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Durban movie - Deep End – opens in cinemas across the country March 15

MEDIA RELEASE

Deep End – opens in cinemas across the country March 15

 

Deep End, a film by award-winning Durban-based director Eubulus Timothy and produced by Arclight Productions, which premiered last year at the Durban International Film Festival, opens in cinemas across the country on 15 March.

 

This coming of age romantic drama features an impressive lineup of South African talent which includes Carishma Basday (31 Million Reasons, Material) in the lead as Sunitha, Greg Kriek as Cory (Born to Win (Netflix) ‘n Man Soos My Pa, Last Ones Out, Tula Tula and The Recce) Suraya Rose-Santos as Nina (Free State, Last Broken Darkness) with a guest appearance of South African surfing legend Spider Murphy as himself.

 

Set on the intoxicating shorelines of Durban’s “Golden Mile” beaches, Deep End brings one of the world’s most popular surfing sites to glorious life.  The film is inspired by Eubulus Timothy's childhood in apartheid Durban. He had spent years developing the story and finally brings it to the screen with the support of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry, and an extraordinary cast and crew.

 

Starring Carishma Basday, as the young woman, best known for her role in the film Material, and Greg Kriek, a experienced actor with more than 40 roles to his name, Deep End is the story of a young woman who overcomes family pressure and societal racism to pursue her passion that is not culturally acceptable. She is helped along by an unlikely champion surfer (Kriek) who is trying to escape his drug addiction and his own family demons. Being the apple of her father’s eye, the conflict almost destroys the very foundation of their once strong bond, unmasking pain of his forgotten past.

 

“I was born in Durban and am of Indian origin. My great grandfather came to South Africa as indenture labourer to work on sugar cane farms,” explains Director Eubulus Timothy, who is known for the feature film Othello as well as television shows such as Bridging The Gap and Cape Night Live. “The Indians of Durban had no real contact with India for decades, because of apartheid and so we have created a culture that is very unique. Our lives were a dichotomy of old east and an evolving west. Deep End is based on my experiences and that of my friends.  It’s a story of family tension, love, passion and friendship set around one young woman’s interest in the thrill of surfing.”

 

“We are really thrilled that the film is being released in South Africa by Videovision Entertainment in 26 cinemas around the country on March 15,” says producer Jacintha de Nobrega of Arclight Productions. “This is a local story, which has universal appeal, it’s a warm romantic story, and one that cuts across the generations.”

 

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Jade leads TWC out on home turf as they play host to the PMB North Regionals

Meet Jade Brandis, Captain of The Wykeham Collegiate first X1 hockey team.

 

Thirteen top Pietermaritzburg hockey teams will battle it out for two regional titles in the 9th SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Tournament on Sunday 3 March. The Wykeham Collegiate will host the northern regionals and St John’s D.S.G the central regionals.

 

The Wykeham Collegiate Host PMB North Regionals DSC_8711.jpg

Jade Brandis, the Wykeham Collegiate’s first team hockey captain, is excited about the team’s upcoming challenge.  The team once held the title in 2012, but were ousted by St. Anne’s the following year, with Saints having dominated this regional.  “But at the end of the day it is all about hockey, how we play and the learnings we take from these tournaments,” she says. “The SPAR tournament is one of our year highlights and is always an enjoyable and exciting event”

 

Jade is something of a “mean sporting machine”, besides a love for outdoor hockey she also is captain of the first indoor hockey team, and has played provincially for KZN’s U12, U13 and U16 hockey teams, while also finding gaps in her busy diary to cycle and play tennis.

 

Equally at home in the classroom and on the sports field, Jade has colours for both academics and hockey, and cites completing the gruelling Fish River Canoe Marathon in 2016 and three Midmar Miles as some of her sporting highlights.

Jade enjoys the many leadership roles she plays at school. With two hockey captaincies she is also Head of House, was Head of the Junior Hall, and is Head of the School’s Chamber of Commerce.

 

Hailing from the farming community of Underberg, Jade says she began playing hockey in Grade one at the local primary school there, and she says that the thing she most enjoys about hockey is “the energy, encouragement and passion within our team.” 

  

Going out onto the field, is not always about the win she believes, with some wise words coming from her coaches. “They inspire us to be humble in our victories, and find the good in our losses, but in any event many lessons will be learnt during the matches.”

 

The gutsy twelfth grader, says that her favourite subject is Consumer Studies, as she loves to learn about health and nutrition and then implementing that into great meals. “I am hoping to study Consumer Science when I leave school, and then use that to travel and work.”

 

When she is not playing one of the myriad sports or pushing ahead with academic commitments, Jade loves to cook, bake, play her guitar, cycle, hike and runs with her dogs.

 

It seems though the sporting success runs in her family’s veins with her father, Brian, cycling competitively and her sister, Samantha, playing U14 provincial hockey as well as being on the provincial equestrian team.

 

Jade says that celebrated tennis player Rodger Federer is her all time sporting role model as “I have witnessed his amazingly good sportsmanship from a very young age.”

 

Heading for the PMB North Regionals, win or lose, Jade shares the words she lives by: “Everything happens for a reason” and “It’s all about confidence.”

 

The Pietermaritzburg North Regionals, which features TWC, St Anne’s College Voortrekker High, Grace College, Howick High and Treverton, takes place on Sunday 3 March at The Wykeham Collegiate. Fixtures will be published on the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Facebook page.

 

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Caption to photo by Jonathan Burton:

TWC’s 1st Hockey X1 Captain Jade Brandis gets ready for the PMB northern regionals of the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge, hosted by her school on March 3.

 

Kelsey aims to gently “shake the world”

Kelsey aims to gently “shake the world”


First up in the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge this year is a derby day of hockey on Sunday 3 March, with St John’s D.S.G. hosting the Pietermaritzburg Central Regionals and The Wykeham Collegiate, the PMB Northern Regionals. We chatted to captain of host school St John’s, Kelsey Paige Dellar, a Grade 12 learner who is passionate about life, learning, sport, and in particular hockey.


Leading the team out onto the field for the ninth SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge, determined midfielder, Kelsey Dellar, will be focused on winning back the regional title which they held in 2017, and lost to Epworth in 2018. “I think one of my best memories of playing the SPAR tournament was in the final against Epworth in 2017. We won and I remember our whole team huddling together and celebrating. It was one of my favourite hockey moments and we all bonded as a family.”


The feisty Deputy Head Girl, not only has excelled in academics with honours, but has proved herself a worthy competitor in a number of sporting codes with colours for hockey and half-colours for soccer, as well as first team awards for indoor and field hockey, swimming, water polo, soccer and cross-country.  Her provincial accolades include playing for hockey for KZN U18B, U16B as well as KZN U16 inland soccer. 

Kelsey began her hockey career in Grade four at Pelham Senior Primary School, and says that she most enjoys playing the game because it gives her the “opportunity to be a part of a team and to be completely selfless.”   


The sport, she says, has also given her opportunities to learn some  important life lessons.  “I started off my hockey career by making the U10D team in Grade four,” she laughs. “I thought that I had no potential and I was absolutely terrified of being hit by a hard, round, white ball. The thing that kept me in the game was my friends. They encouraged me to make a higher team to be with them. Eventually, I moved up to B team the next year and finally made first team in Grade six. If it wasn’t for the motivation of my coaches, family and friends; I wouldn’t be where I am today.”


The hockey bug caught her at a young age and has continued throughout her high school career.  “Hockey continues to give such fantastic life lessons,” she says. “Our coach Lyndal Robertson (aka Binks) once said to me that I must never ask a parent or coach where I went wrong, but ask myself the same question. That’s when I was able to flourish as an individual player and not base my performance on other people’s opinions.”


She cites former St John’s captain Charllene Boshoff who matriculated in 2018, as one of her top role models. “Charllene is currently playing hockey in America but played with me last year for the first team.  She constantly inspires me to give of my best and I admire all the hard work and dedication which she puts into hockey. She is definitely a player whom I look up to and one of my closest friends.”

Off the hockey and soccer fields, and out of the pool, Kelsy also enjoys going for runs, doing yoga and reading as well as creating art. 

Clearly one up for a challenge, she says that her favourite subject is Maths as “I love the feeling of solving a problem and the ability to formulate an answer from a tricky equation.” 


And while she is not 100% sure of what she wants to study yet, she is interested in the finance and business world and will probably go on study a BCom degree when she leaves school.


The fun-loving and quietly spoken sports-lover says she aspires to live by the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”  


The Pietermaritzburg Central Regionals take place on Sunday, 3 March at St John’s D.S.G. Fixtures will be published on the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Facebook page. 


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Caption to photo by Jonathan Burton:

St John’s 1st Hockey X1 Captain Kelsey Dellar looks forward to the PMB Central regionals of the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge, hosted by her school on March 3.

Meet Georgina Baker – Captain of St Anne’s - defending champs of the PMB North Regionals of the SPAR Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Meet Georgina Baker – Captain of St Anne’s - defending champs of the PMB North Regionals of the SPAR Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

 

Next Sunday (March 3) 13 Pietermaritzburg hockey teams take to the astroturf in two regional titles in the 9th SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge. 

 

PMB North Regional champs, St Anne’s DSG will be setting their sights on retaining their title as they battle it out with five other teams at host school The Wykeham Collegiate. Down in the valley the PMB Central Regionals will be hosted by St John’s D.S.G as defending champs, Epworth attempt to hold onto their regional title.

 

Captain of St Anne’s first hockey X1 Georgina Baker, is eager to lead her team out onto the field as they battle it out with TWC, Grace College, Treverton, Voortrekker and Howick High to retain their regional crown.

 

The 17 year old Grade 12 learner, has a true passion for sport, holding the prestigious title of “Sportswoman of the Year” at St Anne’s in 2017. Besides a love for outdoor hockey, Georgina also plays indoor hockey, squash and soccer. She currently plays for the KZN U18A hockey team and was also selected for the KZN U18B squash squad but unfortunately was unable to go on tour.

 

Hailing from the historic midlands town of Nottingham Road, the gutsy centre back started playing hockey in Grade 1 at Clifton Nottingham Road, and says she loves playing hockey as it is a team sport, and she enjoys that team atmosphere of hockey. “But I also enjoy the healthy competition on the pitch,” she laughs.  

 

Georgina, who is quite at home playing sport or in the classroom, has colours for hockey, squash and academics. She hopes to study business science or occupational therapy when she leaves school, preferably at UCT. “My favourite subject is life science, because I find learning about the human body and evolution, as well as the environment very interesting,” she says.

 

With the adrenaline pumping as she shoots for goal, or whacks a squash ball, Georgina finds time to quieten down by playing the piano as she says “it takes my mind off things.”

 

Georgina’s three other siblings all enjoy sport, and she is particularly proud of her brother Murray who played provincial squash, hockey and cricket last year.

 

She cites Roger Federer as her sporting role model. “I look up to the way he conducts himself both on and off the court,” she says. “He is always humble and grateful in both his wins and defeats, and is always respectful of his opponent.  That is something to truly aspire to.”

 

In the competitive world of sport, Georgina says that the best bit of inspirational advice she has received from her coach is “Never be complacent and to practice like you play.”

 

No wonder then, that she lives by the words of her father, "it's all about the mind". 

 

The Pietermaritzburg North Regionals take place on Sunday 3 March at The Wykeham Collegiate.

 

For more info, visit the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Facebook page.

 

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SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge - Durban North Regional 9 March 2019

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Durban North Regional

Crawford La Lucia: Saturday 9 March

 

The third regional in the 2019 SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge gets rolling on Saturday 9 March at Crawford La Lucia.

 

Eight teams will gather at this year’s regional, taking to the pitch to participate in 20 minute one way running time with the teams being split up into two pools. A win will earn the team 4 points, a draw with goals 2 points and a goalless draw 1 point and a loss zero points. The cross-pool playoffs are also 20 minutes in duration, starting just before lunchtime.

 

Leading Pool A, defending champs Our Lady of Fatima hope to retain their regional title. Joining them are Ashton International College, Northlands Girls’ High and Durban North College. Heading up Pool B are hosts Crawford La Lucia with Danville Park Girls’ High, Crawford North Coast and Reddam House uMhlanga. 

 

Three teams have previously progressed to the Grand Finals representing the Durban North Regional: Fatima have made three appearances, placing fifth in three grand finals, namely in the inaugural year 2011, and then the last two consecutive years. Similar to Fatima, Ashton have also represented the region three times in the years 2013, 2015 and 2016, with their final positions at the Grand Finals being 6th, 7th and 9th while Danville have made it all the way twice in 2012 and 2014 finishing with a 6th and a 9th.

 

The first team on the turf are the defending champs, Fatima vs Northlands at 07.30 followed by a Crawford derby with hosts La Lucia taking on their North Coast campus.

 

Head Coach for Our Lady of Fatima, Jacinta Jubb enthused, “This year our team has a fantastic mix of youthful and experienced players. This powerful mix, I'm sure, will be the changing factor for our team. We have been building as a team for 2 years now, and fine-tuning our technical abilities while developing our structural understanding. The Fatima girls always play with such heart, and I feel this year all our hard work will pay off.”

 

For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow their Instagram account.

 

ENDS

 Photo: Rogan Ward:

Keeping their eyes on the ball, captains Megan Coreejes (Our Lady of Fatima – defending champions) and Rachel Wilkinson (Crawford La Lucia – host school) are pictured ahead of the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge.

Summer Rutherford : Epworth Vice-Captain - Defending champs of PMB Centrals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Meet Summer Rutherford : Epworth Vice-Captain

 

This Sunday (March 3) sees 13 top Pietermaritzburg hockey teams take to the astro in two of the local regionals of the 9th SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge. The PMB North Regionals will take place at The Wykeham Collegiate and the Centrals take place at St John’s D.S.G.

 

Summer Rutherford, Vice-Captain of Epworth, the Centrals defending champs, has high hopes for the team as they compete against St John’s D.S.G., Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School, Russell High, Alexandra High, Maritzburg Christian School and Carter High in a day of fun festive, and healthily competitive hockey.

 

With her eyes set on becoming a sport psychologist, Summer (17), who plays defense, is somewhat of a sports fanatic. Besides holding the honour of being the 2019 Head of Sport at Epworth, she is also in the first teams for indoor hockey, basketball, soccer and water polo – and still finds time to run cross-country. Summer is in the Provincial Midlands Water Polo Team, has half colours for water polo, and has received captains’ awards at school for soccer and water polo. 

                                       

The energetic young team player has enjoyed sport for as long as she can remember, having started her hockey career back in Grade one at primary school.  Little wonder she holds one piece of inspirational advice given to her to “play for the little girl inside of you, that fell in love with the game.”

 

It’s the sense of belonging and working together that truly attracts Summer to hockey. “I love the camaraderie and team spirit that exists in the game of hockey,” she says.

 

Citing art as her favourite subject, Summer says she loves the “unconventional way of thinking and working” it provokes, qualities she no doubt will use in good stead as she studies sports science at either Stellenbosch or Tukkies when she leaves school.

 

Away from school sports and academics, Summer, who lives on the North Coast, loves surfing, longboarding and running.

 

Coming from sporty family – mum Cindy cycles competitively and dad  Quinton is involved in canoeing and surf skiing, Summer says one of her sporting heroes is current SA Field Hockey player, Jethro Eustice because “he is a talented sportsman both in field and indoor hockey yet remains so humble about it”.

 

Summer played in last year’s Grand Finals at St Mary’s DSG, and remembers well the feeling of winning over the then-current champs St John’s D.S.G. “When we won against them in the regional final, our team all ran to give our fantastic goal-keeper Catia Cocciante a group hug. It was a great feeling ”

 For more information follow on Instagram or Facebook.

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Photo: Summer Rutherford, Vice-Captain of Epworth, in action at last year’s PMB North Regionals of the SPAR School Girls’ Hockey Challenge.

 

 

Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals St John’s D.S.G. and The Wykeham Collegiate: Sunday 3 March

SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge

Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals

St John’s D.S.G. and The Wykeham Collegiate: Sunday 3 March

 

Firing up the 2019 SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge, the first two regionals tip off in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 3 March.

 

Host for the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional is St John’s D.S.G. while up the road, The Wykeham Collegiate will play host to the Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional. The central games get under way at 07.30am and half an hour later for the northern regional. The top two teams for both regionals will duel it out for their regional final at 01.25pm at The Wykeham Collegiate, and at 02.50pm at St John’s D.S.G. The prize givings will follow the finals for each regional.

 

Central hosts, St John’s are one times winners having advanced to the Grand Finals in 2017, they take on defending champs Epworth School together with six times victrix, Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School. Also part of the central regional are Russell High, Alexandra High, Maritzburg Christian School and Carter High.

 

Wykeham have also earned the regional title once in the second tournament in 2012. St Anne’s College have dominated the area winning the regional crown seven times. Hoping to topple Saint’s domination are schools from Voortrekker High, Grace College, Howick High and Treverton and of course host The Wykeham Collegiate.

 

Both regionals will be using the round robin format with a win earning them 4 points, a draw with goals 2 points, a goalless draw 1 point and a loss zero points. The match duration will last 20 minutes rolling time.

 

Following the first two Pietermaritzburg regionals, the tournament then travels to Durban for the Durban North and Durban Central Regionals taking place the weekend after. Once all the regionals have concluded, the regional finalists converge on the Grand Finals which takes place on 20 and 21 July at St Mary’s D.S.G.

 


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SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge 2019 Regional Tournament Dates Announced

SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge

2019 Regional Tournament Dates Announced

 

The dates for the ninth SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge have been announced with the ten regionals taking place around KZN.

 

The year gets underway a week later than previous years with the usual Northern KZN regional nestling in midway on the 2019 calendar.

 

A bumper March has four tournaments taking place back to back over two weekends. Kicking off the year is the Pietermaritzburg Regionals. The Central and Northern Regionals of Pietermaritzburg will be played on Sunday 3 March hosted by one-time winners, St John’s D.S.G. and The Wykeham Collegiate. Saturday 9 March sees the Durban North Regional taking place at Crawford La Lucia. Durban Girls High School hosts the Durban Central Regional at 3 Schools Trust on Sunday 10 March.

 

The fifth regional tips off the first of two tournaments taking place in April. On Sunday 7 April, Amanzimtoti will see the teams for the Durban South Regional at 3 Schools Trust. Heading further south, the challenge moves down to Port Shepstone for the Sisonke and Ugu Southern KZN Regional tournament on Saturday 13 April at host school, Creston College.

 

The final four tournaments all take place in May, the action moves inland to Newcastle’s St Dominic’s for the Northern KZN Regional on Saturday 4 May. Remaining inland for the Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional on Saturday 11 May defending champs, Greytown High School host. Unfolding the next day, the Highway Regional will take place at Thomas More College. Wrapping up the regionals, Grantleigh will host the Northern KZN Coastal Regional on Sunday 19 May.

 

Once all the winners are revealed at the ten regionals, the ten regional representatives converge at St Mary’s DSG two months later for the Grand Finals. The riveting Grand Finals gets underway on Saturday 20 and continues on Sunday 21 July where the ninth victorious team will be crowned.

 

For more info on the tournament life the Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

African Insight Launches New Operation on Pongola Game Reserve, KZN, South Africa

African Insight Launches New Operation on Pongola Game Reserve, KZN, South Africa

African Insight, one of the continent’s leading  providers of inspirational, educational and empowering conservation programmes has announced that it has extended its site offerings for groups to the White Elephant Lodge on Pongola Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

African Insight has been providing academic field trips and youth development programmes to universities, colleges and schools for over 20 years.  Destinations include Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, KZN Drakensberg Mountains and Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park.

“In 2013 we were contracted to train 16 community members in hospitality and through this process were able to further develop our  unique brand of academic tourism on the community-owned Somkhanda Game Reserve in the Zululand region in KwaZulu-Natal,” explains Andrew Anderson, MD of Africa Insight.  

Anderson explains that “this led to the establishment of the African Insight Academy on Somkhanda with the vision to Inspire, Educate and Empower future global environmental custodians locally and abroad.  The facilities developed on Somkhanda include two safari style tented student camps that can accommodate 20 and 30 students respectively and a rustic “sleep out” camp.”

At the end of October 2018, the contract expired, and the hospitality side of the operation was handed back to Somkhanda’s management company.  African Insight Academy continues to operate on Somkhanda as a venue for its highly successful academic and youth development programmes whilst looking for new venues to accommodate the growing demand.

“The market for additional capacity to accommodate groups led us to talks with the owners of Pongola Game Reserve’s White Elephant operation, who loved the idea and they have now established  a new 30 bed facility for groups which was launched in January 2019,” says Anderson.

“Our African Insight Academy on Somkhanda and now on Pongola provides practical field experience in wildlife behaviour and management exposing students to a variety of research, monitoring and conservation programmes and community engagement.”

“Conservation and wildlife tourism that does not embrace the surrounding local community is unsustainable,” continues Anderson. “It is because of this that we have been actively involved in building sustainable socio-economic bridges between Somkhanda and the community resulting in the established of several programmes, such as cattle dipping, early childhood development and authentic homestays.  These programmes provide real support to the community whilst offering students an educational insight into contemporary traditional cultural and social-political issues. These same principles will be applied in the development of the site at Pongola.”

“We have had a phenomenal response over the years to these programmes, which has led to the need for more sites,” says Anderson. “And of course, there is nothing quite like an authentic African bush experience to capture the hearts and minds of our future conservationists, scientists and the like.”

The University of Roehampton in the UK has had a decade long partnership with African Insight Academy: with the two institutions working together to deliver the module Conservation. People, and Wildlife: South Africa Field Course to final year undergraduate students of anthropology, biology and zoology.  Prof Garry Marvin, Professor of Anthropology at the University, has seen the positive impact these trips have had on them and the university, saying “the close engagement that our students, through the field trips, have with the complex issues of conservation in situ, offers a rich educational experience beyond that which they would have from only reading the academic literature on conservation.”

Dr Heinz Kohrs, owner of White Elephant Lodge is excited to partner with the African Insight Academy on Pongola Game Reserve and looks forward to “being part of this important initiative that is having a positive impact on the next generation of global citizens and environmental custodians”.

For more information about the bespoke educational, development and academic programmes created by African Insight Academy , contact andrew@africanInsight.co.za or go to www.africaninsight.co.za

 

 

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Media enquiries:

Andrew Anderson

MD African Insight Academy

Email:  andrew@africanInsight.co.za

Mobile:

 

Facebook:                                          https://www.facebook.com/africaninsightacademy/

                                                            https://www.facebook.com/AfricanInsight/

           

Kingsley Holgate and his Cape Town to Kathmandu expedition team realised a dream by finally reaching one of the highest paved roads in the world

Media Release

Update – Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s Cape Town to Kathmandu Expedition

Last week Kingsley Holgate and his Cape Town to Kathmandu expedition team realised a dream by finally reaching one of the highest paved roads in the world with their Land Rover Discoverys. With a maximum elevation of 4,714 metres, the Pakistani Karakoram Highway and its treacherous passes is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

It’s here on this ‘Roof of the World’ where the three highest mountain ranges on the planet collide – the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakorams. This is the fabled Shangri-La (The Kingdom of Lost Horizons) – a land of snow leopards, bears, apricot orchards, stone-built villages and hardy people. The area plays home to vast glaciers, alpine deserts and 33 of the highest mountains on Earth, like the snow-covered 8,126m peak of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan’s second-highest mountain after the 8,610m ‘Killer Mountain’ of K2, which is only exceeded by Mount Everest.

“For months we’ve dreamed about achieving this major expedition objective,” said Holgate. “It’s a long, fascinating and sometimes arduous journey of mountain passes, tunnels, wash-aways, and landslides. We find ourselves squeezing past colourful, jingling Bedford trucks; the Landys’ tyres just millimetres from the edge of dizzying drops into steep gorges where the green waters of the Indus River tumble and meander. We’ve met police checkpoints and travelled in convoys, all flavoured with the friendliness of the amazingly tough Baltistan people who inhabit this rough mountainous region which through centuries of the Silk Road trade, has linked northern Pakistan to China.”

Near the picturesque Hunza Valley, Kingsley and crew broke away for some tough off-road sections of the ancient Silk Road. It’s yet another high-altitude test for the expedition’s two Discoverys which haven’t missed a beat. The Discovery’s 283mm ground clearance has been key in tackling the rocky conditions, while the multi-mode Terrain Response 2 has allowed the team to adapt the vehicles’ settings to varying terrain – some of which is more easily passable by goats than cars – with a simple turn of a knob.

But the Karakoram Highway will soon be unpassable by any vehicle. A new, faster highway is being built through these mountains by the Chinese to quicken the transportation of goods to the Port of Karachi on the Arabian Sea. The waters of a new dam on the Indus will also flood large sections of the old Karakoram Highway, which when it was built in the 1970s, claimed a life for each of its 883km.

“Land Rovers have taken us from the southern tip of the African continent to the Roof of the World,” concludes Kingsley. “What a great feeling! It’s been a special privilege to travel this iconic road which will one day be only a memory.”

The Cape Town to Kathmandu expedition will now travel south across the Punjab to Lahore in time for the daily military ceremony at Wagah, which marks the sensitive border with India. Then it’s on to New Delhi, the famed Taj Mahal at Agra and onwards again to meet the Ganges at Varanasi en route to the final destination of Kathmandu in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal.

Under the shadow of the great Mount Everest, the team will ceremoniously empty a symbolic, decorated Zulu calabash of south Atlantic seawater carried all the way Cape Town and will present the expedition’s Madiba Scroll of Peace and Goodwill to representatives of Kathmandu as a symbolic gesture of friendship from the people of South Africa. Hundreds of well-wishers have already added kind-hearted messages to the Scroll along the route, which has successfully crossed southern Africa, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Pakistan and India.

Follow the expedition on Facebook - Kingsley Holgate Foundation.

SPAR KZN Brings Festive Cheer to Field Rangers at Hluhluwe - Imfolozi Park

MEDIA RELEASE

 

SPAR KZN Brings Festive Cheer to Field Rangers at Hluhluwe - Imfolozi Park

 

This weekend (November 23/24), SPAR KZN visited various ranger camps in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park with the Hilltop (Hluhluwe) and Imfolozi Honorary Officers to deliver 190 food hampers to the men and women working in the field.

 

This is the 5th year that SPAR has visited the park to show appreciation for the work the rangers do for conservation and most importantly for the protection of the endangered rhinos. In addition, SPAR KZN has committed an amount of R40 000 raised from its  2018 Charity Golf Day, towards the much-needed upgrading of infrastructure in a number of the camps.

 

Speaking at the hand-over, Clive Honman, Chairman of the Hilltop Honorary Officers, thanked SPAR for their efforts in bringing a little cheer to the field rangers who are at the forefront of conservation and anti-poaching. He thanked the field rangers, citing how grateful the Honorary Officers, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, visitors and the people of the country are, for their work and dedication, often spending many long weeks away from their families.

 

“We are once again delighted to be able to utilise our resources to offer a token of our appreciation to the men and women working tirelessly to protect our natural resources at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park,” says MD of SPAR KZN Max Oliva. “Heartfelt thanks must also go to the volunteer Honorary Officers, who give of their time and energy to support the park and the field rangers in the work they do. We would like to encourage more people and organisations to get involved in supporting them and their initiatives.”

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Action in Autism’s Year End Social 

Media Release

Action in Autism’s Year End Social 

Action in Autism invites all who are interested to celebrate the end of a successful year at their annual Year End Social on Saturday 1 December from 10am to 2pm at the Centre’s grounds at 105 Haig Road, Parkhill, Durban North. Autistic people, their families and supporters are welcome to join in, relax and enjoy a day of fun and games, a jumping castle, bubble machine, face painting and goodie bags for the little ones. The event costs R50 per family, and those who cannot afford it are sponsored by the organisation.

 

Action in Autism, in operation since 2005, provides free support, advice, research and information to autistic people and their families. The Centre, situated on land donated by the Department of Public Works (KZN), houses its flagship project, an early intervention and therapy programme for autistic children aged between 2 and 6 years. A free monthly diagnostic clinic is offered to families with no access to medical aid, and Action in Autism runs bi-annual training workshops, hosted by a team of professionals, that aim to share information and transfer skills and techniques for communication to parents and professionals.

 

Action in Autism does not discriminate against any child for reasons of socio-economic status or other criteria relating to financial status or residency location, and the organisation is therefore able to assist and make a meaning full impact in the lives of children from dire living conditions and disadvantaged backgrounds who would not otherwise have access to any services or interventions. Currently, funding is sought for eleven children whose families are unable to afford the school fees. Action in Autism is committed to providing a highly effective intervention service for these children, and to supporting and empowering the families over the long-term in order to make a significant impact on the well-being of the family and caregivers of each child over a sustained period of time.

 

The organisation’s next planned project is the development of a skills transference workspace and small and micro enterprise businesses that skill and sustain people with neurobiological conditions and autism.  According the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, there are approximately four million people in South Africa with disabilities, and six hundred and fifty million world-wide – around 10% of the world’s population. Although both legislation and the National Skills Development Strategy promote the employment of disabilities in South Africa, there is still much work to be done.

 

Action in Autism does not receive any funding from government, and welcomes support through cash or kind, or through volunteering.  If you would like to attend the Year-end Social, to make a donation or support a child, or for more information about the services offered by the organisation, please call 031 563 3039, email info@actioninautism.org.za, or visit the website at www.actioninautism.org.za.

 

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SA Indian Gangster Thriller Mayfair opens to great reviews

SA INDIAN GANGSTER THRILLER MAYFAIR OPENS TO GREAT REVIEWS

Gangster tale ‘Mayfair’, the fourth film by award-winning director Sara Blecher (‘Ayanda’, ‘Dis Ek Anna’, ‘Otelo Burning’) opened to rave reviews this past weekend. This comes after several sold-out screenings in London.

‘Mayfair’ tells the story of prodigal son Zaid Randera (Ronak Patani) who returns home to Mayfair in Johannesburg, where his overbearing father Aziz (Rajesh Gopie) – a thriving import-exporter and occasional money launderer and loan shark – is facing death threats. Zaid has been unfairly dismissed from his job as an aid worker, and on his return he finds himself living in the shadow of his father and his dodgy dealings. When a murderous rival gang threatens the family’s business, Zaid is forced back into the life he’d hoped to leave behind.

Channel24’s Rozanne Els wrote, ‘The elements of this story are greatly compelling, and Sara Blecher methodically pulls each of these closer together to eventually become a tight and gripping conclusion.’ She called the film ‘a much richer blend of themes than what any genre classification…can  completely encompass.’ She praised Ronak Patani, the British actor who plays Zaid. ‘With genuine commitment, [he takes] the character’s perception of himself as a compassionate, well-intentioned man who is nothing like his father to one of disgust, and resigned to his inevitable fate.’

‘Mayfair’ follows on from the recent success of Indian stories set in South Africa, including ‘Material’, ‘Keeping up with the Kandasamys’ and ‘Broken Promises’.

South Africa Indian community site Indian Spice, said, ‘Blecher delivers a taut, fine-tuned thriller that is guaranteed to keep you on tenterhooks.’

Notably, BBC News visited the bustling suburb of Mayfair, and did a video interview with Blecher, who said that the film reveals a part of Johannesburg seldom seen on screen, and shines a light on a community often side-lined by mainstream popular culture.

In the role of Aziz is Rajesh Gopie, a well-known South African Indian actor, comedian, writer and voice artist who has appeared in such television series as Generations and Zero Tolerance, and is best known for his role in South Africa’s highest grossing film of 2017, ‘Keeping up with the Kandasamys’, a comedy that tells the story of a long-standing rivalry between two families, the Kandasamys and the Naidoos.

Shady businessman and long-standing rival of the Randera family Jalaal is played by Jack Devnarain, who has performed in numerous TV and film productions, including the heist thriller 31 Million Reasons. Devnarain describes his character as ‘a puppet-master dealing in money, power and blood’.

Movie news and reviews site Screen Anarchy praised the film, noting that the crime drama is part of ‘the current wave of high end South African films’, and that ‘Mayfair’ looks at the Muslim-Indian communities of Johannesburg through ‘a tale of conflicted loyalties and escalating violence’.

‘The film explores similar themes to the current Saif Ali Khan headed thriller ‘Sacred Games’, the first Indian Netflix Original web series, which has proved to be a game changer in the Indian entertainment scene,’ says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. ‘The show received a huge thumbs-up from audiences and shot the lights out in India. It explores themes to those at the heart of ‘Mayfair’, including corruption, crime and the dark underworld that exists in almost every urban setting.’

Indigenous Film Distribution: www.indigenousfilm.co.za

View Trailer Here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-lDVJ35YBI

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All Media Queries:

David alex wilson

Mad Moth Communications

Cell: +27 83 629 2587

e-mail: davidalex@madmoth.co.za

Flatfoot Dance Company presents “N’gila” (I am here) - an integrated dance performance with dancers with Down Syndrome.

Media Release

Flatfoot Dance Company presents “N’gila” (I am here) - an integrated dance performance with dancers with Down Syndrome.

 

Flatfoot Dance Company is proud to present its second annual integrated dance programme working with dancers with Down Syndrome. “N’gila/I am here” is choreography by Lliane Loots in collaboration with the eight dancers from Flatfoot Dance Company and the fondly referred to Flatfoot Downie Dance Company at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Tuesday 20 November at 6.30pm.

 

This landmark once-off performance will feature the unique partnering of the professional Flatfoot dancers with their Downie Dance Company members. This unique dance programme is unprecedented in South Africa and is a celebration of the power of dance to shift lives and to negotiate difference and inclusivity. Flatfoot celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and has - as one of its core values - the practice of dance (in education and in performance) as a tool towards what it calls “living democracy”. This dance programme celebrates community across the divides of race, gender and disability.

 

The programme began in August 2017 with the visit of Dutch choreographer Adriaan Luteijn of Introdans and his collaboration with Flatfoot. The company has continued this work over 2018 and this performance is the culmination of this year-long programme.

 

 “N’gila/I am here” will not only move and delight audiences but will challenge the very core foundations of who we think can and should dance professionally. Four Flatfoot dancers (Sifiso Khumalo, Qhawe Ndimande, Jabu Siphika and Zinhle Nzama) partner up with their counterparts, Karl Hebbelman, Charles Phillips, Kevin Govender and Michaela Munro in a dance explosion that is an affirmation of faith, courage and the joy of dance.

 

Flatfoot’s award-winning choreographer, Lliane Loots says, “Creating this work has been a journey into discovering community and into discovering what it means to engage a firm and loving assertion of self and identity. All nine of us in the rehearsal room have been forced to look inward and to see that space between who we think we are and who we want to be, and I have been humbled every day by what these eight dancers bring to making dance.' 

 

As a special offering the five Flatfoot Junior Company members will also perform “Sesfikile!” as the curtain-raiser at this performance. This work won critical acclaim at the 2018 JOMBA! Fringe.

 

This looks to be one of the highlights on Durban’s dance calendar and this one-off performances is being offed as a fundraiser to help support the Flatfoot Down Syndrome Dance programme for 2019. Tickets are limited and are R80 each. To pre-book tickets contact: flatfootdancecompany@gmail.com. Pre-booked tickets can be collected at the Sneddon box office from 1 hr before the start of show on Tuesday, 20 November. Patrons should note that there are no card facilities are available at the venue.

 

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 Captions to all photos by Val Adamson:

Four FLATFOOT dancers (Sifiso Khumalo, Qhawe Ndimande, Jabu Siphika and Zinhle Nzama) partner up with their counterparts, Karl Hebbelman, Charles Phillips, Kevin Govender and Michaela Munro in a dance explosion that is an affirmation of faith, courage and the joy of dance. Pictured here are the dancers in their performance of ‘cardiac output” at last year’s JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience.

Winners of the Poetry Africa Festival Schools’ Competition Announced

Media Release

Winners of the Poetry Africa Festival Schools’ Competition Announced

 

The six winners of the Poetry Africa Festival’s schools’ competition were announced last night (October 16) at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre

 The festival has an annual schools’ competition that calls for local young poets to submit their work in English or IsiZulu.

The winners in the English category were, in first place Kelsey Hagerman from Danville Park Girl’s High for her poem titled The Boy with Ocean Eyes; in second place, Sunaina Sathyapal from Danville Park Girl’s high for her poem titled Ocean of Tears and in third place Tariq Trenor from Bechet High School for his poem titled The Paralysed Dove.

In first place in the isiZulu category was Lindelwa Khumalo from Escourt High School for her poem titled Mina Ngagana Ngimncane Ngakhala Ubaba Wavuma, in second place Bongumenzi Thwala from Zandlazethu high School for his poem titled Amaciko and in third place Sihle Gumede from Inhlakanipho High School for his poem titled Mfundo Uyisikhali Sababekezelayo,

Celebrating its 22nd anniversary, the festival, which is supported through principal funding from the eThekwini Municipality, features a host of local and international poets, at various venues and schools around Durban.

The main festival programme runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until Friday (October 19) and will close with the Festival Finale at the BAT Centre on Saturday, October 20 from 19:00.

For more information follow Poetry Africa across all social media platforms.

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Caption: Seen at the Schools Poetry Competition Awards that took place at the 22nd Poetry Africa Festival at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Tuesday, October 15 from left to right were 1st place winner in the English category Kelsey Hagerman from Danville Park Girl’s High, 2nd place winner in the English category Sunaina Sathyapal from Danville Park Girl’s High, 3rd place winner in the English category Tariq Trenor from Bechet High School, 3rd place winner in the Zulu category Sihle Gumede from Inhlakanipho High School, 2nd place winner in the Zulu category Bongumenzi Thwala from Zandlazethu high School, 1st place winner in the Zulu category Lindelwa Khumalo from Escourt High School and Ukrainian poet Taras Malkovych.


Nolwazi Magwaza

Memeza Communications

Mobile: +27 (0) 76 638 3546

Tel: +27 (0) 31 811 5628

Email: nolwazimagwaza1@gmail.com

Website: www.memeza.africa

Poetry Africa Festival Finale – Saturday, October 20

Poetry Africa Festival Finale – Saturday, October 20

 

 

The 22nd Poetry Africa Festival, which is currently running at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at UKZN, with workshops at various venues, will have its ever-popular final event at the BAT Centre with a workshop, book launch event, the Grand Slam Competition and Festival Finale on Saturday, October 20.

 

Saturday’s feast of poetry begins with a Creative Writing workshop with Mphutlane wa Bofelo from 10am to 11am, with a number of book launches from 9am to 12 noon hosted by Khwezi Becker. That afternoon the popular Open Mic session hosted by Nolulamo Maquthu takes place from 1pm to 3pm with the much-loved and highly energised Durban Slam Competition taking place from 4pm to 5.30pm hosted by Durban poet Page Ngwenya. All these events are free and open to the public.

 

The day culminates in a celebration of poetry at 7pm as all the featured poets from the festival take to the stage in what is always a festive experience for participants and audiences alike. The finale is hosted by Quaz Roodt, and features the 21 participants in the festival from around the globe including Miriam Cano (Spain), Upile Chisala (Malawi), TJ Dema (Botswana), Tanya Evanson (Canada), Myroslav Laiuk and Taras Malkovych (Ukraine), Phelelani Makhanya, Vuyelwa Maluleke, Mak Manaka, Lebo Mashile, Nkateko Masinga, BM Mdletshe, Gcina Mhlophe, Sandile Ngidi, Mphutlane Wa Bofelo, Matete Motsoaledi and Emmah Mabye (South Africa), Philip Meersman (Belgium), Daniel B. Summerhill (USA), Rafeef Zaidah (Palestine) and Séverine Daucourt-Fridriksson (France)

 

And to wrap it all up, electic soul band The Muffinz closes off the evening with a party until late.

 

Tickets for the Festival Finale are R120 at the door. All the other events on that day are free.

 

For more information and the full festival programme go to www.medium.com/poetry-Africa.

 

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Nolwazi Magwaza

Memeza Communications

Mobile: +27 (0) 76 638 3546

Tel: +27 (0) 31 811 5628

Email: nolwazimagwaza1@gmail.com

Website: www.memeza.africa