June 24 Lowveld
Happy Father's Day!
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The benefits of<br />
having a positive<br />
attitude<br />
Win!<br />
A pair of Metaspeed<br />
Sky Paris shoes up<br />
for grabs<br />
Spice it up!<br />
Awesome spoils<br />
for Father’s Day<br />
KarEn &<br />
Pieter Steyn<br />
On new adventures<br />
Devoted to dad<br />
SHOPPING, PEOPLE AND LIFESTYLE IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD<br />
june 20<strong>24</strong>
contents<br />
GET IT<br />
Why don’t you ...<br />
02 Let your hair down at Innibos, learn all about snake<br />
Editorial<br />
Phone 013 754 1600<br />
<strong>Lowveld</strong> Media<br />
12 Stinkhout Crescent, Mbombela<br />
Facebook Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong><br />
Instagram Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong><br />
Website getitmagazine.co.za/lowveld/<br />
Editor<br />
Mellissa Bushby<br />
mellissa@getitlowveld.co.za 084 319 2101<br />
Photographer<br />
Belinda Erasmus 082 567 0596<br />
Layout<br />
Wessel Cöhrs 074 801 4477<br />
Subeditors<br />
Wahl Lessing<br />
Ida de Wet<br />
Annica Fourie<br />
Sales<br />
Colletha Noppé Rattray<br />
colletha@lowvelder.co.za 082 745 2387<br />
GET IT NATIONAL<br />
National Group Editor and<br />
National Sales<br />
Kym Argo<br />
kyma@caxton.co.za 082 785 9230<br />
Facebook and Instagram:<br />
Get It National Magazines<br />
Distribution<br />
Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> is distributed free of charge.<br />
For a full list of where to find a copy,<br />
phone Monya Burger on 083 555 4992<br />
Published by CTP Limited<br />
Competition rules<br />
The judges’ decision is final. Prizes cannot be<br />
transferred or redeemed for cash. Competitions<br />
are not open to the sponsors or Caxton<br />
employees or their families. Get It Magazine<br />
reserves the right to publish the names of<br />
winners, who will be contacted telephonically<br />
and need to collect their prizes from Get It<br />
<strong>Lowveld</strong> within 10 days or they will be forfeited.<br />
Prizewinners names are published on our<br />
Facebook page monthly.<br />
behaviour, enjoy classical music in the bush<br />
04 Read a good book, enjoy a glass of wine.<br />
All is well with the world!<br />
WISH LIST<br />
06 This month we are all about life’s little luxuries ...<br />
(actually, every month)<br />
SOCIALS<br />
08 The 20<strong>24</strong> Air Show took to the skies with great success<br />
09 Sampling fine wine at this year’s Unwined<br />
people<br />
10 We catch up with renowned local doctor Pieter Steyn<br />
to see what the road ahead has in store<br />
14 Romien Wait chats to us about life as<br />
an incomplete paraplegic<br />
FOOD<br />
18 It’s all sugar and spice and all things<br />
nice for Dad this Father’s Day<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
26 Ready, steady, canvas!<br />
TRAVEL<br />
30 Safari on the Kariega<br />
Win<br />
09 Some Metaspeed Sky Paris shoes<br />
32 A Base Camp duffel bag<br />
COVER LOOK<br />
Pieter & Karin Steyn.<br />
Photographer: Belinda Erasmus - Belle Grace Photography.<br />
june 20<strong>24</strong><br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 01
A hot date!<br />
Pencil these events into your <strong>June</strong> diary<br />
right now<br />
1Embark on a full-day course to expand your knowledge about the fascinating<br />
world of snakes. Learn how to handle snakebite emergencies, snake<br />
behaviour and identification, breaking down myths and superstition, spider and<br />
scorpion awareness, and more. Details: courses@asiorg.co.za or visit<br />
8www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com<br />
It’s time for the Furr Fiesta Dog Show! Bring<br />
your dog, big, medium or small, young or<br />
old, we would love to see them all. There are<br />
different categories, exciting prizes to be won<br />
and plenty of food and drink to be had at<br />
the local restaurants. The event is being held<br />
at King Bean Coffee Specialists at Bagdad<br />
Centre, from 10am to 5pm. Space is limited.<br />
Details: Pricille on 061 748 5513<br />
27-30<br />
Have the adventure<br />
27of a lifetime as<br />
you soak up the pristine<br />
surroundings of the stunning<br />
<strong>Lowveld</strong> at the Mac Mac<br />
Ultra. The race starts at 8am<br />
and promises to be epic.<br />
Details: 083 399 9564 or visit<br />
www.macmacultra.com<br />
Don’t miss this year’s Innibos Festival, featuring four days of fun,<br />
music and merriment! Watch some of South Africa’s top artists<br />
perform, enjoy the beer tents and food stalls, and a great variety of<br />
other entertainment at the <strong>Lowveld</strong>’s favourite social event. Festival<br />
terrain tickets start at R110 and go up to R660. See you there!<br />
Details: 013 741 5294 or visit www.innibos.co.za<br />
If you have a date for our diary, email the info at least a month in advance to mellissa@getitlowveld.co.za
7-8<br />
Following the sold-out concert in the Kruger National Park in March<br />
last year, the SANParks Honorary Rangers will offer two superb<br />
classical concerts, Classics in the Wild, to raise funds for conservation.<br />
Featuring members of the acclaimed Apple Green Orchestra under<br />
the direction of Tim Roberts and joined by the delightful young<br />
soprano, Sinesipho Mnyango, these exclusive performances will<br />
include the works of Strauss, Mozart, Bach, Puccini and Brahms, as<br />
well as works of modern composers such as Elton John, Gershwin<br />
and even ABBA. Proceeds of the concert go to the SANParks Honorary<br />
Rangers for conservation projects in the Kruger National Park. The<br />
classical concerts will take place at the beautiful Mdluli Safari Lodge,<br />
situated inside the Kruger Park, close to the Numbi Gate, on Friday<br />
and Saturday at 5pm each day. Tickets are R1 150 per person, and<br />
include a premium welcome experience with delicious snacks and a<br />
glass of complimentary wine. There will be a cash bar at the venue.<br />
Details: Linda on 082 933 1011
Book club<br />
A good book. A glass of wine. All is fine with the world!<br />
Lesley Pearse’s autobiography, The Long<br />
and Winding Road, is as incredible as<br />
her bestselling fiction ... from being found<br />
playing coatless in the snow while her<br />
mum lay dead in the house to a teenage<br />
pregnancy ... and finally marriage and<br />
children and a career as bestselling<br />
author. Michael Joseph • In André Aciman’s<br />
The Gentleman From Peru, a group of<br />
college friends meet a fellow guest at<br />
the luxurious hotel on the Amalfi Coast,<br />
where they’re marooned. A stranger - in<br />
more ways than one! Faber • Is there<br />
anything better than a new Marian Keyes?<br />
Yes. When it’s a new MK about the Walsh<br />
family. This one centres around Anna, but<br />
with loads of catch-ups with Claire and<br />
Helen and Margaret, Rachel and Luke,<br />
Mammy Walsh (as dramatic as ever), even<br />
the Real Men (remember them). And the<br />
tortured but gorgeous Joey. It’s just pure<br />
MK joy ... when she wants to emphasise<br />
something she uses italics ... all the time,<br />
which is just wonderful. Loved, loved,<br />
loved My Favourte Mistake. Book of the<br />
month! Penguin<br />
Not much more<br />
fun than Three Men<br />
in a Tub with a Rubber<br />
Duck ... Black Elephant<br />
Vintners’ playful red. A<br />
blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot,<br />
and Mourvèdre. R112 from<br />
bevintners.co.za<br />
04 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong>
Wild reads<br />
The Hawks, SA’s elite crime-fighting force, have put scores of our worst criminals<br />
behind bars. In Hunting With The Hawks, investigative journalist Graham<br />
Coetzer gives a glimpse of the secretive world of this police unit. Tafelberg<br />
• Pursuing a dream instilled by David Attenborough’s television adventurers, as a<br />
young man Larry Patterson is advised to become a veterinary surgeon - his first<br />
step towards a career working with wild animals in Africa. Aiming to Save tells<br />
his story of finding adventure in Botswana ... as a vet, ecologist, survey pilot, game<br />
capture operator, hunter and then passionate conservationist. Rockhopper Books<br />
• Painting a Life In Africa is the story of Joan van Gogh - a direct descendant of<br />
artist Vincent - who has lived an unusual and adventurous life close to nature.<br />
Born in bedpan during a locust storm was just the start of it ... she explored some<br />
of the most remote and secretive spots in southern Africa. Warm and full of<br />
humour. Rockhopper Books • For the CEO in hiking boots and the adventurer in a<br />
suit ... here’s one showing how to use adventure principles in business. Johan de<br />
Villiers flits between crocodile-infested waters and high-stakes corporate decision<br />
making in Overlanding Through the Boardroom, offering the thrill seekers, the<br />
sole entrepreneur and the season large corporation<br />
executives a philosophical compass to navigate the unpredictable wilderness<br />
and the complex corporate world. Rockhopper Books<br />
Thrills and chills<br />
A black man accused of killing an elderly, wealthy white couple. In the<br />
tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, the odds are already against<br />
him, and his white lawyer. A courtroom, Civil Rights, a prosecution’s<br />
deliberate march towards a guilty verdict and the electric chair ...<br />
no one does this better than David Baldacci.<br />
Two murders, two suspects and A Calamity of Souls. Macmillan<br />
Abigail Dean’s Girl A was superb, as is her second chilling, gripping thriller.<br />
From it’s devastating, heartbreaking opening, Day One keeps you racing<br />
along, ducking twists at every turn. A lie. A media frenzy. Conspiracy theories.<br />
A small community changed forever ... with families torn apart. The novel,<br />
explains the author, was inspired by her long fascination with conspiracy<br />
theories ... the people who believe them, the people who peddle them,<br />
and the people they destroy! Hemlock Press<br />
All books available at Exclusive Books<br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 05<br />
Compiled by: Kym Argo
Wish list<br />
We’re all about life’s luxuries this <strong>June</strong>*<br />
*actually ... always!<br />
Where adventure meets chill! The chaps at Wild Coolers believe that<br />
every adventure should be accompanied by the perfect chill. Saying<br />
the brand is more than just about keeping things cool ... it’s about<br />
embodying the spirit of the wild and embracing the untamed<br />
beauty of the outdoors. It is the call of the wild. The thunder of<br />
migrating wildebeest. The splash of trout in a secret stream.<br />
Or the snap of an open fire and the stories of old mates.<br />
The range - think hard shell bush boxes and soft shell wine<br />
coolers, flasks and utility mugs, utility bags and packing<br />
pods - is all high performance, reliable, hardworking. Built<br />
to last, these are coolers you can pass down to the next<br />
generation of outdoor lovers. Details: wildcoolers.com.<br />
Celebrating life’s luxuries ... we have a magnificent<br />
hamper to give away. Valued at R11 745, it includes<br />
both hardshell and softshell coolers, a flask and a wine<br />
cooler. Visit @getitnationalmagazines on Instagram and<br />
Facebook, find the post and follow the prompts.<br />
The Connaught Bar - a gloriously sleek,<br />
silver-toned lounge with cosy chairs<br />
and a spectacular dark green bar - is<br />
one of the best bars in the world. And<br />
The Connaught Bar - Recipes and<br />
Iconic Creations, may well be one of<br />
the best cocktail books. With every<br />
cocktail tasted by Anistatia Miller - “one<br />
of the most pleasant tasks I have faced<br />
in my life” - it kicks off with essential<br />
bar tools, the correct glassware and<br />
mixing techniques, followed by how<br />
to make the perfect martini (four<br />
pages of instructions .. they take this<br />
drink suitably seriously), and 100<br />
Connaught Bar cocktails, with recipes,<br />
too, for homemade ingredients some<br />
of the cocktails call for. Sexy images of<br />
each cocktail, along with anecdotes<br />
and good humour ... an exceptional<br />
buy for the cocktail lover. Published<br />
by Phaidon, you’ll find it at Exclusive<br />
Books for R963.<br />
06 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong>
We’ve long been fans of UGG boots and slippers ... and just love these<br />
new versatile platform clogs. Made from velvety suede, these<br />
are the perfect wear-with-everything shoes ... pair them<br />
with flowy dresses, a pair of jeans or chino shorts.<br />
But besides their aesthetic appeal, comfort<br />
comes first ... and these Ugg Goldenstar Clogs<br />
are nothing if not comfortable. A hot trend,<br />
clogs are practical and stylish, and these with<br />
their heel strap are available in a variety of<br />
shades - think Chestnut, Driftwood, Shaded<br />
Clover and Black. R2999 from trenton.co.za<br />
The Swish and Swank leather<br />
collection is not only hand<br />
crafted, but hand stitched, too<br />
... a thoughtfully created range,<br />
with leather and fittings sourced<br />
ethically within South Africa, that’s<br />
stylish, minimalistic, classic. There<br />
are exceptional lightweight duffel<br />
bags designed to fit in overhead<br />
airplane storage, handsome<br />
handbags and backpacks, toiletry<br />
bags and a wonderful range of<br />
leather and suede mules and<br />
sandals. Details: swish-swank.com.<br />
We have a massively desirable<br />
Swish and Swank Premium<br />
Leather Duffel to give away<br />
to a reader ... pop over to<br />
@getitnationalmagazines on<br />
Facebook or Instagram to enter.<br />
Compiled by: Kym Argo<br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 07
Simphiwe Mthombeni, Ntando Mnisi<br />
and Phiwokuhle Masuku<br />
The Master Power Extras<br />
Flying high!<br />
Still flying high after 30 years, the <strong>Lowveld</strong> Air<br />
Show took to the skies for an epic and spectacular<br />
adventure at this year’s event, held at the <strong>Lowveld</strong><br />
Airfield.<br />
Melanie, Johan, Kara and Sebastian Kleynhans<br />
Desireé Smith and Ayanna<br />
Mathebola<br />
08 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
The crowd enjoyed the Air Show<br />
Back: Vanessa Alexander. Front: Juane<br />
Naudé, Derrick Alexander and Leo<br />
Naudé
Relax and<br />
Unwined<br />
Held at the Mbombela Gold Club, the<br />
Unwined Food & Wine Show brimmed<br />
with people tasting and enjoying a host<br />
of delicious and wonderful wines.<br />
Zante and DW Kotze<br />
Hanlie and Martin Lombard<br />
Corené Pieterse and Charlita<br />
Cordeiro<br />
Yulandi Theunissen and Irené Krafft<br />
Carthy Fakude and Cassendra Malinga<br />
Win!<br />
A pair of Metaspeed<br />
Sky Paris shoes up<br />
for grabs<br />
From better to best! Say hello to these new Metaspeed Sky Paris shoes ... a shoe<br />
that combines ASICS’s advanced technologies to support runners who want to<br />
feel and perform at their best when chasing down new personal bests. After<br />
a rigorous design and testing process involving a number of third-party<br />
testers and more than one hundred elite athletes around the world, this<br />
latest version in the Metaspeed Sky range is lighter (by 22g), softer and<br />
bouncier. Added cushioning helps support longer distance runs<br />
across both training and competition so that athletes can save<br />
their legs for when it matters the most. Arch support and a<br />
stable platform provide for even the quickest of runs.<br />
The Metaspeed Sky Paris shoes will be available<br />
for men and women from Totalsports,<br />
Sportsmans Warehouse, ASICS Running<br />
Expert Club retailers such as Athletes Foot,<br />
The Sweat Shop, Run-Away-Sport and<br />
Brian Bands for R5 299.95. We have a pair to<br />
give away ... visit @getitnationalmagazines on<br />
Instagram and Facebook to enter.<br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 09
Text: MELLISSA BUSHBY. Photographer: BELINDA Erasmus<br />
Well known in local circles, the name Pieter Steyn is synonymous with<br />
babies and maternity wards.<br />
Pieter’s upbringing was idyllic. Born in<br />
Kroonstad in 1963 to adoring parents,<br />
Pieter’s memories are of living the<br />
dream. “Then life changed and formal<br />
education started,” he smiles. “We moved<br />
to Pretoria [Pieter has two older siblings]<br />
and school became my whole world.<br />
I was academically very lazy, which<br />
infuriated my parents to no end. Lots of<br />
friends and fun and just being young<br />
and confused about my future and<br />
my place in the universe,” he laughs.<br />
“When my youngest brother was born,<br />
I became a father for the first time. We<br />
had an incredibly special bond. These<br />
were beautiful years without any real<br />
worries. We were middle-class people,<br />
and occasionally my dad had to sell our<br />
house to keep us afloat, but mostly we<br />
were OK.”<br />
With a lot of prodding, Pieter managed<br />
to finish matric with a somewhat poor<br />
academic performance. Choosing<br />
medicine as a career was not something<br />
Pieter would ever have contemplated if<br />
it weren’t for the inspirational effect of<br />
not really knowing what he wanted to<br />
do. His application to study medicine<br />
was rejected due to his academic<br />
record, so he decided to do his two<br />
years of compulsory military duties<br />
instead. “What followed was lots of dust,<br />
sweating and swearing, combined<br />
with a lot of running, shooting, loud<br />
explosions, fear of dying and longing<br />
for home.”<br />
Pieter’s memories of this part of his life<br />
include some very disturbing events<br />
and some very challenging times. “All the<br />
fear and how to cope under pressure<br />
has a way of changing you, and I was no<br />
exception,” he adds.<br />
“My Bushman platoon were my first<br />
black friends, and they saved my life<br />
more than once. We were brothers-inarms<br />
and depended on one another<br />
for our survival. They taught me how to<br />
track, how to hide and how to build a<br />
10 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
The start of a<br />
new chapter<br />
Pieter Steyn
shelter for the night. They laughed<br />
with me and cried with me. We<br />
experienced harrowing things<br />
involving war and all its ugliness. I<br />
learnt to pray under threat of death,<br />
and I learnt that politicians are a lying,<br />
deceiving lot. Up until then, I had no<br />
real political ideology. All I knew was<br />
that there was a worldwide battle<br />
going on between communism and<br />
capitalism, and by virtue of my birth, I<br />
had ended up on the capitalist side.”<br />
Eventually all of this ended, and Pieter<br />
reapplied for admission to med school.<br />
Those days having been a lieutenant<br />
and being part of a fighting unit in the<br />
SADF were seen as a sign of at least<br />
Pieter and his wife Karin<br />
some degree of grit, and with these<br />
bonus points Pieter was selected for<br />
medical studies. “To my amazement,<br />
I passed my first year at Tuks with a<br />
distinction,” he says. “It dawned on<br />
me that I might actually be able to<br />
make it! Commune life was wild and<br />
wonderful, but between the partying<br />
and swotting like a madman when<br />
needed, time flew by, and eventually I<br />
was a young, qualified doctor.”<br />
Working as a doctor in a public<br />
hospital is very similar to combat,<br />
Pieter explains, with lots of sights,<br />
sounds, smells, fear and desperation,<br />
and an all-pervasive sense of sadness.<br />
“I loved it, and realised I could do it<br />
well and make a huge difference in<br />
people’s lives,” he says. “The labour ward<br />
really overwhelms most med students<br />
when they enter it for the first time,<br />
but I thrived there despite the mindnumbing<br />
hours and the total physical<br />
exhaustion that comes from being on<br />
call for 36 hours.” Pieter got better and<br />
better at managing a busy labour unit,<br />
feeling at home in the gynaecology<br />
outpatients as well as doing theatre<br />
work. “Surgery was very challenging,”<br />
he adds, “but as time went on, I<br />
realised I had steady hands and<br />
could perform difficult procedures<br />
exceptionally well. Specialising was just<br />
the next logical step, and I took to it<br />
like a duck to water.”<br />
Pieter met his wife Karen in the busy<br />
labour ward in Kalafong Hospital, and<br />
says the minute he saw her, he knew<br />
they should get married and have<br />
children together. “It was a stormy<br />
affair, and after some pushing and<br />
shoving, we eventually settled down<br />
and realised we were meant to write<br />
our story together.” In 1995, after<br />
having graduated as a gynaecologist<br />
and Karen as a general practitioner,<br />
they decided to open a private<br />
consulting service in Nelspruit. “Karen<br />
and I worked like demons in those first<br />
few years,” says Pieter. “Permanently<br />
on call with lots of after-hours and<br />
weekend emergencies made for a<br />
stressful life, and it certainly took its toll<br />
on both of us. Somehow we managed<br />
to hold on and build something,<br />
including a home and a family with<br />
three boys.”<br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 11
Pieter and Karin with their children, Jean, Markus and Simon<br />
The birth of his sons is still the most<br />
significant event to happen in Pieter’s<br />
life up to now. His father died from<br />
advanced pancreatic cancer in 2000,<br />
which hit Pieter hard. “I had loved him<br />
more than I can express in words,”<br />
he says. “This disease and my total<br />
defencelessness and inability to help<br />
my dad left deep wounds. Things<br />
fell apart after he eventually died. I<br />
couldn’t deal with the psychological<br />
anguish and felt totally alone and<br />
isolated by intense grief. Somehow,<br />
with the love of my wife and some<br />
very special friends, I started to breathe<br />
again. I developed an intense desire to<br />
have children of my own.”<br />
Unfortunately, unknown to the couple,<br />
more pain was to come. “We lost our<br />
baby girl due to a major congenital<br />
malformation,” Pieter explains. “The<br />
excitement of new life turned into<br />
sadness when, after having done an<br />
ultrasound to spy on our little girl, I<br />
realised with utter clarity that she was<br />
severely malformed. I experienced<br />
utter sadness again and started the<br />
difficult process of helping my Karen to<br />
get through the process of ending this<br />
cherished pregnancy. I felt proud and<br />
empowered by the fact that I could do<br />
her medical care myself. We sat there<br />
in that labour room holding our child<br />
and crying our hearts out. In those<br />
moments I loved my wife with an<br />
intensity and honesty that could only<br />
be described as supernatural.”<br />
Soon after, to their absolute joy, the<br />
Steyns were blessed with twins.<br />
12 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
“Yippee!” laughs Pieter. “We were over<br />
the moon. When I delivered them by<br />
caesarean section at 37 weeks, it was<br />
magical. Holding the first one choked<br />
me up so badly that I had to remind<br />
myself there’s another one in there, and<br />
that I am also busy doing surgery on<br />
my wife! Jean and Markus Steyn were<br />
born four years after my father had<br />
died, and with all my heart I wished he<br />
could see them and hold them.” Three<br />
years later, the Steyns again became<br />
proud parents, this time of Simon.<br />
‘The only constant thing<br />
is change, and I will<br />
tackle this new chapter<br />
with enthusiasm’<br />
“Another miracle,” says Pieter, “and life<br />
could not be more complicated and<br />
challenging, or more beautiful. I love<br />
being a father.”<br />
Being a gynae, on the other hand,<br />
isn’t as easy. It means constant and<br />
immense pressure to not make any<br />
mistakes, especially when dealing<br />
with high-risk situations. “The potential<br />
for litigation is always hanging over<br />
your head,” Pieter says, “plus lots of<br />
emergency and after-hours work, often<br />
late at night or in the early hours of the<br />
morning. This can be really taxing, and<br />
people deal with this kind of stress in<br />
different ways. My preferred coping<br />
mechanism was to become quiet and<br />
short-tempered. I really always tried my<br />
best to care well for those who trusted<br />
in me, but I know that I also often fell<br />
short. I have absolutely no regrets<br />
about my chosen career. Helping my<br />
patients to have their babies safely was<br />
a privilege.”<br />
Now, after almost 30 years of practice,<br />
Pieter was forced to make some<br />
radical changes. None of us are<br />
immune to death and disability, and<br />
after the Covid pandemic, he started<br />
experiencing strange symptoms,<br />
which eventually led to a diagnosis of<br />
Parkinson’s disease. “What a bummer.<br />
What a lucky break,” he says. “I couldn’t<br />
go on with business as usual, and I<br />
closed my practice. This episode in our<br />
lives once again changed everything<br />
forever. The only constant thing is<br />
change, and I will tackle this new<br />
chapter with enthusiasm and use it as<br />
an opportunity to discover new things<br />
and ideas. ”<br />
The journey ahead is an adventure,<br />
full of all the things Pieter didn’t get<br />
to do when he was rushing around<br />
delivering babies. He and Karen take<br />
us on a walk around their beautiful<br />
garden, stopping next to Pieter’s<br />
favourite tree, a boesmansgif, which is<br />
adorned with orchids. “Isn’t this lovely? I<br />
find plants very calming. I always like to<br />
remind myself - and anyone else who<br />
wants to listen - the only thing we have<br />
to fear is fear itself.”
Text: MELLISSA BUSHBY<br />
Growing up on a farm to a<br />
schoolteacher mother and dad who<br />
came from a long line of farmers,<br />
Romien had no idea just how much<br />
life could change, or how quickly.<br />
Romien Wait<br />
14 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
Journey of<br />
Romien Wait’s childhood<br />
years were idyllic. She lived<br />
the epitome of the happy<br />
family ideal.<br />
“I led a perfectly normal, happy and<br />
healthy life. My brother and I took the<br />
school bus to school, and there were<br />
many neighbourhood children to play<br />
with,” she says. “I remember how we’d<br />
sometimes miss the school bus and<br />
Mum would race after it to get us to<br />
school on time! We had no worries<br />
in the world; I don’t even remember<br />
anyone ever getting sick in our family.”<br />
After completing high school, Romien<br />
went to university and studied human<br />
resources management. Then she<br />
added a financial management<br />
degree to the pot. “I was fortunate<br />
and landed management positions<br />
at companies at an early age, and<br />
finally a high-profile job as head of<br />
corporate governance and finance<br />
at an international pharmaceutical<br />
company,” she remembers. “I loved my<br />
job. It was rewarding and stimulating,<br />
but it was also very demanding - to<br />
such an extent that I sometimes<br />
neglected my family due to very long<br />
hours at the office. I was happy. I was a<br />
successful career woman, and I could<br />
never imagine doing anything else.”<br />
Not for one minute did she think this<br />
could all end in a heartbeat - and that<br />
a mere few years later, she would be<br />
diagnosed with a rare spinal tumour.<br />
Romien recalls how two years before<br />
her diagnosis, her legs started<br />
feeling slightly numb with a burning<br />
sensation. “I consulted with several<br />
general practitioners, as well as<br />
specialists, who all told me they could<br />
not find anything wrong,” she explains.<br />
“Spinal cord tumours are rare and<br />
difficult to diagnose. They are less<br />
common than brain tumours. Patients<br />
may experience symptoms like trouble<br />
walking or using their arms and hands,<br />
muscle weakness, a general sense<br />
of inco-ordination [loss of sense of<br />
position in space], numbness, tingling,<br />
even paralysis to varying degrees and<br />
many more.”<br />
These tumours are usually found<br />
strictly by coincidence when scans are<br />
done for other medical reasons, also<br />
because a doctor will first investigate<br />
other potential causes for pain and<br />
muscle weakness. Patients have mixed<br />
symptoms - all of which can lengthen<br />
the diagnosis process. “It was on what<br />
I thought would be another perfectly<br />
ordinary day that I received the news,”<br />
Romien says. “I had a very rare tumour<br />
inside my spinal cord, which could<br />
eventually leave me paralysed, even
Romien and her daughters, Madelei and Tarene<br />
if treated. One in a million people<br />
worldwide gets diagnosed with an<br />
intramedullary spinal cord tumour.<br />
If South Africa has a population of<br />
60 million people, it means that only<br />
60 people in South Africa have such<br />
a tumour. I was carrying a ticking<br />
time bomb, needing urgent, lifethreatening,<br />
life-changing surgery.”<br />
The prognosis was grim. If left<br />
untreated, the tumour would<br />
eventually paralyse her from the neck<br />
down, but the surgery could also do<br />
the same. Sharing the diagnosis with<br />
her two daughters, Madelei and Tarene,<br />
was almost more devastating than the<br />
diagnosis itself for Romien. They had<br />
already lost their father at a very young<br />
age, and now they would have to deal<br />
with the knowledge that the only<br />
parent they have left could end up<br />
being a paraplegic or a quadriplegic.<br />
“My heart broke for them,” she says,<br />
“but I made a promise to them after<br />
their father died that no matter what, I<br />
would walk them down the aisle when<br />
they got married one day, and that was<br />
the goal that kept me going. A positive<br />
attitude and faith go a long way. In the<br />
days, weeks and months that were to<br />
come, I would learn more about the<br />
importance of these attributes than I<br />
imagined was possible.”<br />
Romien was initially hospitalised for<br />
106 days after the neurosurgeon<br />
performed a laminectomy procedure<br />
to remove the tumour. Immediately<br />
afterwards, Romien could not feel<br />
anything below her upper chest, and<br />
Romien walks Tarene down the aisle<br />
had no movement in her legs and<br />
feet. She could move her toes very<br />
slightly and was paralysed from<br />
the chest down to her feet. “I often<br />
touched my legs with my hands to<br />
ensure they were still there, that’s<br />
when I started to realise that life would<br />
never be the same.”<br />
After surgery, Romien had to learn to<br />
walk again. For the first four months,<br />
the time she spent in hospital, she<br />
suffered every textbook complication<br />
possible, which hampered her<br />
progress. “It certainly was not an easy<br />
road to recovery. Today, six years<br />
later, I am an incomplete paraplegic.<br />
People may think, when they see<br />
me, that I have not healed, but then<br />
they fail to see the miracle. Within<br />
my new limitations, I enjoy a full<br />
and independent life. And most<br />
important of all, I could, with aid, walk<br />
my daughters down the aisle on their<br />
wedding days!”<br />
While not physically the same as<br />
she was before the surgery, Romien<br />
is happy with her new normal. “We<br />
always have hope to cling to,” she<br />
smiles, “and to me, the realisation that<br />
I still have so much to be grateful for<br />
and that there are still so many things<br />
I can do, and that I can still enjoy life,<br />
helped carry me through. How you<br />
manage the inevitable determines<br />
your destiny and happiness in the days<br />
and years to come. I knew immediately<br />
this was a journey I had to be on, and<br />
that it would be part of me for the<br />
rest of my life. I knew my struggles<br />
could help others; therefore, I was<br />
willing - and in a strange way eager -<br />
to go through this. I knew I would be<br />
able to tell my story one day, which<br />
could become part of someone else’s<br />
survival.”<br />
Romien has learnt to appreciate the<br />
small things in life and strives to not<br />
take anything for granted. “Things<br />
could have turned out very differently<br />
for me,” she says. “I could have been<br />
a quadriplegic, but I am only an<br />
incomplete paraplegic. I still have the<br />
full use of my arms and there is still so<br />
much I can do. And that in itself is a<br />
miracle!”<br />
Details: Read Romien’s story<br />
in her (free) e-book, Silent Thunder -<br />
A Journey of Grace With a Rare<br />
Tumour, available to download from<br />
www.romienvanzylwait.co.za.<br />
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 15
In recent years, the spicy food<br />
trend has taken the culinary world<br />
by storm, transcending cultural<br />
boundaries and finding its way<br />
onto plates worldwide.<br />
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18 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
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Nestled on the escarpment, overlooking the quaint town<br />
of Emgwenya, you will find Epa!. Our award-winning<br />
products are deliciously fresh and gluten-free, catering for<br />
various diets, including vegan. Use our natural sauces and<br />
pesto/pastes as marinades, to cook with, or as condiments<br />
for all food types. Inspired by tasteful healthy living and<br />
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enjoyment. Spice up your lifestyle today! !<br />
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Text: MELLISSA BUSHBY<br />
From traditional dishes like Sichuan hotpot and fiery Indian curry to modern<br />
favourites such as piquant Korean kimchi or sriracha-infused snacks, spicy foods<br />
have become a staple in kitchens and restaurants worldwide. And you need<br />
only see the huge variety of home-made tongue-tingling chilli sauces, jams and<br />
relishes at local markets to know that in the <strong>Lowveld</strong>, we like it hot.<br />
The good news is that beyond the thrill of the burn, spicy foods offer a plethora<br />
of benefits, ranging from improved metabolism to a distinctly enhanced culinary<br />
experience. We delve into the spicy foods trend and take a look at the advantages<br />
of adding a little spice to your life.<br />
Enhanced flavour profile<br />
Spicy ingredients like chilli peppers,<br />
jalapenos, ginger, garlic and curry<br />
powders add depth and complexity to<br />
dishes, elevating them from ordinary<br />
to extraordinary. The heat from these<br />
ingredients stimulates the taste<br />
buds, awakening the palate to new<br />
sensations and flavours.<br />
Metabolism boost<br />
Capsaicin, the compound responsible<br />
for the heat in spicy foods, has been<br />
linked to increased metabolism and<br />
calorie burning. Incorporating spicy<br />
foods into your diet may aid in weight<br />
management and promote fat loss<br />
over time.<br />
Pain relief<br />
Believe it or not, the same compound<br />
that causes the burning sensation in<br />
spicy foods, capsaicin, can also provide<br />
pain relief. Capsaicin creams are often<br />
used topically to alleviate muscle and<br />
joint pain, making spicy foods not only<br />
delicious, but potentially therapeutic<br />
as well.<br />
Mood enhancement<br />
Capsaicin also triggers the release of<br />
endorphins, the body’s natural moodenhancing<br />
chemical. Endorphins help<br />
relieve stress, reduce pain and improve<br />
your general sense of well-being.<br />
Potential health benefits<br />
Beyond their culinary appeal, spicy<br />
foods may offer several health<br />
benefits. Capsaicin has been linked<br />
to improved heart health, reduced<br />
inflammation and even pain relief.<br />
Additionally, the antimicrobial<br />
properties of certain spices may<br />
help ward off pathogens. Never<br />
mind the apple - a chilli a day<br />
keeps the doctor away!<br />
Keep in mind that if you’re new to<br />
spicy foods, it’s a good idea to start<br />
with milder options and gradually<br />
work your way up to spicier dishes.<br />
This will allow your taste buds<br />
to adapt to the heat over time.<br />
Don’t be afraid to experiment<br />
with different spices and flavour<br />
combinations. Whether it’s<br />
adding chipotle powder to chilli<br />
or drizzling sriracha on pizza, the<br />
possibilities are endless. For a true<br />
taste explosion, balance your fiery<br />
dishes with cooling ingredients<br />
like tzatziki (a delicious yogurt,<br />
lemon, garlic and cucumber dip)<br />
or avocado to help temper the<br />
heat and balance the flavours.<br />
The spicy foods trend opens<br />
the door to a world of flavour<br />
and potential health benefits<br />
for adventurous eaters, and<br />
fortunately for us, there are a<br />
host of local eateries that offer<br />
scrumptious tongue-tingling food<br />
options, from fiery Arrabiata pasta<br />
to peri-peri prawns and chicken<br />
tikka masala.<br />
By incorporating spicy<br />
ingredients into your diet in<br />
creative ways and experimenting<br />
with different tastes, you can<br />
experience the full spectrum of<br />
heat and flavour that spicy foods<br />
have to offer. So go ahead, spice<br />
up your meals and ignite your<br />
taste buds with the fiery delights<br />
of the spicy foods trend.
We chatted to a couple of local dads to find out what<br />
makes Father’s Day special.<br />
Theo Naidoo, general manager of Emnotweni<br />
Get it (GI): How do your kids normally<br />
spoil you on Father’s Day?<br />
Theo Naidoo (TN): The kids spoil me<br />
rotten, starting with the classic treat,<br />
breakfast in bed. They usually go all out<br />
to make the day special. Apart from<br />
breakfast, they make me the nicest<br />
home-made cards, and then maybe a<br />
small gift they’ve picked out or often<br />
made themselves.<br />
GI: Where do you like to spend the day,<br />
at home or out and about?<br />
TN: Sometimes we’ll have a little family<br />
outing. We’ll go somewhere we all love,<br />
or the kids will plan a fun activity we<br />
can all do together. But to be honest,<br />
just spending quality time with them is<br />
the best gift of all.<br />
GI: What is your favourite spicy dish?<br />
TN: A delicious family meal is always<br />
part of the equation, and I love hot<br />
food. My favourite dish is a spicy lamb<br />
curry with roti, with its fragrant blend<br />
of spices. I also loves fish curry and the<br />
rustic charm of trotters and beans.<br />
GI: What do you love most about<br />
being a dad?<br />
TN: Everything!<br />
All-purpose chilli and<br />
garlic oil<br />
Immensely versatile and easy to make,<br />
this chilli and garlic oil is the perfect<br />
accompaniment to so many things.<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil • 5 to 6 garlic cloves,<br />
minced • 1½ tbsp crushed red chilli flakes<br />
• A pinch of sea salt<br />
Method<br />
Gently heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add<br />
all ingredients<br />
and heat over low heat until the garlic<br />
starts to turn golden (but don’t let it burn!).<br />
Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.<br />
Once cool, pour into a jar or ramekin to<br />
serve. Store in the fridge for up to five days.
Tony Mancos, CEO of Kishugu Training Group<br />
Get it (GI): How do your kids normally<br />
spoil you on Father’s Day?<br />
Tony Mancos (TM): Father’s Day<br />
mornings normally greet me with a<br />
fresh cup of coffee, cuddles from the<br />
children and Mum spoiling me with<br />
little gifts while in bed. The dogs also<br />
get in on the action with Fudge, the<br />
boxer, getting his fair share of love. We<br />
then move on to a bit of chaos with my<br />
eager kids preparing me my favourite<br />
breakfast, fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy<br />
bacon, Alheira (a Portuguese breakfast<br />
sausage) and another steaming cup<br />
of coffee, all presented with beaming<br />
smiles. I’m really spoilt and grateful for<br />
having such loving, close-knit family.<br />
GI: What is your favourite spicy dish?<br />
TM: I love a hot crab curry with lots<br />
of curry sauce. The crabs must be<br />
pretty large with plenty of meat. I<br />
prefer making the curry myself with<br />
additional curry and chilli powder and<br />
a bunch of fresh coriander added to<br />
enhance the seasoning. It’s a messy<br />
dish to eat, but one that allows a meal<br />
to last a while, especially when family<br />
and friends are visiting.<br />
GI: Where do you like to spend the day,<br />
at home or out and about?<br />
TM: Father’s Day spent outdoors with<br />
my family is a priceless gift, filled with<br />
laughter, love and cherished memories.<br />
Whether we’re braaiing at home<br />
or enjoying a picnic outing, every<br />
moment shared under the open sky is<br />
a family bonding experience.<br />
GI: What are your hobbies?<br />
TM: Cooking is a big thing in the<br />
Mancos household, and I have started<br />
a small Portuguese deli shop called<br />
Titos with a friend. We supply spicy<br />
chouriço, specialist cold meats such<br />
as presunto, salchichoa and paio – it’s<br />
a hobby that delights the palate and<br />
nourishes the soul.<br />
GI: What do you love most about being<br />
a dad?<br />
TM: As a dad, the most fulfilling part is<br />
witnessing the growth, laughter and<br />
love of my children. Every moment<br />
shared is a treasure, forming bonds<br />
that last a lifetime.<br />
GI: What’s your favourite meal to cook?<br />
TM: I love cooking prawns à la<br />
Portuguese style. Preferably queensized<br />
prawns (and Mozambican)<br />
marinated in lemon, garlic and<br />
chilli overnight. These are braaied<br />
or skottel-fried, served on a bed of<br />
savoury chouriço rice or chips with a<br />
Portuguese salad, with a lemon garlic<br />
butter and chilli butter sauces to douse<br />
over the meal.<br />
GI: Do you like to cook on Father’s Day<br />
or do the family cook for you?<br />
TM: The kids spoil me with breakfast<br />
on Father’s Day, and I love preparing<br />
the lunch for the family. It is a heartwarming<br />
tradition. I whip up a spicy<br />
feast that’s seasoned with love and<br />
served with a side of pride. From<br />
sizzling on the stove and chopping<br />
veggies to stirring pots and garnishing<br />
with care, the meal becomes another<br />
cherished memory for our family,<br />
especially for my father.
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Dear DAD<br />
It’s <strong>June</strong>. It’s Father’s Day. And it’s time to spoil Dad!<br />
In Hunting with the Hawks, journalist<br />
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Well known in the <strong>Lowveld</strong>, the <strong>Lowveld</strong> Canvas brand is synonymous with<br />
quality and superior workmanship. We caught up with Duanne Henning to<br />
find out a little more about its history.<br />
<strong>Lowveld</strong> Canvas opened its doors in<br />
the early 1960s, and was originally<br />
called SA Canvas. “It changed hands<br />
a few times until my dad Gerhard<br />
bought the company in 1996,” says<br />
Duanne. “To incorporate all the<br />
neighbouring towns in our area, he<br />
changed the name to <strong>Lowveld</strong><br />
Canvas. He proudly operated it for<br />
26 years. I took over approximately<br />
eight years after the day I first started<br />
working there.”<br />
‘I love my father for<br />
many reasons, but I<br />
am especially grateful<br />
for all the knowledge<br />
he passed on to me’<br />
During this time, Duanne’s dad taught<br />
him not only about how the company<br />
should be run, but also how to always<br />
listen first, and most importantly, how<br />
to conduct himself in business. “I can<br />
honestly say the best way to ensure a<br />
successful working relationship with<br />
your parents is extremely easy. Apart<br />
from the basic company rules, you<br />
only need to follow these three simple<br />
steps: listen, do the work and then raise<br />
your opinion afterward. In that order.”<br />
Duanne purchased the company<br />
two months before Covid and the<br />
Duanne, Eliana and Nanda Henning<br />
subsequent lockdown. Not the<br />
READY STEADY<br />
CANVAS<br />
26 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong>
greatest timing, but unavoidable. “I<br />
must say, I missed my father’s day-today<br />
support a lot during those days,<br />
especially with all the Covid rules and<br />
regulations, and the tough economic<br />
times felt by us and everyone else in<br />
the country. My father was a very strict<br />
but also very fair boss. There wasn’t a<br />
grey area with him. It was either black<br />
or white. I have to add that my mother<br />
later put my mind at ease by saying<br />
that she had also been keeping an eye<br />
on me, but trusted I could manage.<br />
That was a real sign of respect.”<br />
Duanne’s father always said if the<br />
business was not performing as it<br />
should, you first have to look for the<br />
mistake within the company. Duanne<br />
and his management team, Frank<br />
Fouché and Sharon van der Merwe,<br />
went through every aspect of the<br />
company, leaving no stone unturned<br />
when it came to ideas to help the<br />
company grow. “With a combined<br />
experience of 70 years, it really is a case<br />
of three heads being better than one,”<br />
he smiles. “I love my father for many<br />
reasons, but I am especially grateful<br />
for all the knowledge he passed on to<br />
me. He taught me the value of being<br />
focused on quality, which is something<br />
we have always been proud of.”<br />
Duanne says his BComm degree<br />
has come in handy on more than<br />
one occasion when it came to<br />
implementing new ideas. “My vision<br />
was to modernise and to introduce<br />
new products without compromising<br />
on our quality. At first, I made minor<br />
changes, such as testing the market<br />
with a reasonable budget. This helped<br />
me to identify our top sellers in the<br />
process and helped us to modernise<br />
and improve our products. Examples<br />
of these are our patio blinds and<br />
pool covers, and retractable foldarm<br />
awnings, among others. I also<br />
introduced more luxurious materials,<br />
as well as cheaper yet more durable<br />
ones to our catalogues, to cater to all<br />
budgets and tastes.”<br />
Duanne’s passion for <strong>Lowveld</strong> Canvas<br />
comes down to the fact that he<br />
loves working with people, especially<br />
when designing and manufacturing<br />
a positive add-on to their houses or<br />
vehicles. He smiles as he says his<br />
most rewarding project but also<br />
biggest challenge is the tented<br />
camps. “We were recently published<br />
on the front page of a very popular<br />
German magazine for the luxury tents<br />
we installed at Elephant Points,” he<br />
adds proudly.<br />
“My wife, Nanda, my greatest support<br />
and mum to our two-year-old jewel,<br />
Eliana, always reminds me that it’s<br />
not only the big wins that make an<br />
impact, but all the smaller ones that<br />
end up being the most valuable.<br />
When I think back to the days I<br />
worked with my father, I’m reminded<br />
about the simple things that made<br />
it all worthwhile, and so I’m glad he<br />
is enjoying his well-earned semiretirement,”<br />
he smiles.<br />
Text: MELLISSA BUSHBY<br />
Family together
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Safari<br />
on the<br />
Kariega<br />
Text Kym Argo<br />
It’s always the unexpected that keeps travelling exciting.<br />
And for those who’ve been on safari in South Africa, and<br />
think they’ve experienced everything, Sibuya Game<br />
Reserve in the Eastern Cape offers up a few surprises.<br />
Yes ... it’s a fusion of luxury and environmental<br />
awareness. Yip ... it’s home to the Big Five. And with<br />
almost 400 different species in the area, it really is a bird<br />
lover’s paradise.<br />
But it’s the country’s only game reserve that is only<br />
reached by boat ... boarded at the Sibuya reception near<br />
the Kariega river mouth in Kenton on Sea, you’ll take a<br />
leisurely cruise up the Kariega River Estuary. Depending<br />
on what you discover, the gentle cruise takes anything<br />
from 45 minutes to a little over an hour ... spotting longlegged<br />
Black-winged Stilts and gorgeous Sacred Ibis and<br />
brightly coloured Kingfishers and impressive Fish Eagles.<br />
It’s a gorgeous, relaxing way to kick off your Sibuya safari,<br />
which is one of the Cape Country Routes South Africa<br />
privately owned destinations.<br />
More of the unexpected. You will be offered early<br />
morning and evening game drives a day, but there are<br />
other options too ... fishing on the Kariega is hugely<br />
popular, either from the bank or from one of the small<br />
boats, there’s canoeing on the river, and you can opt for<br />
a beach walk as well as one in the bush. Excluded from<br />
the rates, but possible to book, are deep sea fishing<br />
excursions, and beach and reserve horse riding outings.<br />
Accommodation wise, there are a trio of choices ... two<br />
luxurious tented camps and an exclusive lodge. We<br />
stayed at Forest Camp ... where each of the eight tents,<br />
connected by wooden walkways, are private and well<br />
30 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
concealed in the indigenous thicket. With king size beds<br />
and a surprisingly comfortable pull out sleeper divan, it’s<br />
a great option for those travelling with older children - no<br />
under 12s allowed. There’s also the River Camp, with four<br />
spacious tents, so great for a group of friends travelling<br />
together, and where younger children are welcome. Both<br />
camps are comfy, have fireplaces for chilly evenings, and<br />
have central living areas where guests gather for meals<br />
and game drives. The third option is the more luxurious<br />
thatched Bush Lodge, with four suites, personal viewing<br />
decks, indoor and outdoor showers and a swimming<br />
pool. Bush Lodge, unlike the other two camps, has<br />
electricity - and air-conditioning - in the rooms ... for Bush<br />
and River camps you rely on solar as they’re all about<br />
living off the grid and embracing sustainability.<br />
The area is lush, with Eastern Cape Valley bushveld,<br />
grasslands and coastal forests, so game is plentiful, and<br />
game drives thrilling with elephant, rhino, antelope,<br />
including the rare Bontebok and Oribi, and plenty of<br />
giraffe and zebra. On our visit the leopards lived up to<br />
their elusive title, but lion - in a separate, enclosed part of<br />
the reserve, were seen proudly strutting their king of the<br />
jungle stuff.<br />
Rates start at R4931 per person in low season, excluding<br />
Rhino Conservation Levies, including accommodation,<br />
all meals and local drinks, morning and evening game<br />
drives, boat transfers, fishing, canoeing and bush walking.<br />
Children under 2 stay free.<br />
Details: Sibuya on sibuya.co.za, Instagram @sibuya_game_<br />
reserve, Facebook SibuyaGameReserve. Cape Country Routes<br />
on capecountryroutes.com, Instagram @ capecountryroutes,<br />
Facebook @CapeCountryRoutes
<strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong> Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 31
Spoil<br />
<strong>June</strong><br />
The North Face ...<br />
and the icons of exploration<br />
Born way back in 1966, The North Face has<br />
served the needs of expeditions in the<br />
harshest regions in the world. And a few of<br />
the items have become icons ... taking on<br />
lives of their own. Harnessing cuttingedge<br />
technology, innovative design<br />
and athlete insights, they were<br />
revolutionary. Now, they are iconic,<br />
worn and used everywhere from city<br />
streets to mountain tops. These include the<br />
Himalayan Parka - this ultra-warm parka became<br />
the gold standard in high-altitude climbing and<br />
cold-weather survival. The Mountain Jacket - worn by<br />
the first American team to scale the six classic north<br />
faces of the Alps in a single season. The Nuptse -<br />
one mile southwest of Everest, five miles up and<br />
bitterly cold, this jacket named after the Nuptse<br />
summit is famed for its game-changing warmth.<br />
The Denali - which made its debut on the backs<br />
of Todd Skinner and Paul Piana during their<br />
historic, 30-day free climb of Yosemite’s Salathé<br />
Wall, where it set a new standard for technical<br />
fleece. And The Duffel - if there could be just<br />
one bag to symbolise epic adventures, it’d<br />
be this. Made of burly fabrics, and built to<br />
be transported by porters, yaks and camels,<br />
these hard-wearing gear totes journey<br />
everywhere from expedition base camps to<br />
urban metropolises.<br />
To enter our<br />
<strong>June</strong> Spoil, visit<br />
@getitnationalmagazines<br />
on Instagram or Facebook.<br />
Entries close <strong>June</strong> 25.<br />
32 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
All of these iconic items, plus so many more<br />
desirable garments for adventure or city wear,<br />
can be found on www.thenorthface.co.za<br />
We’re giving away a Base Camp Duffel Bag<br />
worth R3599 ... tough and practical, with<br />
loads of thought-through features - think zippedend<br />
pocket for dirty shoes and wet clothes,<br />
mesh pockets, detachable adjustable ergonomic<br />
shoulder straps. Use a duffel when in transit, or a<br />
backpack when you’re on the move. In a nutshell,<br />
it’s an explorer’s best friend.