The first South African Survivor series was widely criticised for having far too many models and model wannabes in the group.
This time round the contestants aren't as good-looking as they were last time. They're reassuring plain and ordinary to look at. Maybe this makes for a more interesting series.
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This now places more of a premium on their human and psychological qualities, and it remains to be seen if they can be more consistently and satisfyingly entertaining than the poseurs. They're all aged between 21 and 47.
Meet the contestants
So, who do we have this time? In alphabetical order:
Amanda Hoosen, 29, from Weltevreden Park, Johannesburg . She lived in the USA, has travelled widely, and now is head of the internal audit team of a major mining company. She says she enjoys Bikram Yoga (yoga in a heated room)." Is this a new way of entertaining oneself in a sauna? She's an experienced dancer, from ballet to tap, though this might not be entirely useful on the beach.
She describes herself as having "conquered the corporate world" and is sure she can "talk her way in and out of any situation" which may be interesting for her bosses to learn.
Apparently she's a "fun and loud person" and an intellectual, not a common combination and she recognises that she could annoy others by seeming a know-it-all.
''I am a bathroom girl. I think bathrooms are essential." Well, I hope most of us would agree.
Angela Beck, 23, is from Krugersdorp. And she is a model coach. Well, you didn't think they'd let us get through a Survivor series without a model or two? She runs four of her own businesses and she trains aspiring models.
She says she has won over fifty beauty pageant titles herself, including Miss Africa 2003, and Miss Tourism International of 2003, a contest which was held in Malaysia.
She sees herself as highly ambitious and strong-willed. Will she be the first model to convince the audience that she is more than a pretty face? She hopes they'll all underestimate her. I notice that she talks in self-development speak, as though she has consumed too many self-help books.
Angie Bennett, 30, from Mowbray, Cape Town is a boot camp instructor but doesn’t specify exactly what she provides instruction in.
She’s an SA champion in Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing, or "The Art of the Eight Limbs". So look out for all eight of her limbs at work. Techniques used include blocking, redirection, avoidance, evasion, disruption and anticipation - all of which should come in handy during the game.
She also has a cum laude honours degree in psychology, so she could be a rather intimidating opponent. She takes risks, and is a "straight-shooter who's prepared to walk over anyone," according to the handout. She says she tries hard to avoid being looked on as a dumb blonde, but thinks in this context it could be an advantage.
Dyke Higginson, 28, from Marina Beach, KwaZulu-Natal, is a landscaper. He's described as a "sporty, outdoor McGyver type of guy, who is always on the go and never wants an office job." He is into swimming, golf, cycling, hiking, surfing, salt water skin-diving and spear fishing; presumably one at a time.
He should be ideal as a provider and describes himself as being able to speak four languages, which might not be entirely necessary in this game.
Elsie Smith, 24, from Sunninghill, Johannesburg is a Hillbrow hotel manager. A devoted smoker, ‘party animal’ and clubber, she takes pole dancing classes for fun. She considers herself funny and street-smart with social tricks.
Again, these might not be exactly the most vital skills to have as a castaway, but she promises to discover people's weaknesses and play with their minds.
She dislikes the dark and insects, which could be a problem, and hates being alone, which could prove difficult if she should get exiled on the neighbouring island. She says she entered mainly to see if she could live with strangers and without her ciggies, cell phone, hairdresser and lip-gloss.
Grant Clark, 35, from Tokai, Cape Town, is a maritime lawyer, so he could usefully advise on the laws of flotsam and jetsam, should they find any good stuff washed up on the beach.
He's described as a "non-conformist lawyer" with some major tattoos. He once taught English in Japan and smuggled Bibles into China. Again, not necessarily skills likely to be tested in this series, but much more interesting than most contestants and he sounds resourceful.
He insists he’ll never take things personally and is "sneaky and devious and has the gift of the gab". Well, we knew he was a lawyer, but this is unusually frank.
He claims he gets ‘paid to be sneaky’ and can't help it and adds that he’s "nothing to look at, sweet as sugar, but not to be trusted one bit.” And he says that as a city boy he has no survival skills whatever.
Hein Vosloo, 47, from Manzengwenya, KZN, is a rural developer. I myself have often wanted to develop a rural.
A former military man, he describes himself as an "adventurer who has done all the things other people only read about in books or see on TV.” He has been in the African bush without resources countless times and, as a result, knows astounding survival techniques, such as how to make fire in seven different ways. So if the first six ways you tried to make a fire didn't work, and you want to navigate by the stars, he’s your man.
He says he has "incredible bush knowledge" and is "as strong as an ox." He’s been married for more than 20 years and is working with his wife to build a cultural centre in a rural area, while he writes a book about astronomy.
Irshaad Ally, 29, is a graphic designer from Maitland, Cape Town. Apparently he was arrested for assault after he returned to Cape Town at the end of filming. Back in July, he was described in the papers as "an enraged motorist who allegedly assaulted a municipal parking marshal whom he thought had kicked his car."
He says he “had a rough youth, growing up on the Cape Flats, never finished school, got involved with the wrong people, did hard drugs and got arrested.” But then he re-invented his life and worked his way up from a runner at an ad agency to a graphic designer.
He’s completed the Argus and jumps off 20m cliffs for fun. He calls himself an action man who trusts his gut feelings, and is afraid of nothing. At least he shouldn't be dull.
Lisa Atkinson, 21, from Durban and Stellenbosch, is a student, doing a BA in International Studies and is not only the youngest contestant, but the snottiest in the group.
She describes herself as "bratty and cocky" but seems to consider these admirable characteristics. She claims to be the biggest fan of Survivor in the history of the show and insists she will be able to use her prodigious knowledge of the game to her advantage. We shall see.
She expects to befriend the girls and charm the men and recognises that she's "the kind of person you either love or hate". Considering her brash egotism, I'm expecting the latter response to be fairly widespread.
She illustrates perfectly the disadvantages of an excessively high self-esteem and thinks its doing everyone a great favour if she tells them directly what she thinks of them.
Lorette Mostert, 36, from Middelburg, is a policewoman. She is the winner of the Viewer's Choice competition and was selected with the most votes nationally to join the group.
A mother of two, she's a superintendent in the SAPS who has run the Comrades Marathon and has black belts in judo and karate. Not someone to mess about with, she says she also has many practical survival skills and plays hard but with integrity.
Mandla Mbau, 36, is a marketing manager from Glen Marais, Joburg. Born in Soweto, he says he worked hard to get a good education and job, worked in Environmental Science and has just finished a four year assignment in Lagos.
The handout describes him as a "proud rock of a man" and a "Camel Man" and I have no idea of what these terms are intended to convey. He seems to be a hard worker, is calm under pressure and used to working within a team.
Nichal Ramchander, 25, from Pheonix, Durban, says he is a "strongman competitor". He also deals with sales and marketing for an interior design company and is elsewhere described as an interior designer.
He competes in weight lifting, drag racing and super-biking and describes himself as strong, a bit of an odd-ball, very likeable and intolerant of sissies. Gee, that's so likeable! He was quoted as saying, "Let the men do the thing; let winners do it." He may stir controversy with his sexist and opinionated utterances.
Nicola Windt, 37, from Harding, KZN, is a dairy farmer and super-mom who has raised seven kids (four of them her own, three stepchildren).
She won Natal colours in polo Crosse and is described as having a "powerful, sculptured body" and is “a team player who loves to lead.”
Quoted as boasting that, ''My weakness is the fact that I don't think I have any.'' She's another one with modesty problems. She's prepared to eat sea weed and insects, so she may manage the Lean Cuisine of the island.
Nomfundo Vilakazi, 27, lives in both Pretoria and Cape Town and is a chemical engineer. She was one of the first black female chemical engineering students at the University of Pretoria and apparently was ‘a child prodigy’.
She dabbles in Tarot, martial arts and yoga and describes herself as a “mysterious intellectual and brilliant problem-solver.” We shall see.
Rijesh Govender, 30, is a sales Executive from Lyndhurst, Joburg. Originally from Eshowe, he "takes great care of his body" and spends many hours in the gym. And yes, you guessed it, as done some modelling.
A former high jumper, he says he's "used to juggling many jobs". Sometimes he's a bar tender at "cool clubs”. He says he "will crash anything that stands in his path" and describes himself as a "charming manipulator who turns nasty when someone tramps on his toes."
He is apparently the token gay contestant and, if so, about time too. He offers serious attitude, and says he's prepared for "screwing you over”.
Viwe Soga, 23, is a candidate attorney from Melrose, Joburg. He grew up in Umtata, wentto boarding school in Pietermaritzburg and Grahamstown, and competed in the 2006 African Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Ethiopia.
He says he's good at assessing the broader picture and using situations to his advantage, and a pretty good liar (well, he's our second lawyer). He’s described as witty, smart, charming and masterful with words, with a dazzling smile - but he somehow neglected to mention his extreme modesty.
Analysing the luxury items
I gather that they were all encouraged to take a "luxury item" but these were confiscated as the game started. However, their choices are somewhat revealing.
Amanda took a bottle of wine, Angela a Swiss Army knife, Angie some Bio-oil, Dyke a bottle of rum, Elsie some lip-ice, Grant a journal, Hein two decks of cards, Irshaad a spade (in these circumstances that really can be a luxury), Lisa took some Tabard, Lorette a mini-basketball, Mandla a pen and notebook, Nichaal a survival knife, “like the one in Rambo”, Nicola a bottle of wine, Nomfundo "Zen attitude" (how pretentious), Rijesh a “Huge bottle of 2-in- shampoo and conditioner" and Viwe a tub of Vaseline. Hmm...
(Professor M.A. Simpson, aka CyberShrink, August 2007)
Amanda Hoosen, 29, from Weltevreden Park, Johannesburg . She lived in the USA, has travelled widely, and now is head of the internal audit team of a major mining company. She says she enjoys Bikram Yoga (yoga in a heated room)." Is this a new way of entertaining oneself in a sauna? She's an experienced dancer, from ballet to tap, though this might not be entirely useful on the beach.
Angela Beck, 23, is from Krugersdorp. And she is a model coach. Well, you didn't think they'd let us get through a Survivor series without a model or two? She runs four of her own businesses and she trains aspiring models.
Angie Bennett, 30, from Mowbray, Cape Town is a boot camp instructor but doesn’t specify exactly what she provides instruction in.
Dyke Higginson, 28, from Marina Beach, KwaZulu-Natal, is a landscaper. He's described as a "sporty, outdoor McGyver type of guy, who is always on the go and never wants an office job." He is into swimming, golf, cycling, hiking, surfing, salt water skin-diving and spear fishing; presumably one at a time.
Elsie Smith, 24, from Sunninghill, Johannesburg is a Hillbrow hotel manager. A devoted smoker, ‘party animal’ and clubber, she takes pole dancing classes for fun. She considers herself funny and street-smart with social tricks.
Grant Clark, 35, from Tokai, Cape Town, is a maritime lawyer, so he could usefully advise on the laws of flotsam and jetsam, should they find any good stuff washed up on the beach.
Hein Vosloo, 47, from Manzengwenya, KZN, is a rural developer. I myself have often wanted to develop a rural.
Irshaad Ally, 29, is a graphic designer from Maitland, Cape Town. Apparently he was arrested for assault after he returned to Cape Town at the end of filming. Back in July, he was described in the papers as "an enraged motorist who allegedly assaulted a municipal parking marshal whom he thought had kicked his car."
Lisa Atkinson, 21, from Durban and Stellenbosch, is a student, doing a BA in International Studies and is not only the youngest contestant, but the snottiest in the group.
Lorette Mostert, 36, from Middelburg, is a policewoman. She is the winner of the Viewer's Choice competition and was selected with the most votes nationally to join the group.
Mandla Mbau, 36, is a marketing manager from Glen Marais, Joburg. Born in Soweto, he says he worked hard to get a good education and job, worked in Environmental Science and has just finished a four year assignment in Lagos.
Nichal Ramchander, 25, from Pheonix, Durban, says he is a "strongman competitor". He also deals with sales and marketing for an interior design company and is elsewhere described as an interior designer.
Nicola Windt, 37, from Harding, KZN, is a dairy farmer and super-mom who has raised seven kids (four of them her own, three stepchildren).
Nomfundo Vilakazi, 27, lives in both Pretoria and Cape Town and is a chemical engineer. She was one of the first black female chemical engineering students at the University of Pretoria and apparently was ‘a child prodigy’.
Rijesh Govender, 30, is a sales Executive from Lyndhurst, Joburg. Originally from Eshowe, he "takes great care of his body" and spends many hours in the gym. And yes, you guessed it, as done some modelling.
Viwe Soga, 23, is a candidate attorney from Melrose, Joburg. He grew up in Umtata, wentto boarding school in Pietermaritzburg and Grahamstown, and competed in the 2006 African Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Ethiopia.
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