working cowboys

In 1999, a unique “Cowboy School” opened its doors and the first of a “new” South African breed of horseman started to ride the range and work cattle off horseback. To date, more than 600 riders from all disciplines have passed through The Cowboy School. 
Slowly but surely, cattle farms started becoming cattle “ranches”: farmers started calling themselves “ranchers” and with it a unique style of working equitation started taking hold.

By 2000, the first thoughts of establishing a Working Cowboy Association (WCA) for the South African cowboys were generated. By late 2003, this association had grown in membership to more than 70 members…a small start but a steady growth in horsemen and horsewomen who all share a common love of working horses and cattle.
The Cowboy School can be contacted via their website www.sacowboy.co.za or by 
email at sacowboy@mweb.co.za or by phoning 083. 4546582.

MARK THATCHER

Phone links Thatcher to alleged plot. New evidence has emerged in SA linking Sir Mark Thatcher directly to alleged coup plotters against the West African oil state of Equatorial Guinea.

stellenbosh

the oldest town and "capital" of the western cape's winelands region

hermanus

it's an old fashioned town, where people say it like it is. this is a sign on a door in the train station, which has no train (not unusual), what is unusual is that it has no train tracks. they were never built.

gryps coprotheres

De Hoop Nature Reserve: 3hrs from cape town, with 50km of gravel road. The only remaining breeding colony of the rare Cape (griffon) Vulture in the Western Cape at Potberg. Reasons for the bird struggling to survive are: 1.a decline in game (dead carcasses). 2.they find pylons irresistible. Perching on them shocked so many. Eskom has tried to create "safe" pylons, still casualties occur.

camel rides

at the beach from a farm at Kommetjie.
phone: 021 789 1711
or go horse riding on the beach in Noordhoek.

windmills

did you know there are +- 280 000 windmills on farms across SA. They are to drive pumps for reservoirs.

BUSHMEN (naked people)

As part of a plan to restore the dignity and livelihoods of Khoi-San communities, a "heritage tourism route" to their settlements and historic sites is being planned.
Also part of the intervention into the mostly impoverished communities' plight is a debate on whether they should be conferred "first nation" status, a term coined by American Indians for indigenous groups with special cultures and needs.
"Then there are groups, mostly in Northern Cape, who identify very strongly in Khoi-Khoi and San terms, such as the Kruipers, the Riemvasmakers and Philanders. There are the Namas in Namaqualand, Griquas and other groups, like the Khoranna, who are organised in communities."

In addition there are the Namibian and Angolan San groups that fought on South Africa's side in Namibia and were brought back to Smidtsdrift after the conflict. The plan is to first set up a Khoi-Khoi heritage route "similar to the wine route".

SA PROMOTES ITSELF

in london some taxis have south africa advertised on them -the logo says alive with possibility

SPRINGBOK

the place where the clever clogs figure out the weather for the RSA

PUNK

did you know there is a huge punk thing in the SA. check out www.nifty records.co.za

SA TV IN UK

Leroy van der Westhuizen made this happen
after 4 years - as of the morning, Monday 9th August 2004, we have SKY channel 837 specifically set aside and being used by NSAT TV. A very first for South Africa. In fact, Cambridge Uni was about to do a rugby tour of South Africa where they played against several of our own universities. Where were the games screened? - Why, on our very own UK based SA tv channel. Cool innit?

CAMPS BAY

Prices in Camps Bay have shot up over 30% in the last couple of years. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a property for under R3m. The average is more like R4m to R5m. Luxury penthouses, of which there are a limited number due to the geography of the suburb, are likely to cost up to R8m.

"In June this year, a small block of flats on 476m' of ground sold on auction for more than R14m
Prices currently run from about R1,6m for a two room apartment to more than R10,5m for a four bedroom house.

naame

girls names:
layla or leslie - evening star
ghaaliy or galia - fragrant
noor - shining
xaverie or xaviera - bright
amir - prince/comander
jordan - decend/flowing down
alice - good
chloe - booming
chiara - light
bella - beautiful
mae - gift from god
ophelia - help

boys names:
benjamin - first son
blaine - name of scottish saint
jamie - favoured
mackenzie - handsome

african names:
mpho - gift
mxolisi - one who forgives
fundiswe - educated (xhosa)
fujo - wholeness (east africa)
katarina - pure (greek)
samara - guardian/under god's rule
thulisile - she who made things quiet (zulu)

Slaves have been named by their owners, often after months, such as January and September, or with names taken from classical Greek and roman mythology, such as Apolis and Adonis.
The surname Jonas could be either Coloured or Afrikaner. Traditionally it was a slave name but could be that of a Khoilhoi descendant. There were also Jonas immigrants from Norway and Germany whose children embraced the Afrikaner community in South Africa.
Surnames such as Fortune, Matthys and Geduld are also typical slave names.
The paternal grandmother has a say in naming the child. Xhosa and Zulu families named the children after the mother's family.
Xhosa men are not involved in the birth of their babies. In fact they are forbidden from even attending the birth. Fathers may be told the sex of the child but they may not see the child or it's mother for at least eight days after the birth.