Lucky Packet: 10 Stories from South Africa This Week

From Jude Law to the law of returning politicians (ask the Democratic Alliance’s Dianne Kohler Barnard). From the orange sister of SAA to the red faces over #RhodesMustFall (in the United Kingdom this time). These are some of the stories you might have missed over the past 10 days.

1. The Airline Mango’s Groove

While there has been plenty of bad news for South African Airways lately, its low-cost sister airline Mango seems to be making strides without fanfare. One airline publication calls it the “quietly bright story of Mango”. Started in 2006, the report says, “Mango has crept up to take account of over one third of the SAA group’s domestic capacity, allowing the group to maintain over 50 percent market share in South Africa, a compelling example of dual brand strategies”.

2. Stars in the Mother City

International model Candice Swanepoel got to shoot an ad on home turf last weekend when she was strapped into hang-gliding gear and soared – well, at 100 feet – over Cape Town. The ad is for L’Oréal. British actor Jude Law, meanwhile, was also filming in Cape Town, for scenes that are to be in the upcoming eight-part miniseries “The Young Pope” that also stars Diane Keaton.

3. SA Author Investigates Dilemma Facing New York Farmers 

Live in an area long enough, and you’ll discover its secrets, as any expat knows. South African journalist Cheetah Haysom has lived for 20 years in the Black Dirt area of Orange County, not far from New York City. The 14,000 acres of rich soil is the breadbasket for some 70 percent of the fresh produce reaching the food markets of the most famous city in the world – and more importantly, it is under threat. Haysom began to investigate, and “Pride and Produce” is the result of her own digging. Originally from KwaZulu-Natal, Haysom worked on the Daily News before being posted to New York for The Argus. Publicity for the book gives you a taste of what “Pride” is all about: “After years of exhaustive research including interviews with the farmers and migrant field hands Haysom has woven an amazing tapestry of the trials and tribulations of modern farming. She gives life and meaning to her informants and makes the reader feel they too are participants in the unfolding drama.”

4. Son of Scatterlings

Jesse Clegg, son of the famous Clegg, Johnny, has released his latest single, “Souvenir”. Have a listen.

5. Politician Back From the Cold

Dianne Kohler Barnard, the Democratic Alliance MP who was kicked out of the party in October for reposting on Facebook something favorable about apartheid-era president PW Botha (although she immediately withdrew it and later said she hadn’t read it properly), has won her appeal against expulsion, although she will no longer be shadow minister of police. The African National Congress, which wants her fired, said the DA has shown its true colours by reinstating her.

6. Awards for SA Hotels and Lodges

The World Travel Awards gave prizes this year to the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg for world’s leading boutique hotel, Shamwari Game Reserve for leading eco-lodge, as well as Thanda Private Game Reserve, Shambala and Legend Golf & Safari Resort.

7. Free Merc If You Buy This House

A Russian business tycoon has apparently put his 680-square-metre mansion in Llandudno, Cape Town, on the market for just shy of R25 million, but he will throw in a Mercedes ML350 too. The property was apparently advertised in the Sunday Times with the notice “Urgent Sale”. But to get the Merc, one news report said, you have to buy before New Year.

8. Anyone Missing the Drive-In? 

The Galileo Open Air Cinema is enticing more and more people to venues around Cape Town to watch outdoor movies, at venues like the V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch, the winelands and the Hillcrest Quarry. The selection through April includes everything from mainstream movies like “Forrest Gump”, “Titanic” and “Pretty Woman” to South African-flavoured documentaries like “The Boers at the End of the World” and “Searching for Sugarman”.

9. Darth Vader Goes Local

Just in time for the launch of the blockbuster “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, ZANEWSTV launched its own mini-version, “Zar Wars”, where “rebel parties have won their first victory over the Galactic ANC Empire”.

10. #RhodesKeepsOnFalling

For anyone who thought the #RhodesMustFall hashtag was over, think again. Now that the students at University of Cape Town have got Rhodes’s statue toppled, there are students at Oxford who want the same to happen there. Former SA president FW de Klerk apparently called it a “folly” last week, and in a letter to the movement said “If the political correctness of today were applied consistently, very few of Oxford’s great figures would pass scrutiny…. We do not commemorate historic figures for their ability to measure up to current conceptions of political correctness, but because of their actual impact on history,” De Klerk was quoted as saying. He also said that despite the Afrikaners’ dislike of Rhodes “the National Party government never thought of removing his name from our history”. De Klerk’s words led the Economic Freedom Front to say that he should be made to give back his Nobel Peace Prize that he won alongside Nelson Mandela.