A great July day and a 60th birthday bash

If looks are anything to go by, it would appear that activist, psychologist and academic Saths Cooper, who celebrated his 60th birthday at Durban's Elangeni Hotel last Friday night, has led a charmed life.

But as we all know, looks can be deceiving, and Cooper - who was dashing as the man of the moment - has certainly led a life of political struggle and controversy (his days as vice chancellor of the former University of Durban Westville).

LATE STARTER: Celebrations in the hotel's Great Illanga room, where friends and family - including former judge Siraj Desai, former KwaZulu-Natal judge president Vuka Tshabala, gender activist Anshu Padayachee, sociologist Ashwin Desai and Yfm chief executive Kanthan Pillay - started an hour late. Programme director, a glamorous-looking Shabnam Palesa Mohamed, navigated the short formalities which included touching and sentimental addresses by Cooper's three children - Oneida, Athisen and Divian - and a witty, entertaining speech by Cooper's close friend, medical specialist and consultant Joe Veriava. Cooper, who initially didn't want to speak at the event, relented and addressed his guests after starters.

GO GIRL: The leggy Oneida, a St Andrew's School for Girls pupil who was a definite head-turner is a striking red dress, is headed to Singapore where she will represent South Africa in an international swimming meet. During her short address, when she spoke about her dad being there when she needed "money, help with speeches, advice and her swimming career", joked that she wondered if he "really knows what strokes I swim". But that no matter what, her "amazing father" always told her to "give it sticks ... whatever that means", raising a laugh from the audience.

QUOTE THAT: Veriava mentioned that medically, talking about the elderly was a euphemistic reference to senior citizens which couldn't be linked to Cooper, who, despite celebrating his 60th year, looked like a "bloody child". He added that Cooper had always been an enigma to him because of his energy (a reference highlighted when Athisen said his dad was director of this and chairman of that) and, therefore, advised him to "put down on paper his life because he had seen a lot and done a lot and, of course, could remember it all".

REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY: During his address, Cooper recounted the struggle days, the country's transformation and lamented the lack of positive leadership for SA's youth. Without sounding as if he was sermonising the fact that there were many activists who managed to emerge from "that whole period with our integrity intact", he hit home his point that "we owe it to ourselves for what we stood to ensure that the young people feel really part of this experiment to establish a country without ethnic, class or colour barriers".

OOPS: Desai, who corrected a reference to him in a previous column without taking umbrage (he's based at Rhodes and he's not a socialist), is a fun party partner. During Cooper's address, he shouted out "tell us what you're thinking brother" in true Desai adversarial form, to the amusement of guests.

OVERALL: While it was a party in celebration of Cooper's life, the night wasn't filled with trite tribute after tribute of the man's accomplishments. The former activist, it seemed, wanted to have a good party with old friends and family. As I left shortly after the buffet dinner was announced, I was certain that, once again, he had achieved his goal.

THE following day, I joined thousands of punters, exhibitionists and party people at the annual Vodacom Durban July at Greyville Racecourse which was themed "A Blooming Great Day" this year. Despite feeling like a whipped filly myself, after trying unsuccessfully with a colleague to dash around the box suites and marquees to confirm rumours that Britain's Prince Harry and William were horsing around at the event, it turned out to be an interesting day.

CASINO ROYALE: Many of the VVIP guests - including cricketers Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Andrew Hudson; Sorisha Naidoo (who looked glowing in an orange dress days before the birth of her daughter) and Vivian Reddy; tertiary moguls Jay and Molly Ramnundlall; eThewkini deputy mayor Logie and wife Jeevie Naidoo; and minister of public works Geoff and Carol Doidge - were protected from the plebs at Sibaya Casino's uber-cool marquee. While I was truly grateful that permission was granted for us to inter-view and photograph how the other half partied, I was amused at being chaperoned (as if we were going to sneak off and steal some sushi or bubbly seeing that we weren't even offered a glass of water) and constantly asked if we were done. It was hardly hospitable considering that the place is legendary as the entertainment kingdom.

BOLLYWOOD BLING: Judged the best-decorated facility, Dionne Collett and partners, Deon Steyn and Kathryn Hulett, showed they knew how to throw a good party (and still be great hosts) at their Blooming Bollywood Extravaganza. They hit the trifecta with a winning combination of a great mix of party people, tasteful Indian decor and fabulous food (Monty Moodley of Silverani's fame). The three decided to form a partnership 10 days before the event, pooled their specific talents and set up what was arguably one of the July's most vibey spots.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Tourism training boss Sadha Naidoo's north-east wing box suite, right above the finish line, had a magnificent view of the racecourse, tent town and Durban. Ever the charming host, Naidoo ensured that waiters saw to our needs - a colleague and I had drinks and plates to help ourselves to the buffet almost thrust into our hands as we arrived. I had to giggle when I sniffed the unmistakable aroma of agarbathi (incense stick) from one of the neighbouring boxes - no doubt prayers to pick the winning horses, I thought. Naidoo's guests included Prabashni Reddy, who, as Golden Horse Casino's new marketing manager has promised to "bring sexy back" to the establishment, and South African Tourism's Sugen Pillay.

CURRY AND ALL: Millionaire businessman Leo Chetty - he started off with one tertiary institution and now runs a chain in addition to a number of lucrative investment, property and insurance-related businesses - amazed me with the food spread at his marquee. Chetty had an on-site cook who prepared huge pots of trotters and beans; and a colleague, motivational speaker Anand Jithoo, who cooked nine kilogrammes of crab for a truly finger-licking good curry.

OVERALL: The event is truly a spectacular showing of a microcosm of South African life - a playground that attracts A-list celebrities, fashion-crazy followers and professional punters. I, for one, had a "blooming great day". - YN

WHILE many of Gauteng's rich and famous were at the Vodacom Durban July, there were many who didn't make the trip. It was clever marketing then that Abied Mahomet - one of the managers and co-owners of Jet Nightclub at the Dome in Northgate - hosted the Jet Joburg July, which promised a Durban July-themed extravaganza.

RACING GREEN: The plush décor of the nightclub needed the bare minimum to jazz up the venue. Jet is furnished with trendy black-and-white wall paper and slick black couches that surround the main dance floor. The ceiling is draped in white cloth that provides a sensation of being in a large party tent, so with the tables decked out in bright red-and-green table cloths and a grass carpet that was laid out in one of the VIP sections, a sense of the races was successfully created.

RACEY ENTERTAINMENT: Sexy female dancers dressed as jockeys with tights and boots entertained guests on the grass carpet with provocative moves. The male dancers went topless and guests had the opportunity to get photographed with a jockey of their choice.

OOPS: Clubbers were encouraged to dress up according to the theme, "A Blooming Great Day" in sexy dresses and suits for the guys but in the Johannesburg winter this was not practical. Understandably, nobody dressed for the races but party goers still looked stylish and glitzy.

HOMESICK: A large portion of guests were formerly from Durban and migrated to live and work in Johannesburg. One guest said she felt slightly homesick - missing out on the Durban July - so she decided to join in the festivities at Jet.

OVERALL: While it was a fun evening, somehow it just wasn't that "blooming" spectacular. - NK