Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   A new airport is being built in Somerset East, and should be completed by mid-2014.

*   South Africa and China are the countries’ largest trading partners, South Africa importing goods to the value of  R120 billion, while China buys from our country to the value of R81 billion.

*   MasterChef Australia Judge Gary Mehigan will be in South Africa for the first time, at the Good Food & Wine Show in Johannesburg from Saturday until Heritage Day.

*   South African lady winemakers jointly produced 871 million litres of wine last year.

*   A new event will be hosted at Lourensford wine estate on 9 November.  Called Le Kap Lifestyle Fair, the event will offer gourmet foods paired with wines, luxuriously inspired couture, dressage with music (musical kur), a fashion show featuring South Africa’s top designers, and showjumping.  Top chefs Bertus Basson of Overture and Grégory Czarnecki from Waterkloof will showcase their talents.  Artisanal beer, whisky and brandy producers will also be in attendance, as will be food trucks. A 6-bar horse jumping competition, as well as a Musical Kur, paired with high fashion, have also been planned.

*   Despite consulting with business, very little feedback was heeded and incorporated in the Employment Equity Amendment Bill, which was discussed in Parliament yesterday.

*   House & Leisure is celebrating its 20th anniversary as one of the country’s best loved decor magazines. (via e-mail)

*   OBiKWA wines will be available to taste at the Otter Run & Challenge in the Garden Route National Park in Nature’s Valley from 21 – 24 September, with a 42 km Otter Run & Challenge, as well as a 10 km Dassie Run. (via media release from GC Communications)

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio:  www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage