SONDOMBILI – the way forward for cheap transport?
Anyone that has been to China or Thailand in the East or Italy in Europe will remember the thousands of scooters and mopeds buzzing around the streets… SONDOMBILI is Zulu for ‘two-wheeler’ – translated into English it means scooter. A scooter generally has an engine displacement of 50cc or less and are loved for their size, fuel-efficiency and cute looks… Some brig…ht sparks in South Africa have a plan to make scooters the cheap transport alternative in a country where the majority of citizens get around by taxi… Check out this article in the Mail &Guardian – but basically sums were done and it is estimated that the average taxi-commuter spends about R750 on fares per month – with this same amount of money the average commuter could purchase a scooter, paying it off easily over a period of three years so not encouraging major debt. Honda and a company called Sondombili Solutions then hatched a clever plan to introduce ‘the Honda Cub scooter, which is renowned for its low fuel consumption and its reliable design.’ ‘Honda and Sondombili have structured an innovative package that will provide commuters with a scooter for R13 695, or just more than R600 per month, plus all the equipment that is necessary to ride a two-wheeler. The purchase price includes training, helmet, gloves and a rain suit as well as a refundable learner’s licence booking fee. Honda SA will provide service and warranty support through its extensive network of motorcycle dealers.’ However, as the Business Report points out, this may be a cunning stunt bur there are already cheaper bikes in existence in ZA – One being the GOMOTO GT125 which will cost you only R6999 and you’ll receive a FREE waterproof gomoto jacket and pants, valued at over R1500 if you order now – check out the site here. Then there’s a cheap scooter imported by JONWAY’s Douglas Jung – the Business Report article tells us that ‘Douglas Jung has been importing scooters from China for a year, including a basic model selling at R8 500 and one with added extras at R11 000.’ The obvious challenges are the weather and the safety of a motorbike – we at REPRESENT think that the concept of them being the next transport solution may have to be targeted at the younger generation who are willing to take risks and set the trend – people that read REPRESENT for example 🙂 Bikes are still considered a WHITE thing – that perception needs to change with some clever advertising and long-term marketing campaigns. But we wish all the scooter companies luck and really do hope that...
MULLET – FASHION OR FAUX PAS?
MULLET’s are not only stout-bodied fish swimming around in rivers or the sea – they are also abominable hair-styles sometimes touted as fashion but more often than not failing dismally into FAUX PAS territory. Just swing by Triomf, Rosentenville or any outlying town in the country and you’re sure to spot one. There are numerous websites dedicated to MULLETS that will cheer you up on any given …Monday – two Represent readers sent in their take on Mullets: Noxyrsox decides it’s time to MULL it over: Go to RATEMYMULLET for a sneak peak. What is it anyways? To say that the mullet is a hairstyle barely even scratches the surface of the issue. The mullet is a way of life, it is a state of mind, it is every person who wears it. Physically it is characterized by short hair on the top, front, and sides of the head, followed by a long drape of hair on the back, reaching even to the middle of the spine. Typical accessories to the mullet include moustaches, scraggly beards and/or goatees, and sunglasses. Research on the mullet phenomena, at this stage, is still in its infancy. However it is suggested by many top laboratories that the mullet, as it slowly reaches maturity, begins to grow tentacles into the brain of the victim. which affect several areas of the brain and fundamentally alter the candidate’s actions and behavioural responses. Said behavioural changes mainly include extreme agression, the proclivity to consume large amounts of alcohol, pedophilia, lack of hygeine, dramatic reduction in inhibitions (often bolstered by the consumption of alcohol), sense of paranoia and distrust towards authority/governmental figures, and most importantly – steadily decreasing IQ levels. I would stress that these are only preliminary details however, and the controversial nature of the theory renders it unsuitable for mass publication. WILLIS looks at the history of where MULLETS come from: Edited extract from MulletsGalore (): The earliest known mullet may be that of the Roman Emperor Tiberius (14-37 AD). A Roman biographer provides the following description of Tiberius: “Tiberius was strongly and heavily built, and above average height. His shoulders and chest were broad, and his body perfectly proportioned from head to toe. His left hand was so strong that he could poke a finger through a sound, newly-plucked apple or into the skull of a boy or young man. He had a handsome, fresh-complexioned face, though subject to occasional rashes of pimples. Letting his back hair grow down over the nape seems to have been a habit of the family to which Tiberius belonged.” Several observations intrigue in addition to the hair reference: Tiberius’...
London calling parties
This Friday, 3 June, is the Jeppe Boys (1995) reunion after-party at London Calling. From midnight, come shoot some pool, listen to some classic 90s tracks and quaff loads of beer. Free entry. On the 4th of June, Platform1 Vol.5 will be presenting the Emergency Hault-Frequency Modulation, a breaking down beat session by JHB’s finest turtablists, …supported by 2 live acts at London Calling. Catch Soul-O-Artist and Deth Kowd with Tha-Kutt, the Phantom Fondler, Nifty and KGB. Drinks specials, happy hours, quarts and pool table available. From 9:30PM. Free entry for ladies before 11:30PM. R30 cover charge. Next Friday, 10 June, Dominion presents the second Rebel Rock party at London Calling. Specially for those who fondly (if not vividly) recall the heyday of inner-city clubbing in the 90’s. happy hours, drinks specials and the ultimate in rebel rock, alternative and indie tunes from top DJs. R20 cover charge from 8PM. London Calling is on the corner of Browning & Op de Bergen Streets (off Commissioner Street) Fairview, Joburg....
ARTISTS GO ACOUSTIC FOR AIDS AWARENESS
Hot property 340ml, Prime Circle, Mafikizolo, Malaika, Mxo and some of Mzantsi’s finest artists have put their talent where their mouths are by coming together on an album called CD4, aimed at raising funds and awareness about HIV/Aids. An intiative of Levi Strauss and Sony-BMG Music Entertainment, the compilation features acousitic versions of …the band’s most popular hits, so it goes without saying that CD4 is hot as hell. The album is produced by Theo Crous, co-founder of the Springbok Nude Girls. So, what is on offer? For starters, Mafikizolo’s Sibongile, 340ml’s Midnight, Mxo’s Sister Kunjani and Godessa’s Mindz Ablaze. Another highlight of the album is a specially written anthem track Sunset River Red, co-written by Theo Crous and songwriter Clinton Gahwiler of Flat Stanley. It features all of the artists in the album....
LA DOLCE VITA – Italians in Orange Grove
I heard about a delicious little Italian deli in Louis Botha avenue the other day that supplies the surrounding Italian community in Orange Grove – Italian community in Orange Grove??? When I thought about it I did remember spotting some genuine Italian old stallions at the Cosa Nostra restaurant in Norwood tuned into RAI TV and drinking grappa all day… I realised they weren’t …tourists here to check out the rampant city regeneration and decided to do some investigating into how the SA-Italian people came to live in Orange Grove… My cruising on the net provided some really interesting titbits – Here are some of the theories… A dynamite factory was built in Modderfontein in the 1880’s and skilled men and women from Italy were brought out by the Nobel-dynamite trust to run the place – they came from Avigliana in Italy where a famous Dynamite factory existed already. “The strong Italian community in Orange Grove traces its origin to those men and women who came out to help run the factory more than a century ago.” For more on this story read here. Another theory – a sad one – Apparently 10 000 Italian prisoners of war were shipped out here in 1941 during World War two – they were highly emotive and in a terrible state in the camps so the then government made up some activities for them to do – one of them was to build the very steep SYLVIA PASS that crosses over from Orange Grove/Louis Botha into Linksfield – they also built Chapman’s Peak in Cape Town and apparently the Hartebeespoort dam – poor buggers. Apparently after their release some of them set up camp in Orange Grove. Whether this is 100% true I am not sure – if there are any Italians in the house do let us know. – here is the take from the SA Military History Society “In April, 1941, the first foreign prisoners-of-war ever to set foot on South African soil landed at Durban. They were Italians, captured in Libya and Abyssinia. This contingent turned out to be merely the fore-runner of tens of thousands more. South Africa had never previously been in the position of having to accommodate prisoners of war. Hysteria is a common occurrence in all prisons and prison camps, and as the Italians are an emotional people, the incidence of hysteria amongst them was relatively high. The manifestations ranged from hysterical blindness and aphonia (loss of speech) to complete paralysis. In order to combat this hysteria and depression amongst the P.O.W. the Welfare Section of the camp, in close co-operation with the medical side,...
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