ArtsAbility 2020 Festival during International Month of Persons Living with Disabilities

Media Release

ARTSABILITY 2020  - During International Month of Persons Living with Disabilities

The ArtsAbility Festival, presented annually by Cape Town’s UNMUTE Dance Company, is Africa’s premier inclusive arts festival which takes place online from 3 November until 3 December.

In its sixth year, ArtsAbility 2020 continues to present an exciting, innovative space for both disabled and able-bodied artists and performers, offering a plethora of performances, webinars, and creative works. This year the festival moves online to present this FREE virtual experience, which pays tribute to International Month of Persons living with Disabilities.  

Under the overarching theme, Spaces & Homes Invasion Festival of Transmission (SHIFT) ONLINE it has taken advantage of the constraints of the Corona Virus Pandemic, by using the virtual space to increase the usually six-day event to a month-long online feast of inclusive talent and creative genius. ArtsAbility 2020 has opened its doors to not only local South African creators, but also Africa and the World.

“The theme is a striving to taking inclusivity in the arts to community spaces and people,” says Nadine McKenzie, Unmute Artistic Director. 

“This year, with the virtual innovation, Unmute has taken the opportunity presented by a month-long on-line event to incorporate many more artists and performances. This has not been possible in previous festivals.”  

This year the objectives of the festival are three-fold, firstly to provide exposure for those young inclusive artists who are already producing works in communities. Secondly, to provide a platform for collaborative works between South African, African and global inclusive artists. And lastly, to provide learning opportunities through the Access Lecture, Inclusive Webinars, Sign Language lessons, and Integrated Dance workshop programme. 

“The golden thread running through ArtsAbility 2020 is the vision of Unmute; Inclusivity, Accessibility and Integration. The aim is to SHIFT perceptions, to aid society in a way that inclusivity becomes a daily practice and not a once-off event,” say McKenzie.

One of the must-see performances on offer is Access Denied; a video presentation/film where three artists from Unmute Dance Theatre explores different accessibility challenges these artists deal with daily in a society that overlooks persons with disabilities and their need to move around freely and independently. Other companies presenting work include Flatfoot Dance Company (South Africa), Axis Dance Company (USA), BewegGrund (Switzerland), and including new digital dance work coming out of a series of incredible residencies hosted by Unmute that include artists from Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, DRC and South Africa.

To view the fest - “subscribe” (there is no charge) to the Youtube Channel : https://youtube.com/channel/UC7ZLr5TYIWE1TnofgYxOtwg 

ArtsAbility 2020 is made possible by the National Arts Council of South Africa, in partnership with Artscape Theatre Centre and Survé Philanthropies.

For more information follow the Unmute Dance Company on:

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artsabilityfes/ 

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC7ZLr5TYIWE1TnofgYxOtwg 

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For media queries contact candice@headsupcomm.co.za

or email nadine@unmute.co.za

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Artify is a brand new e-commerce site for - well - ART!

Artify is a brand new e-commerce site specifically designed for the sale of visual art.

It was created, initially, by the Hilton Arts Festival as a part of the Virtual Celebration which took the place of the Festival this year. It can be viewed on either www.hiltonfestival.co.za (click on Artify) or artify.africa

Artify is an ideal platform for visual artists of all genres to make their work available to the public.  Although only two months old, the 55 artists who have already joined are thrilled with the ease with which the site works, the quality of the art for sale ad – most importantly – that there have already been sales. Feedback from the public has also been positive, with buyers finding the site easy to navigate and very secure. It is possible to search for work by artist name, genre and medium – so finding your favourites is easy! Artify offers a door to door courier service between buyer and seller.  Nothing could be easier!

Artify is profiling many well-known names in the art world from internationally acclaimed potter, Andrew Walford, and KZN’s own much loved oil painter, Anton Benzon’s, iconic landscapes to many artists offering the public a great variety wildlife, portraits, botanicals, abstract, architectural  and still life work. Mediums range from photography to watercolours, pottery to charcoal, acrylic to sculpture.   Plans are afoot to include sections on pop, graffiti, anime, bespoke craft and contemporary African work.

Art is an everlasting gift to give. As we approach the festive season of this extraordinary year in the history of mankind, choose art to give friends and loved ones, support those who are trying to generate their own income rather than global conglomerates with mass produced goods.

Art is the soul of the nation – be a part of this creative soul.

Artify can be found on artify.africa and on FB, Instagram and Twitter. It can also be accessed via www.hiltonfestival.co.za

The Art of Fallism Documentary @ Durban International Film Festival Online

The Art of Fallism

SA/Norwegian Documentary has African Premiere at

Durban International Film Festival Online

(From 10 – 20 September)

The Art of Fallism, a South African/Norwegian documentary, that teases out the nuanced, yet deeply complex stories of those who struggle for a voice within the collective struggle for equality will have its African premiere at the 41st Durban International Film Festival which takes place online from 10 to 20 September 2020. 

A debut film by Norwegian director Aslaug Aarsæther, and the second film for Icelandic/Norwegian co-director Gunnbjørg Gunnarsdóttir, with two womxn producers Cape Town-based Wisaal Abrahams of Pink Rock Media and Norwegian Ingvild Aagedal Skage of Isme Film. 

The film premiered at HOTDOCS in Canada earlier this year and has been nominated for ‘Best Documentary' at the Queer Lisboa Festival which takes place in September. It will also compete in the “New Filmmakers Competition” at São Paulo International Film Festival.

The Art of Fallism emerged and evolved from the Norwegian film-makers questioning the absence of debates around equality, race, and gender and how they relate, in their own country. The film uses the 2015 #RhodesMustFall movement in South Africa, as its point of departure, while using the voice of the artist as a metaphor for the desire for understanding, capacity, and change.

The #RhodesMustFall uprising began at the University of Cape Town, as a challenge to the presence of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes. Student, Chumani Maxwele, by throwing faeces onto the statue, protests against its presence and colonial representation and by extension its insidious manifestation in education in the country. This launches a student movement to topple the statue and the colonial education system entrenched within the establishment, which reaches other tertiary institutions around South Africa. 

In understanding this struggle the students realised that education is systemically flawed by its exclusions of those who are not financially privileged to access it. Enter the #FeesMustFall movement which targeted the concept of student fees demanding an increase in funding to tertiary institutions across the country. 

These events awakened a new generation of activists connected by a common cause, bringing together people from myriad backgrounds including young township men, feminists, and the trans community, all who wanted to revolutionize a racist and systematically unequal South Africa.  

“While the students marched, protested and staged sit-ins, political art practices, under the banner of “Fallism,” began to push the limits of critical thought,” explains co-producer Wisaal Abrahams. “The students began to question the hyper-masculine approach to the movement, and its expression through art to the exclusion of the queer, trans, and femme artists. The Art of Fallism, engages with some of these individuals who refused to allow the movement and its off-shoots to carry on without them.”

“What is evident is that this generation of youth is fatigued by apartheid legacies,” says co-producer Ingvild Aagedal Skage. “And what the students experience individually and collectively, within the context of the movement, is a representation of the vast inequality amongst South Africans - a place where voices are not heard and honoured, and people have to resort to acts of violence or disruption to make their point”.

The final act of disruption is dramatically illustrated, a year later as transgender activists, feeling side-lined and ignored, capture an art exhibition celebrating the movement to be consciously included, but instead, they are blamed for destroying it. The movement is left hanging in uncertainty, much like the future of a free and equal South Africa. 

“It is a highly complex space, where the collective goal remains the focus, yet the individual groups within this, experience exclusionary politics. The very thing they desire to dismantle,” says Wisaal Abrahams. ‘And the very thing we were incredibly challenged with when making this film.”

“As a black womxn producer it was essential for me to come on board this project, to support the process of the making of the film. As we all seek glory and recognition for our stories, we also need to understand that the colonial models on which we based this success on, haven't considered the imbalance of power when retelling them. Our stories must have guardianship that honours this, and we believe we have been able to do this in telling these stories.”

Producers Wisaal Abrahams and Ingvild Aagedal Skage will feature in an “Engage” session at the 11th Durban FilmMart virtual edition (4 - 13 September) where they will speak candidly about their experience and the notion of de-colonial approaches to storytelling which became a strong guiding tool for their production process. 

The Art of Fallism will be streamed from the DIFF online platform from 10 to 20 September. The DIFF films are free, with limited tickets available, and booking is essential.

https://www.durbanfilmfest.com/film/the-art-of-fallism/

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SA Film - Days of Cannibalism - Nominated for Best Documentary Award at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival (Copy)

Media Release

SA Film - Days of Cannibalism - Nominated for Best Documentary Award at the 

70th Berlin International Film Festival

South African filmmaker Teboho Edkins’s crossgenre documentary Western, Days of Cannibalism has been nominated for a Best Documentary Award at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival which takes place in February.

Days of Cannibalism, which has its World Premiere at the Festival, is set in the rugged terrain of a remote rural region in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa. Here modern-day pioneers are met with unease by local communities, and self-made Chinese merchants negotiate their place alongside traditional Basotho cattle breeders.

‘The film, like a classical Western, takes place in a universal frontier space in which the laws of society are in a state of flux,” explains Edkins. “I am fascinated by the notion of settlers moving into new spaces, and what this does to the status quo, especially within the context of globalisation and capitalist forces. The arrival of new settlers in Lesotho  – economic migrants from China – has upset the balance of power. Old laws and old gods are being called into question. Against the backdrop of a newly emerging China-Africa relationship Days of Cannibalism explores the complexities and the latent tensions this encounter gives rise to.”

Teboho Edkins - director of Days of Cannibalism

The film avoids central characters or an overarching plot; instead strained moments and small gestures between the newly arrived pioneers and local communities unfold against a vast and harsh landscape.

Produced by KinoElektron, Day Zero Films, Kepler Film Days of Cannibalism the world sales rights have been picked up by Paris based Indie Sales.

The film will be screened on the following dates, venues in Berlin:

22.02.2020 16:30 Kino International (PREMIERE)

23.02.2020 16:15 Cubix 7

24.02.2020 13:30 CinemaxX 6

28.02.2020 19:15 Cubix 7

Berlinale Talents Programme

25.02.2020 14:00 HAU - Hebbel am Ufer theatre

For more information go to:

https://indiesales.eu/days-of-cannibalism

http://www.kinoelektron.com/en/project/days-cannibalism-teboho-edkins/

https://www.screendaily.com/news/indie-sales-boards-berlin-panorama-title-days-of-cannibalism-exclusive/5146715.article

https://www.berlinale.de/en/press/press-releases/films-panorama.html

https://www.berlinale.de/en/press/press-photos/current-press-photos.html#lb1546111-4

https://www.berlinale.de/en/festival/awards-and-juries/berlinale-documentary-award.html

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Results - SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge PMB North and Centrals Results

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Pietermaritzburg Central and North Regionals

St Anne’s College: Saturday 14 March

On Saturday 14 March, two more teams earned places at the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge. First to secure their place was host school, St Anne’s College who were victorious in the Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional followed by Epworth School in the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional.

In a repeat of their round robin clash, St Anne’s met Howick High School in a 7-nil victory for the Pietermaritzburg North title. The two teams faced each other in their first game of their regionals. Howick High then knuckled down and dusted off their loss, going up against Voortrekker High School and Grace College. 

Howick ran out of steam after playing a pearler against one-time winner, The Wykeham Collegiate in the last game of the round robin. Howick defended like pros letting in an early Wykeham goal, midway through the round robin game, they had an opportunity down the other side which they made sure they knocked in to equalize. The remainder of the game they held strong, not allowing Wykeham any space giving them a chance to have a run in the final against St Anne’s.

St Anne’s opened their account with a spin and slot in from Lusanda Mtshali, who netted the first with less than 2 minutes on the clock. Racking up the goals after Mtshali started the ball rolling, Gabbi Benkenstein scored two, Storm Veenstra added one to her teams tally and Georgie Romer-Lee knocked in a magnificent hat-trick of goals.

In the Central Regional, Epworth kept a clean sheet in their six games. The second team to make it to the regional final was decided on goal difference. Both Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High and St John’s D.S.G. had near-mirror image results. With wins for both against Russel High School, Alexandra High School and Carter High School. Both went down to Epworth 1 nil and drew nil nil in the game against each other. The goal difference was the decider with Girls’ High netting a total of 21 goals and St John’s 20.

In the second Epworth Girls’ High game, Epworth owned the territory with 90% of play taking place in the Girls’ High half. Epworth persevered with their attacks throughout the twenty minutes but the last line of defence, keeper Manelisi Gwala was defiant. Deflecting missiled flicks from short corners, warding away rockets with magnificent soccer skills, she held strong.

In a last gasp attack, Epworth’s Fia de Bruyn hugged the post as she deflected the ball from a determined pass from the right. On the whistle, Epworth managed to win the game and the regional title for the third time. The defending champs reactions were electric amid a brewing electric storm above.

Two umpires were acknowledged for their determined efforts with the whistle throughout the day, Solulwe Bless from the Central Regional and Lorimer O’Bree from Howick High for North Regional.

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

Results

Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional

1 St Anne’s College, 2 Howick High School, 3 The Wykeham Collegiate, 4 Voortrekker High School, 5 Grace College

Pietermaritzburg Central Regional

1 Epworth School, 2 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High, 3 St John’s D.S.G., 4 Carter High School, 5 Alexandra High School, 6 Russel High School, 7 Maritzburg Christian School

ENDS

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge - Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals

St Anne’s College: Saturday 14 March

St Anne’s College plays host to the upcoming SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge this coming weekend whereby both the Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals will be played on their two astro turfs.

With home turf advantage, host school St Anne’s College will hope that they can continue their dominance in the Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional. They will take on Howick High School, Treverton, Grace College, Voortrekker High School and The Wykeham Collegiate. The games will all be 25 minutes one way running time. 

Across the way defending champions, Epworth School will be keen to take their third title in the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional. They will meet Alexander High, Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School, St John’s D.S.G., Maritzburg Christian School and Carter High School. The games will be 20 minutes one way running time.

Both regionals will have a round robin format. The Pietermaritzburg Northern’s top two teams will face each other on in their regional final at 2.40pm. Ten minutes later the top two teams will take to their turf to duel it out for the honours in the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional.

Only two teams have represented the northern region of Pietermaritzburg at the Grand Finals. St Anne’s have raised the trophy eight times and The Wykeham Collegiate had their name engraved on the trophy in 2012. Three teams have travelled to Durban in July. Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High dominated the area for six times, with St John’s winning once, and Epworth hunting their third title this weekend. 

Both tournaments will award 4 points for a win, a draw with goals will earn 2 points and a goalless draw only 1 point. A loss will be logged as zero points for the losing team.

The two teams to win will join three teams that have already earned a spot at the Grand Finals that will take place in July at St Marys DSG. The first team to secure a spot is newcomers from Vryheid, Hoërskool Pionier from the Northern KZN Regional. Second team that will make an appearance at the Grand Finals for a tenth time is Durban Girls’ College representing the Durban Central Regional. The third team, back again after a year’s gap is Our Lady of Fatima from the Durban North Regional. 

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

ENDS

Fixtures for Durban North Regional at Ashton College - Ballito - 8 March 2020

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Durban North Regional

Ashton International College: Sunday 9 March

Gaining momentum, the third tournament of the 10th SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge rolls out to Ashton International College this coming Sunday.

Nine schools take to the astro for the Durban North Regional, with the schools being divided into two pools. Heading up Pool B is host school, Ashton International College meeting Danville Park High School, Northlands Girls’ High and newcomers Curro Mount Richmore. In Pool A defending champs Crawford La Lucia take on Crawford North Coast, Durban North College, Our Lady of Fatima and Reddam House uMhlanga.

Having the honour of getting the tournament started, the first game gets underway with Crawford North Coast meeting Reddam at 7.30am and concluding the pool games, Danville takes on Northlands.

Following the familiar pool format for the SPAR tournaments, the 20-minute pool games will be wrapped up after 16 games, with the cross-pool games continuing the day and revealing the positional places. A win will earn the victorious team 4 points, a draw with goals, 2 points and a goalless draw only 1 point. A loss sees no movement to the points.

For the semi-finals and finals, in the case of a tied game – shootouts will be used to determine the winners with only three players from each team heading to the spot. After 22 games, this year’s winner will be the tenth team to have their name engraved on the regional trophy.

Four teams have represented the Durban North Regional at the Grand Finals since the tournament’s inception, most recently Crawford La Lucia who won the 2019 title for the first time. Fatima and Ashton have made three appearances and Danville twice.

One team has secured their place at the Grand Finals, Vryheid’s Hoërskool Pionier from the Northern KZN Regional earned the first spot in Vryheid last weekend. Hot on the heels of the Durban Central Regional which takes place the day before, the third Grand Finals berth is reserved for the winner of the Durban North area.

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

ENDS

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Northern KZN Regional Pionier High School: Wrap up

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Northern KZN Regional

Pionier High School: Saturday 29 February

Northern KZN Regional has a new winner, that of host school Hoërskool Pionier which took the title in a scintillating final of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 29 February.

Hoërskool Pionier had a cracker of a day, starting their efforts off with a 5 nil victory and continued their winning streak all the way to the final where they met St Dominics Newcastle School. 

St Doms started the regional final with a spring in their step as they worked their way to the Pionier goal from the whistle. The visiting team opened their account with an absolute pearler of a goal when Vanessa Abudo entered the circle left of goal, slapped the ball in from the top of the D, passed the waiting keeper, Chrysna van Rhyn’s defence to a cleverly placed Andiswa Mhlongo camping out on the right post. Mhlongo calmly popped the ball across the line, netting the first goal. 

After 8 minutes, the home team started chipping away at St Dominics Newcastle’s dominance when they broke into the opposition’s circle and earned a short corner after 8 minutes and 21 seconds. They set up a basic attack, with the ball getting trapped at the castle and then being rocketed towards the goals, but a brave charge-down stopped Pionier’s first real attempt. 

After a few more unsuccessful short corners, Pionier magiced up an equalizer after a scramble in the St Dom’s circle resulted in the ball slipping across the line. The game was then 1 all with only 2 and a half minutes of play left. St Dom’s response was a solitary break from midfield with the player running out of turf, pushing the ball in from the right only to find no support from her players. 

As the game time ran out, the action moved to the pressure spot where three players from each team got a chance for a penalty shoot out. Pionier started the proceedings nailing the first one, with St Dom’s rising to the challenge, and also finding the back of the box on their first penalty. The second round saw both teams slot in their attempts. In the final round Pionier’s Berne van Heerden’s flick went wide giving St Dom’s captain, Nosipho Magula’s a tournament winning chance but it wasn’t to be as her attempt agonisingly didn’t get the rewards. 

The title of the tournament went to sudden death with St Dom’s stepping up to the spot first. Abudo earlier game time success didn’t continue to the spot and her chance went abegging giving Pionier’s Charnique Oosthuizen a tournament winning chance. Oosthuizen rose to the occasion, pummelling in her shot, past the advances of keeper, van Rhyn and earning the regional honours for Pionier. 

Pionier is the third team to earn the title of Northern KZN champion, claiming the title from the defending champs Ferrum, who have won the trophy eight times. Pionier met Ferrum in the second semi final and knocked out the defending champs with two goals scored by Oosthuizen and Kayla Becker. In the first semi final, St Dom’s were victorious with a 2 nil win against Dundee High School. Awande Mbuli and Vanessa Abudo netted the two for St Dom’s in the semi. 

Pionier is the first team to earn a spot at the Grand Finals which will take place at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof in July. This weekend (7 & * March) the tournament continues with two more regionals taking place at Durban Girls’ College and Ashton International. 

For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page and follow on Instagram.

ENDS

Realness Institute Celebrates Sundance Win and Extends Call For 2020 Applications

Media Release

Realness Institute Celebrates Sundance Win and Extends Call For 2020 Applications

The first film produced from the Realness African Screenwriters’ Residency This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection, directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese's (Realness 2017) and produced by Urucu Media's Cait Pansegrouw and Elias Ribeiro competed in the 2020 Sundance Film Festival's World Dramatic Competition section to critical review, and  was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Visionary Filmmaking at a ceremony last night in Park City, Utah, USA.

“Delicate and strong, this director told a little story of resistance and made it universal,” said the World Dramatic Competition Jury’s citation. “The composition of images, the visual phrase and the story of this film moved us. One of the most beautiful films of our Sundance 2020.”

“Realness Institute has been designed as a platform that caters to the full spectrum of the production line in a way that can push the African film industry forward. Core to the program’s development is the view that African cinema is a central market in the new sphere of the global cultural economy,” says Elias Ribeiro, co-founder of Realness.

The Realness Screenwriter’s Residency is dedicated to providing African film projects with the support and resources needed at the critical development stage of a film. The programme ensures that talent is given the space to mature their work, such that they develop films that can compete in the international film finance market, travel and appeal to international audiences.

Realness offers a natural environment that allows filmmakers to stretch their creativity and drive their craft under mentorship from industry experts. The residency takes the form of a six-week stay at the Nirox Foundation situated in the scenic Cradle of Humankind in South Africa.

This programme caters for filmmakers with distinct voices and perspectives, who are devoted to their craft and have a steadfast passion for cinema. Filmmakers with feature fiction film treatments and/ or scripts that are at least 60% filmed on the African Continent.

Creative Producer Indaba is a year-long professional development programme, providing emerging producers with the necessary tools and leadership skills to pursue their craft, as well as capacity to operate sustainable businesses at a strategic level.

Creative Producer Indaba is aimed at producers (with and without projects) from Africa; producers from North America and Europe with an interest in co-producing with Africa,

Film Professionals from other disciplines such as distribution, international sales, funding bodies, institutions, broadcasters and development executives with a stake in the African marketplace.

The deadline for the 2020 Residency and Indaba has been extended to February 15

For more information go to realness.institute

To apply submit a completed application to submissions@realness.institute

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Well-known KZN Conservationist Sheelagh Antrobus accepted as Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in the UK

Media Release

Well-known KZN Conservationist Sheelagh Antrobus accepted as Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in the UK

Well-known KwaZulu-Natal conservationist Sheelagh Antrobus has just been accepted as a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society, the professional body that advances geography and supports related fields of interest across the globe.

Antrobus, the founder of conservation organisation Project Rhino, is one of the integral members of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation expedition team, which specialises in using geographic adventures to conduct humanitarian work and raise awareness about Africa’s endangered wildlife. This South Africa-based Foundation now boasts four Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society including Ross Holgate, who heads up the Foundation, Mike Nixon, the celebrated mountain biker who cycles the expeditions, and the legendary adventurer and humanitarian himself, Kingsley Holgate. 

Over the past three years, Sheelagh has been part of the team that completed three world first expeditions in their Land Rover Discoverys. In 2017, they reached Africa’s most easterly point in Somalia on the Horn of Africa; in 2018, a transcontinental journey took them from Cape Town to Kathmandu in Nepal and onto India; more recently in 2019, their east-to-west Zambezi to Congo expedition included helping the Doctors for Life volunteer medical team to conduct life-changing eye operations. Intrinsically embedded into all their expeditions, which continue to be supported by Land Rover, is communicating the urgent need to conserve Africa’s wildlife and in particular, the rhino.

Antrobus’s love for wildlife led her to set up the award-winning, aerial anti-poaching unit, the Zululand Anti-Poaching Wing (ZAP-Wing) that supports more than 20 game reserves collectively holding the second-largest remaining population of rhinos left in the world. In 2016 she received the prestigious Rhino Conservation Award from the Game Rangers Association of Africa. She is one of the founders of Rhino and Elephant Art, a youth conservation programme that uses educational school lessons and community football matches to engender a passion for wildlife amongst young people, as well as the World Youth Wildlife Summit series, which works towards building a new generation of conservation leaders across Africa and the world.

"Through these Land Rover Discovery expeditions we have traversed Africa and beyond, visiting more than 25 countries in the past three years,” says Antrobus. “We have been very blessed to have such incredible opportunities to go to places where few “outsiders” venture in our modern world. While doing our humanitarian and conservation work, we see some incredible sights, meet extraordinary people from many cultures, and are able to report back on some of the remotest and often forgotten locations in Africa.”

To be accepted as a Fellow of the 190-year-old Royal Geographical Society, a person must have sufficient involvement in geography or an allied subject through their training, profession, research and publications, or demonstrate expertise in related fields such as the environment, conservation and ecology. 

Previous RGS Fellows include Sir Charles Darwin, Dr David Livingstone, polar explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Sir Robert Scott, mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, Michael Palin and Joanna Lumley.

Speaking from Afrika House on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, an excited Antrobus said, “I am still pinching myself, this is a huge honour for me.  It is quite incredible that there are now four of us in the Kingsley Holgate expedition team who are now Fellows of the RGS.  Holding a Fellowship opens up many doors to network and share information, but it comes with some important responsibilities, such as continually enhancing geographical knowledge and understanding of related critical issues among the wider public. I say a heartfelt thank you to all the people in my life – family, friends, colleagues and associates – who have helped me get to where I am today, and I hope that this encourages other women to get out there and explore the amazing wild places of this beautiful continent, be courageous enough to follow their passion, whatever it may be, and stand up for a cause they feel strongly about.”

And plans for the foreseeable future? “Christmas with family, relaxing after a rather busy year, and planning for our next Land Rover geographic adventure in 2020, which will continue to focus on raising awareness of the crisis facing Africa’s endangered wildlife, particularly the rhino, alongside our humanitarian endeavours.”

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Action in Autism to open Skills Transfer and Business Centre

Media Release

 Action in Autism to  open Skills Transfer and Business Centre

Action in Autism, the non-profit and disabled people’s organisation that supports and resource to autistic people and their families, has embarked on a new exciting, pioneering project, the Action in Autism Skills Transfer and Business Centre which will officially open on November 9, 2019.

This Centre will develop and provide skills and employment opportunities for people with autism and associated neurological conditions. The project will officially be launched at a special function on 9 November at the Action in Autism Centre in Parkhill, Durban.

The landmark occasion will include invited dignitaries, the Ningizimu Special School steel band, a musical performance by young people on the spectrum, and the creation of a commemorative artwork. 

“It is great to have such a centre opened for autistic people,” says Aavishkar Sewpersad, who is autistic and has worked at the Action in Autism Centre as a part-time administrator for the past year. “They will be empowered to learn skills that will make them feel valuable in society. Everyone has some potential to do things, all they need is love, guidance and perseverance, and this is what they will get at this Centre.”

In South Africa, employment for people with disability hovers around a paltry 1%. Included in the many reasons for this persistent problem are high and often unrealistic entry requirements, insufficient support and accommodation, and unfair workplace discrimination. “Following the guidelines derived from both our Constitution and the Employment Equity Act, No 55 of 1998, Action in Autism believes that the creation of a Skills Transfer Centre for autistic people will contribute towards finding practical, customised solutions to this dire unemployment problem for people with disabilities,” says Liza Aziz, the organisation’s Chairperson. “Autistic people have great potential to enrich any workplace through their unique perspective, their neuro-diversity and problem solving skills, their dedication, dependability and hard work.  It is their right to contribute to society, creating more inclusive working environments, a diverse market economy, as well as a more inclusive and humane society.”

Most people with autism are confined to home once they leave school. The vast majority are unable to access employment, in addition, these scarce job placements have only been available to those who have low support needs and are diagnosed with level 1 autism. The proposed skills transference centre will kick-start and accelerate autistic people’s entry into the formal economy and will include a modified workspace, a calming or downtime space, supervised, visual work schedules, skills assessment and training from an experienced Occupational Therapist, facilitators from specialised fields to provide expertise and skills transfer, and a work-integrated learning environment for ease of movement into the market place and maximum skills development.

Dr Adam Mahomed, benefactor and long-time friend of the organisation, funded the modification of the Skills Development Centre with the services of Natal Construction, and the organisation continues to work hard to secure further donors to equip and sustain the Centre. If anyone would like to contribute to this new initiative, or for more information about the Centre Opening, the programme and how the organisation can support adults with autism, please contact the Centre on 031 563 3039, or email info@actioninautism.org.za. 

Ends.

SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5’s Netball Midlands Tournament Voortrekker High School: Saturday 5 October

SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5’s Netball

Midlands Tournament

Voortrekker High School: Saturday 5 October

Wrapping up the inaugural SPAR KZN Schoolgirls' Fast 5’s Netball tournament, St Anne’s College claimed the Midlands title at Voortrekker High School on Saturday 5 October.

In a low scoring, high action final, St Anne’s met The Wykeham Collegiate. Wykeham got the game underway, but St Anne’s intercepted their first charge upfield. Basketing the first goal, after two attempts on both ends, Jamie Rowe from Wykeham Collegiate nailed her shot after a floated pass from the wily centre, 3 minutes and 7 seconds had ticked away of the first half.

The Wykeham Collegiate dominated the first half with the scoreline, just after 6 minutes, being in their favour 4 - 1. St Anne’s clawed their way back with Jodi Lee and Shannon Armstrong both getting their names on the scoreboard as half time approached. The score sat at 4 – 3 as the girls took a breather midway through the game.

After their half time chat, St Anne’s levelled the score shortly after the second half started. Armstrong was on song in the second half finding the middle of the hoop for her team, edging the score up to 4 a piece, and then after two unsuccessful attempts on both ends, she earned her team the lead for the first time in the game.

Julie Trodd from TWC then landed the equaliser on the opposite end, following up on a shot that agonisingly spun around the hoop and popped out. Three more attempts on either end didn’t budge the scoreline, including a 2 point that glanced the lip of the hoop by St Anne’s.

Rowe reclaimed the lead for her team with another 1 point but the lead was short lived as Armstrong was allowed some space and with her eye in, levelled the score for St Anne’s again. With time running out, Armstrong calmly fired in another 1 point, with the score being 7 in favour to Wykeham’s 6. In the dying second, The Wykeham Collegiate quickly responded as they ran the ball up in their last gasp attempt with the ball flying tantalising goal-wards but the pressure shot fell short as St Anne’s celebrated.

A visibly ecstatic Coach for St Anne’s, Londeka Zuma stated, “Look I am shaking, what a game. So exciting! Wykeham Collegiate was an amazing team to play in the final, but our defence won us the game!”

Their day started on a winning streak where they took on Epworth in their first pool game, bagging their first win 10 – 2. At the conclusion of the pool games, St Anne’s had netted 62 goals, and topped the leaderboard with 15 points, Epworth finishing in second spot and earning themselves a place in the semi - finals.

Wykeham Collegiate got their ball rolling with a win in their first pool game where they trounced St John’s D.S.G 17 - 1. At the conclusion of the pool games, TWC had wins throughout, with 15 points alongside their name and an incredible 87 goals scored. Host team, Voortrekker A were second on the log and met St Anne’s in the first semi – final.

St Anne’s dominated their first semi-final with the score at half time sitting on 6 – 4. In the second half they doubled their score, with a drought on the end of the host school, barring a sublime 3 pointer floating in by Tamika Baker taking the score up to 12 - 7. Baker was acknowledged during the prize giving for knocking in three golden 3 pointers during the day.

Umpire for the Day was Ntuthuko Zondi representing TWC.

The foundation has been set for the successful format in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls' Fast 5’s Netball with a total of 46 schools participating in the four regional tournaments. The first four winners that have their names engraved on the trophy are in the first SPAR KZN Schoolgirls' Fast 5’s Netball are Hillcrest High School – Durban Regional; Creston College – Southern KZN Regional; Tholokuhle High School - North Coastal Regional and St Anne’s College – Midlands Regional.

Dates and venues for the second year of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls' Fast 5’s Netball will be announced early in 2020. For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Results: 

1 St Anne’s College, 2 The Wykeham Collegiate, 3= Epworth School, 3= Voortrekker High School A, 5= St Nicholas School, 5= Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High, 7= Voortrekker High School B, 7= St John’s D.S.G., 9 = Maritzburg Christian School, 9= Russel High School, 9= Wartburg Kirchdorf School

ENDS

Cape Town’s Yaseen Manuel wins Pick of the Fringe Award at JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience In Durban

Cape Town’s Yaseen Manuel wins Pick of the Fringe Award at JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience In Durban

Cape Town dance-maker Yaseen Manuel received the Pick of the Fringe award for his work “Maktub” at this year's JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Fringe event at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Thursday, 4 September.

The prestigious award, providing him with support and a platform to present a new work at next year’s JOMBA!, was awarded by a committee comprising 2018 Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance and well-known South African dance-maker Musa Hlatshwayo, veteran dance writer and critic Adrienne Sichel and Prof Ketu Katrak (Department of Drama, University of California [Irvine] USA).

The work “Maktub” (meaning “our destiny” in Arabic ) was inspired by a line from an Islamic reading that one of the very first messages  was revealed through the “necklace of Yemen”.  “I took this idea and directed and choreographed it into a journey of man having no purpose on earth and trying to find what faith could bring us ,” explains Manuel. “Once the message through the necklace is revealed it helps find a pathway, a purpose for religion and understanding God’s intention for man.”

Manuel who only started dancing at 18 years, is a dancer and choreographer who aspires to tell his stories through movement drawing on this own spiritual and personal life’s journey. He currently works independently, but has worked extensively with the Cape Town-based Jazzart Dance Theatre and Unmute Dance Theatre, performing a variety of dance styles.

 “I am really grateful and honoured to have received the award, especially as it opens up the opportunity for me to dig further into my exploration of the work. It has also made me realize that if you do things with love and intention as you tell your story, you are able to find who you are as an artist – and great things can come from this,” he says.

Next up Manuel will perform at the Baxter Dance Festival opening on 26 September with a collaborative production "Unraveled” and will also perform “Maktub” at the fest with Sifiso Khumalo of the Flatfoot Dance Company on 1 and 2 October.

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Buddha in Africa - for Hilton Arts Festival

Media Release

Award-winning documentary from KwaZulu-Natal Midlands at Hilton Arts Festival

Buddha in Africa, the award-winning documentary, by KwaZulu-Natal Midlands based filmmaker, Nicole Schafer, will screen at this year’s Hilton Arts Festival next weekend (14 and 15 September).

This powerful documentary that follows the intimate story of a Malawian teenager growing up in a Chinese Buddhist orphanage in Africa, was recently awarded “Best South African Documentary” at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). DIFF is included as a Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences, which means that Buddha in Africa, automatically qualifies for consideration for an Oscar nomination.

The film had its World premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in April, and opened the Encounters Documentary Festival in Cape Town and Johannesburg in June where it received a Backsberg Encounters Audience Award.  It was also in the official selection at this year’s Sydney International Film Festival in June.

The film has its European Premiere coming up at the Visioni dal Mondo International Documentary Festival in Milan over the same weekend as the Hilton Arts Festival (14 Sept) and will also show at the Unicef Innocenti Film Festival in Florence in October to commemorate 30 Years of the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  Knysna residents can also look forward to seeing the film at the Knysna film festival at the end of October.

First-time feature director, Nicole Schafer, says: “Its been hugely rewarding to see the different responses the film has generated amongst audiences locally and internationally and I am encouraged by the conversations that have emerged around the film. I am also overwhelmed by the incredible support we have received from local audiences with full houses for nearly every screening to date.”

The film is an international co-production with Momento Films in Sweden and Paris-based documentary sales company, CAT and Docs is representing the film internationally. AfriDocs is the African broadcast partner.

Nicole Schafer is an independent documentary filmmaker from South Africa and founder of Thinking Strings Media based in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. Her long-term vision is to support the production of creative documentaries and content in the province. The company also provides services in video production and editing. They are also in the process of organizing the Umbono Film Festival aimed at the youth in partnership with Michaelhouse School and the Michaelhouse Community Partnership Trust.

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/buddhainafrica

Website:www.thinkingstringsmedia.com

Trailer Link Facebook:

https://facebook.com/buddhainafrica/videos/2409166019303775

Screening dates & times: Hilton Arts Festival, Hilton College, KwaZulu-Natal

Sat 14th 5:30 pm, CFI Lecture Theatre (Director in attendance for a Q&A) 

Ticket bookings: https://www.hiltonfestival.co.za/events/buddha-in-africa/

Sun 15th 10:00 am, Lecture Theatre B  - Durban Film Festival Programme (Free Admission)

ends

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BUDDHA IN AFRICA

HD Documentary: 93 min (South Africa/Sweden) 2019 

“Best South African Documentary” Durban International Film Festival

Opening Night - Encounters South African Documentary Festival

World Premiere - Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

Sydney International Film Festival

SYNOPSIS

Enock Alu, a Malawian teenager growing up in a Chinese Buddhist orphanage, feels torn between his African roots and Chinese upbringing.  Once the star performer with dreams of becoming a martial arts hero like Jet Li, Enock, in his final year of school, has to make some tough decisions about his future.  Will he return to his relatives in his home village or study abroad in Taiwan? Set against China's expanding influence on the continent, Buddha in Africa provides a unique insight into the forces of cultural soft power on the identity and imagination of an African boy and his school friends growing up between two cultures.

Bio (cont)

Nicole Schafer (1980) has lived in Malawi where she produced award-winning stories for Reuters pan-African magazine show Africa Journal.  Other production credits include South Africa’s leading investigative programme Carte Blanche, Lonely Planet TV’s Six Degrees and Sport Traveller broadcast on Discovery Channel.  She has an MFA degree in Film and Television production from the University of Cape Town.  Her thesis film, The Ballad of Rosalind Ballingall was shown at the Frijbourg Film festival in 2006.

Free Workshops at JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience (27 Aug - 8 Sept)

Media Release

JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience

Free Dance & Choreographic Workshops

The JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) offers an array of free dance and choreographic workshops during this year’s 21st edition, which takes place a various venues in Durban from August 27 to 8 September.

Wednesday 28 August

Workshop facilitators: Sifiso Kweyama and the JAZZART dancers

4pm – 5.40pm: (KwaMashu Sports Hall) - youth dance workshop (ages 8 upwards)

4.30pm – 6pm: (UKZN Dance Studio) Jazzart Dance Theatre will offer an African contemporary dance experience by exploring the use of weight, defying gravity and allowing all participants to contribute choreographically to a final combination.  All abilities and levels welcome but only for those over 16yrs.

Thursday 29 August 9am to 1pm (Playhouse - Studio 410)

Workshop facilitator: Sifiso Kweyama (JAZZART Dance Theatre)

This 4 hour intensive masterclass is for semi-professional and professional dancers only and is a rare opportunity to engage the training and style of JAZART with one of South Africa’s best contemporary dance teachers.

Saturday 31 August: 10am – 12noon (UKZN Dance Studio)

Workshop facilitator: Fana Tshabalala

In an exploration of a growing style that accesses ritual and contemporary dance technique, Fana will take participant on a journey of artistically connecting with themselves and their own growing style as dancers and choreographers. All abilities and levels welcome but only for those over 16yrs.

Sunday 1 September:  10am to 12noon (UKZN Dance Studio)

Workshop facilitator: Leslie Scott (New Orleans – USA)

Throughout this class, dancers will investigate the articulation of the arms, legs, and torso in order to integrate the whole body in motion. Scott’s approach to movement is through dynamic energy rather than static forms, and she constantly plays with traditional placement and wild abandonment. Scott believes dancing is a communal experience and together participants will sweat, groove, and let loose.  All abilities and levels welcome but only for those over 16yrs

Thursday 5 September:  4.30pm – 6.30pm) (UKZN Dance Studio)

Workshop facilitator: Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Dance Company (Washington – USA)

In this workshop participants will gain an understanding of our signature hybrid work (traditional Bharatanatyam and Contemporary dance technique) through interactive experiences that highlight elements of choreography, improvisation, creativity and collaboration. All abilities and levels welcome but only for those over 16yrs.

Friday 6 September): 4.30pm – 6.30pm (UKZN Dance Studio)

Workshop facilitator: Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe In a physically intense workshop that explore the lexicon of dance styles and techniques that make up Mantsoe’s signature style, participants of this workshop will get an up close and personal experience with the legendary Mantsoe. This workshop is not for beginners – and only those over 16yrs.   

To book a place in these workshops, e-mail jombafestival@gmail.com at least 2 days in advance of the workshop

For more information go to http://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

ends

21st JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 27 August - 8 September 2019

Media Release

21st JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience

27 August - 8 September 2019

The Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) and eThekwini Municipality host the 21st JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience at various venues around the City of Durban from 27 August to 8 September 2019.

This year's 21st birthday edition offers a hearty buffet packed full of the world’s best contemporary dance that will titillate, challenge, and entertain audiences of all ages and art inclinations. 

The celebrated Cape Town-based Jazzart opens the festival with their JOMBA! debut. In their programme Sifiso Kweyama's Cape of Ghosts digs deep to find the core of what constitutes the ownership of land in a beautiful and politically evocative work. 

Durban's own Boyzie Cekwana collaborates with Lebanese dance maker Danya Hammoud in an intimate dance theatre experience that offers these two extraordinary dancers in a duet called Bootlegged, that speaks to the interior politics of relationships. 

Fana Tshabalala, joins JOMBA! as the UKZN Mellon Foundation Artist-in-residence collaborating with the Flatfoot Dance Company in an explosive premiere. Called amaVendors, Tshabalala and Flatfoot explore the journey of women and men who wake up every day to sell in the streets to provide for themselves and their loved ones. Fusing ritual and performance, Tshabalala takes audiences on a transformative journey. Tshabala also presents his solo MAN inspired by the ideal kind of a "Man" within society and how the roles and responsibilities have changed over the years - as new type of "Man" is emerging.. 

One of the leading dance companies in Washington, the Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company, which is funded for this season by the US Consulate, presents work that sees the confluence of the ancient Indian style of Bharatha Natyam with the ethos and flow of contemporary modern dance. 

From Durban’s twin city of New Orleans comes Leslie Scott's company Body Art in an intriguing site-responsive work for the Durban Art Gallery, which will take audiences on a journey into the very heart of contemporary popular identity. Scott's dance work, hymn + them is about the joys of going away, of leaving the greyness and entering the colour. “Over the Rainbow” is, or ought to be, the anthem of all the world's migrants, all those who go in search of the place where the dreams really do come true.

The DAG event will also see a unique collection of short films guest curated by Brazilian filmmaker Sofía Castro who has been living and working in Argentina, and has collected five short dance films by Argentinian filmmakers/choreographers that explore the interior and exterior life of contemporary South American life. 

South Africa's icon of African contemporary dancer, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe, offers the world premiere of his new work SoliiDad, an abstract journey to oblivion. Mantsoe is considered to be one of the founding fathers of South African contemporary dance and now spends his time between France and South Arica teaching, choreographing and doing masterclasses.

Mantsoe is set in a double bill with Johannesburg-based Lulu Mlangeni – a young dance maker that is taking the country by storm who will present her duet called The Encounter a brave and unflinching contemporary journey into African spirituality and belonging. 

 ‘JOMBA! On The Edge' grants have been awarded to Sizwe Hlophe and Thulisile Binda. to premier new creations and are given mentorship and the full support of the JOMBA! technical team to realise their work for the stage. 

The 2019 JOMBA! FRINGE offers the premier of nine new dance works by JC Zondi (Pietermaritzburg), Carla Mostert (Durban), David April with students of the University of Pretoria, Lethiwe Mzimela (Durban), Nkanyiso Mazibuko (Durban), Vuyo Ndawonde (Pietermaritzburg), Sbonelo Mchunu (Durban), Yaseen Manuel (Cape Town) and Jabu Siphika (Durban).

The festival’s ever-popular JOMBA! Youth Fringe will feature over 18 youth dance groups from  eThekwini and KwaZulu Natal.

A series of workshops and masterclasses (all free) are offered in various venues in the eThekwini area and they are open to all – booking is essential.

Tickets are R80 and R60 for Student/scholar/pensioner/group booking of more than x10, and available through Computicket.

For more information go to http://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

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Crawford La Lucia finished a fantastic fifth in Grand Finals in SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Crawford La Lucia

In their first appearance, Crawford La Lucia representing the Durban North Region at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge finished a fantastic fifth overall.

The newcomers were drawn in Pool B where they took on top teams Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional Winners) and St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional Winners) as well as travelling teams Felixton College from Richards Bay (North Coastal Regional Winners) and Wartburg Kirchdorf School (Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional Winners).

Having a challenging start to their first Grand Finals, in their first pool game on Saturday, Crawford went down by only one goal against Durban Girls’ College and lost by a narrow 2 goal margin against St Anne’s in their second pool game. The Durban North team went 2 nil up against Felixton in their third game and finished with another 2 nil victory against Toti.

In the cross pool playoff, Crawford met Newcastle’s Ferrum High School (Northern KZN Regional Winners) and yet again netted two goals for their third win which advanced them to the fifth place positional game. Here they met Kokstad College in a feisty fifth-placed final. Jess Brown netted two for her team and Georgia Vorster added in one giving their team a well crafted 3 nil victory and memorable start to their Grand Final stats.

Justin Collins, Coach for Crawford said, “It was an incredible experience that was combined with a professional environment on and off the field! Everything ran like clock work and the standard of hockey was great! Massive thank you to SPAR and the organising committee!

Crawford La Lucia – Durban North Regional Winner – Fifth (2019)

Ferrum High School finished eighth overall at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge.

Ferrum High School

In their eighth appearance Ferrrum High School finished eighth overall at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge.

In their pool they met defending champions, St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional Winners), Epworth School (PMB Central Regional Winners), and teams that also travelled to the tournament – Wartburg Kirchdorf School (Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional Winners) and Kokstad College (Southern KZN Regional Winners).

In their first game of the tournament, they took on Wartburg where at the end of full time the score was 1 all. In their second game against Epworth, Ferrum battled to get the attack out of the circle as the Pietermaritzburg school dominated, slotting in 6 goals. In a riveting match against the defending champions, Ferrum pulled a rabbit out of the hat by scoring a surprise goal mid game and drawing first blood. For agonizing minutes Ferrum held strong as St Mary’s tried to get off their back foot and try to break the Ferrum defence. The host school netted four quick fire goals as the clock wound down to the end of the game, with the final score being 4-1 to the champs. In the last pool game Ferrum went up against Kokstad, and finishing their day as they started, the game ended level with both teams scoring one goal.

On Sunday, in the very first cross pool playoff, they met Crawford La Lucia who didn’t wait long to find the back of the net. At the end of full time, Crawford had managed to score 2 goals, sending Kokstad into the final playoff for position seven and eight. Here they met Richards Bay’s Felixton College. Felixton managed to go 1 nil up and then defend their score, with the whistle blowing and snaffling the seventh place, meaning Kokstad would have to settle of eighth overall.

Ferrum High School – Northern KZN Regional Winner – Fifth (2012, 2015), Sixth (2011, 2018), Eighth (2019), Ninth (2017), Tenth (2013, 2014)

Kingsley Holgate Land Rover Expedition Team Heads to Mozambique in Aid of Flood Victims on World Malaria Day (25 April)

Media Release

WORLD MALARIA DAY  - 25 April

KINGSLEY HOLGATE LAND ROVER EXPEDITION TEAM HEADS FOR MOZAMBIQUE IN AID OF FLOOD VICTIMS

Departing on World Malaria Day (25 April), the Kingsley Holgate Land Rover team is heading to Mozambique on a relief expedition to assist communities living near Gorongosa National Park, who are still suffering the impact of Cyclone Idai, widespread flooding and now a serious and escalating threat of malaria. 

Malaria is the leading cause of death in Mozambique, which has the third highest number of malaria cases anywhere in the world.  A month after Cyclone Idai slammed into Beira and left a swathe of destruction on its path inland towards Zimbabwe’s Chimanimani region leaving vast areas flooded, malaria is on the increase with 9,501 cases reported since 27 March alongside 4,979 cases of cholera.  (Source: UN OCHA) 

The expedition is heading for the Gorongosa region inland from Beira, where over 30,000 people living in low-lying areas near the Buzi River that flows along the Gorongosa National Park boundary were in the direct path of the cyclone and large areas are still under water.  The Park responded by launching its own relief efforts to rescue community members by helicopter and boat, its rangers swopping wildlife for humanitarian work and wading through waist-high waters to reach stranded families.  They have delivered over 30 tonnes of food but the threat of contaminated drinking water and malaria remains extremely high: stagnant water is a perfect breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Malaria prevention and water purification support are key elements of all Holgate humanitarian expeditions.  “It started because of personal experiences,” said Kingsley.  “I’ve had malaria more than 50 times, a young man died of malaria in one of our vehicles as we were rushing him to a clinic and it’s unacceptable that a child dies of malaria every two minutes around the clock.  And all of our expedition team know the dangers of water borne diseases – we’ve all suffered from dysentery, which can kill even the toughest man.”

The expedition to Gorongosa will focus on supplying 15 tonnes of life-saving PermaNet mosquito nets, malaria test kits and treatments, and enough water purification units to provide over one million litres of clean drinking water in support of Gorongosa’s efforts.  The expedition convoy will include the two Land Rover Discoverys tried and tested on previous world-first expeditions, including the recent Cape Town to Kathmandu transcontinental journey.

“No one could have predicted that this year’s World Malaria Day would coincide with the aftermath of such an enormous humanitarian disaster,” said expedition leader Ross Holgate.  “Now that roads, bridges and river crossings are becoming passable in the Gorongosa region, we’re determined to do our bit to help our neighbours in need.”

He continued:  “Relief expeditions like this cannot be done without support, and we pay tribute to Land Rover, Rotarians in Southern Africa, Moz-am-bik Restaurants, the Hlokomela Foundation, Coca Cola SABCO Mozambique, Goodbye Malaria, Barrows, LifeStraws and Water Maker who have willingly come on board to support this World Malaria Day expedition.”

-ends

For further details and interviews, please contact Sheelagh Antrobus on 082-4327466 or sheelagh@kingsleyholgatefoundation.org

STATS AND INFO ABOUT MALARIA/ WATER BORNE DISEASES

• According to the latest World Health Organization report, 219 million cases of malaria were reported during 2017, with 92% occurring in Africa.  435 000 people died from the disease.

• A child dies every two minutes from malaria; children under 5 accounted for 61% (266 000) of all malaria deaths worldwide in 2017.  Pregnant women are also at high risk.

• Kingsley Holgate has had malaria more than 50 times.

• To date, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation has distributed over 440 920 mosquito nets in high-risk communities throughout Africa, helping to protect over 1.3 million people from the deadly bite of the female Anopheles mosquito.

• ]Nearly one in five child deaths – about 1.5 million each year – are due to water borne diseases, especially from cholera, dysentery and diarrhoea.

• To date, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation has distributed more than 46 000 individual LifeStraw units and family-size units, providing over 63 million litres of clean drinking water to communities most in need.