Expatriate Mag Issue 9

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Prof. Wanyana Oguttu

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WOMAN TAX LAW

DOCTORATE IN S.A.

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Inside: The Brain of a Billionaire

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• Omotoso’s Man On Ground Movie • Fred Eboka: Dressing the Rich and Famous • DUT’s Fred Otieno • Zim Ambassador to SA • Jobs in Africa - Backpage! Issue 9

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hile working as an investment banker in New York, Sean Walker heard of the investment and entrepreneurial opportunities in Africa from a former university classmate now living in SA. When he got here, he identified hair as an area in need of improvement and embarked on researching the local industry. It progressively became clear that training was the problem and through a number of people Sean spoke to, Kenneth Mokgosi was continuously cited as one of the best in the business. Ken has over 20 years experience in the industry having started hairdressing at the young age of 13 in the North West Province when he convinced a friend to let him help in a salon to make some money for school

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fees. He developed an interest in the profession and moved to Gauteng for formal training. He was the top student in his class and was selected to visit Denmark to share hair trends from an African perspective in 2005. A few years later, he was selected to travel to Chicago to earn his Global Assessor Certificate, along with other elite hairdressers from around the world. Ken and Sean felt that they shared the same vision of revolutionalising the ethnic hair market through high level training. They registered Royal Hairstyles Training Academy and Salon in 2010. “We called it Royal because we believe every woman’s hair is her crown,” Sean explains. “In 2011, we became only the second Sector

Education and Training Authority (SETA) accredited training academy in SA focused on Afro hair and we opened up our doors in the Johannesburg CBD to our first class in February 2012.” Royal Hairstyles’s full time class consists of 20 students as it is the intention of the two founders to provide individual attention to each student. They also offer short courses in various disciplines. The key techniques taught include cutting and styling, colouring, perming, relaxing and neutralising, dreadlocks and braids, shampooing and conditioning and extensions. They also teach business aspects to the learners as they aim to foster an entrepreneurial spirit amongst them to enable them to eventually run their own businesses.


“It is important for hairdressers to think entrepreneurially when building and maintaining a clientele so as to maximise their earnings potential,” Sean says. “The cost of the technical courses is as follows: R2 917 per month for twelve months for the full-time course, R1 000 for the trade test course, R750 for the dreadlock styling course and R1 000 for the bonding course. Our prices are well below the industry average as we are cognisant of the fact that our students come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is also the reason our campus is in the CBD as it is accessible given that most of them use public transport.” After completing course work, students are required to work under a certified stylist for twelve to eighteen months in order to receive their full qualifications. Thereafter they will take the SETA trade test to be officially certified as a hairdresser. Royal Hairstyles has built relationships with a number of reputed salons to facilitate these internships as well as jobs once the candidates are certified. “We see tons of potential in the local ethnic hairdressing industry,” Ken reveals, “and we think that the key to unlocking that potential is

ensuring that hairdressers are welltrained.” The partnership is coming to the end of a very successful first year partly because of the varied combination of skills the founders bring to the business; Sean heads operations, marketing and finance while Ken handles the crucial technical training element. There are three other lecturers at the academy, each with significant hairdressing experience – Lucky Lepe, Kay Kalkapersad and Sisa Ntsadu.

“African American finance expat teams up with South African hair expert to revolutionalise the local hair industry through high level training...” Royal Hairstyles has partnered with Africa’s second largest hair care company, Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) in its training initiative. ORS provides hair care products, assists with marketing and also provides bursaries for some students. Once finished, students are also eligible to access up to R350 000 in grant funding from the Department of Trade and Industry to start their own businesses.

Ken

Royal Hairstyles is planning to broaden its offering to include cosmetology and their vision encompasses expanding the brand to other parts of the country and the rest of the continent. New students from South Africa and the rest of Africa are invited to register for the forthcoming class; find below the relevant contact details. Space is quite limited and demand is high, so the team encourages interested parties to apply soon. Physical Address: 3rd Floor, Works @ Main 195 Main Street, Johannesburg 2001 Website: www.royalhairstyles.com Twitter: @royalhairstyles Email and Phone: Sean Walker - Co-Founder sean.walker@royalhairstyles.com +27 84 228 4318 Kenneth Mokgosi - Co-Founder kenneth.mokgosi@royalhairstyles.com

+27 83 436 8102 Office Telephone: 011 079 6702

Sean WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

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Contents 8 Editorial 9 Inside Home Affairs: Categories of work permits 12 Expat-tivities 19 Prof. Wanyana Oguttu: First Black Woman Tax Law Doctorate in SA 22 Mathematical Magic 24 Kwabena Danquah: The Brain of a Billionaire 28 Omotoso’s Man on Ground: A-Keen Sense of Artistic Responsibility 32 Fusion Software’s David Tayler: From a Zim Farm to an I.T. Firm 36 Fred Eboka: Dressing the Rich and Famous 40 Prof. Fred Otieno: Deputy V.C. At D.U.T 42 Know Your Envoy: Phelekezela Mphoko 45 A Day in Botswana: Just Meat and Dry Heat 48 Asiko: Our Dance Floor 50 Hanging on with Hannington: Ugandans in SA – same blood, different paths 52 Lynnsanity: Expat Founders vs. Expat Freshies 53 Jobs in Africa


NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

ANYONE FOR SECONDS? research and academia who can be proud of a number of firsts in South Africa. She can claim another one here by being the first Ugandan to conquer our cover. This was certainly long overdue.

arack Hussein Obama, the son of a Kenyan immigrant, was handed a second term in office when Americans went to the polls on 6th November 2012. A near landslide was the resounding result of a campaign against Mitt Romney that ‘pundits’ thought was too close to call. From a radio spot stating “Obama – great talk show host, terrible commander in chief” to a billboard bearing caricature of him and the tag line “There is a village in Kenya missing an idiot; Obama – One Big A** Mistake America!”, the race often turned nasty. I stayed up all night cheering favourable results for this son of Africa. This was a great month for us; first we celebrate a second term for Barack, then we celebrate a second anniversary for this publication. Our cover story is the inspirational profile of Professor Wanyana Oguttu, a champion of

Another professor we feature is Kenya’s Fred Otieno who gives us a candid account of his rise to the top of various organisations and battle with cancer. The other Fred we feature is Mr. Eboka, a man from Nigeria who has dressed the high and mighty in this nation and can comfortably stake claim to having played a role in defining the country’s fashion intent. Get insight into the thinking of a Ghanaian billionaire, Kwabena Danquah and learn his secrets to accumulating wealth that will span generations and read our interview with Akin Omotoso who examines his film-making outfit’s tab on the topic of xenophobia in the film “Man On Ground”. Our Southern African offering includes my travel story which documents a day in Gaborone, Botswana summarised as “Just Meat and Dry Heat”, a profile feature on Zimbabwean born entrepreneur David Tayler and a “Know Your Envoy” piece on the Zimbabwean Ambassador Phelekezela Mphoko. Christine Asiko returns to our pages as a contributor with her anecdote on life’s dance floor together with our regular columns from Hannington Kasirye, Andreas Krensel and Sheila Lynn Senkubuge.

EXPATRIATE

Director: Carol Malonza – carol@expatriate.co.za Managing Editor: KC Rottok – editor@expatriate.co.za Deputy Editor and Content Advisor: Leah Maina – leah@expatriate.co.za Publishing Executive: Sheila Lynn Senkubuge Advertising and Event Enquiries sales@expatriate.co.za or 0822146421 Edition Writers: Keith Kundai, Hannington Kasirye, Andreas Krensel, KC Rottok, Sheila Senkubuge, Carol Malonza Contributors: Christine Asiko, Paul Leonard Art Direction, Design and Layout: Mike Obrien mike@obriendesign.co.za Photography: Mzu Nhlabati www.creativenation.co.za Website: Drutech Media (0781121311) To subscribe or contribute an article, email us at subs@expatriate.co.za All rights reserved. Excerpts may be used as long as this magazine is credited as the source. Longer versions of our content may only be used with the written permission of the Publisher. Neither the publisher nor the editor accept responsibility for any of the information from edition writers or contributors. Whilst we have taken care in preparing this publication, the publisher/editor does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The editor retains the right to edit all contributions. Advertisers are responsible for their material.

KC Rottok, CA (SA) Creative & Fin. Journalism (Wits University) Managing Editor.

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Publisher: The Expatriate Forum and Magazine (Pty) Limited Reg. Number: 2010/012428/07 P O Box 4935, Randburg, 2125 Tel: +27 11 7917484 www.expatriate.co.za

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Inside Home Affairs

Categories of work permits “Of the four work permits available, we note that the quota work permit and the exceptional skills work permit are more favourably considered when seeking permits for accompanying spouse or children or applying for permanent residence in SA...” hen it comes to the application for the correct visa, the first step is the identification of the reason of immigration to SA as the different permit options are categorized according to the purpose of stay. Any kind of permit application should be planned well in advance due to processing times in the Department of Home Affairs. Therefore, we would advise one to apply for the applicable permit at the South African embassy in your home country. As a rule of thumb, embassies need some five to 20 working days for processing your application. For people intending to obtain a temporary work permit in South Africa, the following permits are available: quota, exceptional skills, intra-company transfer, corporate worker and general work permit. A quota work permit and an exceptional skills work permit are applicable when you have skills which will add significant value to South Africa. The South African government has identified certain key areas in the economy which lack a sufficient number of skilled professionals. These sectors and occupational classes have been opened up to recruit skilled foreigners. These foreign professionals are allowed to enter based on a quota work permit which is independent of a contract of employment. The applicant is given 90 days to find work from the date of its issue.Although this is clearly stated in the Immigration Act not all offices

of Home Affairs are complying with the legislation. Some require an offer of employment when submitting the application in addition to basic personal documents, proof of formal qualifications evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), proof of at least five years of field experience and proof of registration with a professional body, board or council in South Africa. With the exceptional skills work permit the requirement is that the applicant has exceptional skills and qualifications as defined in the Immigration Act. However, these exceptional skills are not defined in sufficient detail in the Act leaving room for interpretation. For the exceptional skills work permit, application prior to an actual contract of employment is possible. However, detailed documentation certifying your skills is required. In addition, the authorities require basic personal documents, a letter from a South African organ of state or alternatively from an established South African academic, cultural or business body confirming the applicant’s skills and qualifications as well as additional proof of skills such as testimonials or applicant’s publications in line with his skills and qualifications. Furthermore, in a letter of motivation, the applicant needs to describe in detail how the exceptional skills possessed will benefit the South African environment in which he or she intends to work.

for a general work permit. For this permit, the potential employer needs to prove that the job was adequately advertised nationally and that South African applicants were not suitably qualified for the job. This category involves the most work as well as costs due to the various documents required such as a SAQA certificate, salary benchmarking report, advertising, medical and radiological certificates etc. An intra-company transfer permit is used for employees who are transferred to a South African subsidiary of the company they are employed at. The intra-company transfer permit is only valid for two years and not renewable. We often find this to be inconvenient given that most international assignments are longer than two years. Of the four work permits available, we note that the quota work permit and the exceptional skills work permit are more favourably considered when seeking permits for an accompanying spouse and/or children or applying for permanent residence in SA.

Andreas Krensel is the owner and managing director of IBN Consulting in Cape Town. He is a qualified German attorney with an LLM from UCT and has been assisting foreign investors in South Africa for the past ten years. www.ibncapetown.com

Employees not qualifying for either quota work permit or exceptional skills work permit apply


ll Danquah is the brainchild of Mr. Kwabena Danquah who fell in love with South Africa during his first visit from his country Ghana in 1999. Mr. K. Danquah ventured into all kinds of new business possibilities other than that of the steel industry he had refined to a growing success story in Accra-Ghana. His passion for architectural renovations of buildings soon became very profitable as he acquired buildings and turned them into commercial and residential units in record time to be rented out as return on his investments. As an entrepreneur, he handpicked a management staff that mirrors his business strategies.

All-Danquah very soon turned into a very competitive and successful rental and maintenance business with a considerable number of properties in Kempton Park and Johannesburg CBD. He also ventured into a steel business by acquiring a factory in Vanderbijl Park which he registered as Comet Steel (Pty) Limited. The group’s head office is situated at 45 Albatross Street in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park. All-Danquah staff compliment consisted of only three employees when it was established in 2003. In 2012, the staff compliment expanded to a total of 37 of which four are Executive Managers reporting directly to the CEO.

On 1 March 2012 the CEO and Management of All-Danquah decided to venture into new fields of hospitality due to All-Danquahs’ rapid growth and successful rental management structure. All-Danquah’s tranquil new Guest Lodge in Edleen, Kempton Park came to life in February 2012 as well as a cosy sit-down diner Restaurant with ample space for 40 people. The Conference facility can host up to 60 delegates and caters for the most discerning of clients. There is also a Quantum bus available to transport visitors. Food lovers will simply love the All-Danquah Restaurants’ continental dishes as well as African cuisine.

Contact Details: All Danquah Head Office: Tel 0119755006 Fax: 0119755008 E-mail: info@alldanquah.co.za, barbara@alldanquah.co.za, ryna@alldanquah.co.za, arthur@alldanquah.co.za All Danquah Restaurant: Tel 011 394 4236 E-mail: restaurant@alldanquah.co.za All Danquah Guesthouse: Tel 011 393 6583 Ryna Snyman (Group Consultant), Kwabena Danquah (CEO), Kofi Arthur (Project Manager) and Barbara Benhura (Finance/HR Manager)


Okavango Flats (20 Units)

Some members of staff

Quattro Building

All-Danquah Guest House

Beeman Building

NBS Building

All-Danquah Restaurant

Comet Steel premises, a member of the All-Danquah Group


ExpaT-TivitieS

ANNUAL EXPATRIATE SPRING DINNER – ISSUE 8 LAUNCH

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1- Programme director for the day, Expatriate publishing executive Sheila Lynn Senkubuge, 2- Goldman Nsherenguzi, Senior Marketing Manager at Western Union – official event sponsor, 3 - Key Note Address from Quartile Capital Chairman Modise Motloba, 4 - From left Maureen Nkandu, Head of Communications at NEPAD, featured personality Scholastica Kimaryo of Maadili Consciousness Centre (middle) and right former speaker of the Lesotho Parliament Honourable Motsamai, 5 - Featured personality – Standard Bank Africa Head of Offshore Services David Iraka, 6 - Editorial launch of Issue 8 from Managing Editor KC Rottok, 7- Winner of romantic night for two at Tintswalo at Waterfall in the business card raffle Miss Catherine Kimaryo with the Rwandan Ambassador, 8 - Featured personality – Rwandan envoy His Excellency Vincent Karega with his wife, 9 - Event MC Turas Turise


ExpaT-TivitieS

ANNUAL EXPATRIATE SPRING DINNER – ISSUE 8 LAUNCH

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1 - Ladies dressed to kill, 2 - From left – Nikiwe Kaunda and Munkombwe Muchindu, 3 - Mr. and Mrs. Makamanzi, 4 Mercy Moletsane and Ursula Shikhati, 5 - Derick Badze and Patience Chiwandire, 6 - Mr. and Mrs. Olukune, 7 - Beautiful set up at Rivonia Sports Club, 8 - Expatriate Mag Director Carol Malonza with Sankofa Insurance Co-founder William Ayim-Yeboah, 9 - After party with DJ Paps, 10 - From left – Emmanual Omaruaye, Nomvula Omaruaye and Mr. & Mrs. Aghri 11 - 300 guests in attendance enjoy a sumptuous buffet as a band from Ivory Coast plays. More pics available at www.facebook.com/expatmag

WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

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Kenya Night Dinner 2012

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Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga Visit to SA

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1- Emmanuel Mbevi from Mutanu Holdings, a freight forwarding company., 2- Upendo Women with Guest of Honour Hon. Martha, 3 - Guest of Honour Hon. Martha Karua receives all the copies to date of Expatriate magazine from KC Rottok (middle) and Kenyan Ambassador H.E. Tom Amolo, 4 - Godfrey Kamatu from Event Sponsors – One World Hospitality, 5 - Kenya Airways Southern Africa Director Rosemary Adogo, 6 - Entertainment from Tamasha Band, DJ Paps and DJ Jemo, 7- Apostle Kariuki prays for the event, 8 - KEDASA Interim Chair Chomba Chuma, 9 - East African Community Minister Musa Sirma, 10 - Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, 11 H.E. Kenyan High Commissioner Tom Amolo, 12 - Programme Director Angela Mumbi Odame.


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Anzisha Prize Awards 2012

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AMREF SA Stand Up for African Mothers Launch – 11 September 2012

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1 - 6 Twenty year old Andrew Mupuya – Uganda’s first paper bag producer declared winner of $30,000 in the Anzisha Prize for young African entrepreneurs (see www.anzishaprize.org). Kenya’s Diana Mongare was first runner up ($20,000) and Ghana’s Yaw Duffour finished third ($10,000). The event was sponsored by Mastercard Foundation, MC was Africa Leadership Academy’s Frank Aswani and key note address was from Ashish Thakkar, Founder of the Mara Group, 7 - 12 Stand Up for African Mothers had the purpose of raising awareness of the plight of mothers in Africa. AMREF intends to train 15,000 midwives from 10 selected countries in Africa. The occasion was graced by 100 guests including Mrs Machel’s representative, Rachel Toku-Appiah, the Executive Director of the Graca Machel Trust ; Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi; Ms A. Modjadji, the Deputy Director General at the Department of Women, Children and People Living with Disabilities(DWCPD), H.E. Tom Amolo (Kenyan Ambassador to SA) and reknowned musician Yvonne Chaka Chaka.


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Zim Business Network Breakfast

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Zambia Association A.G.M, Rivonia

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1- Toye Abioye discusses “Doing Business in Nigeria”, 2- Christine Chaonsa from sponsors Western Union, 3 - Key-note speaker Dr. Demartini, 4 - Fortune Gowera-Makamanzi from sponsors Park Inn Hotel, Sandton, 5 - Event MC Mark Chivere, 6 - Laureen Rwatirera discusses the ZBN vision, 7- Election Co-ordinator, 8 - Assan Ng’ombe casts his vote, 9 - Chairman Edwin Mununga seeks re-election, 10 - All officials including five committee members - Johnstone Chikwanda, Lynda Chibwe, Joseph Kawimbe, Njekwa Simakando and Malone Zaza, 11 - Elected officials from left: Ishmael Chingombe (Publicity) Ferdinand Simaanya (Vice Chairman) Belinda Mutumba (Vice Secretary) Edwin Mununga (Chairman) Teckler Kakubo (Treasurer) Misheck Sakala (Vice Treasurer) Binwell Keshi (Secretary) Evance Chanda (Vice Publicity Secretary), 12 - Joe Kawimbe addresses delegates.


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GHANAFEST 2012 , PRETORIA

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1 - Acting High Commissioner Parker Allotey, 2 - “I would love to pursue a career in any field of the fashion industry and develop a brand name for myself. I am elated about being the second Miss Ghanafest and will work with the organisers to identify charitable causes to which I can contribute in my capacity.” said Selasie Dzanta (centre) flanked by Nana Acheampong-Boateng (left, second runner-up) and Anti Patricia Amoah (right, first runner up), 3 - Expatriate Magazine Publishing Executive Sheila Senkubuge showcases the publication, 4 - AUPSA Chairman Stephen Twinoburyo, 5 - Packed audience listens to Uganda High Commission representative, 6 - Dr. Agnes Ikatekit with those in attendance who had been born at the time of Uganda’s independence, 7 - Charles Mugerwa and the PAMATA Band, 8 - Mrs Monica Rubombora, a Senior Director at Accenture, 9 - Ms Sandra Oder, a Senior Researcher at Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria.



PROF. WANYANA OGUTTU FIRST BLACK WOMAN TAX LAW DOCTORATE IN SA

rofessor Annet Wanyana Oguttu met her husband James at Makerere University in their native Uganda while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in law. She graduated in 1993 and worked briefly as a legal assistant with Mayanja Nkangi and Company Advocates before relocating to Lesotho. “My husband had completed his studies as a veterinary surgeon and got a teaching position at the National University of Lesotho prompting our relocation,” Oguttu recalled when interviewed by The Expatriate magazine in her offices at the department of Mercantile Law at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The couple were stationed in the town of Leribe where Oguttu worked for a law firm while also teaching literature at a local high school on a part time basis. She later took up a position in the capital Maseru where she worked for Advocate Sooknanan while pursuing a master’s degree in international tax law. She graduated in 2001 and was subsequently admitted to the local bar becoming an advocate of the High Court of Lesotho. “Our plan when we moved to Lesotho was to improve our qualifications, so as soon as I completed my master’s I registered for a doctorate in tax law through UNISA. The course was very demanding and the fees were quite expensive. I told my supervisor that it would be difficult for me to complete it and he alerted me to an opening for a lecturer position at the university.” WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

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Oguttu took up the position in 2003 and the family moved to SA. Her husband was pursuing a master’s degree by correspondence with the University of Pretoria at the time and a year later was also appointed to a teaching position at UNISA. “We get to drive here together every morning,” she beamed. She completed her doctorate in international tax law in 2008 becoming only the second woman in SA to do so and the first black woman in the country to obtain the qualification. “Prof. Lynette Olivier, the first woman to graduate with this doctorate, is a lecturer at University of Johannesburg and was very helpful to me during my studies. I think there are few doctorates in this area because tax law is a very lucrative qualification in the commerce industry so most graduates end up being lured away from academia. For that reason, I don’t get too preoccupied with being the first black woman with the doctorate. I think anyone could have achieved this if they put their minds to it although I am pleased if my achievements encourage black students to work harder.” In 2009, Oguttu received a grant from the USA’s University of Michigan - African Presidential Scholars Program, where she pursued her post doctoral studies in International Tax Law and was given an award for academic excellence and outstanding contribution to the intellectual community of the

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University of Michigan. Oguttu can also take credit for another first – she is the foremost black woman to be admitted as a full professor in the college of law at UNISA. She was appointed in 2010 and delivered her inaugural lecture in the same year on the complex topic of tax pairing.

Foundation (NRF) has rated her a C2 researcher, a rating which she said she is very proud of. “The highest NRF rating one can get is an A which is given to the real ‘centres of knowledge’. These are the people who are known to publish textbooks in certain subject areas and there are only one or two

The first black woman professor in UNISA’s College of Law is a recent recipient of a national “Distinguished Women in Science” Award presented to her by the then Science and Technology minister Naledi Pandor... “The inaugural lecturer is an hour long address that a new professor is required to give in front of invited guests and academia. My lecture was attended by officials from the South African Revenue Services as well as the National Treasury. I was nervous in the beginning but this spurred me on and the comments from my peers thereafter were very positive.” Professor Oguttu has published several articles and conducted a significant amount of research in her area of specialisation. The South African National Research

of them in the country. Then come the B graded researchers who are also highly rated specialists in their areas of research. Not far behind are C rated researchers and it pleases me to see my work quoted by students in their theses and others writing about tax law in general. SA was isolated in terms of tax law due to apartheid and therefore there is a significant opportunity to contribute to its development by way of research.” In recognition of her work, the Women in Science Awards (WISA) granted Oguttu the second runner up position for the 2012 “Distinguished


also found that being a foreigner was an advantage in some respects.

she also does at the African Tax Institute at the University of Pretoria.

“It was a great honour to receive the award and be recognised at national level. The minister actually told me that she was impressed that I was writing things that were very rare!”

“As an immigrant you need to do something special to justify your status in the country. As a result I had to have a sense of determination. My success can be attributed to hard work; I am no genius and in most subjects my grades were above average rather than exceptional. It is as a result of our degrees that my husband and I were granted residency and today we are dual citizens of Uganda and SA.”

In October 2012, her publications on international tax issues caught the attention of the “United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Financing for Development Office” which has enlisted her as one of the ten members of the “Expert Group to Develop a UN Course on Double Tax Treaties”. - Expatriate Magazine Team

Oguttu stated that she draws her inspiration from God and attributed her success to the support of her husband who has always encouraged her to achieve more. She

Oguttu has peer reviewed articles in several leading journals and revealed that she intends to do more consulting work in future in addition to the part-time teaching

Women in Science Award: Social Sciences and Humanities”. The award was presented by the then SA minister for Science and Technology Naledi Pandor for “outstanding contribution to building SA’s scientific and research knowledge base.”


Mathematical Magic Your financial life could be divided into three basic financial phases: • Phase 1 (childhood and studying): you acquire the skills to generate an income. • Phase 2 (working): you generate an income, live below that income and save. • Phase 3 (retirement): you live on whatever you saved during phase 2. Once you get to retirement, what you have available is essentially what you did not spend while you were working. In essence, saving is simply deferred spending. THE MAGIC One of the most important concepts to understand during phase 2 of your life is the mathematical magic of compound interest. This is one of the most powerful wealth creation tools available to you. Imagine that you saved R1 000 per year over a 40 year period and your money grew by 10% per year. You invest your R1 000 at the beginning of year 1. Your money will earn R100 during the course of that year. The balance at the end of the year will be R1 100. At the beginning of the next year you add another R1 000 to the investment. Your investment starts off with R2 100 at the beginning of year 2. During year 2 your money will earn 10% interest on the original R1 000 you invested at the beginning of year 1, the R1 000 you invested at the beginning of year 2, as well as the R100 interest your money earned during year 1. In year two your money will start to earn “compound interest” which is interest on interest you earned in previous years. The interest for year 2 will be R210. The balance at the end of year 2 will be R2 310. In year 5 you will earn interest on the R1 000 you invested in each year up till then, as well as on the interest that you earned in years 1, 2, 3 and 4. In year 8 you will earn more in interest than you are saving. You will still save R1 000 that year but your money will earn R1 144 in interest. From that point onwards your money will be working harder than you. After 12 years the interest will be twice as much as you are saving. In year 15 the interest is 3 times as much as you are saving. By year 40 you will have invested a total of R40 000 out of your own pocket, but the interest that your money will earn in that year will be R44 000. By that stage your money will earn more interest in one year than you have invested over 40. That demonstrates the power of compound interest. Table: Investing R1 000 per year, earning 10% per year Year

Investment per year

Total investment made

Interest earned in one year

Cumulative interest earned

Investment value at year end

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1 000

100

100

1 100

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1 000

5 000

611

1 716

6 716

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1 000

10 000

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7 531

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1 000

20 000

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63 002

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1 000

30 000

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180 943

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1 000

40 000

44 259

446 852

486 852

The illustration above uses R1 000 per year in order to explain the concept simply. In reality the amount you should be investing is 10% – 15% of your gross income into investments. If you did this over a 30 to 40 year period your portfolio could be generating more in interest than you are earning from your job. Compound interest is arguably the most reliable way to achieve financial independence, which is where you can support your lifestyle from your capital and no longer need to work. The key is to start soon enough and not to stop. If you have broken service do not cash the investment in and spend the money. If you spend it you reset the clock and you go back to year one. Rather reinvest the money from your pension or provident fund whenever you move from one employer to another. Start early, maintain the continuity and harness the mathematical magic of compound interest. Paul Leonard CFP® Consolidated is a national financial planning practice with offices in Western Cape, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Paul is based in the Eastern Cape


Over 30 years of excellence in design and related services and with offices across the African continent Contact us on +27 11 783 3960 or visit our website: www.tecturainternational.com


KWABENA DANQUAH – THE BRAIN OF A BILLIONAIRE “Oh my God, that man owns half of Kempton Park!” That was the response I got from a good Ghanaian friend of mine Mavis Anim when I told her that I was going to interview her fellow countryman Kwabena Adjare Danquah. So that was the first question I asked him when we met in his office on Albatross Street in this eastern suburb of Johannesburg.

In Ghana, he is a 50% shareholder of Macsteel Ghana, the local subsidiary of Africa’s leading steel supplier. He also owns the Obuoba Group, a collection of companies which include a hotel, a roofing entity, alcohol distillery and

products and he is also in the process of funding the construction of a technical university. Before the meeting, I googled this Ghanaian entrepreneur and came across a detailed case study conducted on his business by the Columbia Business School in the USA. The paper found that the Metalex Group alone had net assets of over ten million dollars in 2007. Assuming continued growth within this and his other interests and the possible values of his real estate interests, Danquah’s net worth could easily amount to a billion rand or at the very least a billion Ghanaian cedis at the exchange rate of 1ZAR=2GHC. I engage him in the following question and answer sequence seeking to discover what lies within the brain of a billionaire.

“To become successful, you need to deny yourself and work hard. You need to separate your wants from your needs and constantly re-invest instead of living lavishly. You can start living lavishly when you have acquired enough passive income that you do not need to work at all to sustain your lifestyle.....”

“Well I do own very many commercial and residential buildings here but definitely not half of them,” he laughed. Within minutes I establish that the buildings he owns include several apartment blocks and other buildings in the city where one of the big four banks is a tenant of his All Danquah CC which also owns a restaurant and guest lodge in SA. He is also the proprietor of Comet Steel South Africa.

an FM station. Outside of Obuoba, Danquah owns Metalex, a company that manufactures high quality roofing, plastic and brick

Where did the journey to entrepreneurship begin for you? My father was a petty trader dealing in building materials in the town of Koforidua. I was his eighth child and assisted in the family business for a year after I completed high school education. He gave me USD 4,000 in 1982, to go to Accra and start my own business and that is when I started Metalex which at the time manufactured wood making machines. I started


small with a few employees but the business grew rapidly. In 1987, I started trading with Macsteel and this later resulted in a 50/50 partnership in Macsteel Ghana. In the year 2000, I purchased a mismanaged brick making factory from the Bank of Ghana. Since then I have from time to time sought opportunities in sectors that appeal to me. How did you come to SA and why did you invest in property? When Macsteel executives came to Ghana looking for a distributor, the taxi driver brought them to my door because he (the taxi driver) had seen a sign for Metalex roofing. We got into discussions and began trading. After a while they realised that I was trustworthy and approached me to partner with them in a Ghanaian venture. As per my culture, I need to see where a person comes from in order to engage in a partnership with them and so I travelled to SA to visit their headquarters. I was amazed at how well developed this African country was and decided that I would invest and live here. This was after independence and white South Africans were leaving the country and selling their properties cheaply. I favoured Kempton Park because it was near the airport and I figured a number of employees would be in need of housing in the area. I think property is a great investment because it will always appreciate as population grows. I target repossessed properties in strategic locations. It is also a form of saving and should you wish to seek loans for business ventures you can

always use real estate as collateral. I don’t sell property for short term gain because I view it as a long term investment which will also benefit my children when I am gone. I also don’t place values on them every year because doing that can make you become complacent. What advice do you have for aspiring billionaires? I am a Christian and the Bible says that the way to heaven is narrow

while the road to destruction is wide. To become successful, you need to deny yourself and work hard. You need to separate your wants from your needs and constantly re-invest instead of living lavishly. You can start living lavishly when you reach the break-even point. I define the break-even point for an individual as the point where you have acquired enough passive income that you do

not need to work at all to sustain your lifestyle. Today I live in an 18 bedroom palace in Glen Marais because I have passed the break-even point. I do not however like to be flashy, look at this old Nokia phone that I am using. If you are too flashy then people will target you and you will need bodyguards and lose sleep at night. To this day, I wake up at 4.00 a.m. every morning because success does not come easy. It is like an aeroplane,

once you are up in the air you need to keep flying or you will hit the ground. You also need to have an appetite for calculated risk; in the span of a few years I have lost close to five million dollars due to metal prices. As an investor you should take risks that you can afford and if they don’t pay off, you should learn from your mistakes.

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If you love a woman, you will go wherever she is without feeling tired. In the same way, pursue something that you love when it comes to business because every line of industry has money in it but it is only those who are truly passionate about their line of business who will succeed.

demands and they will head off to a competitor with your ideas. But if you hire average individuals they can work very hard without you having to face high staff turnover. I

What are your future plans and do you intend to venture into politics?

You also need to be dynamic because no business can be profitable for a long time with the same ideas. Things change constantly. A few years ago a poor man had nothing and a rich man had about USD30, 000. Today a poor man still has nothing while a rich man has billions. I would encourage Africans to be innovators. Today we are only good at continuing what the white man has started but we can be just as innovative as they are in initiating things. How many employees do you have and what is your management style? I have over 500 employees. I don’t believe in hiring “A” students because brilliant graduates understand your business very quickly and keep demanding pay increases. After a while you are unable to meet their

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of employment. Everyone who works for me knows that I have that expectation and so they do not need to be micro-managed if they understand their individual goal at the end of the day.

was actually invited to speak on this concept at the Columbia Business School. I also believe an employee needs to generate at least three times their salary for them to be worthwhile to you. That is what I base pay increases on as well as terminations

My plan is to complete my university and retire in my home town of Nkawkaw. I will never become a politician because I was born an industrialist, but I do support politicians on a ratio of 60% government 40% opposition because next to God comes government. I don’t shun politicians because everyone is important; even the thief is important because he takes away the old things that you do not need and creates employment for police and security providers. I do not get caught up in pledging diehard allegiance because politicians are like soccer players. They can change teams very easily but it is we the supporters who remain bitterly loyal to our chosen squads. - KC ROTTOK



Pics courtesy of Akin Omotoso

kin Omotoso (born 1974) is a Nigerian-born South African actor, writer and director best known for his role as Khaya Motene in the SABC 1 soap opera Generations. His family moved to SA in 1992 when his father Bankole Omotoso - best known for his role in Vodacom’s yebo gogo ads - accepted a lectureship at a local university. We sat down with him in August during the premier of his political thriller Man on Ground (M.O.G) at The Bioscope theatre in downtown Johannesburg.

I would like to think that even if I was born and raised in SA, those images would have disturbed me as another human being. That is what made me want to do this movie. As part of the film industry, I felt that it is our responsibility to cultivate some constructive commentary on the matter. M.O.G is centred on a Nigerian refugee who goes missing in Johannesburg against the background of the violence against immigrants. His brother, on a short visit from London, tries to uncover the mystery.

conversation around the theme of xenophobic temperature. We actually shot the film in the Alexandra Township where the incidences of xenophobic violence began and the discussions that are coming out of the film reveal that this is a disturbing issue not just in SA. At a screening in Washington D.C. for example, the discussion that ensued amongst the audience was centred on intolerance in that city. In my own country Nigeria, I understand Liberians are being ordered to leave. It is a global issue that should concern all of us.

What inspired you to write M.O.G and what is the movie about?

Why is the movie being screened in the Bioscope and not the major theatres?

What were the challenges you faced in making the film and what has been the response to it?

We have about 15 screenings at the Bioscope as well as certain theatres in other parts of the country. Our main aim is to take this film to the communities and start a

It took three years for me to write the film with the help of Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Fabian Lojede who star as the Nigerian brothers in the film.

Being a naturalised South African citizen, it disturbed me to see the images of Ernesto Nhamuave who was burnt alive during the xenophobic violence in SA. There is no room for that in any society.

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Like any other film, the main challenge is finance as this is a very capital intensive industry. We wanted the ethos of the film of working together to be reflected in the funding of the film and hence we rallied family and friends, locally and internationally to give us little donations. We also received donations from the SA government which has a very good mechanism to back the film industry through various departments as this is classified as a growth sector in the nation.

Other than M.O.G what other films have you made? Using money I made acting as a student, I completed three short films: The Kiss of Milk, The Nightwalkers and The Caretaker. In 1999, I wrote my first feature film God is African starring Hakeem KaeKazim. My father always says that we should write what we know and so the film reflected a Nigerian student coming to SA and raising awareness

The film has been successful in conveying the message to a worldwide audience. In addition, the entire cast won the Best Ensemble award at the Monaco International Film Festival and Fana Mokoena was named the Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2012. What awards have YOU won in your acting and film making career? I was fortunate to have been nominated for the AMAA’s although I didn’t win. This may sound cliché but I was very pleased to be nominated because that means someone has thought about the work that you have done and invited you to the table (even if you may not get to eat). I try and not think too much about awards as I am not one to place too much emphasis on accolades. That said, I was very pleased to win the Fleur du Cap Award for Most Promising Student in the play Sunjata in 1995 primarily because my late mother was in the audience when I received it. I was also very pleased to win the 2007 Standard Bank Young Artist Award in the film category.

regarding the assassination of author and activist Ken Saro Wiwa in Nigeria. When it premiered in 2003, I was struggling with personal loss after my mother died from cancer and decided to re-prioritise my life. That was when I started a production Femi (Fabian Adeoye Lojede)

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company with Robbie Thorpe and Kgomotso Matsunyane. Our first film Gums and Noses won Best SA Film at the New York Film Festival in 2004 and I directed Rifle Road which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005. I also made a documentary in tribute to my mother called Gathering the Scattered Cousins shot in her country of birth Barbados. We produced Material recently which did very well on the big screen and DSTV’s box office. Hakeem Kae-Kazim with whom you have worked on a number of projects is now a Hollywood based actor and has appeared on well known productions such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Wolverine, Law and Order and Hotel Rwanda. Is that where you aspire to be in a few years time? I met Hakeem when he accepted the starring role in God is African and we have remained close friends. You don’t have to be based in Hollywood to be cast in American movies; I have acted in a number of them including Lord of War and Blood Diamond. I also played a leading role as Paul Kagame in Shake Hands with the Devil. I don’t place my focus on Hollywood because if you start thinking too much about those things, you lose focus on what you are doing. I am only aiming to be the best I can be by dedicating myself to each project so that I can make a difference. Is there a role you wouldn’t play? I would never act as a Nigerian drug lord because that would just feed the stereotype. - CAROL MALONZA 30

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“We actually shot the film in the Alexandra Township where incidences of xenophobic violence began and the discussions that are coming out of the film reveal that this is a disturbing issue globally not just in SA......”

Ade (Hakeem Kae-Kazim)

Timothi (Fana Mokoena)


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Fusion Software’s Da v i d Ta yl er From a Zim Farm to an I.T. Firm “In 2013, it will be the tenth anniversary of this software business and I am immensely proud of what we have managed to achieve. All our major competitors are international companies and we own our own brand, our own software and our own premises....” 32

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David Tayler would probably be a farmer today had his father not insisted that he get a degree before joining the family enterprise of cultivating tobacco in Mangura, Zimbabwe. He travelled to Cape Town in the year 2000 where his elder sister was studying, to pursue a one year diploma in business management. “In 2001, I took up a second diploma in information technology (I.T.) in order to gain a good understanding of technology as this was becoming a key component of modern farming,” David recalled in an interview at his aesthetic Fusion Software offices in Randburg. It was while he was pursuing this diploma that he got a frantic phone call from his mother in Zimbabwe where there had been developments related to President Mugabe’s policy of resettling war veterans on white farms. “People who were not nearly old enough to be war veterans had stormed our farm in my father’s absence and given my mother thirty minutes to pack up and leave. She only had time to pack a change of clothes, a computer and our family albums.The house was then ransacked and burnt to the ground,” lamented David who recently turned 32.

Over 100 farm employees lost their jobs and the insurance company rejected the claim on the grounds that this was an ‘Act of war’ that was not covered by the policy. David’s father eventually managed to commence farming on a second property but this was short-lived as a government official expropriated the land with no compensation. “The loss my parent’s experienced was the saddest part of the situation given that they were now in their 50’s and everything they had was taken away. I decided that I would pay my own way through college and took up an evening job as a waiter at a high end restaurant.”

develop and provide software to his client base and we both invested our capital into the idea.” In 2007, David decided to hive off the software company and purchase Colin’s stake. The two went their separate ways although they remain best friends today and are partners in a completely different business venture. “I called the company Fusion to reflect our core business of fusing a number of elements together to produce efficient software. When I took it over, I had 30 days to make it work as this was the lead time before the rent, PABX payments and salaries for eight employees were due!”

David would attend classes during the day and wait on tables from early evening up to two in the morning every night. It was at this restaurant that he met his future wife Wendy who was one of the pastry chefs. When she got a job offer in Gauteng in 2003, the couple moved to Johannesburg and initially lived with Wendy’s aunt as they found their feet in the new town.

It was a leap of faith but David managed to pull it off using a personal overdraft facility and cash flow from some of his early clients. Today the company’s staff complement is approximately four times its initial number and Fusion services well over a hundred customers each year with solutions in four main areas – fusion software applications for all aspects of the business, contract development, software integration and websites.

“It was through Wendy’s cousin that I met Colin Thornton, the owner of Dial-a-Nerd, a company that supplies hardware and I.T. support to a variety of clients. He had only employed me for a week before I presented him with a business plan to

“I took the decision early in life that I would neither pay rent nor work for someone else. In 2013, it will be the tenth anniversary of this software business and I am immensely proud of what we have managed to

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with wife Wendy

achieve. All our major competitors are international companies and we own our own brand, our own software and our own premises.” The building that Fusion operates from became their offices when Wendy spotted the owner placing a “For Sale” sign outside a run-down unoccupied house on Bram Fischer Drive a few years ago. They made the owner an offer and David, who believes “hard work never killed anyone”, decided to oversee the remodelling of the property into the new structure it is today.The company also has branches in Namibia, Pretoria and Cape Town and David revealed plans to venture into his native Zimbabwe in the near future. “Our success can be attributed to the hard work of each employee

who has worked here since inception and our determination to establish good customer relationships. I do not believe in the culture that a number of our competitors have of providing a solution in a CD and walking away. Likewise, we try and have the kind of work environment that a family business should have with a management that exercises an open door policy.” Fusion recently appointed Grant Joyce as CEO. He now manages the operations of the company which frees up David to do what he does best; creating and selling product. David cites his father as his inspiration and attributes his risk taking nature to growing up in the home of an entrepreneur. The idiom “you can’t keep a good man down”

rings very true if you consider the fact that, after such difficult setbacks, Tayler Snr today runs a successful feed manufacturing business that employs 90 people in Harare. - KC ROTTOK



F

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EBOKA

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“People generally get shocked on hearing the names of the people I have met and dressed. I recall when I recently visited Houghton to design a dress for Graca Machel. I received a phone call from an uncle and whispered into the phone that I couldn’t talk as I was in Mandela’s home. ‘Oh really,’ he smirked. ‘Is Jesus there too?”

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wo seemingly menacing but ultimately friendly dogs welcome me to the beautiful mansion that is the home of Fred Elu Eboka in Brooklyn, Pretoria. As we settle down for this interview in the living room surrounded by his superb paintings, I am keen to know which area of Nigeria he comes from. “That is not important,” he says declining to respond. “Neither is

what tribe my parents come from. I am an African. It is the colonialists who decided to cut up the continent into different regions and countries without any careful consideration. These lines have resulted in unnatural consequences as it does not work when you cut a piece of cloth against the grain.” When he was a boy, Eboka’s creative talent became apparent as his drawings stood out from those

of his classmates. After high school, he began a successful career in the advertising industry before deciding to relocate to the U.S. for further studies. “I needed a new challenge and left Nigeria in 1982 for the University of Philadelphia where I studied fashion and design. I was fortunate to be admitted to the prestigious Tyler School of Art (part of Temple University) where

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I was the only black student in my class to complete a major in visual communication. It was not easy to do so; I recall my professor declined to enter my painting into a national illustration competition. Fortunately, all Tyler students had their pieces displayed and the judges were blown away by my anonymous entry. After declaring it the winner, they were quite surprised that this was the work of an African and strangely I did not get the position at a local newspaper which was meant for the winner.” After completing his studies, Eboka stayed on in the U.S. pursuing a career in fashion and design. He remained in the state of Pennsylvania where he opened a studio in the prestigious Chestnut Hill area. Towards the late 1980’s, there were signs that SA was coming out of apartheid rule and through the country’s embassy

officials in America, Eboka was convinced to relocate to SA where they were certain he would have an impact in the fashion landscape of the liberated nation. “I arrived in SA in 1992 with a pre-approved permit. At the time there were virtually no reputable black designers in the country save for me and Nandipa Madikiza. The colours people were wearing were all grey which in my view reflected the mood of the country; colour blocking was completely unheard of when I got here.” Some of Eboka’s early clients included the founder of Co s m o p o l i t a n magazine Jane Raphaely and the then mayor of Cape

Town Patricia Kreiner. He was also charged with dressing the new black leaders of the country and had a seat at the presidential dais during the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela. The list of famous people who have donned Eboka’s clothing include Grammy nominees, Africa’s first ‘afronaut’ billionaire Mark Shuttleworth, King Zwelithini of the Zulu Kingdom, “Mama Africa” Miriam Makeba, Former Deputy President now chair of the ANC Baleka Mbete, Former President Thabo Mbeki, President Jacob Zuma, a number of Miss World contestants and Hal Walker, an African American inventor noted in the Guinness book of world records for developing laser equipment that projected images of the moon back to the earth during the 1969 Apollo moon walk. “It is a very intimate process to design clothing for someone because you need to understand their personality to fashion something that would reflect their style. People generally get shocked on hearing the names of the people I have met and dressed. I recall when I recently visited Houghton to design a dress for Graca Machel. I received a phone call from an uncle


and whispered into the phone that I couldn’t talk as I was in Mandela’s home. ‘Oh really,’ he smirked. ‘Is Jesus there too?’” Eboka reputation extends beyond South African borders having participated in fashion shows in cities such as Chicago and Tokyo. He is frequently called upon to act as a judge in the South African chapter of the Smirnoff International Fashion Awards and has displayed his fashion at various high profile events alongside the likes of Versace and Geoffrey Beene.

creativity we have not invested in ourselves like Italian John Galliano who was made famous by an African necklace, Oscar de la Renta who made millions out of the turban and Shakira who rode the charts on the Zangalewa tune.” Eboka believes in giving back and as such he mentors a number of young designers and has participated

The profession has its challenges; he reveals that he often sees his designs being claimed by young designers in magazine articles. He also laments the fact that Africa is yet to wake up to the potential of creative art. “We are where Europe was a century ago when Van Gogh died a pauper due to people not valuing his art. Europeans today are investing in talented designers and creating fashion businesses worth billions of dollars. Africans however only seem to invest in businesses that supply raw materials rather than apply the creative process; we would rather sell cocoa than manufacture chocolate. There are numerous examples of outsiders capitalising on the

in the launch of sewing schools in the townships of Uitenhage and Langa. He has a shop at the Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank that sells couture clothing

and he plans to launch a ready to wear range in the near future. - KC ROTTOK


Prof. Otieno

Deputy Vice-chancellor at Durban University of Technology

– Recent U.N. Representative to SA

“One of the highest ranking expatriate academics chats to us about the rise to the top and dealing with cancer...”

rofessor Fred Otieno studied civil engineering at the University of Nairobi (UON) completing his degree with an upper second class honours in 1979. He proceeded to join a consulting firm known as Gordon Melvin and Partners which was then the premier firm of consulting engineers in Kenya. “I was involved in a number of significant projects such as the construction of Nolfolk Towers and the Pan Afric Hotel,” Otieno recalled in an

interview held at the family home in Hurlingham, Sandton.

where he joined Kenyatta University as a research fellow to set up a technology research centre.

“1980, I saw a British Council scholarship for a masters degree in water engineering advertised in the local newspapers. As I had begun to find the job I was doing a bit boring and monotonous, I applied for the scholarship and subsequently pursued the qualification at the University of Newcastle.”

“It was our research team that developed the energy saving stove which is lined with clay (jikos). Prior to this, people used jikos that were made out of metal which used up much more coal as heat would escape from its sides,” Otieno said.

On completion, Otieno was placed on a six month internship at a water research project in Portsmouth. He returned to Kenya in 1982

Otieno worked at the research centre until 1986 when he returned to Newcastle to pursue a doctorate in engineering. By this time, he had wedded wife Florence (who today is CEO of Sandton’s Tara Hospital) and the couple had young children. Thankfully, the scholarship for the doctorate provided for him to take his family with him to the UK. “I returned to Kenya in 1990 and joined UON as a lecturer and also opened up my own firm known as Environmental Management Consultants. Unfortunately there was a prolonged lecturers’ strike that began in 1992 which I found very frustrating. I responded to an advertisement for a senior lecturer position at the former University of Durban Westville.” After applying for the position and subsequent interviews, Otieno was the successful candidate and he and his family moved to Durban after the first democratic elections in 1994. He continued to actively participate in research projects and as a result


earned the status of a full professor in 1997. “I was aware that it was quite possible that I would assume a management position in a local university and I therefore enrolled for an MBA at the Durban Westville Graduate School of Business. It was not easy being a full-time professor attending part-time classes of a challenging business course while also trying as much as possible to spend time with a young family,” said Otieno. He obtained the qualification in 1999 by which time he had assumed the position of Head of the Engineering department. He was lured to Johannesburg by the prospect of working at one of the largest technikon faculties in the country in a very senior position – Executive Dean of Engineering at Wits Technikon. “That was a contract and therefore I did not feel secure in my position. In March 2003, I was headhunted by Technikon Pretoria who offered me a permanent position. In retrospect, I would not encourage young professionals to be too concerned about job security as no position is water-tight as one can still be retrenched. In addition, being in a contract position somehow pushes you to work even harder in the hope of it being renewed.” In 2004, Tshwane University of Technology was born following the amalgamation of Technikon Pretoria, Technikon Northern Gauteng and Technikon North West. Otieno’s job

security was rattled once again as all lecturers were required to apply for positions in the new university. He was the successful candidate and retained his position in at the merged institution up to March 2010 when he was appointed Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Deputy Vice Chancellor in the area of technology. He holds the position to date and as he is second only to the university’s vice-chancellor, he effectively is one of the highest ranking academics in SA of foreign origin. He attributed his success to a number of reasons. “As a foreigner in any country you need to work much harder to justify your position. I also have strength in research having been rated a C1 researcher by the National Research Foundation. I actually think that I would be an A rated researcher today if I was not in a management position as I would have more time to study certain topics and have my articles published.” Otieno admitted to also having a passion for human resource, finance and strategy having sat on the boards of various high level organisations such as the South African National Roads Agency Limited and Randwater. He was also chairman of the City of Johannesburg rubbish collection company PikiTup and plans to use the leadership experience gained in all these entities to continue to transform his division at DUT and elsewhere in SA as he consults privately in his areas of specialisation.

black graduates and post graduates. In the two years I have been at the university, we have doubled the research output at the university and I believe that in a few years time we will be very highly rated amongst second tier universities in SA.” Having successfully battled a cancer scare recently, Prof. Otieno advises readers to have regular medical checkups as the earlier conditions are detected, the greater chance modern medicine has of effectively combating them. He revealed that one thing he would like to achieve in his lifetime is to head a university in Kenya. “I recently visited South Korea and Singapore and tears literally welled up in my eyes because it pained me to see how far they had come in spite of having had a lower GDP than Kenya when we gained independence. I would love to be the vice chancellor of a Kenyan university and bring some fresh thinking from the experiences I have gained here. If that is not possible I will do my best to play a role in some other way because I was educated by the Kenyan taxpayer for my first degree which formed the foundation of my career,” he concluded. - Keith Kundai “Have you LIKED our facebook page?” www.facebook.com/expatmag

“Do you FOLLOW us on twitter?” www.twitter.com/expatriatemag

“We have also made great strides in our bid to produce more

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Zimbabwean Envoy Phelekezela Mphoko Describe your career leading up to your appointment as Zimbabwean High Commissioner to SA.

What is your view of Zimbabweans in SA and their interaction with the High Commission?

I trained as an agriculturalist in the areas of field and animal husbandry. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to practice my craft after school and the job market was also very grim in the then Southern Rhodesia. In 1964, I went to the Soviet Union to study military science and on my return a few years

It is a known fact that there is a very big Zimbabwean community in SA. No matter what country one is from, it is important to stay in touch with your country of origin and one way of doing that is interacting with your embassy. With respect to Zimbabweans, this has been happening consistently and my view

“I am thankful to God for having protected me for the 16 years I spent in the struggle fighting for Zimbabwe’s independence in the bush. He protected me from all kinds of dangers including snakes and bullets....” later I spent more than a decade in the guerrilla warfare struggle for an independent Zimbabwe. Soon after independence in 1980, I served as a diplomat in Mozambique and Austria before being appointed ambassador to Botswana. I later served as ambassador to Russia before being appointed the High Commissioner to SA. I am the fourth ambassador to this country and I believe my responsibility is to maintain the good relations between Zimbabwe and SA that my predecessors have established.

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is that they should keep this up. I would also advise them to consider investing in Zimbabwe as there are plenty of opportunities; it is one of the richest countries in the region. How would you describe the relationship between Zimbabwe and SA? The relationship between the two countries is very good starting from presidential level where our president has a cordial relationship with the presidency here. This extends to all levels of government. Our ministers are frequently invited to the country by their counterparts for various meetings which is clear evidence of a good relationship.

What do you perceive to be the highlights of your career? I am thankful to God for having protected me for the 16 years I spent in the struggle fighting for Zimbabwe’s independence in the bush. He protected me from all kinds of dangers including snakes and bullets. The most important thing for a diplomat is to host his or her head of state. I consider it an achievement to make sure that the President is received in a conducive environment. Also as an ambassador, gaining access to your hosts and making meaningful contact is essential to achieving your objectives. Tell us more about your personal life including your hobbies and family. When I went to the Soviet Union in the 1960’s, my strategic studies included photojournalism. Since then it has been a hobby; at one stage I had 17 different cameras! I also enjoy cloud viewing; I am determined to capture the image of a cloud that is in the shape of Zimbabwe. I have photos of clouds that resemble the shape of many different countries but the Zimbabwean one has eluded me and so I always have a camera with me in case I see it. I also play golf and love jazz music. I also love cooking ever since I got married I have cooked Sunday lunch for my wife and children. I have two daughters who are doctors and a son who is an agriculturalist.


Know Your Envoy

What does the future hold for you? Well, at my age, the only future plan is to pack up and go back to Zimbabwe when my time here is up.

What is your view of the xenophobia Zimbabweans and other nationals experienced recently in SA? I was not in the country at the time. It was surprising to me given the fact that Zimbabweans have a lot of similarities to South Africans including their languages. I think it is something that the authorities should look into to make sure it does not happen again. - CAROL MALONZA

“I have photos of clouds that resemble the shape of many different countries but the Zimbabwean one has eluded me and so I always have a camera with me in case I see it....� WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

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ExpaT-TraveL

A DAY IN BOTSWANA – JUST MEAT AND DRY HEAT “Indeed, he is cooking a fresh Kenyan in the co-driver seat as I battle to handle the punishing temperature. The window is open half-way; low enough to let air in but high enough to allow a conversation between us above the familiar din of South African music playing on the radio. ‘Happy 46th Independence Day from 96.2 Gabz FM!’ the DJ pounds.....”


“Welcome to Botswana,” the pilot says. Sir Seretse Khama International is quite a majestic name for the modest airport. As I disembark from the aircraft to walk across the runway in the 30 degree weather, I am greeted by this welcome sign glistening in Carolina blue. The Airport is named after the first post-independent president whose son is the current president. Having taken off at O R Tambo International, the contrast is clear. But to be fair, I have been to many landing fields on the continent and I must say that the Botswana one punches above its weight and signs of ongoing renovation indicate that they are making it even better. My host, Success, receives me and we drive out through an exit lined with flagless poles. “In what part of the City is the airport,” I innocently ask. Success laughs. “This is a small town so don’t expect a flurry of suburb names here,” he says. “This country is just meat and dry heat. Two hundred thousand people in Gaborone, two million countrywide and about seven

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million heads of cattle.” Indeed, he is cooking a fresh Kenyan in the co-driver seat as I battle to handle the punishing temperature. The window is open half-way; low enough to let air in but high enough to allow a conversation between us above the familiar din of South African music playing on the radio.

them along the road. We settle down for the lunch meeting and I am keen to learn what was so important that my boss insisted I meet rather than phone this man.

“Happy 46th Independence Day from 96.2 Gabz FM!” the DJ pounds. After a few kilometres of dry land and the odd building, we spot what Success calls a new mall plastered with the branding of the same brands you encounter in Johannesburg – SuperSpar, Nandos, Wimpy, Edgars and FNB.

“What is a Botswana shandy?” she quizzes. “We only have Malawian shandies here.”

We cross over the Western Bypass, a main road which runs all the way to the second largest city of Francistown and we now see a number of buildings which I presume make up some sort of CBD. This is clearly the seat of government as Success points out one ministry after another culminating in the country’s parliament - all beautiful new buildings reflective of one of Africa’s best run countries. We have to wait for a small herd of cattle to clear the entrance of a restaurant as a young herder hurries

The waitress arrives, and in an obvious attempt to impress me with what is local, he orders us two Botswana shandies.

He goes on to explain to her the difference between the two drinks – a Malawian shandy consists of ginger ale, lemon-lime soda and bitters while a Botswana shandy is made up of lemonade, lemon-lime soda and bitters. She departs promising to deliver two tall glasses of the initial order. Success then points out a local delicacy from the menu called Seswaa – pounded meat served with either pap, sorghum or maize and beans. The visual is unimpressive. I opt for the Teledimo steak instead - well-done beef accompanied by mushrooms, onions and some sauce. In an attempt to make small talk before big business, I ask him more about Botswana. “I am actually Zimbabwean,” he reveals. “This is very much an


expatriate run city. A good number of businesses are owned by African foreigners and Indians although the government has now become very strict on immigrants. Permits have become quite difficult to process and I am not getting as much business as I used to so your people need to help me set up something in Johannesburg” I talk him through the process while forking slices of the delicious steak after which a driver arrives to take me to Gamecity Mall, apparently the biggest shopping centre in Gaborone. There isn’t much to see although I noticed two interestingly named shoe stores next to each other – “The Athletes Foot” and “Sole Affair”. The former seems to be closing down; I can only guess that customers had trouble telling people where they got “those nice shoes from”. I am then chauffeured to the Mokolodi Nature Reserve situated about a ten minute drive from Gamecity. I hop onto a tour truck with a couple of young girls from New Zealand. They are much more impressed than I am with the sight of buck, monkeys and giraffes. We stop at a semi-dry man-made dam called Lake Gwithian which the ranger explains is named after the wife of

the white man who donated 4,000 hectares of land to start the reserve. As promised at the reception, we spot the two hippos that live in the lake but leave before seeing the family of six rhino that apparently reside on the estate. Success meets me at the airport before I depart and as the flight is delayed, we sit at the only restaurant there is to share some African jokes. I laugh out loud to one particular one in which in which Zimbabwe’s former leader Ian Smith gets a mention. “It is no secret that the Botswana President Khama Ian Khama does not like his Zimbabwean counterpart Bob Mugabe. At one of the Southern Africa Development Corporation meetings, Zim ministers surround Khama to appeal to him to go easy on their ruler. On seeing this, Bob steps in and tells them not to worry about Khama because ‘I finished off one Ian, I can finish off another. Besides, just the other

day this chap was just a small boy running around while his father and I discussed presidential business’.” Time flies when you are having

fun and soon it is time to board. “Welcome to this flight to Johannesburg,” the pilot says. - KC ROTTOK

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ExpaT-TalK

Our Dance Floor

A page from the diary of a party animal am at my friend’s doorstep 45 minutes late! We are going to the party together. I am already exhausted from my numerous attempts at wrapping two metres of cloth around my waist in a manner that is attractive- an incredibly tricky feat to accomplish when you have never tried it before let alone practiced it. I opted to rope in my teenage daughter who was most exasperated. She is also brutally honest – she doesn’t need encouragement to ask me in a traumatising tone what sort of bra I am wearing. Panic! None of my bras shape my bust decently and I have only one camisole that works with the wrap....I have to use it! ‘ M u m you need to try out your outfits a day before the event, I always tell you this!’

I enlisted the help of my friend - an emerging fashion designer - a clear sign that I am taking this project seriously. She too has been invited to this shindig. In a true fashion designer demeanour, she refers to the fabric as ‘dress suede’ in grey with an olive tone (it looks brown to me which will work- I simply want the fabric to pass for leather). I ring another friend to help me accessorize my

At 7:45 I pick my company up. I am expecting a slightly irritated version of my friend to greet me on the steps; instead she is all smiles and looks immaculate. I am energised instantaneously. Refraining from sharing my ordeal with her we make our way to the venue. Upon our arrival, we are met by one of the organisers, ticked off the list (like we would gate crash a charity event that we have already paid for) and allowed to walk through the avenue of petals. A lot of work has gone into creating a plush evening; the hors d’oeuvres are splendid and the energy is buzzing. It’s going well except for one thing the music. It is not

“In life, we all get onto the dance floor and pick a beat that works for us as individuals and then rhythm, joy and creativity flows.....”

This less than heart-warming experience is nothing like the bonding fantasies I had when she was born. Suitably shamed I have to agree that she is right. I try hard to look guilty and promise to take heed of her advice. The reputable annual village charity event is on and I have been invited. The theme is ‘The Roaring 20s’. The invitation clearly states ‘1920 attire’ ……but I am not persuaded to subscribe to the dress code. Capturing the Spirit of the 20’s sits well with me, it was the era when the growing independence of the American woman was accelerated

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and that is worth celebrating. However I am African so I will support the cause but retain my authenticity. In a flash of inspiration, I decide to re-create a version of what was worn in Africa in the 20s.

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outfit by finding me beads that were worn traditionally in her community. She will and does. Great, I am done gathering my what-to-wear a day early. At 6:15 pm (the day of the party) I go into the unmistakable’ womanon-a –mission mode’ and begin to prepare for the party that starts at 7:00 pm. I launch straight into it, after all it’s a water tight plan albeit in my head. Admittedly as the plan unfolds it is clear that transforming this grand idea into reality is a tad challenging. Horrifyingly there is very little time to redress the problem and honestly very little choice. Regrettably there is no contingency plan!

contemporary....duh! Nor theme my little voice says.

is

the

There is a disconnect between the music and my African rhythm and I complain to my friend the aforementioned emerging fashion designer. “I can dance to any music” she says, “I just need to find the beat and the rhythm will flow”. What a powerful statement! My perception is instantly expanded – this is true even in life. In life, we all get onto the dance floor and pick a beat that works for us as individuals and then rhythm, joy and creativity flow. My friend expresses a sense of


ExpaT-TalK

self- worth which is reflected in the fact that she finds worth in all of types of music. None of it she says “is boring or irrelevant”. Gosh! Have I let my insecurities and uncertainty stop me from dancing life away? It is easier to blame circumstances rather than facing and questioning my internal barometer. It’s easier to separate myself from the unnerving activity instead of pushing past my comfort zone, but neither option makes me happier. Scrambling to the dance floor now totally inspired, I squeal with delight as I seek my beat! Quickly, I choose to forgo a potential distraction caused by a couple of people whose dance moves are widely discrepant from their rhythm. This dance is about me not everyone else on the floor. l explain to myself that if I whole heartedly focus on myself, my beat, my rhythm, my creativity and my joy, I will merely observe the less co-ordinated dance moves without judgement . Able to lean into the discomfort of my vulnerabilities, I connect enough to appreciate the dancers now “dancing” by sitting on the floor in a row and performing a rhythmic “rowing” action. They have allowed themselves to be seen for who they are. Perhaps after I tame my shame one day, I too, will dance like that. - CHRISTINE ASIKO

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Hanging on with Hannington

Ugandans in SA Same blood but different paths

here is a silent war going on amongst young Ugandans here in SA. It is a battle between two rival camps. One section comprises Ugandans who were born and raised in SA who I refer to as ‘local-imports’ and the other is the group that is made up of those of us who came straight

jumpers will never acknowledge my sisters or any other local-import. And the reverse is also true. This phenomenon is odd and prevalent amongst both males and females. There is a distinct difference between being born and raised in Uganda and being born to Ugandan parents in SA. When the two camps meet during social occasions like the braais I am known to host, they distance themselves from each other. There seems to be bad blood and an atmosphere of resentment towards the other group. Local-imports tend to huddle into their own little group while border-jumpers are metres away carrying on with their lives. There is simply no cordiality between the two rival groups and many times they do not even greet each other. I have a pretty accurate theory as to why this is the case. Being born in ‘Africa’ presents one with all sorts of habits, behaviours and complexes. One common trait is the inferiority complex which we tend to confuse with being humble. Border-jumpers like me are not necessarily assertive and our self-confidence tends to dip at a sight of a local-import.

kind of exposure local-imports have had. You will find local-imports with online blogs and their girls will take part in fashion shows and modelling. They will do everything to remain visible. The above scenario spills over to even the dating scene as one will be hard-pressed to find the two camps inter-dating. If there is one couple, it would be acceptable to term them as a mixed one. Having been born and raised in Uganda, I am finding it extremely hard to date a Ugandan born and raised here and I am not the only one. Thousands of our own girls who were born and raised here are busy wallowing in misery and loneliness because they won’t date a South African man and yet they still despise the border-jumper.

It begs the question as to whether the two camps have such different cultures and lifestyles that they find it difficult to be compatible. I don’t really think so because when it comes to quenching our thirst sitting in pubs and restaurants, we all drink at the same pace and even stagger in the same manner back to our abodes. That said, there are some clear from Uganda who I have christened When it comes to areas like differences. It is not unusual for a ‘border-jumpers’. public speaking, we will run as fast as local-import to show public display our legs can carry us. On the other of affection yet if they tried this As those who know me hand, our counterparts born and personally may know, I have a pair with a border-jumper, it would seem raised here are extremely articulate, strange. We border-jumpers of sisters who were born “There is a distinct difference between are not accustomed to and raised here in SA and I must state that by my own being born and raised in Uganda and doing our things in public prefer intimacy in the assessment, these two girls being born to Ugandan parents in SA.....” and absence of others. are very pretty and well groomed. I usually compare them very polished and always exuding Whatever our differences, we to many girls on Facebook and other that aura of self-confidence. are all Ugandan and should find social media platforms and they hands-down come out tops. The common ground to interact as fellow strange and sad part is that many It is also possible that we lack the countrymen. - HANNINGTON KASIRYE girls especially the Ugandan border-

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Lynnsanity

EXPAT FOUNDERS VS EXPAT FRESHIES recently heard someone categorise expats into two groups. The first group are the founders, mostly Ghanaian and Ugandan, who arrived during apartheid and whose children were born and raised here. The second group are the freshies who arrived subsequent to independence in 1994. On hearing this I realised that although we’re all expats, we are different and experience being expats in different ways. All the founders who arrived in SA during apartheid were educated professionals who were integrated into the African population of SA. They lived with the locals and befriended them. Although they now live in what may be termed the “upper echelons” of society, they started out living in the homelands which is where blacks were allowed to live. Expats were seen as people who supported and assisted SA society. Founders’ children were raised with knowledge of being “guests” in SA and followed the trend set by the parents of taking the opportunities given, making the best of them and not taking more than that. When visiting someone’s home, you eat what’s given gratefully. You don’t proceed to open the fridge and empty the cupboards then leave. After 1994 more expats could come enjoy the freedom of SA. For most of the founders’ children, it was a new experience to meet expats who were not Ghanaian or Ugandan and it was the first time to meet non-professionals. A large number of freshies from all over the continent

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had come to SA to hustle and amass quick wealth. Many freshies believe that founders did not maximise on the opportunities but I believe that it is easier for freshies to make it in SA because of the path that founders cleared for them. Laws and rules pertaining to expats had to either be created or adjusted because of the original expats making things simpler for those who followed.

Previously no expat was allowed in SA unless they were a qualified professional. Nowadays nonprofessional expats compete with local people for basic resources which contributes to xenophobia and mistrust. This is worsened by news of expats conducting scams around the country, preying on unsuspecting people, expats robbing houses and murdering. Murder has never been acceptable, but to come all the way from your country to murder someone in their own? There is lack of integration as freshies no longer have to work closely with the vast populations of the country. It’s now possible to arrive and move straight into the suburbs, work in a high rise office and never mix with the populations of SA that aren’t rotating in the same circles. This means freshies will never understand the depth of the people of SA. In turn, the greater SA population is failing to understand and trust expats. We’ve reached a point where expats have forgotten that we’re still guests in

WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA

someone else’s home. We’re now opening cupboards and fridges to see what more we can take, even if it’s only a crumb remaining. We’re not doing what we originally came here for. Professional or not, we expats need to remember a few fundamental principles, whether we’re founders or a freshies. We’re guests in SA and need to behave accordingly. We’ve been given the opportunity and privilege to live in and be a part of a wonderful country we need to treat that opportunity with respect. That said, it is the holiday season and what better time to find more common ground with everyone? Enjoy good music and great company, bottoms up to all expats, have fun and I’ll see you all on the other side of the party! - SHEILA LYNN SENKUBUGE


Opportunities in Africa

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Managing a team, the implementation of nancial controls, budgeting and forecasting. This role will also be highly operational which will lead to further developing the organisation. Portuguese language skills essential.

FINANCIAL MANAGER: FMCG

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US$100 – US$120k

US$20k – US$28k

CA or CIMA to join a prestigious group and be responsible for the Financial Management of one of its leading subsidiaries. Reports into CFO.

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Malawi

A Financial Manager is needed to manage a team as well as implement all necessary controls to gain efciency in the business.

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Botswana 2IC TO CFO: Property

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Looking for Financial Manager with 6 years experience, must have strong technical and IFRS skills. Experience in Property Industry would be advantageous.

Ref: CG 01

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SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER: Motor

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Overseeing the nance departments activities as well as ensuring compliance to all group policies.

Ref: BC 06

Prepare the nancial and operating reports, perform the necessary duties to close the nancial period and support audits of such information.

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Nigeria

Zambia

Role includes full monthly responsibilities including all round management of costs within the environment (input and operational).

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R/$ Neg.

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Blue chip organization requires a CA to manage full nance function.

As a Financial Controller with eight years experience, you will lead the nancial control team of 10 people.

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Ref: CG 04

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Ref: AA 01

US$80k – US$110k

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Zimbabwe

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You will need a strong group reporting background and management experience as you will have 10 direct reports as well as look after 4 channels within the business.

Ref: CG 05

Drive and implement strategy in order to better protability and overall efciency in the Botswana subsidiary of a major FMCG organisation.

Ref: BC 05

Send your CV to you@antonapps.com quoting the relevant reference 0861 788 788

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