Issue 546 | 27 October 2022
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PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA HOSTS PRESIDENT SÁNCHEZ OF SPAIN

 
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday morning, 27 October 2022, hosted President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón of Spain on an Official Visit to Pretoria.
 
President Sánchez, who is the President of the Government of Spain, was accompanied by the Spanish Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, and a business delegation.

The visit to South Africa solidifies the already strong relations between South Africa and Spain, highlights the existing cooperation between the two countries and focusses on the implementation of agreements intended to benefit the citizens of both countries.

The visit also seeks to create opportunities for various South African sectors to meet with their Spanish counterparts and to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, science and innovation, arts and culture, sports and education.

The visit, which is President Sánchez’s first to South Africa since he assumed office in 2018, is expected to translate the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries into tangible projects that will stimulate greater interest from Spain in South Africa, especially regarding trade, investment, tourism and cooperation in other identified sectors.

For South Africa, the engagement between the two leaders is directed towards addressing the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality and to boost South Africa’s economic recovery and reconstruction efforts following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past 10 years, there has been steady investment in South Africa by Spanish companies. The bulk of the investment is in the renewable energy sector.

South African companies have also looked to Spain as an investment destination in the real estate sector.

More than 150 Spanish companies have invested in South Africa creating over 20 000 jobs, largely in the following sectors: infrastructure development, renewable energy, financial services, tourism, textiles, IT and software, and metals and mining.

Bilateral trade between South Africa and Spain almost quadrupled in the past 10 years. In 2021, Spain was South Africa’s fourth-largest export destination in the European Union (EU) and fifth-largest source of imports from the EU. Trade between South Africa and Spain increased over the two-year period 2020 and 2021.

Exports from South Africa to Spain increased consistently for a 10-year period.

For the last two years, exports increased from R14.9 billion in 2020 to R28.5 billion in 2021.

In 2019, the Spanish Government launched its Third Africa Plan, a long-term strategic document that guides Spain’s relations with the African continent. The plan identifies South Africa as one of the three “anchor” countries (together with Nigeria and Ethiopia) for Spain’s foreign policy in Africa.

Following a welcome ceremony at the Union Buildings, the President and President Sánchez attended and addressed the South African-Spanish Business Forum, which seeks to foster further and closer collaboration between South African and Spanish companies in a number of key sectors.

 
 

AFRICA IS ON THE MOVE – PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed South Africa’s support for Canadian companies wishing to trade, invest and do business on the African continent for mutual growth and development.

 

The President said South Africa was Africa’s most industrialised economy with a well-regulated banking and financial system, developed infrastructure, sound legal and regulatory frameworks and strong linkages into both the global and continental economies.

“South Africa stands ready to support Canadian companies wishing to trade, invest and do business on the African continent. This is the time to work together, as we did when we confronted the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, to realise the many opportunities that exist for mutual growth and development,” the President said.

The President was delivering a pre-recorded message at the Africa Accelerating 2022 Conference on deepening trade and investment between Africa and Canada.

The annual three-day summit brings together high-level leaders every October at venues in Canada and on the African continent, and is broadcast live to thousands of delegates in addition to in-person attendees.

President Ramaphosa said the global fight against COVID-19 demonstrated both the need for and the value of solidarity, collaboration and cooperation.

He said African countries were united around a common continental response that resulted in unprecedented initiatives to ensure access to lifesaving medical supplies, equipment and vaccines.

Working with partners across the globe, including Canada, the President said that the African continent worked in unison to save lives and safeguard livelihoods.

“With the pandemic in abeyance, our focus now is on advancing shared prosperity through bilateral trade and investment. Africa is committed to work together to advance its own development and meet the needs of its people,” he said.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was a critical part of efforts to raise Africa’s growth, and is one of the 15 flagship projects of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

He noted that there had been important progress towards the operationalisation of the AfCFTA.

The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System was launched in January and has been successfully piloted in the West African Monetary Zone.

The President said work was underway to dismantle intra-African trade tariff barriers as well as non-tariff barriers that hinder market access.
The World Bank and AfCFTA Secretariat estimate that if fully implemented, the AfCFTA could increase Africa’s exports to the rest of the world by 32% and more than double intra-African exports

Canada is a long-standing development partner with Africa, joining the African Development Fund in 1973 and the African Development Bank in 1982.

“Canada has supported all capital increases and contributed regularly to the African Development Bank replenishments. This history, together with the strong trade and investment ties between Africa and Canada, provides a firm platform to expand cooperation and accelerate growth.

“As Africa pursues economic integration, the opportunities for Canadian investors and companies will steadily expand,” the President said.

As this conference demonstrated, the President said, there were many opportunities for Canadian companies in Africa beyond the extractives sector.

“On a continent where around 60% of arable land remains uncultivated, there is huge potential for climate smart agriculture and agro-processing.

“As continental supply chains become increasingly integrated, Africa’s manufacturing capacity will expand rapidly, presenting opportunities in areas like petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, textiles, fabricated metals and many others,” he said.

The President added that this would drive infrastructure investment, not only in the roads, rail lines and ports that would handle the movement of goods and people, but in the energy and telecommunications networks needed to facilitate production and exchange.

President Ramaphosa wished the conference well in its deliberations, saying he looked forward to the many new partnerships and ventures that were expected to emerge from the conference.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

 
 

PRESIDENT WISHES THE HINDU COMMUNITY A HAPPY DIWALI

 
 
President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Monday, 24 October 2022, wished the Hindu community Happy Diwali.
 
“It gives me great joy to wish our Hindu sisters and brothers a very happy and joyous Diwali.

“As fellow South Africans, we join you in celebrating the annual Festival of Lights. Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and righteousness over unrighteousness as enunciated in the Hindu Sacred text, the Ramayana.

“The universal message of Diwali resonates with all of us. It is a message of hope, love, caring for the well-being of all and working together for the mutual prosperity of all.

“Diwali is a time when family and friends get together and celebrate the joy of life through prayer, lighting of lamps, festivities, food, dance and music.

“One of the central messages of Diwali is the oneness of humanity and that all of life is equal and sacred.

“South Africa has been described as the Rainbow Nation by both President Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, given our wonderful diversity of religions, cultures and ethnic groups, all of which enrich our beautiful country.

“The Hindu community is an integral part of South Africa’s rich multicultural tapestry. Members of the Hindu community have made a significant contribution to our country since the arrival of indentured Indians to South Africa in 1860.

“The community contributed immensely to our freedom struggle and are playing an important role today in nation-building and the economic recovery and revitalisation of our country at a time of great challenges faced by the global community.

“Diwali thus is a time to reflect and celebrate the joyous achievements of all in our country. Let us use the celebration of Diwali to renew and reinvigorate our commitment to work together as one family in building a just, inclusive and prosperous South Africa.

“May the blessings of Lord Rama and Mother Sita be showered upon you and your family and friends on this auspicious occasion of Diwali.”

 
 

SA'S DYNAMIC POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND INVESTMENT CLIMATE

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the significant opportunity for private capital to invest in South Africa’s energy transition during a meeting with the 20 – 20 Investment Association on Wednesday, 19 October 2022, at the Union Buildings.

 

“As we have shown, long-term asset managers and investors will be able to contribute to sustainable clean growth in the fields of renewable energy generation and transmission.

“There is also great investment potential in the development of the electric vehicle manufacturing sector and the generation of green hydrogen for local industrial use and export,” President Ramaphosa said.

The aim of the meeting was to afford President Ramaphosa an opportunity to share with the leadership of the association his views on South Africa’s dynamic political, economic and investment climate.

The meeting was convened in the context of South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan with a long-term objective to restore the country’s economy to inclusive growth.

The 20 – 20 Investment Association is a non-profit association of global leaders in the financial industry dedicated to learning about investment climate in emerging markets and has a collective membership representing nearly US$8 trillion in investment capital.

Among others, the meeting received various inputs from representatives of the association and the President led discussions ranging from the country’s economic growth; energy security; food security; and the global economic situation.

Ministers Ebrahim Patel and Pravin Gordhan, and Deputy Minister David Masondo accompanied President Ramaphosa.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

 
 

DIRCO HOSTS DIPLOMATIC FAIR IN PRETORIA

 

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) hosted the Diplomatic Fair on Saturday, 22 October 2022, at the Union Buildings' southern lawns in Pretoria.

 

The event brought together foreign diplomatic missions accredited to South Africa to showcase and promote their respective countries through the arts, music and cuisine, for example.

The Diplomatic Fair was held for the first time in 2006 and has since become an important occasion on the diplomatic calendar in Pretoria, serving as a platform to promote and celebrate the unity and diversity of the world.

The line-up of events at the event included exhibitions and cultural performances.

The winners were:

  • Most Informative Stall: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  • Most Flavourful Stall: Republic of Kenya
  • Most Interactive Stall: ASEAN Group
  • Most Entertaining Stall: Republic of Korea
  • Most Creative Stall: Republic of Ghana
  • Minister’s Award: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Mayor’s Award: Republic of Cuba and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  • OR Tambo Overall Award: State of Eritrea.
 
 

DEPUTY MINISTER MASHEGO-DLAMINI CONCLUDES SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO THE CENTRAL AFRICA REGION

 
 
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini, has concluded her successful visit to the Central Africa region, where she visited the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Cameroon from 18 to 25 October 2022.
 
During her visit to Malabo, the Deputy Minister met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Simeon Oyono Esono Angue. The Deputy Minister reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening the existing bilateral and economic relations between the two countries. South Africa and Equatorial Guinea signed a General Cooperation Agreement in 2003, which covers various sectors such as tourism, agriculture, arts and culture, aviation and health.

The Deputy Minister also met with the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Craft Promotion, Rufino Ndong Esso Nchama. The two discussed various ways in which South Africa and Equatorial Guinea could work together in promoting their countries’ respective tourism sectors. Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini also met the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment, Teresa Efua Asangono, and emphasised the importance of finding new ways to elevate agricultural programmes between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea post COVID-19.

The Deputy Minister also paid a courtesy call on the President of Equatorial Guinea, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, where she conveyed warm greetings from President Cyril Ramaphosa. President Mbangoso recalled the strong relations that exist between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea and stressed the need to further strengthen political, economic and social relations between the two countries.

Upon the conclusion of her visit to Equatorial Guinea, Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini proceeded to Yaounde, Cameroon. South Africa and Cameroon have enjoyed full diplomatic relations since 1994. Both countries have resident diplomatic missions in Tshwane and in Yaounde, respectively. South Africa has identified Cameroon as a strategic partner as it is the biggest regional economy in Central Africa.

During her visit to Yaounde, Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini held Political Consultations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella. The two delegations affirmed the importance of South Africa and Cameroon working together for mutual benefit. Minister Mbella also emphasised the need for the two countries to continue to build upon the good relationship based on the values and principles of democracy, respect for human rights and social justice.

During her visit in Yaounde, Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini also met with HE Joseph Ngute, Prime Minister of Cameroon. The Deputy Minister and the Prime Minister exchanged views on regional issues relating to peace, stability, security, continental integration and development.

 
 

DEPUTY MINISTER BOTES VISITS EASTERN EUROPE FOR POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Alvin Botes, is undertaking a Working Visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey for Political Consultations with his counterparts.

 

The Deputy Minister commenced his visit in Baku from 24 October 2022. There, he co-chaired political consultations with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Fariz Fikrat oglu RZAYEV.

South Africa and Azerbaijan conduct their structured bilateral relations guided by the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Regular Diplomatic Consultations that was concluded in February 2014.

The MoU provides for the strengthening and broadening of the scope of bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural and humanitarian areas; the conclusion of international agreements in various agreed areas of cooperation; cooperation within the frameworks of applicable international agencies and fora and other international issues of mutual interest.

At the conclusion of his visit to Azerbaijan, the Deputy Minister will proceed to Georgia and Turkey.

 
 

AU DECENTRALISATION CHARTER APPROVED FOR SUBMISSION TO PARLIAMENT

 
Cabinet has approved the submission to Parliament of the African Union (AU) Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development for ratification.
 
The Minister in The Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, made the announcement during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, 20 October 2022.

South Africa signed the charter in August 2021.

He said the Decentralisation Charter provided a framework to all member states on the decentralisation of powers and functions from national to other spheres of government.
 

“The charter deals largely with the decentralisation of authority and functions, local governance framework and local development,” he said.
In 2021, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said South Africa's signing of the charter would help to accelerate the implementation of the District Development Model.

The charter, she said at the time, would also strengthen the collaboration of the three spheres to work as one government serving the diverse needs of society.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

 
 

DEPUTY MINISTER MATHALE LEADS DELEGATION TO INTERPOL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

Government used its attendance at the 90th Session of Interpol’s General Assembly to hold a series of bilateral discussions on mutual assistance with various countries in a bid to strengthen and promote cooperation.

 

Police Deputy Minister, Cassel Mathale, said cooperation in this regard would be in the areas of fighting transnational organised crimes such as kidnappings, drug trafficking and financial crimes.

Capacity-building in the form of skills transfer to enhance police capabilities also formed part of discussions.

This year’s General Assembly was held in New Delhi, India, from 18 to 21 October 2022.

“We are representing the country’s interest. Let’s do what we can for the benefit of our citizens. We look forward to robust discussions and may we depart having gained improved cooperation and mutual understanding with the various countries,” the Deputy Minister said in a statement.

Other key role players attending the meeting included ministers, police chiefs of different countries, heads of national central bureaus and senior police officers.

The Annual General Assembly (AGM) session culminated in key decisions being adopted in the form of resolutions to bolster transnational organised crime-fighting initiatives.

Deputy Minister Mathale, together with the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, led a delegation of senior police officers to the session.

Interpol is the world's largest international police organisation, with 195 member countries, including South Africa. The organisation enables cross-border police cooperation and supports and assists law-enforcement authorities, whose mission is to prevent or combat transnational organised crime.

The AGM meets once a year and takes major decisions concerning policy, resources needed for international cooperation, activities and programmes to be undertaken to prevent and combat international crime.

The delegation, consisting of senior officers within the operational environments in the SAPS and the Directorate for Crime Priority Investigations, formed part of various discussions in financial crime, cybercrime, crimes against children and a host of other transnational organised crime-related matters.

– Source: SAnews.gov.za

 
 

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN SURVIVAL SWIMMING CONTAINERS SCOOP INTERNATIONAL AWARD

 
The Survival Swimming centres installed at Meiring Primary School in Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape, and at Noah Christian Academy in Tombo Village, Eastern Cape, have been a massive success. The centres have earned the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) an international award.
 
“We all want our children to not be afraid of water and to learn to swim early, not only for their safety but also for their enjoyment. However, not everyone can afford swimming lessons. And access to safe, clean water to learn to swim in is a real challenge, especially in the underprivileged parts of South Africa.”

This is according to Andrew Ingram, Drowning Prevention Manager at the NSRI who is happy to announce that the NSRI has won the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Award for the organisation’s innovative Survival Swimming Centres (SSC).

“It’s an amazing win for the NSRI, especially being at the southern point of Africa to be up against some of the wealthiest rescue services in the world. It’s a real feather in our cap to have won in the category of Innovation and Technology again.”

Ingram states with so many different ideas the organisation has, it just goes to show the ability of the NSRI volunteers and staff to come up with new ideas that make such a huge difference to South Africans.

“When it comes to the Survival Swimming Centres (SSC), what we were trying to achieve is to give free swimming lessons to disadvantaged children in safe water. There are two problems with swimming lessons, the first one is that you need to be able to teach children or adults in water that is safe so that they are not going to be harmed by currents, structures in the water and dirty water. Secondly, you need to make the lessons affordable because most people in South Africa cannot afford to pay for swimming lessons.”

“In a place where most places provide swimming lessons as a business, the difference is that the NSRI is so generously sponsored by individuals, corporates, government and trusts and can do things that other people can’t do. So, for example, we can offer free swimming lessons to children who can’t afford swimming lessons.”

The NSRI centre is a 6-metre long swimming pool built in the back of a 12-metre shipping container. It is completely self-sufficient and includes hi-tech monitoring equipment to ensure safety and high-quality water for the children to swim in.

The NSRI is no stranger to receiving IMRF awards. In 2016, they were runners-up for an Outstanding Team Contribution, in recognition of their water safety lessons for children; in 2018, their Pink Rescue Buoys won the Innovation and Technology section; in 2019, they were runners-up for the purpose-designed rescue stretcher; and lastly, in 2021, they were awarded winner in Innovation and Technology for the JetRIB, a revolutionary surf rescue craft, made by Admiral Powercats and Droomers Yamaha with NSRI.

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

THE AWARDS FOR THE MOTHER CITY KEEP ON COMING

 

For the second year in a row, Cape Town has been named Africa’s Leading City Destination 2022 at the World Travel Awards.

 

This was announced recently at the Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony, held in Nairobi, Kenya, and attended by leading travel industry decision-makers and stakeholders from across Africa.

These awards, which serve to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry, also presented this accolade to Cape Town last year, along with the prestigious title of World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination for 2021.

Adding to this accolade, Cape Town Tourism’s first-of-its-kind, immersive game-style platform, Find Your Freedom, won four awards at the 10th annual Supersonic New Generation Awards, held at the end of last month. These included bronze awards for Most Viral Campaign, Most Innovative Gamification Campaign, Best Use of Technical Innovation and Best Revenue Generating Marketing Campaign or Event

Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says that since international travel to Cape Town opened after the pandemic, the campaigns and hard work behind the scenes has really paid off.

“With our now award-winning Find Your Freedom Campaign and other ongoing initiatives, we have been hard at work to restore confidence in Cape Town, which suffered greatly from the global travel bans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Duminy says. “The past year has seen encouraging growth in both international and local travel and hospitality in Cape Town. Being awarded Africa’s Leading City Destination 2022 means yet again that the Mother City is being recognised as a truly world-class destination, and we could not be prouder.”

As the main international gateway into Cape Town, winning the Best Airport in Africa at the prestigious 2022 Skytrax World Airport Awards this year is another award that the city is very proud of.

“We are very pleased with and humbled by this accolade. This award is in recognition of the great work being done by the ACSA team in collaboration with all our stakeholders and partners to provide passengers and airport users with a world-class experience,” says Mark Maclean, Regional General Manager, Cape Town International Airport Cluster. “We trust that it will provide visitors to our shores with a sense of comfort and assurance that they will receive a warm welcome and have a good memorable experience at our airport,” he says.

These awards come on top of numerous others presented to the city over the past year, including:

  • Third-Greatest City on Earth by The Telegraph (2022)
  • Most Promising Muslim-friendly City Destination of The Year (Non-OIC) by the Halal Travel Awards (2022)
  • Travel & Leisure World’s Best Award for No1 City in Africa and the Middle East (2021)
  • World Travel Awards for Africa’s Leading City Destination (2021)
  • Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction: Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (2021).

The apple of Cape Town’s eye, Table Mountain, was also recognised once again at these prestigious World Travel Awards, being voted as Africa’s Leading Tourism Attraction for the fourth year in a row.

“The World Travel Awards are the gold standard in the travel world and acknowledge service excellence and responsible operators each year,” says Wahida Parker, Managing Director for the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company.

“We are beyond excited at the news that we retained our title. This award continues to recognise the iconic beauty that has made Table Mountain one of the best tourist attractions in the world. As a Natural Wonder of the World, the mountain has seen more than 29 million visitors reach the top of its summit by the aerial cableway over the decades. We are very pleased with this distinction,” she says.

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

OVER 71 000 PEOPLE BROKE WORLD RECORD WITH BLOOD DONATION PLEDGE

 
Over 71 000 members of the youth volunteer group “WE ARE ONE" set a new Guinness World Record title for the most people to pledge as blood donors within 24 hours.
 
“WE ARE ONE” forms part of Shincheonji Church of Jesus – an international organisation with a footprint in South Africa.

The organisation set a goal of 70 000 blood donations to raise global awareness of the importance of donating blood. Through their “Life ON Youth ON” donation campaign, the group wanted to help alleviate the blood shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
 

71 121 volunteers registered to donate within 24 hours, with almost 1 000 sign-ups coming from southern Africa. This is nearly seven times India’s previous world record of 10 217 (eight hours).

“It was possible to achieve our goal not only because of the volunteers, but also the Red Cross officials working at the forefront to solve the blood shortage and the company that developed an efficient blood donation application system,” head of "WE ARE ONE” explained.

According to a report published by the World Health Organisation in June 2022, blood shortages have impacted all countries during and since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The South African Nation Blood Service (SANBS) needs to maintain a blood stock level of five days for each blood group to ensure sustained blood availability for patients in need. Currently, there is only 3.6 days of bloodstock available; this could be because less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors. A unit of blood only lasts 42 days after donation, so it is essential for blood donors to donate regularly. Donors can give blood as often as every eight weeks.

Khulekani Zuma, a spokesperson for the SANBS said, “I must say I am very moved by the Shincheonji Church initiative to break the world record.

I’m very proud and happy that they’ve taken this stance to try and save lives, not only by talking but by taking action as well.”

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

JOBURG CHOIR WINS WORLD CHORAL CUP AND EARNS A STANDING OVATION

 
The Quava Vocal Group, a choir based in Johannesburg, has won at the inaugural 2022 World Choral Cup, which took place in Barcelona and Calella in Spain earlier this month.
 
The choir, fondly known as Quava, is already a multi-award-winning classical/jazz a cappella group. Founded in 2008, the choir earned gold medals in the contemporary jazz and adult contemporary categories at the World Choir Games in Pretoria in 2018.

The choir is now one of the top jazz choirs in the world thanks to winning the Jazz Category as well as the Adult Choir Category at the World Choral Cup too.

The competition saw choirs from 24 countries come together to compete. There was a total of 31 groups that competed for seven top titles and Quava earned two of them.

Quava’s music director, Sabelo Mthembu, was also awarded the Conductor of the Tournament Award. Speaking to the City of Joburg about the win, he shared that it was an achievement he was proud of.

“I am extremely humbled by the accolades the choir and I have been blessed with. For me, they symbolise years of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance by each member of this choir. I’m incredibly proud of each and every one of them,” says Mthembu.

Co-founder Khabo Dhlamini, a Customer Relations Agent for the City of Johannesburg in Region C, shared that Spain and her kind people welcomed them with open arms. She gushed that the crowds gave them standing ovations, which was a great honour.

“The weather was warm and sunny, and the people were exceptionally friendly and warm. They loved us when we performed, and we got standing ovations everywhere we sang.”

“We want to thank all our family and friends for their prayers and support. Thank you to the fans who prayed, donated and came to our shows. This trip happened because of them. We thank God and them.”

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

THE SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR PERFORMS ON “GOOD MORNING BRITAIN”

 
The Soweto Gospel Choir is nothing less than an international treasure. Since its formation in 2002, it has received more accolades than any other choir in the world and is a must-see when on a world tour.
 
The choir is currently on tour in the United States of America, but they made a quick detour to the United Kingdom (UK) to put on a show for Good Morning Britain.

They set off to the UK to take part in the 55th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King’s visit to Newcastle University. They gave a performance at the Newcastle Cathedral and then visited Good Morning Britain.
 

The choir is known for the incredible energy and spirit the members bring to their music, as they fill the stage with their vibrant costumes, incredible vocals and songs that uplift and raise audiences to their feet.

The choir’s repertoire will include a mix of African gospel, traditional and international classics, dancing and drumming.

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 

TWO SOUTH AFRICAN RESTAURANTS LAND ON BEST BURGER IN THE WORLD LIST

 
 
Two South African burger joints have earned a place on the “50 Best Burgers in the World”. Smokin’ Joes in Durban and Dog’s Bullocks in Cape Town have beaten some of America’s best with the best burgers in the world!
 
Big 7 Travel recently released a list of the best burgers, looking at restaurants from Australia and all the way around to America, the home of the burger.

Some 1.5 million people from 60 countries take surveys for Big 7 Travel and vote for the best travel accolades worldwide. Big 7 Media shares several lists, which promote global travel. In the past, we have shared their lists about South Africa, including being the fifth-most “Instagrammable” county in the world in 2019, or Kruger and Cape Town listed in the top 50 destinations to visit after the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been many more, but these are just a few of the exciting accolades awarded to South Africa.

Restaurant inclusions were ranked based on several factors:

  • value for money
  • consistency (google and critic reviews)
  • innovation
  • atmosphere
  • location and accessibility.

Smokin’ Joes in Durban

Smokin’ Joes is found in Essenwood, Durban.

“Smokin’ Joe’s serves knockout burgers made of prime beef ground in-house daily. Standard patties weigh 65 grams but if you’re feeling peckish, treat yourself to a 'heavyweight' made with a whopping 180 grams of juicy chargrilled and basted beef. And, if you’re feeling flush you can upgrade to a wagyu patty. Fries are loaded with truffle and thyme, chilli cheese or smoked macon and chilli cheese for some added decadence.” – Big 7 Travel

The Dog’s Bullocks in Cape Town

The Dog’s Bullocks can be found at the YARD in Gardens, Cape Town.

“These burgers are heavy. Seriously, come hungry. The burgers are wider than average, piled high with a delicious combo of the patty, greenery, tomatoes, and more. Most people opt for one of the beef burgers, made with 200g medium beef, but the chicken is popular too. No need to leave your vegetarian pals at home either, the “Vag” burgers are a real crowd pleaser, made with a hand-crafted vag patty and topped with everything from vegan cheese to Mozambican prego sauce.” – Big 7 Travel

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

SOUTH AFRICAN COMEDIAN TAKES ON NEW YORK CITY FOR HILARIOUS SHOW

 
Comedian Tumi Morake is taking the international stage by storm and leaving her audience in stitches.
 
She is a South African comedian, actress, TV personality and writer, making her stand-up in the male-saturated comedy industry. Since beginning her career in smoky clubs in 2006, she has steadily grown into one of South Africa’s most sought-after comedians, earning the title of South Africa’s First Lady of Comedy. Tumi became the first woman to host Comedy Central Presents on African soil.

In 2020, Tumi’s show, Tumi or Not Tumi, was featured on Netflix, making her the first African woman to have her own show on the streaming platform. Next, Tumi takes on New York with fellow female comedians Liza Treyger, and Aditi Mittal.

The ladies band together for a one-night appearance at the legendary Caroline’s on Broadway in New York City, taking place on Tuesday, 8 November 2022, to share their hilarious theories from a South African, American and Indian woman’s perspective.
 

Although culturally, worlds away from each other, all three comedians similarly display a refreshing humility, honesty and humorous take on everyday life in their respective countries within their stand-up routines – no topic is off limits for these fearless women.

The three-woman stand-up comedy special, called The World According to Comedians, is part of the 18th Annual New York City Comedy Festival and will be filmed on the iconic Caroline’s stage as the last episode of a side-splitting six-episode “fish-out-of-water” reality show series, that will air globally in 2023.

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 

CAPE TOWN SELECTED TO HOST FORMULA E MOTOR RACING CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FIRST TIME

 
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to race in Cape Town, South Africa, for the first time on 25 February 2023, following approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting recently.
 
Cape Town joins Hyderabad, India, and Sâo Paulo, Brazil, as new cities scheduled to hold races in Season Nine of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which opens in Mexico City on 14 January 2023, the organisation said in a statement.

Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:

“We are excited to announce Cape Town as a new destination for our series in Season Nine. Our local partners are working incredibly hard to bring an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race to the city and we cannot wait to see the futuristic Gen3 race cars competing against the iconic natural backdrop of Table Mountain.”

In further updates to the provisional Season Nine calendar, Berlin will now host a double-header race weekend on 22 and 23 April while the two races previously announced for Seoul have been removed from the calendar due to renovation work at the South Korean city’s Olympic Stadium. Locations for Rounds 10 and 13 in the 17-race season are being finalised and will be announced later.

– Source: www.sapeople.com

 
 

LE CLOS STRIKES BUTTERFLY DOUBLE IN BERLIN, SATES CONTINUES WORLD CUP WINNING WAYS

 
South Africa's Chad le Clos and Matthew Sates clinched gold medals in the opening leg of the FINA Swimming World Cup in Berlin.
 
Le Clos went back to his old winning ways after a disappointing season, which saw him clinch only one silver at the Commonwealth Games.

On Friday, 20 October 2022, in the 100m butterfly, Le Clos turned back the time to swim the 10th-fastest swim of all time.

Le Clos touched the wall first in 48.58, just off the FINA Swimming World Cup record of 48.48 set by Evgenii Korotyshkin in 2009.
 

On Saturday evening, Le Clos continued his fine form in Berlin with a win in the 200m butterfly, touching the wall in 1:49.62.

"I'm absolutely over the moon. I couldn't have asked for a better start. It was very important for me to get the win tonight," Le Clos said on FINA's website.

"The time wasn't important; I couldn't really care about the time. I just wanted to win, bad. I've taken a lot of losses lately and I'm done with that now."

Meanwhile, Sates got his title defence off to a stellar start with a gold in the 400m freestyle.

The 19-year-old was the top male swimmer of the 2021 series and won the 400 freestyle in Berlin with a 3:36.30, improving his best times and moving up to 13th all-time with a new African record.

"This is my favourite pool in the world. This race means a lot to me," said Sates.

"Coming in as 2021 overall Swimming World Cup champ and winning my first race of the 2022 short course season, I was pretty nervous coming into this, knowing that this race would be the determining factor.

"I went faster than last year; a year ago I was splitting a 3:40, 3:39 and now I'm on a 3:36 so ... I'm happy with that, for sure."

The FINA Swimming World Cup heads to Toronto for the second leg (28-30 October) and then Indianapolis (3-5 November).

– Source: www.news24.com

 
 

SOUTH AFRICA’S MATTY GREEN WINS HARD ENDURO RACE IN TURKEY

 
 
Up-and-coming Matty Green has earned another title in Hard Enduro, winning first place at the Sea to Sky event in Turkey.
 
Matthew “Matty” Green, a South African Hard Endro rider, has taken the top prize at the Sea to Sky 2022 event in Turkey. The proudly South African rider is making a name for himself as a formidable opponent.

Matty was recently crowned the Junior World Champion 2022 and now he has gone on to win Sea to Sky. He competed against some of the world’s most talented riders, including a few fellow South Africans.

Joined by Travis Teasdale, Brett Swanepoel, Wade Young and Kirsten Landman, South Africans are proving to be world class Hard Endro athletes. Seeing the likes of these men and women taking the podium titles is something to be proud of!

Sea to Sky is an annual event, which is billed as the world’s most entertaining Hard Endro Race. This year marked the 13th annual event.
Next on his list is the Roof of Africa event.

– Source: www.goodthingsguy.com

 
 
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