About Vegan SA
Vegan SA is here to make life more fun, enjoyable and less daunting in South Africa for both existing and potential new vegans alike. We can help and encourage people take the leap into veganism, thus helping improve the lives of all animals.
The concept for the VeganSA.com website is for it to:
- Be a dynamic guide for existing vegans, to make their lives easier when booking restaurants and holidays, when out shopping, or cooking at home. It will provide much-needed information nationwide on where to dine, sleep, and shop for food, drinks and other products.
- Act as driver to inspire and motivate potential new vegans to take up the cause. The greater the number of vegans in South Africa, the louder our voices will be heard, and the more animals we can help.
- Act as a tool to leverage positive change amongst non-vegan establishments, providing them with compelling reasons and motivations to change their policies and join the vegan cause.
- Provide much needed publicity and media exposure for veganism.
- Offer vegan recipe listings which will spice up your life and enhance creativity in the kitchen, inspiring variety and delicious choices for vegan dining.
- Raise money to promote veganism. All our profits are donated to vegan charities and animal rights causes, mostly within South Africa.
This information does not exist elsewhere in SA, and it's crucial that we change this to shift the vegan movement into the public mainstream. Vegans want and deserve to live fulfilling lives (when it comes to eating) in SA. There's really no good reason why vegans should get such a raw deal when it comes to choices in South Africa.
Business managers and owners just tend to be ignorant of, or apathetic to, vegan needs. We want to change all that by providing vegans with a useful reference point when they're choosing places to go. We keep our guides practical to SA by listing vegan-friendly, not just vegan-only, establishments.
The nature of our website is such that it will only ever be as useful as the listings contained therein. Therefore we invite all South African vegans out there to join us and get involved to make this project a success. Get involved, follow the latest news on our Vegan SA Blog, or join our VeganSA Facebook page
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The Vegan SA Team
General Manager: Sheldon Hey
The inspiration behind the Vegan SA concept, Sheldon is responsible for the website marketing, development and maintenance, besides writing some of the site's content.
Sheldon has been vegetarian since around 1990, but only officially switched to being vegan in early 2006. He stopped eating meat as a protest against animal cruelty, and finally took the plunge to veganism once he could no longer justify to himself the consumption of dairy.
Actions speak louder than words for Sheldon, who advocates that anyone who truly cares about animals must get active and do something to help their cause. "Often people say that they care but this is usually accompanied by a long list of excuses that there is always something more important to do. I'm afraid that achieves nothing".
Sheldon is also General Manager of Dive The World, a dive travel agency where he can satisfy his interest in travel and marine conservation. He has written many articles on this subject, including an Idiot's Guide to Building an Artificial Reef. Sheldon enjoys diving, hiking, visiting national parks and rugby. His favourite foods are Thai, Indian and Middle Eastern.
You can contact Sheldon at SheldonH@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - Cape Town: Bianca Clarke
Bianca has been vegetarian since early 2005 and has been vegan since mid 2007. Once she saw the bigger picture about the extent of animal farming and its environmental impact, and learned that law does not regard animals as sentient beings, she says she really had no other intelligent choice to make. Bianca believes education is the key to animal liberation and environmental issues, and that we have to lead by example. She is an animal rights activist and environmentalist.
Bianca runs her own interior design and decor company. She is married to Jo, from the Sentience website (and is therefore also learning web design in her spare time). Bianca and Jo have 6 cats.
She loves to be outside where she can hear and feel the earth, reads a lot, and enjoys a good bottle of Merlot. She cooks and eats non-stop, and is a 'wiz' in the kitchen. She love curries, spaghetti bolognaise, avocados, and all the different types of mushrooms.
You can contact Bianca at BiancaC@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - East Rand: Francois Henning
Francois became vegan in early 2007, after spending almost 5 years debating the pros and cons of being vegan. In high school his best friend was vegan. Her absolute conviction for the cause of animals and the realization that it only takes one person to make an impact is what compelled him to convert to veganism. He supports the view that animal farming has an absolutely devastating effect on the earth. "There are more effective and intelligent lifestyles than eating flesh".
He's the only vegan in his family and often has to fend for himself therefore he advocates for veganism in South Africa. He wants to make sure that no vegan ever again has to make do with less than good, simply because they choose to live responsibly.
Francois loves cooking and trying out new and exiting recipes. He admits that he's no chef, but can serve up a mean meal. All things sugary are his worst vice. "If I knew that vegan chocolate tastes this good, I would have converted a lot sooner". His favorite foods are avocado and potatoes.
He is currently working in the cosmetic industry as a financial accountant.
You can contact Francois at FrancoisH@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - Johannesburg West: Lesleigh Harnwell
Lesleigh is responsible for the vegan listings in the Jo'burg area, so if you own a food outlet in the area you better be nice to her! She also contributed much to the site content, including the encyclopaedic and beautifully written about veganism section.
She has been vegetarian since 2002 and vegan since 2007, when she could no longer block out the cries of the mother cows. She is an animal rights advocate who believes in living naturally and without cruelty.
Lesleigh works as a production manager for a conference accessory company. She spends most of her time doting on her beloved dogs, taking them for walks, writing and painting. She loves the outdoors and a good stomp. Her favourite foods are curries, anything with potatoes, and tofu ice cream.
You can contact Lesleigh at LesleighH@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - Johannesburg Central: Mark Scheepers
Mark finally graduated to being a vegan after listening to Alicia Silverstone talk about the reasons behind her becoming one and reading her book, 'The Kind Diet'. "No matter how involved I got, from vegetarianism to not buying animal products, the word 'vegan' and the lifestyle always hovered somewhere in the back of my mind. It was like some irresistible force was always propelling me here."
A writer from the age of 8, he took a few detours along the way, trying everything from acting, live poetry performance, invigilator, caterer, window washer, babysitter to bank client services and credit control. He's currently a writer and photographer for the Caxton Urban News stable as well as a columnist for Exit newspaper and book reviewer for Fairlady.
He loves food and is currently revelling in his latest find - vegan shwarmas from the staff canteen. He also loves anything to do with nature and "vegging out" and can lie on the grass for hours or dance in the rain. These days much of his time is taken up with the most recent addition to his family - a tantrum-throwing Chihuahua that literally moved himself in one Sunday.
You can contact Mark at MarkS@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - KwaZulu Natal: Marjorie Marino
Marjorie lives in KwaZulu Natal for part of the year and has been vegetarian since around 2007, but only officially switched to being vegan early in 2009. She has already contributed quite a lot of recipes to our directory as cooking is one of her passions.
She has respect for environmental concerns but since watching videos from others organisations and talking to some vegan friends, she's now more aware of animal feelings and rights. She originally stopped eating meat when she was stunned one time by the haunting and terrified screams of a pig that was being slaughtered nearby. This snapped her out of her apathy and mobilised her lifestyle change from that moment on.
On a brighter note, Marjorie enjoys cookery, travel and adventure - in all forms of her life. Her favourite foods are Asian, especially Thai, Indian and Filipino.
You can contact Marjorie at MarjorieM@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - Limpopo: Tachiriyah Baht Yisrael
Tachiriyah Baht Yisrael is the Regional Manager for Limpopo, which is a challenge she is very much looking forward to (transforming Limpopo into a vegan friendly province).
Tachiriyah has been vegan since 2005 and is part of a worldwide community of African Hebrew Israelites who hold fast to the belief that a vegan diet is a diet that was crafted by the Creator to promote and sustain everlasting life. A vegan diet is the only diet that approaches and recognises men as co-creators of the universe and also as holistic entities: body, mind, spirit and soul.
When she is not coming up with new product ideas for vegans, Tachiriyah spends her time giving restaurant managers new and creative ways to cater for the vegan niche market. After six years in the sales and marketing environment, Tachiriyah traded sales and budgets for being a trainer and moderator for New Venture Creation, and loves to plant herbs, cook, read and eat, eat and eat some more. Her favourites hang out spots are Exclusive Books, Fruits and Roots and the green outdoors.
You can contact Tachiriyah at Tachiriyahby@veganSA.com
Regional Manager - Overburg: Antoinette Maake
Antoinette has been a vegetarian since the age of 4 after a meat allergy that affected her and her brother. The decision to become a 'strict' vegan was made after reading Colin T. Campbells 'The China Study' and watching the documentary 'Meet Your Meat' in mid-2007. She says she could no longer justify using any animal products of any kind in her diet. The decision was also assisted by increased awareness of the impact we have made as human beings on our planet.
Antoinette thinks that veganism is a beautiful expression of "Right Living". Her interest and participation in the healing therapies Reiki and Yoga, her personal involvement with dogs and horses (she breeds Arabian horses and Italian greyhounds) has fine-tuned her commitment to this way of life.
She works as a Quality Assurance Manager for a manufacturing company. She has a passion for the visual arts, an eclectic taste in music and is an avid gardener. Antoinette loves cooking when she has the time. Her favourite foods are mushrooms, tempeh, brown rice ... and she's a fruit addict!
You can contact Antoinette at Antoinettem@veganSA.com
Image Supplier - Johnny Greig
Many of the images that you see on this website have been kindly donated by Johnny Greig, a professional freelance photographer, living and working out of London.
Johnny specialises in still life and portrait work for advertising, editorial and corporate clients. More of his work can be on: www.JohnnyGreig.com.
Testimonials:
"I just wanted to let you know the amazing work that you do with zero funding. I guess the plight of animals and the environment is not up there on the agenda and budget of the government. I recently got introduced to one of your members by accident. She organised me a dinner party so I can introduce my family and my friends to my new vegan lifestyle. Tachiriyah is a gift to veganism!
I was amazed that being vegan can be so exciting to the palate. I'm currently on a raw diet as part of my detoxing regime to get rid of the meat that has been suffocating my intenstines for decades. Needless to say I don't feel I'm loosing out at all; the raw food is delicious and as days pass being on this detox, my senses are returning and heightening my enjoyment for life! So thank you! Keep up the good work! " - Stacey Baker, United States of America
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