THE WILD COAST TATLER MARCH 2018

WILD COAST

Tatler We know where you live.

DEVILS ON HORSEBACK

Bushracing under the gun

MARCH 2018

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IN WITH INKWENKWEZI

INTRODUCING THE WILD COAST TRAVELLER!

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The star of the Wild Coast 8

8 to 11

Murder-suicide shocks community

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VICTIM TOLD A CUSTOMER THAT SHE WAS UNHAPPY AND WAS BEING STALKED TWO WEEKS BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED

by Aly Verbaan

hot at point-blank range in the face by a man she was trying to get a restraining order against, the shocking murder of Charmaine Staude in her own restaurant shows just how little the law can do to protect anyone against a man with murder in mind. And not just any man, but one with a violent past and a gun.

Charmaine had just “celebrated” her 58th birthday the day before her estranged boyfriend Brian Bradley murdered her and then committed suicide in The Blue Goose Restaurant in Crossways at about 16:00 on Tuesday, 27 February.

She had spent her birthday attempting to get a restraining order against Brian, who had been following her, had slashed her car tyres, broken into her home, and threatened to kill her since she ended their tumultuous five-year relationship several months ago.

The police clearly didn’t see the writing on the wall and told Charmaine that they were powerless to arrest Brian since “there were no eye-witnesses” to the harassment.

Several staff members witnessed the shootings, and others

heard a loud crash when Brian fell against the coffee machine as he died.

Brian had been a security officer with Red Alert Cleaning and Security in East London, but had accepted a new job with another security outfit about a month ago.

An acquaintance of Brian, Johan Oelofse of East Coast Security at Crossways, said when he last spoke to Brian a couple of weeks ago he had seemed “upbeat and excited about his new job”. He had apparently just bought a new vehicle.

A regular patron of The Blue Goose, who asked not to be named, told The Wild Coast Tatler that two weeks before the shooting, she had asked Charmaine whether anything was wrong as “she looked extremely stressed and unhappy”. Charmaine allegedly responded that a stalker was making her life “a living hell”. She added that Brian was so possessive of her that he had forbidden her from even walking her dog when they BETTER DAYS Charmaine Staude and her daughter, Joanne. were involved.

Some background research 1998. It is not known whether Crossways Centre. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a fellow has brought to light that Brian Charmaine was aware of this.

Prior to the shootings, Brian patron said that as Brian was had already had serious brushes with the law and was apparently had been drinking at the Jik- leaving he said, “Right, I’m off to involved in an armed robbery in eleza Pub and Grub, also at the make myself famous”.

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SHOOTER Brian Bradley.

Wayne Naylor, station manager of Wild Coast FM, whose studios are in the same complex as the Blue Goose, expressed condolences on behalf of the station to Charmaine’s family, and said the tragedy had shocked him to the core.

“I feel it’s not enough to simply report this as a once-off news story. The issue of domestic violence has hit so close to home that the station is planning an awareness campaign in memory of Charmaine. Her death is a complete waste. I can’t make any sense of it, but if we, as a community media platform, can save just one life in the future through a campaign, I feel we will have done something better than simply sensationalise a tragedy for its shock value.”

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MARCH 2018

LETTERS THE WILD COAST

EDITOR Aly Verbaan CONTACT 060 700 0542 aly@thegreatkeitatler.co.za

WINNER! MARYANN O’HAGAN is this month’s winner of the GT Tyres photo competition, with R500 to spoil herself (and another...)

Haga Haga Wind Farm is making it impossible for public participation he owners of Endalweni PriTMouth vate Game Reserve in Kei have learned, by default

ADVERTISING Duane Botha CONTACT 063 743 9463 ads@thegreatkeitatler.co.za

The Wild Coast Tatler is a free monthly community newspaper covering the Wild Coast of South Africa. Our print run has increased to 6 000 copies, and our distribution area has widened to incorporate the coastline from East London to Mthatha, and inland from Hogsback to Queenstown. The Wild Coast Tatler is also launching The Wild Coast Traveller, an accommodation guide to the Wild Coast.

Feel free to send in suggestions and innovative ideas, and of course, advertising.

The media’s work is guided at all times by the public interest, understood to describe information of legitimate interest or importance to citizens. As journalists we commit ourselves to the highest standards, to maintain credibility and keep the trust of the public. This means always striving for truth, avoiding unnecessary harm, reflecting a multiplicity of voices in our coverage of events, showing a special concern for children and other vulnerable groups, exhibiting sensitivity to the cultural customs of our readers and the subjects of our reportage, and acting independently. Should you feel that we are not living up to these standards or are compromising these ethics, feel free to contact the press ombudsman and lodge a complaint. We welcome all feedback.

via a telephonic accommodation booking from Kerryn McKune Desai, the socioeconomic scoping assessment consultant, of Haga Haga Wind Farm’s intention to erect some 50-plus giant wind turbines between Haga Haga and Kei Mouth. [Throwing caution to the wind?; The Wild Coast Tatler, November 2017; p1.]

At the outset, we wish to record our extreme dissatisfaction that we were neither contacted nor informed of this project by way of a telephone call or being issued with the Scoping Report for Public Comment as an interested and affected party (IAP) in terms of GNR 982, Regulation 41(b) of the proposed project.

As important stakeholders we are concerned that, because we were not informed of this huge project, we missed the deadline to register for the statutory 30day Public Participation Process (PPP) in order to comment, as the statutory commenting period last year. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, we trust that we will not be prejudiced in any way and that our comments and concerns will be respectfully considered.

We note that Portion 2 of Farm 71 has been earmarked for this project. This will have an impact on our operation as we own eight adjoining titles: portion 1 of Farm 68; portion 2, 3 and 4 of Farm 70; portion 3 of Farm 71,

Farm 83; 83/1 and Farm 84.

Our initial response, without having sufficient time to read and analyse the 342-page Scoping Report for public comment plus the 10 annexures in detail, is to strongly oppose the erection of wind turbines on, or in close proximity to our farms and/or neighbouring farms for many reasons, including that it could not only be the ruination of our ecological tourism and conservation projects, but has the capacity to destroy the natural beauty of the pristine Gurura River area.

If the information we have is correct, the construction and erection of turbines on our farms and/or on neighbouring farms will be detrimental to our current and proposed operations on almost all levels as identified in the scoping report, including, but not limited to, socioeconomic, visual, agricultural, fauna, flora, bats, birdlife, noise, land lights at night on turbines. Your urgent response to our email, in which you should address our concerns above, while also outlining future processes in terms of the PPP of this project will be appreciated.

Hopefully your response will assist us in making an informed decision about which steps to follow to ensure our operations will not be negatively impacted by the Haga Haga Wind Farm project in any way.

Sheila Riekert Kei Mouth

Turbine intransparency ne has to ask oneself why O the Terramanzi Group advertised the date for comments

re the Haga Haga Wind Turbine Farm in the Go and The Herald.

They know full well that neither of these papers reach us up here in Haga Haga and surrounding areas. Now the date to register as an interested and affected party (IAP) has passed, which is no doubt what they hoped would happen.

Terramanzi’s lack of transparency, as well as the developers of this project smacks of corruption and underhandedness.

While we are in favour of

clean energy, wind farms are not as squeaky clean as they make out, and the electricity they do produce won’t benefit us at all.

It goes into the national grid, and who knows what the inept Eskom does with it.

Even if one managed to comment or register on time, who’s to say these emails are ever given any consideration?

It is obviously in Terramanzi’s interest to approve the project — if they had a reputation for turning them down they’d be out of business!

Jacqui Naumann Morgan Bay

GKM, this trash is your responsibility hile it is really appreciated W that the mayor and other officials took the time, (9 Febru-

ary 2018) to try and clear some of the fence line of all the plastic bags, it was of no use due to the high winds experienced that afternoon, because when I went up there at 15:30 the fence was again full of bags.

The plastic bags on the fence line and around the gate do not remove the flies and rats which cause diseases — it is the bags of filth and rotting food that draw them to this site.

I realise that the time frame I gave with my initial email may not have been achievable so, with this in mind I will again

visit the site next Wednesday and, should nothing constructive have happened, I will forward these e-mails to the Amathole Health Department for further action.

Apparently somebody from the Great Kei Municipality informed Cor Janse van Rensburg, a Kei Mouth Ratepayers Association member, the matter was in hand and that vehicles would start removing the refuse as a matter of urgency today. This has not happened.

A constructive response would be much appreciated.

Bryan Church Kei Mouth

NEWS

MARCH 2018

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by Cara Le Mottee

ommunity members of the Great Kei municipal area have been struggling with ineffective waste management for longer than many care to remember. After prolonged efforts, numerous instances of one-way correspondence, and many giving up hope, it seems that their determination is finally starting to pay off.

A number of years ago the Kei Mouth community started a recycling initiative and reached out to the GKM in the hopes of forming a partnership, aiming to work together to ensure the creation of a clean and healthy environment. What they received in return was little response or action — the municipality were slow to get on board or show support in any way.

One of the main hindrances toward recycling in the area has been the state of the buildings and facilities of the transfer station, where such operations are meant to take place. The premises lacks adequate security and has thus been vandalised on multiple occasions, essentially rendering it unusable. In reaching out to the municipality, the community suggested various practical solutions which, if put in place, would allow both parties to turn the station into an operational site where recyclable material could be dropped, sorted and collected.

Additionally, suggestions were made on how this initiative could have a greater reach outside of the transfer station, by creating awareness, involving surrounding communities and businesses, and providing income opportunities.

Anne Gillham, a Morgan Bay community member who is actively involved in the matter, says “We have a cooperative and an entrepreneur who will earn money from waste recycling, but he’s unable to do it because of the state of the transfer station. So, they are actually denying him an income at the end of the day.”

To simplify things further, DNF Waste and Environmental Services, based in East London, are able and willing to provide training for “waste entrepreneurs” on separating and managing products according to the necessary specifics, collect the recyclable material from the transfer station weekly, and pay these entrepreneurs for the waste they have managed. They have also agreed to assist local schools in joining the school recycling programme, where they will receive reimbursement for the waste collected. Additionally, dependent on the maintenance upgrades of the transfer station, DNF have put on the table the possibility of setting up a buy-back centre at the transfer station. This will mean they will have staff on site every day, and anybody could arrive with their recyclable waste, have it weighed and get paid for it. This raises the potential for everyone to get involved even more.

A brand-new baling machine, provided by the GKM for this very purpose, has been of little use.

Rather than being used to bale recyclable material, it is collecting dust off-site, where it has been stored for years: “That transfer station is forever being vandalised because people can just walk in there. They’ve stolen everything. Nothing is secure, so you couldn’t put the baling machine in there because people would vandalise it and take all the bits of metal and screws and everything else that makes it up,” explains Anne.

The solution, it would seem, is fairly simple. If the station is made secure, the baling machine can be brought on site, the cooperation can come into play, and then people can start earning a living in an eco-friendly, sustainable way.

The process in making this a reality, however, has been far from simple. Correspondence with municipal representatives has been an ongoing battle, consisting of relentless phone calls, letters and meetings. But the transfer station continued to decline — a far cry from the recycling location it was envisioned to be. In fact, those working toward getting the mess cleared up and the site put to proper use felt that every obstruction toward their vision was being put in their way.

In January a meeting regarding the management of waste and recyclables in Morgan Bay and

Kei Mouth was held with local stakeholders, and the new Director of Technical and Community Services, Olwethu Kwabanana. While it was noted that the GKM was prioritising securing and repairing of the station, lack of available resources and funds were flagged as an issue, and once again it appeared that nothing was to come of this. On the contrary, the situation seemed to deteriorate even more.

Anne paints a grisly picture of the filth and decay: “During the season, that’s when everything gets so busy and there was so much rubbish, they stopped separating the recycling, and they just started dumping it at the transfer station, everything together in a pile, and it got bigger and bigger. They’re not supposed to leave rubbish at the transfer station; it’s supposed to be taken to landfill site, but they made the transfer station like a landfill site, so there were flies, and rats, and birds hovering over it, and these big blowflies, and it was just getting bigger and bigger. I mean, it’s a huge transfer station and the whole thing was getting full — you couldn’t drive in there anymore, and nobody was doing anything.”

Although frustrations were mounting, a number of community members persisted and continued exploring all possible avenues which could bring about some change. The ever-increasing mountain of rubbish was not only an eyesore, but posed a serious health-hazard. This concern lead to a decision by the local ratepayers associations to get in contact with and notify the Green Scorpions, as well as the Department of Health. Shortly afterward, the Green Scorpions conducted a site visit, with a promise of inspection from the Health Department too.

These efforts may be gaining some traction, as was evidenced by the sudden action over the last week of February. Not only were trucks sent to remove the mountains of rubbish, but Kwababana stated that the securing and repairs of the transfer station will start shortly, allowing it to be operational in the near future.

She indicated that the repairs to the structure itself will start once the funding is made available next month. In the meantime, she promised that as soon as the station has been cleared the community’s recycling efforts can continue, and that the municipality would adhere to the short-term solution discussed in previous meetings — namely the transporting of waste to the baling machine at the Kei Mouth workshops, where a local entrepreneur can bale it for collection. Once the building is repaired and secure then recycling can happen at the transfer station in a timely and hygienic manner.

In Chintsa, a similar story can be found. Lynne Crawford, owner of The Bistro, is one of the locals who has had to live with the piles of waste which were constantly accumulating at the municipal office alongside her restaurant: “They go around all the streets, pick up everyone’s garbage on a Monday, and then take it there and dump it, and theoretically it’s supposed to be removed right away.

Well, that doesn’t happen, and it accumulates and accumulates, and that’s when the rot sets in. It’s an eyesore; it’s right in the centre of the village.”

Chintsa also has its own registered transfer station which, in theory, should be where a recycling initiative is run. But this story is no happier than that of it’s sister-station in Kei Mouth — similarly, the premises is underdeveloped and unused.

The similarities between the two sites does not end there. Here too, the persistence of the community has begun to show results. Around the same time as trucks started to arrive to remove the waste build-up in Kei Mouth two weeks ago, so it happened in Chintsa. This has stimulated residents’ and businesses’ interest in getting actively involved in recycling initiatives and getting the transfer station operational. “It’s been a wake-up call for everyone, and I hope we can keep pushing it on,” says Lynne.

It would seem these waste management concerns have finally been heard and are in fact noted by the GKM. While it’s not completely clear what sparked this sudden call to action by the municipality, some believe it to be due to internal changes, calls made to outside authorities, or just straight forward persistence on the part of the community members.

Now that the ball is rolling, let’s hope that it will keep its momentum. It seems there may just be a light at the end of the garbage chute.

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOPS

International star Jeremy Loops rocked the C Club in Chintsa on Saturday, 24 February, and the stellar supporting artists added that extra flair that elevates an act from first-rate to world-class.

First up was South Bear, followed by East London six-piece indie-rock band Can of Worms, and then by up-and-coming local singer and guitarist, Jason Gladwin.

The electric atmosphere was electric by the time Jeremy took the stage, and nearly 1 500 revellers packed the C Club to the rafters.

Jeremy arrived on South Africa’s music scene with an unexpected commercial force, debuting at number one on iTunes in 2014 with his debut album, Trading Change, topping radio charts, and quickly developing a cult following. The album went gold in South Africa, and won multiple awards, including MTV Africa’s Best Alternative Album 2015.

An environmentalist and avid traveller, Jeremy’s natural urge to explore unknown physical spaces extended to his music too, and soon he prioritised touring Europe and North Amer-

Photo by Francis Moult

GKM offers hope for Chintsa, Kei Mouth refuse problems

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ica to test how universal his music really is.

A cult live following replicating that in South Africa quickly emerged in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, with Trading Change charting in each nation.

Relentless touring from early 2014 to the end of 2016 laid the foundation for the next level.

Early last year, Jeremy entered studio to record his follow-up album. Waves, the first single from the as-yet untitled project, features Jeremy’s signature guitar licks, vocal turns, and ear for melody.

The stakes are different now.

His reach is further, his collaborators more accomplished, the opportunity is greater, and an expectant audience is anticipating new material. If Waves and The Shore are anything to go by, here’s a maturing, sophisticated musician preparing to see out his vision of taking his music global.

Jeremy is now embarking on his third international tour, under the eponymous title of his upcoming album Critical as Water.

— Michael Gillham

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COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT

MARCH 2018 Photo by Duane Botha

Bright Kid Foundation makes it happen for Ixgara Crèche The year really started with a wonderful bang for the Ixgara Village community, teachers and children when a huge truck arrived on Monday, 12 February to deliver a lovely, brightly painted Edutainer classroom.

The crèche gate and part of the fence had to be taken down to allow for the truck to get

into the premises, and the playground had to be dismantled as well — but all for a wonderful cause — and it gives us the opportunity to give our playground a fun, colourful makeover!

Over the last two years of operating in the new crèche building, the teachers quickly realised the need for a separate class-

room for the babies, in order for proper, structured classes to be held with the older children in the bigger building.

Fiona Murray and Phakama Mzileni of the Khululeka Childrens’ Education Development Foundation in Queenstown took it upon themselves to assist us in motivating our cause to the

Bright Kid Foundation.

Thanks to their hard work, and the generosity of Nicholas Jaff of the Bright Kid Foundation, our motivation was successful and within a couple of months the Edutainer was trucked down from Johannesburg to Morgan Bay overnight.

To all involved in making this

happen, we cannot thank you enough, and to the residents and visitors to the area, please feel free to pop in and visit our new, expanding crèche, to give the teachers some encouragement and meet all our amazing children.

We would love to show you around. — Sue Warren-Smith

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NEWS

MARCH 2018

No sanitary wear is stopping girls from learning

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by GroundUp

ebisa is in Grade nine at Siyazakha High School in Kei Mouth. Like many of her classmates, she misses school when she has her periods because her family cannot afford sanitary pads or tampons.

“When I absolutely have to be there, for a test, say, I use a dishcloth or a sock,” she says. “I miss about a week a month of school usually, and so do a lot of my friends.”

“At home we are seven children and I am the only girl who is old enough to go through periods. My grandmother is old.

She sometimes forgets to buy pads and spends all the money on other household things, and it’s embarrassing to ask my uncles for money to buy pads”, says Cebisa.

“Sometimes if I keep on asking the neighbours for pads they don’t give me because they say why don’t I buy them in advance. They don’t know that I don’t have money for them.”

Her friend Noluntu, who is in Grade eight, says she missed her class test a few days ago because her periods came early and no one had money to give her. The next day Cebisa suggested she use a sock as a replacement until she could get a pad.

Hearing of these girls plight, Thandiwe Tshabalala has launched a campaign to collect sanitary wear for schools.

On a visit to township schools last year Tshabalala donated ten packs of sanitary pads to the school.

She says she remembers what it was like to struggle to afford sanitary pads. There were days when she couldn’t go to school because she had her period.

“Some learners cannot even afford simple things like soap, says Tshabalala. “People think that anyone can afford sanitary wear. But even simple things to keep you clean, for some people it’s hard to afford them.”

Many schoolgirls use rags, newspapers or tree bark instead of sanitary pads or tampons.

According to UNICEF, one in 10 girls in Africa do not attend school while menstruating.

Noluthando Kasi, a school social worker in Mthatha, says many children get contraceptive injections, not because they are sexually active, but from trying to control the bleeding each month because they can’t afford to buy sanitary wear. “Some of the girls take a sock and put a little sand inside the sock so that the blood won’t mess their clothing if it’s a heavy flow. ”Tshababala started a group in a social network, asking people to donate at least one pack of sanitary wear to poor schools.

She has created a graphic illustrating ways poor people survive, buying dishwasher instead of shampoo, and using phone directories for toilet paper.

She says she was shocked by how many black people related to the illustration.

“It seems that most South Africans are in denial about poverty.

They don’t want to hear about it”, she says. “Let’s help the girls stay in school.”

Tshepo Machaea, who is the archbishop of the Ibandla Lasemthini Evangelical Movement and a local radio personality, said he was approached by school teachers in Lusikisiki with an assortment of needs.

“I have noted with deep concern that most young ladies, especially in the rural schools of the Eastern Cape, are suffering.

One young lady related her story, which was and is still heartbreaking.

“Amongst other things that she mentioned was that at times as a Grade 12 student she could not go to school, in particular during her menstruation period, because she does not have any means to afford pads. If you are a father you will understand how I felt when she said this to me.”

Machaea is appealing to all men to get involved in the “One Month, One Million Sanitary Towels” campaign. The pads will then be handed over to the office of OR Tambo Municipality mayor Nomakhosazana Meth to distribute to needy schools.

“We would love men to understand that we need to break the strings of culture and religion which compromise our responsibility.

Traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape welcomed the initiative, saying they were happy that men were taking a lead in programmes that sought to improve the lives of girls.

“It means that men are publicly breaking the stereotypes,” said Contralesa deputy secretary Chief Nosandi Mhlauli.

In her lifetime, the average woman uses 11 000 tampons, or 22 sanitary products. In South Africa with the average tampon costing about R1.50 each (yes, that means R33 a period, or R16 500 in her lifetime) and a pack of 10 sanitary pads costing R18 (which translates to about R36 a period, or R19 800 in her lifetime). This means that having a period is an expense that many cannot afford. Most South Africans still live below the poverty line, which means that they must use alternative means of stemming the flow. These include using towelling or material which is rewashed. However, in some cases this too is unaffordable.” We’ll leave it to the economists among to you to work out how much this works out with inflation based increases in 2016, but what is clear, is that sanitary pads and tampons are unaffordable for many, many women in South Africa.

• To contact the organisers please e-mail tshepo@machaea. com and mzukisifaleni@gmail.com. Machaea can also be called at 082-822-0404.

• Please visit GroundUp’s website at www.groundup.org.za.

Many thanks for additional information provided.

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MARCH 2018

FYI

Cyril, Jacob and your finances...

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t has been a while since we have a chance to indulge in some optimism, and we should enjoy the current state of optimism while we can.

However, we also need to understand that there is some way to go before the South African economy, in general, and your personal economy specifically, will benefit from actions promised during President Ramaphosa’s inspiring State of the Nation speech on 16 February and the proposed National Budget delivered by Minister “Candy Crush” Gigaba a few days later.

We all expected to pay a bit more for our luxury and indulgences (aka “sin tax”) but wondered how Jacob’s endof-presidential-term-promise of free tertiary education and other government expenses would be funded?

In case you missed the “rob Peter to pay Paul” Budget speech here are some of the highlights; VAT is to increase by one percentage point to 15 percent from April 1 this year (it’s not an April fools’ joke.)

by Adv. Thayn Niemand CFP®

B. Juris LL.B Dip. Financial Management Dip. Labour Law 90A Chamberlain Road Vincent East London 5201 thayn@verso-wealth.co.za

Higher income earners earning more than R410 461 a year will be taking home less pay.

An increase of 52 cents a litre for fuel is proposed. This will consist of 22 cents a litre more in the general fuel levy and 30 cents a litre more in the Road Accident Fund levy.

Estate duty will be raised from 20 percent to 25 percent for estates above R30 million‚ whereas previously it was a flat 20 percent for all estates.

Ad valorem excise duty rates of five percent and seven percent will be increased to seven percent and five percent‚ with the maximum duty for motor vehicles being increased from 25 percent to 30 percent.

The plastic bag levy‚ the motor vehicle emissions tax and the levy on incandescent light bulbs will also be raised.

Offshore investments for funds under management by institutional investors will be increased.

Government spending will be reduced over the next three years but social grants will increase.

We must be aware however

to make far reaching plans based on the Speech holds some risk in that, that there are, historically, differences between the Budget Speech, subsequent Bills presented to Parliament and the final Legislation.

If the average man-in-thestreet is not going to enjoy significant financial relief from the Government is there anything they can do in their own “mini-economy” to counteract the lack of State financial assistance?

What follows is, however, not an exhaustive list by any means, but can improve any personal “budget deficit” if implemented with a degree of discipline; • Create a detailed month-bymonth budget to show each month’s income and expected expenses (don’t forget to include bank charges, interest, birthdays, gifts, licences in relevant months.) This will be very useful in avoiding financially devastating surprises in certain months.

• Reduce spending by 10 percent on non-critical expenses,

(still buying plastic bags?

• Start a car pool, plan your trips to reduce fuel usage). Effectively you will be giving yourself a salary increase, use that 10% reduction on expenses to make additional payments on any expensive (non-tax deductible) debts • Check your investments and insurance policies with your broker and financial planner to be sure that you are getting what is suitable for you from what is currently available at a cost- efficient rate — get three quotes!

• Sell off unwanted or unused “stuff ” lying around the house.

• Your will might need to be amended, has your estate been analysed to understand financial or tax implications of your changed financial situation?

• Try to build up an amount of money (about the equivalent of three to six months of your monthly budgeted income needs in a cash type investment for immediate use if necessary?

(Money market account, Accessbond.)

Until next time!

Taking the school out of schooling

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by Cara Le Mottee

ome-schooling is a programme alternative to attending conventional school, where a learner of compulsory school-going age is provided education at home. Until 1996 — when it was officially recognised in legislation — this practice was, for the most part, deemed illegal. Since then its popularity and practice as an alternative form of education has grown exponentially.

The reasons parents choose to home-school their children vary, including dissatisfaction with the current state of the school system, and the ever-increasing costs involved in sending children to school.

In very rural areas, with few quality schools nearby, parents who are not fond of the idea of boarding school, are also considering home-schooling, as an increasingly viable alternative, particularly if they are able to afford home-schooling assistance.

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Other reasoning consists of religious qualms, or consideration around children with special needs, and those who have encountered social struggles (such as bullying or not “fitting in”).

Home-schooling comes with an array of benefits, providing one-on-one time where the structure of lessons and the pace at which they are learned is focused on individuals.

This is something that can rarely be replicated in schools, which are typically seeing ever-

increasing classroom sizes in which individual learners are often lost.

The traditional school system is designed to order, regulate and control, and focuses on accommodating the average learner.

By contrast, home-schooling systems focus more on stimulating curiosity and creativity in learning, offering an environment which focuses on a child’s individual strengths and weaknesses, and allows them to fully

embrace and pursue their interests.

One of the most common arguments against home-schooling is the negative impact it may have on children’s socialisation, as they may experience less interaction with others than those in traditional school systems.

Research has shown this to be a misconception. Diedre Bester from the University of South Africa (UNISA) conducted a study, that found that children who are home-schooled are not only socially well adapted, but also perform better in academics than their school-going counterparts.

According to Bester, homeschoolers can often relate better than average to others and tend to build quality friendships as their self-image is not dependant on group pressure.

Parents considering this path may feel anxiety around their inability to provide the best possible learning environment for their children; however there are tools that they can adopt

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help alleviate these worries.

Technology and the internet, and the access it provides to syllabi, as well as online support groups, apps and information portals, have made homeschooling far easier.

Although parents may take sole responsibility for the education of their children, they can also seek outside specialist assistance, such as learning centres and home-school tutors.

Taking on your child’s education is a huge responsibility; one which may make you and others question if you are doing what is in the best interest of the child.

However, there are many support groups and organisations, online discussion forums and offline activities offering guidance and support to both parents and their children.

While being educated at home may not be best suited to all children, many can and do thrive in this environment, allowing them to grow into well rounded, successful individuals.

Mtwentwe Farm www.oppieplaas-haga.co.za Facebook.com/oppiesplaas ernatal@mweb.co.za 083 703 1711

MARCH 2018

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NEWS

Madiba’s birthplace going nowhere MVEZO WAS MEANT TO BE THE THIRD VENUE FOR THE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS THIS YEAR, BUT ITS DEVELOPMENT HAS REACHED AN IMPASSE

by Aly Verbaan

M

vezo, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, is a ghost town. Millions of government and Lotto money was injected into a project to turn the village into an international tourist attraction, but it’s going nowhere.

Nothing is growing there except rumours of conflict and corruption. It is never going to be ready for the centenary celebrations. The road has been paved all the way to the village at substantial cost to the taxpayer, but that seems to be where development stopped.

The man blocking this is none other than Chief Mandla Mandela, Madiba’s grandson.

According to the Mvezo Development Trust’s website: “In 2008 Nkosi Zwelivelile (Mandla) and the Mvezo Traditional Council realised the need to establish the Mvezo Development Trust to ensure that it focuses on creating opportunities of work for members of the community.

“Since then he has done a great deal of good work for his community...”

When he took over, Mandla promised to develop the village for the benefit of the people.

He claimed that “all profits made will go to the Mvezo Trust Fund, which has been set up for the benefit of the community”.

In addition to the tourism development at Mvezo Great Place, other projects in the village included fencing all households, installing bulk water and electricity services, the construction of a multimillion rand school of science and technology, and a major agriculture project for the benefit of the community.

In a statement released in 2011, Mandla said the tourismrelated projects at Mvezo Great Place had been approved and funded by the Department of Tourism under its social responsibility policy programme.

Then-Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk confirmed his department’s involvement in the project.

Van Schalkwyk said the project consisted of two phases that cumulatively would cost the taxpayer at least R41-million, but that Mvezo, overlooking the Mbashe River would be-

BUILDING IN LIMBO Building supplies and equipment stand idle on Chief Mandla Mandela’s land, and construction of the anticipated museum has simply ground to a halt.

Photos by Aly Verbaan

PIPE DREAM The entrance to the complex was completed, as was much of Mandla’s personal family’s rondavels, but not any of the public projects.

come an international heritage site. However, these writings and promises were nothing but political spin, and none of it ever came to pass.

Today, seven years and millions of rands later, the paved road — which cost R127-million — is a dead-end.

Several government departments have injected more than R200-million into Mandla’s “Great Place” with the intention of turning it into a tourist attraction, but not a single booking has been made and the project remains unfinished, with cracks already appearing in buildings that have yet to serve a purpose.

The resulting tension between Mandla and the ANC has

been well documented in the media over the years, as have allegations of fraud and even the building of a “mini-Nkandla” homestead.

In fact, the ANC, Eastern Province Premier Masualle, and both the Nelson Mandela Museum (in Mthatha) and the Qunu Museum washed their hands of Mandla and his plans for Mvezo.

Last month, the Wild Coast Tatler found Mandla in a meeting on site with a director of African Sky Hotels, Spas and Resorts, Gustav Krampe, who manages the Ritz Hotel in Cape Town. Krampe said he was interested in bringing foreign investors on board, and that the meeting “went well”.

“Whether I get involved with this heritage site, and to what extent, depends on how much funding I can raise from other interested parties.”

However, neither local government nor the Nelson Mandela Foundation had any knowledge of the meeting between Mandla and Krampe, and Premier Phumulo Masualle declined to comment as he is facing possible recall within a month.

Also at loggerheads with the chief is the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).

The museum, according to the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), had been granted permission to build on the site by the Sitebe Tribal Authority.

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Permission to occupy the site for both planning and building purposes was obtained from the provincial department of land affairs.

However, SAHRA, which is in fact the authority responsible for issuing relevant permits, had instructed the museum to cease development at Mvezo as no permit had been issued and the development was unlawful.

Mandla refused to recognise SAHRA’s mandate and proceeded to build on top of the very site Nelson Mandela was born.

The only clear conclusion that can be made at this stage is that Mvezo will not be in a position to host any of the centenary celebrations in June.

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Inkwenkwezi: bright stars and adventure The history of Inkwenkwezi

I

nkwenkwezi obviously already knew about our appetites before we arrived. They made sure we arrived in time for their acclaimed Sunday buffet, and it is everything and more than you have heard.

It really is surprising what is right here on our doorstep — Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve on the Schafli Road to Chintsa is virtually on our doorstep, and yet we had no idea what delights it has to offer.

We were expecting a standard lodge setup but, after glutting ourselves at lunch, our personal guide, Johan Hugo, took us, on what must be said an extremely 4x4 drive to a remote, first-class tented bushcamp on stilts with a view of nothing but the lush hills reminiscent of someplace tropical. Peace and seclusion of note. We couldn’t see another habitat at all. Everything we were looking for.

The staff at Inkwenkwezi really love their work and know their stuff. After we’d slept off the delectables we’d eaten at lunch, Johan arrived promptly at 4PM for our afternoon game drive.

We saw giraffe, zebra, antelope of all varieties, two rhino, warthog, as well as an American who joined us for the excursion. We never understood a word she said, but her husband proved an expert translator.

It was hot and humid, and very green and lush, and a swim at the nearby pool was a necessity after the drive. Needless to say, we started sundowners with the bar fridge, so when Johan fetched us for dinner at the lapa we were well primed.

Despite the fact that we had gorged ourselves barely six hours ago, we sat down to a feast of lamb, pork, fish and all the vegetables you can imagine, followed by desserts so delectable I won’t torture your salivary glands with the details.

A word of advice: leave all your electronic communication devices at home. All you need is a good book, binocs, and a camera.

We thoroughly adored the elephant educational — rescue ellies, and so clever. Ramadiba (21) weighs 3.2 tonnes, and the “little girl”, Mopani (17), enlightened us about many facts we didn’t know about elephants.

Patrick Rambau and Tendai Gudoshava are experts in this field and told some fascinating stories along with the educational programme.

It is, in fact, true that elephants have monumental memories — Patrick related that some elephants were relocated to Mozambique (to avoid the revolting culling practice in this country), but they remembered the war and the landmines, and migrated home.

The white lions are in a breed-

I

OUR PIECE OF PARADISE ON EARTH — IF THEY WOULD LET US, WE WOULD STAY FOREVER!

ing programme and for that reason are kept in a separate area of the park. They were majestic, and also intimidating. One forgets just how big they are.

Thank heavens they weren’t hungry when we visited!

Guess what? Another nap in the glorious tented lodge, followed by a banquet in our own lapa restaurant.

This time we were joined by a Brit and an Aussie, so you just know things got humorous very quickly.

We moved the gathering to our tent, where we sat in the warm rain drinking the sublime Rhino Tears wine provided and discussed all those important topics like God, Zuma (this was a few days before he was sent packing), the state of the world and how to solve the Middle East crisis.

We slept the sleep of kings, followed by a delightful dip in the pool. I’m not going to talk about the lavish breakfast again, except to express my astonishment that Freya, the Brit, who went back for fourths — and she’s thin. Unbelievable.

Two nights was perfect: one for some R and R, and one for a bit of socialising. Whichever you’re after, you’ll find it at Inkwenkwezi.

But back to the point: Inkwenkwezi is the spot for game and bird viewing, cuisine, relaxing, quad-biking and opulent weddings.

If we could afford it, we’d be back, and maybe even get married, just for the experience!

Inkwenkwezi has a well-deserved four-star hotel rating, and they certainly do everything within their power to live up to it.

THESE LOVERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

RAMADIBA

KING OF INKWENKWEZI

QUEEN OF INKWENKWEZI

nkwenkwezi, which translates from Xhosa to mean “under the stars”, grew out of a dream of the Mthatha-born Stanton brothers, Graham and Keith. Graham and Keith hail from farming stock from the Mthatha area and, after completing their schooling at Mthatha High School, started a dairy business — distributing milk and supplying vegetables and produce to local traders.

In 1976, Keith relocated to take up a position in industry in Johannesburg. Graham moved to the Chintsa Valley area in 1983 and purchased the first property from the Bird family, called “Happy Homes”. Although the brothers nurtured the dream of a game reserve, Mr Bird only sold them the farm on the condition that it was to be developed as a game farm.

On the original farm, the brothers began researching various types of fencing and game stock to establish what would best suit the area and the reserve they were planning. They then began purchasing neighbouring farms, some of which had been in families since the late 1890s, and today have purchased 29 properties with a total area of 4 000 hectares.

This Chintsa Valley land was mostly uncultivated and is rich in natural fauna and flora, including some rare cycad species only found in the Eastern Cape. It is prolific in natural indigenous bush, aloes, has five of the biomes in the Eastern Cape, abundant bird life including the Stanley Bustard, Rare Ground Hornbill and the Narina trogon, amongst the 180 identified species as recorded by Neil Smith, local ornithologist. Fencing of the reserve was started in 1983 and today two-thirds of the reserve is fenced, with the other one-third due to be fenced off by the end of the year.

There is an ongoing programme of eradication of invasive plants but the Wildlife and Environmental Society, under the auspices of Avril Wilkinson, will be starting a Research Project, which will involve new concepts with invasive plants versus indigenous.

Over the years, stocking of the game park has resulted in there being over 40 species of game, such as buffalo, rhino, lion — and evidence and sightings (by adjacent farmers) of leopard, which have been encouraged by the buck and game to return to the area. This reserve boasts the Big Five, but in fact if one considers the uniqueness of the reserve being adjacent to the coast and the possibility of spotting the Southern Right Whale, it would be the big six!

Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve has become a catalyst for employment in the area, having started with 10 people and now employing 80, with the numbers set to grow as the reserve develops further. During construction, only local companies were contracted with both skilled and unskilled labour being provided by the local communities. To further encourage local employment, crafters will be encouraged to provide the Curio Shop with locally crafted items.

Inkwenkwezi is ideally situated on the East Coast only 40-minute drive from the airport.

Over the past year, Inkwenkwezi has begun to position itself as a popular destination for both local and international tourists. The function facilities are well used by local corporate companies. The historic reintroduction of the lions and elephants has further positioned Inkwenkwezi as one of the top private game reserves in the Eastern Cape.

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FEATURE

12

MARCH 2018

Devils on horseback. Or are they?

Bush racing is illegal, but the fact is, it’s happening, particularly in this province. Is it any worse than professional horse racing?

E

by Nicky Hoseck

ven though horse racing has been around since the 15th century, controversy often dogs it. From the concerns arising over horse wellbeing in endurance racing, to the scathing rumours emerging from the Western Cape regarding bush racing, it seems no matter or where you run horses, the criticisms will run after you.

Traditional bush racing, or informal racing, has existed in the Eastern Cape since the 19th century and, while many of us are quick to criticise, few of the most virulent critics have ever actually even attended a race.

Despite my best efforts, I have not been a race either. Being a white Englishwoman, I don’t really mingle in the right circles to be invited to such events.

Unfortunately, the fact that this sport is shrouded in such secrecy has led to a common narrative emerging: the owners are poor; the owners are criminals; the horses are raced too young, too far, too fast; the horses are being mistreated and are poorly cared for; the horses are often stolen.

From show jumping to dressage; polo to cross-country, there seems to be a large percentage of competitors, breeders and trainers who do put the horses’ welfare after their own desire for the ultimate prize. I’m sure traditional racing has its own fair share. But, just as we would not accuse all dressage riders of being abusive to their mounts, it seems unfair to tar all those involved in traditional racing with the same brush.

Those who remember the

scandal surrounding the World Cup Dressage Qualifiers in 2012 will recall that one competitor of this, an international and stringently-run event, was accused of cruelty after using debatable techniques to perfect the ideal outline and shape of his horse.

If it can happen at that level, where literally millions of rand have been pumped into the rising equine stars, it can and will happen anywhere.

In fact, a well-respected vet from Aloe Veterinary Clinic in King William’s Town, believes that traditional or bush racing is much the same as any other horse-related competition. Preferring not to be named, the vet said, “Within the bush racing scene, there are some very wealthy people who live for their horses, and some very poor people who also live for their horses. There is perhaps more ignorance and cultural issues surrounding how people look after their animals but, at the end of the day, horse people are horse people, wherever you go.”

Indeed, I have seen footage and photographs of a number of horses who excel at these informal and rather clandestine meets and they look at least as impressive as those horses that are meticulously conditioned for the country’s top endurance races. In the same breath, I have seen young, underweight horses both in the Transkei and at some of those same endurance races.

Traditional horse races look pretty fast and furious, but anyone who’s been to the more publicised or formal horse races, or even watched a game of polo, will know that horse-related

sports — with 400kg animals capable of exceeding speeds of 60km per hour — are, by their very nature, both fast and furious.

According to Craig Paterson, a Rhodes University lecturer who has been studying traditional horse racing, “bush racing” was actually carried out by white farmers in the 20th Century but bears no relation to the informal racing making a comeback in the Eastern Cape.

The spectators even sing praise songs to the equine competitors prior to the race — not something you’ll witness at the Durban July.

As “probably the fastest-growing sport in the country”, traditional horse-racing isn’t all bad by any means. Winning horses, in particular, are valuable, especially as increasing numbers of spectators are beginning to attend the events and are happy to place substantial bets. Some of the horses competing are rugged and wrapped just like the top thoroughbreds. The spectators even sing praise songs to the equine competitors prior to the race — not something you’ll witness at the Durban July.

I’m sure there are those owners who aren’t as knowledgeable or careful about their horses’ welfare, and those who simply

don’t value the animals. Nevertheless, there are also legitimate horse sports held in rural areas where those involved are adhering to the standards of horse care expected by the likes of the Cato Ridge Horse Care Unit. Craig Paterson notes that, “These sports require support.

Perpetuating the idea of bush racing, with its racist assumptions and foundations, is bad for the horses used in these sports as it slows down the resourcing and educational work...”

While news headlines such as those emerging from the Western Cape last year capture our attention and weigh heavy on our hearts, we can’t assume they tell the whole story of traditional horse racing. The retired racehorses that were reported to have been “raced to death” were thought to have been stolen by criminals looking to make a fast buck from places bets.

These actions are despicable and I, in no way, condone them.

Equally, there is no way I can guarantee that all the horses involved in the increasingly popular traditional horse races between the Kei River and Butterworth are in perfect health and cared for correctly.

However, it would be both ignorant and dismissive to assume all traditional racing is bad for the equine contestants and should, therefore, be banned.

According to the organiser of the Eastern Cape Amateur Horse Racing Association Championships, Mahlubu Puzu, “Traditional horse racing is woven into the fabric of this area, and into our culture as Xhosa people.... it’s something that is happening almost every weekend

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somewhere in the Eastern Cape, even if many people don’t know about it.”

Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, efforts are being made to ensure certain standards of welfare are enforced.

Head of the Coastal Horse Care Unit in Cato Ridge, Gill Olmesdahl, says, “Whether one agrees with it or not, the fact is rural racing is here to stay. As one can’t stop it, the next option is to educate and to help where necessary. While we do not encourage or promote it, we have been able to work ourselves into a position where we are able to oversee the welfare aspect and ensure basic minimum standards are enforced. That means a better situation for the horses, and the owners, too.”

Winner of last year’s prestigious Berlin November Traditional Horse Racing Festival, Andazi is the star of his community.

Hailing from the village of Idutywa, Andazi is more than simply a horse — he is a hero and the pride and joy of his rural community. His owner spends up to R1000 a month on feed alone, and invested R5000 in building a suitable shelter for his winning horse, proving that, for some, the sport of traditional racing is about more than just the prize money; the majority of which is pumped straight back into their equine hero.

Regardless of our personal opinions about the rights and wrongs of horse racing in general, we should show a little respect and research the reality of this tradition before condemning all those involved in it.

Horse people are horse people, wherever you find them.

LC

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PLANTS & ANIMALS

MARCH 2018

13

Plants with super-powers: pennywort

by Nicky Hoseck

world of herbal healing Twildheis bushman’s vast and varied. From the vygie growing

along our coast, to the ancient euphorbias that line the riverine valleys, there is a plethora of healing plants that thrive in the Wild Coast’s climate. At Peas on Earth, we have been exploring the uses of herbs for the past 10 years, starting out by making fertiliser from comfrey and pesticides from chillies, and we have continued to discover an increasingly large range of effective herbal solutions.

One recent such discovery has been Pennywort (centella asiatica) or “gotu kola”, as it is known in Asia. Presumably deriving its common name from its round-leafed appearance, Pennywort has a weed-like attitude to growth and, once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll find it growing vociferously in a range of locations.

Pennywort is an internationally sought-after herb, given its capacity to help in the age-old fight against wrinkles and, it is believed, its ability to improve memory and slow down the effects of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

To use Pennywort effectively against memory loss and related

conditions, it’s recommended you chew four fresh leaves a day. Having sampled these for myself, I have to say, you need to be pretty committed! While there is a faint sweetness to the leaf, it is also bitter and dries out your mouth as if you’d been chewing on a kale-flavoured sponge.

Nevertheless, it’s a small price to pay if it means you can remember to take your recycled plastic bags to the shops with you or why you walked into the kitchen in the middle of doing some completely unrelated task. Situations like this afflict people of any age but, as we all know, are liable to worsen as we get older.

One of those inevitable agerelated occurrences is the deepening and proliferation of wrinkles. While you can buy Pennywort oil to enhance your normal daily moisturiser, we at Peas on Earth aren’t yet up to speed with oil extraction so have been experimenting with adding crushed, dried Pennywort as an alternative and I’m convinced there has been a noticeable improvement.

Pennywort’s application should also be limited to a fourweek period, after which a rest period is recommended. The potential side-effects are also

worth taking into consideration before embarking on this treatment.

As with any herb, pennywort needs to be treated with a healthy amount of respect.

These herbs are strong medicines and, like any drug, have potential side-effects, especially after prolonged use. If you have high blood pressure or are pregnant or breastfeeding, pennywort is best avoided. Extended internal use can also cause nausea, while topical use my cause heightened sensitivity to the sun or skin irritation.

At Peas on Earth we have yet to start marketing our pennywort products: we are exploring the possibilities and you may see some comfrey and pennywort beeswax lotion at our stall at Yellowwood Forest in the near future.

If you’re interested in the other herbs we have available and their healing properties, pop along to the stall every Saturday morning at Yellowwood and we’ll be happy to share our knowledge and enthusiasm on this topic.

In the meantime, scout around your own garden for plants with potential healing powers – but be cautious — they may be natural but that doesn’t reduce their potency.

• 1 bunch Pennywort leaves, chopped (rub leaves with your hands to release oils) • 1 handful of chopped coriander • 1 small red onion, sliced – soak briefly in water to remove harsh raw taste • 1 large tomato, chopped • 1 birds’ eye chilli, finely chopped Dressing • 3 tsp fermented soybean paste (or use soy sauce alternatively) • 1 tsp tamarind pulp (my ‘thai style’ addition) • 1 tsp coconut sugar • 1 garlic clove, crushed and minced • Juice of 1 lime • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted (or shredded coconut toasted) Rinse pennywort leaves and coriander. Roughly chop the greens and place in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients for the salad. Combine soybean paste and tamarind pulp, loosen with a bit of water, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix dressing into the salad. Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds (or coconut). Just another way to eat greens – the most nutrient-dense foods on earth.

Introducing: OUT AND ABOUT with WILD COAST VET

The long and the short of it

A

Pennywort salad

few weeks back I was called out on a Saturday evening to treat a horse that had sustained a really deep wound to her shoulder.

Given that these incidents often occur after hours, and are usually all the more severe when I have made plans (about to sit down for supper), I wasn’t surprised to find a wound that was going to take me more than an hour to stitch back together.

Whatever had caused the wound had ripped through several muscle layers and gone as far as the shoulder blade. All in all, a really nasty one.

After thorough cleaning and disinfection, lavage, flushing, placement of drains and the necessary stitches to the muscle layers, connective tissue and skin, the horse was good as new!

A large audience had gathered by the time we had finished. The groom had watched my work intently and held the mare marvellously (despite the deep sedation she still wanted to bite and kick me) as I did all I needed to do.

I gave him aftercare instructions as to how to keep the

by Doctor Roger

wound clean, and keep the flies, ticks, and every other Eastern Cape parasite at bay for the next few weeks. The mare was going to need antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for the next while, and to rest easy.

Now, when wounds like this happen, it takes a while for the owner to adjust to the initial shock of the event and to adjust their expectations about the events that might pan out after such a deep and nasty wound.

Despite all my concerns about wound breakdown, fluid build-up, screwworm infestation, bacterial infection and so on, the owner’s main concern was: “When can I ride my horse again?”

The trouble is that, as a competition horse, she was going to have to be off-games and properly rested until the wound had healed fully.

“Not for a good while” I said, “At least not for a couple of months”. The owner nearly had a heart attack, went white as a sheet, as if it were she who had sustained the injury! There I was having visions of spending all the night treating a collapsed human while our dinner guests and my long-suffering wife waited at home.

Luckily her colour improved quickly and she managed to remain standing, so I packed up my instruments and loaded my bakkie. I bade my farewells to the crowd, owners and attendant grooms. I had to chuckle as I heard a groom’s conciliatory remark to the owner: “Don’t worry madam, February is a short month.”

ENVIRONMENT

14

MARCH 2018

Our seas are being decimated

I

by Nicky Hoseck

t seems as though the heartbreaking problem of rhino poaching hits the headlines every other day. With dramatic images accompanying the disturbing stories, there is surely no one in South Africa who doesn’t have an awareness of the devastation of this impressive species.

By comparison, the rape of our seas and the near devastation of indigenous marine species are sadly overlooked, either because they don’t pull on our heartstrings so easily or, quite simply, because it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind”.

Meanwhile, our seas and marine life are being pillaged, literally on our doorsteps.

According to John Duncan of the World Wide Fund for Nature, this is because, “What happens under the ocean’s surface is hard to see, so thousands of tonnes of marine life can be removed and most of us wouldn’t know.”

If you listen to the fishermen that come to the area year in, year out, to enjoy the highlights of our bountiful coast, there are certainly some who are well aware of the punishment our marine life is experiencing. They nostalgically remember days of more plentiful catches and greater diversity, and they bemoan the endless sand sharks they seem to be pulling out of the water these days.

While a significant proportion

hit the Eastern Cape, the comtablishing a legal fishery, the aumunities around Cape Town are thorities are bringing in partners feeling the repercussions of the to help them monitor and clamp global greed for perlemoen. down on the poaching.”

According to a former perWhile there are fears that the lemoen diver, Donovan van der community project may lack the Heyden, now the international necessary management to keep syndicates are involved, it’s all the allocation within the terms taken a turn for the worse. Using agreed, a multi-faceted solution drugs to enslave young people that involves the local commufrom local coastal communities nities, rather than ostracising to dive for abalone, the syndithem, has to be seen as a step in cates are infiltrating more than the right direction. just our seas.

As the local authorities, nationIt’s not all doom and gloom, al government and conservationhowever, and in February last ists do what they can to tackle FRUTA DEL MAR A very lucrative haul of unshcuked abalone. Photo: Supplied year, small-scale Eastern Cape poaching and over-fishing, but fishermen were granted the first we can also play our part. Just of marine poaching is performed of our purchases. formal permit to harvest wild the other day, I was stopped in by foreign vessels sneaking into According to Duncan, “Unlike perlemoen in an effort to combat Kei Mouth by someone wanting South African waters, some of rhino and ivory, species like rock poaching and its repercussions. to sell me mussels. On principle, our sea life is as badly affected by lobster are often sold locally and, The Department of I said no. local communities as it is by inter- although they may not know it, Forestry and FisherAnyone who has been national syndicates. The activities consumers may be supporting ies granted fishermen living in this area for a of local fishermen who are reliant the illegal trade when they order throughout the Eastwhile will have noticed on the sea for a living are almost a meal at their local restaurant. ern Cape the right the shrinkage of musas difficult to curb as those run It’s important for people to ask to collect 13 tonnes sels, both in terms of The main by intercontinental criminals, but questions and know what’s hap- of perlemoen, which their distribution and for very different reasons. pening at sea and how they can would bring a much- culprits are, as their size. By making According to a scientist at Dur- help.” needed R27.3 milwe know, the the choice to eliminate ban’s Oceanographic Research The biggest danger, it seems, lion-worth of revenue Far East. They these delicious molInstitute, Sean Fennessy, “To deal is when the two entities work into the province, but luscs from our diets, with it would be political suicide. together. With criminal syndi- scepticism is needed. trade us meth we can make our own, In the absence of alternative live- cates buying off local fishermen Where does cash go? amphtamine small contribution to lihoods to fishing and alternative with crystal meth and other ilPerlemoen special- for all kinds of the sustainability of sources of protein, coastal re- legal substances a trade-off, the ist at Rhodes Univerour seas and the lives wildlife. sources will continue to be over- perlemoen or abalone poaching sity, Dr Peter Britz, and species they supexploited.” industry is sending ripples across said, “I believe the port.

In this regard, at least, each one the country, as well as the sea. authorities are being responsible It may not sound like much in of us living along the coast can Experts estimate a haul of and we have got enough wild the grand scheme of things, but play a part in helping to sustain around 3 500 tonnes of abalone perlemoen to sustain this allocait’s a better option than watchthe species that make our seas in 2015 alone, indicating that this tion. ing entire species disappear and their home. With much of the il- is far from a sustainable activity.

“The problem is the poachers, waiting to see what the conselegally harvested produce being It’s not just taking its toll on the and it has been shown over many quences might be on the ocean’s sold locally, we simply need to marine life either. years that the authorities can’t ecosystem as well as the rest of make a choice about the ethics While the worst has yet to win that war on their own. By esits residents.

COLUMN

MARCH 2018

15

Ode to PE: How do I hate thee?

Let me count the days...

Port Elizabeth being what is, ie, only to be visited for emergencies, we found ourselves killing time in the city God made in revenge , as well as to render me flat broke...

T

his tale involves dogs and what passes as a city. If you love the former and hate the latter, please turn to the next page.

Unplanned travel is usually one of my favourite things, but not when it involves a bone doctor in PE, (there’s nothing anyone can do about the 206 bones in my body — let’s be honest —I’m too old to set anything now) but for my puppy, Indiana (as in Jones) who has not yet grasped the space-time continuum and launched himself off a slow-moving bakkie to roundup some local lurking livestock, as is the breed’s wont.

Normally, this breed literally bounces back, but not fivemonth-old Indi. He, however, fractured his knee, necessitating a complex and costly procedure that almost required a mortgage on the house.

We were obliged to bleed our pockets dry at the bone specialist vet in a PE, and then found ourselves with two days to wander aimlessly around the town with no soul.

They call it both the Windy City as well as the Friendly City, but it would seem to me that the two are mutually exclusive. I find it hard being wind-blasted and maintaining a good mood simultaneously.

This was a Sunday, and we had come in specially to book Indi into hospital the night before his big operation, which I understood as being a mind-bending procedure involving stainless steel screws and titanium plates. (Ironically, there’s a mother-lode of titanium on the Wild Coast beaches — I could probably have made a plate myself for a lot less.)

This done, we still had the small problem of my other newcomer to the flock, five-week-old Jordan (from The Great Gatsby, obviously), also a border collie.

Consulting the interweb under “pet-friendly accommodation PE”, we booked in to a spot in Summerstrand.

As soon as we had been relieved of our cash, we were informed that “the dog” was to sleep in the courtyard. In other words, notso-very pet friendly, if a puppy that should still be suckling on its mother has to sleep alone in the wind. Some rules are clearly meant for breaking, and this was

one — false advertising should be a criminal offence.

Jordi snuggled into my hair and we slept soundly on a magnificent king-size bed. In the morning, we received such a filthy look from the proprietor that we knew we would be moving along forthwith.

With an entire day and night to kill (if not ourselves), we headed for the greener grass of nearby Sardinia Bay. By midday it was apparent that there were two options for lunch: eat outside in a sandstorm on the dunes, or inside at was without a doubt the dodgiest bar I have ever frequented ... and there have been a few.

We settled for the latter, out of the hurricane outside, and joined the motley crew of inbred locals who had obviously drunk away every weekday since being able to hold a bottle. It was sad.

Cunningly, the barman (and his mother, or that’s what she said) convinced us to “look at the menu”.

Not giving a rat’s bum for our poultry population, Duane ordered peri-peri chicken livers.

“Mild or hot?” asked the barman, following this up with: “Don’t order the hot — it’s inedible even to Durban Indians.”

Foolishly, thinking he was smelling money, Duane proposed a bet, as he often does, with the optimism of the eternally hopeful.

Now, one of my few innate gifts is my aptitude for eyeball-bleedingly hot cuisine. (The other is playing pool.)

I tried to raise the stakes from R100 to R200, but even Duane isn’t that optimistic. Twenty minutes later a delighted Xhosa chef from KZN set one mild and one “super-hot, super-red” serving of chicken livers before us and stood by to watch the entertainment, laughing like a tokoloshe.

I hated to disappoint him, but R100 is R100. I demolished several farms’ worth of chickens’ livers, as well as a plantation of whole Red Savina Habanero chillies (100,000 — 350,000 on the Scoville scale, although what does an American know about dragon breath?) and the red-chilli sauce it was all floating in. I felt invigorated.

Not so Duane, whose eyebrows were sweating and nose running.

Please. What an amateur.

We then had to find somewhere for Duane to lie down fast, hav-

by Aly Verbaan

Not giving a rat’s bum for our poultry population, Duane ordered peri-peri chicken livers. “Mild or hot?” asked the barman, following this up with: “Don’t order the hot — it’s inedible even to Durban Indians.”

Foolishly, thinking he was smelling money, Duane proposed a bet, as he often does, with the optimism of the eternally optimistic.. ing lost the bet — and feeling it — so we checked into the only pet-friendly spot listed on the interweb.

The ambience was better than the place before in Summerstrand. This night we had a braai overlooking the ocean but here’s the catch: The owner was perfectly amenable to the hounds, but not as keen on people, as you shall see.

We invited my son Dane and his girlfriend Brit, who are at Nelson Mandela Uni, and six of Duane’s PE friends for a braai.

This latest accommodation was the diametric opposite of the previous one: they were more than happy to take the hounds, but not so much their owners. Fake adverting advertising in reverse.

This establishment is guilty of another rule: no visitors without written permission in triplicate; even for an early braai.

At about 20:00 the hostess asked us to keep the noise down (if/and) when the guests left, employing that female passive-aggressive technique women have used since time immemorial, in which the thing being said is not what is actually meant.

Men have never understood this cryptic gambit that has been going since the beginning of the same time precisely.

But we women instantly understood her when she said: “When your guests leave (ahem), please don’t make a noise.”

All females of the human species know that this is an innuendo for “leave and go to bed now”.

However, the men took this at face value, and actually believed that she really meant they should refrain from a Cape Flats cacophony when leaving and from wheelspinning and handbrake turns.

Like sound that only whales and dolphins can hear, women are able to understand what is being communicative when the precise opposite is said in a particular pitch. She said it with a smile on her face, but she meant “Put down those evil drinks and go to sleep or I’ll call some people who know some people...”

Speaking of drinks, being the health freaks they are, water would as far as my son and his girlfriend would go. That’s probably where all our water has gone.

Sometimes I’m not actually sure he’s really my son, although I must say is the spitting image of me.

In the morning, on a whim, and feeling we’d overstayed what passes for a welcome in PE, we headed for our old haunt, Hogsback, to deliver some newspapers and shoot a video for one of our advertisers. The fairies and hobbits were still there and I grew visibly agitated by their relentless plying of their wares, such as they are, and their “Shoo wow, like, the mountain, man”.

We booked into The Edge, which is guilty of no false advertising and is perfectly pet-friendly and offers mouth-watering cuisine, (somewhat exorbitant, but so worth it) — and the beautiful garden surrounds are always breathtaking, except for the rain clouds, which were selfishly lolling around Hogsback as usual, instead of doing their jobs — their raison d’état being to produce rain rather more provincially where it’s needed most.

After the sleep of the dead, we departed Hogsbck and headed home to good old Morgan Bay, where we discovered to our delight our other border collie and Jack Russel, having mixed flour

and oil together, ensconced on the couch to watch Animal Planet.

Nothing we aren’t used to.

But riddle me this — how is it possible to keep a five-month-old border collie from gallivanting?

It defies any logic. If you hear a keen-pitched whining at night, know just who is incarcerated, and understand we are doing our best, which certainly won’t be good enough for that dervish. Indi is like Houdini.

Sadly, he has since had to be incubated at Wild Coast Vet, Chintsa — we are just too soft; a pushover if you will.

Fortunately they gave him ACP, so that made the farewells a surreal experience. We bought all the paraphernalia for Indiana — pillows, chewies, food, but not his puppy love, Jordi — that is going to spell big trouble in the future.

Now for some advice: if you have more than two dogs, especially the wild and active breed, look into pet insurance. I did — you’d be flabbergasted at what’s out there. For the price of Indiana’s leg op, I could well have afforded a tummy tuck (urgently needed) and a small pied d’ terre in France. Maybe I can use his knee replacement in my old age, assuming I outlive Indiana (I will be needing one, among other questionable procedures sooner rather than later.)

In the meantime, take my advice: get pet insurance (and read the fine print of your existing home insurance — it’s very small, but it could well be there. (The low-down is that some policies cover pet accidents that occur on your property. Ahem, Hollard.)

You will need a magnifying glass to pick this up, but it’s worth a shot, no?

Meanwhile, I am so relieved I will never have to clash with PE again...oh wait... I have a supersmart power couple — my son and his prodigy girlfriend whose graduations I will have to attend at NMU. But, mark my words, I will certainly embarrass the grad students. Suggestions appreciated.

UPDATE: Since the PE trip, I have broken some bones myself, so Indi and I are now bonding anew. But when they say “Like owner, like dog”, I’m pretty darn sure this is not what was meant. But Indi’s bill could have paid mine, if only I had pet insurance.

16

MARCH 2018

MARCH DIARY

It’s TB Awareness Month

3 Saturday

ith March being TB Awareness W Month, it’s the ideal time to learn about this contagious but treatable, curable and preventable disease.

PEDAL FOR A PURPOSE East London to Stutterheim to Queenstown toEast London 05:00 21 March to 17:00 23 March Beacon Bay Retail Park Bonza Bay Road Shopping Mall 043 748 4660 upape@growthpoint.co.za

Yellowwood Forest Morgan Bay 043 841 1598 www.yellowwoodforest.co.za 09:00 Every Saturday

3 & 4

Saturday - Sunday

10 - 11 SATURDAY

Komga Showgrounds 11:00 to 13:00 Government Avenue Tickets: entrytickets.net cabbagepatchrun@gmail.com 072 610 9428

11 Sunday

Mazeppa Bay Hotel Hosted by Wild Coast Angling Tours Wednesday, 21 at 06:00 to Sunday, 25 at 18:00 Mazeppa Bay Main Road 047 498 0033 mazeppabayhotel@sainet.co.za TUESDAY, 27

Vita Start 7s Rugby Festival MORGAN BAY The SA Rugby Legends will be holding a training clinic and there’s a R5000 first prize for the winning team. If you’d like to participate in this great event call Ncumisa on 076 839 4688.

Yoga @ Nahoon Beach 16:00 — 17:00

The C Club 18:00 562 Heron Loop Chintsa www.quicket.co.za 043 738 5226 thecclub@outlook.com

30 Friday

Crawfords Beach Lodge

• TB is the leading cause of death in South Africa. In 2015, the disease accounted for 7.1 percent of deaths among South African women and 8.3 percent among men.

The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are the provinces most severely impacted by the disease.

• TB is contagious. It is spread through expelled droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs, speaks or spits.

You can contract TB by breathing in these particles, but not everyone who comes into contact with the bacteria will be infected.

•.Some people are more susceptible to TB infection than others. In a country like South Africa, most of us have at some point come into contact with TB germs, but not all of us have contracted the disease. Those at greatest risk are people with weakened immune systems (due to illness or HIV infection) and those who spend long periods of time with others who have the disease.

• You’re at greatest risk if you live with infected people. Sitting next to an infected person on public transport isn’t likely to result in getting infected. However, living in the same home as an infected person does put you in danger, as your risk increases with the more time you spend among sick people.

• If you get infected, you may never get sick. Less than 10 percent of people who are infected with TB actually get sick (i.e, develop active tuberculosis). This means you can carry the bacteria in your body without ever showing or experiencing symptoms of the disease.

• You’re most contagious when you’re experiencing active TB. Active TB can set in within weeks, months or even years of being infected, and this is when you’re most likely to spread the disease to others.

• TB is not inherited. Years ago there was a belief that TB was passed down from generation to generation. Now we know that the reason it may appear that way is because people who live together are most likely to get infected by the disease; not because it is inherited, but because extended exposure to TB bacteria can result in infection.

Tuesday, 20 March Business Hub at the Hub

• TB has many signs and symptoms: - A persistent cough that lasts at least three weeks or longer - Coughing up blood - Pain when breathing or coughing - Chest pain - Unexplained weight loss - Loss of appetite - Lethargy - Fever - Chills - Night sweats

Public · Hosted by Border-Kei Chamber of Business 07:30 — 09:00 Chamber House, The Hub, Beacon Bay, Ticket Information www.bkcob.co.za

• There is a TB vaccination. The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is recommended for healthy babies, to be administered as soon as possible after they’re born. HIV positive babies cannot, unfortunately, receive the vaccine. Adults can also be vaccinated against tuberculosis.

08:00 — 14:00 42 Steenbras Drive Chintsa East 043 738 5000 chintsa@iafrica.com

3 - 4 Saturday - Sunday

08:00 — 16:00 secretary@elsurf.co.za

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs. It can however also affect other parts of the body, like the brain, kidneys and spine, causing serious damage or even death if left untreated.

31 Saturday

The C Club

16:00 — 00:00 043 738 5226 thecclub@outlook.com