Zackattack Benefit Concert for Shika Budhoo and Dhaveshan Govender

Zackattack Benefit Concert

Legendary muso Steve Fataar has organised a benefit concert for entertainment couple Shika Budhoo & Dhaveshan Govender, whose flat was gutted by fire recently. The event will be held on Sunday 10 February at Zacks at Wilson's Wharf, Durban Harbour.

In response to the tragic devastation of Dhaveshan Govender's and Shika Budhoo's home by fire recently, Steve Fataar, one of the first of many artists and friends to offer support for the beleaguered couple, will host Sunday's benefit at Zacks. He will head a dedicated line-up of musicians, including Mpume Mthombeni, Sandy Bigara, Reg Stuart, Glenwood Village Music and Quintin Kriel. The roster's stellar talent also includes Jaimie Woolgar, Ashley Raaff and Ron Dove – along with three young guitar prodigies, Aury Livingstone, Rorke Kemp and Cuan Austin, eager to pit their jamming skills against those of Fataar, the evening's iconic host. More artists are likely to be added to the evening's line-up.

"Zackattack has become something of an institution in Durban. It's a monthly jam session known for great music in a wonderful venue with a cash bar and extensive menu, surrounded by water and the buzz of Durban Harbour, under a starlit sky", says Fataar. "It's a great end to the weekend and a kickstart for the week to come, so please join us. Music usually starts around 7pm and continues for a few hours. It's an open venue, with plenty of parking."
"The concept of turning a Zackattack into a benefit arose when a friend, a sound engineer who had helped many local musicians, was hospitalised with cerebral meningitis. Realising the costs, many musos were eager to help raise funds to assist. Several such occasions have since arisen, and true to form, 31 musicians are quick to rally together and help."

For further details, contact Steve Fataar on Facebook, or on 079 988 3724. To book a table call 031-3051677.

For those unable to attend the benefit event on Sunday, a bank account has been set up by friends to assist the couple. Those who wish to assist can email copypuppy@artslink.co.za for banking details.

See you there!

Sandy Bigara

Source: Clinton Marius
Image: Pictured - Sandy Bigara, Shika Budhoo and Dhaveshan Govender - taken by Francis Doherty-Bigara during a rehearsal break. Beswitched, August 2012.
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Valentine's Day Dates vs Work

 

Valentine’s is one of the most stressful times of the year. Singles feel bad about being single, and couples are pressured to go out and spend money on “one night out” – is it all nonsense? Or is it just another opportunity to spend quality time out together?

This year is the second time in my life that I will be performing a gig on Valentines Day. I’ll be performing two gigs in fact – one at Galleria Mall Amanzimtoti inside Butik Asia (my clothing sponsor) and then I’ll be launching my Valentine’s Weekend show called Songs of Love from the 14^th to the 17^th February and I’ll be performing live piano and vocals 5 times in 4 days… eeghads.

SO for me, this year, I will not be doing the whole “date” thing with my darling Husband. Not sure how I feel about that. I kind of secretly hope that we will still go out on a date a week or so afterwards (if Hubby see’s this then it won’t be so secret anymore now will it…) On the other hand I am THRILLED to be performing with my good friend and fellow musician Haylea Hounsom.

I love a refreshing challenge, and Haylea is such a skilled singer that she forces me to “up my game” and increase my efforts. It’s fantastic. It is also so awesome singing with someone who can hold a melody line alongside harmonies, and ad-lib like a freakin’ amazing diva! I can’t wait to share our music with the audiences that come through to the Theatre.

So, I guess where I’m rambling off to in this post is this: I may not be having the traditional Valentines evening – but I think that I’m going to REALLY enjoy this years Valentine’s Weekend shows.  I just hope that I get over this stupid throat and sinus infection :o( awful timing.

If you’d like to check out who Haylea Hounsom is – please pop over to: www.hayleahounsom.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter @hayleahounsom

 

Take care all,

 

Sandy Bigara

DA First National Bank, the New Age, and the Guptas: How Political patronage works in the “new” South Africa

Democratic Alliance Press Statement by Helen Zille
DA National Leader

SA Today: First National Bank, the New Age, and the Guptas: How Political patronage works in the “new” South Africa

29 January 2013
Release: immediate

Before the Nkandla “white-wash” wiped everything else off the front pages, the past week’s headlines were dominated by the First National Bank debacle.

For those readers who may have been hibernating, FNB Chairman Sizwe Nxasana last week made a grovelling apology to the ANC after the bank’s senior executives were summoned to Luthuli house for a roasting over an advertising campaign. This included YouTube clips which showed children speaking of the future. Some made negative comments about the government and at least one Minister.

As a result, according to reports, an enraged ANC threatened to withdraw government business from FNB. This threat is, in itself, an outrage as it confirms that the ANC decides who gets government contracts. FNB’s “crime”, said the ANC, was that the advertisements took an “oppositional stance”.

FNB buckled and withdrew the video clips after the ANC argued they could deter investment. That is deeply ironic. The ANC’s bullying of a private company, its apparent ability to influence state tenders, and its failure to understand the constitutional right of free speech, will do far more to kill investment than anything a child might have said in a YouTube clip.

For FNB’s part, one of their excuses for withdrawing the ads was to protect the children involved. If FNB had reason to fear for the safety of the children, what does that say about South Africa and the ANC? It is truly chilling.

Even as this controversy raged, there was a lesser story unfolding in the media, arising out of my decision to withdraw from a televised “New Age” breakfast on 31st January. I made this decision after it emerged that State Owned Enterprises (ESKOM, TRANSNET and TELKOM) had funded 24 breakfasts to the tune of R25-million (over and above the tickets sales of R792 per ticket that more than covered the cost of each breakfast). Furthermore, it emerged that the SABC’s hour-long broadcast of each breakfast was free (a donation equivalent of R1,8-million per breakfast to promote a newspaper sympathetic to government).

It is obvious to any thinking person that this cannot be described as a regular event sponsorship (which would typically cover the cost of part, or all, of the event).

The word “sponsorship” here is a fig-leaf for disguising the transfer of millions of Rands of taxpayers’ money into a company owned by the Guptas, who are major benefactors of the ANC and Jacob Zuma.

I was not aware of these facts when I spoke at a breakfast in February last year. But this did not deter people from accusing me of “hypocrisy” for turning down this year’s invitation. The attacks escalated when the New Age produced a video of the introduction of my speech last year, in which I read a protocol list and thanked the event sponsor, TELKOM. This apparently was “proof” that I knew that state funds were being used. Apart from the fact that the government is a minority shareholder in TELKOM (unlike ESKOM, TRANSNET and the SABC), this argument misses the point. There would have been nothing wrong with an ordinary sponsorship. There is something profoundly wrong with a “sponsorship” being used as a cover for a conduit of state funds to a private benefactor of the ANC and Jacob Zuma.

But this is standard practice in the ANC. Chancellor House has been set up precisely to facilitate these deals. It is corruption writ large.

Instead of focusing on this, the media diverted their attention to my alleged “hypocrisy”. I said that most reasonable people adapt their position when new facts emerge. There is nothing hypocritical about that. It is plain common sense.

The next diversionary tactic was to accuse the DA of taking donations from the Guptas, and the “hypocrisy” allegations reached a crescendo. The argument went like this: It was hypocritical of you, Helen Zille, to pull out of a breakfast sponsored by the government to benefit the Gupta’s newspaper because the DA also allegedly received donations from the Guptas”.

With respect this is a nonsensical argument. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Guptas giving money to any political party they choose - as long as they do not request or receive favours from a government using taxpayers’ money as a reward. I said, I could guarantee that no-one in the DA had ever exercised any influence on any DA administration to give the Guptas (or any of their companies) preferential treatment. Nor had we ever siphoned taxpayers’ money to them under the guise of “sponsorships”.

Most journalists didn’t get it. They kept asking me whether we had received money from the Guptas. I kept replying: Ask Them. If they wish to answer the question, they are free to do so. Indeed, I would welcome them clearing this matter up. But I cannot do so because the DA makes a commitment of confidentiality to our donors. The reason for this is obvious. If the FNB got roasted and almost lost its government contracts because of its “oppositional stance”, you can imagine what would happen to individuals or companies who donate funds to the opposition!

This is the sad reality of South Africa’s democracy. Ideally the DA would prefer full transparency. But if we were the only party to apply it, most of our donations would dry up - together with any prospect of sustaining democracy in South Africa.

Of course, there are risks associated with confidentiality as well - such as the opportunity this creates for people with malicious agendas, such as Marius Fransman, to invent insane allegations, such as that the DA received R4-million from the Guptas to renovate our Cape Town offices! That is so ludicrous that most thinking people would just dismiss it. But some journalists took it seriously and gave it substantial air time. Within minutes it was being repeated on social media as “fact”.

When I heard this, I decided to take the unprecedented step of telephoning our donor to ask him to release me from our commitment of confidentiality.

He declined. He said he did not want his name in the papers. He is not a Gupta. He is an executive in a company owned by the Guptas. I gave him the undertaking I would not mention his name, but I said, given the wild and unfounded speculation (masquerading as fact) I would have to set the record straight. I undertook not to mention him by name.

I also tried to phone the Guptas, but the telephone number I obtained was no longer operational.

So, protecting individual identities as much as possible in these extremely unusual circumstances, here is the story.

In the run-up to the 2009 elections, the DA North West Provincial Leader, Chris Hattingh, contacted the DA’s fund-raising office to say a long-standing acquaintance of his wanted to make a donation to the DA’s election campaign. The fund-raising staff made an appointment for me to speak to him. I did, and I received a pledge of R200,000.

The donor then suggested that I come and fetch the cheque at the Gupta’s house in Saxonwold, and it transpired that he was a senior executive in one of the Guptas companies. I and my colleague Ian Davidson duly went to the Guptas home, ate some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten, and received the cheque for R200,000 from the individual who had made the pledge. It was a personal cheque from his personal bank account. It did NOT come from a Gupta company, nor from the Guptas, but it was handed over at their home.

The DA subsequently thanked the donor. And, because we had been guests at the Gupta’s home, our fundraising department included our standard letter of thanks to the Guptas, even though the donation had not come from them.

Later, during the campaign, when funds were tight, we sent an appeal to a range of donors and potential donors. Mr Tony Gupta was one of them. We did not get support from him. But we did get support from the same executive who had previously donated. Again, he wrote us a personal cheque from his private bank account in the amount of R100,000.

In 2010, the fundraising department scheduled an annual fundraising meeting between me and the same businessman, at which he pledged another R100,000. We received this amount by cheque, but this time the cheque was made out in the name of a company of which the donor is a senior executive. This company is either partially or wholly owned by the Guptas (but is not one of their well known brands such as Sahara Computers or The New Age newspaper).

In 2011, Chris Hattingh, who had first introduced us to this donor, prompted me to approach him again. Chris said the donor wished to contribute in his personal capacity as he believed in what the DA was doing. By this time, I was becoming concerned about news stories linking donations from companies associated with the Guptas to the ANC’s power abuse and political patronage. Even though it was stressed that the person would make the donation in his individual capacity, I did not think it wise to pursue the relationship. I therefore declined the request for an appointment.

The same occurred in 2012.

Early this year (ironically on the same day I withdrew from the New Age Breakfasts) Chris contacted me again to say his acquaintance had requested another meeting, and he presumed it was to continue his donations to the DA in his personal capacity. I declined for the third year in a row.

Without naming names, that is the full story. I normally would not tell it. This is an exceptional circumstance, in which the facts have been twisted and manipulated once again to undermine the DA.

Perhaps most importantly: the donor has never once asked a DA government for any special favours or preferential treatment. He knows very well that we don’t function like that.

The Guptas have only ever asked me for one favour: Once, before they were scheduled to come to Cape Town, their secretary called and requested an official police escort for them from the airport. I said no.

So where is the scandal?

I suggest that the media stop following the trail of red herrings, laid out for them by the ANC, and start following the real scandal, which is the diversion of millions of Rands of taxpayers money to private companies who donate to the ANC and the Zuma family.

Songs of Love Valentines Weekend at The Catalina Theatre

SONGS OF LOVE @ The Catalina Theatre,
18 Boatman's Way,
Wilson's Wharf,
Durban.
14th – 17th February.
7pm nightly and Sunday Matinee at 2pm.
Bookings: www.strictlytickets.com
R75pp
 
Songs of Love is a musical evening filled with romance, and some of the world's most popular and beloved love songs. Local performers Sandy Bigara (@sandybigara) and Haylea Hounsom (@hayleahounsom) present a competent and tasteful team, putting style and skill to work in bringing a new twist to the evening's romantic offering.
 
Enjoy an evening out over the Valentine's weekend and spend some time with a loved one, enjoying live piano and guitar, blended with soaring vocals. There are many restaurants easily accessible from the theatre: the Roma, The Royal, uShaka's Cargo Hold, Moyo on the pier, which make this show a perfect "stop off" on the way to a lovely dinner out.
 
Booking for this Valentine's weekend show is essential, as each female guest will receive a small gift. There will be an optional harbour boat ride before or after the show.
 
Sandy Bigara is a Performing Artist from Durban. Sandy has a wide vocal range; she is able to sing Tenor to First Soprano and trained classically in the Bella Canto style. Sandy enjoys a variety of music performance styles and can perform over 160 popular songs on piano and guitar. Sandy is the owner of The Bigara Talent Factory – performing live piano and voice at venues across KZN, as well as producing and directing contemporary theatre pieces for an Adult audience. And she heads up The Paw Paw Show Company – travelling throughout KZN, performing educational musical theatre for children. Sandy runs an exclusive music school in Durban North. Sandy is on Facebook and Twitter @sandybigara www.sandybigara.wix.com/onlinebio
 
Haylea Hounsom is a singer / songwriter from Durban. She is a Soprano who is able to move from one style to another fairly effortlessly. This is attributed to her classical background. Over the past few years she has performed in shows including Ushaka Marine World's "Dolphins by Starlight," the City Orchestra's "A Night at the Opera," at the FIFA Fan-Fest during the Soccer World Cup, and at Splashy Fen Music Festival. She also recently performed with world renowned percussionist - Efrain Toro, during his visit to South Africa. At the moment she is contracted to sing the South African National Anthem at the Varsity Shield rugby games in KZN, which will be broadcast live on Super Sport during February / March 2013. Haylea is on Facebook and Twitter @hayleahounsom
 
(ends)
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Facebook Emoticons Guide

Thank you YOU Magazine :)

I just saw now in my news feed that Facebook now has cute emoticons available for the online users (mobile users and app's don't show the emoticons)

I think that's rather nice :) Sometimes it's easier to put in an emoticon when you just don't have much to say.

Do you make use of emoticon's in your bbm or whatsapp chats?

Have a nice day xx


Sandy B


PS.
I took the image above from: http://you.co.za/when-only-a-smiley-face-will-do/
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A New Meme Suggestion - Any Ideas?

When I saw this photo of Kels I laughed :) my Husband and I love www.9gag.com and thought this would make a cute new meme. Parents of small kids can think up some funny phrases here i'm sure!

 

It makes me think of the phrase: "I don't always... but when I do,..."

 

Send me any ideas, or use the picture to create your own meme's and post them!

 

Have a good day guys!

 

xx

Sex and Marriage

Marriage is a very interesting subject, people either run from it, or desire it but cannot possess it. Some couples have faced death just to be together. Others have changed existing laws so that they can be married. For some it is a transient arrangement, but for others it is something taken quite seriously.

Till death do us... wait, WHAT? I thought this was a weekend thing Johnny?

For others it is a daunting prospect, the thought of having to mix families, of having to stick it out through thick and thin - facing the years together. Some people cannot fathom the notion of having sex with ONE person for the rest of your life - it is quite a scary thing to contemplate.


To love and to hold, forsaking all others…

If any of you out there have souls, and have watched The Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler, you’ll remember Mr. Gulia, a stereotypical sex-mad jock who can’t see that he’s about to pretend-marry frikkin DREW BARRYMORE in a film, and runs after all kinds of @$$ all the way through the movie. We don’t care though because we all know she’ll end up with the Wedding Singer in the end anyway. Right?  

Yeah I'm a douche, but i'll ALWAYS get the girl.

I know others (Women) who are in it for the bling. They don’t care about the guy at all, they want the prestige of wearing a ring, they want to drown immediately if they fall into a pool… their bejewelled hand simply too heavy to keep afloat… They are not in it for the long-haul, and I’m sure at the first sign of trouble – a deal gone wrong… heaven forbid they lose the Swiss Chalet or the Bentley darling! – they will be gone. And they will take half of everything with them.



I totally love him…OMG - I have the knuckles of a MAN-WHORE!

In South Africa I know of many young people who are desperate to be married but can’t do so for cultural reasons, either the families prescribe to tradition and want a hefty “lobola” or the families are from different cultures and a marriage will be a long and drawn out process – and quite stressful for both families. Some manage to work their way through this while others just give up hope.

Hee hee! I have no problems with this lobola

Now to get to the point: for this article’s sake, let’s pretend that we live in a world where people get married and stay married for a long time. We all love seeing the newspapers celebrating couples who have reached their 50th or 60th anniversaries... we love seeing the "then & now" photographs of their wedding days and present day. At least romantic in me does :o)

Keeping that scenario in mind I ask this: SEX AND MARRIAGE

• How do those couples keep passion alive for 10, 20, 30, 40+ years…

• If you are married, have you managed to stay happily married and passionate for many years?

• Or, have you also slipped into a comfortable lifestyle of semi-celibacy?
 
• How did YOU meet / marry your partner?
 

I know what works for us.

What works for you…

 

Helicopter Crashes in London Vauxhall UK

I have just now read of the helicopter crash in London! My condolences to all affected. Too awful!

2 people killed, 9 injured, 1 in a critical condition and 4 rushed to hospital.

Read the following full article at http://news.sky.com/story/1038710/two-die-as-helicopter-hits-crane-in-vauxhall there is also a live video link as well.

Take care guys, I'll be following up on some of my UK friends to see if they are alright!


Sandy Bigara
www.sandybigara.wix.com/onlinebio












Image: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR3sLATvz6gw98AzGLkLS8uny_pi4qEoUACTN5atRHJl9y9kgZzO5hXI6kB an Agusta 109, believed to be the make of helicopter.
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Madiba Nelson Mandela in Hospital

Nelson Mandela is still in a Private Hospital after being admitted for a lung infection, and a subsequent gall stone removal operation.

Mac Maharaj, South African Presidency spokesperson:
"We urge all South Africans to continue praying for our beloved Madiba during this period."

For more information please follow the link to Eye Witness News:
http://ewn.mobi/news/Local/media-camps-outside-madiba-s-home/19558

Tata, we are praying for you.

Sandy Bigara
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Dlamini spends over R760 000 for 166 nights in five star hotels

Shared via facebook, courtesy of Shehana Gaibie of the Democratic Alliance, Durban.

Dlamini spends over R760 000 for 166 nights in five star hotels

By Mike Waters

9 December 2012
Release: immediate

In the 26 months from June 2009 to August 2011, the Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, spent R764 742 on 145 nights in luxury hotels across the country.

This was revealed in information recently received by the DA in response to a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application submitted to the Department of Social Development in November 2011.

The detailed invoices received by the DA shows that Minister Dlamini has a preference for five and six star establishments such as the Radisson Blu and One and Only Hotels in Cape Town, the Hilton in Durban and Intercontinental Sandton Towers Hotel.

Some of the most extravagant stays included:
4 nights at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town at a cost of R23 346;
10 nights at the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town at a cost of R62 406;
28 nights at the Cricklewood Manor in Pretoria at a cost of R139 494;
11 nights at the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town at a cost of R50 816;
5 nights at the Hilton Durban at a cost of R20 053; and
3 nights at the Hilton Durban at a cost ofR24 624.00
In terms of the Ministerial Handbook, members of the Executive may, for official purposes, occupy one state-owned residence in the capital of their choice free of charge. Members may occupy a second state-owned residence in another capital in which case they pay market-related rent.

I will be submitting parliamentary questions to the Minister of Public Works to determine in which city Minister Dlamini's official residence is. If the Minister has an official residence in the cities where she spent so much time in luxury hotels, I will ask the Public Protector to investigate Minister Dlamini for wasteful expenditure of the nature of which her former and current cabinet colleagues Sicelo Shiceka and Tina Joemat-Pettersson have both been found guilty. I will also ask for information on Minister Dlamini's spending on hotel stays since November 2011.

Minister Dlamini's expensive tastes displays a blatant disregard to the 15 million vulnerable South Africans who live from hand to mouth on the social grants that her department is mandated to manage.

The Minister will have to provide compelling evidence that the close to R770 000 she spent on luxury hotels was not a reckless abuse of public funds.
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