THE COUNTDOWN to the hugely popular Vodacom Durban July will this year feature the arrival of The Blue Train with about 100 high-end punters, revelers and fashionistas on 6th of July.

QUOTE: ‘’If anything else, Alain Saint Ange’s media outreach should give him the edge as the United Nations’ new secretary-general for world tourism. The former Seychelles tourism minister has run a highly successful campaign in the global and local print and electronic media.’’ – Marlan Padayachee, senior journalist, travel writer, photographer, political and social commentator, private-public sector consultant and media strategist and adviser in South Africa. (5 May 2017)

By MARLAN PADAYACHEE

BY the week-ending of 12-14 May, the United Nations will have a new secretary-general heading its UN World Tourism Organisation from global tourism’s headquarters in Madrid, Spain.

Among the front-runners is Alain Saint Ange, who resigned as Seychelles’ long-standing senior minister of tourism to compete for the premier post that oversees the state of tourism across the world.

So far, St Ange, based on my own experience of election campaigns in the media, has run a highly successful campaign in his quest to clinch the plum post and thereby use his wealth of experience and knowledge economy to change the world of tourism towards a greater people-to-people focus and connecting the dots of an unequal tourism market, particularly in the arena of creating sustainable jobs for poorer communities, including his native Seychelles, the Vanilla Islands of the Indian Ocean Rim and Africa and the Caribbean.

His media milestones to date from his campaign kick-off in January have been anything but remarkable, innovative, friendly and smart. In the media narrative, this candidate has grabbed the headlines and dominated the soundbites and the stand firsts and blurbs on radio and television.

And in the run-up to the election of the new secretary-general of the United Nations World Travel Organisation, one of the leading candidates on the slate, Saint Ange, a senior ruling party politician and former government minister in his mid-ocean island nation, has received excellent and extraordinary endorsements from fellow compatriots, political personalities, tourism and hospitality pace-setters and stakeholders and influential well-wishers.

Communities have also thrown their weight behind the bid to present a refreshing new face to global tourism.

St Ange was the long-standing and well-heeled Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine in Seychelles before making a dash for the top-notch UN job. Since launching his official bid in January this year, St Ange has received overwhelming support in his quest to vie for the head of secretariat of the global tourism authority.

St Ange has presented the Seychelles Agenda for Tourism for All to many nations and industry players. Four months into the race and St Ange is not letting up. He is also not slowing down in his non-stop campaigning and lobbying in many capitals of the world soon after he presented his Official Nomination Documents to Taleb Rifai, current UNWTO secretary-general. He became the second official candidate on the ballot for the polling on Friday, 12 May in the Spanish cultural hotspot of Madrid.

Six candidates are in the running for the highest portfolio. There is growing optimism that the new secretary-general will lead the lucrative, multi-dimensional global industry into an exciting new phase. The winning candidate will replace the outgoing secretary-general Taleb Rifai.

Candidates continue to work tirelessly to pull votes from the four corners of the world to the prized high seat in international tourism. St Ange is also fighting competition in Africa, with Zimbabwe fielding a candidate backed by the African Union. South America has two candidates, Brazil and Colombia, and Georgia and South Korea are also in the race.

The candidates and countries are:

Vahan Martirosyan (Armenia, Minister of Transport)
Márcio Favilla (Brazil, WTO Executive Director)
Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente (Colombia, Ambassador to Austria and the UN organisations based in Vienna)
Zurab Pololikashvili (Georgia, Ambassador to Spain and Permanent Representative to the WTO)
Young-shim Dho (South Korea, Ambassador to Spain and President of the Foundation for the Elimination of Poverty of the WTO)
Walter Mzembi (Zimbabwe, Minister of Tourism)

St Ange has stayed the course and has been straddling many tourist destinations to muster support and market his progressive policies, including support for the LGBT communities who often confront violent racism, discrimination, stigmatising, stereotyping and ostracising in the tourism space and in nightclubs and social hubs.

Amidst the fanfare, friendships and fraternity, St.Ange, the official Seychelles Candidate, continues to travel to woo member countries to cast their ballots for him. His latest foreign foray has been in Swiss town of Lucerne, where he engaged 500 delegates from 70 countries and marketed his ‘’walk the talk’’ campaigning on sharing his new business models, inspiring personal stories and building valuable friendships. He was integral to the ‘’Think Tank Session on Tourism’’ at the World Tourism Forum, the last event before the UNWTO elections. He also enjoyed the hospitality and friendship of the past president and CEO of the WTF, Martin Barth.

From Lucerne, St Ange is returning to Seychelles before preparing for the final countdown to his campaign and delivering on his electoral vision in Madrid next week. Lucerne emerged as a traditional gathering of key tourism personalities, intra-networking within a strong sense of community and cultivating interpersonal relationships among CEOs, ministers, investors, academic leaders and stakeholders to create new roadmaps for generational global tourism.

The electorate is crucial in the coming week: thirty-four countries are members of the UNWTO Executive Council: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Flanders, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, and Zambia.

St Ange’s election hustings carries a clear-cut message with a universally progressive policy of ‘’Tourism for All’’. He has spent hundreds of hours and resources campaigning on a platform that has blackballed discrimination in all its manifestations.

There is no place for any form of discrimination in the world of tourism. He has challenged the other candidates to stand up and voice their commitment to the people-centred environment of global tourism devoid of the scourge of discriminatory practices. There will be no room at the inn for discrimination based on skin colour, race, religion, culture, creed, politics, gender, sexual preference, disability, political persuasion or wealth status. His simplified his strategy with a key campaign phrase reads: friends of all, enemies of none, equal tourism for all.

The United Nations is the torchbearer of human rights and social justice and the ambassadors of its agencies will stridently promote respect, tolerance and diversity, according to St Ange. The new culture in tourism should beneficiate stakeholders, stimulate partnerships, create jobs, promote eco-tourism sustainability, resurrect cottage industries and bolster local economic developments.

His campaign has attracted widespread publicity in the print and electronic media, as well as social media platforms. From interviews on BBC World to newspapers, magazines and radio stations, St Ange has articulated, voiced and aired a singular and powerful policy of connecting the dots on the world map by bringing people, cultures and destinations together to enjoy the fruits of a global village characterised by a cacophony of sounds and sights. Adopting a positive and unique approach, St Ange’s campaign has emphasised the need to reach out to the private industry and media.

By far, he is the only candidate who has garnered a record number of endorsements from private companies and stakeholders in his native Indian Ocean island nation and abroad. His visibility and profiling grew progressively in the print publications, radio and television.

The campaign’s coup de grace is an interview with CNN presenter Richard Quest on Quest Means Business, followed by engaging conversations with Adam Boulton on Sky TV and BBC Radio Africa. St Ange also made a raft of articles on the pages of full-colour magazines, namely Britain’s FIRST, and prestige publications in Africa and the Middle East.

His interview with the Travel Daily has highlighted the impasse that tourism and insecurity are not good bedfellows and wants to make this anomaly one of the pillows in his vision for tourism, alongside pressing the UN and the UNWTO to proliferate sustainable tourism across the spectrum.

St Ange has also been well received in inter-governmental forums: Thailand is among the many tourism nations that gave St Ange an audience. St Ange shared his ‘’Tourism for All’’ mission and vision with Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul on the side-lines of the World Tourism Travel Council summit in Bangkok.

He also presented his Statement of Intent and discuss to Pongpanu Svetarundra, ministerial permanent secretary. At the meeting, St Ange was supported by his compatriots, Nico Barito, presidential special envoy to the ASEAN bloc of countries and Pascal Viroleau, CEO of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, a cluster of Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion and Mayotte islands.

As nations enjoying a cordial relationship, Thailand and Seychelles are committed to a pact of sustainable tourism, safety and security. The tourism agenda was also presented to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Commented HYPERLINK "http://www.eturbonews.com/author/etn-managing-editor" t "_blank" eTN: ‘’Candidate Alain St Ange has a simple formula of ‘friends of all, enemies of none equals tourism for all’ and tourism is the number one industry in Seychelles, and the person competing for the UN post managed to almost single-handed put Seychelles on the map of global tourism and was widely praised as one of the most successful and outspoken ministers of tourism. The Seychelles is the only country on the globe where anyone can arrive with no visa.”

‘’He is the only candidate that had actively reached out to LGBT travellers and his country is now welcoming this group with open arms.’’

St Ange views tourism as good custodians of what destinations have been blessed with. He believes sustainable tourism can promote long-term tourism and help economically struggling countries to alleviate poverty and inculcate a climate of peace. Louis D’Amore, founder and president of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism, is a great fan of this vision.

St Ange’s vision extends to creating a single stage for world tourism and once in office, he plans to decentralise the UNWTO headquarters from Madrid: ‘’I want to enter into discussions with countries that are not members of the UNWTO. I will invite them to the table. We have one tourism industry and we need to see the world working together to grow that tourism cake for everyone to benefit in return.”

For St Ange, it is worrying that major tourism giants like the USA, Britain, Australia and Singapore are not member nations. Madrid apart, the opening of satellite offices in regions and key countries is also on the cards.

His manifesto will also explore other key points, such as opening cross-sectorial meetings with private sector organizations like the WTTC, PATA and others, and the UNWTO, UNESCO, ICAO, UNEP on the second side, and thirdly the importance of the media playing in local and global tourism.

A new protocol could see ministers of tourism, civil aviation and internal and home affairs sitting together and brain-storming security and air access issues: “Secondly, it is again an extension of sustainable tourism where training is looked at with member states to ensure that regions have good hotel and tourism academies where languages are also taught. Training brings job satisfaction and creates additional value for people in tourism destinations. ”

“Thirdly to look at communication and marketing with member states. This will look at standards and value-for-money, but also the question of “What is Tourism?” and help countries move away from the connotation that tourism is a hotel or excursion. We need to replace this concept with the country being the tourism and to look at the infrastructure, cleanliness, culture and people.”

“I want to be remembered as having made a difference and having become the spokesman for tourism wherever a success story is developing or a disaster has occurred.”

Endorsements have come from some of the industry’s eminent players: Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE); Germany’s Thomas Cook Group Airlines Condor Flugdienst GmbH, European Leisure Airlines Group; Wolfgang H Thome of the Aviation, Tourism and Conservation News (Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands); Maxime Behar, President of the ICCO (a 48-member countries public relations community); Peter Sinon, former Seychelles Ambassador, Minister and former executive director of the African Development Bank (eastern constituency); Association of Inbound Operators (Mauritius);

St Ange made his case to 12 ministers and officials at the recent African Ministers Meeting for CAF 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Among the high profile people were Taleb Rifai, outgoing UNWTO secretary-general, Seychellois, Elsia Grandcourt as the UNWTO’s Director for Africa and Anne Lafortune of Seychelles Tourism.

A single, common passport for Southern African Development Community countries, plus a no-visa policy will contribute to boosting intra-Africa travel and business cooperation.

On another front, Sinach, born Osinachi Kalu, Nigeria’s award-winning gospel singer and songwriter, also threw her support behind St Ange during a performance in Victoria recently.

From the Diplomat magazine to the talking to Travel Daily, St Ange been push the point of sustainable tourism as a means of creating jobs and promoting long-term prosperity, alleviating poverty and encouraging cross-border tourism: ‘’People are simply part and parcel of their tourism industry across villages, towns and cities.’’

St Ange also identified safety and security, equality, training, and cross-sectorial interaction as being key to the future of the industry, and pledged to bring non-member states into the UNWTO, especially the USA.

Alain St Ange has won the hearts and minds of the press – newspapers, magazines, radio and TV have given him good coverage and his campaign approach of engaging the private sector actively has been singled out as one of the successes of his campaign checklist.

Cometh the hour, Cometh the Man: Now the hour has come and St Ange can put his best foot forward to tell the world why he should be the next secretary-general of an organisation that can reshape tourism and connect the dots of tourism hotspots and hubs from remote cultural villages to the bright lights of vibrant cosmopolitan – and it’s all about the sights and sounds of socio-cultural landmarks.

Greetings from Marlan Padayachee and will be updating Blog with latest news, views, commentary, analysis and opinion-editorials and photography on local and global issues.
marlan.padayachee@gmail.com

COUNTDOWN TO THE VODACOM DURBAN JULY:Author: Marlan Padayachee, Date: 2016-07-01. Published today in The Bugle,  Lifestyle & Leisure Magazine :
DIFFERENT STROKE FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE
It's that time of the year when Durban's top line sport and social cohesion export - the glamour and glitz of the Vodacom Durban July - gets into its right royal stride on Saturday.
The famous hub of horseracing - Greyville Racecourse - will be home to 50 000 racegoers, punters, pundits, revellers and fashionistas, and of course, the country's finest fillies are showcased for their thoroughbred racing prowess and passion on the straights of the betting world.
It's the gathering of the July People - the rainbow nation's daring display of demographics, people of colour, rubbing shoulders, sharing bear hugs, kissing and not telling, exchanging comradely handshakes, clinking glasses of cocktails, champagne, dram while forging new friendships and romances, striking deals in a multicultural melting pot of fun, feasting and festivities from dawn to the darkest dusk.
For the seasoned patrons, pundits and punters, it's nostalgia with the high-stakes affair clocking 120 years as the 18 thoroughbreds parade with colours and livery before storming down the home straights for a crack at the R4,5 million golden graille.
Having straddled the beaten track of this rollercoaster journey of social ebb and flow, lows and highs, passion and pain of the madding crowd, the gathering of the clans of cultures from classy to the classless can be classified as the 'different strokes for different people'.
It's a wildfire winter's tale of extraordinary expectations when the moneyed, high-heeled society brushes head on into the middle of the working class. The political royalty does the traditional wave to standing ovations. The nouveau riche mix and mingle with the generation gap of the new elite. The tenderpreneurs are toasted and cocooned in comfortable corporate suites where gate-crushers are shown the door. The rank-and-file have a ball in their self-catered quadrangles with family and friends.
Fine food and beverages top the cuisine cards, Chefs are cooking up a storm.
The bets are even handed, a roulette of old money versus new money, as punters pitch for a winning hand on the cards with bookmakers.
Amid the trumpeting, thumping and thudding of hooves and feet, you have to put your best foot forward to stay on top of your game.
From Sea Cottage to Ipe Tombe, Dancer's Daughter to Pocket Power, this iconic event has been Flaming Rock. From Syd Laird, Robbie Sivewright, S'manga Khumalo, how the legends of the Last Outpost has changed in a dozen decades.
Wager on an exotic bet, hit the board, let your hair down, raise a glass, but keep your feet on the ground and take a cab home.
# credits : Yoko Kasia,  Tomas Kasia,  editor/publishrrs: The Bugle,  South Africa;  Gill Mostert  (Simpkins), media communications manager facilitator,  Gold Circle Racing, Grenville Racecourse,  South Africa;  Deyakhar Padayachee,  GreenGold Africa Media & Publishing  (IT and Graphic Design)

Chennai Trade Delegation by Marlan Padayachee

By Marlan Padayachee Media & Communications, South Africa

Presentation Paper By The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Loganathan Naidoo, Chairperson Of The Economic And Development Committee, Ethekwini Municiaplity At The Anc Progressive Busines Forum Trade Delegation To Chennai India/ South Africa –India Trade Seminar On The Topic South Africa – Open For Busiuness 13-17 November 2010.
Date: Tuesday 16 November 2010
Time: 10H20,
Venue: Park Sherat0n Hotel Chennai.

Thank You, Director Of Programme.
· Good Morning, Ladies And Gentlemen; Honoured Guests;
· Vannakam;
· Namaste;
· Namaskarumu;
· Sawubona;
· Assalamu Alaikum;
· Sanibonani;
· Goeie More;




· The Honourable Ms Shobana Kamineni, Past President Of The Confederation Of India Industry (Sr) And Executive Director Of Apollo Hospitals Group;
· His Excellency, The Honourable Reverend Harris Majeka, South African High Commissioner To India; And Consular Staff From The South African Missions In India;
· The Honourable Mr Daryl Swanepoel, Co-Convenor Of The African National Congress Progressive Business Forum Of South Africa;
· Mr Rajeev Ranjan, The Ias Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government Of Tamil Nadu.
· Mr Sujith Haridas, Regional Director, Confederation Of India Industry, Southern Region;
· Members Of The South African Business Delegation;
· Members Of The Indian Business Delegation;
· All Government And Municipal Officials;
· Members Of The Media;
· All Protocols Observed;

Ladies And Gentlemen, Today, The 16TH Day Of November 2010 Is An Important Day In The Longstanding Relations Between The People Of India And The People Of South Africa.
Exactly, One Hundred And Fifty Years Ago, To This Hour, India Gave Birth To One Of The First And Most Formidable Indian Communities Outside What Many Of My Indian Compatriots And Comrades Would Call The Motherland, Thai Nadu, As We Say In Tamil Or Telugu.
Today, Back In My Beloved Country Of Birth, South Africa, More Than 1, 3 Million Indians Will Start Celebrating And Commemorating One Of The Greatest Events Of A Poignant Human Drama Throughout The Cities And Towns Where South Africans Of Indian Origin Reside And Work Cheek By Jowl To Realize The African Dream For All Our Citizens Of More Than 45-Million.

It Is Therefore Appropriate That I Thank Our Host For Your Gracious Welcome And Hospitality Of What Will Clearly Map Out As The Real Indian Experience On Southern Shores Of India Where The First Batch Of 340 Indentured Labourers Were Shipped To The City Of Durban On 16TH November 1860.
Sugar Farming Was Successfully Launched In Our Region In 1855 When Our Sugar Farmers Got Wind Of How The Indian Indentured Labour System Was Giving New Economic Life To The Sugar Industry In Mauritius And Madagascar Sugar Plantations.
Sugar Farming Was Successfully Launched In This Region In 1855 When Our Sugar Farmers Got Wind Of How The Indian Indentured Labour System Was Giving New Economic Life To The Sugar Industry In Mauritius And Madagascar Sugar Plantations.
The Burgeoning Barons Of This Industry Then Lobbied The Government Of Natal To Introduce Indentured Indian Labourers To Work On Their Sugar Plantations.
During Britain’s Colonial Rule, Indians Were Perceived As Suitable Workers For This Job As They Were Already Used To This System In The Indian Ocean Islands, And They Sought After As Skilful Agriculturists And Gardeners.
Buoyed By An Indomitable Spirit Of Survival And Enterprise, They Ventured Into The Darkness, Only To Turn Their Poor Plight Of Indentured Labour Into One Of Lightness That Will Forever Link India To South Africa During The Turbulent Period Of Colonial-Apartheid History That Culminating In Gandhijee Returning To India As A Peace Guru And Mandela Becoming Our New Nation’s First Black President.
It Therefore Gives Me An Incredible Sense Of Pride, Pleasure, Patriotism And Humility To Share With You That This Is Certainly A God-Given Privilege To Be Visiting The Seaport Of Chennai Where The Ss Truro Departed Into The Darkness Of The Indian Ocean To Bring Home Our Forebears Who Would Make Mother India So Proud And This Symbolic Umbilical Cord Will Forever Remain Between Chennai And Durban As We Navigate This Trading Protocol To Take India And South Africa Into The Heart Of The African 21ST Century.

Mr Chairperson, Distinguished Guests, Ladies And Gentlemen.
As The Deputy Mayor Of The Ethekwini Municipality And The City Of Durban, And Also In My Capacity As Chairperson Of Durban’s Economic And Development Committee, I Believe I Won’t Be Out Of Order If I Extend A Collective Bouquet Of Gratitude To Our Distinguished Hosts.
From The Moment Emirates Flight Ek 544 Touched Down On The Runway In Chennai, We Have Been Treated With Exceptional Warmth And Friendship, And This Global Goodwill Is Only Unique To Incredible India.
If The Spirit (If Not High Spirits) And Vigour Was Anything To Go By At Sunday Night’s Welcome And Networking Dinner At Taj Coromandel Hotel Is Anything To Go By As A Social-Business Gauge Or Barometer, Then Our Delegation Must Brace Itself For A Trade Mission That Will Forever Be Etched In Their Minds As One Of The Most Interesting And Fascination Business Experiences.
On Behalf Of Our Delegation, I Say ‘Thank You’ In The Language Of The British Colonialists Who Shipped Us To South Africa, ‘Naandri’ In Tamil And ‘Ngiyabonga’ In The Indigenous Isizulu Language Of The Kingdom Of The Kwazulu, Where The City Of Durban Is Strategically Positioned On The Indian Ocean Rim As The Gateway Into Africa.
On Behalf Of The Ethekwini Municipality And The People Of The City Of Durban, I Extend Warm Greetings, Goodwill And Good Wishes To The Citizens Of Chennai On This Historic Day That Has The Potential To Redefine Our Mutually-Enhancing Relations On The Social, Economic And Political Spheres.
We Hail From A City Of Golden Beaches Where Our Mantra Is The ‘Fun Never Sets’.
So Let Me Assure You That Our Esteemed Representatives From Some Of Our Finest Homegrown Brands Have Much More Than Their Social Stamina To Make This Long Haul Into A Fruitful And Enterprising Sharing And Exchanging Of Business Acumen, Trade Opportunities And Partnerships.
The Anc Ruling Party’s Progressive Business Forum Was Launched At Our Party’s Headquarters In Luthuli House As A New Vehicle To Stimulate The Economic Revolution That The Anc Had Embarked On In Recent Years To Place More And More Business Opportunities In The Public And Private Sectors In The Hands Of Previously Disadvantaged Communities, Of Which Includes The Indian Community.
Many Of These Companies Are Represented Among The 35 To 40 Companies And Consultancies In Our Delegation.
In The Footsteps Of The 1860 Indentured Labourers, We Are Retracing Our Steps To Strengthen A New Era Of Enterprise With Our Province And South India.
The One Of The Purposes Of Our Trade Visit Is To Seek Approval From The City Government Of Chennai To Sign The Sister City Agreement Between Ethekwini And Chennai.
This Memorandum Of Understanding Which Has Been Shared With The Consul-General Of India In Durban Has Been Submitted To Department Of International Relations And Co-Operation And Has Since Been Ratified And Approved.
Also, As The Deputy Mayor And Head Of International Relations And Governance In The City Of Durban, I Wish To Share Some Background With You.
South Africa And India Are Strong Trading Partners And Have Established Mutually Beneficial Relations Through A Number Of International Agreements. South Africa And India Have Signed A National Bi-National Commission And Has Agreed To Cooperate With India Within The Ibsa And Other International Agreements That Strives To Support And Strengthen The Worlds Developing Economies.
In Order To Give Added Momentum And Added Benefit To The Ethekwini Municipality It Has Been Recommended That The Municipality Join A Powerful Business Delegation To Chennai India.
The Delegation Will Seek To Build Strong Business To Business Engagements In The Fields Of Auto-Motor, Computers, And It Hardware Manufacturing And Health Care Industries.
In Order To Strengthen The Business And Political To Enhance Trade And Investment, We Believe That Signing Of A Memorandum Of Understanding And Laying Of A Plaque Within The City Of Chennai To Commemorate The Arrival Of Indentured Indian Labourers In 1860 On The First Ship From India That Departed From Chennai, Will Build Significant Political And Cultural Goodwill Between The Citizens Of The Two Cities, And In So Doing Fast Track Trade, Investment And Cultural Exchanges That Will Benefit Both Cities.

In The Past 16 Years Since Our Relationship Began Bearing Fruit And Blossoming Into A Full-Blown Socio-Economic And Political Partnership, We Have Established Links With Bollywood.
On This Mission, We Want To Promote Trade And Tourism And Continue The Cultural Link That Began 150 Years Ago And Still Continues Between Our Two Friendly Countries.
On This Mission, We Are Ready To Do Business With Our South Indian Counterparts.
We Now Need To Cement Links With This Ancient Seaport Where The Founding Forebears Of The Indian Community Set Sail For Durban.
Our Delegation Is Overwhelmed By The Historic Event That Commemorates And Celebrates 150 Years Of Indian Linkage To Africa.
I Believe The Twinning Of Durban And Chennai Is The Social And Economic Tonic That Will Set Our Romantic Relationship Alight.
Durban Has Twinning Agreements With Chicago, And New Orleans In The United States; Rotterdam In The Netherlands; Leeds In The United Kingdom; Bulawayo And Maputo In Africa; Reunion Island In The Indian Ocean Rim.
Chennai, Or Madras As We Knew It In The Colonial-Apartheid Era, Is The First City In India With Which We Are Proposing A Twinning That Will Build A Bridge For Us Across The Indian Ocean Rim.
With The Twin Cities Agreement In Place, I Can Assure You That The Big Blue Skies Will Be More Than The Limit Of Our Constructive Engagement Of Economic Toes And Social Exchanges.
We Are Confident That In This Heartland Of Tamil Nadu, Iconic Leaders Like Chief Minister M Karunanidhi And The Mayor Of The Chennai Municipal Corporation, His Worship Manickam Subramanian Will Help Us Navigate This Twinning Agreement To Bring Our Economies And Communities Closer Together For The Betterment Of Both Sides Of Our Shared Legacy.
Our Delegation Are Fully Behind Durban’s Initiative Because They Ardently Believe That Chennai’s World Reputation As Being A Strong Hub For Information Technology, Textiles, Motor Manufacturing And The Movie Industry Could Be Matched With The Similar Economic Growth Points And Strengths Durban Has To Offer Chennai.
Our Delegation Will Be Looking At How Business Based In The Port City Of Chennai Could Tie Up Agreements With Our Businesses Based In Durban.
We Are Also Keen To Link South African Companies With South Indian Counterparts.
In The Broader Picture Of Our Socio-Economic Journey, We Look To The South Indian Chamber Of Commerce And The Confederation Of Indian Industries To Join Durban And Chennai In This Brave New Journey Into South-South Trading And Business Synergy And Joint Venture Partnerships.
From Our From Quayside, We Are Ready For An Exciting New Economic Crossing To Chennai.
We Invite Our Indian Counterparts To Also Undertake The Crossing That Chennai And Durban.
As We Relive And Rekindle Our Historic Chapter That Ties Our Destinations And Democracies, Let Me Declare That South Africa Is Open For Business And Full Of Opportunity.
I Am Fortunate That The Durban-Chennai Route Is A Beaten Track For Me.
I Have Been Forging This Journey For Almost A Dozen Years.
Ever Since Consul-General Latha Reddy Raised The Indian Flag, Pre-1994, At The Old Station Building Where Mk Gandhi Set Out On A Historic And Controversial Train Journey To Pretoria That Was To Result In An International Racial Incident In Which Gandhijee Was Thrown Off The ‘Whites-Only Train’ In Pietermaritzburg, And When Ambassador Mangalmurthi Reopened The Indian Embassy In 1994 That Was Shutdown In Protest Against The Apartheid Government In 1940S, I Can Share With This Seminar That Trading Conditions Between Our Two Sister Cities Has Been Brisk.
Some Of The Positive Spin-Offs Of These Pioneering Early-Year Visits Have Been The Information Technology Footprints Of Ramco, An Innovative That Now Loom Large In The City Of Durban At Our It Hub That Ramco Executive Management And It Leaders Had Helped Our Municipality To Develop Since The 1990S.
Today, Ramco Is One Of The Pioneering Companies That Embarked On The Brave New Journey Into Africa.
It Is The Same Big Blue Ocean Where Our Indian Forebears Began A Horrific And Horrendous Journey Of Labour Migration That Was To Culminate In Future Generations Of Indians Tying Their Mast To An African Destiny.
Today, We Have Gathered On A Dateline And Destination That Will Forever Cement This Historic Milestone Between The People Of Chennai And The People Of Durban.
In The Final Analysis Of This Groundbreaking Trade Visit, We Would Have Succeeded In Unifying And Solidifying All Of India And South Africa Around A Commonness Of Our Cultural Diversity, Social Cohesion, Economic Advancement And Political Exchange And Sharing Of Economic Ideas And Strategies.
This Morning, As We Push Back The Frontiers Of A Unique Economic Journey That Began 150 Years Ago, We Are Upbeat And Confident That This Strategic Seminar Will Provide Us With A Fresh, New Route Marker To Narrow The Logistical Challenge Between Durban And Chennai.
Distinguished Speakers And Panelists, Honoured Guests And Ladies And Gentlemen, The Watermark On Any Trade Agreements Or Economic Pacts That We Will Endorse During This Trade Must Forever Be Inspired By The Intrepid Band Of Indian Indentured Visionaries.
As A Son Of The Slaves, I Am Proud To Be Standing Before You By Calling Upon All The Chennai Business Stakeholders To Join Your New Durban Counterparts In Giving New Meaning To The South-South Latitude That Could Encourage Both Sides Of The Indian Ocean Rim To Make This Trade Delegation An Annual Event So That More And More Entrepreneurs Enjoy The Opportunity Of Walking Through These New Avenues Of South Africa-India Business Partnerships And Synergies.
Surely The Success Of This Brave New Journey In Which We Are Chartering New Waters Will Be A Fitting Homage To The Historic Hour When ‘Coolie Number One’ 30-Year-Old Davuram From Madras Stepped Off The Ss Truro And Set Foot On The Shores Of Durban.
The Second Indentured Labourer On The Ship’s Manifest Was 18-Year-Old Naguram, Probably His Wife, And Their Two Children, Four-Year-Old Kubay, And One-Year-Old Elizabeth.
These Stoical Bands Of Indentured Labourers Who Were Followed By Thousands Of Economic Migrant Labourers, Traders, Artisans Were To Lay A Powerful Platform For Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi To Forever Change The Tide Of Oppressive Colonial Politics As We Knew It In South Africa, India And Other Countries Where Sugar Plantations Was The New Gold Of The 18TH Century.
This Historic Date, 16TH Of November 1860, Has Come To Define And Shape The Destiny Of Generations Of Our Indian Citizens In Durban And Other Metropolitan Cities And Towns In South Africa.
Today, More Than 800 00 Of South Africa’s 1, 3 Million Citizens Of Indian Origin Reside In The City Of Durban And Cities And Towns Across The Province Of Kwazulu-Natal.
For Me, As A Son Of Indentured Labourers, I Am Grateful That We Are Sharing This Moment Of History To Cement The Relations Between Durban And Chennai At The Unveiling Of A Commemorative Plaque Later Today.
This Colourful Ceremony, I Firmly Believe, May Forever Stand As A Symbol Of Our Of Past Era Of Adversity And Our Present Journey Of Advantage And Economic Co-Operation Between Our Seaports; As A Lasting Moment Of Our Present And Future Co-Operation.
Closer To Home, An Indian Flag Flying Alongside The South African Outside A Landmark Tyre Manufacturing Company Called Dunlop Outside The Durban Cbd Tells A Remarkable Story Of How Far The Trade Journey Has Come Between India And South Africa.
In The Business Hub Of Johannesburg, The Gupta Family From India Has Established A Best-Known Computer Brand Called Sahara.
The Guptas Are To Launch An Independent National Newspaper Called The New Age That Will Take A Fresh New Look At Politics, A Progressive People-Centred Government And The Social And Economic Revolution That Is Taking Place In Our Rainbow Nation Of Peace And Prosperity Where Indian Nationals Are At Home In The Heart Of Africa’s Economic Melting Pot.
With The Signing Of A Sister-City Relationship With Chennai, We Assure Indian Businesses That You Will Be Flying More Than Your Colours In Our Cosmopolitan City Where East Meets West Across The African Diaspora.

A Uniquely Cosmopolitan City, Durban Can Best Be Described As A Paradise And Its People.
A Visitor To Durban May Struggle To Find A Definite Phrase That Fits The City And Its Suburbs.
For Durban, Or Ethekwini (The City By The Water In The Isizulu Language), As It Is Also Called, Contains Such A Vast Spectrum Of Cultures, Beliefs And Physical And Economic Landscapes, That Is Indeed Difficult To Encapsulate The Place In A Well-Worded Phrase.
But It Is Precisely In This Difficulty Of Finding A Central Metaphor Or Description That The Secrets And Riches Of This Lively African City Reside.
For Durban Is A City Of Fusion, Cross-Pollination, Of Wild Eclecticism.
Here Africa, Europe, America And The East Meet At A Single Geographical Point.
Durban Has A Summery Climate Without Being Sweltering.
As A Beach Paradise, The Durban Golden Mile, Where We Are Planning A Bollywood/Hollywood Type Film Studio, Is A Stretch Of Golden Sandy Beaches As Far As The Eye Can See, Complemented By All Year Round Warm Indian Ocean, Sunny Clear African Skies And As New Arrivals You Will Enjoy All That Tropical Paradise And Vibe Of Our Colourful Continent.
We Are Home To South Africa’s Biggest Port, Is Hot And Sometimes Humid, A Beach Paradise.



Now, You Will Understand Why Indian Business Legacy And Entrepreneurship Reigns Supreme In The City Of Durban, Whether It’s The Food Mecca Of The Jewel Of India That Ensured That The Chennai Super Kings Were Well Fed With Indian Cuisines During Their Recent Cricket Series Tour, Or How The Bank Of Baroda Is Providing Indian Nationals With World Class Banking Services In Our Culturally Diverse Cbds.
There Are Many Other Indian Multinationals Flags Flying High In The City Of Durban.
Durban Is An International Investment Friendly City And The Statistics Speak For Themselves.
Research By Mcgregor Information Services Shows That Since 1993 Indian Investment Has Grown From Nothing To R2, 7BILLION Since 1994 In The New South Africa.
Estimates Now Put The Number Of Indian Companies, Which Are Trading In South Africa At More Than 500, Of Which 20 Have Established Local Subsidiaries And A Further 100 Have Appointed Local Agents And Distributors.
Export-Import Bank Of India Relocated Its Africa Office From Abidjan To Johannesburg And Recently Signed An Agreement With Standard Bank To Extend A $10M Credit Line To Finance Exports From India To South Africa.
Other Indian Banks Active In South Africa Are Bank Of Baroda And The State Bank Of India, Which Has Opened A Branch In Durban To Augment Its Johannesburg Office In The Country’s Commercial Capital.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies And Gentlemen, As The Deputy Mayor Of One Of Africa’s Leading, Debt-Free Cities With One Of The Best City Administrations, Let Me Round Up My Address By Touching On Some Very Attractive Highlights That Will Encourage South Indian Businesses To Invest In The City Of Durban.
Our Municipal Area Is Located On The Eastern Seaboard Of South Africa Within The Province Of Kwazulu-Natal, Covering About 2 297 Square Kilometres.
While Our Total Municipal Area Is Only 1.4% Of The Total Area Of The Province Of Kwazulu-Natal, Just Over A Third Of Our Provincial Population And 60% Of Its Economic Activity Are Concentrated Within Our Ethekwini Municipal Area.Our Region Is Characterized By Diverse Topography, From Steep Escarpments In The West To A Relatively Flat Coastal Plain In The East.
We Have Almost 100KM Of Coastline, 19 Rivers And 17 Estuaries. This Diverse Land Form Supports A Wide Variety Of Terrestrial, Fresh Water And Marine Natural Ecosystems.Our PeopleOur City Is A Mix Of Racial And Cultural Diversity, With Its African, Indian/Asian And European Influences Creating A Vibrant Cosmopolitan Society. Our Municipal Area Has An Estimated Population Of Just Over 3 Million People.The Black African Community Makes Up The Largest Sector (65%) Of The Population Followed By The Indian/Asian Community (21%). The Age Profile Reveals That, The Working Age Group Comprises 68% Of The Population; We Also Have A Relatively Large Youthful Population, With 38% Under The Age Of 19 Years.Our EconomyDurban Is South Africa’s Major Port City With A Diverse A Diverse And Vibrant Local Economy.
Durban Is South Africa’s Second Largest Industrial Hub Behind Gauteng.
Durban Has A Large Concentration Of Manufacturing Activity Directly And Indirectly Linked To Our Status As A Port City.
Durban Is Also The Countries Key Trading Gateway With Access To Important Trading Routes To The East And The Sub-Continent.
Durban’s Proximity To The Gauteng Mineral-Industrial Complex And The Commercial Capital Of Johannesburg, And An Economic Link Into Southern Africa, Makes It An Attractive Investment Destination.With The Four Major Sectors Of The Economy Being Manufacturing, Tourism, Finance And Transport, We Have A Strong Presence In Advanced Sectors Of The Economy.
Manufacturing, Which Contributes About 30% Of The Local Economy, Has Historically Been Located To The South Of Our Cbd In Our Idustrial Basin.
More Recently, This Has Been Spreading To The West And Extent To The North Of The City Where Modern Shopping Malls And Business Centres Serves Our Economic Landscape.Tourism, Another Strong Sector Adds 24% To The Local Economy And Is Concentrated Along The Coast.Durban Is The Home Of The Annual Indaba Travel Trade And Tourism Exhibition That Attracts More Than 20 000 Delegates, Visitors And Investors Each Year.
Commercial Services Such As Banking, Insurance And Other Financial Activities Are Well Developed.
Transport And Communication Is The Fourth Biggest Sector Contributing About 14% To The Economy Of Our Region.
We Have Substantial And Fast Growing Less Formal Economy Although Much Of It¹S Current Growth Is Focused In Lower Income Jobs. We Have A Growing ‘Second Economy’ Made Up Of Street Vendors, Cottage Industries And Bead Making And Handicrafts Run Mainly By Rural Women.The Financial Environment: Local Government Within Our Municipal Region Operates From A Sound Financial Footing With Strong Financial Management Systems In Place.
Our City Council Currently Holds Assets Of Almost R8.8 Billion And Has An Annual Expenditure Of Close To R8 Billion. About R1.3 Billion Of The City Council Expenditure Is Devoted To Capital Investment With The Balance Used For Operating Expenses.The Twinning Of Durban And Chennai Could Mark A Follow Up Journey Akin To The Enterprising Spirit Of The First Batch Of Economic Migrants Who Entered The African Landscape To Ensure That This Everlasting Relationship Takes On A New Meaning Of South-South And City-To-City Socio-Economic Co-Operation.
In My Closing Remarks, I Once Again Thank Our Hosts For Giving Me This Wonderful Opportunity To Address You On Behalf Of Our Delegation And The City Of Durban.
May Our Relationship And Social And Economic Toes Taking Place On This Historic Day Pave The Way For Prosperous Partnerships That Will Create An Enabling Climate Between The People Of Chennai And Durban.
I Thank You.
Presentation Paper Researched And Written For The Office Of The Deputy Mayor And Councillor Logie Naidoo , Ethekwini Municipality, City Of Durban, South Africa On The Anc Pbf South Africa-India Trade Delegation To Chennai, South India From 13-17 November 2010 And The Twinning Of Durban And Chennai And Unveiling Of 1860 Plaque By Marlan Padayachee, In Association With Amanda Cele, Sally Nene-Mbhele, Pinky Naidoo, Sibusiso Ngema, All Of Greengold Africa Communications: Greengold@Mtnloaded.Co.Za/ (031) 266 2134/ 073 625 8247/ 078 076 8121/ 078 2453579/Fax 00 27 31 266 8592.

Don:t let your CV's end up in File 13

UMAFRIKA GRADUATION – SPEECH BY MARLAN PADAYACHEE, MANAGING PARTNER OF GREENGOLD AFRICA COMMUNICATIONS AT DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY HOTEL SCHOOL 17.12.2011
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR.
· ANN SEWLAL, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF UMAFRIKA SKILLS PROJECT.
· THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT OF UMAFRIKA SKILLS PROJECT.
· COUNCILLOR DIANA HOORZUK, REPRESENTING THE SPEAKER OF THE DURBAN-ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, COUNCILLOR LOGIE NAIDOO.
· ALL DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES, GUESTS, PARENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY.
· AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MOMENT, THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATED TO BECOME GRADUANDS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM HUMBLED AND HONOURED TO BE ADDRESSING YOU THIS AFTERNOON AS SOMEONE WHO LEARNT EARLY IN MY LIFE THAT ‘EDUCATION IS YOUR SALVATION’ AND ‘KNOWLEDGE IS POWER’ – THAT IS WHY I AM STANDING BEFORE YOU TO SHARE MY WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY WITH ALL OF YOU.
IF YOU LOOK TO YOUR LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU WILL NOTICE A GRADUATE SEATED NEXT TO YOU: YOUR PARENTS, GUARDIANS, GRANDPARENTS – ALL OF WHOM WORK TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT YOU RECEIVE THE GIFT OF EDUCATION.
ALL OUR PARENTS DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND SOME ACADEMIC ACCOLADES, AS WELL.
THAT’S WHY MANY OF US BELIEVE AND LIVE BY THE ANCIENT AFRICAN MANTRA, UBUNTU (HUMANKIND), WHICH MEANS IN ISIZULU OR INDIGENOUS AFRICAN LANGUAGES, ‘I AM BECAUSE OF YOU’.
THAT’S WHY WE ALSO SAY IN THE AFRICAN VERNACULAR: ‘IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD’.
WE MAY LIVE IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMPETING FOR EACH OTHER FOR WEALTH, CASH, AND STATUS, AND DREAM FOR A GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEME .
THERE IS NO SHORT-CUT TO SUCCESS;
THERE IS NO SIDE ROAD TO ACCUMULATING WEALTH;
· THERE’S ONLY THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO SUCCESS AND ITS CALLED :
· HARD WORK;
· HONESTY;
· HUMILITY;
THE CERTIFICATE YOU ARE RECEIVING TODAY MOST TELL A STORY OF A DINT OF HARD WORK, HONESTY AND HUMILITY.
IF YOU PRESENT FALSE INFORMATION ON YOUR CURRICULUM VITAE, THEN YOUR CAREER WILL BE CONDEMNED FOR LIFE.
IT’S CALLED ACADEMIC FRAUD.
YOUR EMPLOYER WILL SHOW YOU THE DOOR THAT IS SIGN-POSTED AS ‘EXIT’.
SO, VALUE THIS CERTIFICATE YOU ARE RECEIVING TODAY.
IT IS THE START OF A NEW BEGINNING.
LEARNING DOES NOT STOP HERE.
IT CONTINUES AND CONTINUES UNTIL YOU ARE A WELL ROUNDED CANDIDATE FOR CAREER SUCCESS.
TODAY, WE ARE LIVING IN A GLOBAL VILLAGE, WHICH MEANS BY THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON YOU CAN CONTACT ANYONE IN THE WORLD, VIA CELLPHONE, VIA EMAIL, VIA INTERNET, VIA FACEBOOK, VIA TWITTER AND VIA ANY SOCIAL MEDIA.
I STAND BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN ANN SEWLAL’S UMAFRIKA SKILLS PROJECT.
IN THESE TRYING TIMES OF ECONOMIC DOWNCAST WHERE JOBS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY SCARCE AND POVERTY AND SOCIAL ILLS ARE REDUCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE CITIZENS OF THE GREATER DURBAN REGION, AND MANY OF THE COUNTRY, GOVERNMENT LED BY THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS UNDER OUR MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY SYSTEM, IS WORKING HARD TO GIVE US ‘A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL’.
JOBLESSNESS IS THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO ALL US – PARTICULARLY OUR YOUTH POPULATION – OUR FUTURE CITIZENS – OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
UMAFRIKA, THROUGH AN SEWLAL’S VISION, OFFERS STUDENTS, SCHOOL-LEAVERS, UNDERGRADUATES AND POST-GRADUATES A PRAGMATIC ANSWER TO A VERY DIFFICULT JOB MARKET – AND THAT IS FOR YOUR TO GAIN NEW SKILLS.
TO DESCRIBE UMAFRIKA, WHICH COMPLIMENTS THE TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTION WITH ITS RANGE OF SHORT COURSES, I WOULD AGREE THAT: ‘
· UMAFRIKA PROJECT SPECIALISTS IS A MODEL FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EDUCATION AS A UNIQUE PLATFORM FOR ADVANCED, SHORT COURSES, WORKSHOP-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMME TO COMPLEMENT SOUTH AFRICA’S CRITICAL AND SCARCE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING CHALLENGES.
TODAY’S JOB MARKET ALSO DEMANDS THAT YOU ARE VERSATILE.
· YOU MUST STRIVE TO BE AN ALL-ROUNDER.
· YOU MUST SAY TO AM PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER AT A JOB INTERVIEW: ‘I AM MULTISKILLED; I AM A HARD WORKER AND HUMBLE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE TEA OR COFFEE WHILE YOUR COMPANY TEACHES ME THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE’.
· WHILE SERVING THE TEA OR COFFEE, YOU MUST DEVELOP AN APPETITE FOR KNOWLEDGE AND BE WILLING TO LEARN, AND BECOME A TEAM PLAYER WITHIN THE WORKPLACE.
· THERE IS NO ‘I’ IN THE WORD ‘SUCCESS’.
· EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR JOBSEEKERS WHO CAN ADD VALUE TO THE PROFITABILITY AND VIABILITY OF A BUSINESS, AND IT’S CALLED BOTTOMLINES.
· LEARN TO SPEAK THE ECONOMIC LANGUAGE.
· IF YOU UNDERSTAND SOMEONE’S BUSINESS, THEN YOU WILL GROW WITHIN THE WORKPLACE AND YOU WILL BE A BIGGER ASSET TO THE COMPNAY, AND THAT’S CALLED HUMAN CAPITAL.
IF YOU ARE A SLAVE TO WAGES OR SALARY THEN YOUR CAREER HAS A SHORT SHELF LIFE AND YOU WILL BE WASTING VALUABLE TIME EMAILING AND DROPPING YOUR CV’S ALL OVER.
AND IF YOU CV IS NOT A HONEST STORY OF WHAT YOU CAN OFFER YOUR EMPLOYER, THEN IT ENDS UP IN FILE 13 – THE DUSTBIN.
THAT BRINGS ME TO SOME WORDS OF VISION:
· AN AMERICAN, PHILLIP J KRAWITH, WRITING ABOUT THE FIVE REVOLUTIONS - INDUSTRIAL, TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTER AND INTERNET: “IF YOUR COMPANY HAS PEOPLE WHO ARE SMARTER, BETTER TRAINED, MORE INNOVATIVE AND MORE PASSIONATE THAN THE OPPOSITION, YOU WIN - AND THE IMPLICATIONS ARE PROFOUND.”
APART FROM LEARNING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SKILLS, THE OTHER ASPECT OF SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATHING ARE MENTORING AND COACHING.
REMEMBER THAT ‘WITHOUT A MENTOR, AN INDIVIDUAL WILL LEARN LESS, MORE SLOWLY OR NOT AT ALL,’ SAYS MARIUS MEYER AND LEON FOURIE IN THEIR BOOK, ‘MENTORING AND COACHING’.
· THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR MANAGERS, TEAM LEADERS, FACILITATORS, MENTORS OR COACHES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO DO SOME FORM OF MENTORING AND COACHING AS PART OF THEIR JOBS.
· THE AUTHORS SAY ‘EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT ARE ESSNTIAL REALITIES OF THE NEW BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT’.
· THAT’S WHAT IS WAITING FOR YOU IN THE WORKPLACE – A NEW BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, A FAR CRY FROM THE WORKPLACE OF YOUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.
· COACHING, MENTORING AND TRAINING IS ALL ABOUT HOW ELL YOU PERFORM IN THE WORKPLACE.
SO, RECEIVING YOUR CERTIFICATES AND BEING HAPPILY PHOTOGRAPHED, IS THE START OF YOU’RE YOUR THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY INTO A LIFE WHICH IS REALLY IN YOUR HANDS.
· YOUR ATTITUDE WILL DETERMINE YOUR ALTITUDE.
· YOUR ATTITUDE WILL DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY.
· TAKE NOTE OF THESE TIPS:
· GOOD COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS;
· RESPECTFUL OF SELF AND OTHERS;
· WILLINGNESS TO SHARE;
· FLEXIBLE;
· ENCOURAGING;
· SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS;
· SELF-CONFIDENT;
· COMMITTED;
· SUPPORTIVE;
PUT ALL THE TIPS TOGETHER, IT’S A WORD CALLED ‘UBUNTU’ (HUMANENESS OR HUMANKIND).
WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER, NO-ONE IS INDISPENSABLE, NO-ONE IS AN ISLAND;
BE A TEAM PLAYER.
WE ALL KNOW WHO OPRAH WINFREY IS: WELL, SHE SAYS: “WHERE THERE IS NO STRUGGLE, THERE IS NO STRENGTH.”
ALWAYS REMEMBER: “THERE ARE TWO THINGS NEEDED THESE DAYS; FIRST, FOR RICH PEOPLE TO FIND OUT HOW POOR PEOPLE LIVE; AND SECOND, FOR POOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT HOW RICH PEOPLE WORK.”
AND WILLIAM SPRAGUE ONCE SAID: “DO NOT WAIT TO STRIKE TILL THE IRON IS HOT; BUT MAKE IT HOT BY STRIKING.”
GOOD LUCK.
NKOSI SIKELEL IAFRIKA.
Marlan Padayachee
Marlan.padayachee@gmail.com/ 073 625 8247/ (031) 266 4293/ 266 2134: PA Pinky Naidoo: 078 076 8121/ Professional coordinator & isiZulu tutor: Sally Nene: 082 686 7561

Miss India Worldwide 2010 in South Africa

Africa> Southern Africa, South Africa
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Marlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications gains 2010 Miss India Worldwide Pageant account
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Marlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications gains 2010 Miss India Worldwide Pageant accountMarlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications have been appointed by African Cultural Events and India Festival Committee New York to secure a host-city for the 2010 Miss India Worldwide Pageant, following the success of the 'House Full' 2009 Miss India Worldwide Pageant at Durban's SuncoastCasino Sundeck on Valentine's Day.

Memons Spread Humanitarian Work in South Africa

Welcome Address by Councillor Fawzia Peer, Chief Whip of the eThekwini Municipality, at the opening ceremony and gala dinner of the of the World Memon Organisation and Board of Management Meeting in Durban on 13-15th February 2009.
Assalamu alaikum. Peace be to you.
Sawubona.
Good Evening to the officials and members of the World Memon Organisation.
I acknowledge the presence of the honourable and distinguished guests.
Assalamu alaikum. Peace be to you.
Within the spirit of the ancient Islamic greeting used by Muslims worldwide, I trust that the three-day get together of the World Memon Organsation will generate a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Your conference, taking place in the international convention city of Durban, will bring strangers together on common grounds even when they do not speak each other's languages.
Ladies and gentlemen, I extend an official welcome to all of you from the eThekwini Municipality and the African National Congress that is the ruling party in the City of Durban.
I take this wonderful opportunity to open the three-day World Memon Organisation’s gala dinner and board of management meeting.
At the city hall, we were thrilled when we received information that this international meeting was taking place in Durban in the second month of the New Year.
I am particularly pleased that this historic gathering and important board meeting is taking place at a historic juncture in a city filled with the history of ancient peoples who had traversed this Indian Ocean Rim over the past centuries.
Let me use this opportunity to thank Mr Solly Suleman of the World Memon Organisation, South Africa Chapter, for firstly winning the bid to bring this meeting to Durban, and secondly, for giving me the humble of honour and duty of addressing all of you this evening.
On behalf of the Mayor, His Worship Councillor Obed Mlaba and the eThekwini Municipality and the African National Congress, the ruling party in our democratic city council, I wish to personally acknowledge the presence and participation of the more than 200 delegates.
Among the delegates, I am told, are leading international and local business people and community personalities.
I thank the leadership of the World Memon Organisation for holding its Board of Management Meeting at the Elangeni Hotel, one of the city’s finest hospitality centres.
Durban is indeed honoured to be hosting this prestige annual meeting that rotates every year between chapters across the globe.

We are privileged to be this year’s host city.
Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you, brimming with a sense of pride that the World memon Organisation will be leaving behind its global footprint and legacy on what we fondly refer to as the “Golden Mile” – a stretch of sun-baked beaches.
Given the organisation’s extensive work around the world, in which you succeed each year in changing the human landscape, the Local Organising Committee has certainly chosen an appropriate venue for this evening’s braai.
The Bay of Plenty has come to represent the collective abundance of human spirit, compassion and goodwill of this vibrant African city where East criss-crosses the West.
Our ancient cultures have merged to produce a unique cacophony of the sights and sounds of our cultural diversity and demographics.
By Sunday when you wrap up your meeting, you would have appreciated the uniqueness of our city, our hospitality and our people.
As I address, the world is facing more than a financial crunch.
Add poverty, starvation, unemployment, diseases and you have a cocktail of horrendous social problems.
Ladies and gentlemen and distinguished delegates, South Africa’s democracy is maturing progressively after 15 years, but yet we face a myriad of challenges that we had largely inherited an apartheid state that was financially and morally bankrupt.
In few weeks, the nation will go to the polls to elect the third government on 22 April, followed by the inauguration of a new president, cabinet, and ministers.
The national elections will impact on our city. There will be changes at the city hall, but I assure you that a democratically elected leadership will be in place to take our dynamic city into the African century.

As Chief Whip of the African National Congress, I believe the vision and mission of the World Memon Organisation falls within the ambit of my party’s slogan that promises a “Better Life for All”.

Having experienced both worlds, the apartheid state and the democratic state, I can assure you that more progress in improving the lives of the impoverished communities have taken place since President Nelson Mandela led the new South Africa in 1994.
Our job as city councilors and politicians at the coalface of our communities, I can share with you that our seven-day week job has its fair share of complexities and challenges as we navigate our work to bring relief and comfort to the poorest of the poor in our city.
Ever since I joined public office, I have embraced a simple and ancient philosophy: “It is better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness”.
Given some of the local and global social and economic dynamics I have briefly alluded to, we need to borrow from the pearls of wisdom of our Blessed Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) when he inspired us with these uplifting words: “When the world pushes you to your knees, you are in a perfect position to pray”.
In South Africa, and particularly in city, we have learnt a culture of volunteerism from our great leaders before us – Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Yusuf Dadoo and many other leaders.
This evening, I am comfortable to be addressing a movement that thrives on volunteerism and self-help.
Your mission and vision is in a perfect position to brighten the bleak human landscape.
This evening, I urge the World Memon Organisation, to keep up your momentum as a leading global social responsibility organisation that encourages businesses and individuals to assist the underprivileged, and may you continue providing leadership vision and empowering our women and youth.
This evening, I urge you to continue building your business networks to fund and sustain this worthy worldwide cause.
I am firmly of the view that government alone cannot solve the social ills of the world. The private sector such as business and your organizations are the catalysts for public-private sector partnerships.
I salute you this evening for having assisted countless families and individuals globally with skills development, scholarships, and bursaries.
The organisation deserves due recognition for providing equipment to empower disadvantaged people to become self sufficient.
The R100 million you have individually and collective invested in this noble humanitarian cause and campaign has not gone unnoticed, at least in the City of Durban.
The city is truly honoured that an organisation of your stature and status has gathered here to map the way forward.
May your organisation of associations, corporate bodies and Jamaats continue to spread your vision and mission across the world.
May your socio-religious calling be heard loud and clear in communities where the sun has to rise.
May the Memon community spread its love and humility to distance lands where people live with hope of a new tomorrow.
I Thank you.




Speech researched and written for the Office of the Chief Whip, Cllr Fawzia Peer of the eThekwini Municipality, City of Durban, South Africa, by Marlan Padayachee Amanda Cele, GreenGold Africa Communications: greengold@telkomsa.net/ www.greengoldcom.com/ www.marlanpadayachee.com/ 083 796 1762/ (031) 266 1762/ Durban South Africa __________________

Tribute to Krishna Naidoo

Tribute to a Tireless Charity Fundraiser – Krishna Naidoo A TIRELESS fundraiser and philanthropist for many charities, Krishna Naidoo, died at Durban's Nu Shifa Hospital this week of a heart attack after a short illness, aged 82.Mr Naidoo, of Asherville, Durban, raised hundreds of thousands of rands for the construction of the Saiva Sithantha Sungum's temple and community hall, a project that took spiritual head Guru Krishna Naidoo 30 years to complete. The Mother Theresa Foundation, Benny Hinn and the Divine Life Society also benefited from his contribution and humanitarian work."Ever since my father-in-law's audience with acclaimed spiritual icon Sai Baba in India years ago, he had devoted his life to helping charities and impoverished communities, raising funds, and rallying support for socio-religious organisations both here and abroad," said his son-in-law Marlan Padayachee.Mr Naidoo is survived by his widow, Mrs Pappamah Naidoo and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His funeral will take place at the Clare Estate Crematorium, where his body will lie in state on Sunday, 8 February 2008, from 1pm to 3.30pm. Ends _____________________________________________________________________________________Issued by Pinky Naidoo 031 266 5599/ 266 1872/ 083 796 1762/ 083... pnpinkynaidoo@gamil.com

Imagine Durban Promotes Tomorrow's Clowns without Borders

Eureka! Imagine Durban Puts Smiles on Tomorrow’s Homegrown Clowns



Written by Marlan Padayachee
Monday, 22 December 2008
In its quest to make a difference to the city’s environmental and human landscapes, Imagine Durban has transformed the lives of several young people from previously disadvantaged and indigent communities through the drama therapy of simply clowning around for a worthy cause.
Step aside circus institution, Boswell Wilkies. Let the drums roll for a curtain call to Vuka Circus, Durban’s first, homegrown circus road show.
With jobs becoming scarce for young graduates and school-leavers amid a global recession and economic meltdown, Imagine Durban, in an exciting partnership with the internationally-renowned Clowns Without Borders, has successfully harnessed the untapped skills of eight youths from the Durban’s inner-city townships and other areas. After a month-long programme, including workshops in the art of clowning around, twisting a balloon, juggling in pairs and scaling new heights on the shoulders of clowning colleagues, Eureka!
Vuka Circus is the latest red-nosed brigade that’s on the roll to put smiles on the faces of men, women and children throughout Durban, from the historic heritage site of Bhambayi’s Gandhi Settlement to the Valley of 1000 Hills.
The Clowns Without Borders’ mentoring and skills development workshops with Vuka Circus is one of the central themes of Imagine Durban, a project led by the eThekwini Municipality, to celebrate Durban’s cultural diversity, arts and heritage.
Imagine Durban is a Municipality sponsored project being implemented in conjunction with Sustainable Cities, a Canadian NGO and the PLUS Network, a network of 35 cities in 14 countries that has been established to share experiences in sustainability planning, that is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.
A core element of the Imagine Durban project was to allocate funding for community Demonstration Projects that would directly benefit the citizens of Durban in a sustainable way. There are currently eight Imagine Durban Demonstration Projects that will be implemented throughout the Municipality addressing issues ranging from public safety and food security to art and livelihoods.
With the launch of the first Demonstration Project, Vuka Circus has arrived. Through choreography of colourful antics, juggling, animation, acrobats and even scaling shoulders, Vuka Circus narrates the painful and poignant stories of the deadly scourge of HIV-Aids and the post-apartheid nightmare of xenophobhia that has blighted the new South Africa’s human rights image.
Vuka Circus performed the awareness raising show eleven times in early December. Nine of the performances were followed by workshops in which children were taught some clowning basics after which they were divided into groups and the performers facilitated a discussion about xenophobia.
Through the skilful antics of Busi Biyela or Bongekile Mabuya or Sipho Mdletshe, or Michael Ncayiyana’s red-nosed clowning, the juggling prowess of Sabee Shozi and Mduza Nzuza, Thandile Phoswa’s prancing in hoops of joy and jubilation, the rookie change agents animates the intolerance of humanity towards each other, the desperate scramble for bread crumbs in the shrinking food chain cycle and a dash for menial jobs in the marketplace.
“Clowns are far more than showing how to twist balloons or creating balloon sculpture and Clowns Without Borders, with the excellent support of Imagine Durban, has empowered Vuka Circus with new skills as clowns, acrobats and jugglers,” said Jamie Lachman, Founder and Director Clowns Without Borders South Africa, soon after his protégés delivered their final laugh-a-minute performance at the BAT Centre on the city’s waterfront recently.
“Through juggling, acrobats, games and some clowning, children learn in a fun way how to talk about the recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners and how to deal with the burning question of HIV-AIDS that continues to affect parents and guardians and leaves children orphaned.”
Project administrator Lulu Ngcobo says she has witnessed some “amazing transformation” in the scores of youths who have benefited from the road shows: “Imagine Durban has given us an excellent opportunity to source the best talents from communities that are sidelined from the social and economic mainstream. These free skills development opportunities has empowered youths with professional development and life skills and many of them are now much more versatile.
Eleven performances later, the colourful clown troupe that makes up the Vuka Circus has brought smiles and laughter to the children and adults in schools and communities across Durban, highlighting the pangs of a post-apartheid society caught in a grip of grinding poverty and unemployment. They left their audiences in stitches.
Published on Imagine Durban website on 22 December 2008 Durban South Africa
Marlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications provide journalistic and photographic support for Imagine Durban

Indians A Colourful Community

A colorful community 08 Jan 2009 published in the Natal Witness, South Africa
Marlan Padayachee


This week local Indians are building bridges at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Global Indian Diaspora) Convention in Chennai, India, an occasion that provides an opportunity to examine the perennial identity crisis facing the Indian community in South Africa who will celebrate 150 years in South Africa in 2010. This time next year the Indian community will celebrate a plethora of projects marking their 150-year co-existence in Africa, a far cry from the country they refer to as the motherland or Thai Nadu.While older generations are emotional and sentimental about traditional and historical ties with Mother India, the younger generations seek jobs and lifestyles in Western democracies, leaving behind the baggage of the past.On the flipside, the hybrid of labourers and traders has the capacity to fuse this milestone into a continental psyche that will herald the first kick-off of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and throw Africa into a euphoric explosion of football frenzy. Their culture contributes to our cosmopolitan society.A community with a history and heritage can offer much more to a country with the complexities and challenges of economic empowerment, nation-building, poverty, crime and corruption.During the reign of the British Raj, agriculturally skilled Indians were shipped to South Africa and other colonial outposts to turn sugar cane plantations into new economies for the imperial industrialists, hence the term “green gold”. Peasants, faced with grinding poverty, were lured via the colonial expansion to work on the railways, mines, agriculture and domestic services.After the SS Truro dropped anchor in Durban Bay on November 16, 1860 with the first batch, shiploads of semi-skilled slaves, professionals and merchants were ferried in droves. The economic migration ended 50 years later. The pioneers gave birth to a new generation, the largest outside India.While the stoical semi-slaves transformed the green fields into gold for sugar barons, traders and craftsmen gave Indians an economic and capitalist face on this edge of the Indian Ocean rim.It took a visionary, M. K. Gandhi, to change the complexion of how the business and the underclass Indians would map out their survival strategy and destiny in the face of discrimination that was also meted out to indigenous people.In an Indian diaspora of 20 million, the local community stands out for a variety of reasons, with political resistance and an enterprising spirit ranking high.The “uniqueness” comes from the work culture that they inherited from their forebears, always resilient in the face of adversity. Credibility came by siding with the oppressed masses. With this al-liance, they got rid of the colonial-apartheid leg irons.Staving off repatriation, they sacrificed so much for so many people to enjoy freedom, social justice and human rights, making them a cut above the rest in the global village.On the other side of the coin, the grass is no longer greener for working-class Indians, now in a similar position to poorer black workers.Although Indians today are a formidable presence, enjoying social cohesion and economic advantage, and continue to influence business and politics, the legacy of the 1860 descendants has been left behind by change.Or did the winds of an epoch-making transformation push Indians onto the margins of the economically empowered black mainstream, in sharp contrast to the role they played in the resistance to apartheid?With 800 000 Indians in KwaZulu-Natal, 2010 still provides an excellent exhibition to showcase their 150 years.Politically, the Indian swing vote is important to the national ballot, being split between the African National Congress and its dissident Congress of the People formation, and a variety of opposition parties.Conservative by nature, Indians blow hot and cold. Always apolitical, they are cautious and put “place bets” on the political roulette wheel. They need to assimilate themselves into the nation’s heartbeat.Yet of 1, 3 million Asians, two percent of South Africa’s population of 47 million, Indians are in the majority.When they arrived from colonial India, they were termed Indian South Africans. At the Global People of Indian Origin gathering, they were called South Africans of Indian origin. They have evolved via political resistance to Indian-African or African-Indian.Notwithstanding the sentimental journey, emotional bloodlines and poignant history, culminating in the triumphal spirit of humanity, the identity crisis is a post-apartheid challenge. This is further complicated by a strong identification with Bollywood, heart-throbbing ethnic music, spicy cuisines, sweetmeats and saris, demonstrating that the umbilical cord with Mother India is still intact. That’s why a contingent of Indians is lobbying at the Chennai Convention, hoping to sharpen their profiles, forge business opportunities and explore their ancestry. Significantly, Chennai is the port where mainly Tamil and Telugu-speaking labourers from the Madras presidency sailed for the “bay by the water”, and began to push into Africa. Today, a legacy lives in the hearts and minds of a people whose forebears toiled from dawn to dusk under the African sun.Marlan Padayachee

It's lights, camera, action in Durban

© 1999 - 2009 Sunday Tribune & Independent Online (Pty) Ltd.

Published in The ISSUE Page – © Herald, Durban, South Africa, 11 Jan 2009.
It’s lights, camera, action
Speech Delivered by Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo, Published speech researched and written by Marlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications, South Africa

Durban is trying to grab a slice of Bollywood action, with the launch of the Durban Film Office and Anant Singh’s plans for a R40 million film city. Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo revealed this in his paper, “Cultural entertainment and movie industry opportunities between India and Durban”, delivered at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Chennai 7-9 January 2009.
Read more on: www.wordsmith-commissar.blog spot.com

Durban Bids for Bollywood to film in local locations

Researched and Written by Marlan Padayachee, Speechwriter to Logie Naidoo, Deputy Mayor of the City of Durban, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa.
A PAPER PRESENTED BY COUNCILLOR LOGIE NAIDOO, DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, CITY OF DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, AT THE ANNUAL PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IN CHENNAI, INDIA, FROM 7-9 JANUARY 2009.
TOPIC: CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT AND MOVIE INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN INDIA AND DURBAN.
THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES AND DIGNITARIES.
AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY AND THE CITY OF DURBAN IN SOUTH AFRICA, I HAVE IMMENSE PRIDE AND PLEASURE IN RECOGNISING THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GLOBAL GATHERING OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN THAT HAS COME TO GAIN PROMINENCE IN THE INDIAN DIASPORA STAGE AS THE PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS.
THE HONOURABLE CHIEF MINISTERS, MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.
THE MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS.
THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU.
THE CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN INDUSTRY.
CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY.
CORPORATE AND BUSINESS LEADERS.
THE PEOPLE OF CHENNAI AND TAMIL NADU.
THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.
ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND ROLE-PLAYERS.
FELLOW PRESENTERS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WISH TO RECOGNISE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND COMPATRIOTS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION.

I AM ALSO PROUD THAT THEY ALL HAIL FROM THE CITY OF DURBAN.
ON THIS FORUM, I HAVE PLEASURE IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION OF:
· PROFESSOR DASARATH CHETTY, PRO-VICE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL;
· JUSTICE MOHINI MURUGASEN, ONE OF MANY WOMEN JURISTS APPOINTED TO THE BAR IN OUR TRANSFORMING LEGAL SYSTEM;
· MR THOLSIAH P NAIDOO, DIRECTOR OF THE INDIAN ACADEMY;
· MR AMICHAND RAJBANSI, LEADER OF THE MINORITY FRONT AND MEC FOR SPORT AND RECREATION IN THE KWAZULU-NATAL GOVERNMENT, AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO THE PROVINCIAL CABINET BY THE RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS.
GOOD MORNING/GOOD AFTERNOON.
HAVING PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED THE PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IN NEW DELHI, I MUST SALUTE THE JOINT ORGANISERS FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY IN BRINGING THIS ANNUAL SOCIAL AND BUSINESS NETWORKING PLATFORM TO THE SOUTH EASTERN SHORES OF THIS ANCIENT CIVILISATION THAT IS INEXTRICABLY TIED TO OUR HISTORY, HERITAGE, LEGACY AND DESTINY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
NO ONE WOULD BE MORE THRILLED OR OVERWHELMED THAN ME IF THE PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IS EXPORTED BEYOND THESE SACRED SHORES TO DURBAN, ON THE SOUTH EASTERN TIP OF AFRICA.
AS A SISTER-CITY OF CHENNAI, ANY INITIATIVE TO FLY THE FLAG OF THE PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IN DURBAN WOULD BE BEST DESCRIBED AS GROUND-BREAKING AND SYMBOLIC.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SOUTH AFRICA’S DEFINING YEAR OF 2010 WILL SEE OUR MATURING AND FLEDGLING DEMOCRACY HOST ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTING SPECTACLES IN THE WORLD, THE FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER.
IN THE YEAR OF OUR WORLD RECOGNITION, SOUTH AFRICA’S INDIAN COMMUNITY WILL ALSO BE CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF ITS CO-EXISTENCE IN AFRICA.
THIS WILL BE A NOSTALGIC MILESTONE, IN WHICH INDIA’S FATHER OF THE NATION, MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI, HAD A HAND IN SHAPING OUR DESTINY FROM THE SHACKLES OF COLONIAL-APARTHEID RULE.
FOR THIS PRICELESS AND SELFLESS CONTRIBUTION MADE BY GANDHIJI, INDIAN SOUTH AFRICANS, OF WHICH THE MAJORITY LIVE, WORK AND THRIVE IN THE CITY OF DURBAN, ARE INDEBTED AND GRATEFUL TO MOTHER INDIA.
LET ME PAUSE AT THIS STAGE TO SHARE WITH YOU A HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF OUR SHARED EXPERIENCE.
THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, THE MAJORITY PARTY IN DURBAN, AND MOST PART OF OUR REPUBLIC, HAS ENJOYED, AND CONTINUES TO ENJOY, A LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CONGRESS PARTY OF INDIA EVER SINCE INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, SHRI SAROJINI NAIDOO DECLARED APARTHEID A CRIME TO HUMANITY IN THE 1940s.
EVER SINCE SHRI LATHA REDDY OPENED THE FIRST INDIAN CONSULATE IN DURBAN IN 1993, INDIA IS REMAINS A KEY STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
THE OPENING OF THE CONSULATE IN THE HEART OF OUR CBD HAS BEEN THE STIMULUS FOR UNPRECEDENTED TWO-WAY FLOW OF PEOPLE, TRADE RELATIONS AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN DURBAN AND MAJOR INDIAN CITIES OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS.
THEREFORE, OUR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION DURING THIS CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION IS TO ENSURE THAT THESE UNIQUE TIES ARE STRENGTHENED AND RAISED TO THE NEXT BAR OF MUTUAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN A PEOPLE TIED BY A COMMON DESTINY.
AS INDIA AND CHINA JOSTLES TO EMERGE AS WORLD ECONOMIC LEADERS BY 2015, LET US JOIN US HANDS, HARNESS OUR SKILLS, TALENTS, RESOURCES AND CAPITAL AND MAKE THE SOUTH AFRICA-INDIA-BRAZIL AGREEMENT WORK BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT DURBAN IS READY TO DO BUSINESS.
I SEE THE MEDIA, FILM AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AS THE NEW CATALYSTS FOR AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RENAISSANCE BETWEEN US.

I HAVE A VISION THAT 2009 IS THE CURTAIN-RAISER AND 2010 IS THE AFRICAN STAGE, THE GATEWAY TO A MULTITUDE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO MAKE THE BEST OF THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IN THE LEAD UP TO 2010 WHEN WE INVITE ONE OF OUR STRONGEST ALLIES, INDIA AND ITS PEOPLE, TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE AFRICAN WORLD CUP AND THE 150 YEAR CELEBRATION OF INDIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
OUR INDIAN PARTNERS AND VISITORS WILL SOON REALISE THAT INDIANS ARE UBIQUITOUS IN DURBAN AND YOUR HOSPITALITY WILL BE AKIN TO HOME FROM HOME.
DURBAN IS HOME TO MORE THAN FOUR MILLION PEOPLE, OF WHICH MORE THAN 800 000 INDIANS RESIDE IN OUR COSMOPOLITAN CITY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I TRUST THAT I HAVE WHETTED YOUR APPETITE THUS FAR.
TODAY, THROUGH THE PAGES OF MY PAPER AND A SLIDE PRESENTATION, I HOPE TO TRANSPORT YOU FROM INCREDIBLE INDIA ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN RIM TO A CITY THAT I WILL REFER TO AS AN AFRICAN PARADISE AND ITS PEOPLE.
MY TASK IS TO FOCUS ON THE CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT AND MOVIE INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN INDIA AND THE CITY OF DURBAN.
WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONVENTION THEME : ENGAGING THE DIASPORA – THE WAY FORWARD, I INTEND PROVIDING SOME INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE COLLECTIVE SUB-THEMES OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, DIASPORA YOUTH IN 21ST CENTURY INDIA, BUILDING BRIDGES, TRADE AND INVESTMENT, DIASPORA PHILANTHROPHY, EDUCATION AND DIASPORA KNOWLEDGE NETWORK AND MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY’S ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, I STAND BEFORE CONFIDENT THAT FILM INDUSTRY’S KEY CATCH-PHRASES: LIGHTS, CAMERAS, ACTION! – HAS BECOME NEW SOCIAL ECONOMIC BUZZWORDS IN DURBAN.
DURBAN IS THE NEW STUDIO OF OUR BURGEONING FILM INDUSTRY.
OVER THE PAST 149 YEARS, WE IN DURBAN AND SOUTH AFRICA HAVE BEEN INSPIRED AND ENTERTAINED BY INDIA’S FILM INDUSTRY, KNOWN WORLDWIDE AS BOLLYWOOD.
EVEN IN THE DARKEST HOUR OF APARTHEID, BLACK AND WHITE FILMS RANGING FROM THE ALL-TIME CLASSIC, MOTHER INDIA, TO A VARIETY OF HINDI AND TAMIL MOVIES FEATURING SOME OF THE BEST-LOVED ACTORS, HAVE AN ENRICHED GENERATIONS OF INDIANS OUTSIDE THE SUB-CONTINENT.
TODAY, BOLLYWOOD IS AN INSTITUTION AMONG SOUTH AFRICANS OF INDIAN ORIGIN.
TOGETHER WITH ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROMISING YOUNG INDUSTRY AND OUR PARTNERS IN INDIA, WE ARE DETERMINED FROM CALCUTTA TO CHENNAI TO BRING BOLLYWOOD TO DURBAN. I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT THE BUSTLING PORT CITY OF DURBAN IS ENTHUSIASTIC TO PARALLEL THE ESTABLISHED FILM INDUSTRIES IN OUR SISTER CITIES, CAPE TOWN AND JOHANESBURG.

I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE AT THIS FORUM THAT THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY HAS OPENED THE DURBAN FILM OFFICE, A FORERUNNER TO ENSURING THAT OUR FILM INDUSTRY GROWS INTO A LANDMARK LOCATION FOR INDIAN MOVIE-MAKERS.

AS A CONVENTION CITY WITH A MYRIAD OF NATURAL HERITAGE SITES, WILDLIFE AND BREATHTAKING LOCATIONS, FROM THE BERG TO THE BEACH, A REFERENCE TO OUR SPECTACULR SIGHTS OF THE DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAIN TO OUR SUN-SOAKED BEACHES, I CAN ASSURE BOLLLYWOOD OF THE CITY’S MAXIMUM CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT.

OUR AFRICAN PARADISE AND ITS PEOPLE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE THE BEST CANVAS FOR FILM-MAKERS TO ROLL OUT THEIR ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE GENIUS.

IN THIS RESPECT, THE DURBAN FILM OFFICE HAS RECENTLY TIED UP STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE KWAZULU-NATAL FILM COMMISSION AND THE DURBAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY FILM COMMITTEE TO BOOST THE LOCAL FILM ENVIRONMENT.

BY NOW MANY OF YOU WOULD KNOW THAT DURBAN BOASTS A LEADING MOVIE MOGUL.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAYS WHEN ANANT SINGH AND INDIA’S PROLIFIC DIRECTOR OF THE ‘MIDDLE CINEMA’ SHYAM BENEGAL WILL JOIN FORCES TO COLLABORATE ON A FILM CHRONICLING THE MIGRATION OF INDIAN LABOURERS AND TRADERS TO DURBAN AND A STORYBOARD ENCOMPASSING 150 YEARS IN OUR VERY OWN STUDIO.

BORN AND BRED IN THE CITY WHERE THE FIRST BATCH OF INDIAN INDENTURED LABOURERS SET FOOT ON 16 NOVEMBER 1860, ANANT SINGH HAS BECOME DURBAN’S BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPORT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT OUR FILM AMBASSADOR IS FORGING AHEAD WITH HIS PLANS TO LAUNCH A R40-MILLION OR SIX-MILLION US DOLLAR DURBAN FILM CITY ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE CITY’S GOLDEN MILE STRETCH OF BLUE-FLAGGED BEACH.

THIS MASSIVE PROJECT IS BOUND TO REVOLUTIONISE DURBAN INTO A MAJOR-LEAGUE CINEMA ENVIRONMENT.

THE BENEFITS ARE ENORMOUS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING INVESTORS, AS THIS MODEL ROLLS OUT FOR A CITY THAT IS NOT NEW TO MOVIE-MAKING.

I AM REMINDED THAT IN 1909, ABOUT THE TIME GANDHIJI WAS CHANGING THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE; DURBAN WAS THE FIRST IN THE COLONIAL COUNTRY WITH A PERMANENT BUILDING FOR SCREENING MOTION PICTURES.

OUR HISTORY REVEALS THAT A CINEMA CALLED THE ELECTRIC THEATRE FILMED AND SCREENED THE NEWSREELS OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR FROM 1889 TO 1902, RECORDING FOR THE FIRST TIME A WAR HAD BEEN FILMED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
THIS LED TO THE PRODUCTION OF TWO FILMS, ZULU AND ZULU DAWN, RANKED AS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FILMS MADE IN SOUTH AFRICA.

AS I SPEAK ANANT SINGH’S LATEST MOVIE, MR BONES 2 THAT WAS SHOT ON LOCATION IN DURBAN WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR MUNICIPALITY IS A BOX-OFFICE HIT, TOPPING ALMOST R20 MILLION IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS.

THE PREMIERE OF THIS DELIGHTFUL NEW EXPORT WAS HELD IN DURBAN, ANOTHER INDICATOR OF JUST HOW SERIOUS WE ARE TO TURN THE FILM INDUSTRY ON ITS HEAD.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DURBAN’S CINEMATIC WHEEL IS READY TO SPIN INTO A SUCCESS STORY.

BUT BEFORE THAT THE CITY OWES ITS NEW BENCHMARKING IN THE FILM INDUSTRY TO THE DURBAN FILM FESTIVAL.

NOW KNOWN AS THE DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IN ITS 31ST YEAR, THE ORIGINAL DURBAN FILM CIRCLE PROVIDED A HOME FOR ALTERNATIVE FILM MAKING.

WHEN APARTHEID LAWS BLACKED OUT SCREENING OF FILMS AND PROHIBITED MIXED-RACE AUDIENCE, THE FILM CIRCLE SCREENED ART HOUSE MOVIES TO MULTIRACIAL PATRONS AT CAMPUS HALLS ON SUNDAY NIGHTS.

RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE IN THE 1980s, ACTIVISTS LOBBIED TO DEMOCRATISE THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY TO UNDERMINE APARTHEID PROPAGANDA.
DURING THIS ERA THE APARTHEID GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED FILM-MAKING FOR ITS PROPAGANDA PURPOSE.

HOWEVER, TODAY, OUR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT HAS PUT IN PLACE A FILM AND PUBLICATIONS BOARD THAT MONITORS THE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE SPECTRUM OF THE ANIMATION INDUSTRY.

IN FACT, THE NEW GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS FILM-MAKING INITIATIVES AND INCENTIVES ARE OFFERED TO ENSURE THAT FILM-MAKERS CAN EVEN SHOOT LOW-BUDGET FILMS AGAINST OUR FASCINATING BACKDROPS, SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.

SINCE OUR MARCH TO FREEDOM IN 1994, WE HAVE MANY STORIES TO TELL AND DOCUMENT THEM VIA OUR FILM STUDIO IN THE MAKING.

DURBAN IS CENTRAL TO THE COLLECTIVE CONTRIBUTION OF FILM-MAKING, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE LABOUR AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND DIVERSE CANVAS OF LOCATIONS SUITED FOR 320 DAYS OF SUNSHINE AND GOOD WEATHER.

I AM CONVINCED THAT DURBAN IS BECOMING A POPULAR LOCATION FOR INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS.

WITH DURBAN BOASTING THE BIGGEST AND LONGEST RUNNING INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE, KNOW-HOW, PEOPLE AND LOCATIONS TO
ENSURE THAT THE REELS ARE READY TO ROLL.

I THEREFORE WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT THE DURBAN FILM OFFICE HAS THE CAPACITY AND EXPERTISE TO FACILITATE MOVIE PRODUCTIONS RANGING FROM FULL-LENGTH FILMS TO DOCUMENTARIES AND ADVERTISING PRODUCTIONS FROM LOCAL TO WORLD BRANDS.

THROUGH THE FILMING OF TWO BOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS, DOOM 2 AND RACE, FEATURING AMONG THE BOLLYWOOD SCREEN LEGENDS, ASIHWARAYA RAI AND HRITHIK ROSHAN, DURBAN HAD PROVIDED ROAD CLOSURES AND FACILITIES FOR SOME SPECTACULAR STUNTS.

AS PART OF THE CITY’S 2020 VISION TO CREATE A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS, DURBAN ENCOURAGES THE RECRUITMENT OF LOCAL EXTRAS AND STAFF, WHILE PROVIDING CATERING AND THE COST OF PRODUCTION FOR FOREIGN CAST AND CREWS.

WITHIN THE ENTERTAINMENT REALM, DURBAN OFFERS A WORLD-CLASS VENUE FOR LIVE INTERNATIONAL SHOWS AT THE MUNICIPAL-OWNED INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE THAT HAS HOUSED HUNDREDS OF WORLD CONVENTIONS SINCE THE 1990S.

EVER SINCE INDIA’S ICONIC FILM LEGEND AMITABH BACHCHAN STAGED THE BIGGEST OPEN-AIR MUSIC CONCERT IN DURBAN, THE CITY HAS NEVER LOOKED BACKED AND HAS HOSTED SUPERSTARS RANGING FROM MICHAEL JACKSON TO UB40.

OUR NEW WORLD CUP STADIUM IS BEING DESIGNED TO HOST THE BIGGEST SHOWS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE PROMOTERS TO BRING INDIAN ENTERTAINMENT TO DURBAN.

CLASSICAL MUSIC IS HUGELY POPULAR AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BEST OF THE BHARAT-NATYAM AND KATHAK DANCERS PERFORMING FOR OUR CITIZENS.

THE CITY WOULD ENCOURAGE CULTURAL EXCHANGES IN INDIAN MUSIC AND DANCE INVOLVING OUR INDIAN AND AFRICAN STUDENTS.

MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED TO KEEP THE CULTURAL FLAME BURNING AND THIS COULD BE ENHANCED BY FORGING LINKS THROUGH DURBAN’S SISTER-CITY STATUS WITH CHENNAI AND OTHER INDIAN CITIES.

HAVING SKETCHED SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AS TO WHY INDIA SHOULD BRING BOLLYWOOD OR ITS ENTERTAINMENT ACTS TO DURBAN LET ME SUPPORT MY BID TO OFFER DURBAN AS THE NEW FILM-MAKING AND ENTERTAINMENT MECCA TO THE WORLD.

· AS A SOCIALITE IN A CITY WHERE THE SUN NEVER SETS, I CAN TESTIFY THAT DURBAN HAS A MUSICAL SOIL FOR EVERYONE FROM MUSICOLOGISTS TO THE RHYTHMIC RAPPER TO LEAVE THEIR FOOTPRINTS.

· FIRSTLY, THE CITY CONTIUNUES TO POUR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO BRAND MARKETING DURBAN AS AN INTERNATIONAL TOURIST DESTINATION AND LANDMARK LOCATION SITUATED AS A GATEWAY INTO AFRICA.

· DURBAN IS ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES IN AFRICA, THE THIRD LARGEST IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND AN ECONOMIC HUB AND LINKAGE INTO SOUTHERN AFRICA.

· AS WE PREPARE FOR 2010, THE CITY IS ROLLING OUT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING OUR R1, 6 BILLION GIANT STADIUM WITH A SEATING CAPACITY OF 70 000.

· OUR INDIAN INVESTORS AND VISITORS CAN EXPECT TO TOUCH DOWN AT A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OVERLOOKING THE INDIAN OCEAN.

· TAKE MY WORD FOR IT THAT DURBAN OFFERS VISITORS, INVESTORS AND CITIZENS AN EXCITING GLIMPSE INTO A POSITIVE FUTURE.

· DURBAN’S COSMOPOLITAN PROFILING AND OUR SPECTRUM OF CULTURES, SIGHTS AND SOUNDS, AND AS WELL AS AUTHENTIC INDIAN, AFRICAN AND WESTERN CUISINES, AND HOMEGROWN HOSPITALITY, CONTRIBUTES TO SOUTH AFRICA’S NATIONAL CULTURE.

· OUR TAGLINE, ONE CITY, MANY CULTURES, MAKES DURBAN A UNIQUE METROPOLIS WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AND BLENDS WITH INDIGENOUS AFRICAN CULTURE, RITUALS, SOCIAL COHESION, POLITICAL MATURITY AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.
· IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION, THE CITY’S STREETS INTERSECTS WITH TEMPLES, MOSQUES, SYNAGOGUES, CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS.
· THE CITY THRIVES ON PROMOTING INTER-FAITH ACTIVITIES, HARMONY, PEACE AND TOLERANCE.
· AS A MULTICULTURAL REALITY, RELIGION IN DURBAN IS A DYNAMIC MELTING POT OF BELIEFS, THEOLOGIES AND RITUALS.
· AS A YOUNG DEMOCRACY, DURBAN HAS A PROGRESSIVE CITY GOVERNMENT THAT CELEBRATES DIVERSITY THAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE.
· THE CITY’S DOMINANT ECONOMIC FACTORS INCLUDE TOURISM, FOOD AND BEVERAGES, AUTOMOBILE AND AUTOMBILE COMPONENTS, NON-FERROUS METAL AND PULP AND PAPER.
· DURBAN IS ACREATIVE BASTION IN THE SUN FOR TO SOME OF THE WORLD RENOWNED ARTISTS, WRITERS AND PERFORMERS.
· THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY IS PROPELLED BY A 2020 VISION TO MAKE DURBAN AFRICA’S MOST CARING AND LIVABLE CITY WHERE ALL CITIZENS AND WILL LIVE IN HARMONY.
· IT IS BOLD ECONOMIC INITIATIVES, PARTICULARLY TOURISM, FILM-MAKING AND ENTERTAINMENT, THAT WILL ENABLE THE CITY TO ACHIEVE THIS MEDIUM-TERM GOAL OF PROVIDING A WORLD-CLASS CITY AND A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS, VISITORS AND INVESTORS.
· WE ARE STRIVING TO BECOME A SAFER AND SUSTAINABLE CITY.
FINALLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE AND I INVITE YOU TO ENGAGE ME TO EXPLORE ANY OPPORTUNITIES YOU MAY WISH TO PURSUE WITH DURBAN AND ITS PEOPLE.
ALL THAT’S LEFT ME TO DO IS TO WELCOME YOU TO DURBAN, AN AFRICAN JEWEL AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD.
I THANK YOU.
____________________________________________________
Presentation Paper researched and written by Marlan Padayachee GreenGold Africa Communications on behalf of the Deputy Mayor of the City of Durban, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, on the occasion of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Chennai, India, 7-9 January 2009: greengold@telkomsa.net+00 27 31 266 5599/ 083 796 1762