Hazendal Wine Estate is proud to launch the Artist Series | Limited Edition label. Under the curatorial vision of Khanyisile Mbongwa, the Estate commissioned renowned South African artist, Athi-Patra Ruga, to create the original artwork for the label of the Prestige Brut Cap Classique 2017.

In a limited-edition of only 1500 bottles worldwide, the label was created for the Hazendal

Prestige Brut Cap Classique of the 2017 harvest. The wine is an elegant blend of 62%

chardonnay and 38% pinot noir made from the estate’s grapes, held for seven years on

the lees and degorged with zero dosage in 2024. Set within a hand-crafted African pine

chest and accompanied by a curatorial booklet, the collectible wine will be available for

order on May 12th, 2025.

The Artist Series | Limited Edition bottle is a nuanced harmonisation between important

art and exceptional wine. A leading voice in South African wine writing, Malu Lambert

notes that “the vibrant packaging hints to the bottle’s energetic contents” and gave the

Cap Classique a splendid 94/100 score, with international critics echoing the review.

For enquiries in South Africa, please contact Prosper Gundura at prosper.gundura@

hazendal.co.za, or call +27 (0) 21 903 5034.

For enquiries in United Kingdom and Europe, please contact Daniel Grigg of Museum

Wines at [email protected], or call +44 (0) 125 883 0122.

Critics’ Scores

“The vibrant packaging hints to the bottle’s energetic contents… Fresh, with plenty more

tertiary development to come this will age gracefully for a number of years. Drink to 2030.”

94/100, Malu Lambert

“Quite possibly the most champagne-like Cap Classique I have ever tasted…”

18.5/20, Tamlyn Currin for Jancis Robinson

“Beautiful harmony and balance marry seamlessly with a complex autolytic character…”

95+/100, Greg Sherwood for A Fine Wine Safari

“It’s dry and quite linear, but rich at the same time… Lovely complexity…”

94/100, Dr. Jamie Goode for Wine Anorak

Athi-Patra Ruga

“Resting within the wine’s label, the coil of the embryonic human embodies the threshold one crosses as they unfurl this vintage Cap Classique. In a bubbly barrel, the avatar awaits the opulent emancipation of a champagne flute – the fur tassels moving in an anticipatory traditional Zulu and Nguni dance that lends its name to this work – Indlamu.”

– Athi-Patra Ruga

Khanyisile Mbongwa

“I am fascinated by how Ruga uses myth-making as a modern archaeological tool to examine the repetition of historical violence while crafting narratives of possibility… Indlamu emerges like a mythical creature, its body serving as a vessel of cross-generational wisdom, which we witness unfurling through gestures, provocations, and invitations.”

– Khanyisile Mbongwa

Hazendal Festival

With a commitment to engage and form part of contemporary Africa’s unique and complex multi-cultural context, in 2024 the Estate founded the annual Hazendal Festival. Guided by the vision and provocation of an invited curator, the festival brings together artists, scientists and cultural practitioners to think and create alongside each other. The Artist Series | Limited Edition label emerges from the intellectual, artistic and spiritual dynamics of the festival with the curator commissioning a highly relevant artist to reflect on the creative harvest of the given year’s festival through a single work of art. The inaugural edition was dedicated to the incredible life-fostering qualities of soil. With the hope to grow a meaningful tradition of an annual

festival, the Estate sought to attend to the cross-cultural meanings of the land on which it operates.

The profits from the Artist Series | Limited Edition will be in entirety dedicated to supporting the arts, culture and science industries of South Africa. The Estate is donating 5 percent of all sales to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, and the remaining profits are committed to the organisation of the next edition of the Hazendal Festival, which will take place in early December 2025.

•  The MSC Foundation has officially opened its brand-new Marine Conservation Center at Ocean Cay.
• The state-of-the-art center features a fully equipped Bio Lab, a land-based coral nursery, a multifunctional lecture hall, along with a welcome hub and more.
• Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Honourable Philip Davis, marine biologist Dr Sylvia Earle, and MSC Foundation representatives were among those to officially inaugurate the facility.

The MSC Foundation has today celebrated the official opening of its Marine Conservation Center at Ocean Cay, marking a key milestone in its commitment to coral conservation and marine research in The Bahamas.

The MSC Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center will be a base for biologists, scientists, students and island visitors alike, and will feature interactive pavilions, a lecture hall, a Bio Lab, and a land-based coral nursery.

The new research facility will also provide educational opportunities for visitors on the importance of the marine ecosystem and the critical need to protect coral reefs and will be the hub for the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Reefs Programme.

Launched in 2019, the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Reefs Programme has been driving efforts to help restore coral reefs in the 64-square-mile area around Ocean Cay with coral species that are more resilient to environmental stressors such as rising ocean temperatures.

The opening of the Marine Conservation Center represents a significant investment in the future of The Bahamas, reinforcing the nation’s leadership in marine conservation and sustainable tourism. This facility will not only advance scientific research in line with the parameters authorised by the Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection and in alignment with national priorities of the Ministry of Education, Technical, and Vocational Training, but also provide invaluable educational opportunities for Bahamian students, researchers, and conservationists. Through our partnerships with institutions such as the University of The Bahamas, The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute, and the Perry Institute for Marine Science, the MSC Foundation is helping to equip the next generation of Bahamian environmental stewards with the knowledge and tools needed to protect our oceans.

The Marine Conservation Center was officially opened this morning by the Chair of the MSC Foundation Executive Committee and Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago, with Diego Aponte, MSC Foundation Board Member and MSC Group President,  Rick Sasso, MSC Foundation Ambassador and Chairman MSC Cruises (USA) and MSC Foundation Executive Director Daniela Picco, together with the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Honourable Philip Davis, the Deputy Prime Minister, Honourable I. Chester Cooper and renowned marine biologist Dr Sylvia Earle.

Key Cabinet ministers from The Bahamas, local Bimini Council members, other dignitaries and key stakeholders from The Bahamas were also in attendance, together with other MSC Foundation representatives and partners.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Chair of the MSC Foundation Executive Committee, said

“The opening of our Marine Conservation Center marks a defining moment in our multigenerational commitment to ocean conservation. It brings to life the MSC Foundation’s concrete plans for restoring coral reefs, advancing science, and creating training opportunities for Bahamian and international students. With the continued support of the Government of The Bahamas and local authorities, our work here is contributing to the circular economy through ecosystem preservation, regeneration, and knowledge sharing.”

Dr Sylvia Earle, the renowned marine biologist and founder of Mission Blue, who participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony nearly two years after the NGO designated Ocean Cay as a “Hope Spot” — a site important to ocean health — said: “Bravo to MSC and the MSC Foundation for creating the Marine Conservation Center at Ocean Cay, a treasured Mission Blue Hope Spot. The Center is a place to discover why the ocean matters to everyone, everywhere, and to inspire actions that can be taken to restore and care for the vast blue realm that makes possible the existence of life— humankind very much included.”

The new facility features a fully equipped bio-lab and The Aquaria, a dedicated land-based coral nursery housing 22 coral tanks to support restoration efforts. It also boasts a 50-seat lecture hall, providing a space for educational programmes and scientific collaboration.

The center’s Welcome Hub and Discovery Pavilion will also offer immersive experiences for visitors, including guided tours, interactive exhibits, and hands-on coral restoration activities, fostering a deeper connection to marine conservation.

Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation, stated:
“This facility will connect marine scientists, educators, and the public, annually supporting up to 30 marine science students from four universities.  By strengthening partnerships with Bahamian and international experts, engaging the wider community and making a bridge to hundreds of thousands of island visitors, we have laid foundations for lasting ocean stewardship and meaningful conservation efforts.”

About the Super Coral Reefs Programme

The Foundation began collaborating with the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University in 2020 to develop the Super Coral Reefs Programme through Florida-based graduate internships in marine science.  Since 2022, we have been focusing on identifying hardy species of coral at Ocean Cay, conducting research in accordance with parameters of permits authorised by The Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, and propagating such types of coral species, mainly focusing on critically endangered elkhorn coral. The work builds upon MSC Cruises’ multi-year restoration of Ocean Cay’s marine ecosystem, which began when the company started redeveloping the former sand-mining site. The 64 square miles of waters around the island have since flourished. With the opening of the new Marine Conservation Center, the Foundation is scaling up its efforts.

Among the Super Coral Reefs Programme’s successes to date:

• Identifying high thermal resilience in some genetic populations of corals, focusing on critically endangered Elkhorn coral.
• Developing techniques to grow corals in open-water nurseries.
• Successful start to outplanting resilient corals, aiming to increase outplanting capacity over the coming years to 6000 corals annually.
• 100% survival of nursery-grown corals during the unprecedented marine heatwave of summer 2023.

South African Airways (SAA) on Wednesday shared details of its preliminary investigation into the recent cyberattack on its digital systems, but it is just the latest national public entity to fall victim to an accelerating pattern of targeted breaches. The fact that flight operations were not impacted is commendable. But we must stop celebrating near misses and start confronting a much starker reality: South Africa is flying without a cybersecurity safety net.

In a country where key infrastructure has already been flagged as vulnerable by numerous parties and even as part of the country’s greylisting by the FATF, the announcement this week of a “digital transformation roadmap” for government ironically lands against the backdrop of yet another breach. The ambition to centralise and digitise the state’s service delivery is admirable – but it will introduce scale, complexity, and risk at levels our national cyber strategy is not yet equipped to contain.

The breach at SAA is significant not just because of the systems hit, but because of what it tells attackers: that critical infrastructure in South Africa is a soft target. Every successful attack reinforces this perception – and every delay in implementing the promised National Cybersecurity Authority invites more.

At Nclose, a member of Integrity360, we’ve seen this up close. Threat actors are no longer probing for weaknesses in the obvious places. They’re exploiting the blind spots between third parties, legacy infrastructure, and underfunded security postures. They move laterally, stay silent, and when they strike, the incident response clock is already well underway.

The assumption that cybersecurity is an “IT issue” has long expired. What SAA, the SABS, SAWS, the NHLS, and others have in common is that they are national assets – their digital risk is economic risk. It affects supply chains, reputations, and investor confidence. A hit on an airline or standards body isn’t isolated. It has ripple effects across industries and global partnerships.

If we want to stop being surprised by breaches, we need to stop assuming the status quo is good enough. Resilience starts with visibility: knowing what systems you have, what data they hold, and where your exposures are. Then comes testing – not once a year, but continuously. And finally, response readiness: having not just a plan, but the muscle memory to execute it under pressure.

The government’s timeline of delivering a full national cybersecurity authority by 2028 is too far away. In the meantime, we need practical collaboration between public and private sectors, sharing threat intelligence and bolstering the real-time defence capabilities of entities that form the backbone of our country’s functionality.

This isn’t about panic. It’s about preparation. Because if attackers are iterating, so must we. If they’re automating, so must we. And if they’re coming – and they are – then every unpatched system, every under-resourced IT team, every untested response plan is a liability South Africa can no longer afford.

Douwe Egberts, a leading coffee brand in South Africa, is excited to announce the launch of its new 230g refill pouch. This innovative packaging solution offers consumers 15% more coffee at no extra cost, addressing the growing demand for value and convenience.

Designed with coffee lovers in mind, the new 230g refill pouch provides a more cost-effective way for South Africans to enjoy their favourite Douwe Egberts coffee. Designed for practicality, the pouch allows for easy refilling of the brand’s iconic glass jars, which can be upcycled and reused, supporting more sustainable consumption habits.

Mbulelo Mashilo, Brand Manager at Douwe Egberts, noted that the new pouch addresses consumer demand for both quality and value. Consumers are looking for ways to save without compromising on the taste and quality they know and love. The 230g refill pouch was developed to meet this need by offering more product at the same price,” said Mashilo.

He added that the pouch also supports the brand’s sustainability focus. “The refill pouch encourages the reuse of our glass jars, helping reduce packaging waste and giving old jars a new purpose in consumers’ homes.”

Hailey van Niekerk, Marketing Lead at Douwe Egberts, explained that rising coffee prices – driven largely by extreme weather conditions in Brazil and Vietnam – have affected global coffee supply and pricing. To help cushion the impact, Douwe Egberts have launched the 230g refill pouch, which offers the equivalent of 16 extra cups of coffee at no additional cost.

Key benefits of the new 230g refill pouch include:

• 15% more product, 16 extra cups of coffee at no additional cost, offering consumers better value for money
• Convenient refill solution that makes it easy for consumers to enjoy their favourite Douwe Egberts coffee
• A sustainable alternative, supporting waste reduction through upcycling

The Douwe Egberts 230g refill pouch is available at leading retailers nationwide.

For more information, visit: https://www.douwe-egberts.co.za/products/

Over the past decade, brands everywhere have embraced gamification – layering game-like elements over user experiences to nudge participation. It’s worked (mostly), driving habit formation and engagement. But let’s be honest: it’s getting stale. Everyone from your dentist to your local pet food brand has an app with badges and points. The novelty is gone.

If you’re chasing real immersion, emotional connection, and attention that sticks – you don’t need elements of a game. You need an actual game.

So, should brands be building games?

That’s the question we posed to the team at Sea Monster, South Africa’s premier serious games studio, in a recent exclusive webinar for VML clients. Their answer? A confident, unequivocal yes. And judging by the buzz among attendees, this idea is hitting a nerve.

What’s holding brands back?

Globally, the most deleted apps in 2024 were Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X. Meanwhile, gaming hit an all-time high, with 3.6 billion people regularly playing some sort of game. People now spend more time playing games than they do scrolling social media or watching TV, and the gaming industry is bigger than film and music combined. So why aren’t brands flooding into this space?

Because of three persistent myths:

1/ Our customers aren’t gamers: Wrong. The image of a 15-year-old boy with a headset is outdated. The fastest-growing gaming segment? Men over 50. The biggest spenders? Women aged 35–55 – a.k.a. the “Candy Crush generation”. And don’t forget Wordle – played a staggering 4.8 billion times in 2023. (Not a typo)

2/ Fun and games aren’t serious marketing: Also wrong. Games aren’t just sticky – they’re strategic. Real-world examples include a 37% increase in basket size or 90% voucher redemption rates. Games let you tell immersive brand stories while customers voluntarily spend time with you. That’s not distraction – that’s devotion.

3/ It’s too expensive for us: It doesn’t have to be. From lightweight web games to full-blown metaverse experiences, games – just like any other channel – are scalable. You could build a mobile-friendly HTML5 game for less than a social campaign or go big with an interactive world on Roblox. Bonus: game ROI is measurable – think dwell time, replay rate, conversions, and even real-world purchases triggered by in-game actions.

Where to start? Think like a marketer…

The rules haven’t changed. Start with strategy:

• What’s the business problem?
• What’s the behaviour you want to shift?
• What outcome are you tracking?

If the answer involves deeper, more meaningful, more memorable engagement, a game could be your best move.

Here’s how games can slot into the funnel:

Awareness: Break through ad fatigue with something worth playing. A web game where players catch falling ingredients to unlock a product discount? Simple, scalable, and way more fun than another banner ad.

Consideration: Let people learn by playing. Games allow brands to tell stories in an engaging, immersive way that sticks with the customer. Because they’ve opted in, you avoid the pitfalls of disruptive advertising and get to spend more time with the customer. They also create better quality leads, who’ve already opted in and been educated on the brand. A skincare brand could have users matching products to skin types in a quiz-style game, building trust and driving education.

Conversion: Turn interactions into actions. A bank could gamify financial education, helping users find their “money persona” and suggesting products accordingly. Bonus points if rewards are unlocked IRL.

Loyalty: Games keep people coming back and build communities around the shared experience. Add levels, rewards, exclusive access, and watch your loyalty programme go from boring to bingeable.

Why now?

Because attention is the scarcest resource in marketing today. And games are one of the few formats where people voluntarily spend time – and come back for more.

Want your brand to be remembered? Maybe it’s time to play.