OD11 digital HR - Flipbook - Page 25
NEWS
STEAMY INSPIRATION
A Financial Mail interview with Rovos Rail founder Rohan Vos (1964S) in
August 2024 offered an insight into the backstory of South Africa’s worldrenowned steam-train service. Wanting to take his family around the country
in a carriage at the back of a Spoornet train, he was quoted an “astronomical
figure” for the pleasure. The railway suggested he sell tickets for the experience
to cover the costs. Soon after, Rohan was relaxing in a hot bath “with my Red
Heart rum and Coke close at hand”, when he had a light-bulb moment: he’d
run the rail travel experience himself. That was 35 years ago. Since then,
Rovos Rail has become synonymous with luxury, fine dining and enviable
accommodation on its various routes between South Africa, Namibia and
Tanzania. Last year, Rohan spoke at the Gauteng branch dinner – see p92.
FLYING HIGH
The inaugural South African
Cultural and Creative Industry
Awards took place in Sandton in
March last year. An initiative by
the Department of Sports, Arts and
Culture, they are intended to be “the
most desired cultural recognition
in South Africa”, with significant
prize money on offer. As reported
by News24, Vernon Head (1984O)
scooped the literature prize for his
latest book, On That Wave of Gulls.
This is Vernon’s third book, following
The Search for the Rarest Bird in the
World and A Tree for the Birds. The
ODU hosted a discussion on Gulls
with Vernon in 2023; we look forward
to welcoming him back to talk about
his fourth book in good time!
DEMOCRACY DEFICIT
Haroon Bhorat (1986G), our economist rock star,
has been earning website inches once again, both
locally and abroad. In May 2024, in the lead-up to
South Africa’s 2024 election, the UCT professor and
Sygnia board director told CNN that he believed the
ANC would “struggle to get urban voters to believe
it can turn the economy around” – a prediction
that proved accurate. In December, Daily Maverick
reported that Haroon was one of 19 appointees
to Cyril Ramaphosa’s new Presidential Economic
Advisory Council. We wish him well in the position.
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