Opportunity for filmmakers to Develop Skills as Film Impact Screening Facilitators

Leading South African media organisation Sunshine Cinema, known for its robust approach to taking meaningful cinema to communities to support activism and impact change, together with UCT’s Centre for Film and Media Studies will once again offer an online professional development course on Film Impact Screening Facilitation from June 2023.

The course is aimed at communicators, creatives, aspiring impact producers, and purpose-driven “Gen Z’s” eager to ignite change through the screening of mostly documentary, but also fiction feature films to targeted and relevant audiences.

An example of an impact event. Well-known South African Storyteller Dr. Gcina Mhlophe gives a key note address at a Sunshine Cinema screening of the documentary “From Durban till Tomorrow” about the history of AIDS Activism, held at the KZN Art Gallery in September 2019. Photo by Rowan Pybus

“This is the second year this course has been offered in response to a growing demand by audiences and filmmakers to provide content that can impact myriad current crises and challenges the world is facing”, explains Sydelle Willow Smith, Sunshine Cinema co-founder, and course lecturer. “With this demand for content comes a call from audiences to be able to unpack, engage and work with this film content to benefit their spheres of influence and interest. The course provides tangible and workable methodologies for people to develop skills as facilitators to work with film screenings that can help guide audiences and impact this change or stimulate meaningful activism.”

 Sunshine Cinema is best placed to offer practical insights for “impact facilitators” as they have taken films to communities in Southern Africa for years, supporting producers, organisations, and creatives who have the content but lack experience in making an impact with audiences.

 “There is no doubt about it: issue-driven documentaries have increased in popularity, and filmmakers know what impact they would like to achieve by making their films, but often don’t know how to build strategies to mobilise these stories to effect change. ,” explains Miki Redelinghuys, well-known impact producer and the course co-writer and lecturer. “This is where an impact facilitator steps in to support the film in reaching the right audience and inspiring them to take action.

 The 2023 course runs from 1 June to 8 December 2023 and will cover six modules, each geared towards giving students the knowledge and confidence needed to work as a film impact screening facilitator. According to course convenor Dr Liani Maasdorp, “thanks to the combination of carefully curated inputs and written and practical assignments, students leave the course knowing how to organise, market and host a screening and facilitate a meaningful conversation with the audience about the issue shown in the film. This important work aims to positively influence people’s perceptions and behaviour around issues including human rights, social justice, and the climate crisis.”

 The six-month, 100% online, professional development course comprises weekly self-paced lessons on the UCT online learning platform, most of which culminate in a virtual class that “allows students to engage with influential movement builders, impact producers, and filmmakers from South Africa, Africa and beyond”.

 Guest lecturers include well-known creatives, activists, and impact producers including globally renowned and award-winning story-teller Gcina Mhlophe (SA), film director and activist Zackie Achmat (SA), impact campaign specialist Rowan Pybus (SA), producer and cultural activist Sir Vince Manzini (SA), UCT senior lecturer, impact producer and activist Dr Liani Maasdorp (SA), writer, producer, impact producer Anita Khanna (SA), filmmaker, writer, and producer Judy Kibinge (Kenya), filmmaker, community leader, and founder of Sierra Leone’s first media-makers union Arthur Pratt, and Indian filmmaker Kushboo Ranka.

 At the end of the course, participants will have a series of processes, methodologies, creative ideas and examples, a practical toolkit from which to work, as well as ongoing support as alumni from the course convenors, and peers.

 The course is open globally to anyone interested in using film to affect change, and several bursaries are available to participants who merit the opportunity.

 The closing date for applications is 31 March 2023.

 For more information or to enroll visit https://sunshinecinema.org/2023-uct-impact-course-application/

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Call for Submissions: Realness/Netflix Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship 2023 Inbox

 Realness Institute in partnership with Netflix, the world’s leading entertainment streaming service, has opened the calls for submissions to its 2023 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) programmes which will take place from 30 April to 30 July 2023.

The Lab and Traineeship aim to support screenwriters and mid-career industry professionals from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya who are seeking opportunities to develop their original story ideas in any genre and are looking to enhance their skills as story consultants respectively.

Bringing together a wealth of creative talent from Africa in these programmes, Realness Institute offers the Episodic Lab participants the opportunity to pitch their incubated stories to Netflix executives at the end of the programme. It also offers DET participants a deeper understanding of the story development process, exposure to a more nuanced approach in the support of writers whilst simultaneously holding writers accountable for their creative work. 

To support the participants to focus on their involvement in the programmes, Realness Institute will provide a monthly stipend of ZAR 33,000 (Thirty-Three Thousand South African Rands) for the duration of the Lab and traineeship to help cover their living expenses.

“As filmmakers we understand how difficult it is to find time and space to focus on our creative processes: to unpack stories, mull over and bounce ideas off others, benchmark ourselves against our peers as we hustle to make films, and pitch and search for funding and finance,” says Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnerships, Realness Institute. “In understanding this landscape, we are delighted that Netflix has once again partnered with us, to bring these two symbiotic programmes for African filmmakers in our joint quest to grow African stories and content on the continent.”

While there is no guarantee that any proposal will be developed further by Netflix, it is a unique opportunity to interface at key milestones with Netflix executives and be afforded the opportunity to pitch. The 2022 Episodic Lab alumnus, Voline Ogutu from Kenya pitched an idea for a romance crime thriller Dilemma that has received a greenlight from Netflix for further development.

Reacting to her story idea being selected for further development, Voline Ogutu, who has now started to turn her attention to next steps which include Writers’ Room planning, says, “I am honored and grateful to be part of this rare opportunity. To those who dream of telling African stories on the global stage, it is truly within your reach. Thank you to the Netflix and Realness team who were part of this process.”

Commenting on Netflix’s partnership with Realness Institute, Allison Triegaardt, Manager for GROW Creative Africa at Netflix says, “We are so thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Realness Institute for the 2023 edition.  It is such a great opportunity to find, grow and nurture African storytellers and their uniquely African stories by giving them the time and resources they need to fully realize their vision and someday share their stories with a global audience.”

The Lab and Traineeship take place online and then for a week in-person in July 2023 at the Coot Club in Stanford, Western Cape.

Interested participants are encouraged to visit https://www.realness.institute/episodic-lab for Episodic Lab programme application and https://www.realness.institute/det for Development Executive Traineeship programme application and wait to be shortlisted.

Application submissions open October 26th and close on 22nd December 2022.

To know more about the Realness Institute and its programmes, visit www.realness.institute.

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Migration and Displacement on Film – a Live Zoom discussion at the European Film Festival

A live zoom discussion titled Migration and Displacement on Film featuring directors of the films Silent Land, The Emigrants and As Far as I Can Walk and a local sociology academic and migration specialist, will take place during the European Film Festival on Monday 17 October at 6pm.

A report just released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicates that that the total of displaced persons in the world has now topped 100,000,000! The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies notes that the number of forcibly displaced people (internally displaced, refugees, asylum seekers) in Africa continued its uninterrupted escalation over the past decade—expanding by 12 percent in the past year to over 36 million people.

Stefan Arsenijevíc director of As Far As I Can Walk)

Forced displacement is an outcome of conflict, violence, and persecution usually of a religious, national, social, racial, or political nature, but also including reasons such as gender or sexual orientation. There are other causes too; droughts, floods, earthquakes, weather disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Then there are a wide range of migrants who are not necessarily refugees, from migrant children, migrant workers, economic migrants to migrants simply seeking another way of life. Even the word migrant is a contested term considered by some as demeaning and dehumanising. Whatever the terminology, it is a subject that precipitates cultural divisions and sometimes violent responses. But migration is not new, it has been happening since time immemorial as people assimilate into new environments often bringing positive social, economic and cultural contributions to their newfound societies. It is a global reality that demands cooperative understanding and practical solutions.

Erik Poppe - Director - The Emigrants

Film of course is a powerful and socially influential medium that plays an active role in shaping our thoughts, feelings and opinions about migrants and migration. In the Live Zoom discussion Migration and Displacement on Film during the European Film Festival in South Africa, three filmmakers whose films touch on migration in different ways will explore the messaging film conveys about this highly topical subject. The filmmakers, all directors of films showing in this year’s festival, are Aga Woszczyńska (Polish director of Silent Land), Erik Poppe (Norwegian director of The Emigrants), and Stefan Arsenijevíc (Serbian director of As Far As I Can Walk). Bringing local contexts and perspectives to the discussion is migration specialist Prof Pragna Rugunanan, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg. Moderated by Liza Aziz of Fineline Productions, this Live Zoom event takes place at 6pm on Monday 17 October.

Aga Woszczyńska director of Silent Land)

Liza Aziz - Moderator

Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information about the festival.

Details of session (and to access the zoom link on the 16 Oct at 6pm) on this link: https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za/2022-home/live-sessions/

Prof Pragna Rugunanan, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg.

The European Film Festival 2022 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and 14 European embassies and national cultural institutes in South Africa: the embassies of Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Instituto Camoes (Portugal), French Institute of South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institute and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

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European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid

The European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid for its 9th edition between 13 and 23 October.

Festival co-director Magdalene Reddy explains that the festival will continue to cater for its viewers and followers who have become accustomed to the ease of watching films in the comfort of their own homes, while also providing for those who long to return to the full cinema experience. ‘This is our transitional approach of coming back to theatres gradually,’ she says. The online screenings will be free while a ticket price will be charged for the theatre screenings. Each film will have a single screening at both Ster-Kinekor’s The Zone in Johannesburg and at The Labia in Cape Town.

Sixteen award-winning films, eight of them by women directors, will be screened. This year’s theme, Innocence and Beyond, explores innocence not just as a legal concept, but as a human quality. This includes two stand-out perspectives through the eyes of children in Petite Maman and Playground. Petite Maman is a tender tale of memory, friendship, and family by the gifted and often unpredictable French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, while in Playground Belgian director Laura Wandel deploys cameras rigged at child level to effectively portray the emotions and experiences of school bullying from a child’s point of view.

There is no set age for when loss of innocence can occur and a number of films focus on youth as they navigate the often turbulent process of growing into adults. From the Netherlands, Shariff Korver's slow-burning psychological thriller Do Not Hesitate depicts unprepared Dutch youths thrown into the crucible of war, a situation complicated by their naiveté when encountering other cultures. Swiss film Olga, by Elie Grappe, is a tense but sensitively handled tale of exile reflecting the clash between the personal and the political in a young Ukrainian gymnast's search for identity against the backdrop of revolution in her mother country. The riveting women-driven film Small Body is an adventure story infused with a wonderful mythological sensibility that earned Laura Samani the best new director prize at Italy’s David d’Donatello awards. How much does innocence inform a young woman's quest for love and meaning as she enters her 30s without any idea about her identity and purpose in life? This is the question in Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, a Norwegian/ French/ Danish/ Swedish co-production that earned two Oscar nominations this year. Then, Stefan Arsenijević’s Serbian/ French/ Luxembourgian/ Bulgarian/ Lithuanian co-production As Far As I Can Walk highlights that it’s not just securing a roof over one’s head but also the challenges of emotional and intellectual deprivation that young migrants in Europe face today.

Ali and Ava (UK)

Is innocence solely about what’s right and what’s wrong? Sometimes it’s about what we don’t do. Sometimes it’s about making choices that impact both ourselves and those around us, and in some cases society and the wider world? Silent Land, by Poland’s Aga Woszczyńska, is a case of what the protagonists didn’t do, and how that leads to the collapse of a relationship. The film is also about the collapse of value systems in the modern world, about a general indifference to reality, and about social lethargy. Erik Poppe’s Swedish film The Emigrants is an epic period drama about a poverty-stricken family who emigrate from Sweden to the United States in the 1800s. Told from a woman’s perspective, their search for a second chance in life is, like the stories of migration in our current era, about a journey of hope. From the Republic of Georgia, Levan Koguashvili’s comedic Brighton 4th is a portrait of parental sacrifice and the love of a father for his son that also offers an authentic look at the immigrant experience and the elusiveness of the American Dream. Enveloped in music and humour, Ali and Ava, written and directed by one of the UK’s most distinctive cinematic voices, Clio Barnard, is about a couple from different cultural backgrounds beginning a relationship with a mixture of nervous excitement, openness and innocence. The Good Boss, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa, is the Spanish film in this year’s festival – it’s a hilarious satirical comedy about the indignities of working life, with the questionable innocence of Javier Bardem in the spotlight.

As Far as I can Walk (Co-Production)

Overturning conventional definitions of innocence Austrian Sebastian Meise’s Cannes-winner Great Freedom explores tenderness, love, lost time, and the tenacity of the human spirit while chronicling an ignominious chapter in queer history. Portuguese director Catarina Vasconcelos’s unorthodox film The Metamorphosis of Birds sifts through the memories and dreams of her ancestors in an extraordinary homage that demonstrates how something deeply personal can be profoundly universal. Is a humanoid robot innocent? That’s one of the questions in the witty and delightfully entertaining German film I’m Your Man by Maria Schrader. It’s a spunky sci-fi dramedy that also asks what it is that humans want in relationships, and if AI beings should have rights.

The Emigrants (Sweden)

Finally, the world is again witnessing and affected by a terrible war, and innocence is an unfortunate casualty during wartime, at all levels. Along with the already mentioned war drama Do Not Hesitate, there is director/screenwriter/editor Maryna Er Gorbach’s Ukrainian-set drama Klondike. About the travails of parents-to-be living near the Russian border this film couldn’t be more timely as it exposes the absurdity of war and how it affects those who aren't directly involved just as easily as those who are.

The EU Ambassador to South Africa Sandra Kramer comments; “This year’s European Film Festival has been inspired by innocence as a human quality. The festival’s theme – Innocence & Beyond – tries to capture our loss of innocence on a number of levels as we deal with the present and lay foundations for the future. I invite you to join us for the best of European cinema: award-winning films that will not only offer a temporary escape, but also a space for pause and reflection.”

eSwatini and Lesotho

This year’s festival extends its reach to neighbouring countries eSwatini and Lesotho with 3-day programmes of screenings and discussions taking place at the Alliance Française in Mbabane (21 to 23 October) and the Alliance Française in Maseru (28 to 30 October).

Side Events

Real-time Zoom panel discussions and Q&A’s with film directors will enrich the experience and understanding of the filmmaking processes and motivations as well as the topics raised in the films, while a programme of Filmmaker Engagements is formulated to inspire young filmmakers at film schools in South Africa.  In addition, with an emphasis on youth, the festival will again provide a number of screening and discussion programmes at select secondary schools and community centres in different parts of the country. 

For film synopses, trailers and how to watch visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za

The European Film Festival 2022 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and 14 European embassies and cultural agencies in South Africa: the Embassies of Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institute and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The 2022 festival is presented in partnership with the Labia Theatre and Ster Kinekor The Zone. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

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24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Announces its first live programme in 2 years

24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Announces its first live programme in 2 years

30 August to 11 September 2022

The 24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, has announced its programme for its first live festival since 2019, which takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN from 30 August to 11 September 2022.

The theme of this JOMBA! centres around “the (im)possibility of home”, and offers dance and theatre fans a treat of 13 days of world-class contemporary dance and performance from both local and international dance-makers. Artists hail from Mozambique, Switzerland, Reunion Island, India, and of course, includes the very best that South Africa has to offer. This edition offers a powerhouse of performances, workshops, after-performance Q & A’s, panel discussions, virtual screen dance, and the return of the JOMBA! youth dance platform that continues to support the growth of Durban’s young dance communities.

“We are thrilled and relieved to be finally presenting our much-loved festival – live and in-person, while keeping some works and events online to include those not able to attend,” says Artistic Director and Curator, Dr Lliane Loots. “This year, through the theme “the (im)possibility of home”, we have set out to interrogate a series of dance offerings that negotiate heritage, culture, nostalgia, and identity, which explore a sense of belonging and how this persists, changes, and transforms through time – and what a time (both local and global) for this moment!”

Vincent Mantsoe

Within this theme, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe will be honoured as the 2022 JOMBA! Legacy Artist. “This year marks a 30-year history of Mantsoe’s career as a dancer and choreographer and we can think of no better way to honour this incredible icon in South Africa’s historical dance trajectory than to celebrate with him,” says Loots.

There will be a live performance of Mantsoe’s new solo work KOMA, the screening of his short dance film CUT (part 1) made during lockdown and his two-year process (2021 and 2022) of working with Durban’s FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY and the long journey to making CUT (part 2) – which will premiere at the festival, and he will present a masterclass.

Hominal/Xaba

South Africa’s doyens of contemporary dance - the controversial and critical dance-makers – Mamela Nyamza and Nelisiwe Xaba feature with Xaba opening this year's festival in a collaboration with Swiss dance maker Marie-Caroline Hominal in a work intriguingly and simply titled Hominal/Xaba. 

Mamela Nyamza

The deeply interrogated and thoughtful Mamela Nyamza offers her newest work GROUNDED. performed with her son Amkele Mandla, in which she offers us a look into her South Africa where democracy superficially seems to be in a working condition, but actually has small cracks not easy to see.

Edna Jaime

In partnership with the Goethe-Institut South Africa, JOMBA! will host the inimitable Mozambican dance-maker Edna Jaime in her remarkable solo Um Segundo (One Second).

Fana Tshabalala

Fana Tshabalala, the 2019 JOMBA! Mellon Artist in Residence, makes a welcome return with his Broken Borders Arts Project to premiere his latest solo work Zann, which he began creating as part of the 2019 residency. 

Three new works by Durban choreographers/dancers - Sandile Mkhize, Tegan Peacock, and Pavishen Paideya will premiere at the festival. All three were given grants to help push their creation of new local work in the JOMBA! EDGE mentored platform.

The JOMBA! YOUTH OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the Youth Fringe), will feature a host of local dance talent at The Stable Theatre.

The virtual offerings include the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES, OPEN HORIZONS and an online panel discussion.

In the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES platform Mozambican choreographer and dancer Pak Ndjamena, who collaborates with photographer and filmmaker Ivan Barros, has been commissioned to make a screen dance offering One Step at a Time; while Reunion Island’s Didier Boutiana and his company SOUL CITY present a dance film titled Le Sol Oblige (The Earth Obliges) a humbling and beautiful look at the relationship of the individual to ideas of home and land, and to community. Mantsoe’s Cut (part 1) features online here too.

JOMBA! OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the JOMBA! Fringe) continues to support dance-makers working in film. A jury will select six films to showcase from a call for submissions earlier this year, and the top three will be announced after the viewing. 

The festival closes with a virtual conversation between Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore, India) and artist Simon Senn (Switzerland) looks at the dance work of this amazing centre and the incredible project between Senn and Bharatha Natyam dancer Rohee Oberoi.  

There are three open workshops (dancers over 16 only) for dancers and dance-makers, an industry-related session entitled JOMBA! Forging Futures, and the much-valued JOMBA! KHULUMA online writing residency will feature write-ups, interviews and reviews. More details to be announced soon 

Live performances take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (UKZN), the Stable Theatre (one performance and free) as well as virtual/online (free) .

Tickets for Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre performances are R80 full price, R65 – students, scholars and pensioners. Booking is through Computicket.

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SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge 2022 KZN Dates Announcement

After a CoViD break, SPAR KZN is excited to get back onto the courts with the announcement of the dates for their second SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge. 

This year the fast-paced Fast 5s tournament will venture to seven regions instead of the previous four from the inaugural challenge in 2019. Getting the 2022 tournament underway with the KZN North Coast Regional, host school Empangeni High School welcomes teams from their area on Saturday 30 July. 

August sees three tournaments, the first at Durban North College where teams will meet for the Durban North Regional on Saturday 13 August, followed by the KZN South Coast Regional at Southcity Christian School on Saturday 20 August and then heading inland to Ferrum Hoërskool for the KZN Northern Regional on Saturday 27 August.

Kokstad College welcomes teams for the KZN Southern Regional on Saturday 10 September, followed by the Highway Regional at Hillcrest High School on Saturday 17 September. Rounding off the challenge is the midlands’ schools meeting at Voortrekker Hoërskool for the Pietermaritzburg Regional on Saturday 15 October.

The running of the programme will differ slightly from region to region, depending on the number of schools and if the hosts will run games in a round robin or pool game format. The coaches can give instructions from the sideline during play, and they have an unlimited allowance for substitutions. Eight players can represent each team, with coaches ensuring five players are constantly on the court – Goal Shooter (GS), Goal Attack (GA), Centre (C), Goal Defence (GD) and Goal Keeper (GK).

Previous winners from the first year, back to defend their titles are Hillcrest High in the Highway / Durban Regional; St Anne’s College in the Pietermaritzburg Regional; Tholokuhle High School in the KZN North Coast Regional and Creston College in the KZN South Coast Regional 

With all netball eyes turning their attention to Cape Town for next year’s 2023 Netball World Cup, these ‘hoopful’ youngsters taking to the courts in the SPAR Challenge will dream and aspire to one day be representing their country at its highest level in years to come. 

Games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport School’s Mobile App and website. 

For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

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Fixtures for 10thGrand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

The fixtures for the tenth Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge at St Mary’s D.S.G., have been announced.

Ten teams will take to the turf, promising an action-packed hockey weekend on 23 and 24 July, 2022. Since February, the challenge has travelled around to ten regions in KZN, producing ten regional winners. Each of these champions will get the honour of representing their area at the ultimate conclusion of this year’s tournament, the Grand Finals.

The defending champion, St Mary’s D.S.G. and host school heads up Pool A. They are joined by St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional), and two newcomers Hoërskool Pionier (Northern KZN Regional) and Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional).

In Pool B, 2019 silver medallist, St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional) will meet 2019 bronze medallist, Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional); King Edward High School (uGu and Sisonke Regional); Grantleigh College (North Coast Regional) and Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional).

On Saturday 23 July, twenty pool games will be played, with games lasting 22 minutes one way. Starting the day off, defending champs, St Mary’s D.S.G. take on Domino Servite in their inaugural Grand Final. Points in the pool games will be 4 for a win, 2 for a draw with goals, 1 for a goalless draw and nil for a loss.

Sunday 24 July sees the cross-pool play-offs and medal games, where teams will have 30 minutes to craft their magic on the turf, with a speedy change over after fifteen minutes. If the scores are level in any of the playoff games, an 8 second penalty shoot out where three players from each team will head to the spot to try and claim victory for their team.

All games will be livestreamed on SuperSport Schools mobile app or website.

For more info you can like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Father’s Day Adventure Walk with Green Corridors’ Mgababa Adventures and Expert Botanist

 Father’s DayAdventure Walk with Green Corridors’ Mgababa Adventures and Expert Botanist

A special Father’s Day Adventure Walk will be hosted by experienced nature guide Thulas Luthuli at his Green Corridors’ Mgababa Adventures site at the Mnini Dam  this Sunday, 19 June from 8am to 11am.

Thulas Luthuli at his Green Corridors’ Mgababa Adventures site at the Mnini Dam explains traditional use of a plant on his guided walks to a guest.

This 4km Adventure Hike along a rocky river trail which feeds into the Mnini Dam, together with Thulas (whose homestead is in this area) and expert botanist Sithembiso Blessing Majoka promises a delightful mix of fascinating insights into the fauna and flora,  and the rich cultural history of the area.

Sithembiso Blessing Majoka - expert botanist will host the walk with nature guide Thulas Luthuli of Mgababa Adventures

Sithembiso Blessing Majoka who will share his extensive knowledge of the indigenous plants of the area, gained much of his knowledge working for South African National Biodiversity Institute encoding plant specimens and then went on to become a Field Ranger for the EThekwini Municipality. He is not only passionate about the environment, specifically indigenous plant identification and bird conservation, but he is also an incredible wildlife photographer.

His amazing work with bird conservation also won him the 2021 BirdLife South Africa Owl award which recognizes the valuable contributions that people make to the conservation of South Africa's birds and their habitats.

Hiking and walking around Mnini Dam with Mgababa Adventures

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to walk alongside Sithembiso as he unfolds the story of Mgababa Adventures' rich landscape, which was voted by SDA Adventures as their favourite rocky river trail, Mgababa Adventures is an untouched treasure for hikers.

The hike costs R200 per person and there are limited places. The Mnini Dam site is an easy 30 minutes from Durban’s CBD.

Green Corridors also has a number of other sites to visit on Father’s Day – check out the website on https://durbangreencorridor.co.za/

To book contact: 078 702 0618 or frontdesk@greencorridor.co.za.

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World Environment Day 4x4 Excursion – Valley of 1000 Hills

Media Release

World Environment Day 4x4 Excursion – Valley of 1000 Hills

Sunday, June 5 is World Environment Day, and well-known 4x4 enthusiast and instructor Travis Duggan, is putting his money where his mouth is. He has gathered a group of 4x4 enthusiasts to join him in assisting Sibusiso Shangase, owner and manager of the picturesque Green Corridors’ Mqeku Picnic Site in the Valley of 1000 Hills to rebuild and clean-up the site left devastated by the recent floods.

Travis Duggan and Sibusiso Shangase at Mqeku Picnic Site in Valley of 1000 Hills

This is one of Duggan’s DO GOOD events in which he leads a 4 x 4 tour through the Valley of 1000 Hills with 50% of the proceeds going towards the rebuild of the Mqeku Site.

“Sunday is World Environment Day, and what better way to celebrate than to help this green space get back to a fun, recreational space where families and  friends can enjoy the outdoors,” enthuses Duggan. “The site is hugely popular with the SA 4x4 community, and we want to help him get it back to the incredibly gorgeous site it was prior to the floods.”

Mqeku - a Green Corridors Pop-Up Camp at the site

“We has been visiting Mqeku picnic site since 2015,” continues Duggan. “Sibusiso and I met and I said I had a 4x4 route in the Valley if 1000 Hills but wanted to have our end point at his Mqeku Picnic Site. I fetched him and he showed me how we could tie the two routes together. We then hired local residents to help maintain these route along the trail. For 7 years I have been enjoying the Valley of 1000 Hills. When I saw his pictures of the detestation of the flooding after all he had put into this site, I knew I had to assist. We have approached Build It to assist with Cement to rebuild his braai’s.”

The tour meets at the Polo Pony Engen Garage Polo Pony (Shongweni/Hillcrest) to depart at 8am and depart for the Valley of 1000 Hills. Then you will climb up to the top of the Valley of 1000 Hills with breathtaking views of Dusi/Umgeni River Valley and Inanda Dam. The convoy will make its way down to Toleni Falls and the Mqeku River and 4x4 down to the Mqeku Picnic Site. At the picnic site you can pick your own place to set up with your family or friends Pack a picnic basket or charcoal and Braai meat and enjoy a fantastic experience with your family and friends.

Tubing at Mqeku

Cost is R 650 per vehicle which includes entry to the site, with 50% being donated to the site to help them rebuild it.

Duggan, will be arranging another event, together with the 4x4 community to help Shangase rebuild the site.

For more information or to book contact Travis on 0832327065.

Grantleigh College wins North Coast Regional of SPAR Challenge

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge

North Coast Regional

Grantleigh College: Saturday 21 May

For the fifth consecutive regional final, host school Grantleigh College met Felixton College in the North Coast Regional, the last of the ten KZN regionals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge held on Saturday 21 May at Grantleigh’s astro.

In their previous clashes since 2017, both teams have raised the trophy twice. In their fifth regional final bout, Grantleigh managed a hard-earned victory. It was their second meeting of the day against the determined visitors, the top two teams met in the opening game of the tournament, when the heavens opened dumping bucket loads of water on the field. In a drenched start, the first round went in favour of Grantleigh.

Games were reduced to fifteen minutes each with the deluge threatening for the entire day to be postponed. Fortunately for the seven teams, the rain didn’t stop play and the weather cleared up.

After a cautious start by both teams in the tense final, Grantleigh started to build pressure on Felixton after 8 minutes of play. The home team got into their stride taking the game up towards the Felixton goal.

Grantleigh had been taking runs at the Felixton defense for a couple of minutes, sending play down their favoured right-hand side. A break through saw Kelly Braithwaite being in the right spot at the right time as she was left unmarked in the middle of the Felixton circle. Camping out on the penalty spot, Braithwaite received a gift of an opportunity when the ball rolled straight to her from one of her team’s advances. Calmly balancing herself and not hesitating, she slapped the ball in for Grantleigh’s first goal.

In a steadfast and unwavering display, not giving up - the visiting team had a fantastic passage of play going on the offensive. Three minutes after Grantleigh scored, Felixton were awarded a short corner. The ball was pushed short to the first player on the D, stopping it cleanly and quickly, Chanel Naidoo let off her attempt from just inside the circle. Grantleigh’s keeper, Zime Maxase didn’t have any problems stopping the shot, and not wasting any time, she efficiently got the ball away from the goal mouth. Unfortunately, the swift clearance found a Felixton attacker who got the second phase of play underway, moving the ball smoothly to her player on the post. In a decisive deflection, Amanda Mthembu helped the precise pass in, earning the all-important leveller. The score now was 1 all with just under 9 minutes left of play.

As time slipped away, both teams persevered in their quest for the regional winning goal but as the final whistle blew, the score was still level with both teams netting only the one goal each. The regional final moved to a penalty shoot-out where three players from each team would individually have a chance against the opposition’s keeper.

In the six rounds of the penalty shoot-outs, the scoreboard remained unchanged with all six attempts either going wide or being well defended by the alert keepers. The game then went to the next level, sudden death. Felixton led the charge with Naidoo making her way goalwards, as she neared Grantleigh’s keeper, she craftily tried to slip in her attempt, but her shot was fired directly at the keeper, Maxase, who neatly cleared it out of the danger zone.

Next to go, with home turf and home crowd advantage, Grantleigh’s Braithwaite cruised up with the ball. As she entered the circle, she veered right and after a couple of paces, knocked in a rocket that was just out of reach of Felixton’s keeper, Sena Mhlaba, her goal claiming victory for her beloved team.

Chatting after the game, Captain for Grantleigh College, Kayla Hassard shared, “We had a very good tournament, and played well throughout the day. Our structure was good, and everything that we have been working on we were able to achieve, and we proved what we are capable of. Felixton are our main rivals in this area and in today’s game they made us work hard for our win. I am extremely proud of our shoot out and how well Zime and Kelly did in the sudden death.”

Sisanda Juqu from Grantleigh College was awarded Umpire of the Day.

Hoisting the trophy for the fifth time, Grantleigh have earned the final ticket to the Grand Finals where they will meet nine other KZN regional winners at St Mary’s D.S.G. in Kloof on 23 and 24 July.

North Coast Regional winner, Grantleigh College join Pionier Hoërskool (Northern KZN Regional); St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional); King Edward High School (Ugu and Sisonke Regional); Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional) and Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional) at the Grand Finals.

For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Results

1 Grantleigh College 24 points; 2 Felixton College 20 points; 3 Empangeni High School 10 points; 4 St Catherine’s School 6 points; 5 Eshowe High School 4 points; = 6 John Ross College 3 points; = 6 Richards Bay Christian School 3 points

Scores

Felixton 0 vs Grantleigh 1

St Catherine’s 0 vs Eshowe 0

Empangeni 0 vs Richards Bay Christian School 0

Felixton 3 vs John Ross 0

Eshowe 0 vs Empangeni 0

Grantleigh 2 vs St Catherine’s 0

Felixton 2 vs Empangeni 0

John Ross 0 vs Grantleigh 4

Richards Bay Christian School 1 vs Eshowe 1

Felixton 3 vs St Catherine’s 0

Empangeni 0 vs Grantleigh 1

John Ross 0 vs Richards Bay Christian School 0

Felixton 2 vs Eshowe 1

Richards Bay Christian School 0 vs Grantleigh 5

St Catherine’s 0 vs John Ross 0

Eshowe 0 vs Grantleigh 5

John Ross 0 vs Empangeni 1

Richards Bay Christian School 0 vs St Catherine’s 2

Eshowe 0 vs John Ross 0

Felixton 2 vs Richards Bay Christian School 0

St Catherine’s 0 vs Empangeni 1

Final: Grantleigh 1 (1) vs Felixton 0 (1)

ENDS

Northern KZN Coastal Regional Grantleigh College: Saturday 21 May

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

Northern KZN Coastal Regional

Grantleigh College: Saturday 21 May

Concluding this year’s ten KZN regionals, Grantleigh College hosts the final SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 21 May.

In the North Coast Regional, Grantleigh College welcomes schools from Empangeni High School, Eshowe High School, Felixton College, John Ross College, Richards Bay Christian School and St Catherine’s School. 

The seven schools will take to the turf in a round robin format where the games will last 18 minutes, with play running only one way. After the 21 scheduled games, the top two teams on the leaderboard will meet each other in the regional decider. The final will be 20 minutes one way. If the game ends on a draw, three players from each team will head to the spot for a riveting penalty shoot-out. 

For each of the winning teams in the 21 rounds, they will earn 4 points on the leaderboard, if the teams draw with both netting goals, they get 2 points each, a goalless draw will see a single point being added to each of the teams’ scorecards, and a loss amounting to zero points. 

Three teams proudly have their names engraved on the North Coast Regional trophy, with Grantleigh being the defending champions, and winning on three previous occasions, equalling Empangeni High School record from the early days when they dominated this region with four wins in succession. Felixton College have lifted the trophy twice and featured in the regional final last year against the hosts.  

At the conclusion of the ten KZN regionals, the top team representing their area heads to the Grand Finals that takes place at St Mary’s D.S.G. in Kloof on 23 and 24 July. The winner of this region will join nine victorious teams that have already earned their spot, they are Pionier Hoërskool (Northern KZN Regional); St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional); King Edward High School (Ugu and Sisonke Regional); Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional) and the most recently crowned team Durban Girls’ College from last weekend’s Durban Central Regional. 

If you are unable to get to the sidelines at Grantleigh this weekend, you can watch all the action on the SuperSport Schools mobile App or on their website. 

For more info like the tournament's Facebook page or follow on Instagram. 

ENDS

Durban Girls' College wins Durban Central Regional of SPAR Schoolgirls' Hockey

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge

Durban Central Regional

Durban Girls College: Sunday 15 May 

Building on their outstanding record, Durban Girls’ Colleges dominance in the Durban Central Regional continued at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on their home turf on Sunday 15 May.

College is the only team in the history of the tournament that started in 2011, to have a 100% record winning all of their regionals. Netting a cracking 32 goals in their six round robin games and having a clean sheet in the goals against column, College completed their impeccable performance and an impressive 24 points on the log. Finishing with an impressive 17 points, Durban Girls High School ended their round robin in second place, earning themselves another run at College after their narrow defeat in their first meeting.

College met a gritty and untiring team from Durban Girls’ High School in the regional decider. Girls’ High defended like champs for majority of the game with a barrage of attacks by the home team. The first circle entry by College took place with just 27 seconds of play on the clock. Nine seconds later, College earned their first of five short corners. 

Constantly mounting on the pressure, College controlled majority of the possession with quick and decisive play heading towards their opposition’s goals. In Girls’ High School’s first moment on attack in the eighth minute, Hannah Lombard found herself with a golden opportunity, having the ball on stick and some room to move, she honed in on the College goals, with just the keeper, Nandi Mnyandu to beat, Lombard released the ball watching it as it rolled agonizingly out of play, shaving the left upright. 

On the other side, standing strong, the last line of defense for Girls’ High, Amy Callaghan had a cracking game in goals. On her toes, she padded away anything that came near her, including a whistling reverse stick shot fired from only meters in front with just 3 minutes left on the clock, the pumped-up keeper punched the attempt with her left hand stopping the ball in its tracks. 

With time slipping away, College were awarded a free hit midfield on the 22 with only 67 seconds left of the game. Emily Macquet quickly got play underway knocking the ball into the circle. The determined pass was missed by two of her players, and the players marking them. Standing right at the back, hugging the left post was College’s Hannah Hargroves who calmly stuck out her stick, redirecting the free hit firmly into the back of the goals, scoring Colleges’ all important regional final winner. 

Umpire of the Day was awarded to Sonika Buys wearing St Henrys Marist College colours. This is not the first time ‘no nonsense’ Buys has been acknowledged at this regional for her wonderful skills with the whistle. 

Captain for College, Danni Wiseman stated after the game, “We performed really well as a team and we are growing with each game that we play. I am really proud of the girls for what we have accomplished today. Our games against DGHS in the playoffs and in the final were tough ones, big congratulations to them as well, they played really well.”

Talking about the final, Wiseman continued, “We had a lot of possession but unfortunately just couldn’t finish. Luckily for us we got that goal near the end of the game.”

Durban Girls’ College is the ninth team that will be heading to the Grand Finals in July at St Mary’s D.S.G. They join eight teams that have already won their regionals, they are Pionier Hoërskool (Northern KZN Regional); St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional); King Edward High School (Ugu and Sisonke Regional); Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional).

The challenge wraps up next weekend in Richards Bay with Grantleigh hosting the North Coast KZN Regional. 

Results

1 Durban Girls’ College 24 points; 2 Durban Girls’ High School 17 points; 3 Maris Stella 14 points; 4 St Henry’s Marist College 13 points; 5 INK 8 points; =6 Inanda Seminary School 1 point; =6 Port Natal Skool 1 point

Games Scores

St Henrys 0 vs Durban Girls’ College 5

Maris Stella 0 vs Durban Girls’ High School 0

Port Natal 0 vs INK 2

Inanda Seminary 0 vs St Henrys 3

Durban Girls’ College 3 vs Maris Stella 0

Durban Girls’ High School 5 vs Port Natal 0

St Henrys 1 vs INK 0 

Maris Stella 5 vs Inanda Seminary 0 

Durban Girls’ College 1 vs Durban Girls’ High School 0

St Henrys 3 vs Port Natal 0

Maris Stella 5 vs INK 0

Durban Girls’ College 7 vs Inanda Seminary 0

St Henrys 0 vs Durban Girls’ High School 3

Durban Girls’ College 7 vs Port Natal 0

Inanda Seminary 0 vs Durban Girls’ High School 6

St Henrys 0 vs Maris Stella 0

Durban Girls’ High School 6 vs INK 0

Port Natal 0 vs Inanda Seminary 0

Durban Girls’ College 9 vs INK 0

Maris Stella 1 vs Port Natal 0

INK 1 vs Inanda Seminary 0

Final: Durban Girls’ College 1 vs Durban Girls’ High School 0

ENDS

Flatfoot Dance Company presents “The Cleansing” with Iain Ewok Robinson @BotanicGardens Durban 20-24 April

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY  in association with the Durban Botanic Gardens Trust, presents “THE CLEANSING” with Iain ewok Robinson at the Botanic Gardens from 20 to 24 April at 6pm each evening.

In THE CLEANSING, FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY journeys into the heartland of Earth issues using this performance moment to negotiate the true meaning of ecology – the connectedness of human existence to all existence. What better site than Durban’s Botanic Gardens to open up this exploration of self to our natural world. In this moving dance work, the Botanic Gardens – itself bearing the scars of a colonial heritage - are transformed to a site of continued natural beauty and potential transformations.

Photo by Val Adamason

Jabu Siphika and Mthoko Mkhwanazi in THE CLEANSING

“THE CLEANSING is a ritual for us humans, and for the Earth – a cultural enactment of the sacred bond between the dancers and the ground they move on as they ‘cleanse’ themselves ready for a deeper connection to one another and to the Earth,” says Artistic Director Dr Lliane Loots.

Believing that environment justice is social justice, FLATFOOT joins with long-time collaborator and wordsmith extraordinaire, poet Iain ewok Robinson. His poetic words flow with the dancers in an evocation that shouts out “surely the Earth can be saved for me”, “surely the earth can be saved for you”. 

“Very loosely based on the impulses of Stravinsky’s 1913 music “Rite of Spring”, this site-responsive dance work asks of all of us what we will sacrifice for Spring to finally come,” continues Loots. “In this instance, and after a 2-year lock down, ‘spring’ is (perhaps) an imagined hope for different and intimate relationships with each other and our world around us.”

This is moving and powerful choreo-poetry that aims to subtly carries its audience to places of deep knowing and awareness. Created in the evolving collaborative creative process, this site responsive dance work is jointly created by Lliane Loots, Sifiso Khumalo, Jabu Siphika, Mthoko Mkhwanazi, Sbonga Ndlovu, Siseko Duba and Ndumiso Dube.

Join FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY and Iain ewok Robinson in the lush surroundings of Durban’s iconic Botanic Gardens that allows you to safely watch this unique dance company. Bring your own picnic, glass of wine, and a blanket to sit on. Doors open at 5.30pm - come and get settled, enjoy a picnic or a stroll around the gardens, show starts at 6pm. The show is one hour.

 To book contact flafootdancecompany@gmail.com.

Tickets are R100 per person.

Celebrated National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts to give Keynote Address at NEWF Fellows' Summit in Durban

Celebrated National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts to give Keynote Address at

NEWF Fellows' Summit in Durban

Durban, South Africa: Celebrated American National Geographic explorer Tara Roberts, will be in Durban this week (22 February) to present a keynote address at the inaugural Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmaking (NEWF) Fellows’ Summit.

At the invitation of NEWF directors Noel Kok and Pragna Parsotam-Kok, Tara Roberts will deliver her address to 80 young filmmakers, scientists and storytellers from 15 African countries who have participated in NEWF’s numerous labs or training workshops over the years. She will be referencing her ground-breaking National Geographic podcast series Into the Depths, of her personal journey following Black scuba divers from the organisation Diving with a Purpose, searching for slave shipwrecks around the world (of which there are reputed to be more than 1000).

Featuring on the cover of the March 2022 edition of the prestigious National Geographic magazine, Roberts reveals the insights of her journey explaining that “it is time for their (slave ancestors) stories to rise from the depths, to be told in their fullness, in their wonder—and with love, with honor, with respect.”

She also features in the National Geographic Documentary Special, Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship and a short documentary Diving with Purpose.

Over the 5 years of its existence, NEWF has grown into much more than its annual congress that connects filmmakers, storytellers, scientists, conservationists, and media distributors working in conservation through film. It has also played a major role in supporting emerging filmmakers by connecting them to funders as well as providing labs and capacity development, and this cohort is now known as NEWF “Fellows”.

“In the two-year absence of an in-person NEWF Congress, we thought we should focus on consolidating the skills and networking of the cohort of NEWF Fellows,” explains Noel Kok. “Our overall vision for this sector of the film industry is to tell the “Stories of Africa” that celebrate and advocate for the protection of her natural (and cultural) history that is told by a connected network of visual storytellers organically led by indigenous African voices. And there is no better way to do this, than by supporting the emergence of these stories through young filmmakers.”

“It is a true honour to have Tara here to give an address about her journey, as a journalist and storyteller, we hope she will shine a light for this cohort as a trailblazer, and role-model, motivating them to tell our African stories,” enthuses Pragna Parsotam-Kok. “Her story is so inspirational as she seeks out to uncover the lost history of Africans under the ocean.”

To listen to the Into the Depths podcasts : https://on.natgeo.com/3h6PV24

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Green Corridors – go outside with your family this holiday in Durban!

Green Corridors, the NPO that cares for the glorious green spaces around Durban, offers some exceptional picnic sites and tourism experiences, all easily accessible for a socially distanced outdoor gathering with a host of activities during the Festive Season. 

Whether it is self-drive or fully guided on the Green Corridors Shuttle Bus, these are wide-open spaces to relax, play, adventure and have loads of fun – they’re ideal for the whole family, and only a short distance from Durban’s CBD.

These wonderful sites are not only perfect for day visits, but camping, too, is available. There is also the unique Green Corridors’ pop-up camping option that is stress free…and includes everything you need for a “glamping weekend” tents, stretcher, camp shower, catering tent and other equipment (with catering or self catering options).

Cycling from eNanda Adventure Park

ENANDA ADVENTURES

eNanda Adventure Park on the beautiful Inanda Dam has the prettiest picnic site and an adrenaline-inducing pump bike track. The site offers guided mountain biking, birding excursions, hiking trails and canoeing.  A lovely shaded lawn overlooks the dam where you can launch canoes to explore the waterways. 

eNanda Adventures offers camping right on the water's edge, as well as cabins. Boat launching permits can be also issued on behalf of Msinsi Holdings (which manages the dam), ideal for those wishing to launch here. 

Canoeing at Mnini Tourist Resort

MNINI DAM

Mnini Dam, south of Durban in the quiet, picturesque uMgababa area offers two superb sites for picnics, canoeing, fishing (large-mouth bass, tilapia) and some spectacular birding, hiking and MTB trails. 

Hiking with Thulas Adventures around Mnini Dame

The two tourism sites are Thulas’ Adventures, which also hosts pop- up camps, with or without catering), right on the water’s edge, and you enjoy guided nature and birding hikes, as well as cycle tours. The Mnini Dam Tourist Resort is tailormade for picnics, boat launching, fishing, birding, and hiking, with campsites and en-suite rooms available for hire as well as a well stocked bar and restaurant.  

Tubing at Mqeku

MQEKU PICNIC SITE

Mqeku picnic site in the exquisite Valley of 1000 Hills has a unique ‘bum-slide’ on its river, a sparkling clean tributary into the Umgeni. This crazy, fun slide ends in a serenely calm pool, where you can simply float on a tube. There are excellent walking trails here, and the local community will welcome you warmly, and take care of your every need. Braai facilities and camping are available.

Biking at isiThumba

ISITHUMBA

Isithumba in the Valley of 1000 Hills is fully kitted out with accommodation, hiking, MTB and cultural tours. Local guides with unparalleled knowledge and story-telling skills will bring to life the culture, rituals and customs of the Zulu people as you tour this quintessential rural Zulu village.

Exquisite sites around Molweni Valley on a hike

MOLWENI VALLEY

Lower Molweni  is a short drive into the Valley of 1000 Hills from Hillcrest and is a hikers, birders and nature-lovers paradise.  there is a network of community-developed nature trails that lead hikers through the spectacular rugged cliffs and forests of the area, just on the outskirts of the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. This reserve is a biodiversity treasure trove including 50 mammals, 253 bird, 35 reptiles, 150 butterflies, 273 tree and over 1500 plant species. Visit the Philangethemba Impact site with K&X Café and Ibongezi Crafters.

GREEN HUB

The GreenHub at Durban’s Blue Lagoon – offers some amazing eco-tourism activities – birding, hiking, canoeing and a visit to the fascinating Ezemvelo Beachwood Mangroves (on selected days). 

Green Corridors Shuttle bus at isiThumba

SHUTTLES OFFERED TO VARIOUS SITES

Green Corridors sites and tourism experiences are so easily accessible. The ultimate convenience is to hop on a  Green Corridors Shuttle Bus, which leaves from  Durban’s GreenHub on the Umgeni River (near Blue Lagoon) and takes guests on the following excursions:

·      Wild Enanda/Enanda Dam trip. It includes uMzinyathi Falls, the sacred Rastafarian Caves, a trip with Canoeing eNanda Adventures, and eNanda Mountain (lunch available at eNanda at your own expense). 

·      Mqeku Tubing and Bum Slide, where you’ll visit the Valley of a 1000 Hills, enjoy the amazing views en route…then just ride the bum slide, take a tube ride or chill in the shady picnic site (bring your own picnic lunch). Mqeku Picnic site is exquisite.

·      Durban’s Waterfalls (bring your own picnic lunch). You’ll travel from Paradise Valley Falls to Kloof Falls to uMzinyathi Falls – perfect for keen photographers, nature lovers and water babies. 

·      Mnini Canoe and Hike Trip, ideal for birdwatchers and peace seekers - lunch available at eNanda at your own expense. This is a leisurely day, drifting along the Mnini Dam shores, or hiking through the deep river gorges. 

·      Green Corridors’ GreenHub is centrally located on the banks of the uMngeni River, known locally as Blue Lagoon, offering a walk-in centre for information, eco-education and tour bookings, with bicycle and canoe hire available.

The Shuttle Bus transport, guides and any entrance fees are included in the R400 per person - minimum of four persons for the tour to run. 

All sites have a nominal entrance fee - camping and activity fees vary from site to site, helping to drive the local tourism economy in these areas.

Bookings are essential and can easily be made on +27 (31) 322 6026 or email frontdesk@greencorridors.afric

For more information go to : https://durbangreencorridor.co.za/

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Flatfoot Dance Company in Earth Rhythms at KZNSA Gallery

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY  in partnership with the KZNSA, presents …EARTH RHYTHMS

@ KZNSA GALLERY, Durban

Durban: Join FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY for two performances only at Glenwood’s iconic KZNSA Art Gallery in Durban on 10 and 11 December at 6.30pm.

In a family friendly celebration of rhythm, joy and the sheer delight of the dancing and moving body, FLATFOOT will take you on a journey of magical explosive dance that celebrates how rhythm connects us all. Choreographed in a sharing of skills and styles by the full company; Lliane Loots, Sifiso Khumalo, Jabu Siphika, Mthoko Mkhwanazi, Sbonga Ndlovu, Siseko Duba, Ndumiso Dube, and Zinhle Nzama, this performance also features celebrated Durban poet Ongezwa Mbele as her rhythmic spoken words weave a connection between dance, music and the healing time and tides of the ocean. 

FLATFOOT's Sbonga Ndlovu in full flight - photo by Val Adamson

EARTH RHYTHMS is a delightful showcase of FLATFOOT’s unique - award-winning - contemporary dance style mixed in with a bit of popular street dance that will bring a smile to your face.

In honouring the holiday season, this partnership with the KZNSA is a dine, wine, shop and dance happening– doors open from 5pm so you can do some early evening Christmas shopping at BUZZART21, grab a bite to eat and settle into your seats for the 6.30pm show start! The show is one hour.

 The venue is Covid compliant and no mask, no entry! Each performance has a limit of x100 audience members only – book soon to avoid disappointment. No walk-ins/at the door sales - all tickets MUST be prebooked and paid for in advance.

COST: R100 per ticket (under 13s: R80)

Bookings made via flatfootdancecompany@gmail.com

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SA Short film Deliver Me in competition at Cairo International Film Festival

Paper Cranes Collective and Ctrl Alt Shift are proud to announce that their first collaboration, Deliver Me, will have its international premiere at this year’s Cairo International Festival (26 November - 5 December) where it will take part in the Official Short Film Competition.  Directed by Cape-Town based Jannous Aukema (Until The Silence Comes and The Jaguars Daughter), the film was conceived, filmed and edited during South Africa’s LockDown level 4. Made for under R20,000 and a four-man crew, the project is a unique take on the documentary storytelling format. 

“We are honoured and very pleased to have our project Deliver Me, screen at such a prestigious festival such as Cairo International Film Festival, a festival that plays such a key role not only in the continental festival calendar, but also is a significant on the international festival landscape,” said Durban-based Mitchell Harper, Ctrl Alt Shift producer of the film. “ We are excited and to be the only Southern African film in the festival’s competition. The journey of the film has been amazing given it’s scale and I think a testament about the success of films that have collaborative nature, along with its unusual approach to story-telling and financing will hopefully readjust many to how we approach not only filmmaking, but help shift our understanding of what trials many go through in a bid to survive everyday life.”

Co-produced by companies in Durban and Cape Town, Deliver Me is a 28 minute film, a poetic meditation on the migration of a Malawian man, who has come to South Africa to find a future for himself and his family. We follow Paul Mwase through the evening streets, restaurants and suburbs he navigates as an Uber delivery bike rider, during the coronavirus hard lockdown in Cape Town, South Africa. We come to see that he is a man driven by love for his family, whom he remains in contact with through his cellphone, his digital lifeline to those he has left behind. His work and the conditions he toils in are solitary. In many ways Paulʼs journey as witnessed in the film is a signifier not only of the struggles of isolation in an unknown place, but more generally of the lonesome months of a world pandemic. 

The film will be have its screening on the 28 November and will be available on digital platforms, and  is available on the African continent  throughout the festival period.

To find out how to watch Deliver Me, go to The Cairo International Film Festival

Action in Autism Market Day – Saturday 20 November 2021

Media release

Action in Autism Market Day – Saturday 20 November 2021

Action in Autism will host a Summer Market at the Action in Autism Centre in Park Hill, Durban North on Saturday, 20 November from 9am – 2pm.  

The students of Action in Autism’s skills transfer and business hub, have been hard at work preparing for the market.   This project not only provides a focus for their learning and studies in the areas of administration, consumer and business studies, gardening, food production and craft, but also serve as a fundraiser for the organisation.  “Market Day means to show other people outside the Action in Autism Centre what we can accomplish when we work together as a team, and not just as individuals,” says Michelle Edmonds, a 22 year old autistic student. Her fellow student, Bruce Baloyi, interjects to ensure those attending know that the Market runs from 9am to 2pm.

The Market Day is a bi-annual event at which the Shahumna students showcase their work and products created in the Business Hub and is the practical component of their Business Studies curriculum. In addition, the Market serves as an event for networking and connection not only for Autistic people and their families, but also for the neighbourhood and surrounding community, as well as local business. “Market Day highlights the capabilities, talents and is a culmination of our students’ accomplishments throughout the year,” says Ashvir Dalu, manager of the Shahumna Centre. “It is also a time that we all get to relax and have fun in an embracing environment.” The intention for the Market is to create a day of family togetherness that is inclusive and welcoming of autistic people and the broader community, that will bring in much-needed funds and resources for Action in Autism, says Centre Director, Kirsten Miller. 

The Shahumna skills and business hub is just one of Action in Autism’s many projects. The organisation’s other flagship projects are its Early Intervention Centre that provides early intervention and therapy to those children whose families cannot afford the high cost of private services, and the Assessment and Therapy Wing, that provides assessment and therapy services. Emma Hunt, a Park Hill resident and a student at the Shahumna Centre, speaks of the Market as a wonderful opportunity for autistic people to interact with people both on the spectrum and outside of the spectrum. “We can all have fun together in one space instead of separating ourselves from each other,” says Emma.

Emma Hunt and Thabiso Ndlovu.j

Visitors to the market can expect to find baked goods and teas prepared by the students of the Business Skills Centre, a range of quality gelato flavours from The Italian Corner, pre-loved clothing, plants, a jumping castle, games and kiddies’ treats. Action in Autism extends a welcome to the surrounding communities to enjoy a day out with Autistic people, and to browse, have a cup of coffee and purchase one or two Christmas presents.   The organisation is using this as an opportunity to showcase its services and to create partnerships with individuals and organisations who would support the organisation and the programmes offered. 

Action in Autism welcomes any sponsorship/donation for the Market Day.  Action in Autism is a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) with an 18A Tax Exemption status. This means that a donation to Action in Autism is tax deductible (Tax Act 58 of 1962). If you would like to attend the Market, or to make a donation, to book a table to trade, support a child at the centre, or for more information about the services offered by the organisation, please call 031 563 3039, email info@actioninautism.org.za, or visit the website at www.actioninautism.org.za. 

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Cover photo Kaveer Lutchman, Malita Mandlate and Bruce Baloyi

Action in Autism Fundraiser - award-winning film The Reason I Jump

Action in Autism:

Fundraiser Film: The Reason I Jump - Cinema 3, Gateway, Umhlanga

Sunday 21 November, 16h45

Action in Autism will host a special screening of the award-winning film The Reason I Jump based on the book by Japanese Naoki Higashida, who is Autistic, and was thirteen at the time of writing. This will be a fundraiser for the organisation which supports Autistic people and their families through the provision of services and resources, on Sunday 21 November at 16h45 Cinema 3, Gateway, Umhlanga.

Through his writing Higashida maps the experiences of being Autistic and translates these experiences for a neurotypical readership – the hyper-focus, the destabilisation, the social difficulties as well as the unique joys and benefits of thinking in a way that is neurologically a-typical. The internationally celebrated book was first published in Japanese in 2007 and later translated into English, the process supported and publically endorsed by the renowned novelist David Mitchell, who has an Autistic son.

The cinematic version of The Reason I Jump, created by film-maker Jerry Rothwell, won  the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary at Sundance in 2020.  It is brought to Durban through an exciting partnership between Videovision Entertainment and Action in Autism. The screening of this powerful documentary aims to raise much-needed funds for Action in Autism’s two flagship projects, the Early Intervention and Therapy Centre, and the Shahumna Centre, a skills transference and business hub for adults with Autism and related neurological conditions. “The intention of The Reason I Jump, as both a book and a film,” writes Adrian Horton in The Guardian in a review from 9 January, “is explicitly didactic, a missive to explain one person’s neuro-divergent experience and broader call to expand one’s imagination of human cognition.”

Action in Autism’s vision is for Autistic people and all people with disabilities to be accepted, respected and valued as members of the community. “This fundraiser speaks to who we are,” says Liza Aziz, Action in Autism’s Chairperson and the parent of an adult Autistic son. “It empowers and teaches people about a world of which they know very little.” Videovision Entertainment has supported the organisation since its inception in 2005, and continues to work as one of the partners that ensures opportunity for Autistic people through events such as this screening.”

“In the film Rothwell examines the lives of five young people who live with Autism spectrum disorder, and is a perfect tool to educate people on Autism, so we are delighted to continue our association with Action in Autism since its founding, and to support the exemplary work done by Liza Aziz and the Action in Autism team,” said Sanjeev Singh, Videovision Entertainment’s Director of Distribution and Acquisition.

Tickets are  R120 and can be booked by calling 031 563 3039 or emailing info@actioninautism.org.za.

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