New Robben Island yacht trips
LUXURY yacht, The Only
One, based in Cape Town
has introduced Around
Robben Island charter trips.
The three-hour excursion
can accommodate up to 12
passengers, including tourist
guides. Upon arrival, guests
board the 20m luxury yacht,
where they are welcomed with
drinks and canapés.
Accompanying guests on
the tour are Christo Brand,
Nelson Mandela’s prison guard
at Robben Island from 1978
to 1982 and his warden at
Pollsmoor Prison for six years,
and Sandi Sijkae, a former
prisoner on Robben Island.
Both will tell their stories of
the time they spent on the
island.
Christo and Sandi will also
conduct a presentation and
Q&A session on the yacht,
showing video footage while
food and drinks are served.
Beverley Dean, a
representative from The
Only One, told TNW that the
new offering was introduced
because Robben Island no
longer allowed the company
to operate private yacht tours
to take guests to the island.
“This is our alternative option
for clients.”
There are no set departures
for The Only One’s new Robben
Island trip. Bookings are made
on request.
Street food festival to hit Cape Town and Joburg
THE fifth annual South African
Street Food Festival will take
place this year from September
1-9 in Cape Town and
Johannesburg.
The festival celebrates street
food from all cultures that
make up the melting pot that
is SA. Street food from foreign
cities will also be represented
at the festival.
In addition to the myriad
foods on offer, visitors can look
forward to DJs playing music
over the course of the event,
and ‘crate talks’ by local food
entrepreneurs.
In Cape Town, these will
include talks by Dial-AKoeksister
that delivers warm
koeksisters door-to-door on
Sunday mornings; Toast Ale
which brews beer made from
unsold bread loaves; Elisha
Madzivadondo, co-founder of
The Sunshine Co.; and Jeremey
Barty, founder of Breadrev.
The Johannesburg leg of the
event brings talks by Trevor
Chomumwe, host of The Hello
Dinner Club; Kgosi Rampa
and Sifiso Dlangamandla,
the co-founders of Soweto’s
LoCrate Market, and the
Makhelwane Festival (where
houses along Poka Street
in Soweto are transformed
into eateries and art galleries
over three days); Boitumelo
Ramashaba, founder of Thirst
Trap Juices; Mokgadi Mabela
of Native Nosi – a black
female-owned bee farm; and
Vusi Ndlovu, head chef at The
Marabi Club.
Cape Town ups cycling offering
CAPE Town has added
a dedicated 5,58km
cycling route between
Bloubergstrand and the
West Coast village of
Melkbos.
The lane passes some
of Cape Town’s best
surfing beaches, with
views of Robben Island
and Table Mountain.
It runs along the
eastern edge of the M14,
and is three metres
wide, allowing for two-way
cycling traffic, with a kerb
creating a safe barrier
from other vehicles.
Melkbos remains
largely undeveloped
due to its proximity to
the evacuation zone of
SA’s only nuclear power
station, which is adjacent
to Koeberg. As a result,
users can expect to have
access to restaurants and
amenities, without having
to compromise on natural
beauty.
The cycling project aims
to eventually link more
scenic venues within
cycling range of SA cities.
Africa’s biggest kite festival returns in October
AFRICA’S biggest kite festival
– the Cape Town International
Kite Festival – will take
place in the Zandvlei Nature
Reserve in Muizenberg, on
October 27 and 28.
The annual festival, which
was launched in 1993 by
Cape Mental Health to
support South Africa’s oldest
mental health charity, attracts
over 20 000 visitors each
year.
Kite-makers and kite-fliers
travel to the Western Cape
to take part in the event,
through professional kiting
displays – including giant
inflatables – stunt kites, and
Rokakkau kite fighting.
The festival has offerings
for the whole family, including
the Edukite Schools’
Competition, Heritage Kite
Competition, colouring-in
competition for kids, play
area, live entertainment, a
food market, tea garden,
picnic area and other arts
and crafts. Non-competitive
kite flyers can also bring
their own kites, purchase
kites at the venue, or take
part in a free kite-making
workshop to build their own
kites.
