2016
The fifth Consular Ball was a great success yet again. This year the black-tie event was held on 22 October in the glamorous stately Ballroom at the Kelvin Grove Club in Newlands, and the theme was all about having fun. It was attended by 280 guests, consisting of ambassadors, consuls general and honorary consuls from a record-breaking 25 countries. The mayor’s office, Independent Newspapers and the local business community also supported the stellar event.
This year the Corps raised a solid amount of R700 000. The local charities that benefited are the The Durbanville Orphanage – the second oldest orphanage in SA; the Independent Newspapers Bursary Fund for underprivileged young people, Proud Partners – a NGO who focuses on disadvantaged children’s development and The Foundation for Positive Change – a NGO who helps families deal with the effects of trauma or crisis since 1994.
The witty and entertaining TV presenter Katlego Maboe was this year's MC. Three amazing acts entertained the guests – the Zip Zap Circus performed their international award-winning
Joka Boys Bench Act; Paint Addiction did an incredible speed painting of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Alistair Izobell and his cast members performed feet-tapping songs from the hit show Remembering the Lux. As a surprise for the guests, the Dean and Consul General of Switzerland presented five Swatch watches to five lucky guests who happened to be in the right seats.
Auction Items
The main event was the unconventional auction of unique items, again led by SA’s leading female auctioneer and multiple award winner Ariella Kuper of Clear Asset. Some of the unusual items that was auctioned off included:
- The Consul of Italy, Alfonso Tagliaferri, holds a sensory Italian dining experience for 12 people at his private residence.
- The acclaimed Zip Zap Circus performs their award-winning acrobatic Joka Boys Bench Act at the highest bidder's home.
- A personal experience with SA's famous artist Dylan Lewis. The highest bidder gets a beautiful Leopard Print, as well as a guided tour by the artist through his magnificent Sculpture Garden in Stellenbosch.
- A traditional British Tea hosted by the British High Commissioner, Dame Judith Macgregor, in the garden of her historic Bishopscourt residence, followed by a night's stay in the 5-star Taj Hotel.
- 6 People experience the nightly annual blooming of the only Amazon Victoria water-lily in SA in the company of wildlife celebrity Dave Pepler, while enjoying a picnic prepared by top chef Bertus Basson.
- A private tour and night's stay at the historic Sait Halim Pasa Mansion in Istanbul, not available to ordinary tourists.
- A Vodka & Caviar tasting followed by a Russian dinner hosted by the Russian Consul General, Roman Ambarov, at his private residence.
- 2 Nights at Dr Christo Wiese's exclusive Kalahari Oryx Game Reserve near Upington, including game drives and clay-pigeon shooting.
- A unforgettable traditional lunch with Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout and Pieter-Dirk Uys at Evita's Perron in Darling.
- 3 Collections of sought-after red wines by the Distell Group, all signed by the wine masters and packaged in hand-made wooden boxes.
- An enormous traditional Asado Paraguayo braai hosted by the Honorary Consul of Paraguay, Mirella Kruger, at her private residence.
- A 5 day safari in Rwanda with Dave Pepler and Francois, the guide who accompanied the late Dian Fossey from the film Gorillas in the mist, who will lead them to meet the gorillas in the wild.
Tombola
The Tombola again consisted of items donated by the various consulates. It offered these unique prizes:
- From France – a case of Moet et Chandon Champagne.
- From France – a case of Moet et Chandon Champagne.
- A case of His Excellency red wine produced in Paarl by theAmbassador of the Russian Federation.
- From Romania – a traditional handmade Bota Bag, filled with Romanian schnapps.
- From Georgia - a traditional toasting horn that is passed around among guests to make various toasts.
- From Belgium - handmade chocolates.
- From Colombia - a Mochila bag made by the Wayuu Indians.
- Two return flights from Cape Town to Walvis Bay courtesy of Air Namibia with four night’s accommodation at the Strand Hotel and Legacy Hotel in Swakopmund.
- Two return tickets from Edelweiss Air.
In The Media





Video shown at the ball featuring Proud Partners









Photos

Auction item: A sensory Italian dining experience hosted by Alfonso Tagliaferri​

Auction item: Zip Zap Circus performance

Auction item: British Tea hosted by Dame Judith Macgregor

Auction item: Artist Dylan Lewis personal experience

Auction item: Annual blooming of the Amazon Victoria water-lily with Dave Pepler

Auction item: A private tour of the Sait Halim Pasa Mansion in Istanbul

Auction item: 2 Nights at Dr Christo Wiese's Kalahari Oryx Game Farm

Auction item: A Vodka & Caviar tasting & dinner by Roman Ambarov

Auction item: Lunch with Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout & Pieter-Dirk Uys

Auction item: 3 Collections of red wines by the Distell Group

Auction item: Safari in Rwanda with Dave Pepler and Francois

Auction item: A traditional Asado Paraguayo braai hosted by Mirella Kruger

Master of Ceremonies Katlego Maboe

Auctioneer Ariella Kuper in action

The Zip Zap Circus takes a bow

The Zip Zap Circus performing their Joka Boys Bench Act

Paint Addiction doing their speed painting

Paint Addiction with their speed painting of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Alistair Izobell and his cast members entertaining the guests

Alistair Izobell and his cast members performing songs from his show Remembering the Lux

Eloise Liebetrau (Air Namibia), Prieur du Plessis (Hon Consul
General: Slovenia), winner of Air Namibia’s two return flights, with Isabel Verwey and Theodore Grunewald (Consul General: Namibia)

Cosmina Ionescu, Rev Mpho Tutu & Andrei Zaharescu (Consul General: Romania)


Geoffery & Heidi Ashmead (Honorary Consul: Slovakia), David & Joan Mcleod

Martina Popkiss (Edelweiss Air) & Jean Vavara (winner of two return flights)

Marioara De La Tara (Wild Olive) with the winner of the Romanian Tombola item

Jean Vavara, Mialy Ramicison, Lydia Indrianjafy (Consul General:
Madagascar), Michelle & Rado Andriamahatana
Madagascar), Michelle & Rado Andriamahatana
Alexey Egorov, Denis Belous, Alexey Enyagin, Taisiia Rylova, Olga Soldatenkova (Consul General: Russia), Roman Ambarov, Elena & Alexander Ivashchenko and Vitaly Soldatenkov

Sandy Naude (group executive: Direct Advertising and Community Newspapers, Independent Media)

Dr Elsa Verwey, Gys Verwey & Ella Keyter

Alexander & Christa Kirmse, Nigel Brown, Bernadette Hunkeler Brown (Consul General: Switzerland), Alex & Sheila Camerer
Front row: Martina Popkiss, Titilayo Adedokun-Helm & Karin Duncker

Eliana Baxter, Anthony and Lindy Howell, Agustin Santos (Consul General: Spain), Lola Rivera, Jenny Heiberg, Jonathan & Rhonda Silke

Elizabeth Peterson, Soraya Joonas, Kam & Raj Lochan, Grant Davidson, Khalid Abdulla, Mukhtar Joonas (Hon Consul: Mauritius)

Nick & Liesbet Koornhof, Zara & Edward Roman (Consul General: United Kingdom), Michelle & Cedric Frolick

Dimitri & Dimitra Philipplu, Dimitri Caldis, Metaxia & John Carvounes, Ioannis & Evie Kritzas.
Front row: Belinda Caldis, Samantha & Johnny Philippou (Hon Consul: Cyprus)

Xavier & Laurence D'argoeuves (Consul: France), Jonathan & Nikki Jacobs (Hon Consul: Sri Lanka), Agata Karolina, Alfonso Tagliaferri, (Consul: Italy), Laura and Vittorio Bravo (Hon Consul: Chile)

Karen Poetzl, Dennis De La Cruz, Vaughan & Elinor Bray, Bovian Macnab, Barbara Lenhard, Kay Macnab, Florian Gast, Ariella & Alex Groeneweg

Hope Harvey, Tony van Minnen, Eddie & Jacky Andrews, Siseko Mbandezi, Noma Mjacu, Malusi Booi & Benedicta van Minnen (Mayoral Committee member)

Inago Kangela, Prospero Jose, Paulo Jorge, Ambrosio Alezandrino, Joana Smith & Edna Da Silva
Front row: Joanna Sonhi, Laurinda Amaral & Paula Vierira

Beryl & Andre Fouche, Dianne and Mark Schoeman, Bianca Bilobrk, Tony Wright
Front row: Mexia Christie-Waligora, Roy Waligora, Rosalind Barbour

Madeleine Cronje, Cristina Cicognani, Nash-leigh Williams, Eloise Liebetrau, Rebekka Hangada, Rosa Amunyela
Front row: Coniah Britz, Theo Grunewald (Consul General: Namibia)

Lucio Gottardo, Enrique Jaramillo-Douat (Hon Consul: Colombia), Mario Bertolini, Gustavo Lopez Bello (Ambassador: Paraguay), Francisco Lopez Negrete
Front row: Reanette Gottardo, Dr Vasily Kaliazin, Mirella Kruger (Hon Consul: Paraguay), Mercedes de Lopez