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Wittedrift Wittedrift HighHigh School School matriculants matriculants - from - from left are leftJuleel are Juleel Harker, Harker, Ethan Ethan Gawie, Gawie, Evana Evana le le Fleur, Fleur, Gary Gary Barnardo, Barnardo, Keenan Ke Keenan Tarentaal,Marvelous MarvelousMncube, Mncube,and andKhakhalethu KhakhalethuKibith Kibith Tarentaal, - show offoff their hard-earned certifi cates last - show their hard-earned certifi cates last Friday. Turn toto p4p4 and p6p6 for the lowdown onon Friday. Turn and for the lowdown local schools’ performance.
Busy season for Plett NSRI - p3
Just say no to nukes... - p10
Photo: Ewald Stander
10 January 2018
Catch the Kook ‘18 action - p15
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
Remembering the Very Important People visiting Plettenberg Bay in the 60s and 70s CXPRESS guest contributor and resident Plett history-hoarder DEREK FRIELINGHAUS shared this snippet on how continental visitors ensured their fridges were filled before arrival, and images of some grand guests, and a beauty queen - all of whom made waves in the town a good few years ago
MAYORS MEET: Lord mayor of London 1965/66 Lionel Denny with Plett mayor Ockie Vermeulen, right
PRIME TIME: BJ Vorster, then SA prime minister, with cllr Vermeulen at Plett Country Club during December 1967
HIGH REGARD: A presentation to Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith by Plett councillor FW Martin during the early 70s
MEET MRS SMITH: Ockie Vermeulen presents a gift to prime minister Ian Smith’s wife, Janet
LETTENBERG Bay was a very popular holiday destination for Rhodesians in the early 1970s. Many owned holiday homes and would come down early December, staying for anything from six weeks to two months - taking into account that the journey from then Rhodesia took three days at the very least. They would arrive, often sending by mail of telegram a list of groceries they needed to Monks Supermarket. These orders would be delivered the day before by Monks. The perishables would be placed in the fridge and dry groceries packed away in the cupboards. It would then be followed up every morning with a man on a bicycle calling for their daily grocery requirements which would be delivered the same day. The account would be settled when they departed. As is still the case with celebs of all kinds, Plett certainly attracted VIP visitors during the 60s and 70s; Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith be-
ing welcomed to town in the early part of 1970. Then mayor Ockie Vermeulen, as can be seen in the photos, entertained him and wife Janet at his home above Keurbooms Lagoon. It would be interesting to hear from ex-Rhodesians now
living in Plett, who would like to share their memories of coming down here for their annual holidays. The house of one ex-Rhodie, Sir John Murry, in Hopwood Street still bears the name ‘Murray Cottage’. Another well-
known Rhodesian family who owned property in Plett were the Halsteads. I wonder if any of their family members still come here. As far as the Lord mayor of London’s visit concerns, my album indicates 1965/66, which I presume referred to his years of service, as his Plett sojourn seems to have taken place in early 1970. There was obviously no suitable place to receive dignitaries at that time in Plett, so the mayor’s residence was the best choice. South African prime minister BJ Vorster was also received in the Vermeulen home on the banks of the Keurbooms, albeit that the setting for another photo taken in 1970 was Plett Country Club. It is noticeable that none of the ministers of those days needed bodyguards, but these days even mayors of small coastal towns require them… • Email Derek at haus@mweb. co.za if you have old Plett stories to share, or know more about the people pictured here.
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MISS WHEN? The ‘Miss Plett’ sash around this young lady’s fit torso gives no indication of her name or the year of her title
NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
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Public efforts assist NSRI rescue missions, but fail to prevent five-year-old’s fatal drowning National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) volunteers countrywide had a busy season keeping bathers safe, but tragedy struck in Plettenberg Bay when a toddler drowned in a local hotel swimming pool - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports UST after 6:30pm on Saturday, Plett’s Station 14 duty crew responded following reports of a fiveyear-old boy found unresponsive in the Beacon Island (BI) Resort’s pool. NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said children playing in the pool had noticed something under the water and upon closer inspection, realised that it was a young child. The children managed to recover the child from the pool and bystanders immediately initiated CPR while waiting for help to arrive. Lambinon said the NSRI medical crew, who carry advanced life support kits in their vehicles, responded and arrived at the pool within minutes. An emergency room trauma nurse from the local Mediclinic, off-duty at the time of the incident, was nearby and responded, while Medlife ambulance services were also activated. “On arrival, NSRI medics and the ER trauma nurse took over CPR from the bystanders. These efforts were
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assisted by a doctor, who was at the hotel at the time, and joined by Medlife paramedics on their arrival on the scene,� Lambinon said. He added that CPR continued while the child was transported to hospital by ambulance. Doctors continued resuscitation attempts in hospital, but after all efforts were exhausted, the child was declared deceased. Lambinon said police had opened an inquest docket. Trauma counsellors attended to the family of the child, whose mother is believed to be employed at the BI’s in-house salon. Lambinon commended the children and the bystanders who initiated CPR for their efforts. (See the article on page 4.) The previous day, NSRI volunteers responded to reports of a 50-year-old Dutch tourist who had suffered a suspected heart attack at Robberg Nature Reserve. Lambinon said NSRI medics responded from the land side and by sea. An NSRI doctor was on
DEATH TRICKED‌ TWICE: The EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter and NSRI rescue craft in attendance on Robberg, where a Dutch tourist’s heart rate and breathing were restored after two quick-succession incidents of cardiac arrest Photo: NSRI Plettenberg Bay
board and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was also activated. When they arrived on the scene, the woman, who was undertaking a hike with her husband and was swimming at West Beach, was found in a critical condition. “Members of the public were attending to the female providing first aid. They raised the alarm and remained on-site supporting and assisting NSRI. “During medical treat-
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ment on the beach the tourist went into cardiac arrest twice. On both occasions extensive CPR efforts and heart defibrillation restored her heart beat and spontaneous breathing.� Once stabilised, she was airlifted to a George hospital and then transferred to a Mossel Bay hospital. On New Year’s Day, local NSRI paramedics responded to a hotel in the Keurbooms area where a 50-yearold local man suffered a
suspected heart attack. NSRI medics and duty doctor treated the man on the scene, after which Western Cape government health EMS and Medlife ambulance services responded and transported him to hospital in a stable condition. On December 27, volunteers responded to a call about a Chinese tourist who had been separated from his daughter while hiking the Robberg Nature Reserve trail. He was guided, telephonically, to the reserve’s parking area where he was reunited with his daughter. At 4:24pm the same day, the local medical crew treated a 29-year-old Argentinian man who had suffered a dislocated shoulder while body-surfing near the NSRI rescue base. He was transported to hospital for further treatment and released shortly thereafter. Just after 5:45pm on December 24, the crew launched a search for an elderly man who had been separated from a group of
four people hiking from Keurbooms to Nature’s Valley. During search efforts, the man arrived at Forest Hall and was reunited with the group. On December 23, the NSRI medical crew responded to reports of an 18-year-old suffering chest pains. Station commander Marc Rodgers said the youngster was stabilised and an ambulance transported him to hospital for further treatment. Just after 5pm on the same day, NSRI volunteers and Plett lifeguards launched a search for family of a fiveyear-old girl who had been found alone on Robberg 5 Beach. The family members were found on Solar Beach and reunited with the young girl. Rodgers said on December 22, the NSRI medical crew assisted following a car accident in a residential area of Plett. An Ethiopian man was treated for injuries on the scene and was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.
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NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
CX Country matrics do Eden District proud while beating national pass rate percentage
Yolandé Stander
JUMPING FOR JOY! Wittedrift High matriculants celebrate a near-perfect pass rate at their school on Friday morning
NYSNA and Plett matrics shone brightly as the 2017 results were released on Friday, achieving an average pass rate well above the national level. The seven government schools in the two coastal towns managed to secure a 78% pass rate, while nationally only 75.1% of matriculants succeeded in passing. The Western Cape managed an 84.4% pass rate, taking the third spot out of
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all provinces in the country. The Free State scored top spot with 89.8%, followed closely by Gauteng with 86.4%. These results include progressed students. Not only did local schools perform well compared to national statistics, but three of the schools showed an improvement on last year’s results. Showing the biggest improvement was Concordia High in Knysna. The
school’s class of 2017 obtained a 76.4% pass rate - a more than 20% improvement from 55.1% in 2016. Plett’s Murray High, which offered an exam preparation camp at the school before and during the finals, reaped the fruits of their labour with an 83.5% pass rate in 2017, compared to the previous year’s 76.9%. Another Bitou school that bettered previous re-
KISSES FOR TOP ACHIEVER: Juanita Havenga and her mother, Debbie, are elated about the youngster’s results
sults was Plettenberg Bay Secondary, showing a slight improvement with 66.1% compared to the previous year’s 60%. Knysna High, however, saw a small drop from last year’s perfect pass rate to 97.8%. Two learners out of 90 did not make the grade. At Knysna Secondary School, the pass rate dropped from 86.6% to 62% and at Percy Mdala High, 66.3% of matriculants passed compared to last year’s 78%. Wittedrift High School in Plett also saw a small decrease in the pass rate, after three of its 52 learners failed. Last year the school achieved a 100% pass rate for a record sixth consecutive year, and this year it is down to 94.2%. Plett and Knysna fall under the Eden and Central Karoo schooling district and showed that the two small towns are on par with the rest of the region, the district’s overall pass rate being 81.7%. According to the Education Department’s five-year review, three schools in the district managed a perfect score for five years in a row: Heidelberg High, Oakdale Agricultural School in Riversdale, and Shalom Acad-
emy in Ladismith. Oakdale staff, however, said that this was just a five-year window into results and that the school had obtained a 100% pass rate for the past 21 years. Out of 47 schools in the district, only six obtained a 100% pass rate in 2017. Western Cape Education minister Debbie Schafer said while there was a tendency to focus solely on provincial pass rates, they also considered other important indicators of success so as to determine if the system was ultimately improving or where it needed to be enhanced. “Traditionally, this province has put particular emphasis on the retention
of learners in the system, those achieving access to a Bachelor’s Degree, and pass rates for mathematics and science,” Schafer said. She added that she was thus especially pleased that the Western Cape had again achieved the highest percentage of bachelor’s passes in the country, at 39.1%. “In mathematics, the Western Cape achieved the highest pass rate, achieving 73.9%. In physical sciences, we achieved a pass rate of 74.0%. This places us second in the country to the Free State in this subject for 2017.” She added that the province also boasted eight education districts that achieved more than 80%.
A WORD FROM THE TOP: Wittedrift High principal Jeremy Marallich addresses the Class of 2107 before they receive their results - Photos: Ewald Stander
Collective grieving after loss of toddler URING a brief conversation with CXPRESS on Monday morning, Beacon Island general manager Reinhard Visser said he could not add much to the NSRI report disseminated on Saturday night after the fatal drowning incident. He added that, while a police inquest would determine the exact reason for the child’s unaccompanied presence at the outside swimming pool, hotel and salon management were doing everything in their power to support the child’s mother.
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“All our staff have been receiving counselling after this tragedy, as have the children who came upon the boy in the pool. The irony is that the incident happened after changeover of staff shifts, and as one group of weekly guests’ departure made way for the next set to arrive,” he explained As a result, late-afternoon on a Saturday is virtually the only time in a seven-day period when the lawn and pool area is not crawling with guests and hotel personnel. Visser said that umbrellas ob-
scured the line of vision to the pool when video material from the hotel’s security cameras were examined. “We are all reeling after the tragedy, but I thank every member of staff, the public, and emergency services for their efforts on Saturday. We would like to arrange for the children who first discovered the boy to have a session with our local NSRI volunteers, to teach them more about safety around the water and to ensure that they know they did the right thing under terrible circumstances,” said Visser.
NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
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An Australian model of taking action on plastic gains local traction Correspondent BOB HOPKIN reports on a George and Wilderness initiative to restore the cleanliness of local beaches and the Southern Ocean DITCH IT! Wilderness resident Joyce Hopkin clears her five pieces of plastic waste collected from the beach to help save seabirds and marine life - Photos: Bob Hopkin
TAKE FIVE: Signs at beach entrances in Wilderness encourage visitors to not only take their waste home with them, but to remove five pieces of someone else’s plastic from the beach
N 2009, a group of Australian environmental activists began to realise the detrimental effects that non-biodegradable plastics were having on their local beaches and ocean. Since non-organic plastic products were invented in the 1930s, the fact that they do not corrode or degrade but merely break up into smaller pieces, has meant that the consumption of single-use plastic containers causes cumulative masses of detritus that just won’t go away. The Australians knew that to make a difference they had to take on a catchy phrase to ignite public interest - they chose ‘Take 3 (pieces of plastic to collect) for the sea’. The programme of action thus started turned into a success story and returned their coastlines into pristine condition. Although individual efforts in Australia met with success, the worldwide problem concerning the ever-growing, pernicious presence of plastic waste becomes direr on a daily basis. Sky News in the UK recently determined that some 8-million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the oceans annually. Although this waste is deposited in
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the sea either deliberately by inconsiderate authorities, or inadvertently by lazy individuals, the endresult is similar: a planet suffocating in plastic. The Pacific Ocean is one of the worst affected areas due to a natural phenomenon of the confluence of sea currents. Three natural clockwise flows - the North and South Equatorial, and Kuroshio currents - circle the northern hemispherical region of the Pacific and create a ‘suction’ effect for waste products deposited into seas off the Americas and Far East Asian coasts. Waste is gradually drawn into two vortices on the edges of this region. These ocean ‘dustbins’ have endured long enough to acquire the names of the ‘Eastern and Western Garbage Patches’ and nobody has yet found a way of clearing them or preventing their growth. Samples have been taken which show that a plastic bottle thrown into the sea off California typically takes five years to arrive at the Eastern epicentre, and a similar item ditched from Japan arrives at the Western side after just one year. Recently, as the result of a discussion between Wilder-
ness Residents Association chair Donald Goldfain and George Tourism’s Joan Shaw, it was decided that a similar initiative to the Australian one could help halt the spoilage by plastic waste of local beaches and the Southern Ocean. Buoyed by the success of the antipodean example, they become even more ambitious and chose ‘Take 5 and keep our Seas Alive!’ as slogan for the local campaign, which was launched in Wilderness last spring. Prominent signs at beach entrances in Wilderness encourage residents and visitors to not only take their waste home with them, but to find five pieces of someone else’s plastic waste to remove from the beach. “If every person picks up plastic on every beach they visit, we will not only help save seabirds and marine life from a horrible death, but begin a movement that will hopefully make people realise the importance of not buying and not discarding single-use plastic,” said Goldfain. Judging by the pristine condition of Wilderness beach this season, their efforts seem to be working and setting a valuable example for other coastal resorts.
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10 January 2018
NEWS & VIEWS
Oakhill’s Class of 2017 delivers top combined subject average of past four years
THE WAIT IS OVER: Some of Oakhill’s happy Matrics after receiving their official results last week
TOP ACHIEVER: Dux scholar Erin Young with parents Martin and Michelle
GOOD RAPPORT: Friends Courteney Wilkinson and Kayleigh Packwood, with Kayleigh’s family
FABULOUS FOUR: From left are Michaela Cross, Erin Young, Tamara Foyn, and Johan Hay
ONGRATULATIONS to the Oakhill Matrics! The Class of 2017 has achieved some extraordinary results, both individually and collectively. Oakhill School was delighted to announce that the 2017 group has also produced their best set of results in the FET phase of school, the highest distinctions per candidate on release, and the highest composite subject average at Oakhill over the last four years. Among the top achievers, special mention is made of Dux scholar Erin Young, Rebekah Utian, Tamara Foyn and Bergen Pentz, all of whom achieved six distinctions and aggregates over 80%. Six Distinctions • Erin Young (English, Mathematics, His-
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tory, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation) • Rebekah Utian (English, Afrikaans, History, Life Sciences, Visual Arts, and Life Orientation) • Tamara Foyn (English, Mathematics, Accounting, History, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation) • Bergen Pentz (Afrikaans, Mathematics, Dramatic Arts, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation) Five Distinctions • Christopher Lellyett (Mathematics, History, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation) • Johan Hay (Afrikaans, Mathematics, Information Technology, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation) • Courteney Wilkinson (English, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Visual Arts, Life Orientation) • Emma Stam (English, Business Studies, Dramatic Arts, Visual Arts, Life Orientation) Four Distinctions • Francine Olivier (Afrikaans, Life Sciences, Visual Arts, Life Orientation) • Michaela Cross (Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Visual Arts, Life Orientation) • Anna Reid (Afrikaans, Mathematics, Life Sciences, Life Orientation) • Kayleigh Packwood (Mathematical Literacy, Dramatic Arts, Visual Arts, and Life Orientation) • Gérard Beukes (Afrikaans, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Life Orientation) • Jia Watts (Afrikaans, Mathematical Literacy, Visual Arts, Life Orientation) Top 1% of candidates per subject Oakhill also has five students in the top 1% of candidates nationally for Life Orientation. Wholehearted congratulations go to Rebekah Utian, Jia Watts, Francine Olivier, Anna Reid, and Emma Stam.
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10 January 2018
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NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
Plettenberg Bay property market overview LETTENBERG Bay broke the R1-billion mark for the first time in history in 2016, and though the market faired relatively well in 2017, it looks like last year will fall a little short of this level if current trends remain. The total average prices decreased from R2.1million in 2015 to R1.99million in 2016. This was partly due to a substantial increase in sales of vacant land, which are naturally cheaper on average than improved properties. Last year saw this average increase again to R2.2-million so far (these figures were taken from deeds information on December 14) - though, to put this into perspective, there has been very little increase in averages over the past decade. As prices have increased again this year, the number of sales has declined somewhat, after the dramatic increase from 417 units in 2015 to 528 in 2016; the 2017 sales figure will probably be quite similar to that of 2015. So, even though it’s been a relatively good year and the ‘semigration’ trend of South Africans moving to the Western Cape continues, there is a cooling off from the high of 2016. The entry level for apartments is R670,000 and vacant land starts at about R200,000. Entry level for houses is around R1,8million, although there are cheaper options in areas surrounding Plett. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find houses below R2-million. Says Hein Pretorius, broker principal of Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay: “After we had record years in 2015 and 2016, 2017 has been a bit harder as stock levels are declining, but it is our second-best year to date. “Though we still have stock of vacant land, it
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TOP FINISHES, TOP SPOT: The penthouse-apartment development Plett Quarter will be constructed where The Table and Market on Main are currently located, promising a stunning building and excellent finishes - see the advert on page 3 for additional information
is of interest to note that demand has increased in spite of high building costs - partly due to declining prices in this sector reaching affordability levels. Demand is also higher in gated estates due to increased security and added facilities. “The tragic June fires had a considerable impact on individuals, but not as dramatic an effect on the Plett property market as a whole as we had initially expected, although the effects will be felt in coming years.” The highest price achieved in residential sales in 2016 was for a large upmarket beachfront home in Whale Rock Beach for R32-million. In 2017, the highest price is R36-million for a Robberg Beach End mansion, right at the end of the beach next to Robberg Nature Reserve. Over the past few years, a number of sales on Beachy Head Drive came close to or topped R30million, where houses were demolished to make way for new homes. So a new level for beachfront property seems to be established, and entrenches Plett as one of the highest-value property markets in Africa. According to the latest New World Wealth SA Report, Plett’s mansions on unspoilt beaches are the most expensive houses in South Africa outside of Cape Town. Plett comes third after Cape Town and Johannesburg for number of homes above R20-million. For apartments, De Meermin took the highest prices in both 2016 (R10.5million) and 2017 to date (R6.8-million). Pretorius has held the record for residential property since 2006, at R50-million for a luxury coastal estate. However, there are exceptional properties currently available at higher prices -
will 2018 see a new record? Pretorius says: “One of those properties, the Castle on the Cliff, is currently on the market for R75-million. The majestic rural villa on its clifftop perch on a 66-hectare estate near the pristine Robberg Nature Reserve commands sweeping views of the ocean and is a stone’s throw from some of South Africa’s most scenic hiking trails. “It comes complete with a large sea-filtered rock pool, a private lake, and a prehistoric cave. This expansive natural wonderland was home to indigenous tribes thousands of years ago, and various artefacts have been found on site. These belong to the estate and are included in the sale,” he explains. “We are also very excited about a few new developments, such as Plett Quarter - a sea-view penthouse apartment development to be constructed where The Table and Market on Main are currently trading, at the Dolphin Circle on Main Street. “Located in one of the most prominent spots in Plett, the stunning building will have excellent finishes. There will be commercial space available on ground levels on Main Street, and a single unit on Strand Street.” The luxury two and three-bedroomed apartments are priced from R2.2-million to R8.5-million, including VAT (no transfer duty). “Another example is Quartet Hotel and Garden Suites, which has life-right ownership in an upmarket retirement complex. It offers exceptional service and care, together with excellent quality houses and apartments in landscaped gardens,” says Pretorius. Studio apartments cost R1-million, onebedroom apartments R2-million, and two-
Steven Neufeld
bedroom/two-bathroom free-standing houses R2.75-million. “Thulana Hill is also launching Phase 2, with great new architectural design, starting with north-facing sea-view apartments and garages. Though still being finalised, prices for these spacious three-bedroom apartments will start from around R2.3-million including VAT. Call us on 044 533 2529 for more information on these or any other properties.” All the surrounding towns appear to be following similar trends to Plett. In Keurbooms proper (main town), 10 properties transferred in 2017 to date for an average of R5.55-million, four of which were vacant. In Wittedrift, five properties transferred in 2017 for an average of R658,000, including three houses at R800,000. Nature’s Valley saw averages of R2.9million (11 properties) in 2015; R4.5-million (seven properties) in 2016; and over R4.43-million in 2017 (10 properties). Likefor-like, Nature’s Valley is one of the best performing suburbs in SA. Take note that sales are listed by date of sale, not transfer date, to provide a more accurate depiction. Rural property, sales below R100,000, known non-arm’s length transactions and duplications are not included in the figures. A number of sales are still in the registration process, so the picture will change, especially for the last year. • Steven Neufeld is manager principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay and a professional valuer and court appointed appraiser for SA Property Valuations. Contact him on 072 417 7731, and see the adverts alongside, on the cover, and on page 3.
PROMOTION
10 January 2018
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NEWS & VIEWS
10 January 2018
Author of new anti-nuclear book to address Plett history buffs While much has been made of ‘state capture’ and the alliance between South Africa’s presidency and the Gupta family through Oakbay Resources’ interest in uranium, the phenomenon is not entirely new, writes MIKE KANTEY - guest speaker at next week’s Van Plettenberg Historical Society gathering
EMEMBER the Putsch of Polokwane* in 2007? From general Jan Smuts to PW Botha, from our beloved Madiba to the universally-reviled Jacob Zuma, the insidious relationship among international arms dealers, globe-trotting mafiosi, and beneficiaries of the military-industrial global nexus has remained a constant refrain: only names and places have been changed. To provide a very arbitrary example: when I was researching the global uranium industry in the 1990s, I found that board members of Rio Tinto at the time - the very company responsible for conceding the poisoning of mineworkers at Roessing uranium mine in Namibia - included not only Lord Carrington of the Zimbabwe “settlement”, but also the Queen’s secretary. Similarly, current chairman of the Nuclear Energy Corporation Kelvin Kemm, once confessed to me that he had been a “close friend” of Jonas Savimbi, the UNITA strongman who had held out against Angola’s Marxist government, with the active support of South Africa’s then government.
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On Thursday January 18, I shall give a talk on the history of the nuclear struggle in South Africa, on behalf of the Van Plettenberg Historical
Society. My recent book on the subject, Nukes? No Thanks!, will be available for sale, while copies may also be bought at Village Bookshop and Old Nick
LONE ‘BETOGER’: The author outside Ohlsson’s Breweries, Newlands, in 1987 during morning rush hour. “In those far-off days, any more than one ‘betoger’ [demonstrator] was liable to be arrested, detained, defenestrated, or thrown down a flight of stairs. Luckily for me, I made a few escapes. If I had known that a spell in prison would guarantee a seat in Parliament, I’d have gladly volunteered! Alas, not even a stint in Valkenberg qualified me for a seat…”
in Plett; Knysna Book Exchange; and Deo Gratia in Sedgefield. As you will read at the very end of that book, parliamentary democracy is a most fragile bird and all that remains for me is to heap praise on some rather rare, courageous, and determined South African civil-society activists who continue to hold our elected leaders to account. See the advert on this page for details on the talk at Plett Angling Club next Thursday. * The 52nd National Conference of the ANC was held in Polokwane from December 16 to 20 in 2007. It elected Jacob Zuma and supporters to the party’s top leadership and National Executive Committee, representing a significant defeat for Thabo Mbeki, then the party’s incumbent president and president of the country. The conference was significant as a precursor to the general election of 2009, in which the newlyelected leader of the ANC became the next president of South Africa. Thabo Mbeki resigned on September 20, 2008 and was replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe on September 25.
A blurb from Mike Kantey’s book, Nukes? No Thanks! S the anti-apartheid struggle intensified in the early 1980s and the deadline for commissioning Koeberg-1 approached, a few progressive graduates from the University of Cape Town formed a Nuclear Issues Group at the Cape Town Art Centre in Green Point. In 1983, at the suggestion of Dr Derek Yach and Prof Arnold Abramowitz, they formed a voting bloc and took over the more senior Koeberg Alert. Largely drawn from the
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suburban middle-class, the organisation quickly swelled to over 100 active members, and was affiliated both to the United Democratic Front and the End Conscription Campaign. Similar groups were formed in the urban centres of Pietermaritzburg (Society Against Nuclear Energy) and Johannesburg. Without benefit of the Internet, researchers for Koeberg Alert such as the late Peter Wilkinson, David Fig, and Thomas auf der Heyde soon began to
map a larger project: the overall uranium fuel chain and the clandestine development - with unofficial US, Israeli, French, and German support - of all the necessary ingredients for an apartheid bomb. At times our various members and sympathisers were bombed, arrested, detained without trial, and tortured. In the late 1980s, after sharing offices with the End Conscription Campaign, an office for Koeberg Alert was established at Community House - a stronghold
for the Mass Democratic Movement in Cape Town. Activists began to work more closely with the National Union of Mineworkers (who provided the bulk of nuclear workers), and affected communities in Atlantis (a dormitory worker suburb near Koeberg) and Namaqualand (where the nuclear waste began to be dumped). Both of our buildings were bombed by security forces, indicating the increasingly hostile relationship between the State and its opponents.
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10 January 2018
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BUSINESS
10 January 2018
To trust or not to trust? Not a simple question… Setting up a trust requires careful evaluation and sound advice - or you may risk it being a financial burden for everyone involved EOPLE set up trusts for different reasons. Like all good financial solutions, trusts have unique properties that can help you meet your goals. However, if not set up properly, they can be a hindrance to your plans and, ultimately, a disaster. “Before setting up a trust, answer three important questions with the help of a qualified financial plan-
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ner,” advises Floris Slabbert of Ecsponent Financial Services. • What is the purpose of the trust? • What assets do you want to incorporate and how will you do it? • What is more appropriate - a living (inter-vivos) trust or a testamentary trust? If it is a ‘legacy-planning’ situation, a testamentary trust (established after
death) may be more appropriate than a living trust. Slabbert explains the intricacies involved when working through the third question. “Legacy planning is where a person prepares a financial strategy, usually with the help of a professional in the field, to bequeath his or her assets to next of kin of a loved one after death. “A living trust is a legal
document created during a person’s lifetime. Just like a will, a living trust spells out exactly what your desires are with regard to your assets, your dependents, and your heirs. “The big difference,” says Slabbert, “is that a will becomes effective only after you die, and only once it has been submitted to the Master.” He adds: “A testamentary trust is established through the provisions of a last will and testament. These provisions stipulate the details about how a person’s assets must be divided as well as distributed. “This often includes the proceeds from insurance policies in respect of the life of the deceased. One will may be more than one testamentary trust per will.” Once it becomes clear that it is necessary to establish a trust, you need to consider a host of factors. These range from tax implications - both present and future - legislation, death, and intricacies unique to the management of trusts. Make sure you understand the purpose of your trust and the responsibility of a trustee. There is a general misconception that trusts eliminate or at least reduce tax burdens. Beware that the opposite may apply, when a trust creates additional tax liabilities if not structured properly. “In this instance, the help of a tax expert is invaluable. SARS will always try to maximise revenue. Hence, legislation can change unexpectedly to close socalled ‘tax-bleeding’ holes,” warns Slabbert. There is a lot of red tape. “As a start, everyone involved must comply with FICA requirements. In the case of living trusts, trus-
tees must conduct themselves in a way that shows they are responsible, involved and present at general meetings. “Trusts are subject to increased scrutiny from tax practitioners and even beneficiaries do not hesitate to challenge a trust or trustee in court.” Despite the legislation that prescribes the governance of trusts, many people, says Slabbert, misunderstand the financial implications of transferring ownership of an asset to a trust. The legislation is complicated and changed recently, putting trust-held assets at risk. For example, legislation governing business property trusts had changed in March last year. Among other changes, it entails that a business trust can no longer accept interest-free loans. This makes it more expensive to buy property via these trusts, as the minimum prescribed interest rate is now repo rate plus 1%. Also take note that the lender’s death affects a trust. Without enough life cover to deal with the fees and taxes, the trust will have to recover those fees to pay the estate. “Ideally, the trust should be the beneficiary of life cover on the donor’s life,” advises Slabbert. “This puts the trust in a position where it can redeem the loan account. If the trust then does not deduct the life cover premiums over the course of the lender’s life, it will not pay taxes when the policy pays out. “Yet, at the very end, your estate will end up donating the funds received from the trust, back to your trust, which then incurs estate duty above the normal abatement.”
Gerhard van Huyssteen is your LOCAL registered Debt Counsellor (NCRDC#778)
Cell: 071 332 2341 Tel: 044 533 2805 Email: plett101@gmail.com
A donation to a trust will immediately be taxed at 20% if it exceeds R100,000 per year and is payable within three months of the donation taking place. If the donor doesn’t pay the donation tax, the trust has to pay it within 90 days. If not done, SARS will charge interest to both parties. A trust can bring burdens, but also save a lot of money, while operating within legal bounds, if one goes about it in the right way how. “A business property trust, for example, can reduce expensive property transfer duties and bond registration costs when the company’s shareholding, under the trust, is sold to a buyer,” says Slabbert. If the purpose of your trust is to make provision for your children, it would be more beneficial to have a trust mortis causa, after you pass away, he advises. “This allows for significant tax abatements, which are capped at R3.5-million - and double that between spouses. These abatements would be forfeited if you set up a trust now and donated your assets to the entity. “In addition, living trusts limit your beneficiaries who have to act within the laws of the trust. They might find themselves in financial trouble, forcing them to sell off trust assets for livelihood. “In such a case, a mortis causa would be more useful, as it dissolves after certain objectives are met or after a certain time.” Ultimately, says Slabbert, a trust should only be created with the help of an expert, for the specific benefit of your beneficiaries. If not, it becomes a tax and financial burden on everyone involved.
Local registered counsellor for REAL debt counselling and COMPLETE peace of mind. Phone today for a FREE consultation with no obligations.
BUSINESS
10 January 2018
CXPRESS
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Listen up, parents: do your homework now before school starts... OING back to school after the long summer holiday can be stressful for everyone, especially parents. It’s not just getting everyone up, fed, dressed and out of the door on time, but preparing for school can be costly, and for many families January is the worst time for additional expenses. Marlies Kappers of DirectAxis Financial Services says that although there’s no way of avoiding some back-to-school expenses, a little planning and preparation will help to limit some of the financial stress. Parents and teachers had the following suggestions to help manage back-to-school finances and avoid unnecessary expenditure. Check to see if a uniform has another term in all components - do this with the entire uniform, school bag, stationery, and any other essentials. Knowing what needs to be replaced allows you to plan for it, rather than having to find the money for a new blazer the day before school starts. Try buying as much as you can as early as possible. Many schools run second-hand shops where you may be able to pick up a blazer that fits or replace a lost jersey. Gather reliable information: Find out what your child actually needs for the new school year in terms of stationery, maths sets, book covers and the like. Ask if there is a list of re-
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quirements for that grade. If not available from the school, speak to parents with children in the next grade or to teachers. Try to get as much specific detail as possible so you don’t waste money buying the wrong thing. While it might be tempting to rely on your child to get the information, this could also mean you get a list of wants rather than essentials. Don’t be tricked into expensive tech… Today many schools require that children have some sort of device, such as a tablet or laptop. Just as most children will have a preference about the brand of shoes they want - often the most expensive - so they’ll probably want top-end technology. While the cheapest isn’t always the best, even the most expensive technology soon dates. Rather than relying on your children’s recommendations, it’s better to get the specifications of what is required from the school and what the equipment is being used for. Ask teachers and other parents, rather than the salesperson in the computer shop, about what provides best value for money. A laptop that could launch the next Mars mission is probably overkill for Grade 10 maths. Eliminate the element of surprise. Unless your child is just starting school or moving from primary to high school,
you should have a reasonable idea of what it costs to equip them for the year. Consider this your basic budget, then add the cost of anything that needs replacing such as shirts or shoes. It’s probably a good idea to add a bit for unexpected expenses such as a white shirt for a choir tour or a new gum guard for rugby. Many schools offer a discount if school fees are paid annually rather than monthly or per term. It’s worth asking about any discounts before school starts. You can then work out whether you can afford to pay the lump sum and make a saving or if it’ll put too much pressure on your cash flow.
SILVERSTREAMS
R5,900 000
JOINT MANDATE
RIVER CLUB
R1,850,000
Remember to plan for unexpected expenses or costs such as bus fares, which can only be paid once the new term starts, and ringfence the money so it’s not spent in the final throes of the holidays. “Most of the people we spoke to agreed that planning ahead, putting some money aside for unexpected expenses, spreading the costs where possible, and getting children what they need rather than want for school, are the best ways of limiting back-to-school financial stress,” says Kappers. Visit www.directaxis.co.za/ make-a-plan/avoid-the-debt-trap for more information on managing your household income.
SEASIDE LONGSHIPS
R3, 375,000
JOINT MANDATE
JOINT MANDATE
3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 2 Garages
3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1 Garage
3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 1 Garage
Enjoy a lifestyle on the water's edge. This double storey house overlooks the river and grassed banks. Push back the doors and enjoy summer days basking in the sun whilst viewing the ever changing tidal river. Christy 082 924 8484 Web Ref 21PB-1126
The family will love the position & convenience of this attractive River Club unit. An ideal lock-upand-go property, or one that could also bring in an extra income with holiday lets.
Beautifully renovated, north-facing home. The lounge and kitchen have exposed rafters creating a feeling of space. The spacious bedrooms are all en-suite. Ideal as a lock-upand-go holiday home. Christy 082 924 8484 Web Ref 21PB-1139
John 083 626 9994
Web Ref 21PB-1144
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CXPRESS
SOCIAL SCENE
10 January 2018
LIKE TANNIE OFF A SWAN’S BACK: Plett decorator par excellence and bon vivant by night, Tania Reddering was captured while attempting to apprehend Bitou River creatures off the back of a graceful swan at dusk recently. “When I finally felt a bite, I got such a fright that I tumbled backward into the river and had to ‘struipel’ up the slippery riverbank with my pride left behind in the swan’s lap,” she says. Here’s to the glorious post-seasonal (but not quite dead-Plett) days to follow… - Photo: Katie Engelbrecht
COB LANDED BY BASSET: Yorkie Pierre Basset kicked off the festive season by catching this whopper of a kabeljou off Keurbooms Beach close to the river mouth. With no adequately super-sized pan, mom Inge (of Village Eco Preschool fame) said the beaut was released back into the ocean unharmed, to breed and swim another year... or 20!
People, places & events
JOBURGERS EARN THEIR COLOURS: At the Summer Music Colour Run held in Plettenberg Bay on Wednesday December 27 over a distance of 5km, participants were encouraged to either ‘Walk It, Run It, or Dance It’! At the end, everyone rejoiced in a riot of fun and colour. Pictured from left above are, at back from left, Kerry Grundlingh, Emma Franck, Debbie and François Grundlingh and Hannah Hulley, and in front, Katie Franck, Vicky Hulley, JJ Grundlingh and Jack Hulley - Joburgers all! At right above are Amy Rieth, 7, of Somerset West with Yvonne, Brigitte, 7, and Jeremy Wattam, 5, also from Joburg. In the bottom right corner of the page, Yonela Batela and Asanda Situ, both of Bitou, enjoyed earning their colours on the day. The pics by Martin Hurwitz elsewhere on the page show some more Colour Run fun. - Timothy Twidle
SOCIAL SCENE
10 January 2018
SION FROM SYDNEY TAKES THE KOOK: The Kook Surf Contest was started in Plett four years ago, with a single heat of four competitors having a goofy competition to see who could surf the very worst. Since its conception, it’s been an annual highlight on Plett’s seasonal calendar, and has grown exponentially - to a point where it had to be capped at 50 competitors two years ago. Explains organiser Matteo Viotti: “An Expression Session heat accommodates all who do not manage to make the competition sign-up. It’s an all-inclusive dress-up surfing fun day, where people act as ‘kooky’ as they can, imitating those once-a-year surfers from Gauteng, who drive convertibles with boards sticking out the sun roof come Plett season. After four heats, three judges decide who goes through to the finals - judges’ criteria including one master elder surfer (this year it was James Gubb), one judge hailing from Joburg and thinking he may know something about surfing, and the final a more flamboyant, fun-loving judge who focusses on dress-up more than surfing prowess,” explains Matteo, adding that the competition is for a good cause, and all entry fees take the form of “a bribe to the judges - the bigger the bribe the better your chances!” As is tradition, the overall winner of the Kook Surf Contest receives a bottle of Strawberry Lips… in which he or she is showered by the previous year’s title-holder. Above, 2018 winner Sion Yates from Sydney, Australia - who flew in especially for this year’s Kook - receives his boozy pink shower from local favourite and last year’s champ, Dylan Reddering. The rest of the pics convey some of the goofy surfing fun had on and off Robberg 5 Beach last Wednesday. Email matteo@floatapparel.co.za to find out more. Photos: Pavo Viotti
CXPRESS
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CXPRESS
INTERVAL
10 January 2018
Ietsie ligs! • Petrus vra vir Sarel: “Hei, Sarel hoe’s die sekslewe?” Sarel: “Soos Coke, ou Petrus. Eers was dit lekker, toe word dit lite, en nou is dit zero!
• Toetse het bewys as jy wakker gemaak word met surprise seks, dit jou stresvlakke laat daal. Dit het die teenoorgestelde effek in die tronk.
The new son-in-law successful businessman had a meeting with his new son-in-law. “I welcome you into the family,” he said. “To show you how much we care for you, I am making you a 50-50 partner in my business. All you have to do is go to the factory every day and learn the operation…” The son-in-law interrupted: “I hate factories. I can’t stand the noise.” “I see,” replied the father-in-law. “Well, then
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Best toilet door ever?
you’ll work in the office and take charge of some of the operations.” “I hate office work,” said the son-in-law. “I can’t stand being stuck behind a desk.” “Wait a minute,” said the father-in-law. “I just made you half owner of a money-making industry, but you don’t like factories, and won’t work in an office. What am I going to do with you?” “Easy,” replied the sonin-law. “Buy me out.”
A split second versus a nanosecond have discovered the answer to a question that has been puzzling scientists for hundreds of years. What is the exact difference between a split second and a nanosecond? My girlfriend and I were getting ready to go to a fancy dinner when, right as we were about to leave
I
home, she asked me the question all guys dread… She asked: “Does this dress look bad on me?” If I had said “no” in a nanosecond, we’d have been out the door. However, since I took a split second before responding, she had to go back inside to change, again.
Confused in conversation was checking out at a busy supermarket, and noticed that the cashier was not having a very good day. The register ran out of paper, the scanner malfunctioned, and finally the cashier spilled a handful of coins.
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When she totalled my purchases, it came to exactly R220. Trying to soothe her nerves, I said: “That’s a nice round figure.” Still frazzled, she glared at me and said: “Well, you’re no bean pole yourself.”
Flying home for the holidays USAN was heading home for the holidays. When she got to the airline counter, she presented her ticket to Cape Town, and as she gave the agent her luggage she asked: “I’d like you to send my green suitcase to Johannesburg, and my
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red suitcase to Durban.” The confused agent said: “I’m sorry, we can’t do that.” “Oh, really?” said Susan. “I am so relieved to hear you say that, because that’s exactly what you did to my luggage last year!”
A lady says to her doctor: “My husband has a habit of talking in his sleep. What should I give him to cure it?” Her doctor replies: “Give him an opportunity to speak when he is awake.”
Family matters woman asks her boyfriend. “Why doesn’t your mother like me?” “Don’t take it personally,” he assures her. “She’s never liked anyone I’ve
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dated. I once dated someone exactly like her, and that didn’t work out at all.” “What happened?” “My father couldn’t stand her.”
A bunch of cows... LIVE: “Look at that bunch of cows.” Jon: “Not bunch, herd.” Clive “Heard what?” Jon: “Of cows.” Clive: “Sure I’ve heard
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of cows.” Jon: “No, man - I mean a cowherd.” Clive: “So what if they heard? I keep no secrets from cows!”
HOME & HEALTH
10 January 2018
CXPRESS
17
You heard it here first: All-the-rage home trends for 2018 HE finest lifestyle, design and décor trends pulsating across the globe have been identified by the Decorex SA team and are set to feature at this year’s exhibitions in Durban, Cape Town, and Joburg. “There are some truly beautiful trends coming through that we are really excited to share,” explained Anita Bloom of Decorex SA. “Each one has been influenced by the push and pull of modern life, the tension created by the give and take of work and play, and the constant movement between our public image and private self. “These ever-changing layers work to identify who we are in the world, but it’s vital that we create our special, individual space as a way to harmonise all this information.” Perfect patterns and prints • The emerging psychotropical trend emanates from the psychedelic movement while evolving into a digital modernity that touches on the natural. Nature will branch out to include virtual-reality wonderlands with the digital now moving into the physical, creating a ‘phygital’ design. An interesting contrast is created by the juxtaposition
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PSYCHOTROPICAL: When it comes to tints and tones, this trend is dominated by deep, saturated colours
ELEVATED ORGANICS: Modern pieces are connected with the outside through organically tactile materials
MOROCCAN FISH SCALES: Colours can be uniform and move from lighter to darker to create a psychotropical effect
of the man-made creation and the natural. The psychotropic trend is defined by vibrant palettes; vivid tropical patterns and digitised prints; lush, botanical themes which take on a heightened, near-synthetic form and motifs with a hallucinogenic quality. • The natural element continues to weave itself into the elevated organics trend, where modern pieces are connected with the outside through organically tactile, luxurious materials. Inspired by nature, it incorporates neutral tones with
flowing lines interspersed by realistically rough textures that bring the items to life. Show-stopping furniture pieces • When it comes to artistic décor for 2018, there is no limit to large-scale for wall art. Big, bold pieces will work to enliven any space with visually-created depth and texture - an important aspect of the artwork. Rather than fading into the backdrop, the canvas should make itself felt in a completely entrancing manner. • A sense of endless space can be cleverly fused with an
area of comfort and privacy by the simple incorporation of stylish room dividers in varying forms. Maintain that desired open-plan space while using thin-lined or
meshed dividers crafted out of metal or wood. These create a sense of separation for the individual, while not completely closing off the rest of the world. • Simplicity is key in metal design furniture pieces that don’t overwhelm, but rather encourage a tasteful modernity in interior décor. Thin, black lines, natural fabrics, and glass can be fused into any must-have furniture item including mirrors, chairs, tables, bookshelves, and even potted plant holders. Textures and colours • The aquatic Moroccan fish scales trend brings soothing, oceanic movement into any space with the repetitive, overlapping pattern reminiscent of rolling waves. This unique shape is particularly eyecatching and provides designers with an extremely versatile décor aspect that
can be brought in through ceramic tiles, wallpaper, furniture textures and mere patterns. • Where rich jewel tones were a big trend the past few years, there has been some refining of the more literal aspects into subtle, more refreshed jewel tones. This trend is coloured in dusty pink, dusty rose, peacock, muted emerald and rich teal which can be brought through textural elements such as floral, geode rock and associated minerals. • Moving away from the copper dominance, the latest trend in metal is to combine a variety of elements to create a subtle, colourful array of mixed metallics. Brass, matte gold, matte black and other iridescent pieces bring an eclectic feeling of warmth to any room. Visit www.decorex.co.za for info on show dates.
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CXPRESS
10 January 2018
Paws
Plett Animal Welfare Service
CLASSIFIEDS
ON THE SOAPBOX
10 January 2018
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
CXPRESS
Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za
Is Plett no longer a prime holiday destination? Let’s face it, our little holiday town just did not have the buzz this season. Matric Rage fell short of expectation, to say the least - the prime reason being petty objections to this event, culminating in procrastination and delaying timely decisions about a venue. The New Year’s gathering at Solar Five was also a no-no, begging the question: Is it time that Plett Tourism brainstormed the obvious fact that Plett is no longer the Christmas holiday venue it used to be? Yes, the shops were crowded and Main Street was impossible, but at best the beaches were at half capacity, and that only on three days. Why do less people come to Plett over the Christmas holidays? Why is Plett losing its popularity? Is there such a serious shortage of parking space at the beaches - Main Beach, Solar, and Sanctuary? Why have we not spent a single cent on reclaiming the Lookout Beach parking lot?
PACKED: Plett’s Central Beach constituted a proper bathing-crowd pleaser from mid-December to January, as witnessed on Thursday the 4th - Photo: Gerhard van Huyssteen
The boardwalk at Main [Central] Beach is thirdworld standard. Last year at Christmas time, one of the three public benches at this beach was demolished in a car accident, but has not been replaced. Apart from the boardwalk falling apart, the shower at Main Beach is in a poor state of repair and needs to be replaced. The single tap here was out of order over the Christmas holidays - vandalism or a fitting that is prone to failure? The parking lot has become a stinking fowl run due to birds nesting in the trees, so the space under these trees resemble a municipal dump. Hobie Beach is inaccessible at high tide unless you
A picture-perfect start to 2018
are prepared to risk falling and breaking an arm or a leg by negotiating the rocky footpath next to the pump station. Why not construct a concrete staircase over these rocks? There is a speed camera at the entrance to Main Beach due to it being a high-risk junction with high traffic volume. But why not redesign the flow here by way of a traffic circle or triangle? Don’t tell us there is not enough space. Perhaps Bitou prefers collecting the revenue accruing from these traffic fines. What would ‘Plett Summer’ advertise on its cover page? To put the question the other way around: Why are we not proactive in making sure that Plett comes out tops when choosing a holiday destination? I shudder to think how much revenue and how many jobs we are losing as a consequence of a decline in the number of visitors. It’s high time that we get our priorities right.
‘The Drone’, Plett (Taking a break from this edition’s production last Thursday afternoon, it was a joy to behold masses of fellow bathers at Central Beach on a perfect summer’s day in surf as warm and clear as only Plett can produce. Interestingly, snap surveys on ‘the state of the season’ during a two-week road-trip with stops in Mossel Bay, the Mother City bowl, Gordon’s Bay, and Kommetjie yielded similar responses: accommodation establishments and camping facilities all over the province reported a significant drop in occupancy levels over the festive season. At the same time, CXPRESS friends who rode ‘Jan Tuisbly se karretjie’ in Gauteng were surprised at the amount of traffic on Joburg highways, for example, bucking the trend of congestion-free Egoli being the place to be when residents flock to the coast over Christmas and New Year. So… it seems Plett is not the only holiday destination to have suffered reduced seasonal support. The current economic situation combined with widespread drought woes are probable reasons for this phenomenon, but we’ll endeavour to publish facts and figures provided by our local tourism bureaux in order to substantiate The Drone’s dire claims. Watch this space. - Eds.)
Just to confirm: our provincial hospitals are the best!
Happy New Year to everyone at CXPRESS! I couldn’t resist sharing this picture with you. It is definitely not a painting; it’s the view from my bedroom window as I woke up at my cousin Karen’s home in Innsbruck, Austria, today (January 3). I’ll be back in Plett by midJanuary but ‘till then, be blessed. - Leigh Dunn
The letter regarding provincial hospitals in your edition of December 13 refers [read it on page 23 of that issue at www.cxpress.co.za]. I would like to comment that I was treated two years ago in both Knysna and George and the service in both cases was the very best. Dr Brink of Knysna Provincial and Dr Smit of George Provincial saved my life. My heart rate was 27 when arriving in Knysna. I was finally flown by air ambulance to Grootte
Schuur and had a pacemaker fitted and I’ve been fine ever since. Our provincial hospitals are great - thank you! Leon Naudé, Knysna (The letter Leon refers to told of treatment received at Knysna and George provincial hospitals after serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident - visit www.backabuddy. co.za and type in ‘Calvin Everard’ in the Search block to find out how you can help this Plett Lifeguard with the mounting costs of post-op medicine and physiotherapy. - Eds.)
Playing doctor-doctor… Your response to my letter in the December 20 edition of CXPRESS, published under the heading ‘Are traditional healers doctors, too?’ [turn to page 35 of that issue at www.cxpress.co.za] were interesting and much appreciated. Unfortunately, it appears to have overlooked the main point of my letter, wherein I questioned the advertiser’s claim to being a qualified doctor, sup-
ported by the statement that “I solve problems including unfinished jobs left by other doctors”. In the absence of tangible evidence to the contrary, this claim appears to be without merit and effectively casts aspersions on qualified medical practitioners! You state: “… we have great respect for medical doctors and their hard-earned degrees, and
don’t believe that Mama Shamim purports to compete in that realm.” But the advert clearly implies otherwise. Unlike traditional healers, medical practitioners have to continuously ensure they are up to date and registered. They are also subject to oversight review by the Medical Association and are required to attend formal post-qualification update
courses and procedures. In the circumstances, I believe it is in the interests of your readers for this matter to be appropriately clarified. In the event that the advert requires amendment, I respectfully suggest that the removal of a few relevant words would not result in revenue loss of consequence to your publication. D Winckler, Plett
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The only pharmacy in Main Street
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CXPRESS
SPORT & ADVENTURE
10 January 2018
Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za
Two ultimate sporting prizes for highest bidders at Cape Wine Auction 2018 ESPITE its name, it’s not only rare and highly sought-after wines that are up for offer at the 2018 Cape Wine Auction, but exclusive invitations to some of the best sporting events for those fans with big chequebooks and even bigger hearts. Two of the amazing lots that include once-in-a-lifetime sporting opportunities are: • For the ultimate Manchester United fan, VIP tickets to a select 2018/19 regular season match at historic Old Trafford in Manchester as well as a 2017/18 training top signed by Paul Pogba. The package comprises two VIP tickets, a threecourse meal at the stadium, a souvenir gift, Manchester United legend meet-n-greet and souvenir photo, a mini tour of the stadium, and a megastore discount voucher. The lot also includes two business class return tickets from SA to the UK, sponsored by South African Airways. • The second top lot’s winning bidder and a partner will enjoy a first-hand experience of the world’s most iconic cycling race: the Tour de France courtesy of Nederburg - the exclusive premium wine partner of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka. The trip includes business class return flights, accommodation and meals, a meet and greet with some of the Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka cyclists, a tour of the squad’s impressive bus
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sunglass boutique
ENGLISH FOOTIE OR FRANCE? Man United fans may win VIP tickets to 2018/19 regular matches at Old Trafford in Manchester, a training top signed by Pogba, and a bunch of other souvenirs, while a Tour de France aficionado and partner would want the lot with tickets to the world’s most iconic cycling race including meet-n-greets with Team Dimension Data cyclists, the Cervelo bike pictured below, and return air tickets
and a sleek, state-of-the-art Cervelo S5 Aero road bicycle (as used by professional cyclist Mark Renshaw, pictured above) at an approximate value of R64,000. The action kicks off with the American Express Barrel Auction on Friday February
9 at Tokara Wine and Olive Estate, with by the main event - the Cape Wine Auction sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth - taking place the following day at Rustenberg Estate in Stellenbosch. • Visit www.thecapewine auction.com for more info.