Traditional Foods of South Africa
There are so many varieties of South African traditional foods. South Africa has such a wide diversity of cultures and religions and all these lead to a wonderful mix of interesting, daring and delicious dining.
In South Africa you can find just about any food you wish for. In just one street in a town in South Africa you can find Italian, Moroccan, Chinese, Portuguese and Indian food, amongst others. You can even have anything from a hamburger to sushi.
South African traditional foods however include things such as crocodile sirloin, fried caterpillars and even sheep heads. Some South Africans might even shake their heads at this selection, but others eat this way every day. With South Africa having so many different cultures and beliefs, you will also find that certain foods are eaten for certain occasions.
There are those South African foods which are to the taste buds of many a tourist, or even South African, much less daring than snake meat. Things such as biltong, which is dried and salted meat, may not sound appealing but may also be rather addictive! In South Africa it seems a rugby match cannot be watched without it, and no South African would venture on a road trip without it either. You can try babotie, which is a much-improved (Malay) version of Shepard’s pie. Or you could try a traditional South African braai (BBQ) with boerewors (hand-made farm sausage).
Maize has been the basis of African cuisine for many years and each community, be it Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, or Xhosa, has a different preference for eating it, although some dishes or meals have approval by most of them.
Although these specialty dishes are somewhat harder to find in South Africa, the best idea is to find a friend and go home with them for mom’s cooking or dad’s braai, as nothing can beat good South African home cooking!
It must be said that it was in the search for food that shaped modern South Africa. The need for refreshment compelled the Dutch East India Company to plant a farm at the tip of Africa. The company was drawn by spices to Java during the mid 1600s and needed a half-way refreshment stop for its ships.
Since then history has played a huge role in South African foods, with all those settling here or just passing through having an impact on the cuisine. Today the rainbow which symbolises the country (by the national flag also) does not only refer to the food, but also the extraordinary range of cuisines.
The Old Mutual/GoodHope FM Comedy Encounters Festival
An unforgettable evening of side splitting comedy. That is what you can expect from this evening, with MC Colin Moss. A professional MC and gentleman’s comedian, the crowd will adore him!
This festival will take place March 30, 31 and April 2-5. Old Mutual presents a music series, a comedy show and the famous world renowned Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon.
The concert and family picnic will take place at Spier Estate in Stellenbosch on the 8th of April. Artists that will be performing including Hothouse Flowers, Arno Carstens, Jimmy Dludlu, Karen Zoid and Neo Muyanga. Tickets will cost R150 per adults and R50 for the first child, while the rest under 12 will enter for free. The concert will start at noon and carry on until around 6pm.
The Encounters Comedy Festival will take place 30-31 March and 2-5 April. This is a celebration of South African stand-up talent with a top line-up, which includes Martin Evans, Mark Lottering, Martin Davis, Wayvinne Dawson, Martin Jonas and Chris Forest. These guys will have you in tears! The festival starts at 8pm at the Baxter Theatre and tickets cost R75.
Each comedian has his own uniqueness. Marc Lottering is truly the face of Cape Town and hilariously funny. Colin Moss returns to his roots here as he started out with comedy, before moving on to other ventures. He is still funny though!
Martin Evans recently returned to South Africa after 10 years in the UK. Martin Davis is also a comedian from London. Although Jonas has not been in the country for 10 years, this ducktail from Potchefstroom created his act on the old South Africa. He was discovered in Johannesburg and become a fresh face of the future of South African comedy. Twenty-two-year-old Dawson has been labeled as a new breed of comedian and rather draws his inspirations from South Africa in its more contemporary context. He is honing his skills as MC. He received a standing ovation at the inaugural Smirnoff Mule Comedy Festival at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in 1997.
Chris Forest is the face of the Sasol Athens 2004 Olympic adverts. He is a favourite with the audience and everyone loves his deadpan routine and one-liners.
Davis is known for being quick on his feet and for his marmoset antics which always tend to prove interesting.
Put all these guys together and you are guaranteed to have an evening that will leave you in hysterics!
The Murder of David Rattray
David Rattray was a respected tourism personality and an Anglo-Zulu war expert. He was murdered at his home in KwaZulu Natal on the 26th of January 2007. He moved to his family’s farm in 1989 with wife, Nicky, to start Fugitives Drift Lodge, from where they guided a constant stream of visitors around the battlefields of Isandhlwana and Rorkes Drift.
The motive for the murder is still unknown. According to sources, six armed men entered the house. One wore a balaclava and held up Rattrays receptionist, demanding money. Another yelled “Where is David?” One of the men shot him while the others, including the gang leader, waited outside. He was however ordered to go back and make sure Rattray was dead as he had only fired one shot. The attackers then fled. Rattray suffered shots to the chest, hand and shoulder and died instantly. His family is convinced his murder was an assassination. Nothing was taken from their home.
Rattray was instrumental in putting the provinces battlefields on the international tourism map. He was born in Johannesburg in 1958. He completed his schooling at St Albans College in Pretoria, and studied entomology at the University of Natal, before managing the Mala Mala Game Reserve.
As a child he grew up learning Zulu from his best friend and their playground was the farm at Rorkes Drift. Here began his fascination as he was enriched with the lore of this fabulous region. His exposure to Zulu oral tradition and his studies of his excellent library left him uniquely equipped for his vocation, as a raconteur, and he has entertained many audiences in South Africa and abroad. His talks enthralled and captivated people from all walks of life, from princes to school children, and had given such a very positive new perspective on South Africa.
He was good friends with the British Prince Charles as well as Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini.
A much loved and respected individual, David Rattray’s death would not only be a shock to South Africans, but send ripples across the seas to the many people he touched there also. May his family find solace!
The J&B Met 2007
Black and white bling was the theme for the 2007 J&B Met. The weird and wonderful people who make up the beautiful Cape Town were all there, strutting their stuff while maybe daring to place a bet. 5FM and Flat Stanley kept all entertained for the day.
This is a R2-million, Grade 1 horse race over 2000m that is the highlight of the annual summer fun and fashion festival that draws racing enthusiasts from all parts of Southern Africa and from overseas. Here, at the Kenilworth Race Course, they will experience the thrilling atmosphere of thundering hooves and head-turning outfits of the beautiful people who bask in the splendid sunshine under the grandiose Table Mountain.
Surely the biggest racing and fashion parade in the Western Cape, this programme of superior thoroughbred racing filled with glitz and glamour caters for around 50 000 people.
The J&B Met finds its roots in the later 1700s, when Lord Charles Somerset governed the Cape and those in his battalion raced each other as a popular pastime in the area now known as Green Point common. A more suitable venue was designed to stage these races in the late 1800s. 1883 marked the first official horse racing event at Kenilworth and the forerunner to the J&B Met. The star social attraction of the years to come arose: the Metropolitan Handicap. In 1978 J&B’s sponsorship commenced. The race-winner’s prize of R40 000 was a record for horse racing at the time. Enter onto the race scene a four-year-old colt, Politician. With Bertie Hayden in the saddle, Politician went on to become the only two-time winner of the event “winning by over three lengths in his first victory repeating the feat a year later in a spectacular comeback from behind. For 25 years since, horses and jockeys, trainers, haute couture and of course the race-attending public have contributed to the enjoyment of the J&B Met enriching its history with every event.
For the Western Cape it is the social occasion of the year and, as the thoroughbreds battle it out on the turf, the thousands will line the track and scream their fancies home, and then celebrate their success or failure in great party style right through into the night.
The favourite for 2007 was PocketPower, and after other delays and a rather serious injury, PocketPower did steal the day! The 2007 J&B Met was another huge success!
Stellenbosch – South Africa
Stellenbosch is the capital of the Cape Winelands and was the second town to be founded in South Africa in 1685, making it the second oldest town after Cape Town. A stay in a Stellenbosch hotel will give you time to take in the beauty of this historic South African town.
Lined with shady oaks and beautiful gabled, white-washed buildings the streets of Stellenbosch still have small irrigation channels on either side of the older roads. In the past, these were used to water gardens, as each householder has a time slot in which to divert the town’s irrigation into their plot. The town has a wonderful mixture of architectural styles from bygone era “beautiful Cape Dutch thatched cottages, Gregorian style double-storey houses ad ornate Victorian homes can be found along the town’s oak-lined streets. Stellenbosch is a window into South Africa’s history.
The town is very cultural and somewhat venerable, while also displaying a young and vibrant air. You will find some interesting museums and many of the buildings, including some of the hotels and restaurants, are national monuments and deserve a second look.
The town is famous as the home of the University of Stellenbosch, founded in March 1866. Not only does Stellenbosch University sport South Africa’s most beautiful campus, but the university has shaped some of the country’s great sporting heroes, including over 150 rugby players (Springboks), and other great personalities not only in sport.
There is good mountain biking just outside the town, and there are golf courses aplenty. But of course the main attraction to this town is the wine. Stellenbosh is home to some of the best wines produced in South Africa. There are over 200 estates that offer wine tastings in Stellenbosch. The estates are impressive and ornate, with grand manor houses and beautiful out grounds. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to explore this area. Some of the wine farms have become multi-purpose resorts with theatres, restaurants, equestrian centres and much much more! The most pleasurable way to spend a day would be to select three or four estates in a day, have lunch at one, do a cellar tour at another, visit the manor house of another and just drink at the rest. Of course, there are so many things to do you will need so much more than just one day. Stellenbosch is close to Cape Town so it can be visited as a day trip, or you could do a day trip to Cape Town or the Overberg from Stellenbosch. The nearest beach is at Strand, and just further on is Bikini Beach, which has been awarded international Blue Flag status.
However, as I mentioned, one day won’t be enough so why not find accommodation at some of the wonderful luxury cottages, guesthouses or hotels in around Stellenbosch. They provide excellent bases from which to embark on your wine tasting adventures. These accommodations include the grand Lanzerac Manor, the scenic Summerwood Guesthouse and the Cape Dutch style Village at Spier.
You can enjoy tastings, joining a cellar tour, stocking up on your personal cellar and so much more in this beautiful town of Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second oldest town, and still one of the most beautiful!
South African Safari
Considered one of the top destinations on the continent for an African safari, South Africa is one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world, which is represented by its Rainbow Flag and nickname the Rainbow Nation. Truly a world within one country! The spectacular and varied land and its friendly people never fail to captivate those who embark on a South African safari holiday.
South Africa is larger than France and Spain combined! It stretches from the Southern most tip of Africa to the Limpopo River bordering with Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Within South Africa are some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes; canyons, wilderness, beaches, rivers, and cities just to mention but a few. South Africa enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with warm sunny days most of the year. The country enjoys one of the world’s highest average daily hours of sunshine at 8, 5. Summers are hot and winters are generally mild and dry. No wonder South African safari holidays are so popular amongst visitors from around the world.
South Africa has picturesque wine-farming towns in the Garden Route, dense subtropical coast in KwaZulu Natal, arid semi-desert in the little Karoo and dramatic mountains in the Drakensberg. Along with all this is the Kruger National Park, Africa’s premier safari reserve. The Kruger Park, however, is but one of the many South African safari parks you can enjoy. Let South Africa’s excellent infrastructure, stunning natural scenery and fascinating history give you the travel experience of a lifetime!
There are many South African safari tours and other safari options available in South Africa. Here we mention but a few:
South African Flying Safari “ this is ideal for those who want to go on a safari in style! Spoil yourself, pamper your partner or pop the big question at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, with enormous rooms overlooking the Sabi River, offering you every luxury you can imagine!
Fly-in Cultural Kruger Safari “on this safari you can enjoy the luxury of a charter flight to Kruger National Park, where traditional cuisine, culture and luxury in 6 beautifully furnished huts at an earthy Tsonga-styled lodge, Hoyo Hoyo, awaits you.
Luxury Garden Route Self-Drive “this is a relaxing safari which you can take at your own pace. Enjoy the Garden Route by taking the scenic route from Cape Town to Hermanus, where you can watch whales in season and relax all year round. Drive up to Oudtshoorn to see the Cango Caves and ostriches. Round your trip off at Plettenberg Bay with its beautiful beaches and pristine forests.
Classic Safari Experience “three days of game viewing and luxury at the lodge of your choice, featuring superb accommodation, open vehicle game drives accompanied by an experienced ranger and tracker, and personalised service from start to finish.
South African Government
South Africa is a constitutional government with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary. The national, provincial and local levels of government all have legislative and executive authority in their own spheres, and are defined in the Constitution as ‘distinctive, interdependent and interrelated’.
Operating at both national and provincial levels are advisory bodies drawn from South Africa’s traditional leaders. It is a stated intention in the Constitution that the country be run on a system of co-operative governance.
South Africa is a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, wherein the President of South Africa, elected by Parliament (situated in Cape Town), is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of Parliament, the Council of Province and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
The current president of the Republic of South Africa is Thabo Mbeki. The president leads the Cabinet and may not serve more than two five-year terms in office. The Cabinet consists of the President (Thabo Mbeki), the Deputy President (Phumzile Mlambo-Nqcuka) and 25 ministers. The President appoints the Deputy President and Ministers, assigns their powers and functions, and may dismiss them. All but two ministers must be selected from among the members of the National Assembly. The members of Cabinet are accountable individually and collectively to Parliament. Deputy Ministers are also appointed by the President from among the members of the National Assembly.
The government is undertaken by three inter-connected arms of government:
Legislature: The National Assembly and the National Council of Province
Executive: The President, who is both Head of State and Head of Government
Judiciary: The Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and the High Court
All bodies of the South African government are subject to the rule of the constitution, which is the supreme law in South Africa.
South Africa’s first democratic elections for national and provincial government were held in April 1994. The African National Congress (ANC) became the ruling party and Nelson Mandela, former Robben Island prisoner, became President. The percentage poll was 86%.
South Africa may begin culling Elephants again
South Africa may restart culling elephants, setting the scene for an international battle over the future of the animals. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the minister of environmental affairs in South Africa, suggested that the 11-year suspension on culling could come to an end. He said: “We have about 20,000 elephants in South Africa, more or less 14,000 in the Kruger National Park. In 1995, when we stopped culling, we had about 8,000 elephants.”
“South Africa is faced with a particular challenge as most of our protected areas are fenced and surrounded by land that has been transformed, to a greater or lesser extent, by human development,” Mr van Schalkwyk went on to say.
The government was considering several management strategies in addition to culling, including contraception and the transfer of elephants to other areas.
“South Africa is faced with a particular challenge as most of our protected areas are fenced and surrounded by land that has been transformed, to a greater or lesser extent, by human development,” he said.
The South Africa government has opened a public discussion on proposals to resume an elephant cull; opponents refer to the “murder” of elephants, while supporters warn of a “holocaust” among other species if elephants go unrestrained.
However the real troubles could come when TV channels broadcast rangers in helicopters herding elephants into groups, tranquilizing them and then killing them off with a shot to the head.
The reason for the increase of African elephants in South Africa is because of conservation projects, anti poaching campaigns and stricter measures on ivory-smuggling.
The number of elephants in the Kruger National Park is nearly double the 7,000 that was considered the best number during the apartheid years, when regular culls of the species took place.
Culling of elephants stopped in 1994 but numbers have since sky rocketed and the elephants are starting to threaten the survival of other animals, plant species – due to their huge appetites as well as the well being of the species itself.
Elephants are capable of flattening areas of woodland into grassland in an amazingly short time, amongst these trees are baobabs which may have survived for thousands of years, destroying nesting areas of rare birds such as the ground hornbill.
South Africa National Parks, who run most of the large parks in South Africa, has recommended a return to culling to save the country’s flora and fauna before it is too late. The government insists it has not yet made its mind up, and is considering all options.
Many other debates are going on, to put across the points of contraception and transportation of elephants to different areas, rather than culling. However the contraception theory would not show an immediate effect as elephants can live for over 40 years.
This problem is not solely in South Africa; Botswana and Zimbabwe also have to consider the cull of their elephants.
Sandton South Africa
Sandton City, South Africa, is a town in the northern part of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area, in the Gauteng Province. Sandton is a very young municipality, formed on the 1st of July, 1969. It is located 30km north of the Johannesburg central business district and is now a financial hub, with many banks and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange recently relocating their headquarters there from downtown Johannesburg. Sandton got its name from the combination of the two suburbs of Sandown and Bryanston, both of which were named after places in the United Kingdom. In this way a new and exclusive suburban centre was established, while at the same time maintaining the park-like residential areas of the two surrounding suburbs.
The Sandton City shopping complex is supposedly the largest non-metropolitan shopping centre in the southern hemisphere. Along with hundreds of smart formal shops you can find the work of local artists and craftswomen selling handicrafts of good quality. This makes Sandton City a highlight for tourists visiting South Africa.
In short Sandton is the Gauteng property of choice – sophisticated, upmarket suburb featuring expensive shops and Johannesburg’s most illustrious corporate addresses. Accommodation in Sandton is of South Africa’s most luxurious. Booking a stay in a Sandton hotel means enjoying South Africa’s high life, an excellent base from which to enjoy all that South Africa has to offer, from Safari trips in the Kruger Park to shopping for designer clothing.
Only 20 years ago Sandton City was an open strip of highveld inhabited by estate owners and used largely for horse riding.
If you are in Sandton go visit these places:
Nelson Mandela Square:
A popular meeting place with sidewalk cafes, fine restaurants, theatre and some 93 exclusive shops. It is in the heart of Sandton and there is easy access to the financial district, the Sandton Convention Centre, world class hotels and Sandton City’s 295 shops.
Sandton City:
Here you will find the ultimate shopping experience in a world of its own. There is something for everyone from the adventurous to the discriminating, the trendy to the discerning. This is the destination where international shoppers feel at home and local shoppers get away from it all.
Iron Foundries:
On the western side of the Lonehill Koppie
Outspan Bird Sanctuary in Morningside:
A sheltered sanctuary much-visited by localbird species.
Village Walk Shopping Centre:
This quaint centre has been designed in a Neapolitan style and features stylish shops, coffeehouses, cinemas and video arcade.
Galleries:
Sandton’s Galleries exhibit traditional South African Art as well as international art work.
Walking Tours:
Talk Tours lets tourists undertake personal walking tours of the area with stop-offs at restaurants in their own time. It provides a history and explanation of 29 Sandton landmarks in eight languages. Colourful signposts along the route signals when to dial a specific number for more information on a landmark. Pamphlets explaining the walk are available at all the hotels.
If you are visiting South Africa, and planning to stay in Johannesburg, make Sandton your number one choice for booking a luxury hotel. Sandton City shopping and Sandton lifestyle is definately suited to those who expect a bit more when choosing a hotel or accommodation in a city, wherever in the world it might be.