Seven months on the move
Cape Town’s new U.S. Consul General Teddy B. Taylor delivers his diplomacy, “Straight, no chaser”.
This Jazz aficionado and straight shooter has served seven tours in Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific. This week he completed his first seventh month in South Africa.
We thought we would share some of his highlights so far. Enjoy…
Taylor has hit the ground running. One of his first introductions to Cape Town was a radio interview on CapeTalk with Kieno Kammies. Listen here
In December Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, visited Cape Town.
Together Thomas-Greenfield and Taylor experienced first-hand the sorrow of the country’s past and the excitement about its future.
First they visited Robben Island.
And then they had coffee with some of the city’s most promising young leaders at iKhaya Le Langa.
Taylor and Thomas-Greenfield also paid a visit to the African Centre for HIV Aids Management.
The centre believes academic institutions must play a creative role in nourishing social, political and economic transformation. It conducts research, education outreach and community services related to HIV and AIDS management in the workplace.
The Consulate General in Cape Town also works hard to promote business ties between South Africa and the United States.
This year Taylor met with Stellenbosch Mayor Conrad Sidego to promote business partnerships. They celebrated a Stellenbosch company’s innovation using U.S. technology.
Taylor was also honored to meet one of the only black female winemakers in South Africa - Ntsiki Biyela from Stellenbosch’s Stellekaya Winery.
The young winemaker is an inspiration the country’s 350 year-old winelands.
Biyela won a winemaking scholarship in 1998 and never sipped wine before then. Fastforward 15 years and her blends of cabernet, sauvignon, merlot and pinotage are awardwinning wines. In 2009 Biyela was named South Africa’s Woman Winemaker of the Year in 2009.
Another honor for Taylor was to meet with former Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs.
The Consulate donated 50 copies of the film Soft Vengeance to libraries in the Western Cape. The film tells the story of Sachs as an anti-apartheid liberation hero and a key builder of a new democratic South African society.
Taylor is also a big Jazz lover. In March he hosted jazz artists and royalty at his home during the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
World-renowned Hugh Masekela joined Bafokeng King, Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi among others for a relaxing brunch with Taylor.
Inspiring young South Africans is close to Taylor’s heart.
NASA’s Chief Scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan and NASA Astronaut Dr. Catherine Coleman also paid a visit to two schools and the Cape Town Science Centre.
Taylor also enjoyed giving prizes to winning teams of the Thethani Debating League tournament.
It has been a busy and rewarding seven months — and this is only the start…
Keep up to date by following us on Twitter at @USConsCapeTown
