Oct 2020 - Ballito Umhl

BALLITO • UMHLANGA 

FROM STAGE TO SCREEN 

VERULAM ACTRESS 

SAM GOVENDER 

Luxe safari spoil ... 

a trip of a lifetime! 

Living art 

koi-inspired 

Zimbali home 

How does 

your (food) 

garden grow? 

FOR THE KIDS 

from tots to teens! 

Florals & fun 

Celebrating North Coast summer fashion 

SHOPPING, PEOPLE AND LIFESTYLE IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD 

OCTOBER 2020

GET IT 

Editorial 

Phone 032 946 0276 

Email leah@getitnc.co.za 

Ballito Business Centre • Ballito Drive 

Ballito • KwaZulu-Natal 

Like our Facebook page: 

Get It Magazine Ballito.Umhlanga 

Follow us on Twitter: @GetItMagNC 

getitmagazine.co.za/ballito- 

Follow us on Instagram: 

getitmagnc 

Editor Leah Shone 

leah@getitnc.co.za 

Layout and Design 

Nicole von Metzinger 

ads@northcoastcourier.co.za 

Advertising Justine Douglas 

justine@getitnc.co.za 

082 454 9222 

Sales and Online Support Lisa Smith 

lisa@getitnc.co.za 

GET IT NATIONAL 

National Group Editor and National 

Sales Kym Argo 

082 785 9230 

kyma@caxton.co.za 

Distribution 

10 000 copies monthly 

Get It Ballito • Umhlanga is distributed 

free of charge in Ballito, Salt Rock, Umhlali, 

Umdloti, Umhlanga Rocks, Umhlanga 

Ridge and Gateway 

Published by The North Coast Courier 

Competition rules 

The judges’ decision is final. Prizes cannot be 

transferred or redeemed for cash. Competitions 

are not open to the sponsors or Caxton 

employees or their families. Get It Magazine 

reserves the right to publish the names of 

winners, who will be contacted telephonically 

and need to collect their prizes from Get it Ballito 

branch within 10 days or they will be forfeited. 

Prize winners’ names are published on our 

Facebook page monthly. 

Cover: Nomfundo Mlaba 

Shot by: Chris Allan Photo: 083 441 3144, 

www.chrisallanphoto.co.za 

Makeup: Kylie Black, @madeup_bykylie 

Outfit: Lula Clothing Boutique, The Well, Ballito 

Shoot location: Zinkwazi home (available 

for rental: Luxury Coastal Escapes, 

bookings@luxurycoastalescapes.com, www. 

luxurycoastalescapes.com) 

OCTOBER 2020 

contents 

Why don’t you… 

2 Celebrate breast cancer survivors with a walk and raise a glass of your 

favourite beer - cheers to October! 

Wish List 

6 It’s national gardening month and we are embracing all 

things floral and green 

People 

8 Life is returning somewhat to ‘normal’ and we are meeting and 

mingling at fab North Coast social events once more! 

12 Former mercenary and bodyguard strength of body and mind 

14 Verulam actress Samantha Govender has made her way from the 

big stage to the small screen 

Health & Beauty 

16 October is breast cancer awareness month - here’s what you can 

do to reduce your risk 

18 National beauty brand ambassador Nomfundo Mlaba shares 

her top beauty tips with us 

20 Florals & fun - celebrate fashion the North Coast way! 

25 Ballito’s Lisa Yuille shares some summer fashion trends 

Food & Drink 

28 Meet your barista: This month we chat to Hey’s Cafe owner and 

father of three Ryan Heydenrych 

30 There’s a new little takeaway gem on the block ... make sure you 

stop off at Champs Cafe in Umhlali for something delish! 

32 Lemons and life - we’re embracing our time in the kitchen with 

some extra zest! 

Home and gardens 

34 It’s national gardening day this month and we found a passionate 

gardening enthusiast to share her journey with us 

38 We’re coming up roses as the weather warms up ... 

40 Saya and Tony share their koi-inspired Zimbali abode with us 

kids feature 

48 We got some tips from occupational therapist Rachel Carey on how 

to make play time more meaningful and educational 

50 Three North Coast school pupils shone extra bright during 

lockdown and we think they’re awesome! 

54 The Beast and his wife Kuziva are helping to ‘green up’ Sizani School 

travel and outdoors 

62 A once in a lifetime dream safari spoil... 

19910 copies distributed (January - March 2020) 

October 2020 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga 01

13 

YEARS 

BALLITO | PICTURE PERFECT 

Emphasis on space, privacy and outlook and independently situated in a 

secure complex within a gated estate. 

EXCLUSIVE MANDATE 

R 3 200 000 4 2.5 2 238m 2 

SHEFFIELD BEACH | AN ENTERTAINERS + HOME 

LOVERS MASTERPIECE 

Emphasis on living, lifestyle and space with the benefit of a self-contained flat. 

A fine option for the discerning buyers. 

4 3.5 4 

650m 2 

R 6 850 000 


SIMBITHI | SIMPLY BREATHTAKING 

Entertain your friends and family in style with superb views of the Indian Ocean 

from this magnificent apartment. 


R 5 195 000 

4 

3 

2 

336m 2 

Fiona Crago 

082 551 2607 

fiona@fionacrago.co.za 

Janelle Maritz 

083 694 6338 

janelle@fionacrago.co.za 

Jackie Futter 

083 326 7958 

jackie@fionacrago.co.za 

Invest. Intelligently. 

02 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga October 2020 

032 946 1439 | www.fionacrago.co.za

A hot date! 

Cheers to happy vibes this month 

If you have a date for the Get It diary page, email the info at least a month in advance to leah@getitnc.co.za 

Action galore on the big screen 

In the Honest Thief, they call him the ‘In-and-out bandit’ because 

meticulous thief Tom Carter (Liam Neeson) has stolen $9 million from 

small-town banks while managing to keep his identity a secret. But 

after he falls in love with the bubbly Annie (Kate Walsh), Tom decides to 

make a fresh start by coming clean about his criminal past, only to be 

double-crossed by two ruthless FBI agents. Releases on October 2. • Gal 

Gadot is to don her cape once again, and return to our screens as the 

Amazonian princess in Wonder Woman 1984. The eagerly anticipated 

DC Comics title will fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next 

big-screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and 

The Cheetah … while reuniting with her love interest, Steve Trevor. 

Releases on October 9. • In the punishing action thriller, The Doorman a 

former Marine turned doorman at a luxury New York City high-rise must 

outsmart and battle a group of art thieves and their ruthless leader. As 

the thieves become increasingly desperate and violent, the doorman 

calls upon her deadly fighting skills to end the showdown all while 

struggling to protect her sister’s family. Releases on October 16. 

Paint your town pink 

Gather your friends and family to take part in 

the first-ever virtual Avon Justine iThemba 

Walkathon to raise funds for breast cancer 

awareness and education. There’ll be no 

starting line, no parking problems, no crowds, 

no road closures or traffic disruptions. 

Instead, you choose your route and will 

receive notifications informing you of the 

distance you’ve walked. You can either walk 

the 4km or 8km and share your experience 

on social media by using the hashtag 

#iThembaWalkathon. Dress up in pink and 

make a difference on the 31st from 7.30am. 

R150 for adults, R100 for children under the 

age of 12 and free entry for children under 

the age of 2. Entries close on 26 October. 

Details: www.ithembawalkathon.co.za 

Prost! 

Guys, just because Octoberfest is cancelled, 

there’s no reason why you can’t still be part 

of this annual German tradition. Time to 

break out the lederhosen and dirndls and 

host your own Oktoberfest party at home! 

Set up a beer tent in your garden, hang a 

few blue and white banners, stock up on 

German beers and serve pretzels, sausages 

like bratwurst or knackwurst, eisbein, roast 

chicken, potato salad or sauerkraut. It’s not 

a party without the perfect playlist. Add 

some authenticity to the mix by playing Ein 

Prosit to get everyone in a happy mood… 

To end your shindig on a sweet note, we 

suggest you whip up a batch of apple 

strudel. Head to our website, getitmagazine. 

co.za for more tips and recipe. Wunderbar! 


www.chrisallanphoto.co.za

Book club 

Hot reads and chilled liqueurs ... 

this month’s book club’s looking good! 

There are a few authors who have us leaping for joy when we see a new 

release ... and Lisa Jewell is right at the top of that list. Gripping, engrossing, 

disturbing, her books are thrillers with heart-thumping, unexpected twists 

that just take your breath away. Her latest, Invisible Girl, is about a missing 

girl, an invisible man, and how we often look in the wrong places for bad 

people, not noticing the real predators who walk freely among us in plain 

sight. Century 

The pay checks are huge. The work exciting. The drinks flow. But people 

sneak into the bathroom for a hit of cocaine, people sleep under desks, 

and sexual harassment is rife. The Boy’s Club by Erica Katz is set in a 

corporate Manhattan law firm ... a place where if you don’t turn a blind 

eye, the boys’ club is a dangerous place to be. Orion 

We’re not serving wine at book club this month. Instead, we’re bringing out 

the Limoncello. Why? Because it’s summer and we’re happy and in an Amalfi 

kind of mood. Also, a few of the books we’ve chosen are 

lip-puckeringly, cheek-suckingly, squeeze-your-eyes-shut scary. So a bit 

of a theme going, yes? Our favourite version is Bottega’s Limoncino ... you 

can find it at good bottle stores, or order online for R325 from takealot.com 


Wish list 

It’s gardening month ... embrace it! 

Love the idea of having house plants, but you’re not known for your green 

fingers? This silk hanging dracena & mixed greens arrangement is exactly 

what you need. All the effect, none of the watering. R2150. We’re also crazy 

about these vintage floral prints, which come in a size to suit (from A 4 to 

A0), are printed on fine art paper using pigment-based archival inks, and 

are available framed or not. Priced from around R480, there’s a hard-tochoose-selection 

on bespokehome.co.za 

Almost too pretty to use ... there’s 

a sensational range of prettily 

packaged Rio Largo olive oils 

and vinegars at oliodesignandco. 

za/shop/ This one - 2 litres of 

exceptionally good oil - costs R399. 

Compiled by KYM ARGO 

06 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga October 2020

It’s Garden Day. Celebrate. 

Whether your idea of a garden is a 

desert rose succulent in a pot on 

your desk, a herb box on the kitchen 

windowsill, or a manicured-towithin-an-inch-of-its-life 

garden with 

precisely mown lawn and a clipped 

box hedge ... celebrate it. Later this 

month it’s Garden Day ... so wear a 

flower crown, share a pot of hibiscus 

tea and lavender shortbread with 

a garden-loving friend, plant a rose 

bush, and raise a glass of bubbles 

(with elderflower syrup) to our 

gardens. Garden Day was created 

by Candide, the app for plant lovers, 

with the aim of encouraging people 

to reconnect with their gardens and 

share the joy of gardening. Garden 

Day will host a programme of 

garden-themed activities like yoga, 

flower crown-making workshops, 

garden-inspired gourmet and 

more. It’s on Sunday, October 11 

and everyone is encouraged to join 

the celebration live on Zoom and 

Facebook. Details: Find the programme 

details on gardenday.co.za/events 

Prettiest drinks for Garden 

Day ... we dig these cans of 

Kleijne Wijn Gezelschap wine. 

Our fave is this blushing pale 

pink Pinot Noir Rosé bubbly, 

all fresh strawberry, bright 

wild cherry and light notes 

of spice. Dry, with a delicate 

effervescence, it’s what we’ll 

be drinking this month. There’s 

also a Sauv Blanc and Merlot. 

R129.99 for four from 

winecan.co.za 

If you can’t grow them, wear them. 

Surround yourself in a soft floral musk 

scent ... Marc Jacobs Daisy Love 

Eau So Sweet really is. R910 from 

woolworths.co.za 


High chai tea 

Africanna queens and highest ‘hempresses’ gathered at Rain Farm in 

Ballito recently to enjoy a ‘high chai tea’. The event was hosted by local 

‘cannabis guru’ and author of the newly launched recipe book, At Home 

with Cannabis, Kelly McQue. Guests were able to browse through various 

stalls, which sold everything from healing cannabis oil to funky merchandise, 

before enjoying a few interesting talks and delicious snacks. 

Susan de Kock, Joanne 

Scott and Tam Russell 

Cara Nidd, Krithi Thaver and Kelly McQue 

Ferzana Moosa and Bilqis Jamal 

Fashion 

and fun 

Demi Jefferys, Corney Badenhorst, Toni Seery, 

Ashleigh Rieckhoff and Sam van Rensburg 

Ladies clinked their drinks and 

browsed the numerous boutique 

fashion stores at the beautiful 

pop-up market at the Sunset Bar 

at the Zimbali Wedge recently. 

Louise Lubbe, Evelyn 

Capper and Nikki Drake 

Corney Badenhorst 

and Karina de Necker 

Toni Sweet and Chantelle 

van Rensburg 


Beach clean up 

Rob Nuss, Gustaf Swart, Stephan Jacobs, Jaime Prentice, 

Courtney Sardinha, Lloyd Frampton and Cristian Sardinha 

Jurgen Jacobs and Josh Chaplin from Small 

Steps Surfing have started beach clean ups in 

the Salt Rock and Ballito area to help make a 

small difference and give back to our ocean. 

After the clean ups they organise surfers to assist 

the local iLembe District kids in the waves and 

free yoga lessons sponsored by Ground Cover 

Ballito for all those who take part in the clean 

ups. “Our aim is to create awareness about the 

importance of ocean conservation and uplifting 

our community by leading by example. “ 

Rebecca Schoeman, Blair Duncan, 

Franky McCarthy and Holly McCarthy 

Volunteers who joined to help clean up our beaches 

Alexander van der Merwe, Claire 

Howell and Franky McCarthy 


Celebrating a new start! 

There were big smiles and celebrations as the brand new Cornerstone Property Partners team celebrated their 

launch at a small cake-cutting event in Ballito recently. 

The Cornerstone Property Partners team 

Christie Hunt and Michele Lee 

Dionn Joubert with Shamla Rajoo, 

Kerusha Naidoo and Dean Hodgson 

CORNERSTONE Property Partners had a fantastic full day at their National 

Launch, getting to celebrate with some of the growing team of 

CORNERSTONE agents from across South Africa. The day was focussed 

around empowering all agents to harness their inner entrepreneur. 

Introducing CORNERSTONE as a wealth creation platform with an agent 

centric business model. 

The day was spent breaking through personal and business barriers and 

together learning how to create A Life Worth Living through property. 

Dean Hodgson | 082 823 6737 | www.cornerstoneprop.co.za 


& 

You would be forgiven for feeling apprehensive and even slightly intimidated on 

first meeting the tattooed ex-mercenary and former bodyguard Aaron Green. 

It only takes a few minutes in his presence though for the apprehension to 

disappear, and fascination and wonder to take its place. 

Strong 

body MIND 

Text: Leah Shone | Photographs: MARY-ANN PALMER 

Former mercenary Aaron Green uses his wide range of martial arts, 

body guarding and military skills in his self-defence training 


From the moment you enter Aaron’s 

gym, Upstart Functional, you know 

there is something different about it. 

On the day we arrive the gym is silent 

and Aaron is finishing off a session 

with a young girl. She is blindfolded 

and slowly walking towards him with 

her arms raised. As she reaches him, 

he kneels, and slowly she places her 

hands on his head, then his chin and 

his eyes. When she is done, she turns 

and walks back in the direction she 

came from. It’s fascinating and even a 

little moving. 

“Every client who enters the centre 

undergoes a character assessment,” 

he explains. “In this way I am able to 

identify their subconscious self and 

work with the person hidden in the 

‘box’.” 

Originally from Durban, Aaron joined 

the military in the 1980s. He worked 

around the world in war zones and 

as a professional bodyguard for 

celebrities before spending two 

years living and training with Tibetan 

monks. 

As a result of his incredible life 

experience and background, he now 

offers a variety of different types of 

training, healing and counselling at 

Upstart Functional. “We are not a gym. 

I treat my centre as a special force 

unit where I train your mental and 

emotional strength,” says the barefoot, 

quietly spoken Aaron. 

He says that each stage of his life has 

taught him something and he uses 

these skills to teach and help others. 

“My time as a mercenary taught 

me respect and discipline. We were 

trained to never give up on ourselves. 

Working as a bodyguard in many 

very dangerous places taught me 

to be calm in dangerous situations 

and how to make life altering 

decisions under attack. Training in the 

monastery was tough, but it was a 

very spiritual journey. I learnt how to 

handle extreme forms of training and 

understand myself. You also learn how 

to listen with your eyes and speak 

with your mind, no words needed.” 

Aaron uses unusual methods as part 

of his training regime and anyone 

who has been there will tell you 

this is no ordinary gym. Apart from 

military-style functional training, he 

also offers counselling where he helps 

people deal with anxiety, depression 

and a range of other trauma-related 

Aaron uses blindfolding and various other Tibetan 

training techniques in his Ballito-based centre 

issues. Aaron is also a trained Tibetan therapist and offers healing for a number of 

different ailments. “My training is unique and a comprises a combination of many 

styles. We focus a lot on blindfolding (sensory training), where we help open up 

your senses, gain confidence and learn how to use your intuition better.” 

One of the most popular aspects of the business is the self-defence training 

programme called Havoc-O, which Aaron developed himself. “This programme is 

very useful for civilians. The principal is basically, where there is havoc … I teach 

you to create order.” 

Aaron used his wide range of martial arts, body guarding and mercenary skills 

and experience to tailor-make a system that works specifically for the South 

African culture. 

“Part of the programme is learning about the psychology of the intruder and the 

possible victim. Havoc-o is designed to even be able to help a 12-year-old girl 

defend herself against an intruder.” 

Aaron says one of the biggest mistakes we make in our society is simply being 

too complacent. “People are too comfortable. You need to be permanently aware 

of your surroundings. Always look for an emergency exit, drive like you are in a 

war zone and, if licensed, carry your weapon with you. We live in a dangerous 

environment and we need to be on full-alert. Don’t be the victim, ever.” 

Aaron says the increase in personal attacks and crime means we need to be 

more alert than ever. “Carry pepper gel (not a spray because of the wind) or a 

taser and don’t be afraid to use them. Try and remain calm. Remember your 

scream is a very good distress alarm!” 

Details: Upstart Functional training centre, Ballito, http://www.upstartfunctional.com, 

083 720 0192 , @upstartfunctional.ballito 


From stage to screen 

Having made her way from the big stage to the small screen, Verulam born awardwinning 

actress Samantha Govender tells us about her career, her new role on a wellknown 

e.tv drama series and why theatre will always be her first love. 

Text: Leah Shone 

Theatre and acting were always in the 

stars for Samantha. From dancing and 

imitating others in front of the mirror 

as a child, to writing and directing 

plays and winning drama awards 

at school - she was simply born to 

entertain. 

And entertain she has. Over the years, 

Samantha has won a host of awards, 

performed in a string of theatre and 

comedy productions and, in her most 

recent part on the e.tv drama series, 

Imbewu: The Seed, she plays the role 

of a strong female lead character 

named Aunty Jyothi. 

Coming from what she calls a simple, 

grounded and spiritual life growing 

up (her mother was a single parent 

raising four children on her own), 

Samantha says she always felt carefree 

and uninhibited as a child. “My mom 

firmly believed that prayer and 

education would be the key to our 

riches in the world and lead to selfempowerment.” 

After school Samantha completed a 

B.A degree in drama and performance 

studies, media communication and 

English. While studying she found 

her acting feet performing in drama 

department productions and, in her 

final year, she was cast as the lead 

actress in a play called Bad Girls Go 

to Heaven, in association with The 

Playhouse Company. She later did her 

post-graduate degree in education 

and has a Cambridge certificate in 

English. 

After winning a ‘best newcomer’ 

award at the Mercury Durban 

Theatre Awards for her role Bad Girls 

Go To Heaven, Samantha went on 

to perform in various theatre and 

television productions. 

“I’ve starred as the lead actress, 

Pushpa, in the film Pushpa’s Love 

Samantha has won a host of awards and performed 

in a string of theatre and comedy productions 


As artists we need to 

re-evaluate our circumstances 

in order to survive. We will 

need to branch out and learn 

something new every day.” 

Child on Mnet, produced by Durban Motion Pictures, 

as well as the lead in Curry Muncher, produced by 

Figjam Entertainment. I’ve acted in Keeping up with the 

Kandasamy 1 & 2, produced by African Lotus productions 

and I did radio drama acting at Lotus FM for seven years 

before branching into radio drama writing. I was also a 

presenter at Megazone FM.” 

Samantha’s recent work includes staging a theatre play 

(written and directed by her) in association with the 

Playhouse Company. The show, she says, was supposed to 

be staged at the beginning of July, but has been put on 

hold due to the pandemic. 

Her current role, of course, is that of Aunty Jyothi in 

Imbewu: The Seed. “The show is a multi-cultural South 

African drama series that airs on e.tv at 9.30pm. It is 

produced by Grapevine Productions. My role is that of 

Pranav’s long lost sister who becomes an integral part of 

the storyline after her brother disappears and dies. She 

is a strong character, much older than me, and she has 

her own set of values and traits.” Samantha says she loves 

playing ‘round’ characters, which she describes as major 

characters in a storyline, which are complex, intriguing 

and unpredictable. 

While she enjoys doing television, Samantha says her first 

love will always be theatre. “It is where the magic happens. 

There is no final take - it is the only take. What you see is 

what you get. Television, on the other hand, involves a lot 

of takes, a lot of editing and a lot of long hours!” 

The thing she loves most about acting, Samantha says, 

is being given the opportunity to tell a story and take on 

different characters. The biggest challenge for the industry 

is financial stability in the arts – especially during the 

Covid-19 pandemic. “As artists we need to re-evaluate our 

circumstances in order to survive. We will need to branch 

out and learn something new every day.” Asked what her 

advice would be to aspiring young actors Samantha says, 

“it’s a hard game and you get some nasty players. You’ve 

got to have a thick skin to survive in this industry. Know 

what you want, work hard, stay grounded, study your craft, 

get as much experience as you can and have a back-up 

plan. Most importantly, invest in your mental health.” 


Your health 

in your hands 

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are encouraged to take 

care of themselves by being aware of the signs of cancer and going for screening. 

Gerda Strauss, head of CANSA says, 

“We want women to realise that they 

have the right to prioritise their health. 

We’re living in unprecedented times 

with Covid-19 taking centre stage in 

our lives, but the cancer risk does not 

go away, and women still need to go 

for regular cancer screening as early 

detection saves lives..” 

According to Gerda, some women, 

especially older women or those with 

underlying conditions like high blood 

pressure, heart disease or diabetes, 

may be reluctant to get screening as 

they’re more at risk due to Covid-19. 

But appointments for clinical breast 

examinations and pap smears can be 

made at CANSA Care Centres across 

the country at an affordable rate, with 

no need for crowding and with strict 

protective measures in place against 

the spread of Covid. 

Women are entitled to an annual 

clinical breast examination when 

visiting primary health care centres - 

and three free pap smears per lifetime, 

starting at the age of 30 years (or 

older) with a 10-year interval between 

each. Those who are HIV positive 

should be screened for cervical cancer 

at diagnosis and subsequently every 

three years if the screening test is 

negative and at yearly intervals if the 

screening test is positive. 

“We encourage women to familiarise 

themselves with the risk factors and 

symptoms of early stage cervical 

changes. Cervical cancer can be 

effectively treated if detected and 

diagnosed early. Also, adopt lifestyle 

behaviours that can help lower risk 

for breast and cervical cancers by 

being physically active, maintaining a 

healthy weight, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, eating balanced meals, avoiding 

sexually activity at an early age and engaging in sexual activities with different 

partners or risky sexual behaviour, which increases the chances of getting HPV.” 

Simple lifestyle changes can reduce your risk: 

Don’t smoke: Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with 

cancer. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to second hand smoke might 

increase your risk of lung cancer. If you need help with quitting smoking, ask your 

doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting. 

Adopt a healthy diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Base your diet 

on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources, such as whole grains 

and beans. Use olive oil over butter and fish instead of red meat. Eat lighter and 

leaner by choosing fewer high-calorie foods, including refined sugars and fat 

from animal sources. Drink alcohol in moderation. Limit processed meats. 

Keep a healthy weight and exercise: Maintaining a healthy weight might 

lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, 

lung, colon and kidney. Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you 

control your weight, physical activity on its own might lower the risk of breast 

cancer and colon cancer. For substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 

minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous 

aerobic activity. You can also do a combination of both. As a general goal, 

include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine - and if you 

can do more, even better. 

Protect yourself from the sun: Skin cancer is one of the most common 

kinds of cancer - and one of the most preventable. Stay out of the sun between 

10am and 4pm when the sun’s rays are strongest. When you’re outdoors, stay in 

the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat help too. 

Don’t skimp on sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at 

least 30, even on cloudy days, and reapply every two hours — or more often if 

you’re swimming or sweating. Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These are just 

as damaging as natural sunlight. 

Get regular medical care: Regular self-exams and screenings for various 

types of cancers - such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix and breast - can 

increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely 

to be successful. 

Details: www.cansa.org.za, CANSA (toll-free): 0800 22 6622, info@cansa.org.za. 


NEW LOCATION - Umhlanga Arch 

part of renewal institute 

Umhlanga Arch, Shop 3, High Street Level, 1 Ncondo Pl, Umhlanga Ridge, Umhlanga. 

Tel: 031 566 3590 • Mobile: 079 183 1107 • umhlanga@skinrenewal.co.za 

0861 SKIN SA 

0861 7546 72 

onlineskinshop.co.za 

• www.skinrenewal.co.za • www.bodyrenewal.co.za • www.brainrenewal.co.za • 

• www.healthrenewal.co.za • www.sleeprenewal.co.za • 

111088

Nomfundo’s outfit supplied 

by: Lula Boutqiue Clothing, 

The Well, Ballito; Flowers by: 

Oh Happy Day Dried Flower 

Bar, @ohhappydaydbn 


Confident beauty 

and quirky charm 

Photograph: CHRIS ALLAN PHOTO | Makeup: KYLIE BLACK, @madeup_bykylie 

It was almost by accident that Nomfundo Mlaba found herself entered into and 

ultimately winning a national competition to become the face of one of the country’s 

most popular beauty brands. 

It’s something many a young girl 

dreams about … leaving behind 

her small village life and ending up 

on billboards, in magazines and on 

television. And 25-year-old Nomfundo 

says she still has to pinch herself every 

now and then when she sees her face 

on an advert or flyer. 

Raised mostly by her grandmothers, 

Nomfundo studied journalism at 

the Durban Institute of Technology 

after school. After working a short 

while in radio and print media, 

Nomfundo took up her current 

position as a community manager at 

Mount Edgecombe-based property 

marketing company, Rainmaker 

Marketing 

It was a colleague, she says, who 

encouraged her to enter the Face of 

POND’S competition last year. “My 

friend Taryn kept encouraging me 

to enter, but I didn’t think I stood 

a chance,” says Nomfundo, who is 

originally from a small village near 

Pietermaritzburg. “I bought the 

product but then forgot to enter and 

actually only sent in my entry late 

after they had (luckily) extended the 

entry period.” 

When she received the phone call 

to say she had made it into the top 

10, Nomfundo says she felt like she 

had already won! “For me, that was 

enough!” But then she went on to be 

named the official face of the brand, 

beating close to 15 000 other girls and 

winning herself R50 000 cash as well 

as a host of prizes and ambassador 

duties. The winner was chosen based 

on public vote and Nomfundo did 

a phenomenal job campaigning for 

Your background 

doesn’t have to 

determine your 

future and you can 

literally be anything 

you want to be. 

herself and getting the public to vote 

for her. “I am so lucky to have friends, 

family and colleagues as supportive 

as mine. Everyone pushed hard 

and there is no way I would’ve won 

without them.” 

The experience has been an eyeopening 

one for Nomfundo, who says 

where she comes from, most people 

feel like their dreams can only be as 

wild as the dusty main road. “Winning 

Face of POND’S has reminded me 

how important it is not only to 

dream, but to believe in yourself. 

Your background doesn’t have to 

determine your future and you can 

literally be anything you want to be.” 

Asked what beauty truly means to 

her, Nomfundo says, “I think beauty 

is being comfortable and happy in 

your own skin. It’s appreciating all 

your imperfections and flaunting 

them because no one will ever be as 

perfectly imperfect as you are.” 

When she’s not hard at work, 

Nomfundo is often found enjoying 

a cappuccino at French Zulu near 

Sibaya or taking selfies for Instagram 

(she has over 23 000 followers!) and 

enjoying sushi at the Oyster Box Hotel. 

Remos Cafè is her favourite after-work 

sundowners spot! 

Details: Follow Nomfundo on Instagram: 

@nomfundo.lovejoy_mlaba 

Beauty Q & A with Nomfundo 

1. What’s your top daily beauty tip? Sunscreen! Even when you’re spending the 

day indoors, just apply a little sunscreen. 

2. What is trending in the beauty world this season? Skin! I think with everyone 

having to wear masks, applying make up doesn’t seem very logical. This has 

made most people pay more attention to their skin and take care of it so they 

can literally just wash, moisturise and leave the house without feeling like they 

need make up. Masks can also contribute to making your skin oily, which is 

why mattifying creams are everyone’s favourite this season. My favourite is the 

POND’S Lasting Oil Control Vanishing Cream, I’ve been using it since I was 16! 

3. What do you think is the biggest beauty myth? The idea that beauty has a 

‘set’ definition. One can never define beauty, like most things in life, it’s relative. 

4. What is one beauty product you cannot live without? POND’S Lasting Oil 

Control Vanishing Cream! I also use it as a primer - it’s the best primer 

I’ve ever used! 


Florals & fun 

As the warmer months start to approach and summer slowly returns, we turn eyes 

towards this season’s North Coast fashion trends … fun florals, flowing maxi dresses 

and bright pops of colour. 

Leopard print joggers, 

R890, Leopard print 

bomber jacket, R790, Ivory 

box top, R490. Worn as a 

set or separates. Muze, The 

Ballito Lifestyle Centre 

Model: Nomfundo Mlaba | Makeup: Kylie Black, @madeup_bykylie | Shoot location: Zinkwazi home available for rental 

through Luxury Coastal Escapes, bookings@luxurycoastalescapes.com, www.luxurycoastalescapes.com 

Photographer: Chris Allan Photo 


Yellow and green 

floral Joeline long 

maxi dress, R680 

Lula Boutique, The 

Well Centre Ballito 


Elula linen jumpsuit, coral, 

R800 Unison Boutique 

Store, Flanders Mall, 

Mount Edgecombe 


Turquoise Joeline long maxi 

dress, R680 Lula Boutique, 

The Well Centre Ballito 


new 

1. 

my clarins is... 

2. 

88% ingredients of natural origin and lots of love. 

Simple recipes to give your skin what’s good 

and remove what’s bad. Vegan-friendly formulas. 

Proven results. Packaging that puts recycling 

and recycled materials first. Textures, scents, 

sensations – everything your skin will love! 

My Clarins, the perfect balance of fruit 

and plant extracts for healthy-looking skin. 

3. 

4. 

Shop your My Clarins favourites 

at clarins.co.za 

CHOOSE 3 SAMPLES 

AT CHECKOUT 

FREE DELIVERY FOR 

ORDERS OVER R750 

15% DISCOUNT FOR 

GET IT READERS ENTER PROMO 

CODE MYCLARINS15 AT CHECKOUT 

Valid until 30 November 2020, 

one redemption per person 

1. PORE-LESS Blur and Matte Stick: R285 

2. RE-MOVE Purifying Cleansing Gel: R325 

3. RE-CHARGE Relaxing Sleep Mask: R460 

4. RE-BOOST Refreshing Hydrating Cream: R440 

18577

North Coast style 

If there is one thing Ballito mother and business owner Lisa Yuille has learned from 

her many years in the fashion industry, it’s that the North Coast market is somewhat 

different to the rest of the country. 

ashion, many would 

say, is subjective. 

We choose what we 

like and what we feel 

comfortable wearing. Lisa 

believes keeping this in mind 

has helped contribute to 

the success of her popular boutique 

clothing shop, Lula, over the past 

eight years. 

“The typical KZN shopper is not 

hugely fashion-concious. They like to 

wear comfortable clothing that suits 

their lifestyle and we do our best to 

adapt the current trends to suit our 

customers.” 

Originally from Pietermartizburg, 

Lisa started working at a printing 

company in Durban when she 

finished her travel management 

studies after school. It was here 

that she became fascinated with 

fabric and fashion. “I knew then 

that I wanted to work in the fashion 

industry.” 

Lisa went on to work as a buyer 

overseas before getting married 

and starting her family. She has two 

daughters, Madison (18) and Morgan 

(15). On her return to South Africa she 

started working at Mr Price, where she 

spent the next 15 years. 

“I worked as a buyer and merchandise 

manager both in homeware and 

clothing. I worked my way up in the 

company but decided to leave in 

2010 when it started becoming a bit 

too corporate for me.” She had always 

wanted to own her own company 

and went into business with a friend. 

They worked together for a while but 

Lisa eventually bought her out and 

changed the name of the business 

to Lula. “My nickname when I was 

younger was Lulu. We changed it to 

Lula and it just stuck,” she laughs. That 

was eight years ago. 

Lisa’s goal was always to offer 

something different to everyone else. 

She started outsourcing a lot of her 

merchandise, but eventually decided 

to open her own mini factory. Now 

she does almost everything herself, 

from designing to sourcing the fabric. 

She also stocks locally-made items in 

her two stores – one in the Glenore 

Centre in Glenashley and the other 

at The Well Centre in Ballito – such as 

handbags, accessories and cushions. 

Lisa also sells her items online and 

supplies stores in Johannesburg. 

The general Lula shopper ranges from 

30 to 60 years old, but Lisa also has a 

number of other ranges in the Lula 

collection, including Lulalicious (for 

plus size ladies), Little Lula (for babies), 

Lula Ltd (matric dance and evening 

wear) and Lula Label (for younger 

girls). 

When we asked her about this 

season’s trends this is what she had 

to say, “we have to remember that 

we are not Europe and our local 

fashion doesn’t always go with 

what’s ‘on trend’ internationally. We 

are also different to a lot of the rest 

of the country, in terms of climate 

and style preferences. This summer 

I think we are going to see a lot of 

dresses – especially maxi dresses and 

full dresses. Leisure wear has become 

extremely popular with people going 

out less and working from home 

more. We sold a lot of pyjamas and 

leggings during lockdown,” she says. 

“Frills and florals are still big, as is 

linenwear. Green is going to be a 

popular colour and I don’t think we’ll 

see a lot of pastels.” 

Asked what her number one fashion 

tip for this season is, Lisa says, “step 

out of your comfort zone!” 

Details: Lula Clothing Boutique, The Well, 

Ballito and Glenore Centre, Glenashley, 

http://www.lulaclothing.co.za, 

@lulaclothingboutique 


Promotion 

Marking those 

milestones 

Success in business, whether big or small, deserves to be celebrated. We asked North Coast 

businesses to share their unique celebrations and memorable milestones with us. 

ITALTILE UMHLANGA 

To live beautifully means to live your best life. And since the day Italtile 

opened their doors for business in 1969 it has been their passion to 

deliver a unique brand of service and a luxury experience to their 

customers. They offer the very best from the world of décor innovation 

and inspiration, international trends, mindful and sustainable eco-chic 

living as well as the very best professional design advice, quality and value 

for money. It’s the Italtile Way, and nobody does it better for beautiful tiles, 

taps, sanware and bathroom furniture. Details: Italtile Umhlanga, 7 Tetford 

Crescent, Umhlanga Ridge, 031 566 5069, FB: italtilesa, IG: @italtilesa 

FIONA CRAGO REAL ESTATE 

After 13 years of excellence selling property 

on the KZN North Coast, Fiona Crago Real 

Estate are proudly announcing the launch 

of the new Fiona Crago Real Estate Rental 

Division, utilizing the trusted expertise of 

their property professionals to help you rent 

intelligently. They are also proudly celebrating 

an exceptional August in terms of sales! 

Details: 032 946 1439, www.fionacrago.co.za 

RENT A MAID UMHLANGA 

Rent A Maid Umhlanga are proudly celebrating five successful years 

this month! Their team of friendly, disciplined and dedicated ladies 

have served in over 500 homes and offices led by franchise owner 

Andi Sidwaba. Backed by 30 years’ franchise experience, the Umhlanga 

team has continued the high standard you’ve come to know and trust 

from the brand - right at your doorstep. A Level 1 BEE company, COVID 

and LRA compliant this all-female company are guaranteed to give 

you a hassle-free cleaning solution. Details: 084 471 0872, umhlanga@ 

rentamaid.co.za, www.rentamaid.co.za, FB: RENT A MAID - Umhlanga 


Meet your barista 

Text: Leah Shone | Photograph: Mary-Ann Palmer 

Hey’s Café owner Ryan Heydenrych 


Being a good coffee barista 

is about more than just 

making a good flat white 

and putting a pretty picture 

on top of a cappuccino. 

It’s about relationships 

and building a rapport 

with your customers, 

while still serving them an 

exceptional beverage! 

Over the next few months 

we are going to introduce 

you to some of our favourite 

North Coast baristas 

because, well, we like 

them! And we like coffee. 

Meet Ryan Heydenrych 

Hey’s Café 

Ask anyone who has met him and 

they will tell you that Hey’s Café 

owner Ryan Heydenrych is just simply 

a really nice guy. He’s approachable, 

friendly and always has a big smile on 

his face. He also makes a mean cup of 

coffee. 

We know this because we’ve tasted 

it (obvs), but also because Ryan 

has been awarded the Sunday 

Tribune Cafe Society award for best 

cappuccino on the North Coast! 

Originally a Joburg boy, Ryan moved 

to the North Coast 20 years ago. He 

met his now wife, Dawn, while on 

holiday in Ballito. The couple have 

three children, Anthony (12), Aaron 

(6) and Payton (3). Ryan’s parents 

were in the confectionery and baking 

business and he studied hospitality 

and catering. 

“My love for the hospitality industry 

is real. After a stint in Boca Raton 

in Florida in the USA, I returned to 

South Africa and was lucky enough to 

manage some of the top restaurants 

on the North Coast. I’ve learned so much about so many different cuisines and I 

can tell you that we have some of the top restaurants and cafés in South Africa.” 

Owning his own place was something Ryan always dreamed of. Hey’s Café was 

born in a trailer in the Salt Rock Beach car park in 2016 and the coffee shop 

has slowly evolved over the years. It now has pride of place at the entrance to 

the popular Ringside Boxing Gym in Umhlali. They also have a branch at Grace 

Church in Ballito, which is used for kid’s parties, events and church services. 

Ryan’s interest in coffee was piqued while he was working at The Yellow Café at 

the Litchi Orchard. He then moved on to assist in the start up of Wonderland 

Coffee at Linc Campus where, he says, he was surrounded by coffee lovers. 

Asked what he believes is the key to making a really good cup of coffee Ryan 

says, “to be honest, I can’t put my finger on one thing in particular. To me, a 

lot of it is about the person serving you the coffee. The barista’s attitude and 

personality is where the customer’s coffee experience starts! Once that is 

mastered, it’s definitely about the freshness and flavour of the beans ... the more 

crema, the better the flavour. Serve it with the perfect temperature milk and you 

can’t go wrong!” 

Ryan believes that South Africa is underestimated by the world in terms of coffee. 

“Our coffee industry is growing at a rapid rate and the number of roasteries and 

cafés that we have in South Africa that are right up there with the world’s best is 

amazing. I believe that it is going to continue to grow from strength to strength 

and I am proud to be doing what I love in South Africa.” 

Details: Hey’s Cafe, Ringside Boxing Gym, Old Main Road, Umhlali, www.heyscafe. 

co.za, 083 705 6439 


Classic 

chow, 

great 

coffee 

Text: Leah Shone | Photographs: Mary-Ann Palmer 


A really good cup of coffee, 

a bacon and egg roll or a 

quick breyani … Champs 

Café and Takeaway in 

Umhlali is a hidden gem 

offering unexpectedly 

tasty food and a classic, 

old school vibe. 

Sometimes, ideas born out of 

necessity and a well-spotted 

opportunity turn out to be the 

best ones. And this certainly seems 

to be the case with young Ballito 

entrepreneur Caleb Swanepoel’s 

lockdown launch, Champs Café and 

Takeaway. 

Amazingly, this isn’t Caleb’s first (or his 

only) business venture. The 23-yearold 

is also a partner in the funky new 

Dala Art Bar at Burnedale in Umhlali 

and he owns a sustainable clothing 

range called Impilo, which is based in 

the USA. 

Having worked in the hospitality 

industry on the North Coast for a few 

years, Caleb says he always dreamed 

of having his own place. “I spent two 

years playing soccer in the USA after 

school I returned to South Africa in 

2018 for family reasons. Then I worked 

in pretty much all the restaurants in 

Ballito,” he laughs. 

The veg breyani is definitely 

worth stopping in for! 

Caleb Swanepoel and Aidan 

Connell are ready and waiting with 

a smile and great cup of coffee 

Six months ago Caleb’s mother, Jennifer, opened a health café called Roots in 

Umhlali. He worked with her for a while, but still had a yearning to own his own 

place. When the landlord in the Umhlali business park where he now based 

approached him, the timing seemed to be perfect. 

“The place was not in a good condition at all, but I could see it had potential. We 

did some work, flattening the land and tidying things up and then we opened 

our doors just over a month ago.” 

The focus at Champ’s is on two main things: really good coffee and quick, tasty 

chow. Situated on Old Main Road in Umhlali (next to Coastals), their target 

market is largely maintenance and contract works and, of course, parents 

fetching and taking their kids to school. 

The menu is short and sweet and everything, from scrumptious bacon and egg, 

chicken and coleslaw and the super popular Philly cheese steak roll, to classic avo 

on toast and vegetable breyani, is made with care and served with pride. 

Caleb is particularly proud of his coffee offerings. As a qualified barista he takes 

great care in ensuring his coffee is top quality and you can get everything from 

an espresso and a flat white to a latte or an iced coffee. 

Not your ordinary business owner, Caleb enjoys finding unusual ways of doing 

things and helping others where he can. One of the coolest things about 

Champs, we think, is the service chalk board that sits alongside the busy road 

outside the café. “Every day we write down a few basic jobs that we need done 

around the shop, like sweeping or gardening, and if someone wants to earn 

themselves a bacon and egg roll or a veg breyani they can come in and do it for 

us.” 

Another cool idea is the ‘hanging coffee’ concept. “You just buy an extra coffee 

when you pay for yours and leave a ‘voucher’ for someone else who might come 

in and need one,” says Caleb. 

Whether you’re dropping the kids off at school or and need a good cup of coffee 

or are on the hunt for a quick and tasty takeaway, we highly recommend a stop 

at Champs! 

Details: Champs Cafe & Takeaway, Old Main Road, Umhlali, @champs_cafe_umhlali 


Life. Lemons. etc. 

If we’re going to be 

spending (even more) 

time in the kitchen ... it’s 

out with banana bread, 

and in with lemons. 

We’re looking for a little 

zest in our lives. 

Italian tiles lemon apron, 

R405 from rosehipdesign.co.za 

Fresh Lemon Zest hand wash and 

lotion set, R159 from Woolworths. 

Get squeezing 

Two of the easiest, zestiest lemon recipes ever for you to whip up this weekend. 

We love these ‘Lemons and Leaves’ 

botanical lemon bread towels, R249 

each, from laperle.co.za 

Let’s start with breakfast. Some lemon curd, to stir into your yoghurt. Or spread on a scone. Or eat from the jar. Simply take 

half a cup each of lemon juice and white sugar and 60g of salted butter, heat in a pot until sugar has dissolved and the 

mixture is almost boiling and set aside. Whisk three extra-large eggs really well until lovely and frothy, and then pour into the 

cooled but still warm mixture, whisking frantically. Return to the stove - keep the heat low - and keep whisking until it thickens 

(which it does all of a sudden, so don’t ignore it for a second). Leave to cool in the pot, and then store in a glass jar in the 

fridge. This recipe doubles up perfectly, so make for a friend, too. 

Moving onto cocktail hour ... Limoncello is one of our favourite summer drinks, and it’s so easy to make. Start by taking the 

peel off nine or ten large lemons with a veggie peeler, making sure you don’t get any white pith. Discard the lemon juice (you 

can keep this to use for your lemon curd). Put the lemon peel strips into a 750ml bottle of vodka, replace the lid and leave 

for at least four days at room temperature. Once it’s nice and infused, make a syrup with three cups of water and two cups of 

sugar. All you do is place the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat up over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and 

the liquid thickens slightly - about 10 minutes. Cool completely, then pour into a jug or large bottle with the vodka mixture. 

Cover it, and leave for 12 hours or overnight. Strain, discard the peels and pour into bottles and chill, preferably in the freezer, 

before serving. It will keep in the fridge for a month or so. 

Compiled by: KYM ARGO 


Text: Leah Shone | Photographs: Light + Lark Photography, light_and_lark_photography_; www.lightandlarkphotography.shootproof.com 

Garden, 

forage & feast 

It’s national gardening day on 11 October and we went in search of a 

North Coaster who is passionate about plants and growing their own 

food. We didn’t have to look far. Salt Rock’s Kerry Ebb has gardening in 

her blood and she’s sharing this love with as many people as she can. 


FARMING FAMILY 

Happiest with her hands in the dirt, 

either growing or foraging for goodies 

to bake and cook with, Kerry and her 

family live on her husband Jeremy’s 

family farm in Glendale. “We moved 

to the farm four years ago when we 

had our first daughter, Scout. I gave 

up my bakery, as I wanted to be a 

present mom and spend time fixing 

up the gardens and the farmhouse. 

Jeremy’s grandmother actually used 

to run the farm, which is a citrus 

and macadamia nut tree farm. We 

also have a section of sugar cane, 

which we lease out. Her vision was 

to preserve pockets of forested areas 

and grasslands, so we farm amongst 

that. It’s incredibly beautiful.” 

Kerry grew up on the North Coast as 

a real ‘beach girl’ and says her family 

all love nature and gardening as 

well. “We grew up spending our lives 

outdoors. We had very few toys … 

outside was our playground.” Kerry 

knew this was the type of life she 

wanted to give her children. Their 

second daughter, Lanner, is now two 

years old. 

Driven by her passion for and 

knowledge of gardening, and with her 

daughters now a little older, Kerry is 

turning her focus to the Litchi Orchard 

as it slowly continues to evolve. 

She takes care of the family’s small 

farm shop, which stocks vegetables 

erry literally oozes 

enthusiasm and excitement 

as she walks around the newly 

converted vegetable gardens 

at the Litchi Orchard in Salt 

Rock. “Gardening is just 

so good for the soul. My 

grandmother lived until the age of 95 and 

she spent every day in her garden. She never 

grew bored and there was always something 

to look forward to.” 

Owned by the Ebb family, the Litchi Orchard, 

like so many other businesses, has undergone 

some changes during lockdown and what 

was a nursery has now been converted into 

a food garden – a project Kerry says she has 

always wanted to undertake. 

Following closely in the footprints of her 

grandmother, Kerry, who is well known in the 

area for her incredible baking skills, is also a 

mom to two young daughters and an ardent 

grower. 


from the family farm and from the new gardens at the Litchi Orchard, as well as 

goods made by members of the family (like her mom’s yummy homemade rusks 

and father-in-law’s famous chilli sauce). “We don’t want to be a fully-stocked ‘deli’, 

but rather just a little farm store that has whatever is in season. I always dreamt of 

having a food garden here,” she says. 

GARDENING NATURE’S WAY 

Kerry is very excited about a new technique she’s using for the food gardens at 

the Litchi Orchard and wants to help others use it too. “It’s called ‘farming God’s 

way’ or ‘farming nature’s way’ and it’s incredibly simple and something that can 

be taught to people in rural communities as you don’t need anything other 

than what you have.” The process involves lining the beds with wood ash (from a 

wood fire), adding a layer of compost (you can make your own) and then adding 

a heavy layer of straw. It’s that simple. And it works. Kerry is currently growing a 

range of vegetables and herbs on the property using this system. “I just want to 

bring people here and show them how to do it. Many people tell me they want 

to grow veggies, but don’t know how, or can’t because of monkeys. There are so 

many vegetables that monkeys don’t eat, you shouldn’t let that stop you. They 

don’t go near the spinach, herbs, spring onions, celery, lettuce, chillis, leeks or 

sweet potatoes - and if you want to plant things like tomatoes and beans, just 

net off a small area for them. 

GROWING UP OUTSIDE 

One of the things that makes her happiest, Kerry says, is seeing children learn 

about food by growing and picking their own. “I think it’s important that children 

learn about vegetables and where they come from. They love digging up things 

like sweet potatoes and carrots … it’s like a treasure hunt! I get so excited when 

I see new developments going up that are encouraging people to have large 

plots with vegetable gardens and chickens. There is nothing more special than 

your kids going out and getting their own warm, fresh eggs for breakfast. My girls 

are with me all the time and I make sure I point out things to them wherever I 

can. We don’t run and scream if we see a spider. We stop and watch it for a while 

and learn.” 

THINGS TO COME 

As things start to change an evolve 

at The Litchi Orchard, Kerry says she 

has a number of ideas and goals 

in mind. There will be a wild flower 

garden where you can pick a bunch 

of country flowers and then, of course, 

vegetables, fresh flowers and other 

goodies available at the farm store 

(or you can pick your own from the 

gardens!). There will be plants for sale 

again as well, she says, but on a much 

smaller scale. Kerry recently started a 

whatsapp group where she notifies 

people of what is in store and also 

offers some recipes and ideas for what 

to do with different ingredients. She 

also plans to offer gardening, cooking 

and baking courses at her home on 

the farm one day soon. 

Details: The Litchi Orchard, Seaforth 

Avenue, Umhlali, or contact Kerry (via 

Whatsapp) to be added to the group: 

083 293 2396 


Promotion 

The art 

of ageing 

well! 

The perfect piece of meat is all 

about perfect timing 

Ballito 

Most things are just a little bit better when they’re slightly more mature 

… and that includes your meat. The concept of dry aging meat is not a 

new one, however Pick ‘n Pay Ballito recently attained state-of-the-art 

imported German Dry Ager cabinetry and the results are phenomenal. 

The texture of dry-aged meat is softer and more tender and the flavour 

more intense. Simply put, dry aging meat is the best way to improve 

the meat – taking it from good to exceptional. 

One of the reasons Pick ‘n Pay Ballito head butcher Wayne Davis has 

waited so long to acquire an aging cabinet, he says, is because he 

was waiting until he could get his hands on the very best-of-the-best. 

When a local South African supplier started importing the Dry Ager 

from Germany at the beginning of this year, they knew it was the right 

time. “The Dry Ager is a completely bacteria-free environment in which 

the meat can mature. While you may have bought dry aged meat in 

the past elsewhere, chances are the meat was not completely bacteriafree.” 

Even when the cabinet door is opened, Wayne says, the advanced 

technology renders it bacteria free after the door is closed again. 

Pick ‘n Pay Ballito mature their meat for up to 28 days, with an extra 7 

days per grade of meat. And they are offering a wide selection of types 

of meat and cuts, including beef, pork, game and lamb. 

“The dry aging process breaks down the collagen and muscle, making 

the meat much more tender and sweeter. Maturing it really does 

change the meat for the better,” says Wayne. 

So, what’s the best way to prepare a steak for the braai…? Well, if 

you’ve got a good quality, dry aged mature piece of meat, the best 

thing to do is simply light the fire, rub it with coarse salt and you’re 

ready to go! Make sure you add a good bottle of red to seal the deal! 


Coming 

up roses 

Fresh ideas for garden roses 

Mix roses with grasses for a natural look, one that brings movement and texture. Bushy, free flowering 

groundcover Sunsation roses, Deloitte and Touche, My Granny and Butterfly Kisses go well with compact 

ornamental grasses like Carex China Blue, Carex Amazon Mist, Carex Oshimensis, and Juncus Blue. 

Feed body and soul ... grow roses and veggies together. Plant leafy veggies as a border for roses and under 

standard roses or use tall roses as a backdrop for herb and veggie beds. They all like the same treatment - full sun, 

fertile soil, and regular watering. 

Turn your palisade fence into a feature by espaliering roses against it. Tie the stems of a climbing rose in a fan 

shape onto the palisade. The trick of tying the stems that way forces the rose to flower all along each stem. Result, 

a wall of roses. 

What’s new in roses 

Eco-chic: no need to spray for fungus disease. That is the priority for modern roses that are bred with diseaseresistance 

in their genes. Look out for the ‘ladybird’ logo that indicates the Eco-chic disease-resistant roses. 

Drought-tolerant: roses that can withstand irregular or limited watering are those with spreading bushy growth 

that shades their powerful, extensive roots. They still produce beautiful pickable blooms on shorter stems. The new 

group name for them is Stamina roses. 

Easier, quicker rose care with controlled release fertilisers and long-lasting pesticides. Controlled release Vigolonger 

fertiliser provides a continual, steady release of nutrition throughout summer. Dig it in at root level after pruning. 

Koinor is a drench that keeps roses free of sucking insects, especially thrips and aphids for up to six months. 

Woo bees with a 

pink rose bush 

Did you know that pink (as well as 

white, and yellow single and semidouble) 

roses are magnets for bees? 

With their exposed stamens and pistils, 

the pollen is always fresh, and the bees 

love it. Because roses have such a 

long flowering season, there are 

always flowers, and pollen, for the 

bees. Bonus ... they attract 

butterflies, too. Lovely! 

Gloria Mthunzi (LUDbabfil) is a 

Ludwig bred rose, that is a vigorous, 

tall and upright growing hybrid tea 

with exquisitely shaped blooms in 

a blend of orange, pink and cream 

shades. What’s to like? Well, the large 

blooms hark back to the days when 

perfect exhibition-shaped blooms 

were popular. The blooms are carried 

on long stems and last well in the 

vase, so this is a very good garden 

cut-flower variety. As for garden uses 

plant it towards the back of a rose 

border or group three or five together, 

with lower growing roses planted in 

front. The plants will also stand out as 

a feature in a mixed border. 


Promotion 

Launched in lockdown! 

Whether they’ve just kickstarted a brand-new business or evolved their existing product line … 

here are some amazing local lockdown business happenings you need to know about. 

CONNECTABLE LIFE 

When the developers of Connectable Life started 

their business at the end of August 2019 it was 

because they believed healthcare should be made 

more accessible through online consultations. 

Who knew what was about to happen just a few 

months later? The team were incredibly excited 

to go LIVE and it just so happened that they did 

so during lockdown. “We are an online platform 

that connects Mind, Body and Wellness specialists 

with clients. It is through this platform that clients 

find a specialist, book, pay and have their video 

consult - all from the comfort and safety of their 

home.” Details: www.connectablelife.com, info@ 

connectablelife.com, IG: @connectablelife 

YAHNO VIRTUAL CREATIVE COLLECTIVE 

Yahno is a local girl gang of ad agency escapees 

who hit the ground running in 2020 and are now 

a remote-working consultancy delivering client 

service, brand development, graphic and web 

design, art direction and styling. While these 

women are still in their first year of business, they 

are far from rookies. The team of five has more 

than 50 years of agency experience between 

them and have already smashed nearly 200 briefs 

for almost 60 clients in five countries. For help, a 

quote, a coffee or just a bit of goss, give them a 

shout! Details: hello@yahno.co.za, 

www.yahno.co.za, IG: yahno_collective, 

FB: yahnocreativecollective, LinkedIn: Yahno 

SOUL-HOOD 

An online central hub for bargains and specials 

www.soul-hood.com couldn’t have come at a 

better time! It’s a win-win for consumers and 

companies. Shoppers only have to make one stop 

to scope out local offers and businesses get a 

slick, good-looking and easy to use platform for 

boosting their revenue. The best part is that it’s 

completely free to post a deal or peruse the offers 

available in Durban, Johannesburg or Cape Town. 

The initiative was created by the ladies at Yahno 

Virtual Creative Collective and is about lending a 

hand to the hardworking hustlers; a digital love 

letter from one small and Proudly South African 

company to all the rest. Details: www.soul-hood.com 


Living art 

This modern Zimbali home is as 

unique and interesting as the 

couple who own it. The design 

is contemporary and exciting, 

there are showstopping art pieces 

dotted everywhere and it houses 

more than 200 exceptional 

quality koi fish. 

Text: Leah Shone | Photographs: Chris Allan Photo 


aceful, vibrant and beautiful, koi fish are believed to bring 

success and good fortune to those who own them. Collected 

by royalty and celebrities the world over, koi are much more 

than just fish . . . they are a form of living art. 

Zimbali husband and wife, Tony and Saya Pitham, are at the top 

of the international koi breeding game. Not only do they own 

the largest koi centre in Europe, Koi Water Barn, but they also 

opened the first and only koi-specialist company in the Middle East three years 

ago. 

Their newly completed Zimbali home is a testament to the colourful life they’ve 

lead, and the passion project that is also their livelihood. 

Originally from the UK, Tony comes from a long lineage of koi keepers. His 

grandfather was one of the first English importers of Japanese koi to the UK and 

when Tony’s father passed away in 1998, he took over the business. Koi dealing, it 

would seem, is what Tony was born to do. Not only was he the first non-Japanese 

Western koi dealer to win the All Japan Koi Show in 2006, but he has also been 

asked to judge the show on many occasions. 

Saya, who heads up the marketing for Koi Water Barn in the UK, Dubai and Africa, 

was born in Canada and grew up in Japan. Having worked for international 

media companies, including MTV International in London, Saya is fully bilingual 

in Japanese and English. 

The couple met in a nightclub in Tokyo 18 years ago. They now have three 

children, Aria (11), Kaya (9) and Johnny (3). 

It was while he was visiting South Africa on holiday in 2001, before he met Saya, 

that Tony decided to buy a piece of land in Zimbali, on a whim. “I fell in love with 

the area. I bought the land and then sort of forgot about it,” he laughs. 

While living in London, Saya and Tony decided it was time for a change. They 

wanted to get married and start a family and made the decision to give South 

Africa a go. 

Tony, Saya, Aria, Kaya and Johnny Pitham 

at the entrance to their Zimbali home 


Guests are greeted by a massive koi pond as they enter 

the home. There is s tunnel running underneath the 

walkway, making it look like two ponds 

The couple have lived happily in Zimbali since then. Tony has 

been successfully running his local and international koi dealing 

businesses and Saya, who is also passionate about health and fresh 

food, founded one of the first raw juice businesses on the North 

Coast, called Hip & Fresh. 

His years of experience in high-end Japanese koi breeding has also 

led to Tony becoming exceptionally skilled at understanding the 

installation and maintenance of koi ponds, which has since become 

the main focus of his Dubai-based business. 

“There is so much more to building a koi pond than people think. 

Koi are collected by hobbyists around the world, many of them 

simply for the aesthetic appeal. Koi are living art and are meant to 

be shown off in a type of ‘picture frame’,” says Saya. 

And thus, began the construction of their stunning Zimbali abode. 

“We wanted to build our house as a way of showcasing what we can 

do – in the Middle East, in Europe and right here in South Africa.” 

Built by Shane Douglas, Doug Projects, the home was designed with 

a lot of input from the Pithams, who knew exactly what they wanted 

and had some unusual requests! 

“We’ve lived in big, open plan homes and it didn’t’ work on a 

practical level for us. This time, we wanted our bedrooms, kitchen 

and entertainment areas to be completely separate from each 

other.” 

The fully smart home is big, chic and contemporary, boasting a 

stunning glass entrance hall with Italian porcelain tiles leading you 

down the staircase towards the open plan kitchen, dining and living 

area. 

Breaking away from the norm, the Pithams wanted their sleeping 

area to be slightly set away and they’ve added fun elements like a 

loft bed with electric blinds to their own main bedroom! 

The open plan dining room and kitchen. 

It is a smart house, which means the lights 

(and other electronics) are voice-activated 


The exquisite artwork in the Pitham 

home can’t go unmentioned. Avid 

collectors of South African artwork, 

they have a number of stunning 

collector’s pieces dotted around the 

home, including, amongst many 

others, two by local artist Leigh Bisset 

and a piece by Friso van der Wal at the 

entrance. 

And then, of course, there are the 

fish. The first thing to greet you as 

you arrive at the steep driveway into 

their cul-de-sac home is the massive 

koi pond (which looks like two, but 

has a tunnel running underneath the 

walkway). The pond is home to some 

of the biggest and most exquisite koi 

in the country, one of which is worth 

over R150 000. They have another 

pond, which is home to the ‘one-yearold’s’, 

according to Saya, just outside 

their back door. They have more than 

200 stunning koi on their property, 

which is available for viewing by 

appointment. 

Details: For more information about the 

koi, go to: www.koiwaterbarnafrica.com, 

info@koiwaterbarnafrica.com or call 076 

544 4148. Doug Projects, Shane Douglas: 

082 268 9722. 

The couple have side-by-side 

desks in their home office and 

there are two beautiful koi 

pictures above Tony’s desk 

We have great ideas and give practical advice 

so would love to guide you through your new 

bathroom renovation. 

We focus on creating a good relationship with 

our clients making sure they are happy and well 

informed throughout the whole process. 

Owen is able to visualise a sight line and instantly 

knows how to open up a space and let the light 

in - so he takes care of the spatial details. While 

Sally whos forte is finishes, materials and décor is 

all about the design and decorating! 

From Concept to Completion! 

Sally 082 891 5248 

Owen 082 900 9342 




Kids 

This month we are learning how to teach 

our kids at home, celebrating young school 

stars who have made a difference in the lives 

of others and getting some tips on how to 

decorate our baby’s nursery . . . 


Play with meaning 

In a time when parents are faced with a barrage of information and advice on how to 

teach their kids at home, it can be hard to decipher right from wrong. One of the easiest 

and most effective ways to teach kids is through play. Ballito occupational therapist 

Rachel Carey offers some advice on how to make meaningful the time you spend 

playing with your child. 

Text: Leah Shone | Photographs: SAMANATHA MABER 

A qualified occupational therapist 

and mother of two small boys, 

Rachel strongly believes that a child’s 

learning should be playful and fun. 

“I read a statistic the other day, which 

says it takes approximately 400 

repetitions of an activity to create a 

new synapse in the brain, unless it is 

done in play, in which case it takes 

between 10 and 20 repetitions,” says 

Rachel who lives in Ballito with her 

husband Andrew and two sons, Joey 

and Benji, aged 5 and 3. 

At the beginning of lockdown, Rachel 

says she realised how much help and 

support parents needed in terms of 

development for their kids, so she 

started an Instagram account to 

share some ideas. “I use the account 

to give daily developmental play 

ideas. The platform also allows me to 

share my passion for early childhood 

development and what is happening 

in the child’s brain at this key time.” 

We asked Rachel about the 

importance of occupational 

therapy in the current pandemic 

circumstances. “Imagine development 

as a wall made up of bricks, with each 

developmental skill represented 

by one of those bricks. At the top, 

resting on the wall, are the child’s 

functional skills like reading, writing, 

maths, spelling etc. The more bricks 

you have in this wall, the sturdier 

it will be. Remove one brick and it 

gets a little shaky. Remove another 

and another and another and soon 

you have a very wobbly wall onto 

which few functional skills can rest. 

Unfortunately, in our modern society, 

our children don’t have as much 


exposure to all the experiential learning that they once did. A huge emphasis is 

placed on cognitive learning without them always having the basis of sensory 

learning needed for a strong learning base. This coupled with other things like 

screen time, childhood seats and walkers, anxious parents, children who are 

anxious themselves, and sometimes a familial and genetic predisposition all 

contribute to removing blocks from that wall. In our current time of pandemic, 

children’s play opportunities, engagement and anxiety levels are all further 

affected making it a particularly at risk time for them developmentally in 

some ways. Occupational therapy is a play-based way to strengthen this 

developmental wall so that children can reach their potential with their 

functional skills resting on the wall.” 

Rachel’s tips for making play meaningful: 

• Let your child lead you: Often, we plan what we think is a fun activity for our 

children and they are interested in it for about five minutes after which they 

move onto something else, abandoning our carefully planned activity. Children 

will seek out learning and sensory experiences where they most need it. Letting 

them choose their own play and then guiding them and facilitating them to 

extend this play, is going to make it most meaningful. If you let your child choose 

the play they are interested in and that meets their sensory needs, and then 

build on this play to extend their learning, you create meaningful play for the 

child. 

• Lose the instruction: Once you have your child playing in an activity of their 

choice, don’t try to ‘teach’ them. Connection is key and connecting with you in 

play is what is going to make that learning spontaneous. Inserting a silly little 

song or rhyme or posing questions to them and helping guide them to the 

answer are strategies that keep that connection key. 

• Don’t get caught up in the end product: For children, it is the process that is 

important. It is good to have your eye on the goal but don’t let this rob the 

activity of fun and spontaneity. Your child will gain far more from making the 

lopsided, finger squished biscuits that they have enjoyed and had fun making 

and experienced a whole heap of tactile sensory feedback while doing, than 

they will from watching you make perfect biscuits. 

Rachel’s top 3 play tricks: 

1. Have a dress-up box – it doesn’t 

need to be fancy or elaborate but 

pop a few different items in there 

to promote imaginary play. We 

have a very haphazard dress-up box 

with toilet-roll binoculars, paper 

masks, puppets, old sports medals, 

a toy fishing rod, a snorkel set and 

some odd clothing items in it. It is 

amazing what the boys come up 

with and how they turn these items 

into their pretend and fantasy play. 

Imagination is almost always for us 

the key that turns the lock to the 

world of child-led play. 

2. Have a few tools in your play tool 

kit to help you. I am never without 

tape and a variety of different ropes 

– and I probably hold the record 

for having the most children’s 

scissors in one place outside of a 

school or shop! I also keep boxes 

and packaging to make all sorts of 

props. You know your children and 

the things that they like. These are 

the items which work well in our 

house and I know that whatever the 

game, I can extend it using one or 

some of these. 

3. Don’t always feel that you need 

to entertain your children. Let them 

come up with the ideas sometimes. 

We have the most amazing basket 

of items for making things (it’s 

pretty much my recycling bin) 

and we call it our creation station. 

Sometimes I suggest we make 

something for a particular game 

that we are playing but sometimes I 

just empty it out onto the floor with 

some scissors, tape, glue sticks and 

stickers and let the kids come up 

with whatever they want to make 

themselves. I’m there to help if they 

need me but it is entirely their ideas 

and motivation. 

Details: Rachel Carey: rachiecarey@ 

gmail.com, IG: @rachie_ot_mom, 076 

624 8164 


Young 

bright stars 

This has been an unusual year in all respects, especially when it comes to our kids. 

Despite the many challenges though, there have been some students who have 

managed to go out of their way to make a difference to the lives of others. 

Meet three of the North Coast’s brightest young stars... 

Text: Leah Shone 

Rouxle Johnstone 

Grade 10, Ashton International 

College Ballito 

Born in Newcastle, Ashton’s Rouxle 

is not only a talented sportswoman, 

having competed in a number of 

sports provincially and overseas, but 

she also has an incredibly giving 

heart. She and her younger brother 

Duncan, who is in Grade 7, started 

Ashton Families Who Care (AFWC) 

at the beginning of lockdown level 

5, with the initial goal of putting 

together care parcels (containing 

basic food and hygiene products) 

to feed families of four for a month. 

“We wanted to put ourselves in the 

shoes of the less fortunate. The basic 

necessities and hygiene products 

were in major demand so we thought, 

why not be able to say ‘how can we 

help you?’. We got our parents and 

cousins involved and met with Ashton 

heads on 7 April. Three days later the 

first truck of food arrived at the Grace 

Hall. My Dad started a further project 

called “God’s 7 day plan” where we 

had to raise money to pack 7000 more 

packs of each item. With God’s grace 

we achieved this in six days.” Rouxle 

says reaching their first milestone 

of R1.9 million and being able to 

distribute 2500 packs was something 

she will never forget. “To date we have 

raised enough money to have been 

able to pack about 14 400 packs of 

food.” 

Rouxle’s father sadly passed away 

quite recently and although she is still struggling to get through this time, she is 

more determined than ever to keep sending out food packages. “I was told by a 

wise man that before I do anything I should always think to myself ‘what would 

my dad do?’. This gave my aunt Sarah and I the inspiration to start a Back A Buddy 

page and reach my dad’s goal of still being able to pack 1000 bags of food a 

month until February 2021.” 

Although she is a passionate and dedicated sportswoman, Rouxle says she 

realises it’s not realistic to think she can do this and earn a living one day. “I would 

like to study medicine in South Africa and then move to the UK and specialise 

in clinical psychiatry. As much as I love helping people physically, I believe your 

mental health is just as important.” 

(Anyone interested in helping Rouxle reach her and her dad’s goal can make a 

donation https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/rouxle-johnstone or 

give of their time to help pack food). 


Ethan Botha 

Grade 11, Curro Mount Richmore 

Recently bestowed the ‘man of excellence’ award by his teachers, Ethan is 

originally from Empangeni but now lives in Ballito. He is one of four children. 

After spending two years as a boarder at Kearsney College he transferred to 

Curro Mount Richmore where he is now a Grade 11 pupil. 

According to his teachers, Ethan has exhibited exemplary manners and 

behaviour and shown great leadership qualities as the captain of the 1st rugby 

team. 

In a recent act of kindness, Ethan took off his clothes and loaned them to 

another pupil so that he wouldn’t miss out on an important event. “My brother 

Elijah was having his blazer ceremony (a formal assembly where the school 

welcomes the Grade 8 learners to the high school) and I heard there was a little 

guy crying in the bathroom having realised he had forgotten his uniform at 

home. I told him to call the boy and 

tell him I would loan him mine and 

sit in the car in my underwear until 

the ceremony was finished. I have 

never felt more fulfilled in my life than 

I did that day. His smile was definitely 

worth the few hours I spent in my 

underwear in the car.” Ethan also 

recently discovered that one of his 

teacher’s husbands was very ill and he 

decided to set up a prayer meeting 

after school one Friday. 

About his school Ethan says, “Curro 

Mount Richmore is a school like 

none other. The acceptance and 

approachability of the teachers and 

students are unlike any school I have 

ever seen. The school is more like a 

home with every staff member being 

a father or mother figure always 

willing to help and every student like 

a brother or sister. We may be a small 

school but we have the most amazing 

sport coaches. Sport to me is a way 

to live out who I am. I am an extrovert 

and love having people around me. 

Curro Mount Richmore has allowed 

me to be who I am on the sports 

field.” Ethan hopes to pursue rugby 

professionally overseas and study 

Biokinetics after school. “It is a career 

where I can help people and I am very 

passionate about helping people.” 

Errin Mackridge 

Grade 7, Umhlali Preparatory School 

Young Errin is a mountain biking rock star. Not only did she win the Spur 

School Mountain Biking Series for her age category last year, but she 

also placed fourth in the SA Champs and is currently coaching younger 

students and encouraging small kids to take up the sport she loves. Errin is 

in Grade 7 at Umhlali Prep and has two siblings, an older sister, Marryn (15) 

and a younger brother, Cameron (10). She is starting high school at Reddam 

House Ballito next year. When the opportunity presented itself for Errin to 

use her love and skill for cycling to help raise money for the less fortunate 

she went for it! As member of the Sugar Rats Cycling Academy racing team 

and the DriveTrain Academy, as well as co-captain of the Umhlali Prep 

mountain biking team, Errin took up a challenge to ride 153km on a static 

bike to raise funds and awareness for local charity organisation, Vision 153, 

which feeds more than 1500 people on the North Coast every month. “The 

Vision 153 Pedal For the People fundraiser was a great opportunity for me 

to help our local community while doing something I love. Although it 

was really hard, the incredible support from everyone and seeing so many 

people donate blankets and food etc made it much easier.” 

It took Errin four hours and 23 minutes to complete the full 153km and 

she was the only the only young person who participated in the challenge 

along with Sugar Rats founders and coaches Gill Von Buddenbrock and 

Scott Pearmain. Errin hopes to pursue her cycling career when she is 

finishes school and dreams of becoming a professional mountain biker and 

to compete in the XCO Mountain Bike World Champ one day. She would 

also like to study marine biology or dermatology. 


Promotion 

Reddam House Umhlanga 

When Reddam House Umhlanga College head Adam Rogers talks about his school, its teachers, 

and the pupils, he does so with an incredible sense of pride and passion. It is, he says, the most 

affirming, inclusive, accepting, and happy school he has ever been a part of. 

ith an extensive 

background in 

teaching at some of 

the top schools in the 

country, father of two, 

Adam Rogers believes wholeheartedly 

in the ethos implemented by Reddam 

House schools: education should be 

enjoyed and not endured. 

“This truly is the most positive, warm 

and nurturing learning environment, 

and it’s all down to the relationships 

between the pupils and the teachers.” 

Originally from the South Coast of KZN, 

Adam matriculated from Maritzburg 

College having spent five years there 

as a boarder. After completing a BA in 

English and History at the University of 

KZN in Pietermartizburg, Adam went 

to Rhodes University and completed a 

Higher Diploma in Education. His first 

teaching job was at an all-girls’ school 

in the Eastern Cape. After that Adam 

taught at Maritzburg College where 

he was a housemaster and the school’s 

Director of Marketing. 

It was during a short stint overseas 

that he met his now wife, Sharon. They 

returned to South Africa and, after a 

6-month locum at St John’s DSG, Adam 

was offered a position at Kearsney 

College, where he spent the next 15 years that culminated in his position of Head of 

Academics. 

“I loved my time there. Our children, Noah (15) and Hannah (13), were born there. It 

was a wonderful time in our lives.” 

In 2017 Adam took over the headship of the new Reddam House Umhlanga College. 

“I needed a new challenge and it was very exciting starting a new school in a brandnew 

building.” 

But the true value, he says, is not in the modern buildings and top-class facilities. 

The magic lies in the relationships and the people. “This is an incredibly caring 

environment where children are encouraged and nurtured.” 

The school has been positioned to answer the needs of the market. “We are a nontraditional 

school with traditional values. There is no student hierarchy (no prefects), 

but rather a leadership model that involves all Grade 12’s leading the school.” 

The school maintains a number of traditional values however, such as pupils 

being required to take pride in their appearance and wear their uniform smartly. 

Presentation, manners, and behaviour are all very important. “We believe in holistic 

education. The lessons learnt outside the classroom are just as important as the ones 

learnt inside. Our pupils must participate in extra murals, sport or cultural, and 

support and contribute to the school.” 

The school has seen tremendous growth over the past three years and will 

have over 400 pupils in 2021. “I have found it incredibly exciting to be 

part of establishing a progressive school that embraces innovation 

and change without any ‘old-school’ thinking holding us back. The 

diversity and inclusivity is something we are very proud of. It’s 

okay to be who you are here and, if you are prepared to give 

of yourself, then yourself is enough.” 

Details: Reddam House Umhlanga College, 21 

Preston Drive, Prestondale, http://umhlanga. 

reddamhouse.com, (0)31 566 5736 

info.umhlanga@reddam.house 


Promotion 

Family getaways 

We all need to get away and enjoy a break from the norm – especially right now! 

Whether you’re looking to escape to the bush or meander the Midlands, here are a 

few awesome, very family-friendly destinations to consider … 

RHINO RIVER LODGE 

Situated in the Manyoni Private Game Reserve, Rhino River 

Lodge is a family-friendly safari property offering a variety 

of luxury accommodation options. Two daily guided 

game drives afford guests the opportunity to experience 

world-class wildlife viewing, with scenic coffee stops and 

sundowners included. Enjoy hearty South African cuisine 

highlighting local ingredients, served under the stars 

around a camp fire. Details: www.rhinoriverlodge.co.za, 083 

781 4924, info@rhinoriverlodge.co.za 

NDAKA SAFARI LODGE 

Your little ones deserve a big treat for making it through 

lockdown! Celebrate space and ignite their love for the great 

African bush by taking them on their first safari at Ndaka. 

With family-friendly game drives and enthusiastic guides 

who love children, this is the perfect escape for the whole 

family. Their Covid protocols are in place for everyone’s 

safety and their ‘Unlocked’ special offer means you can make 

special memories and save on your next safari. Details: stay@ 

ndaka.co.za, www.ndaka.co.za, 036 940 0087 

HLUHLUWE BUSH CAMP 

If you love the idea of camping, but not the actual ‘sleeping 

on the floor in a tent’ part, then perhaps glamping is more 

your style! Hluhluwe Bush Camp should definitely be your 

glamping destination of choice. A privately owned farm, 

the camp has five luxurious self-catering glamping tents, 

two adventure tents and 4x4 camping facilities. It overlooks 

False Bay and is only a 25-minute drive from the Hluhluwe/ 

Imfolozi Park. Details: www.hluhluwebushcamp.com, trienke@ 

hluhluwebushcamp.com, 078 396 931, 079 107 5273 


Greening 

& growing 

With close to 900 pupils on the register, the staff at Sizani School in Salt Rock have 

their hands full, juggling finances and making sure everyone gets a meal every 

day. Former Springbok rugby player Tendai Mtawarira, his wife Kuziva and a few 

sponsors are doing their best to ‘green things up’ and help out at the school. 


It was while she was driving her own children to school that Kuziva saw the 

hundreds of children walking to Sizani School in Salt Rock and decided to 

stop and pay them a visit. As a result, she and Tendai and the Mtawarira’s new 

endeavour, The Beast Foundation, have formed a relationship with the school, 

working hard towards getting them the help they need. 

Former Springbok Tendai 

Mtawarira, his wife Kuziva and 

Sizani principal Ntombenhle July 

GREENING UP THE SCHOOL 

Following the outbreak of Covid-19, Kuziva (who has a background in 

psychology) says people are worried about two main things: getting food on the 

table and staying healthy. Both she and Tendai share a passion for empowering 

children and when Tendai’s sponsor, Husqvarna South Africa had the idea for a 

social development project and the school’s needs were identified, the decision 

was made. Along with other sponsors, The Digital Media Collective, Starke Ayres 

and Future Life Smart Nutrition, Husqvarna came up with the idea to ‘green’ the 

school’s outdoor spaces and build a sustainable vegetable garden. 

The school has a feeding scheme, which sees every child getting a hot meal at 

least once day, and the vegetables grown on the land will go a long way to help. 

The almost R120 000 sponsorship included equipment, training time, a generator 

and other essentials. Starke Ayres donated the vegetable garden starter kits. The 

children have also received meals and masks. 

HELP STILL NEEDED 

Sizani School principal Ntombenhle July, who has been with the school for more 

than 30 years, says they are incredibly grateful for the support they have received 

from the Mtawarira’s and the North Coast community as a whole. But there is a 

long way to go still. Water, she says, is still a massive hurdle for them. “We really 

struggle to cover the cost of water, especially these days with the children 

washing their hands more than ever. What we really need is a borehole. If any 

person or business is able to help us out with this we would be so grateful.” 

Details: To assist with helping the school 

get water, contact The Beast Foundation: 

www.beastfoundation.org 


Promotion 

Meet your 

teacher 

Teaching, they say, is much 

more than just a profession. 

It is a calling. This month as 

we celebrate world teacher 

day, we’d like to introduce 

to you to a few remarkable, 

passionate and hard-working 

North Coast educators. 

Ingrid Hoffman - Curro Mount Richmore 

Ingrid Hoffman, a teacher at Curro Mount Richmore, has 

been appointed as the Curro Curriculum Management and 

Delivery (CCMD) Mathematics subject specialist nationally 

within Curro. Mrs Hoffman also heads up the Robotics 

Programme with the title of International WRO Judge and 

KZN regional organiser. The combination of the subjects 

she champions further assists children to reach their 

maximum potential in these areas. “The opportunity for 

one of our own to be a subject specialist is an indication of 

the strength of our educators at Curro Mount Richmore and 

we are so proud of Mrs Hoffman, she is an inspiration,” says 

Mr Thomas, Executive Head. Details: Curro Mount Richmore, 

087 285 1671, info.mtrichmore@curroholdings.co.za 


Dale Charter, Durban Girls’ College 

After working as an Environmental Consultant for seven years, 

Dale joined Durban Girls’ College as an intern while completing 

her PGCE in 2013. She has been a Senior Primary teacher for 

seven years, and is currently a Grade 5 class teacher. She teaches 

Maths, English, Natural Sciences and Social Science. Dale says 

she uses her own life experiences to lead her students. “19 ago, 

I developed Type 1 Diabetes while studying at university. Over 

the past few years, I have had the unique privilege of being 

able to learn from, guide and inspire young girls with the same 

condition. I live every day reminding myself that, ‘you may not 

be able to control every situation and its outcome, but you can 

control your attitude and how you deal with it’”. 

Jane Ryan, The Wykeham Collegiate 

The Wykeham Collegiate Grade 4 teacher and IT Innovator, Jane 

Ryan has been a teacher for 22 years. She is passionate about 

her profession and the use of technology as means to work 

with a wider community and help others do the same. Jane 

was chosen as one of Apple’s Distinguished Educators (one of 

three chosen in the country) in 2019. The programme focuses 

on educational excellence and leadership and includes working 

with fellow educators and Apple to bring the most innovative 

ideas to learners everywhere. She is also involved in the Microsoft 

Innovative Educator Expert Programme for 2020/21 - a group of 

passionate educators who are constantly learning and working 

together to change lives and build a better world. The Wykeham 

Collegiate, Pietermaritzburg, www.twc.org.za, 033 342 0752. 

Cindy Whittle, Durban Girls’ College 

Grade 11 Teacher Cindy Whittle is passionate about teaching – a 

passion that was inspired by her grandmother. “I adored her and 

she adored being a teacher. My passion for Life Sciences was easily 

married with my passion for God, and I loved seeing His fingerprints 

on the world around me.” A Biology and Life Sciences teacher, Cindy 

says she loves the subjects she teaches. “My students don’t’ only 

learn about ecology, but about the impact their choices can have on 

the environment, not only about pregnancy and childbirth but about 

DNA structure and how unique they are.” Cindy has an Honours in 

Medical Biochemistry and hopes to complete her Masters. A motto 

she lives by is by Brené Brown: “What we know matters, but who we 

are matters more”. 

Thandi Zondo, Durban Girls’ College 

Thandi has been a teacher for 28 years and has spent 

17 of those years at Durban Girls’ College in the Junior 

Primary as a Grade 1, 2, 3 and isiZulu teacher to the 

whole phase. She became a Junior Primary Information 

Technology, Grade 3 Maths and isiZulu teacher in 2018. 

She also introduced marimbas (a percussion music 

instrument) to the school in 2006 and is says she still 

enjoys teaching them. “My all-time favourite quote is, ‘Do 

the best you can and when you know better, do better’ 

by Maya Angelou. I am a firm believer in the words of an 

isiZulu spiritual song that says, ‘singing gladdens a sad 

heart, so I sing and dance to uplift my spirit’.” 


Project nursery 

Designing a nursery for your baby can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can 

also seem a little daunting ... especially if you don’t know where to begin. We found a 

ton of inspiration in this gorgeous nursery decorated for influencers Kwanele Kubheka 

and Thabo Cele by Ballito’s Mags of Margaret Rose Interiors. 

Text: Bronwyn forbes-hardinge | Professional Photos by Jason Daniele’s @diaryofjason 

The nuts and bolts… 

“We contacted Mags in the midst of 

lockdown with nothing but an idea 

in our heads of what we wanted, but 

we didn’t know if it would be possible. 

We didn’t really know of many interior 

designers within our suburb, but we 

know Mags and had followed her 

journey with Margaret Rose Interiors 

on social media. We felt we could trust 

her with our home. As a rule we like 

to support friends in business, so it 

was the best decision we could have 

made,” says Thabo. 

Having left East Coast Radio and 

walked straight into lockdown with 

her own brand new interior design 

company, Mags says she was thrilled 

to work with the glamorous couple. 

“Thabo had asked me to keep a secret 

The family are excitedly 

awaiting their new little arrival 


you can change it to be a little less 

dramatic. Enjoy some wow in this 

room! 

Plush rugs used to be considered a 

bit of a ‘tripping hazard’ and a no-no, 

but if you’re after the gorgeous, soft 

feel underfoot, you simply have to 

consider and reposition your rug in a 

way that tripping isn’t possible! 

Watch out for annual style and colour 

trends and use them in your baby’s 

room. Don’t fall into the ‘safe zone’ 

with perfectly pink and boring blue. 

Step out, have fun. It’s a short period 

of time where you can quite literally 

let go in a situation where you are 

completely strapped down! 

and please help him organise their baby’s nursery. It was an honour even to have 

the conversation, especially considering the fact that the whole country had 

been locked down and times were tough for everyone financially. To be trusted 

with their design dream and, more importantly, the sensitivity to budget, was an 

amazing honour. It was a project I leapt into without hesitation.” 

Kwanele sent Mags a picture of what she had in mind and then, quite literally, 

let her run with the design input and installation. “It took me right back to 

when I was about to have my baby and it became a love project for me. I was 

meticulous in choosing items that were highly ‘mom and baby sensitive’, from 

lighting to tented nets, soft plush feels underfoot and breathable items to 

ensure baby’s safety … all while adding a little sparkle to allow mommy some 

glamour during the early hours of the morning. As part of the brief, the clients 

requested the nursery be set up in their main bedroom. This came with its own 

set of challenges, as there were many things to consider. But working with a 

‘power couple’ who trust you and allow you design freedom makes the process a 

breeze!” 

Details: Follow @fafa_kubheka and 

@touch_Hefner or contact Mags: @ 

margaretroseinteriors, www.margaretrose.co.za, 

e-mail design@margaretrose.co.za 

or call 064 550 7626. 

We asked Mags to share some baby nursery do’s and don’t’s … 

Lighting: This is simple, but it’s a winner - make sure your lamps have a foot 

switch! They are easy to use when you have baby in your arms and you have just 

settled baby in the middle of the night. Consider changing your down lighters to 

dimmer switches. 

Don’t clutter: Keep the room simple and functional. It helps limit your stress - 

you have enough to deal with, so don’t add clutter and make your new role as a 

parent more difficult. 

Measure, measure, measure: Don’t order items without measuring or you’ll end 

up jamming them into spaces that simply don’t work. Taking time to quickly 

pencil draw the room with measurements will put you in the winning seat when 

laying out your baby’s room. 

Hygiene is number one: No matter how cute or how sweet the project is, 

hygiene protocol comes first. COVID affects interior designers, and with this type 

of project it is paramount that the strictest protocol is followed. 

Trends for your baby’s space and arrival: No longer are baby’s rooms a complete 

design segment removed from the rest of the house. It is now completely 

acceptable to bring colour and accents into baby’s room with a giant ‘on trend’ 

feature wall. Don’t be scared - it’s just wallpaper or paint! Once baby is older, 

Mags from 

Margaret Rose 

Interiors 


Durban Girls' College 

Inspiring Young Women 

We inspire our young women to realise their potential by building on tradition, innovation, diversity and 

excellence, all with the aim of enriching our world. 

Founded in 1877, Durban Girls’ College is a Christian independent school from Grade 00 

to Grade 12, with weekly boarding from Grade 7. 

APPLICATIONS FOR 2022 ARE NOW OPEN: 

admissions@dgc.co.za 

BOOK A VIRTUAL MEETING OR A TOUR: 

marketing@dgc.co.za 

Contact us now to secure your daughter's future www.dgc.co.za. 

INTEGRITY | EMPATHY | COURAGE | CONFIDENCE | COMMITMENT

GET IT DIRECTORY 

Impala ridge farm brings you the finest foods locally sourced from our 

farmers in Kzn. We also stock the best sushi in town. 

Next day delivery - you can’t get better than that. 

Local is lekker 

www.impalaridgefarm.co.za | 082 604 0040 

Sales@impalaridgefarm.co.za 

Somerset Lodge Care Centre 

Sept-Dr Rasool.indd 1 

2020/08/20 09:38:28 AM 

Home based care now offered to residents of Somerset Valley Estate 

• Assisted Living for adults of all ages 

• Care of the Aged and the Infirm 

• Frail Care 

• Alzheimer and Dementia Care 

• Palliative Care 

• Step down/post Hospitalisation Care 

• 24-hour Nursing 

• COVID-19 Screening in place 

Call us for tariffs and information 

031 940 1601 


Leadwood Villa, 

for a family safari 

Luxe 

safari 

A once-in-a-lifetime 

offer at what is arguably 

the finest safari lodge 

in the country. 

Thornybush’s Saseka 

Tented Camp is, quite 

simply, beyond perfect! 

The romance of a safari 

... mosquito-netted beds 

and oversized baths 


Let’s be honest. It’s been a long, hard slog this year. Lockdown. Curfews. 

Restrictions. But now travel’s open. We can cross borders and head off to 

hotels and guest houses and lodges. And we can have a glass of wine 

when we get there. Life is good. And particularly good, we have to tell 

you, if the escape you’ve planned is to Saseka Tented Camp. 

The jewel in the crown of the Thornybush collection of lodges, 

an escape here is a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Not only because it’s 

sensationally beautiful, but also because of the special end-of-lockdown 

rates ... it’s one of the few times - heck, perhaps the only time - this lodge 

will be South African friendly, cost wise. 

So what’s so special? Designed by architects and designers Silvio Rech 

and Lesley Carstens, the lodge cleverly and seamlessly combines classical 

style with cutting-edge design, and takes attention to detail to a whole 

new level. From the roof over the massive, tiered deck which mimics 

the dappled light of a tree canopy to the botanical prints on the tents’ 

ceilings, which, besides being aesthetically pleasing, also educate since 

they include the Latin names. 

The colours used throughout the lodge delight and surprise ... although 

they shouldn’t, since they reflect the hues of the surrounding bush. 

Think ivory for the environmentally-friendly flooring that mimics the 

colour of the sand in the river below, dark olive, sage and apple from the 

Jackalberry, Apple Leaf and Leadwood trees, and occasionally touches of 

pink, picked up from the flowers in the area. 

The main area, with a sexy little bar and wide open deck, overlooks the 

dry, seasonal Monwana riverbed, and has comfy intimate areas for sitting 

and doing as little as possible, and dining tables set along the edge so 

you don’t miss the ellies stroll past while you’re lingering over breakfast. 

Glamping is taken to luxe new heights in the tents ... it’s all eye-catching 

black mosquito nets, draped floor to ceiling windows, bespoke furniture, 

a romantic bath and adventurous outdoor rainfall shower, and each 

with a private deck and plunge pool. It would be unusual for you not to 

sometime during the night hear the low grunts and moans of a lion or 

the whooping call of a hyena. 

For groups of up to six, there’s an uber luxury, private villa, with its own 

central lounge, dining area, pool and an outdoor area from which you’ll 

find it difficult to tear yourselves away. Villa guests also get their own 

private game vehicle and chef, and children are welcome. Massive spoil! 

Meals, too, are created to surprise ... so dinner may be around a fire in the 

river bed with traditional - albeit really glammed up - lodge options, or 

up on the deck with true gourmet options. It’s all great platters of tapas 

or grilled calamari or tempura prawns or lamb loin, it’s mango salsa, and 

ashed brinjal, and smoked raisin puree. Sounds pretentious ... it’s not. 

Obviously, game drives are the highlight of any trip to the bush ... 

and with exceptional trackers and guides and an animal-attracting 

combination of terrain, rivers and vegetation, sightings are frequent, 

close up and exciting. Although nothing’s guaranteed, this area is known 

for it’s leopard ... spotting a massive male leopard on the hunt (we did), a 

female with her kill up a tree (we did) and a mum with her babe basking 

and playing in the sun (we did) made for an unforgettable trip. 

Okay ... let’s chat about the once-in-a-lifetime offer. A stay at Saseka 

usually costs R15805 a person a night, but the post lock-down special 

(for South African residents only), is R4999 a person a night, with a 

minimum two night stay. This includes accommodation, all meals 

(breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner), hot beverages, early morning and 

late afternoon game drives, and local sundowner drinks. Extras include 

optional guided walks, and laundry, and the lodge does (unfortunately) 

have Wifi. These rates exclude peak season (December 16, 2020 to 

January 5, 2021). Details: www.thornybush.com 

Extraordinary attention 

to detail throughout 

Well styled G&T 

before the game drive 

OMG puds! 


First impressions count. And a collection of blue and white Delft-inspired vases 

and pots on an entrance table make a stylish, classic statement. The idea is to 

have a collection of different sizes and shapes (matchy-matchy doesn’t work 

here), displayed together. We’ve searched, and found the best selection of 

different vases at Biggie Best (we should have known!). Tall and shapely urns, 

round little ginger jars, flat plates for your keys and loads that would be perfect 

for pot plants ... simply stunning. More good news ... Biggie Best is 

now stocked in selected Volpes stores ... so double shopping 

fun. Details: volpes.co.za/biggie-best. We’ve got a set of these to 

give away to one lucky (and stylish) Get It reader ... simply visit 

GetItMagNC on Facebook, find our Biggie Best (ever) competition 

post and follow the rules. 

Entries close October 25. 

Spoil 

October 

A collection of vases 

from Biggie Best

Oct 2020 - Ballito Umhl

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?