Well let me be honest from personal experience i deliberately avoided RJ’s due to poor service i experienced a while back (+-2 years or so) but I was nagged to pop along and tryout the “Bottomless Rib Special”. Reluctant but thirsty I tagged along and met-up with some friends. Must say my first impression was pleasing, sofaing away in the smoking section on those brown leather couches, very relaxing must say. This time around i was served with a cold one without waiting (don’t you just hate waiting). Finally all of the crew were accounted for and we moved over to our table, with only one thing in mind “Taming the Hunger Beast”, we immediately ordered the special of the day “Bottomless Ribs” hmmmmm.. nice and before long… Bam we were served and dug in and oh boy was it yummy. I can honestly say the meat was succulently juicy and tender (definitely not road kill..) they just kept coming  and we chowed down, Our waiter called upon the table regularly and made sure we were 100% satisfied, and we were.  I invite you to give RJ’s a visit and tryout those  succulent ribs and decide for yourself……. Lastly to the Management and staff of RJ’s Shelly Beach well done guys, you made our nite out worth it 10/10

Popularity: 31% [?]

Fashion experts gathered at the “old” Durban Club, now known as The Manor House, on 15 October 2009 for the annual Sanlam SA Fashion Week Summer Collection. Though the Durban Club used to be a gentleman’s club it was strange that this venue was specifically selected to host a show where beautiful models could be seen on the catwalk.

Among the fashion designers, well known Durban designer Francois Vedemme’s collection revealed an amazing range with his usual attention to detail, beautiful crystals, vibrant colors and textures all adding a modern twist to his garments.

Francois Vedemme’s collection consisted of 16 garments, each one individual and unique in its own way. The collection captured the audience, and was received with great enthusiasm and respect for his creative talent.

East Coast Radio’s Terence Pillay gave a great review about the show and nominated Francois Vedemme as his winner of the week…. “an amazing iconic designer who could show his ranges on any catwalk in the world…..London, Paris, New York…what an achievement for a local designer!”

Popularity: 86% [?]

And so the story continues…. from here

It is not surprising that most venues makes a good first impression especially when you arrive there and already had a few beers. This is exactly the reason i decided to do a followup visit (starting sober) and invited a few friends to experience Mafioso. Things were a bit different this time around, personally i thought the staff were not as friendly and helpful as before. You see we were a crowd of 8 and two couches were not enough, so i asked one of the waitress if they could move a couch so that we could all sit together and man what a mission, after a long discussion and a lot of frustration our 3rd couch arrived and everybody was comfortable. The point is why did we have to make such an issue about this in the first place? Is it because Marline were absent and they did not care about the every need of the customer or did she have a bad day….. I must say my food was divine and the steak were exactly as i ordered med-rare, juicy and well presented. I still feel this is a good restaurant to go and relax but feel that consistently having the same attitude and maintain a certain standard is crucial people, we can not be so stuck-up if ” The Boss” is not present, other than that i will rate Mafioso 8/10 but this is what some of my friends had to say…

Cindy said…

Décor – 10/10

Atmosphere – 10/10

Staff in General – 8/10

Waiter – 8/10

Food – 8/10

Price – 5/10

The Roasted chicken breast salad was very tasteful, but for a bowl full of lettuce, with a little bit tomato, greenpepper, some other greens & a couple of nuts with very little chicken breast, I think R 38-00 is a bit over the top.

Apart from the price of the salad, the atmosphere is fantastic. I will definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Evert said…

Décor – 7/10

Atmosphere – 7/10

Staff in General – 8/10   ( Sorry I was giving the head waitress the eye …hee hee)

Waiter – 6/10

Food – 7/10

Price – 6/10

I had a Sirlion Steak (250Gram) with “mash” and some vegetables with mushroom sauce … Sirlion was perfect as I asked for it ….

I will eat there again, if not only to see Cheryl again ..the head waitress

BUT R18.00 for a can of Liquid Fruit Orange juice !!!!  REALLY !!!!

Also the chairs might be a bit low for the height impaired people …

Brian said….

Mafioso boasts a very pleasant atmosphere decked with a mid 1900’s Chicago theme.  It looks like the type of place that one could call back at regularly.  Couches outside, spacious table arrangements and a small, but well stocked pub.

It seems, one of Al Capone’s sidekicks,  (The one that got away)  migrated to South Africa to live out the rest of his life as a barman at Mafioso’s.  He looks a little pissed off about something too.  Maybe it’s an age thing.

The waitrons look as is they were born a little more recently though.  The youngest (looking) one looks like he only did the birth canal rapids about 16 years ago.  He was our waiter.

The rest made up a cheer leading team of Mafia boss’s daughters and their brother, a lovely bunch of youngsters none the less.

The couches on the pavement are most comfortable and without cigarette burn-marks, for two reasons.. 1.They’re new and 2. You’re not allowed to smoke there!!!

The atmosphere was spoiled a little by management’s noble adherence to the law, which resulted in us performing the ‘nag appie’ dance for a smoke over at the 25 meter mark.  Thank goodness for Pieter and his electronic cigarette!

The food was tasty, a little more dear than your average LSC restaurant, but not unreasonable.  Served by the cheerleaders .  It kept warm on oven hot plates. My fillet was cooked to perfection, medium-rare as requested and the mushroom sauce was divine.

A traditional desert trolley did its rounds, provoking bodily function control challenges between keeping the drool in and the pounds off.

Overall, a pleasant experience, but not one that would wake me from a deep sleep with feelings of passion.

Judy said…

Décor – 9/10

Atmosphere – 9/10

Staff in General – 8/10

Waiter – 8/10

Food – 8/10

Price – 8/10

Had Pork medallions with roasted mushrooms (very, very yummy – wanted to order another serving). The Tiramisu was to die for. Love the place – can sit there for hours. Will definitely recommend same to my friends. The more the merrier!!!!

Lehandra said…

Décor – 9/10

Atmosphere – 8/10

Staff in General – 7/10

Waiter – 7/10

Food – 9/10

Price – 5/10

Décor and atmosphere is really nice.  Prices very high, compared to other Restaurants.  They should drop on their markup, this should attract more customers.  Staff should be more service orientated.  Waiter spoke too soft.  Other than that it was an enjoyable visit.

Well there you have it, Mafioso 8/10  we will be reviewing some more venues in the months to come so stay tuned

Popularity: 36% [?]

Ever thought of losing your identity? Have you ever considered just letting go? Starting your life from scratch – non-financially speaking of course. You’re sick and tired of your old life.

You have a hatred towards those after you. Those that pester and bother you for things. You just need that itching escape.

Well, it’s a stark reality. Reading this article really opened my eyes to what some selfish individuals attempt.

The problem with today’s crazy take on just… life in the Western eyes… is well, difficult. Let’s face it – we all need to escape somehow. Some of us will take a well-deserved holiday on our proposed “holiday-leave”. We escape stresses… in our own mischievous manners.

Some take it to the very extreme. Some evade [try] society but the guilt and anxiety and lies just come back and will bite you eventually…

Thanks to Evan Ratliffe for the great read.

Click here for the full article. It’s a lengthy piece though bored you will not be…

Popularity: 36% [?]

What a weekend.

Event-wise, I am completely satisfied. I had no doubts about not having a potentially CRAZY time away.

Namely, “The Village”, held in a remote, picturesque venue is just the perfect location for a wild, wild trance party. No limits, no working, no haters and just complete, ultimate psychedelic euphoria.

Needless to say, it was one amazing time.

Let me attempt to describe or paint a picture of what a trance party is. And can be.

Set outdoors, these party’s happen in Cape Town during the Spring time. When the weather warms up, the dams start to fill, the weather starts to warm up and everything starts to glow. One thousand people [perhaps a quarter hippies] escape with their tents [booze] onto a protected piece of land and a stone’s throw away is a colourful dance floor.

The Village was held at Flenterskloof Farm, about 25 minutes outside of Stellenbosch. A great group of friends, great vibes and good attitudes all make it really worthwhile.

These types of events are so well co-ordinated and props go to the organizers for selecting the perfect venue, the BEST local trance DJ talent, the best artwork, great stalls and top facilities. Even though I was inebriated for most of the one-night two-day party, these small perfections I could pick up behind my stupor. Shweet.

Now let’s not go confusing a trance party with a “rave”. Unfortunately, these party’s have attracted the likes of real youngsters.

People who suddenly have a profound interest in the “Rasta Irie Vibe Bru”, like to gatecrash these events. I’m not defaming anyone here, what I’m trying to state is that these events unfortunately go commercially mainstream. Think Vortex or Earthdance. I’d still probably go to these, but they’re way too wide scale. I suppose one could blame Facebook for something like this.

“Log into Facebook – “Ooo, 1 new event invitation!” – R.S.V.P. “Attending” – Signed, sealed and delivered!

Something like that.

I’m not being a rebel either. It’s just a  human observation. Probably my sixth sense kicking in or something. Who knows.

My babble aside, it was a party to erm… remember. I look forward to the next one!

The Village had [has] a really intimate feel to it. With not too many people, a comfortable venue and a time away from civilization… it’s a great treat. Tickets costed R130… but I ended up spending substantially more [like the insidious fool I am!]… no regrets here.

Time to revert! Dam!

Jaydogg out.

Popularity: 46% [?]

Crime in South Africa has reached unprecedented levels, which includes “white-collar” crime. In fact our own Police Commissioner – Mr. Jackie Selebe – has been associated with white-collar crime.

Though the financial costs of white-collar crimes far exceed the value of street crimes, it is logic that “street crimes” have priority to that of “suit crimes” – as the former has an immediate threat to our safety. Truth is that our prisons are “over stocked” with those who have committed violent crimes. As such white-collar criminals are often given a mere slap on the wrist. What is interesting is that white-collar crime threatens the relationship of trust between citizens and government as well as employers and employees.

Cognizance should be taken that all criminal behavior, whether violent or deceit and concealment, requires a motive and opportunity. It is, however, difficult to understand why trusted and well paid employees would jeopardize their position by stealing from their employers. We must assume that white-collar crimes are committed due to the desire for financial gain or alternatively an unexplained psychological disorder.

White-collar criminals, on the other hand, may justify their behavior by claiming that nobody has been hurt by their actions. This statement is debatable as in the case of embezzlement the continuous action thereof can ultimately lead to retrenchments.

The general perception of the South African public is that the police and criminal justice systems are simply not equipped to attend to such cases. In actual fact our police have admitted to this and called for an alliance with the private sector in addressing the matter.

It is imperative to comprehend that the effects of white-collar crimes are filtered through society. As a result insurance premiums rise significantly due to false claims, tax policy amendments due to tax evasion may be implemented, possible retrenchments due to the erosion of funds and most important the loss of trust between individuals or entities.

White-collar crime is to be dealt with in a serious light. As such a proactive crime prevention strategy is required. This may be time-consuming, difficult to implement and require changes to an existing organizational structure. In the business world, ethical behavior by a company’s personnel is determined by the example set by top management. It is thus necessary for the top structure of an organization to create a code of ethics which includes a commitment to expose fraudulent action. In addition and environment of transparency, integrity and accountability must be created which will assist organizations in combating white-collar crime.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Charges against four University of the Free State students over a videotaped racist incident have not been withdrawn, UFS rector Jonathan Jansen says.

Popularity: 10% [?]

The police system was to blame for former police officer Marius van der Westhuizen killing his three children, the Western Cape High Court heard on Monday.

The incident could have been avoided if police officials were trained in how to deal with severe stress, defence attorney Milton de la Harpe told the court.

Judge Willem Louw reminded De la Harpe on Monday that Van der Westhuizen did request and receive psychotherapy prior to the triple murder.

Van der Westhuizen, former officer in command at the charge office at the Claremont police station is to be sentenced on Thursday for the murder of his three children.

Two were from his marriage to his present wife Charlotte and one was from a previous marriage.

According to the evidence, Van Der Westhuizen had had previous episodes of depression and had been booked off work twice, the judge said.

Depressive personality

De la Harpe said van der Westhuizen had been diagnosed as having a depressive personality, and was a “pleaser” – always anxious to assist others.

The policeman was also regarded by his subordinates as a perfectionist, and someone who would “rather die than not go to work”.

At the time of the shooting, he was mentally disturbed, De la Harpe said.

De la Harpe said police policy was that if a police official was in need of help, such as psychotherapy, he had to seek such assistance himself.

De la Harpe said the kind of incident concerned would happen again unless the police system was changed to take care of police officials having to face stressful situations.

Popularity: 13% [?]

The government on Tuesday ordered a cut in mobile phone charges by the end of November, saying it had been forced to act because the communications regulator would not do so.

Siphiwe Nyanda, Minister of Communications, directed the regulator to lower interconnection rates, the charge made by operators to transfer calls to rival networks. It gave no details.

The ministry said South African communications costs were higher than those charged by peers like South Korea, Malaysia and India.

Vodacom, South Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator, said a dramatic reduction of charges would hit the government’s aim of improving access and would disrupt the economy and communications industry.

At the same time, parliament’s communications committee is sounding out reaction to its campaign for lower interconnection fees.

Committee chairperson Ismail Vadi said its actions were not political interference but an attempt to deal with the communications regulator’s failure to cut prices.

The committee has proposed interconnection rates should be cut to 60c per minute during peak times by November and then by a further 15c annually until 2012. Operators currently charge each other R1.25 per minute during peak times.

- Reuters

Popularity: 10% [?]

The University of Stellenbosch’s racial transformation programme leaves much to be desired, chair of the National Assembly’s higher education portfolio committee Marius Fransman said on Tuesday.

Fransman was speaking in Stellenbosch following a university presentation to the committee on issues including language and the numbers and pass rates of black students.

Rector Russel Botman told the MPs that the university had adopted a policy which would allow undergraduate students to be taught in either English or the university’s traditional language Afrikaans, but with the proviso that they would be exposed to the other language.

He said that in 2008, 48% of the university’s postgraduate students were black, but only 24% of undergraduates.

This figure, which had grown only slightly over the past 14 years, was “the sad story of Stellenbosch”, and the university wanted to increase it to 34% by 2015.

This would be quite a challenge and also very expensive, as Stellenbosch, unlike the University of Cape Town, did not attract middle and upper class black students.

Eighty four percent of this year’s black students at Stellenbosch needed financial assistance.

Botman said the university was also seeking to improve the academic performance of its black students.

More beds in residences

It had set up a special academy to track first year students throughout that year, monitoring their progress and offering support.

Research had shown that students living in residences performed better than those who had to travel to the university every day, and with black students in mind, 1 056 beds would be added to the approximately 6 000 already available in residences.

The number of black African academic staff stood currently at 4%, most of them at junior levels, but the university had plans to raise this by 15% by 2015.

Coloured staff made up 34% of the total, and whites 62%.

The university would next year announce a major fundraising drive for infrastructure, which would open up more spaces for students and staff of colour.

Fransman said after Botman’s presentation that he was concerned that the university’s transformation vision was “too mediocre”.

Racial under-representation

He had a view, which could be wrong, that the university left very much to be desired in terms of a non-racial agenda.

The reality was that there was a complete racial under-representation, he said.

Other members of the committee echoed his views, with African National Congress MP Sbusiso Radebe saying 2015 was too long to wait.

The university had to be able to show achievements this year and in 2010, he said.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Fransman said the committee broadly agreed with the thrust of the university 2015 vision.

“However, I do believe that the issues around the implementation, around the language policy, we need to rev up its implementation in the shortest space of time.”

Botman had to be supported in his efforts to achieve greater integration, and to move away from Stellenbosch’s historic Afrikaans-only language policy.

“We must get everyone, in particular black students, to feel that they can actually access this institution, that they can be involved in this institution and that they can excel in this institution.

“So there is an issue around in a sense the culture and the environment at this institution that needs to in a sense radically change.”

- SAPA

Popularity: 15% [?]