| January 10, 2009 |
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 Paint and verse forge fresh bond for arty couple Yolandé Hayward WEEKEND POST REPORTER HIS day job is putting criminals behind bars, but when this Bay senior prosecutor has a spare moment, he sets free his creative side. Born and raised in Port Elizabeth, Chris Nel studied law at the former University of Port Elizabeth (now NMMU). In 1972, after completing his studies, he was confronted with a choice between the two great passions in his life – the law and writing. Nel had to choose between becoming a journalist or joining the department of justice. Because entering the legal profession felt like a more secure career move to him at the time, he decided to accept the department‘s offer. Five days later he married the love of his life, Riana, without realising how their creative sides would later form an even more special bond between them. In 1991 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) – an auto-immune disease that targets the nervous system and delays or cuts off messages between brain and body. She started painting as a therapeutic way of dealing with her illness. This inspired Nel, who is also an eager amateur actor, to dust off his pen and paper and begin writing again. Since then he has completed about 25 poems and “hundreds are works in progress”. Sometimes the couple‘s creativity intertwines. It has happened that when he has conjured up a striking poem, she has painted a portrait to match. Then again, when she has completed a special painting he‘ll write about it. “We have found special companionship in art,” Nel explained. Their work was featured in an exhibition at the Blou Vrou gallery in Summerstrand recently. The theme of the exhibition was “paint and verse” so the couple decided to exhibit their work together. Nel has had some of his poems published and won a competition with a poem he wrote about a bottle of South African wine he discovered in a liquor store in New York. “I‘m addicted to poetry,” he says. He is also a member of the Alliance Francaise and takes to the stage in the organisation‘s productions. The couple‘s creativity has rubbed off on their children. Their son, Dirk, is a talented music composer while their daughter, Sonja Cilliers, is a charted accountant who recently took on the job as editor of a new children‘s magazine.
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Fitting start to ANC campaign THIS year, South Africa faces its most important political challenge since 1994. May‘s national election will be a watershed event – one that will decide the path of South Africa‘s future and affect the lives of millions. It is fitting that the ANC, which celebrated its 97th birthday on Thursday – has chosen to kick off its election campaign for such a momentous occasion in the Eastern Cape, with the launch of its manifesto in East London today. The province is seeped in struggle history and has long been regarded as the homeland and heartbeat of the fight for democracy. And although the ANC‘s current leaders, Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe, do not originate from here, it is interesting that they clearly regard the support of the Eastern Cape as key for the national success of the party.... 
By George! Family trip serves up a rare treat Gillian McAinsh HAVE you ever gone to a new restaurant with friends or family and every single one of you thinks that their choice of meal is the best? It‘s a rare but happy event but that‘s just what happened on a recent family holiday down the Garden Route when we lunched at Margot‘s Bistro in George.... 
Bay United face stern challenge in high-flying Wits Chumani Bambani WEEKEND POST REPORTER BAY United will be looking at collecting all the points on offer when they face Bidvest Wits at the EPRU Stadium tomorrow.... 
Fresh layoffs loom as new car sales crash to a four-year low Bob Kernohan NEW vehicle sales crashed to a four- year low in South Africa last year, their most dramatic plunge ever in percentage terms. Releasing its full-year and December sales figures yesterday, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa) said an already poor year ended on a “dismally weak note”. The industry umbrella body said new vehicle sales in December – including those not reported in detail to Naamsa – dropped to 32765, which it described as “a massive decline” of 12162 vehicles – or 27,1 per cent compared to 44927 in the same month in 2007.... 
Corporate drama pushes the limits Clive Muller SET in the heart of the high-stakes world of business in South Africa, The Lab is back to expose the dramatic tensions in the underbelly of the corporate world. And a string of new actresses have joined the ensemble to spice up things on the show.... |
