sentinel - vuvuzela

you a bit more than 600 kilome-tres.

The GL is the entry levelmodel, though also with a highspec level. The GLS boasts a CDand MP3-compatible CD tuner,front fog lamps, side and curtainairbags, in addition to the dualfront airbags.

Other safety features includeABS brakes with both electronicbrake force distribution (EBD)and emergency brake assist. A fac-tory-fitted alarm/immobiliser ispart of the standard specificationon all models, as is central lockingoperated by a remote control thatboasts hazard lamp confirmationas well as a panic function andtamper-resistant door locks.

The Swift is a good all-rounderwith no airs or graces. It’s fun todrive and its quirky characterwill win a lot of fans.

There are three models: TheGL (R141 900) The GLS ( R155 900)and the GLS AT (R172 900) and allare covered by a three-year/100 000 km warranty. It includes afour-year/60 000 km service plan

and a three-year roadside assis-tance package with medical res-cue services.

● Prices correct at the time ofgoing to press.

8 Sentinel Friday July 10 2009 SPORT

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

WESTERN CAPE

4202

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DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

ARE YOU A VISUAL ARTIST OR A SCULPTOR 2009?The Department of Economic Development and Tourism requires 30 paintings from artists residing within the Western Cape Province.The Department intends to host a series of open art exhibition platforms, where sculptors and visual artists can showcase their artwork to thegeneral public and potential buyers.The exhibition will take place within the following Western Cape District Municipalities:

The final 30 selected artworks will be exhibited throughout the Department’s public spaces. The theme will be reflective of the Department'svision, which in essence is one of a shared sustainable, growing, labour-absorbing and a globally competitive economy.

Artists are required to provide a photograph of at least one work; a “mug shot” /photograph (head and shoulders) and a one-page profile of his/herachievements as an artist. The project is open to everyone. This exhibition will be open for public viewing and will be an introduction, promotionand showcasing of local artists. Selected artists will be commissioned to produce new work.

1) Short-listed applicants will undergo a screening process, which may include interviews and a presentation of work completed.2) The preferred service providers (artists) will be contacted and are expected to attend a briefing session in response to the brief.3) Photographs or sketches of what they have in mind in response to the set brief must also be provided.4) Final interviews will be held by the Department (Cape Town central) or at the local Municipal offices for refinement of the selection process.5) Artists outside the above-mentioned municipalities are welcome to submit their work to the address below.

The closing date for above-mentioned requirements is 10 July 2009.

Profiles and photographs can be posted or e-mailed to: Viola May. Telephone: (021) 483-9331 or 083 582 0219. E-mail: vmay@pgwc.gov.zaPostal address: PO Box 979, Cape Town 8000 or 10th Floor, Waldorf Building, 80 St George’s Street, Cape Town 8001.

Districts Venues Dates1.) Cape Metropole Golden Acre Shopping Mall 14 – 15 July

2.) Eden Garden Route Shopping Mall, George 17 – 18 July

3.) Beaufort West Beaufort West, Shopping Centre 20 – 21 July

4.) Cape Winelands Worcester Tourism Centre 24 – 25 July

5.) Overberg Hermanus Tourism Office 31 July and 1 August

The buzz of the Confed-erations Cup is gentlyfading into the night

and there are questions ifthe “buzz makers” will bepresent when the World Cupreturns to South African soilin 2010.

The vuvuzela, possiblyoriginating from Zulu mean-ing “making noise” or fromevery other language mean-ing “death to your ears andsanity”, is a long plastictrumpet used in locally tocreate a buzz at soccermatches.

The noise is often described as thesound of an elephant although manyhave described it as the sound of aswarm of bees.

Nonetheless, the spirit horn iscausing quite a stir among the interna-tional community, some even callingfor its ban from the 2010 World Cup.

FIFA has received thousands ofcalls from angry fans complainingthat the sound of the vuvuzela is notonly distracting when watching thematches on television but it alsodrowns out the commentators.

Coaches and players have joined inwith the disapproving fans and havevoiced their displeasure. Dutch soccercoach, Bert Van Marwijk toldreporters that the sound of thevuvuzela interferes with his ability to

coach his players on thefield.

Spanish midfielder, XabiAlonso, added that the noisemakes it nearly impossibleto communicate betweenteammates on the pitch, andthat it doesn’t add anyatmosphere into the sta-dium.

He also admitted that thenoise makes it difficult toconcentrate while playing.

Some fans at the stadiumwho came to sit and enjoy aquiet afternoon or eveningof soccer, complained that

the decibel level of the vuvuzelacauses permanent ear damage. Theyclaim the damage is magnified when adie-hard Bafana Bafana fan, sittingdirectly behind them, blasts thevuvuzela right into their eardrum.

The only concern FIFA has voicedover the vuvuzela came out of a meet-ing in 2008 in which they conditionallyapproved the noisemaker for the 2009Confederations Cup and the 2010World Cup as long as they remain freefrom logos and advertisements and aslong as “hooligans don’t use thevuvuzela as a weapon.”

Entrepreneurs have pointed to thefinancial gains as the best reason tokeep the instrument in the stadiums.

Upon the FIFA’s announcement in2008 allowing the vuvuzelas, there

The ‘buzzzzz’of a million vuvuzelas is here to stay

■ Fans make themselves heard during a Confederations Cup game. PICTURE: RICHARD DUCHON

John AdamsReports

Enter the SuzukiSwift, the vehi-cle that’s going

to turn the compactcar sector on its head.Launched last year itis the motoring giant’s first passengercar for the South African market. Thesports utility vehicle (SUV), the excel-lent SX4, was the first to break cover,second was the Jimny, the little 4x4that can (These two models havealready been featured in Off MyWheels) the Vitara was next and a testwill appear soon.

The Swift made its debut at the2004 Paris Motor Show and it hassince won a number of awardsincluding the Overall Car of the Yearin Japan and Australia, among oth-ers, as well as a cluster of Small Carof the Year labels.

The plaudits are well deservedand according to Eijj Mochizuki, anexecutive at Suzuki Motor Corpora-tion in Japan, it defined a new direc-tion for the automotive brand in gen-eral.

Though most compacts on theroad look similar, the Swift has someunusual design touches: A stand-outf e a t u r e i s t h e w r a p - a r o u n dglasshouse windscreen design. Thefront incorporates clear headlamps, abroad air dam and flared wheelarches that help to give it its unusualsquat look.

But don’t be deceived by its com-pact shape. Despite its short wheel-base (2 390 mm) the clever designershave worked their magic and there isa lot of room inside. Headroom isample and the rear passengers haveplenty of space to stretch their legs.Of course something has to sufferand it’s the boot – 213 litres.

And if there’s not enough room foryour shopping there is a fold-out hookat the back of the front passenger seatto hang one or two bags.

You can move the driver’s seatbackwards and forwards and the goodnews is that the sporty-looking three-spoke steering wheel is heightadjustable as well so I soon found acomfortable driving position. The

seats too have plentyo f s u p p o r t . T h einstr ument panelr e f l e c t s S u z u k i ’ssporting genes: therev counter is based

on the design of the GSX-R superbike,with the zero mark at six o’clock –where your eye falls naturally.

The trim quality is high and thecentrally located dash-mounted dis-play shows time, fuel consumption(which is switchable between instan-taneous and average consumption)and outside temperature.

In the GLS, the test car, the satel-lite controls for the audio system areon the leather trim steering wheel.Storage space is plentiful, there areuseful binnacles for small, personalitems, a compartment in the instru-ment panel, front and rear cup hold-ers, large front door and seatbackpockets, as well as an oddments trayunder the front passenger seat.

The Swift is powered by a perky1.5-litre four-cylinder multi-point fuel-injected engine employing variablevalve timing (VVT) and because itweighs just 980kg it can go from 0 to100km/h in 10 sec, Suzuki said.

The engine is fully Euro 4 emis-sions standard compliant, with a CO2

emissions rating of 151 g/km for themanual version.

The GLS is fitted with a five-speedmanual gearbox (a four-speed auto-matic is available) that even me, anautomatic man, found sharp andslick. Steering is light and respon-sive, the ride is good but if you pushit round the curves, watch for theunder-steer. It is also surprisinglyquiet.

Suzuki says the Swift has a topspeed of 175km/h. I didn’t put it to thetest but at times on my usual route,which does include some desertedstretches of road, the needle hoveredaround the 150 mark and the Swiftheld the line well. It has a 43-litre tankand in a combined cycle uses just over6litres/100km, Suzuki said.

But my figures were nearer the 7litres /100km mark. However, if youhave a light foot the tank could take

Suzuki’s quirky Swift will win lots of fans

■ The Suzuki Swift, a good all-rounder PICTURE: QUICKPIC

were more than 20 000 plasticinstruments sold in a 24-hourperiod. Economists project morethan 50 000 additional instrumentswill be sold during the World Cupnext year.

FIFA President Sepp Blatterremains in support of thevuvuzela as a traditional Africansound, but many object to itsAfrican heritage claiming that the

instrument’s prototype was devel-oped in America.

However, South Africans arequick to point out that life began atthe Cradle of Humanity located inMaropeng in Gauteng, and thuseverything comes from Africaincluding the vuvuzela.

No doubt, the debate will rageuntil the completion of the 2010World Cup, and the opinions will

be as diverse as the countries par-ticipating in the most watchedsporting event; but as for now, keeppractising because the vuvuzela ishere to stay.

● John Adams is a journalismintern from the University ofSouthern California who is cur-rently working at Cape Commu-nity Newspapers, which publishesSentinel and 13 other titles.

Let’s go motoring