My Mr SA experience thus far...

Well all I can say is thank you to the Mr SA committee and organizers for putting this whole thing together. It has been a truly amazing experience. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to do it, as im the type of person when I am committed to something, I AM COMMITED TO IT ;)
So I dont do anything for 2nd place or plan to be an "also man", if I was going to do this competition, in the end I wanted to be standing on the final ceremony stage holding that staff as the new Mr SA!

So I was undecided, and then while chatting to last years runner up Jaco De Bruyn(on Facebook) he said to me that it was the best experience of his life without a doubt. So after that I was convinced! And so far I completely agree with Jaco, this competition is almost like something I feel that every man should partake in. My sons will be scouts and now they will also be entering Mr SA(or Junior SA).

The things you learn about yourself and others on this journey has been incredible. Like I always knew I wanted to make a difference, but I wasnt sure how. Doing this competition makes you focus all your collective energies so that you now as a man become focused and driven. And it really tests your metal as a man. Can you do what it takes, do you have the courage to be in the limelight and make things happen? These are the questions doing this competition asks you.

My fund raising for Ons Huis has yielded mixed results. My goal was to have 5 avenues or sources of charity. An avenue where everybody or any person could donate(the sms line). Avenues where money was raised in specialized events, and lastly corporate sponsorship. My charity auction and "Angels for Charity" show were successful. My charity serenades were slightly successful, the sms line not successful and the corporate sponsorship...well... up until an half an hour before the 5pm deadline I thought it was successful.

But such is life and there are hiccups or hurdles at every turn. People or companies will "let you down", but its nothing to get sad about as this is a part of life. And it is the struggle that makes something more worthwhile. However, I was a little disappointed in myself as I do feel a connection now to Ons Huis and even though we were given a mandate that its not the actual amount, but the effort and creativity that counts, things still cost an actual amount. For example lets say the cheapest they can get a new activity hall is R20 000 and I need to raise that money, raising only R10 000 wont get the hall built. Im not saying this to dis-credit myself, but I did set myself a target and I did not reach it. I sure as hell did try but life throws you curveballs and as long as you learn from your mistakes thats all that matters.

Its not about me being hard on myself, its about being responsible and being honest with myself and everyone. And this is what this competition has taught me, that a real man is responsible, honest and has integrity. Looks, body, money, business skills, charm all fall out of the window if he does not have these qualities. Thats why part of me taking responsibilty, I will be donating the charity line to Ons Huis and I am currently corresponding with the SABC as to getting radio advertising for Ons Huis and/or the charity line so that it is more effective, as I feel the charity sms line is a great idea.

I have learnt so much these last 2 months about myself and what my purpose on this planet is. And through people reading my blog or seeing related posts on Facebook, I have met some amazing people from all over the world who are also driven to make a difference. And through increasing my media profile I have gained more confidence and I now know that I am very well suited to the public eye, as I have the composure, confidence and inner strength to be in it.
And most importantly I have learnt the channels and the means through which change can be made.

So thank you to Mr SA itself, all the other competitors and to our beautiful country.
I know I have what it takes to be a great Mr SA and bring about positive change.
But even if I dont become a finalist, I am still so thankful as this has been a great experience and has set me on my path.
We can make a diiference.
You just need believe...
and eventually in your heart,
you will know.

2010 World Cup and The Environment

Like many fellow South Africans I am a soccer crazy man. I really love my sport and have been very sporty from a young age, having always played soccer. My teams are Bafana, Greece and Manchester United! When I heard that South Africa was the host for the 2010 Soccer World Cup i almost jumped through the roof! I could not wait to get my tickets and watch a match in my home city. I tried to get tickets twice in the draw but was super unlucky, now i have to drive past the staduim and know that i am not going to be going to see a match. All Cape Town matches were sold out within days. All I have is to hope that i am able to buy a ticket in the last minute sales in December.

I must say i am a bit worried about the World Cup though, we are spending billions on new stadia and infrastructure, but are we going to profit from it? Some Gurus say a new dawn will foster in growth and development in South Africa and that our world class cities will shine through. I am so so positive that we are going to do well! My concern is more what needs to be done in advertising the world cup to South Africans. Recently I have seen a little bun fight on TV, 1st we have the BP Castrol adverts that speak directly about the World Cup as sponsor then we have Engen who are not the sponsors but come across as true Nation Builders. I get goose bumps when I watch anyone of their "Africa Welcomes" you adverts. Congrads Engen on a campaign that appeals to South Africans.

The 2010 organizing committee should have launched a campaign that is Proudly South African that will help people get to know our country better to get ordinary South Africans to become brand ambassadors for our country. Only we can help build the country and make 2010 work. So it's about time we tell the world that we are one united South Africa. We need to greet the world with a smile and a "Sanibona" or "Welcome to South Africa", make conversations and help tourists on there way around South Africa.

The infrastructure development will bode us well however, that's if we have no black outs during the matches... Today I paid my Electricity bill and nearly fell over when it arrived yesterday, has anyone realized that we all of a sudden have had a massive increase in the rates? Yesterday's newspaper says that there will be another increase on the horizon. Wow are we being milked?! We are paying high electricity bills for the infrastructure development of companies, days after they release there annual reports with dividends to all the shareholders and directors, then they say "please the public pay us more cos we need to build more plants to generate power".

Has anyone heard of the Venus project? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWylckZ9G64
I would highly recommend everyone to watch this video and see that things dont need to be the way that they are now. The world IS self sustainable and is able to live off its own natural resources. Nobody needs to be poor, the world actually has enough! Technology has provided us with energy creating mechanisms that are 100% eco friendly. If you only do one thing I ask, its watch this video...yes its long and it will chow your bandwidth, but its worth it ;)

But people have been using eco friendly methods for generations around the globe. I'll use the Scandinavian countries as an eg. They build eco friendly homes that have inset doubled glazed windows that keep in the heat. Air ducts above the roof open and close to moderate the temperature so that it is not too hot or cold. They have solar panels that generate electricity that supplies the home and stores it for winter. A clever model is that extra electricity generated from the solar panels are fed back into the power grid allowing for small to medium enterprise to use it and pay the householder in return. What an amazing idea. In South Africa we have constant sunshine that this could bode well and help alleviate the electricity crisis.
In Germany buildings are built with double glazed glass to allow in as much light as possible so no lights needed in the day. All windows have solar panels that rotate with the setting of the sun to capture as much solar energy as possible this is stored in solar batteries for winter. Water in the buildings are even recycled and used to feed plants.

I was lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the BP Headquarters in Cape Town, a truly self sufficient building run on the Scandinavian model. The building is cooled through air vents and no air conditioning is used. What an amazing feat! We need to learn and implement. While visiting India i was amazed to find out that in the palaces, designers had fountains put into every bedroom, why because the cooling effect of the water was amazing. Condensation was used to cool the room. A modern day air con runs on the same methodology but uses valuable electricity. In Kenya people place copper pipes around all there ceilings and around the corners of their floors and pump water through it. The water moving through the pipes cools the room down.

Amazing what we can learn from our forefathers. The City of Cape Town has been a fore runner in getting Traffic lights powered by solar panels and some advertising companies light up there billboards with them at night. Great way to bring down costs. I, upon leaning about Solar panels and heating, was thrilled and thought now it's my time to put this into action. I called up a few companies and enquired about how I could use Solar Panels to electrify my home. I thought i was getting somewhere until i realized that it was exorbitant. I was advised that if i was building a new home that's the best time to get this done. So I, like you, will be paying an expensive Eskom bill for a long time to come...
But things can change.
And the only constant in life is change, after all.
I hope that when 2010 is here and its World Cup time, that I am Mr South Africa.
I know I will make this nation proud.

Charity serenades

So I wanted to put my singing talents to good use and raise money for charity at the same time;)

I thought it a very fun concept that would lighten up the office gloom, and the office would just have to donate any amount they pleased to Ons Huis.

In total I did 3 serenades. I would have done one everyday if I could have, cos its actually a lot of fun and it does lift peoples' moods. Like the second one I did for an employee at Ogilvy. The lady I was due to serenade, it was her birthday. She has a senior managerial position there, so obviously its a very stressful job but on this particular day she was more stressed and maybe the fact that it was her birthday compounded it.

It was a surprise serenade, and after she got up and walked away crying. I thought that maybe I had upset her. Other co-workers walked after her and i followed, and while she was crying she started smiling lightly. So they were not tears of sorrow or joy, but more of relief. She had been having such a stressful day, it was her birthday which compounded it further, so she was holding all this stress and tension inside instead of being happy to celibrate another year of life. So something during the serenade must have warmed her heart and relieved all the pressure she was keeping on herself. I did sing "Smile"(though your heart is breaking, even though its aching...) so it was an apt choice.

The other 2 I did were at SABC and DraftFCB, also ladies' birthdays. So I had brought smiles to some peoples' faces while raising some money for charity.

I will be auditioning for Idols again this year!

Jokes, Im destined for bigger things and singing is not my strongest point ;)

Recent Publicity

So there is that saying that all publicity is good publicity...well maybe if you are Paris Hilton yes! But if you want to be Mr SA you have to ensure that your name remains clean so that when people think of you the 1st thoughts are those of integrity and morality. This is very important as this is whta Mr SA represents.

This month I was in Get It magazine, a local Cape Town mag. They profiled myself and another Sea Pointer in the competition, Michal Mechant. Michal and I actually grew up together. We went to the same school and were both with the same scout group. So best of luck to him, I hope he progresses.


Then the other publicity I have is some great news which I am really excited about! I have been selected as the face of, or brand ambassador, for Stiaan Louw's new campaign. This cutting edge and genius designer burst onto the Cape Town scene a few years back and has been making an impact ever since. He likes my look, as he wants to go in a more "sexy", "manly" direction as in past his campaigns were quite androgynous. He also likes my connection to Mr SA and the fact that Im driven to make a difference.

As this campaign he wants to have meaning, he wants there to be more behind it than the obvious. I think I have converted him and he also wants to make a difference! There is planned to be a lot of media hype around this campaign, this is 1st media link http://www.cptstreetmag.co.za/newspage.html. The campaign is set to be amazing and create good exposure.
Fasion with a cause;)

Fashion, Charity and sms line for Ons Huis

From as long as I can remember Fashion and Charity have always been interrelated. from Gianni Verscace to Elton Johns Aids Trust. Giving back is something that people find difficult to do, that R 1 rand is easy to give to a car guard but ask for R 10 and people think twice. Coming up with an sms line that people can donate to charity immediately is a grand idea, however getting people to part with there money is even harder. I wonder sometimes how easily people will spend money on drinks on a night out partying or the expensive dinners... Don't get me wrong, I love a good party and nice restaurants. It's so much easier to spend on yourself than help others. Through being a semi finalist for the MR SA I have had numerous interviews on radio stations and TV and I thought as soon as I mention donate to a charity that people would all take out there phones and donate right away. I sincerely was hoping for Pavlov's law of pre-condition to apply lol!

However I realized that to get someone to part with there money is not an easy thing. To get people to be charitable you need to stop and talk to them individually and explain what the charity is all about, why the charity needs money and how you are involved in the process. It is more about spending a lot of time with people convincing them to donate. I know that when I become MR SA I am going to use my celebrity to impress upon people the need to give more, more easily. Giving, I do not confine to only money, it's also your time and effort. I have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of people, I want to see the happiness that beams on there faces when a little help makes there day. A friend of mine's dad helps communities with Sustainable Development, basically him and his friends physically build crèches in poverty stricken areas and build Tunnel farms next door, so the teachers fees are paid by the produce that gets sold. What a great iniaitve a small way to help build our nation.

Many south Africans are were they are today because of the Apartheid Legacy. Forcing people to live in area's with boundaries, not allowing them to own property, quelling their thirst for knowledge but not schooling them well. All these factors have contributed to our South African situation. It's time we all help to build a nation that is strong and self sufficient. Sometimes I wonder is it only the rich that feel charitable then I remembered my trip to India, a country of contrasts of extremely wealthy and most poverty stricken. While driving past some areas I would gasp at how some people really lived, how children would be running around smiling and laughing and playing on the sides of the road. I'd peer in at a small home that had a bed and some pots and was around 1m by 2m that housed 4 people, they were happy and content. I learned from my friends that the poorest of the poor never go hungry because it is in there culture to share, share their food and what little that they have. I think people with so little can get together and help each other imagine what we can do to help out fellow citizens improve. It's endless.

Someone gave me a very good idea, ask 10 of my close friends to donate R100 and get each of them to ask 10 of their close friends to donate R100 and so on and so on. I thought I would go one better by asking people to only donate R10 and instead of them giving me the cash or having to go to a bank to deposit it, all they would have to do is send a simple sms. It was so simple and effortless and I thought "well its only R10". I am always honest, so Im not going to try and hide the fact that the charity sms line has not been a success. The number of sms'es received is nowhere near where I thought it should be or where it ought to be. I punted it everyday on Facebook, i asked people to sms at all my events, I was even interviewed on Lotus FM where I asked people to vote and the DJ's mentioned it on 5FM and Good Hope FM. I could have put in more effort in advertising or marketing it, but I felt I had put in enough and I thought the novelty and simplicity of it would get people smsing. I mean people were smsing for all these "face of" competitions, I thought they would want to sms for charity, for a good cause.

But as with anytime you do something for the 1st time, its never going to be perfect 1st time and you live and learn. I guess R10 is too much, people obviously hear R10 and something says to them "too much!". Or maybe people thought the only reason I was doing the line was purely out of self interest, or that the money wouldn't go to charity. So that being said I have decided to donate the sms line to Ons Huis, so that they can learn from my mistakes and make it more effective. As I still believe it is a very good idea and is virtually hassle free. Honestly what is easier than sending an sms? Through this whole process I feel somehow now connected to Ons Huis and I want them to grow and strengthen. So they will have the charity line and it will always be something to remember me by. Even if I dont win or become a finalist they will still have it, and it will be something that lasts long after the competition has ended.
This will be my lasting contribution to them.
They are a great charity that shines light into the lives of others.
I commend them for making a difference and having the courage to look past their own selfish needs and actually think about others.
They strive to and do make a difference.
And this is their lasting contribution to us.

"Angels For Charity" Lingerie show

On Saturday 26th September, my 2nd event took place...my "Angels for Charity" lingerie show. This was to be my pinnacle show, the accumulation of all my efforts. I wanted to create awareness for Mr SA and Ons Huis, raise funds for the charity and also showcase some of Cape Town's up and coming modelling talent. While melding beauty and charity together.

I had approached many sponsors for this event, as well for the Mr SA itself, and I was hoping to get Ola Magnum(something sweet), Moet(something bubbly) and Lamborghini(something sexy) on board. Moet was a no, Lamborghini an almost(they liked the concept, but were worried bout possible damage), but Ola really liked the idea and were a go. I organised French Knickers to provide the lingerie, and Finger Clothing would use the event to launch their new swimwear range.

So everything was set...except I needed wings for the angels!
Nothing an hour drive to Stellenbosch couldnt fix ;) So my angels had their wings, I had my sponsors and the marketing machine was in motion. I really needed the wings as they would amplify the meaning of the concept behind the show. The concept was based on a paradoxical antithesis of the 7 deadly sins. Except now my 7 angels would represent the opposite of sins, all that is good and from heaven. Everybody needs an angel in their life, someone to shine some light in when things are down. All of you reading this have had "angels" in your life, be it your parents, friends or family members. But there are a lot of people who have not been this fortunate, and they have no-one looking out for them, no-one to shine "light" into their lives. Ons Huis are like angels, shining light and hope into the lives of the less fotunate.


I spoke to the crowd about this, but it was a little lost on them as they were quite young and superficial. But a few people did listen and they came up to me after to say that they also "care". But the point of the evening was to raise money for charity and put on a good show and party at the same time. And the place was packed! 12 o'clock came and the crowd was getting restless, they wanted to see some beautiful girls in lingerie...

It was show time! 1st the models came out in Finger's new swimwear range, just to warm the crowd up. They went backstage to put on the lingerie and wings and just before they were to come out again, the lights went off...and then back on and the angels appeared on stage to a roar from the crowd. They looked really gorgeous up there and for a second I felt like I was in heaven;)

On a serious note though, the event was a great success. The venue was packed, I was able to get the message of charity and Ons Huis across and some money was raised for Ons Huis. After the show 3 Ola girls handed out some ice cold Magnum ice creams to the crowd, to cool them down after the "hot" show they had just watched.

I would like to thank Ola Magnum, French Knickers, Finger, FTV Cape Town, Ons Huis and the Mr SA committee for making the event possible.

We all need angels in our life.

Someone to shine some light.

Together we can overcome any darkness.

Lets make a difference.

31st annual Loeri Awards

The 31st Loeri Awards took place after the last weekend, and for the 1st time in the events history it was going to take place in the mother city, Cape Town. The venue was the Good Hope Centre. The bars were fully stocked, as there is a joke that advertising executives love to drink, well they work so hard...so they play so hard!

And you could see that their hard work had definitely paid off. I was lucky enough to have 2nd row seats in the packed auditorium, and what I saw was very impressive and made me proud to be South African.


The whole setup of the award stage and the background visuals was the stuff of a sci-fi movie, with the visuals making you feel like you were in a Star Wars ship. John Vlismas was the host and he did a very good job. Then it came time for the awards. The Loeris celebrates and awards excellence in the advertising industry ranging from website multimedia to radio and television commercials. The 1st awards were for digital multimedia. I had no idea that South Africans produced such amazing websites, with their user interactivity being the most impressive things.

There were other industry related awards, and then it came time for the television commercial awards. This is what the crowd and I had been waiting for. There is just something about South African commercials that maybe only we understand, but I think they are just universally funny. For me personally the Nandos commercials steal the show, combination of humour and controversy.

The big winners of the night were the big players in the industry, with Ogilvy, DraftFCB and TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris taking home most of the awards. The event was a very good experience for me, as it opened my eyes as to how creative South Africans can be. And how important creativity is. It keeps things fun, people excited and it gets people spending. This is why creativity is so important in charity fundraising and sponsorship accrual, and even in everyday life. Sometimes I let people dampen my creative spirit, but no more. My mind is awake and through our creativity we can influence people and thus improve things that need improvement.
No idea is ever a bad one, make sure it gets heard ;)

Charity Auction

So on last week Friday I held the 1st of my 2 charity events that I had planned. It was a charity auction, and being auctioned off were some of Cape Towns hottest hunks! Not only hunks, but weekends away, spa treatments, dinner and show vouchers, clothing vouchers and a very exclusive item from Colonial House(a hand carved ceolocanth).

The venue I chose for the auction was Crew Bar, Cape Town's most popular gay bar. I chose Crew as I felt gay men would be more likely to bid for hunks and they would have more free spending power.
I also chose this venue as part of my message that I dont believe in labelling people, segregating, discrimination or boxing people into groups. I dont care wether you are gay or straight, black or white, male or female, rich or poor, or that matters is to me is wether you live your life with integrity and positivity.

Myself and the manager of the club, Matt, were set to be the hosts and auctioneers for the night. I was set to be auctioned off at the end, and I had 3 other hunks to auction off, my best friend, a professional footballer and Chris MacGregor, a Mr Gay SA finalist. The winning bidders would get to take the hunk out to dinner and just dinner;) The hunks went down well and each of the other hunks went for a R1000 each.

Even though the club was packed, unfortunately the other items were very difficult to auction for a value that represented their worth. Thats why not all items could be auctioned. I had a R2500 weekend away that I could not get R500 for, so it was not auctioned off for example. So when it came time for me to be auctioned, I knew I had to do something! I did a slow strip(not my pants obviously) and really worked the crowd, urging them to bid and making them want to bid. In the end I was auctioned off for R2700.

The hand carved ceolocanth was also sold for a good price, so all in all the charity auction was a success! It was a fun filled evening held by all and some good money was made for Ons Huis. I also learnt a lot about auctions and that its hard to get people to give to charity, even when they can get something for a steal. I also confirmed something about myself, that I am a good public speaker, as one of the guests works for Top Billing and after the auction he asked me to come in for an audition for Top Billing. So all the planning, sponsorship hunting and marketing had paid off.

The 1st event was a success :)

Heritage Day Mayoral Dinner

So on Heritage Dinner I was lucky enough to be invited to the Mayoral dinner. I had emailed the mayoral office telling him I was a Mr South Africa semi-finalist and they needed to get behind me and the other contestants from Cape Town. As a Cape Town lad has not won the title in a while, but also the exposure of the competition is not big in Cape Town. This is something that needs to change as there were only 8 guys at the prelims from Cape Town, and some people that I speak to here dont even know the competiotion is running or exists.



So I was invited and from the 1st moment you knew this was going to be a lavish affair. At the beginning of the red carpet entrance was a Hummer limo which u needed to climb into and when you came out the other side you were on the red carpet but now faced with hordes of photographers. Being invited to these premiere events makes you feel like a celebrity(especially with all those photographers clicking away). So I thought how now as a semi-finalist im getting recognised and invited to these events, I can only imagine what its going to be like when I am Mr SA! Looks like I will be needing a personal assistant ;)

Seriously though, the most deservant man will win the title. But I am not afraid to be in the public eye, in fact I "crave" it...as this grows your media profile, which in turn means you can reach more people, and consequently you can exert more of an influence or change.




Once inside you knew that someone had put a lot of planning and work into the event. People dressed as mermaids, Zulu warriors and other interesting characters. A live band, scrumptious food tables and a massive desert table, that by just looking at it gave you a sugar rush ;) There were a few public speakers, including the mayor himself, Dan Plato. You can tell he is a passionate man who loves everything South African and everything Capetonian. He spoke about how service delivery and job creation were of utmost importance. He noted the budget constraints, which is why his focus is to build partnerships with local govt, national govt and the private sector.


What he said re-iterated a lot of values and strategies that are important for growth and development of any relationship, business or endeavour. It is so important to foster healthy relationships and partnerships, as individuals we are strong, but as a group united our strength grows exponentially. This has been an aspect of the Mr SA competition that I have loved, the fact that we have to create mutually beneficial partnerships with other individuals or businesses, and work on these relationships so that they sustain and grow.


I love this city of Cape Town...the ocean, mountains, fynbos,all the different people and even the kombuis taal;)
When you grow up here, its hard to ever move away. I really want to put the Mr SA competition back on the map here, so to speak, so Im going to continue promoting it and if I do win I will be sure that the Mr SA competition becomes engrained in the mind of every Capetonian.

Heritage Day

So on Heritage Day I thought about what it is that we are actually celebrating...and I realised that South Africa has such an incredible cultural diversification and is a true melting pot of cultures. People have come from all over the world to form the fabric that is South Africa.
This is truly a remarkable country we live in. Within a broader social and political context, the day's events are a powerful agent for promulgating a South African identity, fostering reconciliation and promoting the notion that variety is a national asset as opposed to igniting conflict.

Then I started thinking about my own personal heritage. I am a born and bred South African, but just like all of us, there is so much more to our roots. My father had Russian and Israeli roots. My mother Greek, but also some Norwegian, as Norwegian vikings had invaded Greece.

And then the South African in me, in all of us. Its like when you go to a South African comedy show, and you know its only humour, you being a South African, will understand. I mean there are a lot of funny South African swear words that only we understand;) Like what I saw at the Loeries Awards, how South African advertising and commercials have this unique flair...how we just love our rugby and biltong. Its everything South African...we are just different;)

Africa is the cradle of mankind, and more interestingly, scientists have discovered thet the 1st life forms(algae) originated in South Africa and we have the oldest human remains, implying that the 1st humans might of originated from South Afica. The Karoo area also has some of the best dinosaur fossils. So not only are we incredibly diversed with all our different languages, cultures, eating habits, peoples' looks, but we also have a very rich biological and environmental heritage.

So for Heritage day I thought about our South African legacy...and the great freedom fighters of Mandela, Mbeki, De Klerk and many others, who believed in peace and empathy. These elders have all shown us the way and all we have to do is listen and follow our roots...Thank you for this heritage. As Mandela said in 1996 on Heritage Day: "When our first democratically-elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation.
We did so knowing that the struggles against the injustice and inequities of the past are part of our national identity; they are part of our culture. We knew that, if indeed our nation has to rise like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes of division and conflict, we had to acknowledge those whose selfless efforts and talents were dedicated to this goal of non-racial democracy."

I am proudly South African. I left a few years back to go live in America as I was "fed up" with the small mindedness of the people here. But in America I realised that Cape Town can be a small minded "clicky" place but that furthermore it was the people I was hanging out with that were small minded. And even though I loved it in America, there was this constant yearning or calling to return to South Africa...Now that Im back I realise it is my calling to be in this country and make a difference. I am proud of who I am- an upstanding an honest citizen who wants the best for his country and its citizens. I am also proud of what I stand for- peace, empathy, loyalty, inegrity, love and growth. Being a Mr SA semi-finalist has really made me see what a great country we have and how improving and growing this country is possible if we are willing to put in the time, effort and courage. I am willing.

I want my kids to know about where I come from, where they come from. How important their grandmother was in their and my upbringing. I will leave them the legacy of tolerance, empathy, love and generosity, taught to me by my mother and the great leaders of our unique country. And they will know about this country of ours and grow up with all our quirks becoming a part of them. This is who we are, this is our heritage.
And my kids will receive this heritage. And their kids. And your kids.
So on Heritage day I said thanks to my parents and forefathers for making me who I am today.
And thank you to all of you for making this country what it is.
Namaste and love to you.

Mens Health Show Evening b4 Heritage day

So on the evening before Heritage Day I had been invited to the Mens Health show...It was set to take place on the field in front of La Med almost right on the ocean...

The show itself was amazing, really good music, great lighting effects, it was a really professional and well put together show. And they had some really big sponsors. Posters of Justin Timberlake for the new Givenchy pour homme were everywhere. They know how to represent and get maximum brand recognition for the brands that are sponsoring them. Ever since Ive been a Mr SA semi-finalist I have had a much keener eye for these types of things, as a big part of the competition is getting sponsorship and people to invest in you and your charity.



Mens Health represents and encourages a healthy and productive lifestyle, which are things I believe in and promote. But I feel the magazine lacks an edge, in that the only people they use on the cover are American celebrities, well known SA sportsmen, or the perfect generic model. Like why has their never been a Mr SA on the cover?
Wouldn't that be the perfect person and role model to be on the cover? But they would rather put a "perfect type model" on the cover. Which is fine. Their perogative and they doing what works for them. But for me its almost mis-representation as Mens Health is supposed to be the mag for "every man", but this isnt what they represent on their cover in my opinion.

But it is a great mag and they are doing an amazing job. The production, research, advertising and sponsor collaboration that goes into it is very impressive.
But I think Im more of a GQ man ;)

My role-model and hero: Mandela

What does it mean to be Mr SA? Well for me its more than being good looking or having a good body. Its more than having good people and networking skills or being a really good public speaker. For me its more than having good business skills or having an impressive media profile. Having these things are important, but for me the most important thing is having the desire to make a real positive change in this beautiful country of ours. I believe I can make a change. In fact I know that I am going to.





How? Well by addressing the root of the problem, and that is peoples' attitudes. Now Im not saying South Africans have bad attitudes, but our attitudes are based on misconceptions and fallacies. Revenge, vengeance, vendetta, an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth are all terms that are negative in nature. But when someone acts in vengeance, how many times have u heard,"well an eye for an eye". Like its ok, like its been justified. So if someone hits you, its ok to hit them back. Because you would be a "wussy" if you didn't hit them back, right? Or if someone hurts or even kills a loved one, its ok to hurt or kill them back, cos an eye for an eye right? And on face value it does seem ok to behave in this manner, to have so much negativity, anger and bitterness in your heart that you need take it out in a vengeful form.


But behaving this way is also based on a misconception. The misconception that we all have a choice in what we do, if a person kills another it was his "choice" to do so. Im sorry but we do not all have a choice. The fortunate, those of you reading this, have grown up in stable homes, with loving families and friends, you were shown bodily respect, and you were taught the faculties(thru school and other socialisations) as to how to make choices. Let me illustrate my point using an example. Lets imagine a boy born on the street and abandoned by his parents, he grows up having to beg, is beaten by other street kids and is sexually molested also. So during his primary formative years he is shown no love, no bodily or emotional respect and no humanity. Now how can we expect him to show love to others or to respect others? How can behave in a way in which he doesnt know, in a way in which he has never been shown or never experienced? You and I have been shown love and respect, and thus we CAN love and respect others. So now this boy grows up, gets a gun and kills someone. And we say "oh well he had a choice not to do it"...HE WAS NEVER GIVEN THE CHOICE!!!


Now imagine this same boy, just as he was born, was placed in one of our homes and was treated as the little bro. Our parents loved him and he went to a good school and he was not physically or emotionally molested. I can guarantee you that he would not grow up to be a stone cold killer.
But lets go back to the scenario where he grew up on the street and became a cold blooded killer.
Isn't it punishment in itself for this boy to have grow up on the street and not in one of our homes? IT IS!!! His whole life has been a punishment. He was never given the chance to "flourish" or to have a beautiful life like we have. So now lets say this boy has killed a loved one and we see him in court. Now we have all this anger and vengeance built up in our hearts and our 1st reaction is to punish him...to punish him further. Isn't it enough that his whole life has been a punishment? And when we look into his eyes we feel justified further because they look so cold, they even look "evil". Well thats the look u get in your eyes when u have grown up experiencing no love, no respect or no humanity! Wouldn't the truly humane thing to do, be to actually forgive him? To actually go up to him and give him a hug? So that he actually feels empathy, something positive for the 1st time in his life. As u are hugging him he will think I just killed this person's sister and now they are hugging me, he will be incredibly confused, but for the 1st time in his life there will be a glimmer of light...It seems incredibly far fetched to behave this way, but this is what Jesus would have done.


And this is also what Mandela would have done. When he was released from prison he shook the hands of the guards that had incarcerated him. He smiled to and hugged the members of the government that had enslaved and killed his people for decades. He felt no vengeance, bitterness or hatred in his heart as he knew the majority of the people who had enslaved and killed his people had no choice in what they were doing. They had been socialised to be "racist". And this racism was based on misconceptions(there's that word again) that black people were evil, stupid and sub-human. If a little boy grows up being told by everyone that black people are evil, stupid and just animals he is going to grow up believing it. He wont have the "choice" to believe otherwise.


And Mandela knew this and this is why he was so empathetic and could forgive. Imagine he had of come out of prison with a vendetta on his mind, hellbent on vengeance? This country would be a very different place to what it is now(Zimbabwe anyone?). And this is why Madiba is my hero and the greatest role model any South African could ever ask for. How do we make this country a better place, well we have all been shown the way by one of the greatest men of all time...be like Madiba. Vengeance, hatred, bitterness and fear are all negative emotions and are all interlinked and thus this misconception that its ok to "exact my pound of flesh" or "take an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth" leads to hatred and consequently fear, and fear is the downfall of any emerging economy. As fear makes u stay in your comfort zone which keeps things stagnant in a time in which we should be courageous and investing and giving opportunities.


We need to be like Madiba and be empathetic and thus forgive and understand that we dont all have a "choice", which will lead to positivity, truth, goodness, light and courage. And it takes courage to build a great nation. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had that courage.
Thank you Madiba for showing me the way, for showing us all the way.
Your message will never die.

My nickname "The Bodgod"

So I often get asked what does my nickname (Bodgod) mean, or why do I have it, or that I must be an extremely arrogant person or have a god complex or something...

Now I have always been a very active person, playing cricket, soccer and rugby and doing athletics at primary and high school. Also growing up with a financially struggling single mother, she could not afford to buy me toys or electronic goods, so I spent most of my playtime running around out doors. Also I was a scout from ages 10-18, and at my scout group we did not just sit around, we were constantly doing physically demanding activities, from mountain hiking to erecting wooden structures to even just playing rush against the older boys.

I also spent most of my youth surfing the local reef breaks in the area.
I started weight training at about 16, but only took it really seriously after my university years had ended, at about age 22. I also have a 1 year diploma in personal training from Sports Science Institute Newlands. And I have constantly had a hunger for learning about health, foods, herbs and holistic healing(letting the body heal itself). I also come from a Greek background, which means genetics were always in my favour for developing a good physique. I mention my sporting and physical background so that I do not come across as arrogant or narcissistic when I say that by age 24 I had developed a truly impressive physique, as what we do in the past creates who we are today.

I had done some modelling before, but now I was angling more towards body focused modelling.
Tyra Bank's America's Next Top Model were shooting that season's finale here in Cape Town and they were doing a casting for guys to be part of the finale. We had to cast in underwear and I wasn't shy at all and the American crew took a liking to me. A few days later my agency told me they had decided to not use guys in the finale. I was disappointed as local casting people didn't seem to notice me, but these Americans seemed to really like me. When you sign in at the casting they ask you to write your cell no there, so the next day I get a call from one of the casting crew saying will I meet him and the rest of the crew at a local bar. So I go to meet them and we all just hit it off really well, they really liked my sense of humour.

At the bar was one of the judges Janice Dickinson. Now Janice was one of the worlds 1st supermodels(she says she was the 1st), she was the "bitch" judge of the show, she had dated guys like Warren Beatty and Sylvester Stallone, and she currently has a reality series in America, The Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency. She took an immediate liking to me. So for the next few days I showed her and some of the other crew around Cape Town, taking them to Cape Point, up the cable car and to the Clifton beaches. While on the beach(I was doing some underwear modelling, so I had to tan in a speedo) she called me "The Bodgod". And she kept on calling me Bodgod, even introducing me as just that..."Hey, meet Bodgod".

So eventually I was like ok Janice thats enough now, and this is what she said to me: "In life you have to embrace who you are and be proud of what you achieve, you are the fucking bodgod and dont let anybody tell you any different!" Yes she used to swear a lot. She encouraged me to come to LA and even there she would introduce me and refer to me as bodgod. So it kind of started to stick. Other people there started calling me bodgod. And now most of my friends call me bodgod.

My full name is Jeffrey Efstathios Tangred Tsoutsos. Now the 1st 3 names can be phonetically read and that is how they are pronounced...but my surname! Now thats a tongue twister! As you sitting there right now I want you to say it out loud, Tsoutsos. C'mon try say it loud. I can assure you that you did not say it properly;) Its actully pronounced 'Choo chos'. Thats a tough surname I got there! So when it came to creating my facebook profile, I opted for my nickname bodgod instead of my tongue twister surname.

I dont have a god complex, I am not arrogant as I believe all people are equal and I am not narcissistic as everything I do is with the greater good of our planet in mind. But I do have a good body, and am very well versed in training techniques and health principles. Its also meant to be slightly tongue in cheek, a little frivolous and humorous as thats how I am when materialistic or superficial matters are concerned. I dont take myself too seriously and in life we sometimes just need to have fun with things and not sweat the little things. I do however, take the real issues that actually effect our quality of life and environment, very seriously.
I mean whats in a name anyway?
A name is just a name after all...
Although the last 2 Mr SA winners, Stephen Segal and Zino Ventura sure do have cool names...;)
But thats just coincidence.
Hi, Im Jeff Tsoutsos(pronounced Choo Chos)
Nice to met ya :D

SMS Jeff T to 38722

So part of the Mr South Africa campaign is fundraising, and what better cause than fundraising for charity. The charity all the Mr SA semi-finalists have been assigned to raise charity for is Ons Huis(http://www.onshuistrust.co.za/), a charity organization that focuses on helping mentally and physically handicapped adults. If u have ever wondered what happens to an adult, who cant look after himself, when he becomes estranged from house or family(or maybe the person looking after him passes away), well then the people at Ons Huis would look after him. A worthy cause indeed.




Charity fundraising is a big part of the Mr SA campaign as this shows your metal as a man. Its completely unlike Miss SA( and other beauty pageants) and all these "Face of" competitions, as doing well or winning Mr SA actually takes a lot of hard work and if u win u truly did deserve it. I knew this before hand but now I really see how much hard it work it takes, but Im enjoying the challenge!


For example, the charity fundraising aspect. Now people like charity,they like those who give and are welcoming and respect those who are philanthropists...but most people do not like to give themselves(be it cash, time or effort). Which is fine as this creates the challenge and understandable, as we live in a global recession where everything is getting more expensive, but it seems like we have less and less money...so if companies or people are not willing to give I can totally see why.



The last aspect of why receiving charity is difficult, in my opinion, is ease of use. We are all in a time crunch and sometimes people want to give but the effort of giving puts them off. Lets say u dont have internet banking, so now u would have to go to the bank, wait in the line, deposit the charity amount and then fax the deposit slip off(lets hope u have a fax machine as the bank wont let u use theirs!). So i sat there thinking how could I make it extremely easy for people to give to charity, and while on facebook another one of these "Vote for Jim, sms Jim to 34521 to become the face of Pep" things popped up, and it dawned on me...



I would create a SMS line! But it would be completely geared towards charity. So I approached MTN and after a lot of work, many proposals, and help from my friend who is a top dog at SABC(Big companies like MTN only seem to put pen to paper when other big companies are involved) the SMS line had been set up. I had removed all the fuss from giving to charity, whats easier than taking out your cellphone and smsing Jeff T to 38722 and then R10 goes to charity? It cant get any easier. No mess, no fuss, no banks.

So SMS Jeff T to 38722 and donate R10 to Ons Huis.
Being Mr SA is all about making a difference.
U can also make a difference and it starts from as little as R10.
I plan to make a difference for a long time to come now :)

Healthy way of life

So after my birthday weekend I woke up monday morning with what felt like razors in my throat! It was the dredded flu! At a time when I have so much on my plate, this is the last thing I needed...

Now most people would go to a doctor, which is a valid response as u want to get well as soon as possible...but did u ever stop to think that maybe there is a reason that u are sniffling and sneezing? There is! The body is tryin to get something out that it doesnt like.
So taking a medication that dries up the mucous membranes(so u dont sneeze or have runny nose anymore) is actually counterproductive as the body was not allowed to follow its natural detoxification process.

So what can one do? Well what I do is listen to my body and use only what nature has given me to combat the illness...but 1st an understanding of the body is required. All bacteria, fungi and 99% of viruses can only survive in an acidic environment. so if ure body is acidic, the virus or bacteria will thrive. Now the only foods that have a non-acidic effect on the body are all fruits, all vegetables, most legumes and most nuts. All other foods have an acidic effect in the body.

So when I get sick, I eat fruit for breakfast, a vegetable juice for lunch and a sprout salad. Yes it does sound extreme but this alkalises my body and I am always better within a week as Ive detoxed and gotten rid of all the nasty stuff making and keeping me sick. When most people get sick it tends to last for at least 2 weeks, or it seems to be recurrent, or it comes back but now they have a bad cough that wont go away...

Live foods(vegetables, fruits, sprouts) give u the most life and thus the most health, while "dead" foods(animal, processed, denatured foods) are what give people cancer... So for general health I recommend people to follow at least the 70/30 rule, thats 70% alkaline to 30% acidic food. So if u going to eat a steak, eat a large salad with it, but eating something like just Lasagne, which tastes amazing but is made out of very acidic ingredients(meat, cheese, white flour are very acidic), is asking for trouble in the long run. As soon as u start getting cold or flu symptoms start off at 100% alkaline for a few days, the drop to 90/10 then 80/20 then 70/30.

And dont worry eating this "little" or just these foods is not gonna weaken u or turn u into a wussy, in fact u wil feel stronger, skin will clear up and digestive ailments will lessen...and ladies, well u will lose a lot of weight! This was a brief overview of alkaline eating principles, as it goes much deeper but hopefully u get the message...
Here is to health!
As without it, we are nothing.

Levis & Ducati show at FTV

So I woke up the next day after my birthday and I literally felt like a zombie! I guess thats a sign of a good party, but I definitely do not wanna feel like that again any time soon...well at least not until this weekend ;) Seriously though Im only partying like that again on New Years Eve!

But duty calls and that saturday night I had been chosen to be one of the models for the Levis and Ducati show...so even though I felt like death I always stick to my commitments, as I am a consumate professional.

The Ducatis are amazing machines and while sitting on it I daydreamed of just starting it up and speeding off! Then it was show time...I knew I would pull it off, but the producer was freaking out a bit as everybody was asking what was wrong with me, as I was behaving oppositely to my normal lively happy self. But when it comes show time, something inside just turns on, and I always pull it off. I honestly believe I could be pulled onto a stage in front of a massive crowd with no prior prepping and somehow pull it off.

Now that is self belief! We are all capable of doing anything and achieving our dreams...If u do not dream and go for them, u will never find out what lies beyond them. So go big!!!

My Rockstar Birthday!

So it was the 4th of September, my birthday, and it was a Friday...so that meant it was party time! Now I work hard and I play hard, but the work hard part comes 1st, I only like to party hard if im celebrating something. Well it was my bday, but also earlier in the day I had given gifts to the kids at the Red Cross Children Hospital, so I felt more like I could really let loose now!

So I organised 30 VIP passes for my friends at Cape Town's hottest club Chevelle and when we arrived there was a massive table covered in alcohol waiting for us...So we partied like rockstars!

Now obviously when its your bday, people try to get you horribly drunk, and I must obviously be a man now because no matter how much I drank I felt no nausea or dizziness...but the next day I sure did feel it! I literally felt like a zombie! I would like to thank messirs Patron, Cuervo, Jagermeister and Smirnoff for the good times! Oh well birthdays only come once a year...





In astrology, the 4th of September is the Day of the System Builder. People born on this day have an innate and intuitive understanding of systems and how they work. Now everything that exists is a system of some sort, from the reproductive, circulatory, digestive, respiratory systems of the body to the global monetary system to the solar system our planet earth finds itself in- everything is a system. Now I bring this up as i can see(or sense) where this country is not running at optimum efficiency in certain spheres.

Im 28 now and I know what this country needs to change for the better. A very bold statement but I honestly can see what needs to change.

I am very firm in my beliefs and I truly am unstoppable. Nothing can stop me from achieving my goals. I am in a position where I can do what I want whenever I want to, but I come from a place of moral integrity so everything I do is aligned with society's and nature's moral compass. I know who I am and I know what my destiny is. I am a man on a mission. And you are all coming with me ;)

Giving gifts to the kids on my bday

So on my brithday this year I decided to do something a little different... We live in such a materialistic and superficial world, but lately material possessions have become so meaningless to me. In the past ive always received really nice and sometimes extravagant gifts, but ive always wondered about those less fortunate who get nothing.

So the day before my bday I went to Toys R Us to get some gifts. The next day with my Bollywood actress friend, Angina Harry, I went to the Reds Cross Childrens Hospital in Cape Town. They have a swine flu scare there so i wasnt allowed to take photos or my friend with me into the wards.

The 1st ward i went into was the oncology ward, these are kids who are being treated for cancer. This issue is close to my heart as my mother passed away from cancer 3 years ago. It was really sad to see their frail little bodies under such strain from the chemicals(chemotherapy) being pumped into them. I have always been into holistic healing so i dont agree with any of these treatments, but thats a can of worms for another time!

The nurse said that the children have a better success rate than adults, and that about 50% of the children will survive the cancer(or the cancer treatment)...Enough said.

The other ward I went into was the trauma ward. This is for kids who have had serious accidents...although from my judgement(and the nurse verifying this) alot of the kids had been beaten badly by older kids or adults. What kind of sick individual would seriously beat a little child you have to ask yourself, but I dont blame them, as most of the abusers have grown up never experiencing bodily respect or love so how can they be expected to behave in a way in which they dont know? But thats another can of worms for another time!

In both wards alot of the kids were asleep, and it warmed my heart knowing that when they awoke they would see a colourful pony, barbie, toy car or figurine there in front of them...and it would a bring a smile to their face. Some light through the gloom. Every child deserves the chance to be able to flourish, like all of us "the fortunate" have had.

This is part of my mission.

Spread in Glossy Mag

September is StyleScoop SA's birthday month, and to commemorate it they launched their new online mag...Glossy Mag!
It is also my birthday month, so they decided to launch their 1st issue with me in the middle, on page 33, under the tagline "Man Candy".

Good picture choice on their behalf, and i think its a very clean eye catching spread.
It says there I like women who have integrity, honesty, loyalty and who do not smoke...
Next up a spread in Cosmo so watch this space!

1st Newspaper Article

Last week in the People's Post, the 1st write-up on me was released.
This is the 1st of many as I plan to be in the media for a long while to come now.
The media and one's media profile has become the new age means of getting messages and ideologies across.
This is why one of the primary objectives of all Mr South Africa contestants is to build up their media profiles, as the more weight your name or image carries, the more influence u have when it comes to charity fundraising or implementing societal beneficial changes.
This is why people like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt or Bono, who have massive media profiles; when they talk people listen and when they approach companies these companies do co-operate.
Now I may be highly ambitious, but I need to reach that level as I know then the greatest influence and change can be exerted.

Von Zipper Midnight Hot FTV Fashion show

Last Saturday, cutting edge surf brand VZ (Von Zipper) hosted their fashion show at FTV. Now because it was a Midnight Hot show obviously some skin had to be displayed ;)

The club was packed as we came out to thumping beats, and a good time was had by all. FTV has become the premiere destination for bang for your buck entertainment value and every show has a surprise performer, as well as Cleo Bachelor of the Year front runner Justin Munitz acting as emcee. They obviously like my energy and stage presence as every week they ask me to come back and be in their show...this week is Levi's!

Top Pic: Backstage model funk

Middle pic: Me doin my thing on the catwalk

Bottom pic: Me with model Tarryn Taylor

Cosmo Lingerie Show

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the Cosmo lingerie show held at Wembley Square in Gardens, Cape Town. This is the premiere Lingerie show and all the big brands were there showing off their new collections.
There were also many celebs on the scene, including Jeannie D and Colin Moss.

I was also interviewed for "Glitterati", a new TV show, where i spoke about my Mr SA campaign and the charity that im raising funds for, Ons Huis. Hopefully it gets aired!

It was a very enjoyable evening, well i guess u can never go wrong with gorgeous girls in lingerie;)

Scouting

I was a scout from age 10-18, so thats 8 years.
For me it was an incredible experience, as its been built up on so much history and knowledge over the years, you cant help but learn so much from it.
There was a badge u could earn for almost anything, from being an expert on animals to being an expert on surviving in the veld with nothing...

The culmination of my scouting career was when i was 17 I led 10 scouts from my group in a competition against 10 scouts from a different area.
We had to survive in the bush for 12 days while still completing tasks and competing against each other. One of the tasks was who could build the best bridge across the river, from only woden poles and rope, obviously that takes alot of skill and physical assertion.
Halfway thru the competition i suffered a 3rd degree burn while cooking... but i was the leader of my group so i wasnt allowed to leave, a little harsh i thought at the time, but I now realise this gave me a very strong mental fortitude...and now I never give up, never back down.

Why I bring up scouting, is that in my opinion it seems the youth of today seem a little bit lost, they have become disconnected from nature and there seems to be a general lack of integrity or respect amongst them...Its because old fashioned values like integrity, loyalty, honesty, perseverance and honour have become diluted in this "MTV" generation.
Also nature itself is very rooting and teaches you alot about life, but the youth of today seem to go from their computer to the club to the fast food joint and then the process is repeated.

Scouting is a big part of the man I am now. My sons will be scouts. My daughters will be girl guides. Good old fashioned values are very important me, and im not quite sure how yet, but i will get this way of living back into peoples minds. Sometimes it seems like moral degradation is all around us, but integrity, honesty, respect, honour, loyalty and courage will shine through.
This is part of my mission.