Benji & the BBA babe ...

“Oooeer, I’ve got dog slobber all over me,” says Mark as he climbs into the car.

We have been standing at the top of Sir Lowry’s Pass intending to take photographs of the panoramic view looking back at Cape Town. Instead we met Benji, the Senior Male Boerbul Champion of South Africa. When we pulled into the parking area at the top of the pass, we were confronted with two massive dogs hanging out of a bakkie in front of us.  It’s Benji and his mate Zinzi. Benji weighs in at 83 kg. He is HUGE! He’s raw power, just like a dog-lion. Tim says Benji would probably use Jack Russell's for floss!  

A moerse groot dog, his official champion breeding name, 'Kleinsandfontein Benji'

We get talking with their owners, Bev and Dana Steendkamp who breed champion boerbuls. Whilst we’re taking photos of the dogs, a pack of marauding baboons have snuck down from their rocks to steal fruit from the front seat of a passerby witless enough to leave his car door open. Both dogs go ballistic and chaos breaks out, screeching baboons scarper every which way, people are shouting, fruit is flying through the air and the Nigerian roadside vendors have scattered at the sight of two monstrous dogs lunging through their wares. We decide it’s time to leave.

Earlier this Friday morning we’d visited our last Cape Town project. It’s a tertiary education institution called TSiBA (Tertiary School in Business Administration) and is located at Mupine right next to Mutualpark. I’d obviously heard of the college but hadn’t really known for myself what they were all about, so it was good to meet with Leigh Meinert, co-founder and MD of TSiBA to see for myself. She explains briefly that TSiBA is a privately owned, not-for-profit college which offers young adults who’re unable to access universities, an opportunity to study a Business Administration degree. The Old Mutual Foundation has had a supportive relationship with the college since its inception in 2006 and has invested over R7, 5 million in their education work. This has allowed TSiBA to subsidise the tertiary study of deserving students such as Pumla Sodela.


Pumla Sodela, TSiBA graduate and Old Mutual GAP intern

Pumla grew up in the Eastern Cape. When she finished her matric she came to Cape Town wanting to make something of her life. She’s a bubbly person with an effervescent energy and an open smile, you can’t help liking her the moment you meet her. Before Pumla started studying at TSiBA, she was employed selling movie tickets. She’d always known she had more in her, but it was difficult to break out of where she was at, and break into where she wanted to be. So when she heard about TSiBA, she applied immediately. It wasn’t an easy road for a number of reasons; it meant four years of full-time study, she was also anxious about her ability to study at this level and about being older than her colleagues and she had to have the help of her family to support her while she studied. After Pumla graduated with her BBA degree (Bachelor in Business Administration) in Dec 2009, she was accepted by Old Mutual into their 18-month GAP (Graduate Accelerated Programme) internship. Pums (as her colleagues call her) has been thriving in her new corporate life and will complete her internship in July 2011. Sitting at her desk, surrounded by the busyness of corporate life, she looks the picture of a Cosmo corporate woman - confident with bright positive energy, keen to learn and get ahead. She got the break she needed and is running with it. “My message is to persevere,” she tells, “to hang in there and give it all you’ve got.”

I like your attitude, sister.

Tim decides that we need to film Pumla in her work environment, so we hustle back to Mutualpark. It feels so strange coming ‘into work’ again after being out for a week - felt a bit as if we were on The Amazing Race, being trailed by cameramen. Up at her desk, we got Pums to work a few angles for her video shots and PS: thanks to colleagues, Charmaine, Donna and Liz for making her laugh whilst she was meant to keep a straight face!

Pumla Sodela, serious and corporate!

Although we hadn’t achieved 100% of everything that we needed this morning (unavoidable with exams), we’re bang on schedule. Our plan is to drive out to Barrydale to visit an animal welfare organization that’s supported by Old Mutual staff, but I’m a bit concerned about availability of material for two reasons: it’s Friday payday at the drankwinkel and also earlier in this week the Overberg region (amongst others) received over 200mm rain within 24hrs. There have been serious floods with bridges being washed away, one reported death and stranded farms and homesteads. We phone the Barrydale police station to confirm which roads are open and after some consultation head over Sir Lowry’s Pass - via Benji the Boerbul - towards Swellendam and the beautiful Tradouws Pass.

Tradouws Pass, driving from Swellendam to Barrydale.

Hooray, we’re on the road again, crisp country air, goodbye city stress; hello fields of blue cranes, spur-wing geese and sacred ibis. Sheep are woolly contrasts against the vivid green farmlands and their newborn lambs remind me of an OMO advertisement, they’re so super-bright and white, wobbling on their long legs. The air is clean, crows nests are bundled atop telephone-poles and the rain has encouraged a rash of early blossoms.


Yes, I breathe in, I breathe out....

Mark's photo gallery:

Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 1



Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 2

Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 3

Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 4



Men at Play in a Field of Purple Dreams



Tim photographs Mark & I making many-legged, many-armed Ganesh-type shadows.



Muuuum, where are you?

Die Ou Meul Bakkery, Riviersonderend for the best pies in town! Jotting down notes listening to Kurt Darren treffers, "My liefling, jy's die mooiste in die land." I love it!

Hidden beauty. Waterfalls in the Tradouws Pass on our way to Barrydale.

Tim almost in the waterfall, getting that angle just right!

Paving near the waterfall picnic site, a municipal worker with a sense of humour. The Abominable Yeti footprint!