Christmas in South Africa

What a fantastic Christmas!

After much debate and travel planning, Ferdi and I finally boarding Swiss Air to JHB via Zurich on the 24th of December. Landing in JHB on Christmas day was pretty strange, the normally crazy JHB international was strangely quiet and subdued. Our first night was spent at a great little lodge in Boksburg, called Cedar Manor guesthouse. (look out for some great deals for our clients) on our holiday site www.lekkerholidays.com. Nothing like a braai on Christmas day! Our host Kobus was fantastic and all the changes we made to our time with him, including extra nights and extra kids was never a problem.

The next day it was up early, and off to Cape Town, due to a mix up with our car hire (there’s always one who messes it up) We had to be fetched by Ferdi’s brother. A short drive and we were at the spectacular house in Bothasig, dop in hand and in the pool with the kids.

It was fantastic to see ALL the brothers together, Ferdi’s dad couldn’t stop smiling. We even had the added bonus of having one of the Ouma’s with us for a few days.

Highlights over the next 2 weeks were definitely, shopping (and more shopping), fish and chips on the beach, crayfish braai, snoek braai, Soekie Dans on New Years Eve and a fantastic trip on a Catamaran from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

It was all to soon time to go, we borrowed our Nephew Jason and flew back to Joburg with my son and Jason playing Nintendo light the whole way. Back to Cedar Manor, where we spent 2 days organising suppliers for our South African shop. Then it was off to Sabie in the Lowveld. We stayed at Merry Pebbles (maybe you remember it?) it hasn’t changed at all. The kids (and Ferdi) loved the tube ride on the river and the heated pool was a hit with everyone. We did some horse riding just outside of Hazyview and visited a fantastic waterfall. Bought some stock from traders for the shop, lovely.

Then back to Cedar Manor for our last night in sunny South Africa, and here we are back in the UK… (Not that bad I suppose)

All in all a fantastic trip, tons of sunshine, boerewors, klipdrift, wine, family, swimming and friends.

Springbok Jersey, Beanie, Scarf up for Grabs

Please help Bokkie get the treatment she deserves!

Hi there my name is Bokkie. I am a two-year-old Bull Terrier, who has recently been very poorly. My Mom and Dad took me to the doctor and I have now been in hospital for 4 days. The Doctors aren’t to sure what’s wrong with me, all they can see is that I have yellow jaundice “I’m yellow all over” what is causing it is a mystery. The Doctor has referred me to a very expensive specialist, where I am having specialist sonar plus a liver and pancreas bi-opsy. My Mom and Dad have me insured but the insurance will only pay out £1000 per condition, my treatment has already cost over £2300.00, and im NOT better yet. My Mom and Dad run their own business but cant get assistance from the RSPCA as they earn over £250 per week, they have paid all my bills to date, but they really need a hand to complete my tests and treatment.


Please buy a raffle ticket for a wonderful prize of a Springbok Rugby Jersey,Scarf and Beanie. click my photo or the link above to buy your raffle ticket to enter. all money collected from the raffle will go towards my vet and specialist bills. I can’t wait to get better and come home to my Mom and Dad and my friend Scooby the retriever.

Thank you. Bokkie!

South African Winemaker wins World's best.

South Africa has produced the world's best winemaker for 2008. Abrie Beeslaar, winemaker at Kanonkop, the internationally known wine estate near Stellenbosch, was last night (November 17) voted the International Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition's (IWSC) gala award ceremony in London.

The IWSC is the world's leading wine and spirits competition with more than 5,500 entries received from some 50 countries. Apart from the Wolf Blass Trophy awarded for the International Winemaker of the Year, Kanonkop also received the Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande trophy for the best blended red wine with its Paul Sauer 2003, as well as the Dave Hughes Trophy for the Best South African Producer. "It has been a historic year for Kanonkop and it is truly an honour to have been able to share in the winery's successes," Beeslaar said from London. "To be awarded this accolade as the world's best winemaker for the year is an honour one never even dreams about, so the award has simply not sunk in yet. "But I do know that the success belongs to the whole team working in the cellar and vineyards, as well as those who promote our wines throughout the world. But nothing equals the importance of nature with which we are blessed on Kanonkop. It's the soil and the climate that produces the grapes for the wines I am able make to the kind of quality that we are lucky enough to receive this kind of recognition for." Beeslaar also added that he sees this award as recognition of South Africa's potential to compete with the best wine producing countries in the world. "This is the third time that the award has gone to a South African winemaker and should once more prove that our wines are at home with the best in the world." Beeslaar's award comes at the end of an outstanding year for Kanonkop. It was the first wine-farm to receive the Château Pichon Langueville Comtesse de Lalande trophy for a third time. And locally Kanonkop was recently named Wine Producer of the Year by the Platter South African Wine Guide.

Support the Springbok !

In response to the planned removal of our beloved Springbok from out team Rugby jerseys, we ask all our customers to join their friends and family in South Africa in their silent protest.

On 1 December 2008, the residents of South Africa are planning to stand up
in silent protest against the political interference in the issue over the
Springbok emblem.

On this day we ask all of you to wear your hat, blanket, jersey,
t-shirt, cap, scarf, pants, gloves or underwear with the Springbok
emblem on it. Whether it is to work, school, church or even parliament, as
long as the emblem can be seen.

Send this email to all South Africans who live in the country so that they
may take part on the 1 December 08.

Whatever you do, REMEMBER, 1 DECEMBER 2008, IS THE DAY ON WHICH YOU CAN TAKE
PART IN A COUNTRYWIDE PROTEST ACTION.

Supporters do it in green - with the Bok on their chests.




Springbok emblem must go'
Article By:
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:57



Rugby's corporate sponsors and its hallowed symbol the Springbok came under fire from delegates on the first day of a two-day National Sports Indaba held in Durban on Thursday.

Sports Portfolio Committee chairperson Butana Komphela told delegates: "The Springbok divides us. We have a responsibility to unite our country on one national emblem.

"Minister, I want you to observe the arrogance of white people on the Springbok emblem," he said.

Komphela said that there could be "no negotiation" on the Springbok emblem.

When the floor was opened to the delegates, many speakers called for a resolution removing the Springbok emblem to be passed as soon as possible.

However, Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said: "My view is that emblems are not matters of life and death."

He said there should be one national emblem which all sporting codes would endorse.

Komphela added that the Sharks rugby franchise's failure to wear "Say no to racism" on their jerseys was nothing but "rampant racism" on the part of manufacturer Mr Price.

"Dealing with the legacy of apartheid cannot be dealt with by market forces," he said.

SA Rugby Union (Saru) chief executive Johan Prinsloo said he could not participate in the debate on the emblem as he had not been authorised to do so and the Springbok emblem had not originally been on the agenda of the Indaba.

According to the sports ministry the main purpose of the indaba, among others, is to develop an integrated national strategy in order to accelerate the implementation of the national sports development agenda.

The indaba will focus on the number of critical topics such as "Politics, sport, transformation and excellence, and access to resources".

Rugby's corporate sponsors and its hallowed symbol the Springbok came under fire from delegates on the first day of a two-day National Sports Indaba held in Durban on Thursday.

Sports Portfolio Committee chairperson Butana Komphela told delegates: "The Springbok divides us. We have a responsibility to unite our country on one national emblem.

"Minister, I want you to observe the arrogance of white people on the Springbok emblem," he said.

Komphela said that there could be "no negotiation" on the Springbok emblem.

When the floor was opened to the delegates, many speakers called for a resolution removing the Springbok emblem to be passed as soon as possible.

However, Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said: "My view is that emblems are not matters of life and death."

He said there should be one national emblem which all sporting codes would endorse.

Komphela added that the Sharks rugby franchise's failure to wear "Say no to racism" on their jerseys was nothing but "rampant racism" on the part of manufacturer Mr Price.

"Dealing with the legacy of apartheid cannot be dealt with by market forces," he said.

SA Rugby Union (Saru) chief executive Johan Prinsloo said he could not participate in the debate on the emblem as he had not been authorised to do so and the Springbok emblem had not originally been on the agenda of the Indaba.

According to the sports ministry the main purpose of the indaba, among others, is to develop an integrated national strategy in order to accelerate the implementation of the national sports development agenda.

The indaba will focus on the number of critical topics such as "Politics, sport, transformation and excellence, and access to resources".

'Springbok - symbol of unity and peace'
By Natasha Joseph

They may have stumbled over the words to Shosholoza, but the small group of men gathered outside Parliament on Monday to protest against the proposed culling of the controversial Springbok emblem, stirred debate among passersby.

The Springbok emblem is once again at the centre of a storm after a recent national sport indaba in Durban, where a number of people, including prominent politicians, called for it to be scrapped.

On Monday, eight people marched from the top of Roeland Street in the CBD to the gates of Parliament, waving a Springbok flag and wearing shirts and hats depicting the now-endangered bokkie.

Forest FM interview with Down South

On the evening of our opening braai, we were fortunate to have or local radio station here to interview us and our guest's. This is the sound bites for the evening... bit of slurring now and again LOL.
SA%20Shop%20mono.mp3
SA%20Shop%20Gavin%20Mono.mp3

Down South - Offical opening Braai

This Saturday saw our official opening of the Down South - South African shop here in sunny Ringwood. We laid on some fantastic South African wines, including my favorite Johannesburger, plenty of tasters of our Simba chips, Steers sauces, biscuits etc. We even had mini melktart and pepermint crisp tart, which were a great hit. Ferdi cooked up a storm on the braai, with traditional and chilli boerewors and a great big Texan Steak. Everyone tucked into the boerie and steak rolls and washed it down with a glass or two of wine or hunters dry, and the occasional South African Amstel. Forest FM came along and did a radio interview with us, which I believe will be on air this week. Here are a few of our pictures.

Investing | Africa - Reuters.com

Investing | Africa - Reuters.com