56
Zenzo Lusengo: The Evolution of AMB The legend of Lewis Pugh Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah Zambian Association in South Africa The Rebirth of Rwandair Top jobs in the rest of Africa! www.expatriate.co.za ISSN 2218 - 757 X R 29.95 SA Professionals of Foreign Origin & Friends Issue . 3 2011

Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

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Page 1: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Z e n z o L u s e n g o : T h e E v o l u t i o n o f A M B• T h e l e g e n d o f L e w i s P u g h • D r . E k w o w S p i o - G a r b r a h • Z a m b i a n A s s o c i a t i o n

i n S o u t h A f r i c a • T h e Re b i r t h o f R w a n d a i r • To p j o b s i n t h e r e s t o f A f r i c a !

w w w . e x p a t r i a t e . c o . z a

I S S N 2 2 1 8 - 7 5 7 X

R 29.95 S A P r o f e s s i o n a l s o f F o r e i g n O r i g i n & F r i e n d s

Issue . 3 2011

Page 2: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Pamoja Capital (Pty) L imited Ground F loor, B lock B, Pareto Bui ld ing Nanyuki Off ice Park 69 Nanyuki Road Sunninghi l l Johannesburg South Afr ica. Te l : +27 11 234 7641 Fax: +27 11 234 7643 E-mai l : info@pamojacapital .co.za. Kenya Off ice: Pamoja Capital L imited Execut ive Bus iness Su i tes 3rd F loor, K-REP Centre Wood Avenue, K i l imani P.O. Box 51718 -00200 Nai robi , Kenya Tel : +254-20-2386842/3 or +254711029100 Fax: +254-20-80114502 E-mai l : info@pamojacapital .co.ke

KELE

LE 0

01 If you’re thinking of taking yourbusiness into Africa, take us with you.

Expanding your business into Africa can be a very smart strategic move. Many of our clients have done the

same and achieved successful growth. We believe they approached us because of our financial expertise

and know-how combined with our knowledge of and network in Africa. Before you make your next move,

speak to Pamoja Capital. Let’s put our expert entrepreneurial team on your team. They can help you navigate

your way into Africa, providing necessary and sound advice on all your transactions and funding options.

Our Africa team is ready to embark on your next venture. For further information call Pamoja Capital.

CA P I T A LPA M O J AD e f i n i n g P a t n e r s h i p

Page 3: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 4: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 5: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

ContentsContents4 Editorial

5 The Rentabox Story

7 Expat-tivities

14 Zenzo Lusengo - The Evolution of AMB

18 The Rebirth of Rwandair

22 Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah

25 The Terrible Twenties

26 The Legend of Lewis Pugh

30 Expat-travel : Ethiopia

34 Economic Value Chain for Africa

36 Kewberg Cables

40 Malawian High Commissioner

42 Edwin Mwitumwa: Chair of ZASA

44 Apollo Segawa: The Matoke Millionaire

46 Expatriates and SA Based Wills

47 The Rise of Multi-cultural kids

48 Zambia’s Paul - The Bachelor SA

51 Nightlife in Pretoria

52 The Last Word ZAMBIAN BORN PAUL IS THE

BACHELOR OF SOUTH AFRICA

Read more on Pg 48

f

rica

er

ZASA

Millionaire

lls

ds

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ReReReReRReReReRReeReReReReReReeadadadadddddadaddadddadddddddaddadadadddadadadddadddaddadadaddaddadaadddadaadaaaaaaaaaaaa mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooooororrrrrroorrrooooroorroroooro eeeeeeeeeeeeee onoononnnnnnnnnnnnnonnono PPPPPPPPPPg g gggg gggggg ggg 48484848484848484848848484

Page 6: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

04 EXPATRIATE

I am an ardent follower, a sworn

fan and die-hard patriot of the

Boston Celtics Basketball team. The

C’s, as they are fondly known in their

American state of Massachusetts,

have just been eliminated from the

national competition. These C’s mean

a lot to me so this is a depressed man

typing.

C for content is important for our

readers. We have therefore delivered

an additional four pages of content in

this issue as we continue our Expat-

trajectory in shaping this publication.

Whereas quantity is always good,

quality is even better. With that in

mind, we have lived up to our in-

house policy of improvement with

every issue.

Given the popularity of travel

stories in glossy publications, we

venture into the unique city that is

Addis Ababa in one of two Expat-

travel stories in this edition. In the

other story, we take a look at the

rejuvenation of Rwandair.

We continue to profi le some of

the thousands of decision makers of

foreign origin in our midst beginning

with Zenzo Lusengo’s sixteen year

journey with African Merchant

Bank then Kaguchia’s introduction

to Kewberg Cables and fi nally

Apollo Segawa, our pick of Jo’burgs

entrepreneurs with his Simple

Natures fruit juice brand.

Our coverage of associations

provides a two page spread on

the Zambian Association in South

Africa while our “Know your envoy”

interviewee is Agrina Mussa, the

lady at the helm of the Malawi High

Commission who has a CV that is as

impressive as her eloquence.

British born environmentalist

Lewis Pugh is the subject of my

column this quarter while DJ Paul Phiri

is our Expat-tainer having recently

won the MNET version of popular TV

show The Bachelor. Finally, we chat to

current CEO of the Commonwealth

Technology Organisation Dr. Garbrah

and publish the well-penned writing

of our contributors.

We thank our advertisers for

continued faith in this product. They

care about C for circulation. It will

please them to note a 25% increase

in our print run this edition as well

as a new look website developed to

signifi cantly augment online traffi c.

KC Rottok, CA (SA)

Creative & Fin. Journalism (Wits University)

Managing Editor.

CELTICS, CONTENT AND CIRCULATION

Publisher:

The Expatriate Forum and

Magazine (Pty) Limited

Reg. Number: 2010/012428/07

P O Box 4935, Randburg, 2125

Tel: +27 11 7917484

www.expatriate.co.za

General Manager:

Carol Malonza – [email protected]

Managing Editor:

KC Rottok – [email protected]

Deputy Editor and Content Advisor:

Leah Maina – [email protected]

Advertising and Event Enquiries

[email protected] or 0822146421

Edition Writers:

Keith Kundai

Hannington Kasirye

Yaw Peprah

Christine Asiko

Sheila Lynn Senkubuge

Contributors:

Prof. Michael Kachieng’a

Hesta van der Westhuizen

Karabo Morule

Art Direction, Design and Layout:

Mike Obrien

[email protected]

Cover Photography:

Chris Moore (011 022 1597)

Website:

Drutech Media (0781121311)

All rights reserved. Excerpts may be used

as long as this magazine is credited as the

source. Longer versions of our content

may only be used with the written

permission of the Publisher. Neither

the publisher nor the editor accept

responsibility for any of the information

from edition writers or contributors.

Whilst we have taken care in preparing

this publication, the publisher/editor

does not warrant its completeness or

accuracy. The editor retains the right to

edit all contributions. Advertisers are

responsible for their material.

© THE EXPATRIATE SA 2011

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Page 7: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

e has been featured in

Destiny Man and GQ

magazines. He has also

appeared twice on Talk

Radio 702: on John Robbie’s prime

time slot and on Redi Thlabi’s show

for The Green Tip Of The Day. The

buzz revolves around his inexpensive

solution to taking away the headache

of moving premises while aiding the

environment. In a world that has

no option but to go green, a simple

idea from Kenyan born Eric Njuguna

looks to make cardboard boxes as

uncommon as the typewriter.

“For me, it makes no sense

for people to add to the cycle of

chopping trees by using cardboard

boxes when moving premises,”

Eric says, “These boxes add to the

headache of the process by getting

torn and you have to use new ones

every time while risking loss of items.

My idea is therefore to provide a

secure and environmental solution

that ultimately saves people time

and money.”

And the idea is as simple as

it promises. When faced with an

impending change of location,

visit www.rentabox.co.za and

order online. Within 24 to

48 hours they will deliver

lockable sturdy plastic boxes

to your house which you use

to ferry your stuff to your new

site. They give you some time to

unpack everything and visit you

at your new location to pick up the

boxes. All this at the ridiculously low

price of R1 per box per day.

“A person with a two bedroom

fl at would spend about R475 in

total for the Rentabox service,” Eric

estimates, “This is based on the rental

of about 25 boxes for the move.”

Other than people moving

house, Eric believes that his product

is useful for corporate entities as

well given the option to buy the eco

boxes at a competitive price.

“Think of sales guys who carry

boxes of information to make pitches

or auditors who have to carry fi les

from offi ce to client,” Eric cites, “They

could acquire boxes from us which

will be used for about 400 times

on average, practically a life time.

In addition, so many companies are

currently using cardboard boxes for

storage that are subject to damage

from such elements as water. Our

boxes are not only durable, they

allow compartmentalisation for ease

of fi ling.”

The response to Eric’s solution

has been so good, he recently quit his

high paying IT job to focus on what

has become a passion.

“Using the Rentabox solution as

opposed to these horrid cardboard

boxes is an absolute no brainer!” he

concludes.

www.rentabox.co.za

[email protected]

or call Eric on: 071 199 4371

H O W T H I S E X P A T U S E S

R 1 T O S I M P L I F Y M O V I N G

Page 8: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 9: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

ExpaT-TivitieS

PIC 1 - 3 TANZANIA NATIONAL DAY, PRETORIA APRIL 2011 PIC 4 - 5 UGANDA’S CHAMELEON AT TSHWANE CITY HALLPIC 6 - DRC’S PAPA WEMBA AT SANKAYI

04 01

05 06

0203

07WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 10: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

EXPATRIATE ISSUE 2 LAUNCH EVENT

08 EXPATRIATE

ExpaT-TivitieS

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 11: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

- LONDON ROAD PLAY, OLD MUTUAL THEATRE

09WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

ExpaT-TivitieS

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 12: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

1 - Kenya Airways staff at the golf day. 2 - Eric Malonza represents Expatriate magazine at the event. 3 - Entertainment at the golf day. 4 - Kenyan

artist Leena Shah left and Ambassador Amolo at the launch of Leena’s Art in Rosebank, Johannesburg. 5 - Simba Ngoma hosts DJ Adrian at Capital Cafe,

Rosebank. 6 - Liz Ogumbo performs at Moyos Restaurant, Melrose Arch.

03

01

0405

02 06

KENYA AIRWAYS GOLF DAY AND KENYAN ARTISTS IN JO’BURG

10 EXPATRIATE

ExpaT-TivitieS

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 13: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Pics courtesy of Michael Bonsu

GHANA INDEPENDENCE DAY:SOUTHERN SUN HOTEL AND HUSH JOHANNESBURG

11WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

ExpaT-TivitieS

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 14: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

FRENCH FESTIVAL, ALLIANCE FRANCAISE JOHANNESBURG

12 EXPATRIATE

ExpaT-TivitieS

Visit www.expatriate.co.za for more info and pics.

Page 15: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 16: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Zenzo Lusengo: The Evolution of AMB

14 EXPATRIATE

was born and raised in Harare to

a Zambian migrant father and

Zimbabwean mother. I completed

a Bachelor of Business Studies

Honours degree at The University of

Zimbabwe and got into banking by

accident. A friend, Raymond Ndlovu,

who worked in the Project Finance

division of Standard Chartered

Merchant Bank (SCMB) put my name

forward as a trainee in corporate

fi nance where I spent four years. In

1990 when Nelson Mandela was

released, South Africa began to look

quite attractive to me. Zimbabwe

was a small economy with only

about 60 listed entities and I had

already interacted

with most of the

prominent ones.

I therefore felt

that it was time

to move on and

joined Standard

Bank’s corporate

fi nance division in

Johannesburg in

December 1992.

Around 1993, the fi rst Black

Economic Empowerment (BEE) deals

began to happen. Amongst these was

the formation and listing of New

Africa Investments Limited (NAIL).

Based on the work that we did for

them, in May 1995 NAIL approached

a few members of Standard Bank’s

corporate fi nance team with the idea

of forming an investment bank for

the new dispensation. This gave birth

to Pleiade Investment Corporation

(Pleaide). The company had a mere

seven million rand start-up capital

making it an incredibly risky move

for me. My family and friends were

concerned that I was making a

mistake - leaving a stable bank for

an unknown entity. But I was 28

and viewed it as an entrepreneurial

opportunity. It would be great if it

worked and if didn’t, I would have at

least learnt some valuable lessons in

life.

One of our fi rst deals was acting

as transaction advisors when an

American company Southwestern

Bell Corporation (SBC) decided

to invest in MTN. Soon after the

conclusion of the SBC transaction,

we made contact with an American

investment bank called Donaldson

Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) who were

interested in investing in South

Africa, and following extensive

negotiations, DLJ acquired a 51%

stake in the business which was

thereafter renamed DLJ Pleiade.

Things were going swimmingly and

in 1994, when African Bank went

into curatorship, NAIL and AMB were

involved in rescuing it. As a part of

the process, African Bank acquired a

stake in our company thus giving us

additional capital.

With that capital injection, we

now had more than the R50 million

in primary capital that was required

to obtain a banking licence, which

we acquired towards the end of

1996. After obtaining our banking

license we became known as DLJ

African Merchant Bank and in 1997

our trajectory continued as we listed

AMB Holdings on the Johannesburg

Stock Exchange (JSE). We grew very

quickly boasting a staff complement

of about 150 at our peak in 1998.

AMB was the place to be, we worked

hard and played hard. I recall one

occasion when after a particularly

successful year, we took some

members of staff and their partners

on a cruise off the east coast of SA.

In 1998 there was a bull run in the

fi nancial services

companies listed

on the JSE and in

one week AMB

had a market

value of a billion

dollars. We had

listed at R8 a

share but by mid-

1998 we were

trading at R83 per

share. Fortunately

for shareholders, there were lock

in provisions that ensured that

management could not cash in their

shares. A year later in 1999, we did

a rights offer at R30 per share and

listed AMB Private Equity Partners

which resulted in additional capital

for our private equity investment

activities. We had quickly moved

from a simple advisory fi rm to a fully

fl edged investment bank involved in

corporate fi nance, treasury & trading,

private equity and structured fi nance.

One downside of being a listed

company was that the remuneration

of directors was published and as

“When African Merchant Bank was listed, we had to publish directors remuneration. So whenever I visited Zimbabwe, people would

know whether it had been a good or bad year for me and ask what it was like being worth

X million rand?!”

Page 17: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

15WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

Page 18: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

16 EXPATRIATE

such people in Zimbabwe would

regularly view my total remuneration

to establish whether or not I was

having a good year. I had to contend

with such questions as: “What’s it

like being worth X million rand?”

In 2000, things started to go

pear-shaped. We had a squabble with

NAIL our controlling shareholder

which precipitated a decision by

NAIL to unbundle their shares. From

having one strong solid shareholder

with good BEE credentials, we

suddenly had a shareholder base

of about 20,000. Then there was a

banking crisis when a number of

banks went under. Consequently, our

banking licence was not making us

money and we eventually handed it

back to the Reserve Bank in 2001.

This was followed by staff cuts as we

adopted a model that was limited

to corporate fi nance, private equity

and hedge funds. We also opened an

operation in Ireland which we retain

to date with a country manager and a

few staff. A change in the leadership

in 2002 saw the founding CEO Rob

Dow step down for the current CEO,

Andrew Sprague. There was poor

market sentiment in our share price

going below the original listing price.

At one point in time, our net asset

value was higher than our share price

which triggered discussions on the

merits of delisting from the JSE.

In 2003 Allan Gray controlled

a 30% stake in the company (on

behalf of its clients) and rumours

began to fl oat that a hostile takeover

was imminent. We called on an old

friend at Investec South Africa and

our discussions resulted in Investec

fi nancing a management buy-out

(MBO) of the business. The MBO

ultimately worked out well for all

parties and by the end of 2009 we

had repaid Investec’s funding.

Now some may look at this story

and view it as “The Rise and Fall of

AMB”. I think of it as “The Evolution

of AMB”. Whereas being a listed

entity gives you visibility and enables

the use of your shares as currency

and to reward staff members, I do

not see the point of remaining listed

just for the sake of it. When we were

listed management owned about

15% of the company. Now, we are

six partners who control 100% of the

business. It is a lean structure that

works and we are able to harness

its full potential. Decision making

is quick and easy and we have full

control of a solid balance sheet.

On a personal level, I have given

a third of my life – a whole 16 years

- to this company. I am the longest

serving executive and it feels like I

have worked for about fi ve different

companies given all the changes the

company has been through from an

exciting start up, to a registered bank,

then a listed company and its current

form as a privately owned investment

banking business following the

successful MBO. There have been a

couple of lessons learnt along the

way; fi rstly it is important to go into

business with the right partners who

will add value; secondly, you need to

be cautious when you are growing

too quickly; and thirdly, partnerships

don’t necessarily last forever. When

you come together, your interests

are aligned but at some point this

can change and you may outgrow

each other.

I cannot therefore say that I

will be at the company “until death

do us part”. I consider myself a

Zimbabwean who has settled in

South Africa and so I will be really

happy to close some lucrative deals in

my country of origin for AMB. I think

the dollarisation of the economy has

improved the situation there even

though I do not think that coalition

governments are the answer to

governance in Africa. I would prefer a

ruling party that wins a free and fair

internationally monitored election.

That said, the signs in Zimbabwe are

good and I would be very pleased

to see the establishment of an AMB

Zimbabwe.

EXPAT-TITBITS :

Age 45. Has a passion

for music (R&B and

jazz). Married to

Patience Lusengo. Has

2 Daughters, Farai

and Alinaswe and a

Son,Charles. “Looking

forward to charging

lobola!”

Page 19: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

NOW WITH MORE SPACEIN ECONOMY CLASS.

Arrive relaxed and refreshed for that all important business meeting on our Airbus 340-200 from

Go to

AND, LIE-FLAT SEATS IN BUSINESS CLASS.

TT

G/100/28

Page 20: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

THE REBIRTH

OF RWANDAIR

Page 21: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

wandair Express began

operations on 1st December

2002 as the new national

carrier (passenger Air

transportation as the core activity)

for Rwanda with a concession to carry

out airport ground handling (ancillary

activity) at Kigali International

Airport, Kanombe.

In 2009, the airline rebranded from

Rwandair Express to RwandAir and

added the tagline “Fly our dream to

the heart of Africa” at the same time.

The rebranding has been matched by

an impressive expansion of its fl eet

and the number of destinations in a

bid to achieve its corporate mission

of “providing unsurpassed, safe and

reliable services in air transportation,

including strategically linking

Rwanda with the outside world, while

ensuring a fair return on investment”.

The airline now serves most East

African community capital cities with

daily fl ights and fl ies to Johannesburg

and Dubai three times a week. Its

fl eet comprises two Boeing 737-500,

two Bombardier CRJ200 and a Dash

8. A further two Boeing 737-800 are

set to join the fl eet in the course of

2011. The two Boeing 737-800 NG

will be the fi rst of their kind to be

owned by an African carrier since

they are fi tted with the “Sky Interior”

concept adopted from the Boeing

787.

In March 2011, the airline launched

direct fl ights from her operating hub

in Kigali to Brazzaville in the Republic

of Congo. The new route sees the

carrier undertake three weekly fl ights

on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

In a statement to the press, RwandAir

CEO, John Mirenge, announced that

19WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

ExpaT-Travel

the airline has been evaluating a

number of destinations west of Kigali

with a view to link Central and West

African cities with East Africa.

“We are looking at growing our

network to the west whilst at the

same time doing it in a way that will

support our existing routes especially

Dubai,” he said.

Brazzaville became the ninth

destination to be added to the

RwandAir network and its fi rst this

year. The city, which is home to over

one third of the Republic of Congo

population, lies just across River

Congo from Kinshasa.

To add to the strides made by

the airline in 2011, RwandAir

and Société Internationale de

Télécommunications Aéronautiques

R

Page 22: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

(SITA) have entered into

various agreements that will allow

the national carrier acquire some key

travel solutions, which will improve

its service offering through better

distribution and customer retention.

These solutions include the SITA

e-commerce platform which will

allow for e-ticket distribution on

the RwandAir website with credit

card payment facility. The system

went live in the second quarter of

2011. The airline will also be getting

the Horizon FrequentFlyer system

as part of its customer relationship

management.

“We want to make it convenient for

customers to access our services by

taking advantage of the reach of the

Internet and emerging e-commerce

applications. The SITA e-commerce

platform will not only provide a

new booking option for customers

already familiar with our airline

and its services, but also help us

reach more international travellers

around the world.” said RwandAir’s

Head of Marketing & Corporate

Communications Michael Otieno.

“The prospect of having the miles

based reward program from SITA will

not only help us recognize and

reward our frequent fl yers but we

will also be better placed to learn

more about them and their travel

needs”, he added.

Late last year, the airline partnered

with local mobile telephone

companies in Rwanda and Burundi

to provide fl ight schedule services

on SMS. The airline plans to make

20 EXPATRIATE

ExpaT-Travel

mobile ticket sales and

check in a possibility for its

customers and is currently putting

up an in house call center facility to

help it manage better-inbound and

outbound calls.

Just like the country to which it is

affi liated, RwandAir has clearly been

reborn. With continuous changes

aimed at achieving its vision of

“being the airline of choice in the

markets we serve”, the only way is

up for what was previously a little

known player in the African Aviation

industry.

(SITA) have entered into

various agreements that will allow

the national carrier acquire some key “The prospect of having the miles

mobile ticket sales and

check in a possibility for its

t d i tl tti

Page 23: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 24: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

LUNCHWITH DR EKWOW SPIO-GARBRAH, RECENT TELKOM SA DIRECTOR

22 EXPATRIATE

r. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah

is a Ghanaian national

who is currently the

Chief Executive Offi cer

of the Commonwealth Technology

Organisation (CTO) in London. He is

also the former ambassador of Ghana

to the United States of America and

served as a government minister

during the regime of Jerry John

Rawlings. I had lunch with the man

who until recently was a director of

Telkom South Africa and who some

believe will one day be the President

of Ghana. In the brief encounter at a

Johannesburg hotel, I only got to ask

four questions to which I received

loaded answers.

What is your opinion of what

is going on in Africa at the moment

with the rebellions in the North

and coalitions in the Sub Saharan

region?

Africa is going through another

phase of its political evolution. There

was the independence era when we

got rid of colonial masters. Then the

military rulers took over. They did not

have adequate knowledge of public

administration and economics and

so this was soon replaced by western

style democracy with civilian rulers.

The leadership in North Africa is

largely made up of 30 year old family

regimes which have over the years

proved not to be as uncorrupted as

people presumed. High food costs

have also caused people to take to

the streets. In Sub Saharan Africa,

democracy is also not working

particularly well as evidenced by the

situation in Cote D’Ivoire, Zimbabwe

and Kenya. The problem is the

winner-takes-all structure where

those belonging to the ethnic group

of the ‘defeated’ candidate feel like

they will be in the cold for fi ve years

and therefore refuse to accept defeat.

The challenge therefore is to fi gure

out how to let others feel like winners

even when they lose elections. We

need to structure it in such a way

that we are able to share benefi ts of

Page 25: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

growth and development equitably.

What is the situation like in Ghana

and what is your view of Ghanaians

in the Diaspora?

In Ghana we have a winner takes

all set-up which works, but only on

a superfi cial level. More than fi fty

percent of the population is not

on board and those that fall in this

category are perceived to be enemies

of the state. We are therefore only

tapping into fi fty percent of the

talent pool and must fi nd a way of

tapping into the rest for growth and

development. One does not have

to be a minister to be a member of

government. Using

technology we can

turn brain drain

into brain gain

whereby someone

in Diaspora can

use the knowledge

and experience

gained in their positions to be part

of a government task force. We need

to know where these people are

and identify their skills set. Many in

Diaspora would like to contribute to

the economic development of their

home countries but may not be in

a position to physically move back.

The proliferation of ICT’s the world

over has made it possible for them

to make meaning contributions from

wherever they are. The onus now lies

with governments to fi nd a way to

tap into these resources.

We also need the right leaders.

As Minister of Education, I established

the Ghana Education Trust Fund

where a portion of the amount spent

on purchasing goods went to funding

education and the development

of expertise. We need leaders who

embrace new ideas. With so many

online groups, governments need

to use them to benefi t the country

rather than treating them with

suspicion.

My challenge to Ghanaians in

the Diaspora is that they should take

an interest in their country. They

don’t need to go back but they can

send ideas. The differences in per

capita income around the world is

the reason people migrate but the

desire to go back home may not

necessarily be economically driven.

I left a USD10,000 a month job at

the Africa Development Bank to earn

USD 500 a month as a government

minister in Ghana. Not everyone

believes in such a sacrifi ce when

going into government but they need

to understand that this institution is

not a dividend sharing enterprise.

What was your experience as a

director of Telkom South Africa and

what is your view of technology in

Africa?

I was appointed to the board by

the Mbeki regime when Telkom was

considering various opportunities

outside the country. I served for three

years during which I was perhaps too

independent minded and adhered

too strictly to the principles of

corporate governance. Some months

before my tenure was over, I was

asked to invite myself to pursue

other things and that was that.

Africa is very behind in

technology. We barely invent or

manufacture anything. Even in South

Africa, manufacturing in say the

vehicle industry has to be done under

licence from abroad. In terms of

original research and development,

we barely invest anything here.

There should be policies to force

manufacturers from abroad to spend

a certain percentage of their revenue

on research and development. A lot

of work needs to be done to make

Africa not just

a consumer of

foreign technology

but also a part of

the global value

chain. As minister

for education,

I banned the

importation of chalk which spurred

the local industry. But soon after,

the regime changed and the new

government recommenced the

importation of chalk. We talk about

making the right change and when

you get into government, people

push a few envelopes your way and

you forget what you are there to do.

Given your extensive life

lessons, what would be your advise

to young professionals?

First, try and discover your

purpose on earth early. We all have

different talents and some people

only fi nd out when they are too old

to do anything about it. They are

still sorting their destinies out in the

“I left a USD10,000 a month job at the Africa Development Bank to earn USD 500 a

month as a government minister. Not everyone believes in such sacrifi ce....”

23WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

Page 26: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

cemetery. Do not end up like that.

Secondly, invest in developing

your skills by pursuing education

hopefully with the support of those

around you.

Thirdly, be as entrepreneurial as

possible so as not to be too heavily

dependent on others. Learn about

business development, accounting

and marketing so that whatever

00 EXPATRIATE

business idea you pursue can

withstand.

Finally, as an individual,

you should have strong values

particularly integrity. At one point

you will have to assume a position of

leadership and you should therefore

be able to represent other peoples’

interests and not just your own.

- KC Rottok

Page 27: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

THE TERRIBLE TWENTIES“It’s the period where you make the decision to no longer be the person who

falls asleep at work because you partied until 4.45 a.m. the previous night.”

he Terrible Twenties”, a

rollercoaster era whose

ups and downs make you

realise how little you know

about life. This era is characterised by

the pursuit of excellence, the desire

and determination to set up your

own company and be the next African

on the Forbes list, the planning of

a trip to Mauritius (with a one way

ticket ) where you ‘relax’ on the

beach and waitress to make enough

money to get back as you fi gure out

how to make it through the rest of

this life, because the hustle, bustle

and rat race are really not for you…

or are they?

It’s the period where you make the

decision to no longer be the girl/guy

who falls asleep at work because you

partied until 4.45 a.m. the previous

night. Where you vow that you

are done with clubbing - that’s for

university students, you are now a

professional - to which end you meet

for a series of coffees with ‘sensible

friends’ at decent hours, attend

gallery openings, go to expensive

poetry sessions paying tribute to

Yeats, Shakespeare and Wordsworth.

It’s about getting home after your

‘night of culture’, fi nding yourself

bored stiff and proceeding to plan

a clubbing session for the following

night. So much for the vows.

The crux of the Terrible Twenties

though, is the “It’s time to move

out phase”. You proudly announce

your decision to the family who

obligingly accompany you on the

hunt for the perfect cosmopolitan

apartment (which turns out to

be a tad more cramped than you

anticipated) and you sign the lease.

You are after all doing this on your

own aren’t you? Inevitably, the time

comes to buy furniture, groceries

and other decorative titbits in a bid

to making your new ‘cosmopolitan

apartment’ as cosy as your room at

home. Slowly, you begin to realize

that things are not adding up and,

with your tail between your legs, you

‘borrow’ a TV from home, crockery

from your sister, petrol card from

your elder brother…before you

know it, you fi nd yourself moving

back home, and realize that you are

surprisingly happy to do so! Surely

independence can wait another year

or two?

Decisions about life partners are

an eternal fi xture during the Terrible

Twenties, today the theme song of

life could be “ Independent women”,

but after meeting that friend of a

friend’s friend…well, tomorrow,

number one on the play list could be

“I am nothing without you’. *sigh*

Determined to be respected at all

costs, we quit our jobs because we

refuse to be dictated to and would

rather starve than not be true to

ourselves. It is however not long

before we cringe at the thought

of being unable to pay our gym

membership after two months which

prompts us to quietly crawl back

to the same position, in a different

organisation where we are suddenly

convinced that we are fulfi lling our

life’s purpose.

In spite of this, the Terrible

Twenties are not so much Terrible as

Triumphant. They truly are (excuse

the cliché) about “fi nding one’s self”.

People say that 30 is the new 20. That

at 30, things get better, more exciting

and more fabulous. Independence

is no longer an illusion but a reality,

a solid and well maintained one.

The confusion and uncertainty are

lessened and that Mauritius trip now

includes a return ticket. Best of all, by

30, you have usually “found yourself”

and are unapologetic about it. As for

that life partner? Well, by the time

30 arrives, you usually have a much

clearer idea of what it is that you

are looking for and that makes the

search more enjoyable.

So, here’s to a few more years on the

rollercoaster. Fortunately, according

to very reliable sources, the real

fun has yet to begin. To those in the

Terrible Twenties, enjoy the ride and

to our close counterparts, the Thriving

Thirties, you make it look good. We

look forward to getting there!

Sheila Lynn Senkubuge is a communication

pathologist based in Pretoria.

Email [email protected]

ExpaT-TalK

Page 28: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

THE LEGEND OF LEWIS

RAWTALK BY ROTTOK

received an invite to attend a

presentation by British born

South African long distance

swimmer Lewis Pugh at the

Sandton Convention Centre late last

year. You may have seen him in the

Investec TV ads immersing himself

in the icy waters of the North Pole

as, in the background, a narrator with

a strong British accent talks of the

“Out of the Ordinary”. The fact that

the organisers had to change from

a smaller venue to one that could

accommodate a couple of hundred,

is testament to the public interest in

the man.

Lewis takes the stage. He is the

picture of simplicity dressed in an

un-tucked light blue shirt, an old pair

of blue jeans and a pair of all stars.

“A normal indoor swimming pool

is about 27 degrees centigrade,” he

opens and immediately gets down

to business assisted by a projected

photograph of him diving into the

North Pole waters, “11 for the cold

sea off Camps Bay and fi ve for

the water that killed the Titanic

passengers. Fresh water freezes at

zero. This salt water here in which

I swam a kilometre is about minus

one point seven degrees. It’s freaking

freezing!”

Laughter greets this introduction

and Lewis goes on to tell the tale of his

many ground breaking swims across

the world. After the presentation, I

bought a copy of his book “Achieving

the Impossible” which was on sale

and it proved to be a delightful read.

The well written paperback is

a life story that begins with his

description of his journey into South

Africa. Probably every expatriate

remembers their fi rst encounter

with this beautiful country. Pugh’s

description of his is fantastic.

“I had read about the Statue of Liberty

standing guard and welcoming

immigrants to America as they sailed

into New York,” he writes, “Table

Mountain had the same effect on me

as RMS St Helena slowly steamed

past Robben Island into Cape Town

Harbour. If this was Africa, I wanted

more of it.”

His introduction to South Africa

as a child was not a very pleasant

one with most kids who had a

‘general antipathy towards England’

regarding him a “pom”. From the

book, you gather that his British roots

have remained strong. He reveals in

seventh chapter that the fact that

he still felt British drew him back to

England to work at a London law fi rm

and attempt to become an offi cer in

the British Army.

Ironically, when he was

retrenched, he worried that it was

because he was South African. Later

in the book, he discusses that as he

becomes famous, the question of

whether he is South African or British

comes to the fore. He writes: “South

Africans regarded me as one of

theirs.... though I loved South Africa,

26 EXPATRIATE

Page 29: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

I felt more British. The question of

what nationality you feel yourself to

be is an evolving one and relates to a

degree on where you are living.”

The identity issues aside, the

book is largely about his love for the

water and his determination several

times to achieve what no man had

achieved before. It is written in a

manner that encourages others

to drive themselves. The reader

is likely to identify with much of

the content as it centres on taking

on challenges which is part of any

human experience. The quote on the

back cover sums it up very well: “Each

one of us, however ordinary we may

appear, is capable of extraordinary

acts. When you believe in yourself,

you can achieve the impossible.”

I particularly identifi ed with

his story about the very beginning

of his adventures when the many

nay Sayers said he would not join

the ranks of the few people to ever

swim from Robben Island to Cape

Town. He says proving them wrong

made this swim the most exalting

one. Another highlight for me was

the way in which he brings out

the dilemma that many face; be

miserable in a well paying career or

pursue something less lucrative that

makes you happy. Page two fi fty nine

tells you what choice he made: “I was

rich in experience but penniless....my

three years of full-time swimming

had been vastly more rewarding than

the years I’d worked in maritime

law.”

Whereas he had not excelled on

the monetary front, Lewis emerged

as a champion for the environment.

The main reason for risking his life

swimming in sub zero water was to

draw the world’s attention to global

warming. As he put it: “You shouldn’t

be able to swim across the North

Pole. It should be frozen over.”

As a result of that swim, he got

to speak to highly placed people

about climate change including the

likes of Tony Blair and appeared on

highly rated American TV shows such

as Jay Leno’s Tonight Show.

Although the book is not a-laugh-

a-minute, there are moments that

“The main reason for risking his life

swimming in sub zero water was to

draw the world’s attention to global

warming. As he put it: “You shouldn’t

be able to swim across the North Pole.

It should be frozen over.”

Page 30: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

will make you giggle such as his

anecdote of swimming in a semi-

circle in Lake Malawi due to his fear

of hippos.

Overall, it is a good and inspiring

read. The sixteen page pictorial in

the middle of the publication adds a

handy visual account to a compelling

story. It also has several good quotes

which I think years from now people

will refer to. “...the power of a made

up mind. You don’t plan for defeat

and success at the same time,” was

one that stood out for me.

My only criticism is that the

page numbers on the contents

page are incorrect, a minor

fl aw that you can ignore. That’s

just me being an editor.

KC Rottok is Technical Partner at RSM

Betty and Dickson (Johannesburg)

email [email protected]

RAWTALK BY ROTTOK

NEED TO SEND GOODS TO KENYA? CONTACT US FOR A QUOTE

Freight Forwarding, Logistics and PackagingReg. No. 2002/009367/23

P.O Box 2707, Houghton 2041 • Cellphone: + 27 83 321 2853 • Fax: 086 514 0128No. 5 Sim Road, Pomona, Kempton Park, 1619 • Email: [email protected]

28 EXPATRIATE

Page 31: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 32: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

E T H

Page 33: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

y boss recently

instructed me to travel

to Ethiopia. Hoping

to be better prepared

by conducting some ‘pre-travel

research’, I emailed my well travelled

friend Ohanga for some information.

A couple of hours later I received this

reply:

“Well, there’s some good food at the

Zebra Grill on Bole road in the capital

Addis Ababa. They do have a sour

tasting thing called ‘injera’ -which I

doubt you will enjoy-and even

m o r e

bizarre, is that uncooked meat is a

delicacy there. Their best beer is St

Georges and there are a couple of

good nightclubs like Memo.

The price for most commodities

will be quoted in dollars when

they actually mean birr, their local

currency. The local scenery is also

worth a mention, Ethiopian women

are drop dead gorgeous. English is

scarcely spoken and when done,

connectors are largely superfl uous.

Please don’t forget to carry some

Axumit wine back as a gift for your

friends; it’s indigenous and very

sweet. Stay away from Saba

Tej, the local brew, we were

told it is the medicine for real

men.

Have a Safe trip.”

My research done, I

boarded a comfortable

Ethiopian Airlines

fl ight for Addis

Ababa a few days

later. It was quite

an eventful trip

and as soon as I got

back, I eagerly wrote

back to Ohanga letting

him know how it went.

“Ethiopia was very much like you

promised. When I arrived, I befriended

a toothless cab driver called Chernet.

His box-shaped “Lada” was a Russian-

made excuse for a car that was so

old it had surpassed the maximum

kilometre reading. He was however

quite resourceful so despite fearing

that the car would fall apart at any

moment, I decided to retain him for a

drive around town that evening.

He arrived at about 10pm, white-

less smile in tow. English, or more

appropriately the lack thereof, is as

you described – not a conjunction

in sight. “We go

music and woman”

is what the man

thought I wanted to

hear.

We headed to

Memos club which

initially played

American music

but as midnight approached, the

monotonous din of Amharic tunes

began to rule without interruption. To

the untrained ear, it sounds like one

very long song that never ends so I did

not last very long on the dance fl oor.

Instead, I sat close by and watched the

locals engage in a very entertaining

dance.

You were right about the women.

One would not be blamed for thinking

that entrance for ladies was limited to

those who prevail upon the barometer

of beauty. I am yet to see a bigger

collection of angelic faces outside of

a carefully casted TV show. Sensing

I was foreign, a number of ‘working

girls’ approached me with steep

“It was a great privilege to visit what is perhaps the most

unique country on this continent.”

31WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

H I O P I A 1 3 M O N T H S O F G O R G E O U S W O M E N

ExpaT-Travel

Page 34: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

32 EXPATRIATE

demands. I fi nally discovered a place

where dark skin is actually the colour

of money. Man to man, all I can say is

that this is most certainly a city with

plenty of A Dis and A Dat for a Baba.

I decided to call it a night and headed

back to the hotel.

The following morning, Chernet

took me to Haile Selassie’s tomb which

is placed next to that of his (Selassies)

wife at the back end of a historic

chapel. The tomb is made of beautiful

grey marble and is placed upon four

creative platforms in the shape of a

lion’s paws. This is fi tting as the former

emperor wielded power similar to

that of the king of the jungle and not

only locally. Years after his death, he

remains a kind of messianic fi gure in

Rastafari culture, a relationship that

persists as evidenced by a group of

Jamaicans living in Shashemene, a

village south of Addis Ababa.

My visit to the museum thereafter

was quite informative as a trail up and

down the massive hall documents the

various empires of the only country

in Africa never to be colonized. The

archaeological remains of a famous

fi gure in the timeline of human

evolution christened ‘Lucy’ can also

be found here.

At lunch, I indulged in some

‘injera’ with ribs and contrary to your

initial assessment, I loved it! It was so

good I demolished it in seconds. I also

managed a sip of the near-blinding

Saba Tej which made me instantly

dizzy and induced a high two minute

fever. I spent the afternoon in the

Mekhato which I came to learn is a

leading contender for the title of

Africa’s largest market. Gold items,

Ethiopian clothing and wine were

all sold at what seemed to me to be

throwaway prices. I also purchased

their unique calendar that has thirteen

months and is written in their ancient

alphabet.

My fl ight out of Ethiopia was mostly

uneventful. I slept most of the way

only to be woken up for landing by a

sweet smelling goddess shouting in

her broken English “Give it to me!”

It’s a pity she was only referring to the

blanket.

All in all, it was a great privilege to

visit what is perhaps the most unique

country on this continent.”

- KC Rottok

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ncncncnccccccnccieieieieieieieieiennntnttt

mostttttlylylylyly

eeeee eee wwwawwwwww y yyyyy

g g ggg bybybybybybybybyby aa

inininining ggg ininininininnin

mmmmmmmmmee!e!eeeeeeee ”

tttttooooooo ththththththththeeeeeeee

egegegegege tototototo

uuuuninininin quququuqueeeeeeee

ExpaT-Travel

Page 35: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 36: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Sub - Saharan Africa:

N e w E c o n o m i c Va l u e - C h a i n f o r J o b C r e a t i o nince the start of the global

fi nancial crisis, job creation

has been the main focus of

all governments especially

those in the emerging economies of

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This need

has triggered a nearly convulsive

political response in Africa, given

that the majority of elections are

won and lost on the back of the state

of an economy

and the mindset of

the wage earners.

The SSA’s

t e c h n o l o g i c a l

assets and human capital must

facilitate the transformation of

national resources into globally

marketable products and services.

The problem in SSA is that corruption

of epidemic proportions in both

the public and private sectors has

increased the cost of doing business

resulting in uncompetitive and

curtailed growth of the Small Medium

Enterprises (SMEs) which are the main

sources of new job creation globally.

SSA governments

can do little in the

short-term to

g e n e r a t e

permanent jobs. Infrastructure

development will always create

some seasonal jobs. The underlying

economics of job creation is deeper

than a government’s periodic

investment in infrastructure

expansions. Long-term job creation

depends on smart policies which

promote economic competitiveness.

Global experience has shown that

the job creation machine has

always been private enterprise.

The good news is that SSA

has become the most competitive

investment destination in the world.

In the course of the next two decades,

Africa is likely to see high growth in

the private sector driven by private

equity capital. Both the World Bank

and IMF have predicted that

Africa will be the epicentre of

global economic growth but to

generate new jobs, we need to create

new demands in the economy as

this is a sign of economic prosperity.

However, the African population

has been over-indebted and under-

employed. The New SSA must not

be good for tourism only but also at

manufacturing export products and

services. The economic dynamics

of the export

trade normally

s t i m u l a t e s

domestic demand

leading to jobs

creation. The

most positive economic sign for

SSA is that the global economy

is pulling out of recession and

therefore promoting the movement

of investment capital to Africa.

Professor Michael Ogembo Kachieng’a is a

Biomedical Engineering Scientist and Professor

of Technological Entrepreneurship at the

Graduate School of Technology Management,

University of Pretoria. He is a member of

New York Academy of Sciences.(michael.

[email protected])

“Both the World Bank and IMF have predicted that Africa will be the epicentre of global economic growth but to generate new jobs the region needs to

create economic demand.”

ExpaT-Talk

Page 37: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011
Page 38: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

“We have improved our value added business and increased capacity...”

36 EXPATRIATE

Page 39: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

ranscentury is one of

the most respected

organisations in East Africa

given the immense success

of the group in various industries

in the region. The most well known

subsidiary of Transcentury is leading

cable manufacturer East African

Cables (EAC). Hence it was not

surprising that when they sort to

widen their investment portfolio, the

result was the acquisition of Kewberg

Cables in South Africa among other

initiatives on the continent. The

manufacturing entity in Alberton

in the south of Johannesburg was

acquired in late 2007. In the beginning

of 2008, Kenyan James Kaguchia took

over as CEO and recently he took

time off a busy schedule to discuss

the enterprise with us.

Tell us about yourself and

your personal experience with

Transcentury, particularly the

transition to heading Kewberg

Cables?

When I arrived, the corporate

environment struck me as different

to what I was used to. It was a

very mixed group of employees

with a largely white management

which we retained. I experienced

a bit of culture shock in the work

environment as there appeared to

be a serious lack of urgency here.

On a personal level, I was far away

from the shareholders and my family

who only joined me six months

later. I was also in a remote area

of a new city and not accustomed

to getting around. However, I am

more settled now having befriended

a number of people. I have also

become accustomed to my position.

My management style varies seeing

as I pay attention to detail when it

comes to administration and fi nance

but I am willing to just look at the

big picture when I am on the factory

Kewberg Cables, Transcentury’s Entry into SA

fl oor. You can always tell how things

are progressing by going down to

the fl oor rather than looking at the

paperwork so I make a point of going

there about three times a day.

What are the core products of

Kewberg and who are your key

clients?

Kewberg has certifi cation from

the South African Bureau of Standards

for the manufacture of specialised

cables. Contractors and engineers

discuss what type of solution the

client is looking for and we then

design the cable according to their

requirements. Our main product

lines are cables for instrumentation

and control used by mining and

petrochemical entities such as the

National Refi nery, Sasol, Anglo

platinum and Anglo gold. These relate

to different products such as pull key

cables for deep mine communication

and the miners helmet cables. We

are actually market leaders in this

37WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

Page 40: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

area and export to India, Poland and

Australia. Another major client is

Eskom through subcontractors for

whom we manufacture specialised

cables. We are also leading

manufacturers in cables for the

security and safety industry. Other

sectors we serve include the airline

industry and military who we supply

a whole host of cables including

defence specifi cation cables and

runway lighting cables.

In your view, what are the

challenges that Kewberg faces?

Our main raw material is copper

which we import from Zambia, Dubai

and India. There are issues here with

supply logistics as well as managing

the price. Skills are also a problem in

our industry as entities are mainly

run by apprentices rather than

engineers who are diffi cult to fi nd. :

We remain committed to improving

our Black Economic Empowerment

(BEE) credentials and continue to

make signifi cant strides in this area.

38 EXPATRIATE

Page 41: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

The largest manufacturer in South

Africa manufactures low voltage

cables based on longer lengths. We

on the other hand are short oriented

and are therefore a more value-

added manufacturer.

How has Kewberg performed

since acquisition by Transcentury?

Subsequent to the acquisition, we

received the ISO 9001 certifi cation.

We have also improved our value

added business and increased

capacity if you consider our tonnage

per month. Our instrumentation and

control cables used to be 23% in

terms of product mix which we have

pushed up to approximately 40%.

This has insulated us from the harsh

effects of costly imports as well as

competition. Our margins have also

improved.

In 2009, we had a loss of revenue

arising from changes in metal

price in that year. The recession

resulted in reduced purchasing

power from the customer but this

neither led to restructuring nor did

it stall our expansion plans. Overall

the improvement in fi nancial

performance and capacity has been

over 42% since taking over. From

2008, we have spent a signifi cant

amount on expansion and the

benefi ts of this are expected to be

seen in this fi nancial year.

What plans are in place for the

company going forward?

Well the board has approved measures

to improve our BEE compliance. We

intend to relook procurement as well

as do extensive enterprise support.

We have plans to increase spending

in social development and improve

our employment equity score

through training.

Additional capital expenditure

has also been earmarked for

the building of new production

facilities and we have put aside

funds towards our plan to expand

our product offering. We will bring

in new equipment so as to offer a

full basket as we have realised our

customers are also buying low and

medium voltage cables. We would

like to also partner with providers

of fi bre optic solutions and in this

respect we are in discussions with a

leading manufacturer in Asia.

Page 42: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

A G R I N A M U S S A , M A L A W I H I G H C O M M I S S I O N E R N e w E c o n o m i c Va l u e - C h a i n f o r J o b C r e a t i o n

“I concur with the notion that the problems being experienced in Africa are as a result of women being excluded from decision making in spite of being the majority.”

escribe your background

before coming to South

Africa?

I served on a number of

Boards including holding the position

of the chair of the Electricity Supply

Commission of Malawi (ESCOM)

and chair of the National Food

Reserve Agency. I am still a director

of the Foundation of International

Community Assistance, a large

micro-fi nance institution whose

headquarters are in the USA.

Is it challenging to be a female

diplomat?

Having been the fi rst female

President of the Malawi Confederation

of Chambers of Commerce, I am

aware that the challenge as a woman

decision maker is to work extra hard

to prove your potential. As an envoy,

you have to cover more than one

area and be on top of both economic

and social matters. It helps being

a woman as we are natural multi-

taskers. I have learnt a lot in this role

including having to smile when you

don’t feel like smiling!

What do you perceive to be your

biggest challenge as envoy to

South Africa?

SA is our major trading partner

and we signed a Joint Commission

of Cooperation in 2007. It is

my responsibility to enhance

collaboration within the framework

of this agreement as well as woo

investors to Malawi. These bilateral

relations are the focus of the High

Commission while the consulate

in Johannesburg is responsible for

attending to the needs of expatriate

Malawians such as the renewal of

passports.

What can you tell us about the

Malawians living in South Africa?

Malawians have been coming to

work in South Africa for over 70 years

now so it is not surprising that there

is a large community here. Migration

to South Africa is particularly easy

for us given the relative proximity.

They were affected during the recent

xenophobic attacks and we were

very grateful for the support of the

South African government. Our own

government also stepped in and

provided buses to repatriate some of

those affected back to Malawi.

Tell us about your family.

I am married and have four children;

Esnat, Moi, Grace and Henry Junior.

Unfortunately we lost Henry Junior,

my youngest son, in a tragic road

accident in 2004. I have a daughter in

law Kondanani and a grand-daughter

Agrina Junior. My husband is still

based in Malawi and visits from time

to time. Some of my children joined

me here which is a blessing. It is a

lonely affair for those diplomats here

who live in big houses without any

members of their family.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about the

empowerment of women because

when a woman is empowered

the whole family is empowered.

The major responsibilities in the

African household are managed

by the woman hence the need to

economically empower her. I concur

with the notion that the problems

being experienced in Africa are as a

result of women being excluded from

decision making in spite of being

the majority. Major socio-economic

issues cannot be effectively solved if

women are sidelined.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love reading which is a hobby I

credit my father for nurturing in

me. As a teacher and preacher, he

always encouraged his children to

read. I am so passionate about books

now that whenever I have excess

luggage it is because of carrying

heavy books. I am particularly

passionate about educational and

inspirational material. I like the

Expatriate magazine in this respect.

I fi nd it inspiring from the point

of view that it has a positive angle

to it which is a welcome break

from all the demoralising things

we see about Africa in the news. I

think it is a wonderful idea and

is very professionally done.

- Carol Malonza

Know Your Envoy

40 EXPATRIATE

Page 43: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

No one plans to fail, but many fail to plan

Karabo Morule, Strategy and Marketing Executive at Old Mutual, explains:

Interest rate and infl ation rate fl uctuations as well as the volatility of the market play an integral part in achieving your fi nancial goals and dreams.

It is critical that your disposable income is allocated wisely – whether to reduce household debt or to commit to disciplined contractual savings to benefi t of compound interest. Compound interest is when you earn interest on the interest already earned by your money. High infl ation lower the purchasing power of the rand – when infl ation is high the cost of bread will increase. Therefore, you need to save more than the current infl ation rate to grow your wealth.

If you don’t get your fi nances right, you can’t get your future right. And because this is so crucial, fi nancial decisions cannot be taken lightly.

A fi nancial plan is unique to each person as everyone’s goals and dreams are different. Good advice for your neighbour is not necessarily good advice for you. The critical take out is that it is not about the “right advice” – it is about “advice that is right for you.”

Crafting a fi nancial plan requires a partnership between you and your fi nancial adviser, and its success depends wholly on your commitment. The advice process is structured to ensure that your needs are analysed and understood, shortfalls are identifi ed, and recommendations are made to address the shortfalls that are in your best interest. A fi nancial plan also creates the platform to review progress towards goals on an ongoing basis as your circumstances change.

Current market volatility puts pressure on you to stick to your plan. This can lead to you making emotional decisions which could have detrimental impacts on your fi nancial plan. It is therefore crucial to speak to your adviser fi rst, so that he or she may help you to live within your means today and still plan for the future.

“We want to enable our customers to have a positive future and be the best they can be by utilising the wisdom that we have gathered over the last 165 years. With a myriad of solutions available, we encourage you to seek the advice of an accredited fi nancial adviser who will assist in developing a fi nancial plan. The fi nancial plan provides you with the framework to maintain control over your fi nances and achieve fi nancial freedom and security,” says Morule.

Developing a fi nancial plan and accepting the counsel of a fi nancial adviser as coach and partner is a commitment to making dreams a reality.

For more info on getting expert fi nancial advice, contact Karabo Moleke , Manager: Regional Marketing, Personal Financial Advice: Johannesburg Region, Tel: 011 217 1316, Mobile: 082 758 3196, Email: [email protected]

Page 44: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

NEPAD’S EDWIN MWITUMWA: THE CHAIR OF ZAMBIANS IN SA

eet Edwin Mununga

Mwitumwa, Head of

Administrative Services

at the New Partnership

for African Development (NEPAD).

Mwitumwa arrived in South Africa

from his home town of Lusaka

Zambia in 2005 to take up a position

as the Regional Finance Offi cer at

the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP). He moved to

his current post from the UNDP in

2007. This after having decided to

stay in South Africa in spite of the

culture shock he initially experienced

when he arrived.

“Many things are different here if

compared to Zambia,” he notes, “For

example, when I fi rst arrived, I tried

to purchase a car and offered the

dealer cash assuming this would

get me a better price as this is

customary in the rest of Africa. He

laughed loudly before informing

me that he preferred a fi nance

transaction as the bank would give

him a commission. I realised that

he was not really a salesman but an

agent for the bank.”

Mwitumwa is still a bachelor which

he says made the decision to

relocate an easy one.

His stay here

has been

further enhanced by his election

to the position of Chairman of the

Zambian Association in South Africa

(ZASA).

“I was briefl y vice chairman of

the association before my elevation

at the elections which happen once

every two years. There was a feeling

within the membership that there

was a need for change. There is a need

to integrate the community and stem

current fragmentation. There was an

amorphous aspect to ZASA such that

even the High Commission viewed us

as just another social grouping that

came to life when there was

need for

funeral arrangements or to welcome

a Zambian musician who is in town,”

Mwitumwa reveals.

He says that he asked himself

what the drivers of the Zambian

Society so as to turn ZASA’s attention

to the key focus areas. This includes

the desire by many members to

invest both in SA and back in Zambia

which they have catered for through

the establishment of a Diaspora

Investment Fund. In addition, there

are the ZASA organised events that

enable its members to network.

“Given the relative proximity of

our country to SA, there is another

section of the community that we

have to bear in mind. These are the

vulnerable lot who arrive here mainly

by bus and are doing a number of

low end jobs which unfortunately

includes prostitution. They are in

need of many things including bank

accounts and social security. We

are seeing what we can do to assist

them including the creation of a

benevolent fund,” he adds.

Hosting the current Zambian

president in Pretoria alongside

the Zambia High

Commission

has been

one of

t h e

Page 45: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

achievements of the current

committee. They enabled members

to meet the Head of State and pose

questions. Another plus has been the

establishment of their new website

(www.zambians.co.za) through

which members register and keep

abreast with developments in the

community.

Mwitumwa indicates that he is a

Pan Africanist and strongly believes

that Zambians and foreigners

in general should do their bit in

infl uencing perceptions about them

in SA. He suggests that expatriates

should be seen to be engaging in

charitable projects in disadvantaged

areas so as to show locals that we are

not here just to “pick the cherries”

of this great country but to make a

positive contribution. This he believes

will reduce incidences of xenophobia

which he fi nds strange as there is

a lot that we have in common. He

adds that the connection between

Zambians and South Africans is

particularly strong.

“If you study history, you will

note that due to migration our

languages are very similar. I was

involved in a project by Google to

develop a translation for certain

African languages and my ethnic

group was asked to work with the

Sepedi group from SA. A number of

our surnames are similar if not the

same as those you fi nd here. Beyond

that, you will note that Lusaka was

the headquarters of the ANC during

the struggle. Both President Mbeki

and President Zuma lived there for

long periods. It is disappointing for me

that we have not played that trump

card to connect with the veterans

of that time who are now in key

positions so as to advance the status

of Zambians in South Africa and on a

higher level to foster good relations

and strengthen trade between the

two countries,” he concludes.

- Keith Kundai

“Lusaka was the headquarters of the ANC and both Zuma and Mbeki lived there. Zambians should use this trump

card to advance their status in SA”

43WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

Page 46: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Apollo Segawa: The Matoke Millionairenaughty mind would

misunderstand the

business objective of a

company called Exotic

Banana. But there is nothing untoward

in the name. It is the food processing

brainchild of Apollo Segawa, a

food scientist who is turning over

millions using the knowledge he

gained from postgraduate studies

in this discipline at the University of

Johannesburg (UJ). In Uganda where

he hails from, a banana based meal

called matoke is very popular and

it is fi tting therefore that the fruit

forms the main ingredient for his

range of juices called Simple Natures.

“I studied the process of making

food last longer at Makerere

University,” Segawa explains, “It was

a natural choice for me because I

noticed that the capacity for this in

Africa is very low. When a product

is in season it is very cheap. In other

periods, it is generally unavailable

and hence if you can learn how to

make food last longer you could sell

it during these times at a good price.”

Segawa started teaching at UJ part

time in 2005 and soon after started

growing bananas in Mpumalanga

and doing food processing at a small

factory in this South African province.

The operation grew and in 2008, he

left the university to focus on the

business on a full time basis.

Segawa is a short gentleman who

seems to be constantly smiling. He

even speaks with a tickle of laughter

lacing every second word. But times

have not always been joyful for the

35 year old entrepreneur.

“With anything new, it is always

challenging because the market does

not know your brand,” he explains

with a slightly more serious tone,

“The fi nancial constraints in this

particular business are also a concern

because as you can see it is quite

capital intensive.”

As we walk around his single-

building factory in Midrand,I take

sight of the high start up cost.

Large silver metallic cylinders are

surrounded by a few of his twelve

employees. This was all made possible

by the assistance of his brother

and UJ who are both shareholders

in the business. Another big boost

was winning a capital injection in

a competition for entrepreneurs

conducted by an organization known

as Enablis.

The achievement got his name

into several publications including

Food Review, The Star Newspaper

and The Daily Sun. He has also been

featured in Ugandan dailies New

Vision and The Monitor. I ask him

how it is being a celebrity.

As we sit down once again, a

hearty laugh precedes his response.

“I am not really a celebrity. But the

publicity is good for business. I do a

bit of consulting in the food industry

as well so it helps in this respect.

It has also helped in growing the

business. Only when I presented one

of the articles to Shoprite did they

open their doors to our products.”

We get interrupted by his wife

Patience who is sitting a few metres

away from him and needs help with a

computer application before leaving

the room momentarily. I ask him

what he thinks of having his wife as a

colleague.

“We work well together. She

assists with the administration side

of the business. I think I am under

employing her as she has a Masters

in Management so she will probably

move at some point,” he concedes.

His plan for 2011 is to begin

exporting to Swaziland and Botswana.

And within the next fi ve years, he

hopes to enter into partnerships

that will increase the hectares they

are using for banana juice so as to

double the company’s production.

There are also plans to increase

the variety of the product line

which currently stands at eight

juice fl avours. As I enjoy the guava

fl avour, Segawa explains that unlike

Page 47: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

other products in the market that

use apple or pear juice to blend

their juices, Simple Natures uses

banana juice. The plan in future is to

introduce ancillary products such as

concentrated fruit, purees, jams and

marmalades.

His wife returns and this time I

direct the questions at her by asking

what type of man her husband is. She

sums him up in three adjectives.

“Caring, innovative and very

hardworking.”

- Keith Kundai

“He has been featured in The Star, Food Review and Daily Sun as well as Uganda’s Daily Monitor and New

Vision newspapers.”

“He has been featured in The Star, Food Review and Daily Sun as well as Uganda’s Daily Monitor and New

Vision newspapers.”

Page 48: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Expatriates and South African based “Wills”“Having a will here and another in your country of origin poses a great danger.”

he economic opportunities

in South Africa enable

many expatriates to build

a substantial second asset

base here in South Africa, in addition to

their assets in their country of origin.

SA assets could include a car or two,

a house and a portfolio of South

African shares, with their potential

for capital growth. Often overlooked,

a considerable asset could be a

person’s pension or provident fund.

But in the event of your death,

what happens to the assets you

accumulated since being resident in

South Africa? Would a Last Will and

Testament signed before you moved

to South Africa be valid here? What

taxes and duties will be payable?

What is the process before the estate

can be fi nalised and the money paid

to your dependents or benefi ciaries?

The most important issues one has

t o consider include:

• Will

Any will drawn up in another

country before you moved to South

Africa would be valid in South Africa,

if it complies with South African law.

This includes how the will has been

signed, the age and competency of

witnesses and who may inherit the

assets.

However, to ensure your non-South

African properties are allocated

according to your wishes and the

estate can be fi nalised appropriately,

it is advisable you have a Will for

your South African’s assets and

another for your assets in the rest

of the world. But a word of caution

– the danger of having two wills is

that the last one might inadvertently

invoke the wishes of the other

will if it is not worded correctly. For

example, most wills have a standard

clause whereby any previous wills

are cancelled. If both your wills

include this clause, then the most

recent one will nullify the other

one.

South African legislation allows any

person the ‘freedom of testation’.

This means that everybody has

the right to leave their property to

whoever they want. However, some

countries might have forced heirship

and certain types of properties have

to be given to your heirs according

to that country’s hereditary laws. In

this instance it becomes necessary

to have a separate Will for one’s

South African estate.

• On which assets will you pay SA

inheritance taxes?

If you are living in South Africa, all

your assets in South Africa and the

rest of the world would be part of

your estate – and therefore attract

SA estate or inheritance taxes. The

only exclusions are assets which

you acquired before moving to

South Africa or inherited from any

person who has not been a South

African resident.

• What if you do not have a

valid will?

In the absence of a valid Will,

your assets are allocated to your

spouse, children and other relatives

according to a specifi c formula as

per South African intestate

(“without a will”) legislation.

Your spouse will get a minimum

of R125,000 from the estate, the

rest is divided equally between the

spouse and children. Children born

in and out of wedlock and all legally

adopted children are all included.

• How much are inheritance taxes

in South Africa?

SA estate taxes are 20% on your

estate. This is the value of your

assets less liabilities. The fi rst R3,5

million is tax-free.

• How long before your

benefi ciaries can inherit?

In practice it takes about two years

before an estate might be fi nalised.

Your dependents could suffer a lot

of hardship if your fi nancial affairs

are not organised correctly.

The aftermath of a loved one’s

death is usually very traumatic, but

by organising one’s affairs one can

relieve some of the stress of the

event. To ensure your loved ones

can maintain their lifestyle in the

event of your death, your assets are

allocated according to your wishes

and death taxes are minimised, put

it on your to-do list to speak to a

certifi ed fi nancial planner.

Hesta van der Westhuizen, BCom Adv Post

Grad diploma in Financial Planning Law

is a fi nancial planner at Consolidated.

www.consolidated.co.za

ExpaT-TalK

Page 49: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

The Rise of Multicultural Kids!“With tweeting and texting, these kids have real time conversations

with their ‘best friends’ who are in a totally different part of the world.”

igh up in the hierarchy

of shocking occurrences

that I am dealing with is

the cultural gap between

myself and my children. They have

taken on a culture that is far from

traditional to the family. What’s

worse is that their culture shifts

consistently- they have become

multicultural kids (MCKs)! The gap is

widened further by the technological

advancement that my MCKs possess.

But I am consoled by the fact that

this experience of bringing up

children in a profoundly culturally

mixed environment is becoming

increasingly common even if a child

is living in their passport country.

Let’s discuss the future of our

global MCKs and society. The truth

is that MCKs are the most dynamic

and fastest-growing unconscious

movement in the world today, simply

by the fact that there are more

young people interacting within two

or more cultural environments for a

signifi cant period of time than there

ever was.

Here is a story of one MCK called

Mo. His parents belong to the same

race but have been brought up

within different cultures unlike his

cousins whose parents share the

same culture but belong to different

races. When Mo’s family lived in their

passport country he was sent to a

school with a different cultural base

and student mix from his traditional

home culture. Mo has fond memories

particularly of his neighbours who

were refugees because their country

was at war.

When Mo turned six, his parent’s,

chose to pursue careers in another

country on a different continent.

After ten years they opted to be

permanent immigrants so the

families’ nationality and citizenship

was no longer the same. In his new

school he made friends with students

who had various backgrounds; one of

them crossed borders daily to come

to school while another was an

International adoptee. The father of

Mo’s closest friend belonged to the

military. He had lived in four to fi ve

different countries when growing up

and with time it was clear to Mo that

the military subculture was quite

different from that of the civilian

population.

In order for MCKs to thrive and

fl ourish they have turned to the

internet technology. Today, it has

become so much easier to Skype. My

MCKs often meet their friends and see

each other face to face on the screen,

at any time, for free. They are able to

play computer games with friends

across the world, as if they were just

down the street. Their phones are

constantly in their hands even during

meals and most of the time I tolerate

it because these social networking

sites offer the opportunity for MCKs

to keep in touch by posting photos,

celebrating each other’s successes,

exchanging information and talking

over problems. With tweeting and

texting, they literally can have

conversations in real time with their

friends anywhere in the world.

Revolutions are often perceived

as threatening, however peaceful

and popular they are particularly

by those that appear to be losing

control- in this case me! The

incredible passion and intensity in

which my MCKs participate in their

internet community is deemed as

amazing or disconcerting depending

on which side of the fence one sits.

Given this power shift, few indeed

are the parents that aren’t trying

to lure their MCKs back into family

conversations to say the least. But

for a teenage MCK, seducing them

is not a trivial matter. Teenagers

have a weapon they haven’t had

before: online social networks. These

networks have given MCKs the kind

of muscle that can be a blessing or a

veto for those it’s fl exed upon.

What are parents supposed to do?

Should they ban all gadgets in the

home or join in by playing games

with them on the internet? Are MCKs

playing in a ‘Global Village’ or are MCKs

changing the balance of power in

relationships to the detriment of all?

Whatever the outcome, for all of us

— the rise of the MCK community

will be vast and profound.

Christine Asiko is the principal consultant of

Strive Consulting,

[email protected]

ExpaT-TalK

Page 50: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

ZAMBIAN BORN

PAUL IS THE

BACHELOR –

SOUTH AFRICA

ExpaT-TainerS

Page 51: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

he show “Rivals in

Romance” on MNET Series

early this year (now on

Vuzu) was similar in

concept to the American reality series

“The Bachelor”. An eligible gentleman

spends a number of weeks with a

bevy of attractive single ladies from

which he eventually chooses a ‘bride’.

The main difference in the South

African version was that instead of

one man, there were two guys -Paul

Phiri and Jonathan Klopper - fi ghting

for the affection of 16 women . The

fi nal three girls -Shoneez, Terry and

Tebogo- voted two to one for Paul to

be the remaining

bachelor. In the

fi nal episode, Paul

picked Jo’burg

based banker

Shoneez Sidat as

the winning lady.

Here is our chat with Paul after the

show wrapped up.

What can you tell us about

yourself?

I was born in Lusaka, Zambia

in 1983 as the fi rst born child of

a Malawian father and Zambian

mother. We moved to South Africa

two years later. I grew up in both

Hillbrow and Soweto and found

the fi rst few years here tough as

I felt like I was being judged for

being a foreigner. Kids would say

nasty things based on what they

heard from their parents at home.

Nevertheless I made the best of my

experience here and pursued my

dreams in entertainment. I used to

be a professional dancer for Loyiso

and Thembi Syete and also ventured

into fashion by making ladies bags

and jeans. I was later involved in

marketing for such brands as Cartoon

Network and most recently was a

Customer Relationship Amplifi er for

British American Tobacco (BAT).

How did you get to take part in

Rivals in Romance?

I saw the advert on TV and

actually thought it would be

good for some of my friends and

recommended it to them. I don’t

have a six pack or anything so I didn’t

think it was for me. However, some

people encouraged me to apply and

I thought what the heck; I was single

and the publicity would also be good

for my career as an entertainer. After

the auditions, I was called in for

medicals and then informed I had got

the role. I prayed and fasted about it

and settled into the idea. I had done

some modelling as a child so I knew I

would be comfortable in front of the

camera.

What do you have to say about

those who think you are a ‘player’

because of having kissed so many

of the girls on the show?

When I was told I had the role,

all my guy friends were telling me to

go out there and ‘do my thing’, but

that isn’t me. I wasn’t about to go

out there and start having sex with

a whole bunch of girls. Kissing is not

a big deal really and I feel that the

whole bad boy image is the way they

(the producers) wanted to take the

show. I only found out afterwards

that I was perceived to be a bad boy.

People who see me in that light don’t

really know me the way my close

friends and family do. I am really a

very chilled guy. Perhaps the fact

that I have a lot of confi dence and

know how to charm the ladies is

what caused that misconception.

With a white ‘co-bachelor’ and girls

from different backgrounds, was

there any ‘race’ angle to the show?

Well with Jonathan

there was. He

made it clear that

he wanted to stick

to his race and at

some point even

associated our

African food mogodu with dog poo. I

would never be friends with that guy

and beating him in the competition

was the biggest highlight for me. I

was raised not to see colour and my

options when it came to the girls

were very open. When my mum came

onto the show, she spoke most highly

of Terry who is white. I also loved

her attitude and did not give much

thought to her European descent.

What has been the impact of the

show on your life?

It has been a roller coaster.

People now recognise me in malls and

clubs. My facebook and Blackberry

messenger invites have substantially

increased enabling me to grow my

database. Girls seem to love the

bad boy image and do crazy things

to get my attention. I have since

“Girls seem to love the bad boy image and do crazy things to get

my attention.”

49WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

ExpaT-TainerS

Page 52: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

left BAT and am doing well with my

entertainment career, working with

the likes of Liquideep and managing

a few DJ’s. I am also an ambassador

for DC Shoes.

Finally, tell us about your chosen

girl Shoneez, how are things going

with her?

After the show, I did not see her

for four months due to contractual

obligations relating to the show.

That was diffi cult. I feel like she has

been the same person during and

after the show. I think highly of her

and believe the feeling is mutual. I

have helped her be a more confi dent

person because I want her to know

that fi rst and foremost, she won

and doesn’t have to compete with

anyone anymore. We are building

our friendship slowly and I think it is

going well although it is too early to

talk about anything serious.

And this is what Shoneez thinks of

the experience:

I did not come onto the show looking

for a relationship. I was really bored

with my job and wanted to do

something exciting. Being a part

time model, I thought it would also

help my career in entertainment.

And it was worth the risk as I am

now a well known face. I frequently

get recognised in malls and I am

scheduled to feature in music

videos and a couple of TV Ads. I was

attracted to Paul and his bad boy

image but I don’t really think he is like

that in real life because at the end of

the day it was a show. He is a great

guy and I think in the future we can

be really good friends and business

partners. I had a long relationship

with Maurice Paige (Calvin on

Isidingo) and we were going through

a rough patch when I entered the

show. Since then he has come back

into my life and it is quite possible

that we will resume dating.

Carol Malonza

ExpaT-TainerS

Page 53: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Nightlife in Pretoria: My take on Stones Night Club

ot all garbage pits are

created equal. In fact

some are cleaner than

others while others are

more inviting and intoxicating. But

there is one in Hatfi eld-a small

University of Pretoria called Stones

nightclub.

And for some reason, this dingy

spot, offers the best attraction to any

night-owl that is willing and ready to

party hard regardless of the age. It’s

an all-season’s joint with a blue-room

ambiance probably fi t for another

movie shoot of the Godfather series.

It’s popular with varsity students

with a big chunk from University

of Pretoria while others are from

the nearby high-rise slums. Once

here, they are mandated to check-in

like it’s an extension to one of the

faculties.

But many others are grown

people (like me) who have failed to

fi nd the evidence that life is serious.

They suffer from Peter Pan Syndrome,

so to say!

There is something jolly

interesting about this faculty of

Stones.

To begin with; courses are cheap

with shooters being the biggest draw

card. Other subjects on offer are Pool

Table, gold digging and lifting (the art

of picking young girls for takeaway!)

For those who have never visited

this spot, just picture a farm with a

pigsty, a pen and a paddock all in one

spot. Yes, a game farm with all sorts

of animals. Young girls roaming like

free-range chickens playing hide and

seek from muscular cocks.

Then the late night seasonal

Serengeti migration across to Zanzu

night club begins. With the worst bar

service any night reveller can fi nd,

Stones is crude, ghettoish and behaves

like a thunderous factory mill. And if

you are the kind who derives some

meaning in disorganisation, chaos

and don’t mind about bad odour, this

is your place.

Bathrooms are ridiculously busy

with Hunters Dry wetting the fl oor

like the Nile River. Most girls there are

almost ready to give out their exact

phone numbers until you realise

the second last digit is deliberately

wrong. You go home excited only to

later on collapse on your bed trying

out all permutations.

Also because of the smell of

cigarette smoke and bad breath

that sits thick in the air, be ready

to discard your underwear, belt and

socks afterwards. A few girls have

confessed to me that with such an

environment, it’s futile to put on

underwear and one went as far as

wearing a disposable nappy.

But the government should

intervene on the way we are searched

at the entrance. Burly smiling men

run their thumbs all over our sacred

bodies like we are their Al Qaeda

wives. Granted a security check is

vital especially if you have patrons

from West Africa, but we plead for

some moderation.

I know of a guy who once was

asked repeatedly by these bouncers

... ‘’what is this?” He couldn’t explain

because there were hotties in the

queue. The chap kept mumbling

while this bouncer kept hitting his

zip. Not until later I saw the bouncer

open his fl y. Visibly disturbed, he let

out “ummh! Gosh! Sorry, I thought it

was a gun!”

Yes, brother, it’s his gun...that’s

why there are girls inside waiting for

the massacre.

Hannington Kasirye.

“With the

worst bar

service

any night

reveller can

fi nd, Stones

is crude,

ghettoish

and behaves

like a

thunderous

factory

mill....”

Hanging on with Hannington

Page 54: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

he last quarter has been

pretty signifi cant in the

history of the world. On

Friday the 29th April, most

of the world was on a go slow in order

to witness a rich guy born into a

fortunate family marry a pretty lass.

Yes, I think it was a pretty massive

non-event in my life not because I

am a hater, but because I failed to

see the relevance of the Royal family,

theirs or any other. What value do

they add other than preserve some

archaic order that in my mind has

no real relevance in today’s world?

But if that’s your thing, I hope it was

fantastic!

Kate’s sister is quite hot though.

Then on the 1st May, the ‘Big

One’ Osama Bin Laden was killed.

We all remember where we were

when we heard about the falling of

the twin towers on September 11th

2001. Roughly 3,000 lives were lost.

In 1998, there were the US embassy

bombings in Kenya and Tanzania

and approximately 225 people were

killed. The blame for both events

was placed on this man Osama. So

for 3,225 lives or so, the Western

World set on a ten year hide and

seek with this perceived terrorist.

The adventure cost billions of dollars

with many more lives being lost in

Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I tuned into the news stations to

watch the sensationalism going on

regarding Osama Bin Laden’s death.

To be honest when I heard of his

death, I think indifference is the word

I can use to describe my emotion.

Osama, dead or alive is all the same

to me, not because I feel nothing for

those lives that have been lost, but

more because his death will make

no difference. Before him there

were others and after him there will

be more. I guess you can call me

skeptical.

For me though the saddest

pictures I saw were the jubilant

celebrations at ground zero and all

over America over his death. The

death of Osama will unfortunately

not restore the lives that were lost

nor the millions that were spent

during this ordeal of terror. The

world is also not a safer place. This

doesn’t mean that now when I fl y I

can leave my laptop in its case, have

a can of deodorant in my bag

so the person sitting next to

me doesn’t have to smell my

pits, leave my shoes on and

not have to go through

stupid x-ray machines. Au

contraire, security needs

to be heightened now

because all these scenes of

jubilation just fuels the hate.

For me to be truly satisfi ed,

I would have loved to have

seen him have his day in court

to at least answer for some of

his alleged crimes.

Finally, I think

democracy is

the future. I

mean look

at what is

happening in the Middle East, the

people are tired and the people are

speaking! Some might argue that

it is all West induced, but I don’t

buy that one. The West did not get

hundreds of thousands of people to

risk their lives in the hope of a better

life; to fi ght against a machine that

has ruled their lives and the lives of

their parents for many a year.

Yaw Peprah is a self employed entrepreneur

pursuing interests in business advisory, consultancy

and commodity brokering. www.mondaymail.

blogspot.com

OH, WHAT A QUARTER!“Unfortunately the death of Osama doesn’t mean that now when I fl y I can leave my laptop in its case and have a can

of deodorant in my bag so the person sitting next to me doesn’t have to smell my pits.”

52 EXPATRIATE

The Last Word

Page 55: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011

Send your CV to [email protected] quoting the relevant reference

0861 788 788 www.antonapps.com 073 788 7880

Opportunities in Africa

ZambiaFINANCE MANAGER:MiningUS$NegkBased on the copper belt this role will be full nancial control of an internationally operated mine.Ref: PM001

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: AgricultureUS$120k – US$130kTo manage a team of 6, and able to implement new strategies.Ref: AT001

FINANCIAL MANAGER: Business ServicesUS$98k – US$120kManaging the nancial accounts of the Region and ensure that all reports are accurately and timeously recorded in line with the necessary standards.Ref: BB001

FINANCIAL MANAGER: CommerceUS$85k – US$90kManage small team and optimise nance function.Ref: CF001

SENIOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT: FMCGUS$NegkAt least 3-4 years commercial experience. Management accounts, budgets and forecasting, reporting function, pro t analysis, ensure company’s nancial security,strategic function.Ref: DM005

FINANCIAL MANAGER: FMCGUS$Negk2 years commercial experience. Large focus on nancial reporting – i.e. losses, cash ow and pro ts, management experience is also essential.Ref: DM006

DRCFINANCIAL MANAGER: MiningUS$34k – US$55kManage the full nancial function of the Region and ensure that all nancial accounts are accurately and timeously reported in line with the necessary standards.Ref: BB006

FINANCIAL MANAGER: BankingUS$NegkAdequate management experience is absolutely crucial. Overseeing entire function for the institution, attending, planning and running board meetings.Ref: DM003

KenyaINVESTMENT MANAGER: Financial ServicesUS$ Market RelatedForm part of a start up private equity team. Analysing potential investment opportunities for the fund.Ref: PM002

FINANCIAL MANAGER: AgricultureUS$100k – US$120kResponsible for the implementation for new procedures and reconciliations.Ref: AT002

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Financial ServicesUS$180k – US$250kHead up and manage the implementation of nancial policies, procedures, and controls that are in line with the relevant reporting standards and the rest of the Group.Ref: BB002

FINANCIAL MANAGER: AutomotiveUS$90k – US$95kBe part of a Best Practice nance team and maintain strong controls.Ref: CF002

FIXED ASSETS CONTROLLER: BankingUS$100k – US$105kResponsible for the management of the xed asset register and property nance function.Ref: CF003

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER: Banking US$140k – US$150kResponsible for entire accounting function including Forecasting, Planning and Budgeting, liaising effectively with industry regulators and ensuring that their nancial requests are met promptly.Ref: JB004

ZimbabweCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: MiningUS$NegkMining experience is advantageous – highly analytical, project -orientated with elements of operational risk.Ref: DM001

FINANCIAL MANAGER: Natural ResourcesUS$NegkLarge focus on nancial reporting, management accounts, managing a small nance team, budgets and forecasting, minor tax focus.Ref: DM002

MozambiqueFINANCIAL MANAGER: AgricultureUS$8k – US$10k/MonthLiaise with the board in the UK and undertake international reporting.Ref: AT003

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: AgricultureUS$15k/MonthApproximately 6 month contract. Looking for an individual with a strong entrepreneurial mind set.Ref: AT004

FINANCIAL MANAGER: FMCGUS$80 – US$90Portuguese speaking candidate to manage small team.Ref: CF004

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT: HospitalityUS$60k – US$75kQuali ed accountant for small operation, reporting to SA.Ref: CF005

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: Logistics US$70k – US$90kReporting to the General Manager, the nance and administrative manager will perform all corporate, accounting, nancial, scal, administration and reporting tasks.Ref: JB001

FINANCE DIRECTOR: Engineering US$NegkEngineering company requires a South African who is uent in Portuguese, to take care of the nancial department.Ref: JB002

NamibiaFINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT: MiningUS$55k – US$70kCandidate must have 2 to 3 years in the resources/mining sector.Ref: CF006

MalawiFINANCIAL CONTROLLER: AgricultureUS$80k – US$100kFull nancial control of this agricultural concern which is a subsidiary of an international business.Ref: PM005

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR: FMCGUS$100k – US$125kManage a small team and drive new operations.Ref: AT005

NigeriaFINANCIAL CONTROLLER: ManufacturingUS$80k – US$100kSoft Commodities processing facility requires a skilled Financial Controller to manage the costs of the plant and procurement, reporting into the Financial Director and MD. Bachelor status accommodation.Ref: PM003

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Financial ServicesUS$180k – US$250kHead up and manage the implementation of nancial policies, procedures, and controls that are in line with the relevant reporting standards and the rest of the Group.Ref: BB005

GROUP FINANCIAL MANAGER: AgricultureUS$NegkPortuguese speaking candidate to manage small team.Ref: DM002

CongoFINANCIAL MANAGER: Oil and GasUS$130k – US$145kTo join a nance team for an oil company based in Congo.Must be able to speak French.Ref: JB005

TanzaniaFINANCIAL MANAGER: ManufacturingUS$90k – US$110kTake on full responsibility for nancial business operations of a rapidly growing manufacturing concern.Ref: PM004

AngolaFINANCIAL MANAGER: SecurityUS$15k – US$20k/MonthContract for 3 months to complete monthly reconciliations and statistical accounts.Ref: AT006

GhanaFINANCIAL CONTROLLER: Oil and GasUS$36k – US$60kResponsible for the full accounting function, Forecasting, Planning and Budgeting of the company.Ref: BB003

FINANCIAL ANALYST: Information TechnologyUS$38k – US$55kThe role will entail analysis of the company’s forecast, budgets, actuals, and business dynamics.Ref: BB004

Page 56: Expatriate Winter Issue 2011