Gaza photographer finds humanity in every picture
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By GUY ROGERS - 23 June 2025
An acclaimed photographer from Gaza is on a visit to Gqeberha where he described each death and injury in the war-torn Palestinian strip as an agony for him.
Belal Khaled, 33, who is exhibiting his photographs in the South End Museum, said on Sunday though he had taken countless pictures of death, destruction and heartbreak in Gaza, each one had a back story...
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The Herald
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- The Herald
African creatives gear up for crucial conversation about the future of storytelling
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The Herald
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- The Herald
Names such as Conqueror, Tenacious, Fortitude and Longevity, say it all
How often are we told when we are struggling that tough times build character, that one needs to 'dig deep' to find the inner strength to conquer adversity? If the Perdeberg vineyard and cellar teams were the type to talk to plants, I'd bet that's what they'd be whispering daily to their dry land vineyards at the foot of the Paardeberg mountain in Paarl. Most of the winery's more than 3,000ha of vineyards in Paarl and over the mountain in the Swartland are dry land, or unirrigated, and the cream of the crop is found in the premium Dry Land Collection, showcasing the distinctive character that develops when vines overcome difficult growing conditions. Watered only by rainfall, in a fairly dry region, the vines must literally dig deep to establish themselves and find groundwater. The combination of the testing terroir and having survived decades of nature's cycles — some of the vines for the Dry Land Collection are more than 35 years old, with certified heritage status — delivers rewards in small berries with exceptional concentration of flavour and colour, producing wines of complexity and depth, balanced with freshness. No wonder then that wines in the Perdeberg Dry Land Collection have names like Conqueror (cabernet sauvignon), Resolve (pinotage), Tenacious (shiraz), and the chenin blanc dessert wines Fortitude and Longevity. Two of the Dry Land Collection wines recently topped the 2025 Winemag Prescient Chenin Blanc & Cape White Blend Report, with the 2024 Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc named best chenin blanc and Rossouw's Heritage 2023 the top-scoring Cape white blend. For its passion for conserving and working with its heritage vines in wines like these, Perdeberg won the Old Vine Producer trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2024. Their highlighting of the potential of older vines and the character produced from dry land vineyards no doubt also contributed to Perdeberg being named 2024 Producer Cellar of the Year in UK Master of Wine Tim Atkin's respected annual SA Special Report. Perdeberg cellar master Albertus Louw explains that grapes for the Dry Land Collection wines are selected from individual vines in specific vineyards, and made in a new world style with ample fruit and structure. For those matured in oak, the focus is on seamless integration of fruit and wood so that oak influence is subtle and the wines pleasurably drinkable on their own on release, but also great with food, and ageable. This comes through clearly in two of the Dry Land Collection white wines tasted recently, both of which kept the free-run juice in contact with the skins for a couple of hours after pressing and were matured on the yeasty lees in barrel to varying extents — the winemaking techniques creating wines with texture and complexity finely balanced with clean fruit purity and fresh acidity. Courageous Barrel-Fermented Chenin Blanc 2024 (R200), aged in mostly older oak barrels for 11 months, shows how chenin's typical crunchy pineapple shifts when the wine is wooded to a mellower, deeper fruit, with caramelised edges to the sweetness, as if it's been grilled on a cast iron pan or braai with a sprinkling of brown sugar. (I've done this, it's delicious!) Opening with heady aromas of frangipani, citrus, pear and pineapple, the wine moves into flavours of citrus, lychee and vanilla, honey and nuts, the ripe golden yellow notes lifted by zesty citrus and the crunch of a granny smith apple, with clean acidity and crisp finish. Try it with a mild but aromatic chicken curry. Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Rossouw's Heritage 2023 (R200) makes one question why white blends are such a tough sell to SA consumers, because it delivers the qualities that we love in red blends — the balance and complexity, the interplay of flavours, structure and texture that comes from uniting the distinct qualities of different grapes in one happy marriage. This is a blend of chenin blanc (63%), with grenache blanc, verdelho and viognier in roughly equal shares, with half the blend matured in oak for 10 months followed by six months to mature and integrate in bottle. Lightly fragrant with citrus, lychee, pears and floral notes that move into the palate, rounded out with passion fruit and vanilla, the flavours unfurl in layers with each sip, with clean freshness and purity of flavour. The wine is crisp and lively, but with depth, body and texture; doesn't demand food but would be great with grilled fish, braaied chicken or a lightly creamy pasta dish. If struggle is character-building, long may it continue. The Herald
Mail & Guardian
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- Mail & Guardian
Saturday's Durban July set to boost local economy by R700m
South Africa's fashion industry, traditionally synonymous with the event, will showcase the work of professional designers and upcoming talent at the Durban July Fashion Experience Tens of thousands of horse racing punters, fashionistas, foodies and other visitors who descend on eThekwini to party at the Hollywoodbets Durban July this weekend are expected to contribute around R700 million to the city's GDP. Africa's largest horseracing event, themed Marvels of Mzansi, is expected to generate significant economic activity and create 4 000 jobs, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said at the launch of the event at Westown Square in Shongweni. Xaba said the city's tourism and hospitality sectors anticipate an 80% hotel occupancy rate as visitors converge for the horseracing and fashion spectacle, which celebrates South Africa's cultural heritage, diversity and landscapes. 'The direct spend is estimated at R278 million, with a total of R700 million contribution to the eThekwini GDP, and a total number of 4 000 jobs to be created,' Xaba said. The economic impact will be generated at the racecourse and at side events, including Fact Durban Rocks, Any Given Sunday, Anywhere in the City and Mojo's July Weekend, across the city. 'Our law-enforcement agencies have developed an integrated safety plan, supported by the private security industry. Visitors are guaranteed a safe stay in the city with high police visibility, particularly around the Greyville precinct and other strategic sites across the municipality.' South Africa's fashion industry, traditionally synonymous with the event, will showcase the work of professional designers and upcoming talent at the Durban July Fashion Experience, a collaboration between the city and the Hollywood Foundation. Twenty-five designers will present Marvels of Mzansi collections, featuring three categories, including the Young Designers Awards, with 10 student finalists competing for bursaries and a fashion travel package, the Durban Fashion Fair Rising Stars. Nine emerging designers supported by eThekwini's Fashion Development Programme will vie for a R250 000 business development prize and the Invited Designer Showcase, which will display the collections of six established designers. Gold Circle sponsorship and marketing executive Steve Marshall 'Its impact on racing is undeniable — it's the most prestigious race in South Africa. It's got a prize of over R5 million and it's the race that every trainer, owner, jockey, crew or breeder wants to win. It's in their dreams,' Marshall said. Hollywoodbets brand and communications manager Devin Heffer said the event brought together key sectors across the city. 'This race means so much to so many people, not just the racing industry, but everyone is intertwined. All the public, hospitality, tourism, the government, the GDP — everything is affected and infected with July fever,' he said. Xaba said he was speaking to hospitality stakeholders to enhance visitor experiences and align with future development plans. The city was investing R600 million annually in bulk infrastructure for catalytic projects, such as the R15 billion Shongweni Development and the R25 billion Sibaya Precinct Development to elevate tourism infrastructure. 'We are also looking into how we can invest more resources including setting aside a budget to improve tourism infrastructure,' Xaba said. 'The Hollywoodbets Durban July is more than a race — it is a catalyst for social cohesion as it unites South Africans through the passion of sport, the expression of cultural pride and the glamour of fashion,' Xaba said. 'We are really looking forward to the 5th of July and we are ready to roll out the red carpet for our visitors because Durban is open for business.'
