now.

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thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

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Human Rights Human Wrongs exhibition opens in London | Saffas in London, get your art on, the current Human Rights Human Wrongs exhibition is free for everyone by staf reporter Human Rights Human Wrongs features more than 200 original press prints, drawn from the prestigious Black Star collection of twentieth century photo reportage.

The exhibition explores what role such images play in helping us understand the case for human rights, and further addresses the legacy of how photographs have historically functioned in raising awareness of international conflict.

The exhibition spans a time

frame from 1945 until the early 90s and examines the major political upheavals, conflict, war and struggles against racism and colonisation that became especially urgent following World War II. It seeks to present these events in a global context rather than as isolated incidents, moving away from didactic perspectives on history.

Date: 6 Feb – 6 Apr 2015 Venue: The Photographer’s Gallery, 16–18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW Free Admission.

| Photo by HRHW, Charles Moore/ Carlo Bavagnoli, Biafra/ The Black Star Collection, Ryerson Image Centre

Cape Town’s tallest skyscraper, Portside, achieves green rating | Recently completed, the Mother City’s tallest skyscraper is first to get a green rating, but still only ranks as 6th tallest building in South Africa

by Mareike Pietzsch Glittering in the sun, the 139-meter Portside is Cape Town’s tallest skyscraper and has recently been completed, achieving a 5 Star Green Star SA rating. Portside is the first tall building certified with a green rating. Compared to South Africa, it only ranks 6th – with the 223-meter Carlton Centre Office Tower in Johannesburg taking top place.

Compared to London’s skyscrapers London’s tallest skyscraper, The Shard, is 306 meters and almost twice as high as Portside.

A skyscraper is defined as any building taller than 100 meters – and UK’s capital city is heading for the top. London boasts 202 completed skyscrapers, while Cape Town falls behind with only 9.

Green features Portside is the first skyscraper in South Africa to be awarded with the Green Star SA rating, similar to the United Kingdom’s BREEAM or LEED ratings for buildings. It is the first commercial building in South Africa to be entirely lit by LED lighting, electric car charging points are provided, has ample bicycle racks and changing rooms.

It sits against the spectacular

backdrop of Table Mountain and the city, its glass façade animated by the changing light and surrounding cityscape.

Both buildings feature a glass façade. However, Portside’s façade has been designed for total disassembly for later reuse or recycling as part of its green initiative, also understood to be a first for a tall building in South Africa.

Portside was designed as a benchmark of integrated sustainability and to raise the standards of design, indoor environmental quality as well the reduction of energy, potable water consumption, storm water run-off, waste production and negative emissions.

Statistics The 32-floor development towers over the panoramic views and the Atlantic Ocean. The gross construction area is 114,547 meter square.

As a joint development between FirstRand Bank and Old Mutual situated in the emerging financial district of Cape Town’s CBD, it houses a vibrant mix of cafes and restaurants on the ground floor of the building along with a new FNB branch, revitalising the street life in this rapidly evolving part of the city.

| Photos by: Wieland Gleich

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| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

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Is Afrikaans jou Moedertaal? | Ons navorsingsgroep (van die University of Michigan in die VSA) is tans besig met ’n projek oor hoe Suid-Afrikaners wat in die buiteland woon Afrikaans praat

by Staff reporter Vir hierdie doel soek ons Afrikaanssprekende SuidAfrikaners wat in London en die omliggende gebiede woon.

Deelname aan ons studie is heeltemal anoniem, en neem ongeveer twee ure. Tydens jou deelname sal ons jou vrae om ’n vraelys te voltooi oor hoe jy taal gebruik, asook om ’n lys woorde en sinne te lees waarvan ons ’n opname sal maak. Deelnemers sal £25 ontvang as vergoeding vir hulle deelname.

Datums vir deelname wat tans

beskikbaar is: • 8,9 en 10 Maart 2015 in Sentrale London (John Harvard Library, Borough High Street).

• Datums van laat April tot Augustus is ook moontlik vir ander plekke in en rondom London. Voel vry ons te kontak om hieroor navrae te doen.

As jy belangstel om deel te neem, of vir enige ander navrae oor die studie, kontak ons gerus by afrikaanstaalstudie@umich.edu.

Baie dankie vir jou ondersteuning van ons werk oor Afrikaans in die buiteland!

Thuli Madonsela, confirmed as speaker for Homecoming Revolution’s Speed Meet Africa | Speed Meet Africa is an interactive two-day event, exposing guests to careers, top speakers, case studies, property, schools, immigration advice and relocation services

by Staff reporter The London event is taking place in March, and Madonsela said she is “truly humbled and honoured” to be attending and speaking at the event.

“I applaud Homecoming Revolution for building a patriotic reputation with African governments and creating social and economic transformation in Africa.”

Angel Jones, CEO of Homecoming Revolution, comments, “As one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2014, there’s nobody better to inspire South Africans and other Africans to return home and play their part.”

“Over 350,000 professional South Africans returned home in the past five years and for every one skilled person that returns home nine new jobs are created in the informal and formal sectors.

This unique, fun and interactive event is the perfect way for Africans in London to be inspired by the great opportunities back home and to meet with top employers,” she continued.

Speed Meet Africa is taking place on 20 and 21 March 2015 at the Kensington Olympia Conference Centre.

The interactive two-day event incorporates many “speed meet” sessions, which work on fixed time slots on a round-robin basis. Visitors will be exposed to exciting careers, top speakers, inspirational case studies, property, schools, immigration advice and relocation services.

Employers will interact with a selection of top pre-matched

candidates, plus meet hundreds more, and enjoy significant branding opportunities as well as speaker slots. Relocation providers will have the opportunity of showcasing to over a thousand attendees and enjoy significant branding opportunities.

Established in 2003, Homecoming Revolution is the proven Brain Gain Company for Africa – with a focus on South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, introducing worldwide African professionals to employers and relocation services back home.

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thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

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Cooking with Chef Petrus: Yummy easy pancakes | With Pancake Day fresh in our minds, I couldn’t resist to share my favourite pancake recipe

by Petrus Madutlela I love getting the children involved in the kitchen. It’s usually over a half term break, so, they can get messy and choose their own ingredients to add, as well as snacking on fruits whilst making them. Pancakes are a great way to start the day or to end a meal on any day. You can make them as a healthy snack or a sweet treat for dessert.

Ingredients 110g plain flour, sifted A pinch of salt 2 eggs 200ml milk mixed with 75ml water 50g butter Toppings Castor sugar Blueberries Honey

Method Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs, incorporating any bits of

flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about lumps). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until

the batter is smooth.

Melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon two tablespoons of melted butter into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to grease the pan before you make each pancake.

Wait for the pan to get really hot, then turn down the heat to medium

and do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. I find two tablespoons is about right for an 18cm/7in pan.

As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only. Slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

Stack the pancakes between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.

Serve each pancake with blueberries and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

Quick recipe for gluten-free, scrumptious chocolate cookies | Get your kids involved over the holidays and turn them into little chef's with this winning cookie recipe

by Jodi seale This child-friendly recipe will be a hit with the whole family, and will have all the chocolate lovers rejoicing.

Ingredients 2 cups icing sugar 6 tablespoons cocoa 1/4 cup chocolate chips Few blocks of dark chocolate cut into chunks (optional) 2 extra-large eggs whites Instructions Pre-heat oven to 120'C. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa together into a large bowl, and add the chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks into the mix. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and fluffy. Then fold it into the mixture. If the mixture is too runny, add a little more icing sugar for the perfect consistency.

Spoon the mixture onto a lined baking tray and sprinkle with your choice of toppings such as candy, nuts, coconut, honey comb or more chocolate on top.

Depending on what you choose, you can decide if it's best to sprinkle the topping before or after baking when the cookies are still warm.

Once the choc chip cookies are cooled... simply munch away!

Tip: Crush cookies over a bowl of vanilla ice-cream or use leftovers as a base for a dessert tart.

10

| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

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Experience the little treasures of Dublin | Radiohead famously wrote about Dublin's River Liffey in one of their songs: “I float down the Liffey”

by Natanya Herzstein CeRTAINLY, the meandering River Liffey dominates Dublin, cutting right through the heart of the capital city of Ireland and providing a backdrop to its residents’ daily activities. And so, Dublin is marked by its countless bridges and promenades, providing the perfect place for joggers, cyclists and tourists to stroll along and take in the city’s energy.

I lived in Dublin for a short time, exploring, working and navigating the city with fervour. It left an indelible mark on me, with its bustle and warmth to strangers As Ireland’s largest city it is both a historical and contemporary centre for education, the arts, administration, economy and industry. Humming with activity, it welcomes visitors and citizens alike to its culture, business and shopping.

Dublin is also characterised by its architecture, famous university, pub culture and quirky buskers.

Explore the University When the students have left for the day, there is hardly a better place to take a stroll than through Ireland’s most prestigious university, Trinity College Dublin.

The university, named for its sole college and granted by Elizabeth

I in 1592, is home to one of the world’s most famous books – the gloriously illuminated Book of Kells. Trinity’s grounds cover 16 hectares and its location in the centre of the city symbolises its importance to Dublin and indeed to all of Ireland.

Pub Life Experience the real Dublin by ducking into one of the many traditional, dark-wooded pubs that line the city’s streets. While the cityscape is becoming very modern, the pub remains the place where the Irish gather to relax in groups of friends, or, on Sundays, with their families. Alcohol flows freely in the hometown of Guinness, and the very dark, bitter beer is a must-try when visiting this city.

Buskers Street performers ranging from street musicians to painted gold men are part and parcel of both the inner city and the tourist belt Temple Bar. The pedestrian mall Grafton Street features performers as well, and scenes from the movie “Once”, featuring a busker as a main character, were filmed here. While a ban has been recently implemented on the use of amplifiers, buskers add colour, magic and music to the city life.

| Photos by savethejourney.com/ Jannik Pietzsch

11

thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

Travel

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| Photo by Flickr.com/ aaron gilson

5 child-friendly places to visit in London | It’s half term in the UK, the kids are under your feet and complaining they are bored…

by Moira Rowan It’s that time of the year again, when the kids are already waking you up in the early hours of the morning with boundless energy.

So, instead of them building a pillow fortress in your living room, why not head outside and do something engaging and

educational with them. Here are five entertaining and affordable ideas for things to do with your children in London.

The Science Museum Learn about space rockets, watch a 3D movie, get involved in a hands-on exhibition for teenagers or visit the art gallery. The nearest tube

station is South Kensington.

Buckingham Palace: See the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. The times vary but this colourful ceremony is usually held between 11:15 am and 11:30 am. The nearest tube station is Victoria Street.

Natural History Museum Explore the world of animals: see life-size dinosaurs, blue whales and crocodiles and much, much more.

Entry is free.

Hyde Park Visit a green space, stroll along the Serpentine River or have a picnic.

The nearest tube station is Hyde Park Corner.

Covent Garden Enjoy loads of free entertainment such as: buskers, human statues, musicians. The nearest tube station is Covent Garden.

GoPro lost in Australia returned to London owner via Facebook campaign | 6 months after a backpacker lost his GoPro camera in Australia, a determined Aussie retrieved it from a river bed and took to Facebook to find its owner

by Katy Scott Backpacker, Chris Hesford, lost his GoPro camera while kayaking in Byron Bay, Australia six months ago. He was halfway through his round-the-world trip and lost two months worth of photos.

Last month, Australian Steve Carmody found the GoPro in a riverbed 97km away. While the camera did not survive, 32 GB of memories on the memory stick did. Carmody decided to take to social media to find the rightful owner of these memories, so he posted the following to Facebook: "OK Facebook do your thing. If we can track down this bloke I have 32 GB of precious memories to be returned. If you lost a GoPro in the surf at Fingal Rovers SLSC in NSW Australia, the camera has been found on Fingal Beach at the

Tweed River mouth. Bad news is the GoPro is dead, but your memory stick survives. Inbox me if you know this bloke."

The post went viral. 8,000 shares and two weeks later, after Hesford’s GoPro pictures featured on Australian TV news, someone recognised Hesford and pointed Carmody in the right direction.

Hesford had recorded his travels across America and Fiji before arriving in Australia and had no other copies of his pictures as he had been travelling alone.

He currently works as a lawyer in London, and was in shock when he heard the news.

“It’s amazing that Steve made such an incredible effort to find me,” he said. “Steve, I am extremely grateful for your efforts, and if you are ever in London the first pint is on me.”

| Photo by Facebook.com/ Steve Carmody

12

| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Business

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Rand shows slight improvement against the Dollar | The Rand was slightly firmer against the Dollar on Friday last week by 1st contact With this week’s US GDP data and budget review coming up, the expectation is that the Rand will gain some ground against the Dollar. On Friday, the Rand also had the upper hand against the Euro as investors kept eyes on the debt bailout for Greece.

The Rand has hovered at 17.90 against the Pound since Friday and we are sure expats will be keeping an eye on this to see where it goes. This is due to the

report showing that retail sales in the UK have dropped throughout January. The tightening of the purse strings may not slacken any time soon despite savings on oil and energy.

What to look out for this week?

The USD consumer confidence figures will be released at 15:00 on Tuesday, which will have an impact on the greenback’s standing. On Thursday, we have the Pound and Euro fighting for the

limelight with EU unemployment changes data and the UK gross domestic product data being released. With a large amount of data coming out for the major three currencies, there may be major changes ahead for the Rand.

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| BIC often get contacted by persons who are overstaying on their visas.

This happens, despite the fact that there are often a number of other possible options available to them in order to stay lawfully in the UK

by Breytenbachs Overstaying on your visa in the UK is not worth your while. The UK Home Office is increasingly clamping down on over-stayers. The emotional stress and risk of getting caught is simply not worth it. If your visa is nearing its expiry, contact your BIC consultant in order to discuss viable and legal ways to extend your stay in the UK. Extension of your UK Visa and the Automatic Ban It is very important for South Africans in the UK to keep in mind that they need to apply for an extension of their visa, or indefinite leave to remain before the expiry of their current visa.

If a person overstay on their current visa, for more than 28 days, they would need to leave the UK and make a new application from their home country.

The implication of this would be that a person would also lose the qualifying period spent on the visa that would have counted towards, for example, indefinite leave to remain. BIC has had unfortunate cases where persons have contacted us, after overstaying on their Ancestral Visa, and where they should have been able to apply for indefinite leave to remain, they had to re-apply for the Ancestral visa and re-start the qualifying period towards indefinite leave to remain.

However, if the person can prove that there were exceptional circumstances which prevented them from applying within the 28 days, this will be taken into consideration.

Exceptional circumstances will include: serious illness that prevented the applicant from submitting the application in time, the loss of documents due to fire

or theft, travel or postal delays which meant that the applicant or representative were unable to submit the application on time. It is important to note that proof will be required of such ‘exceptional circumstances’ and it will depend on the individual circumstances.

Please note that there are always exceptions to the rules, and you will be well advised to seek advice in your unique circumstances.

If you are already overstaying on your UK visa, don’t delay, contact BIC as soon as possible. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

13

thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

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| 24 February - 3 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Opinion

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A silver lining for the post office? | Every cloud has a silver lining. This expression implies that there is some good in every troubled circumstance. Yet it is often difficult to find that silver lining in terms of benefits gained or lessons learned by ground up However, in the present shambles that is the Post Office many workers and trade unions seem to have learned a valuable lesson: nationalisation — state control — does not necessarily mean any improvement. The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) has expanded on this theme, noting: “The current shenanigans happening at the SA Post Office are a confirmation of the fact that nationalization without workers’ control and input is meaningless and unsustainable.”

Now the “workers’ control” element will probably set on edge the teeth of the usual suspects on the free market fringe. And especially among those individuals with short memories who think only of the four-month postal strike last year.

But that was the culmination of years of frustration, a last straw or tipping point born of desperation.

As this column noted in October last year, the strike was “not a cause, but a symptom of the malaise” affecting the Post Office.

“Happenings at the SA Post Office are a confirmation of the fact that nationalization without workers’ control and input is meaningless and unsustainable ” And it was postal workers who

| Photo by Flickr.com/ Eddy Van 3000

first raised warning flags about the state of this public service back in 2005. They called for accountability, raised fears about corruption and bewailed evident incompetence. “But nothing was done,” says Aubrey Tshabalala, general secretary of the CWU. He is supported in this by his counterpart in the SA Postal Workers’ Union (Sapwu), David Mangena.

And the unions are still

awaiting the outcome of a 2011 complaint to the public protector.

It alleged that R2.1 billion had been misappropriated over the years. Last year, at a time when Post Office board members had continued to handsomely reward themselves, a leaked audit report revealed probable fraud of R10 million.

This does not, however, mean that the unions were without fault.

The CWU, as part of Cosatu and therefore of the governing, ANC-led alliance, was sometimes accused of soft-peddling on criticism of a state-owned enterprise. Sapwu, on the other hand, was charged with falling into a “divide and rule” trap set by management. But these problems and the establishment of the small Democratic Postal and Communications Union were essentially sideshows.

The reality is that around the country there are post offices that are efficiently run, with staff that relate to customers who often hail from the same communities. And, with very few apparent glitches, mail, even in this increasingly digital age, continues to be delivered: the system at the “coal face” works. But it is losing out, especially in parcel and freight, to much more expensive private companies.

“It almost makes you think that the politicians and those involved with management have shares in outfits like PostNet,” says Mangena. Tshabalala points out that even post office boxes are rented — at higher rates — by private companies.

Having driven the Post Office to the verge of bankruptcy, the

board has now departed and an administrator, Dr Simo Lushaba is in charge. “And he has closed down post offices without consulting with the communities or the workers and their unions,” says Tshabalala. Such action he maintains, is illegal.

Appeals by postal staff for everything from previously agreed pay rises to providing simple back-up services to offices have fallen on deaf ears. My own local, Muizenberg post office, for example, has not been able, since October last year, to process debit or credit card payments.

“We are sorry. We apologise, but the matter has been reported and is being looked into,” the manager says to an irate customer.

“This wouldn’t be tolerated in any private business,” the customer fumes.

And that is the point: incompetent managements in the private sector drive their businesses under faster than the tax-subsidised, state-owned variety. With well-trained, efficient staff in place, and a management that is transparent and accountable to the workers and the communities they serve, the CWU argues that the Post Office will truly deliver, no matter what it takes.

Words by: Terry Bell

Jenna Lowe reflects on her second chance at life | Capetonian Jenna Lowe received two new lungs on 14 December after launching her #GetMeTo21 campaign. She has since left ICU and is making a slow but steady recovery. Here’s what she has to say…

By katy scott Jenna Lowe was diagnosed with a rare lung disease (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension) and waited four years for a new pair of lungs.

At age 20, the brave girl set up the #GetMeTo21 campaign in the hopes of attracting organ donors, and on 10 December 2014 she received what she describes as her “miracle second chance at life” – a bilateral lung transplant.

Lowe underwent an incredibly dangerous operation and has only recently come out of ICU after eight weeks. In a blog post on 10 February (Lowe’s two-month lungaversary) she shared pieces of her journey: “Recovery is long and slow, and it’s been really hard. And there were moments where we thought I wouldn’t pull through. But pull through I did and now I can smell the rain outside my window and see daylight again. It’s so exciting to be able to have an almost normal life, although obviously there are many things to be cautious about and pills to take.”

She expressed gratitude for the

endless love and support that she has received on her blog.

“People have been angels to me.

The utmost angels are my nurses and doctors. At the moment they are my world, and they are filling it with kindness, competence and at times pure brilliance.”

Lowe has further expressed gratitude to her donor’s family.

In South Africa, the recipient is not able to make direct contact with the donor family and visa versa, as this remains anonymous, explains Organ Donor Foundation Executive Director, Samantha Nichols.

“Each day I send love and gratitude to my donor’s family, wherever they are, for giving me this. I can’t put the feeling into words. How do you thank someone for your life? Wherever they are – to them and to my angel-donor, thank you…. From the depths of my soul.”

The entire Lowe family remains totally committed to driving awareness of organ donation in South Africa.

| Photo by Facebook.com/ Jenna Lowe

thesouthafrican.com | 24 February - 3 March 2015 |

15

Sport

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Clapham Common Sunday Winter Touch is back | Touch Leagues in London has kicked off for 2015 at one of the most popular venues, Clapham Common By in2touch Sunday 15 February saw the start of our In2Touch Winter Sunday League and the blue skies had returned for a perfectly crisp day of sizzling, fast paced touch at Clapham.

It was great to see so many familiar faces from the Mixed, Ladies and Mens teams returning for 2015 Sunday touch after a brief Christmas break and an actionpacked year of touch in 2014.

Good luck to all our league players who are in preparation for the 2015 Touch World Cup down under in Coffs Harbour, Australia in April.

The England Mixed Open team are practising down at Clapham Common before the league begins and then they will play in the league to get some more game time.

Back to our first week on Pitch 1, Chilli's and Hot Custard Jagermaestros locked horns in a game that has set the mark for the rest of the season of the league.

Great set-plays and team moves from both teams were the order of the day with a high level of touch on display and England Internationals representing both

teams. A great try eventually gave Hot Custard the two point lead for a 6 - 4 victory.

On pitch 2 the usually brightly cladded Sparky the Wonderdog fought a battle royale against Sunday Individuals (a brand new team where individuals sign up on our website and get placed in this team for the season), and came out on top, 7 – 4.

There are plenty of upcoming leagues to get involved in, such as the Late Winter Active Touch Season, which is an indoor sport and is a mix between Touch, Netball, Ultimate Frisbee and Football.

You can also get involved in our short four week league in Clapham Common, the April Shootout League. There are also our Spring and Summer leagues taking place at 7 different venues across London on Mondays – Thursdays from 19:00 – 21:00.

If you would like to know more about our current or upcoming touch leagues in London, please email us at tracy@in2touch.com.

Or for more information including venues, costs, game times, etc. have a look on www.in2touch.com/uk

Sport page 14

Jenna Lowe reflects on her second chance at life

page 15

Clapham Common Sunday Winter Touch is back

24 February – 3 March 2015

Time to regroup and refocus | The Castle Lager Proteas will have four days to regroup before their next encounter against the West Indies in Sydney following their heavy loss to India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday By staff reporter Proteas captain, AB de Villiers, admitted that his side was outplayed by a spirited Indian outfit, a defeat he feels is a tough pill to swallow early on in the competition.

“It’s a big knock for us to get beaten by 130 runs,” De Villiers said after the match. “It’s almost embarrassing. You never want to lose by that amount of runs. You always want to be a competitive team and feel like you are in the game. We pride ourselves on that and it didn’t happen today.”

De Villiers emphasised the key role the coaching staff and senior players will play in helping the squad to refocus ahead of their “must-win” match against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday.

“We are going to have to lick our wounds, your confidence takes a knock with performances like that and it’s up to the senior group of players to make sure that the confidence is up there come Friday against the West Indies,” he said. “Little things like today’s performance can creep into your game if you start thinking about it too much and allow it to knock your confidence.

“There are a few things that need to happen,” he added.

“Obviously after a loss like that you want to recover and to regroup as a unit. Come tomorrow we will put all of our focus on Friday, it’s a big mustwin match for us in Sydney.”

There were few positives from the disappointing performance,

| South Africa suffer their World Cup record defeat by 130 runs to India in Group B at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Photo by Getty Images/ Quinn Rooney

however, the team can take some confidence after curbing the Indian batsmen in the death overs, along with the continued rise of Imran Tahir.

“I was very impressed with his performance,” De Villiers said

of Tahir. “He played against a team that is renowned for the way they play spin bowling. India are probably the best batting unit against spin-bowling. There were a lot of questions about whether or not he was going to play

before the game so I’m proud of the way he performed tonight against world-class players of spin. He showed that he is right up there as one of the best spinners in the world.”

Vernon Philander was only able to bowl four overs before leaving

the field due to a hamstring injury. He will undergo scans on Monday to determine the extent of the injury. The squad travels to Sydney on Monday and will begin preparations for the match on Tuesday.

Words by: cricket.co.za

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