At the launch of South African Tourism’s “I’m a South Africa fan” campaign in Soweto on Thursday 19th August 201, National Tourism Minister Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk made a grand entrance on the back of a motorbike as a guest rider with the Soweto Sopranos Bikers Club. His tour of Soweto consisted of a visit to the Soweto Hotel, Orlando Towers, former President Nelson Mandela’s home in Vilakazi Street, and the Ipelegeng Community Centre in Jabavu where he was welcomed by the Community singers and gumboot dancers.

The Minister spoke at the Ipelegeng Community Centre in Soweto about the pride of being South African at a time when the country boasts the success of the 2010 World Cup and how sports has positioned South Africa well as one of the world’s premier leisure destinations.

In anticipation of the upcoming Tri-Nations Cup, the Minister urged South Africans to continue flying their flags in support of all sporting events. He stated that “By being the loudest and proudest of cheerleaders during the successful 2010 World Cup, we showcased how passionate South Africans are about all things sports and African. It is among others thanks to sports that South Africa recently won the reputation as one of the world’s premier leisure destinations. And sports is one of the crucial elements of our tourism offering that will help ensure that this reputation endures and tourism continues to grow in order to make its vital contribution to the economy, job creation and development,” Minister Van Schalkwyk.

On Saturday 21st August 2010, the Springboks met the All Blacks for a Tri-Nations rugby clash at the FNB Stadium.

Because Sho’t Left loves its fans, a group of 8 lucky Sho’t Lefters took a Sho’t Left to Soweto to catch the rugby action live.

GET GLAMOROUS AT THE MOST HAPPENING FESTIVAL IN SOWETO

SOUTH AFRICA, GAUTENG, 18 AUGUST 2010 – With just 2 weeks to go, the 2010 Soweto Wine Festival, happening on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th September, is being hailed as the ‘Bumper Issue’ of all wine festivals when all the glamorous people of Gauteng descend upon the most happening place in Soweto, the Soweto Wine Festival.

Visitors will enjoy Soweto ‘home-grown’ restaurants with the tastiest foods from La Kitchen Eatery, Roots, Asidle Gourmet, Masekeng Pub and Divine Caterers; VIP entertainment; your favourite Kaya FM DJ’s on the floor; a business lounge for the ambitious; Norman Goodfellows to buy your favourite wines by the case or bottle, and lots of free stuff to give away to visitors, so don’t miss out.

With over 800 wines to taste, visitors are encouraged to find The One. The One refers to finding your favourite variety, such a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscadel, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz or blends of these and then finding the Winery that makes your style.

This year the festival celebrates 11 empowerment wineries that will be exhibiting namely Lathitha Wines, Ses’fikile, Libby’s Pride Wines, M’hudi Wines, Seven Sisters, Remogo Wines, Thandi Wines, Blouvlei, Fair Hills, Tukulu and Jacob’s Quest. WOSA (Wines of South Africa) in conjunction with the Soweto Wine Festival are co-sponsoring these empowerment brands so that they may be enjoyed and supported by visitors to the festival.

Says Marilyn Cooper, Cape Wine Master, joint founding member of the Soweto Wine Festival and MD of the Cape Wine Academy, who are the organisers of the festival, “We are very proud that eleven BEE wineries will be exhibiting this year. It is a vital component to the festival that these empowerment brands grow with this market’s wine enjoyment and consumption and that they are encouraged to continue the often difficult road to success.”

Pick n Pay Taste Theatre

Pick n Pay is sponsoring the Taste Theatre, which will feature two 1-hour wine- and- food pairing sessions a night in the Pick n Pay Taste Theatre – a classroom-style lecture theatre. Jacob Peu from Jacobs Quest, Ntsiki Biyela – South Africa’s first black woman winemaker from Stellekaya Wines, Erick Sikhosane – the Cape Sommelier at the Hyatt Hotel and Citrum Khumalo – a personality chef, will be some of the presenters sharing their passion for wine and food with visitors.

Wine Lounge Hosts

Five well-known brands are hosting ‘wine lounges’ where visitors can sit and enjoy their wine experience. They are the unashamedly uncomplicated, easy-drinking and flirtatious 4th Street, a wine inspired by passion for friendship and sharing; The Saints winery, which has an unpretentious and affordable range of tastes, which offer wine from sweet to dry, red, white and rosè in eye-catching and attractive packaging; Nederburg, which is home to South Africa’s most awarded wines; Pearly Bay wines, which are about sunshine, blue skies, fun and laughter all around, the uncomplicated, easy-drinking, fruit-driven wines; The House of J.C. Le Roux, who produce a variety of sparkling wines to suit any occasion, from their naturally lively sparkling wines – the most popular in the country – to their traditional bottled fermented cap classiques, also known as champagne.

Says Brand Manager for Saints, Pieter Terblanche, “The Soweto Wine Festival is unlike any other wine event in South Africa attracting spontaneous and enthusiastic interest in the endlessly intriguing wonders of wine. The Saints wines have distinct synergy with the tempo of this festival and its audience – unpretentious, vibrant, expressive and in a variety of styles that suit all tastes and occasions. This year The Saints look forward to presenting a unique interactive experience of the range that will deliver a little bit of ‘Heaven on Earth’ to tasters, with an adventure of discovery and pleasure. We look forward to meeting, mingling and drinking a toast to visitors at the festival.”

Platinum Arena

The Platinum Arena, introduced this year, will offer much-needed additional space at the festival. This marquee will be an extension to the Main Arena and will feature travel lounges from San Parks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, premier wineries as well as education and business opportunities e.g.  franchising opportunities such as Morara Wine Emporium.

To sum up the commitment, a comment from the most awarded winery in South Africa, Nederburg, “Nederburg has always prided itself on being a truly South African brand, appealing to a broad range of wine lovers in a way that is warm-hearted, inclusive and hospitable. That’s why we have participated in the Soweto Wine Festival from the very beginning,” says global brand development manager DeMari Kellerman.“We make wines to please people’s palates from connoisseurs, collectors and enthusiasts to those who want the simple enjoyment of a refreshing and delicious glass of wine, whatever the occasion. The festival allows us to showcase the exciting range of wines we have on offer and gives people, who live far from us in Paarl, the opportunity to meet with our winemakers and the marketing team, so we learn first-hand what Sowetans enjoy and how they like to drink our wines.”

Concludes Mnikelo Mangciphu, co-founder and active member of the Soweto Wine Festival and owner of Morara Wine Emporium, which is based in the heart of Soweto, “It is here. Can you feel it? With approximately 6500 visitors expected over the 3 days, this is going to be the place to be in Soweto on the first weekend in September! With a record number BEE wineries this year, 800 wines to taste from around South Africa, home-grown Soweto businesses offering entertainment and food, who could ask for more. A Truly South African brand.”

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Editors Notes:

Festival Details

Dates and Times: Thursday 2nd September – 6pm to 10pm

Friday 3rd September – 6pm to 10pm

Saturday 4th September – 5pm to 10pm

Venue: Main Hall, Soweto Campus, University of Johannesburg, Chris Hani Road, Soweto

Tickets: R60 per person per night or R150 for a three-night pass

Ticket Availability:

 At the festival entrance

 At Pick n Pay Maponya Mall

 At Morara Wines in Soweto

 Online – www.webtickets.co.za

More info and images: www.sowetowinefestival.co.za

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Soweto Wine Festival

Marilyn or Busi on 011 783 4585

Sponsorship

Sharon Cooper

sharon@hotsalsamedia.co.za

074 461 0544

Media & PR

Viv Quann

viv@hotsalsamedia.co.za

084 486 2136

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As the stands come down and exhibitors, buyers, hosted buyers, delegates and visitors make their way home; we look back on INDABA 2010 as a truly spectacular event.

With the FIFA 2010 World Cup just around the corner, the success of the INDABA confirms that we’re ready. South African Tourism CEO, Thandiwe January-McLean says visitors to South Africa “will remember the warm, hospitable people that they met, the service they received and the people who went the extra mile”.

Going the extra mile seemed to be this year’s INDABA theme, with success stories at the ETEYA and Welcome Awards, an inspirational Opening Ceremony and a Global Media Face-Off in the thrilling setting of Moses Mabhida Stadium (pronounced by President Jacob Zuma as his firm favourite).

With this in mind, our team decided to go the extra mile too, donning out trainers and proceeding to sprint around the Durban ICC in a flurry of cameras, microphones, Blackberries and notebooks.

Of the 1000 photos we took, we picked the top 100 to showcase INDABA 2010. We edited over 10 hours of footage into some sterling video content. We attended 8 events, conducted 18 interviews and tweeted 57 times. We wrote 14 blog posts. We drank several hundred cups of coffee.

And now we’re going home – looking forward to seeing you at INDABA 2011!