13 august 2014

Published every Wednesday by CXpress 2006 (Pty) Ltd - PO Box 1449, Plettenberg Bay 6600 - 6 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay - Tel: 044 533 1004 - Fax: 044 533 0852 Email: editor@cxpress.co.za / advertising@cxpress.co.za Web page: www.cxpress.co.za Printed by Group Editors

Hold it...

Tristan Boshoff, 6, is a picture of focus during the weekend’s Ross Taylor Surf Contest. Says dad Pieter: ‘The lump on his back is the huge knot I had to tie, as the competition vest hung below his knees. He’s been surfing with me and sis Isabella for two years and got his first board, complete with Spider Man design, from Full Circle a short while before the Ross Taylor event, where he was the youngest competitor.’

Winning his first heat, this Grade R student at Raphaeli School in Plett did mom Gaye and the rest of the family very proud. Turn to page 11 for more news and pics of the event...

FREE Photo: Elle Redman - www.ellephoto.co.za / 073 802 0128

13 August 2014

Rape case postponed again p3

Notes on fennel and fish p13

Flying high is his job p16

10 000 FREE COPIES OF CXPRESS DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE EVERY WEDNESDAY

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CXPRESS

News & Views

13 August 2014

Driving Miss Crazy

Regular Jeeves job, green mambas included, brings pet-sit surprise JEEVES shares his adventures as Garden Route chauffeur extraordinaire...

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Our 10 000 free copies are distributed every Wednesday to a multitude of outlets along the Garden Route, with emphasis on Knysna and Plett and drop-offs at *Sedgefield Tourism *Caltex StarMart in Wilderness *Lynn Schroeder, Build It and other select outlets in George *Storms River Village and Bridge in Tsitsikamma - phone 044 533 1004 (o/h) with distribution queries.

If you’ve missed out on a hard copy, read the electronic version online at www.cxpress.co.za

HE caller enquired: “Can you possibly take my husband and I to George Airport next Tuesday?”

The diary for that day was blank, except for a reminder that Harry B’s lunch-time special for the day was chicken schnitzel, rice and veg... for R35!

“Yes, can do!”

“Oh good,” she sighed in relief. “We live on Thesen Islands. If you could come to the house at 11 o’clock - the flight’s at 1:30 - and take us there in our car?”

We swapped phone numbers, and I made a note of her address and pick-up time.

“Can you recommend any reliable pet/house-sitter?” she then asked. “Our regular is away. It will be for 10 days.”

Is this a new opportunity for Jeeves, per chance?

Actually, not. I’m already busy on this front: two dachshunds at Whale Rock in Plettenberg Bay twice a year; a few dogs and a cat in Prince Albert also twice per annum; a Labrador in Greyton once a year; two cats in a canal town house on Thesen Islands for four or five stays.

But I live on the Brenton side of the lagoon, and after a while it’s a bit of a schlep in and out of town. So a change of environment is fun - in a sense it’s like going away on holiday - different surrounds, meeting new people, catching up with others, visiting different shops, restaurants, coffee shops, bistros et al.

To answer her question, I told her: “I do that too.”

She was thrown. “A man for all seasons?”

You know, once you’ve been retired for 15 years, you have to dig up a few things to do, once you’re past the stage of a pruner in one hand and a glass of wine in the other (as Michael Caine in his book Qp" c" Engct" Fc{." [qw" ecp" Jgct" vjg"Tcurdgttkgu will verify).

Before their departure date, I was invited to the house to acquaint myself and learn the ropes - rubbish days, garden service day, Thursday the cleaner, vet’s name, plumber and electrician contacts, handyman, electricity meter and, of course, to meet Pooch.

She was a Yorky, but not the Hollywood miniature type with a pink bow tying her hair up between the ears, diamond studded collar and a mohair designer jersey. This one’s legs and body were too long for her to win any rosettes at a dog show, and judging by all the mounds of dug-up turf in the garden, she was a real ‘terrier’.

On the day, we counted seven speed-traps en route to the airport, from green mambas (green box) to both manned and unmanned cameras, as well as permanently mounted boxed ones.

Would be interesting to know how the (huge) bounty from the fines is distributed to the benefit of the road users, seeing they are the contributors, no?

Pooch required daily exercise. We went to the Waterfront on a number of occasions, usually to visit one of the many eateries. Ocean Basket at sunset overlooks the harbour, the lagoon, and the distant hills through pillars of masts protruding from moored yachts, to the sound of seagulls and halyards tinkling in the breeze...

Who needs Greece or Monaco? It’s right here!

A glass of white, oysters or prawns? Bliss! A chat with a couple from Germany at the next table.

34˚South offers daily specials, so we made frequent

READY? My temporary best friend raring to go as we’re about to walk Brenton

visits. Dawg was losing weight - all the exercise - and I was putting on.

Walks on Leisure Island amazing the motley collection of canines and their walkers, especially early in the day and breakfast afterwards, a cross-word puzzle and Soduko (incorrectly pronounced ‘Sudoku’ at the Coffee Shop).

Other days, a few laps on Thesen and idle talk to fellow ‘Islanders’ doing the same.

Some walks on Brenton Beach, weather and tides permitting, followed by a compulsory pit-stop on the way home at The Bell Tavern, for a pint and a bowl of water.

Numerous braais on the veranda bordering a canal; a wave to passers in their boats and canoes. What a pleasant way of life, and a break from the usual eve-

ryday routine to which one becomes accustomed.

The ‘pet-sit’ was over all too soon, with the return of Yorkie’s mom and dad. However, it’s always good to get back home.

Remember days ago when people would send postcards of the places they were visiting, and how fantastic the trip was, and how great the people, food and beaches were?

Such words as ‘the weather is here, and wish you were beautiful’ etc...

And yet, when you saw them for the first time upon their return, how pleased and happy they were ‘to be back home’.

Buckle up! /"Lggxgu

ISLAND STYLE: Pooch and I stayed in one of these ‘villas’, enjoying the Thesen Islands lifestyle of views of the lagoon through the masts of various kinds of ocean craft

RINGING NO CHANGES: The Bell Tavern has been a stalwart of good food and ale for ages

News & Views

13 August 2014

No closure yet for dentist’s alleged rape victim

Yolandé Stander

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HE parents of the teenager who was allegedly raped and sexually assaulted by a prominent George dentist at his luxury Victoria Bay home are frustrated as the court case was postponed yet again.

Magistrate Eugenia Jacobs was to deliver judgment in the Thembalethu Regional Court yesterday but postponed the matter to September 17 as she “misjudged” the amount of reading she had to do in order to deliver judgment.

The 42-year-old Ian Venter is accused of raping and sexually assaulting a family friend’s 15-year-old son on December 27, 2011.

He faces nine charges after the alleged incident which happened during a sleepover at Venter’s multi-million rand luxury rental home at Victoria Bay. The youngster, who just

celebrated his 15th birthday about a month before the alleged incident, was visiting the Garden Route with his family during the December holidays that year.

Venter allegedly offered the teenager alcohol and pornographic material before performing various sexual acts on the minor.

Venter was arrested the next day and subsequently released on R1,000 bail.

“It is very frustrating to emotionally prepare yourself to face that man [Venter] in court every time, just to find out that the case is just being postponed,” the youngster’s mother said yesterday.

The teenager’s parents fly to George from Johannesburg for every court appearance.

“Although it is frustrating to wait and deal with the delays, we don’t want the judgment to be rushed. We believe that justice will be served.”

CONSENTING ADULTS? This photo of Ian Venter appear on his Facebook page – during the previous hearing, one of the aspects contested was whether consent was given by the teen claiming to be his rape victim

She added that the family and her son, who is now 17 years old and in matric, needed the closure these final steps in the case would bring.

During prosecutor Brendan Smith’s closing arguments he said he believed the State managed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused was guilty and referred to Venter’s decision not to take the stand - as “damning silence”.

The teenager told the court that after everyone in the house had gone to bed, Venter called him to the patio where he engaged him in a sexual conversation.

Venter initially denied this, but later, through instructions to his attorney Braam Swart, admitted that such a conversation took place, but that he had been under the impression the teenager initiated it.

In earlier testimony the boy said that Venter offered him “very strong” alcohol, including what he was told was tequila, which left him “past the point of being drunk” and “not himself”.

The complainant also told the court about how Venter came to his room later that evening with DVD covers with pornographic images on them as well as a lubricant before proceeding to perform various sexual acts on him, including penetration.

During final arguments Smith said various aspects of the incident had never been contested including that sexual acts had been performed, pornographic material - which was later found in Venter’s home - had been given to the teenager, that Venter had known the boy’s age, that the accused’s DNA had been found on the complainant’s pants as well as a bed sheet and that the teenager had sustained anal injuries.

What was however contested was among other aspects, if consent was given, whether Venter gave the teenager alcohol, and if penetration took place.

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News & Views

13 August 2014

Cops winning the economic-crime war Police in Thembalethu claim that a detective’s new strategy is reducing economic crime in the township - BOB HOPKIN reports COME AND GET ‘EM: Thembalethu detectives, from left, Franklin Goliath, Samuel Gawie, Zukiswa Mzini, and Yolande Sauls with some stolen goods still not reclaimed by their owners Photo: Bob Hopkin

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AST week, SAPS George Cluster held a media conference to highlight progress in reducing theft and apprehending thieves in George’s largest township, Thembalethu.

Introduced by Station Commander colonel Rubin Frans, the briefing was told that,

while the motives remain focussed on feeding drug habits, crime patterns are changing from violent crime towards passive theft of highunit value items.

Their experience showed that some 60% of all thieves arrested were youths, stealing to either support drug

purchases or working on behalf of another person.

Frans said the Thembalethu staff now included 16 detectives in four teams of four, each specialised in particular fields but flexible enough to support each other when the need arises.

In addition, because in-

cidences of crime do not follow a set timetable, the detectives no longer work an 8am to 4pm shift but are on flexi-time to be available when required.

Frans claimed the result of these changes was a reduction in crime rates and the solving of 53 reported thefts since April.

In addition, daily VCPs (Vehicle Check Points) in conjunction with traffic officers had stopped and examined 453 vehicles and 2,390 passengers, resulting in the issuance of 105 fines worth R83,400.

When stolen goods were recovered, the majority were returned to their rightful owners, although some items displayed at the briefing were still awaiting claims.

Top of the thieves’ popular-

ity list are flat-screen TVs as well as more compact items including cameras, laptops and machine tools. In some cases, sophisticated disposal methods are employed by ‘fencing’ the stolen goods outside of the area to avoid frequent use of the same recipients who may be known to the police.

Frans said the public could assist in preventing economic crime by keeping their

premises more secure, keeping valuable items out of sight, noting serial numbers and reporting theft as early as possible.

He praised the cooperation of Thembalethu’s community in assisting police in reporting suspicious activities and emphasised that all information received was treated on a confidential basis.

“We encourage anyone with information to call our crime lines on 044 802 8934 or 079 894 1574. You can be assured that your identities will be kept secret.”

Bitou take-over faction in court today Yolandé Stander

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T is D-day for the Bitou take-over court action as the matter will finally be heard in the Western Cape High Court today. This date was allocated after Judge Dennis Davis met with Western Cape Judge President John Hlope last week.

The court action follows an attempt by local ANC councillors to take over the DAled municipality and remove its leadership.

On June 20, six ANC councillors along with deputy mayor and COPE member Adam van Rhyner called for a special council meeting to serve a motion of no confidence in among others mayor Memory Booysen.

Bitou speaker Annelise Olivier refused to convene the meeting on July 1 as she claimed it was against the municipality’s rules of order, and turned to the W-Cape High Court to stop the meeting from taking place.

The matter was postponed indefinitely, but the ANC councillors and Van Rhyner filed a counter application on July 4 to force Olivier to convene the meeting.

On July 29, the court ordered that the IEC not fill the purported vacancy in respect Van Rhyner’s seat in the Bitou council, and postponed the case to a date to be determined by Hlope.

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All PAWS stakeholders to attend AGM

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LETT Animal Welfare Services holds its Annual General Meeting at the Methodist Church on Wednesday September 10 at 11am. All members of the public are invited to attend the AGM to learn more about PAWS activities over the past year.

Says Marsja Hall-Green: “We will be reporting on every aspect of our work, including our financial sta-

tus, kennel management and work in the community.

“So many of you have supported us, in many different ways, over the past year and we think it is very important to share this information with you, our Plett community stakeholders.”

You are welcome to stay for tea and snacks after the meeting - please contact Di Butlin on 082 569 2571 for more information.

News & Views

13 August 2014

CXPRESS

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Masizame moms graduate to better care for their kids

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HE team at Masizame Children’s Shelter in Plettenberg Bay would like to congratulate 26 local ladies who graduated recently from a Positive Parenting Skills Development Programme.

Mothers of children with behavioural problems, from school dropouts to those working on the street, were invited to participate in the six-month project, which required the completion of 12 intensive and interactive workshops.

These sessions sought to empower mothers with the skills to care for their children, while addressing the challenges faced by these

families.

Says Masizame operations manager Monica Oosthuizen, who facilitated the Famsaaccredited programme: “We tried to build knowledge and impart life skills so that the mothers could better cope in caring for their children, many of whom are vulnerable to neglect and exploitation.

“We covered a variety of areas, from substance abuse to building a child’s self-esteem and, importantly, how to talk to your child so that they will actually listen. We emphasised the importance of positive engagement between mother and child, as well as how women can take

responsibility within the family dynamic.”

The graduation ceremony was held on Wednesday August 6 at St Thomas Methodist Church. Graduates were proud to have completed the programme and concurred that they found it to be a particularly rewarding learning experience.

“This course taught me how I must express myself and deal with my emotions so I can be a good mother. I want to be the best I can,” beamed graduate Eleanor Beyers.

By engaging with mothers to help them work through their own challenges in order to fulfil their responsibilities

Thank you for the music... Chris Conyers joins the choir invisible Words & photo: Timothy Twidle Local music lovers will be saddened to hear of the passing of Chris Conyers, who died after a short illness on the morning of Monday August 4. Chris was an active committee member of Knysna Music Society that annually organises a series of some 10 concerts of classical music, performed by musicians from around the world. He also played a vital role in arranging the two successful gala concerts given by the World Orchestra in Plett and Knysna during February last year. CXPRESS extends condolences to the family of Chris Conyers, who will be fondly remembered by all.

Next up on Knysna’s classical calendar

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NYSNA Music Society presents flautist Cobus du Toit accompanied by Patrick Sutton on guitar next Monday, August 18, at Knysna Dutch Reformed Church in Fitchat Street.

Praised for his crystal-like tone and innate sense of musical style, Du Toit has won several contests and honours on two continents, these including the UNISA Performers Licentiate, SAMRO International Music Scholarship, Byron Hester Flute and Boulder Philharmonic Young Artists competitions.

He is currently principal flute with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra and the flute player of Antero Winds - a Colorado based professional

woodwind quintet. He has a Bachelor’s degree from the University or Pretoria and recently graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado.

Paul Sutton completed his Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Classical guitar performance at Lamont School of Music. While there he received several honours, including first prize in the 2009 Lamont Chamber Music Competition, three Recital of Distinction awards, and an introduction into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honour Society.

Chamber music is his favourite expressive outlet and he has twice been the John D’Addario Performing As-

sistant at the Bowden International Music Festival in Brunswick, Maine. He has commissioned and performed new works by such composers as Richard Boukas, Ricardo Iznaoda and Carl Shimmel.

Sutton is currently on the music faculty at Community College of Denver and is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Colorado.

The tango and folk music from South and Central America performed by this gifted duo will make for a sunny start to the second half of the Society’s year. Tickets are available at the door from 6:45 (R120, scholars R30), the show starts at 7:30pm.

M-POWERED: These mothers of troubled children now possess the tools to better understand and care for their kids and community

as parents, served as a Masizame’s tion efforts

the programme continuation of early intervento service the

needs of vulnerable children in New Horizons and its surrounding communities.

If you would like to equip

yourself with positive parenting skills and knowledge, please contact Masizame on 044 533 640X.

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News & Views

13 August 2014

ADVERTORIAL

Realising the dream of Jew and Gentile becoming one new man

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LIZABETH Robertson Campbell will be visiting Plett with her husband Jamie later this month. Most will remember this vibrant redhead, as Liz has visited Plett on several previous occasions, her talks motivating one and all and many asking when she would return.

An artist, writer and motivational speaker, Liz will once again be sharing her extraordinary story with an eager Plett audience.

Says local facilitator of the couple’s visit, Vicky Rowlands: “There is nothing like hearing it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, so let Liz tell you all about her life and work - we hope to see you all at Plett Community Church on August 24 at 3pm.”

Qxgt"vq"Nk|000 Being a feisty redhead from the Eastern Cape, dyslexic and with many other drawbacks, to think today that I’m the author of two books and now director of a movie called Fcpekpi"Ykvj"Hckvj is nothing

short of a mighty miracle!

You might have read or heard about my first book called Vjg" Ejqkeg. Well, this book is what the movie is based on and our new title is loaded with symbolism, as we all are dancing with our faith in these turbulent days we live in.

I truly have felt like those pregnant Israelite women when, way back in the time of their bondage in Egypt, they had to give birth - it happened so miraculous and fast that the Egyptian midwives could not get there in time to destroy the baby.

Now my baby is born and we have accomplished, in record time and with miraculous funding, a promotional pilot that you will be able to view when my husband Jamie and I come to Plett on August 24.

We are overwhelmed at the response and how our work is already bringing together Jew and Gentile Believer in the God of Israel in the most astounding way. We have found

favour across the religious spectrum to the point where we know that the Messiah’s return must be eminent.

Never before have we worked so keenly together to get this love story, His story, to the world - like a modernday Iqpg"ykvj"vjg"Ykpf! We truly feel that we have gone with the Spirit with this one.

So come and join us on Sunday evening the 24th to hear what is going on in our crazy world and how we as Christians can provoke people’s jealousy instead of, like in the past, anger - especially our Jewish part of the family.

Yes, God, like many of us, has a blended family made up of Jews and Gentiles so come and hear how we all fit together and how we can walk together in unity for the tough road ahead.

The return of the Messiah is directly linked to Jew and Gentile becoming one new man!

Rjqpg"2:4";77"2595"qt" 294"7;9"6385"hqt"cffkvkqpcn" kphqtocvkqp0

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Jamie & Liz Robertson Campbell are scheduled to revisit Plettenberg Bay on August 24, when she will address residents at Plett Community Church - in the pic, Liz holds a copy of her book ‘The Choice’, on which the new movie and her directorial debut ‘Dancing With Faith’ is based

Vind uit hoe BAASK jou belange op die hart dra

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R p r o u d ly robberg

IE Algemene Jaarvergadering van die Belangegroep vir Aftree-oorde en Aanverwante Instansies in die Suid-Kaap (BAASK) vind plaas op Vrydag 15 Augustus om 10vm by die Millenium Park Aftree-oord op Oudtshoorn.

BAASK wat in 2009 tot stand gekom het, is ‘n niewinsgewende organisasie waarby aftree-oorde en enige instansie in die SuidKaap wat betrokke is by bejaardesorg soos ouetehuise en versorgingsoorde vrywillig kan aansluit.

Hierdie organisasie stel hom ten doel om die belange van die inwoners van sodan-

ige instansies te beskerm.

Dit dien as koördineerder van aftree-oorde en aanverwante instansies en reël byeenkomste om sake van gemeenskaplike belang te bespreek, optrede te beplan en uit te voer.

BAASK beywer hom dus om die lewensgehalte en welvaart van senior burgers te bevorder, en bekom gereeld kundiges om sy lede toe te lig en op te lei in die hantering van ouderdomsverwante aangeleenthede.

Die sosiale kontak en uitruil van inligting tydens byeenkomste is van onskatbare waarde. Tydens die AJV op 15 Augustus sal twee geleen-

theidsprekers optree.

Matrone Mart Botha van Genevafontein Aftree-oord in George sal praat oor die registrasie van privaatinstansies ingevolge die Wet op Ouer Persone en Willie van Zyl, apteker in beheer by Dischem, sal die vergadering toespreek oor die voorafverpakking van medikasie.

Verteenwoordigers en verpleegkundiges van aftreeoorde en aanverwante instansies wat meer inligting aangaande BAASK wil bekom of daarin belang stel om die AJV by te woon, kan in verbinding tree met Marisa Botha by admin@hartenrus. co.za of 044 606 7223.

Business

13 August 2014

CXPRESS

When the US takes economic meds, the world ODs...

Clem Chambers

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NE of the oldest economic sayings is: “When America catches a cold, the world gets pneumonia.” Like all sayings, it has a flip side: “When America takes economic medicine, the world gets an overdose.”

The medicine that America has been taking is cheap money and that had been flooding into the world. What ails the US is not being addressed, but the effects of the disease are being alleviated by the production of huge amounts of cash.

Cash is called liquidity these days. You might suspect that creating liquidity feels better than printing money, in

Investor Focus

the same way ‘a man walked into the bank and robustly requested liquidity,’ sounds better than, ‘a robber went into a bank, stuck up the teller and demanded a bag full of $100 bills.’

The underlying problem of the US, and for that matter most of Europe, is a huge balance of trade deficit pumping the wealth of the developed world into the accounts of the developing world.

All the QE you see is to paper over the chasm of a trillion-dollar-a-year trade deficit that drains wealth out of the US into the developed world. QE is a debasement to shift that wealth back via what amounts to a dilution of the value of dollars out-

side the US. The trouble is, while the focus is on low interest rates and restarting internal growth, the focus doesn’t sit squarely on rebalancing the core trade imbalances that mean the developed world is getting poorer at about $100-billion a month.

This new US liquidity had been flying out of the door into the arms of the developing world, but as the flood of money is being stemmed so are the good times for emerging economies.

Without the spill-over of oceans of cash from the US, hard economic times are returning, but the economic growth targeted at home is starting to ignite good times back in the US and its European proxy, the UK. Meanwhile back in Europe, the financial might of Ger-

many is at the helm. It is not a deficit nation and it does not like driving growth through debasement.

However, while it effectively leads financial policy in Europe, its partners are not so austere and they have been twisting Germany’s arm to get the printing presses rolling.

They have slowly but surely loosened the purse strings.

This will see the Euro fall to pre-crash levels and there will be a rally in the general European economy.

While new-style inflation is low in Europe, old-fashioned inflation is rampant. A 1970stype basket of goods has rocketed in price, which in general is what the poor spend their money on. As flat-screen TVs and mobiles supress the headline figures, hard assets have been bubbling up in cost.

Malcolm Stewart – Investment manager at Michaelides Parker Wealth Knysna & Plett

Unemployment - what are the real figures?

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R Loane Sharp is a well-respected labour economist employed by Adcorp (one of South Africa’s biggest labour brokers). He addressed a paper several months ago which offered a very divergent view of the unemployment situation in South Africa.

The official unemployment rate quoted by Government sources is ±25%. The commonly held view is that this figure is hopelessly incorrect and that the real figure is double that!

Mr Sharp, however, submits an argument that could turn these figures on their heads.

Many investment professionals have expressed surprise by the continued growth in retail spending in SA. Our basic economic projections using poor GDP growth, a debt market that is out of control, company retrenchments, and the generally poor global economy indicate that consumer spending should be a lot lower than the published figures indicate.

The key message delivered by Mr Sharp, was that the unemployment rate is in fact significantly lower than the official numbers suggest.

His figures also suggest that the South African economy is in fact substantially bigger than estimated.

Some of the criteria that he used are as follows: ß"XCV"eqnngevkqp - this tax on consumption should closely reflect the amount of actual consumption in the economy.

His contention is that much trade occurs in the “shadows” and that SARS has not been that efficient in collecting VAT. ß" Gngevtkekv{" qwvrwv - because so much electricity is used in the formal economy, it is impossible to measure that used in the informal economy. Also, the supply constraints are not created only by electricity used in the formal economy. ß" Ewttgpe{" fgocpf - this is measured by comparing official GDP figures to cash in circulation. From 1970 to

1994, there was a close correlation. However, from 1995 currency in circulation surged ahead despite subdued economic growth.

This occurred despite the banks’ attempts to discourage cash transactions, i.e. credit/ debit cards were marketed aggressively. While these “noncash” payments grew, the use of cash grew quicker.

Current estimates of the cash usage suggest that the South African economy is in fact 18% larger than official figures suggest. ß"Nwokpqukv{ - US Air force satellites take photographs as they pass overhead every eight hours. The night photos are then used to determine the “light intensity “of the economy. Based on this, South Africa’s light intensity is far greater than the official figures of the size of the economy suggest.

The recently announced revision of the Nigerian economy used some of these methods, while the Brazilian economy is thought to be

12% bigger than their official estimates.

Other figures used the sum of the official statistics issued

by Government, including the quarterly household survey of 30,000 houses, trade union membership, medical scheme membership, tax registration, UIF payments, etc. showing an average discrepancy that could be as high as 28%.

The ±760 companies listed on the JSE account for less than 10% of the 15-million workforce in South Africa.

Using all of these criteria, it is most possible that the real unemployment figures in South Africa are only a staggering 14.5%. This is the absolute opposite to public perceptions.

This story should give all of us some real food for thought!

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So far, the developed world has got away with this sleight of hand so the engine of good times can be supported politically because for now, at least, no one is pointing out that the essentials of life have been spiralling up in cost and that workers need more money to keep up.

7 of better economic conditions, no one is even going to bother addressing the underlying problems of the west.

They run deep.

This may be good news for the world but on an individual level the consequence may prove disastrous. As any pensioner relying on bonds is no doubt already finding, the result of the macro policies of the west leads them to a poorer and more worrisome

‘A 1970s-type basket of goods has rocketed in price, which in general is what the poor spend their money on. As flat-screen TVs and mobiles supress the headline figures, hard assets have been bubbling up in cost.’

As such, a 70s-style meltdown has been avoided - for now. So in effect, the world is flipping from boom in the developing world to bust.

As this is the key economic pivot, the developed world is rising from bust to boom and as the old world rises it will exert a bearish pressure on the developing world.

However, the giant transfer of wealth from America and, to a lesser extent, Europe will continue, closing the gap at a fundamental level one trade imbalance at a time.

This is probably a good thing for the poor of the world, even if it comes at the cost of the living standards of the working class of the west.

As the west enjoys a period

future than they planned for.

A rally in the developed world’s economy in the coming few years will not necessarily pan out for you, the individual. As such, the big picture is key for those wanting to do well from the good news while avoiding the downside of approaching long-term developments.

The juggernaut of economics does not care about the individual and, as such, we all need to keep a wary eye on it.

Cdqwv"vjg"cwvjqt Clem Chambers is CEO of ADVFN (LSE:AFN), Europe and South America’s leading financial website, and author of the Amazon No.1 Bestseller 323"Yc{u"vq"Rkem"Uvqem" Octmgv"Ykppgtu.

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13 August 2014

Promotion

Interval

13 August 2014

CXPRESS

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We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colours, but they simply have to learn to live in the same box.

The phone kids have today when they are six.

Fred’s last words

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The phone my kids had when they were six.

The phone I had when I was six.

L’ Fred had been a faithful Christian and was in the hospital, near death.

The family called their preacher to stand with them.

As the preacher stood next to the bed, ol’ Fred’s condition appeared to deteriorate and he motioned frantically for something to write on.

The pastor lovingly handed him a pen and a piece of paper, and ol’ Fred used his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then suddenly died.

The preacher thought it best not to look at the note at that

T

time, so he placed it in his jacket pocket.

At the funeral, as he was finishing the message, the preacher realised he was wearing the same jacket he had on when ol’ Fred had died.

He said: “You know, ol’ Fred handed me a note just before he died. I haven’t looked at it, but knowing Fred, I’m sure there’s a word of inspiration there for us all.”

He opened the note, and read: “Please step to your left - you’re standing on my oxygen tube.”

My pa se plaas is…

WEE seuntjies stry oor die grootte van hul pa’s se plase.

Die een seuntjie sê: “My pa se plaas is so groot, as ons in die oggend 5uur met die bakkie by

die huis ry, kom ons eers na skemer by die eerste hoekpaal uit.”

Die tweede seuntjie sê: “Ag, moenie sleg voel nie.

Ons het jare terug ook so ‘n vrot bakkie gehad.”

Third time lucky?

M

ERV was in a terrible accident at work. He fell through a floor tile and ripped off both of his ears.

Since he was permanently disfigured, he settled with the company for a rather large sum of money and went on his way.

One day, Merv decided to invest his money in a small, but growing telecom business going by the name of Plexus Communications.

After weeks of negotiations, he bought the company outright. However, after signing on the dotted line, he realised that he knew nothing about running such a business and quickly set out to hire someone who could do that for him.

The next day he had set up three interviews.

The first guy was great. He knew everything he needed to and was very interesting.

At the end of the interview, Merv asked him: “Do you notice anything strange about me?”

And the gentleman answered: “Why yes, I couldn’t help but notice you have no ears.”

Merv got very angry and threw him out.

The second interview was with a woman, and she was even better than the first guy.

At the end of the interview, Merv asked her the same question, and she replied: “Well, you have no ears.”

Merv again was upset and tossed her out.

The third and last interview was the best of all three.

It was with a very young man who was fresh out of college. He was smart. He was handsome. And he seemed to be a better businessman than the first two put together.

Merv was anxious, but went ahead and asked the young man the same question: “Do you notice anything strange about me?”

And to his surprise, the young man answered: “Yes. You wear contact lenses.”

Merv was shocked, and said: “What an incredibly observant young man. How in the world did you know that?”

The young man fell off his chair laughing and replied: “Well, it’s pretty hard to wear glasses with no ears!”

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CXPRESS

13 August 2014 THE WORLD IN ONE SCHOOL HALL: Bright new PR at Plett Primary School Taryn Antunes, left, deserves a multicoloured feather in her marvellous Mexican hat for pulling off an awesome fundraiser last Wednesday night, the Women of the World evening seeing a beautifully-decorated school hall filled to the brim with a crowd of fun-loving ladies rocking up in their droves to celebrate Women’s Month.

Guest speakers Helouise Erasmus and Chantelle Meyburgh were but some of the evening’s entertainment, with body paint artist Maz and Jinja clothes fashion-paraded by beautiful models adding zest to the catwalk. Maz’s living canvas, in the guise of Plett Primary sports coordinator Mark Coetzee, raked in another couple of hundred rand for the fundraising purpose when appreciative attendees threw money at the cause, the freshly painted Mr C strutted up and down the gangplank by supermodel lookalike cum school seccie Tanya Nieuwoudt, below left. Turn to page 6 for a look at all the generous sponsors who made the event such a roaring success.

Social Scene

People, places & events

Social Scene

13 August 2014

CXPRESS

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People, places & events TSITSIKAMMA TOPS: The Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) won two of the region’s most coveted awards at a ceremony held on Friday August 8 at Wilderness Hotel: Camp of the Year and Best Performing Division of the Year. Says GRNP general manager Jill Bunding-Venter - pictured here with Honorary Ranger Wilson Terblanche: ‘Tsitsikamma has shown a significant improvement in tourism income and the conservation team in Bloukrans clinched the Best Division honour for maintaining the Otter Trail, which is a significant attraction to the Park.’ The highly motivated and hard-working team could not stop smiling, and area manager Lesley Ann Meyer said: ‘This is the best pre-birthday gift as we prepare to celebrate the Park’s 50th in September!’ Tsitsikamma’s Honorary rangers were awarded Best Business Partner of the Year for displaying a high level of commitment and passion to conservation. This team also made the Region proud when they were awarded Best Region at the Indaba two months ago.

Contact Nandi Mgwadlamba on 044 302 5633 or 078 702 9663 for more info on SANParks and GRNP.

WOMAN TO WOMAN: The lovely lady on the left is Josie Chides, 87, who recently travelled all the way from the Isle of Wight, UK, for a family reunion in Knysna. Her granddaughter Amy Davidson, 21, who obviously inherited some of Josie’s genes, studies in Grahamstown and is deeply enthralled by the wise words her grandma passes on to her during a Sunday lunch at Knysna Elephant Park. - Gigi Lewis

FUN HAD, FUNDS RAISED: Making waves in Buffel’s Bay last weekend was the sixth annual Ross Taylor Benefit Surf Contest.

Held in the spirit of love and fun through giving, the event pays tribute to loved local surfer Ross Taylor who died of cancer five years ago, and raises much needed funds for Hospice. The Contest Concert, held on the Saturday night, included performances by local school and pro musos as well as a hugely successful auction that raised over R20,000. ‘The most heartwarming part of this event is the incredible donations and support we receive from generous individuals who come forward to give, even if they are not involved in the actual surfing,’ says Nicky Goodall, who has worked on the event for five years.

‘And huge thanks go to the smooth organising and professional team of Nature Sport Company, who were integral in making this year’s event an incredible success.’ Visit www.rosstaylorsurfcontest.co.za or www.facebook.com/rosstaylorsurfcontest or events@naturesportco.com for more information, results and images. - Photos: Elle Photography - www.ellephoto.co.za

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

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CXPRESS

Home & Health

13 August 2014

Definitive answers to some of your biggest health questions This article was shared per email by Joburg-based reader Kevin Rosen and, although there was no reference attached to the source of the information or its author (read: don’t sue CXPRESS if these answers don’t agree with your health...), we thought it made for interesting reading Does olive oil prevent heart disease?

beverages per month.

Do I need sunscreen with more than 30 SPF?"

whole almonds have 20% less calories than previously thought because a lot of the fat is excreted from the body.

Is walking as effective as running?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu The health benefits of olive oil come from the presence of polyphenols - antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. But to get these healthy compounds, consumers should buy goodquality, fresh extra-virgin olive oil, which has the highest polyphenol content.

Most commercially available olive oils have low levels of polyphenols associated with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and heavy processing.

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 block about 97% of ultraviolet rays, while sunscreens with an SPF of higher than 30 block 97-98%.

It’s more important that you choose broad-spectrum sunscreen, meaning it protects against both UVB and UVA rays. And you need to apply a generous amount of sunscreen in order to get the full benefit of the SPF.

Do cough syrups work?"

Is the MSG in Chinese food likely to give you a headache?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" Studies have shown that how long you exercise - and thus how many calories you burn - is more important than how hard you exercise.

Running is a more efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better for you.

A six-year study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a moderate pace and running produced similar health benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was expended.

Is drinking fruit juice as good for you as eating fruit?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq In 2006, the nation’s chest physicians agreed that the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don’t actually work. These colourful syrups typically contain doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small to be effective.

Only cough suppressants that contain older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs. These include brompheniramine - an active ingredient in Dimetapp (www. dimetapp.com).

Do sugary soft drinks lead to diabetes?

" Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq A review of 40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006, found that all previous research “failed to identify a consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG and the constellation of symptoms that comprise the syndrome” - including headaches and asthma attacks.

The misconception spawned from several poorly-done small studies in the 1960s that seemed to connect MSG with a variety of maladies that people experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants.

Do nuts make you fat?

Are all wheat breads better for you than white bread?

Can a hot tub make me sick?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" Hot tubs - especially ones in spas, hotels, and gyms - are perfect breeding grounds for germs. The water is not hot enough to kill bacteria, but is just the right temperature to make microbes grow even faster.

Even though they are treated with chlorine, the heat causes the disinfectant to break down faster than it would in regular pools. The most common hot tub infection is pseudomonas folliculitis, which causes red, itchy bumps.

A more dangerous sideeffect of soaking in a dirty Jacuzzi is a form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire’s disease. This is what reportedly sickened more than 100 people at the Playboy Mansion back in 2011.

" Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq Coffee got a bad rap in the 1980s when a study linked drinking coffee to pancreatic cancer. The preliminary report was later debunked. Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, and even suicide.

More recently, health studies have swung in favour of the caffeinated beverage.

Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?

" Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" The majority of health research is stacked against sugar-sweetened soda.

A large 2004 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day increased their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 83% compared to those who consumed less than one of these

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" As much as 75% of a nut is fat, but eating fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat.

The bigger factor leading to weight gain is portion-size.

Luckily, nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full. They’re also a good source of protein and fibre.

One study even found that

Can you drink too much water?

grain’ or ‘whole wheat’.

Some wheat breads are just white bread with a little bit of caramel colouring to make the bread appear healthier, according to Tgcfgt‚u"Fkiguv.

Does coffee cause cancer?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq Calorie for calorie, whole fruit provides more nutritional benefits than drinking the pure juice of that fruit.

That’s because when you liquefy fruit, stripping away the peel and dumping the pulp, many ingredients like fibre, calcium, vitamin C, and other antioxidants are lost.

For comparison, a fiveounce glass of orange juice that contains 69 calories has 0.3g of dietary fibre and 16 milligrams of calcium, whereas an orange with the same number of calories packs 3.1g of fibre and 60 milligrams of calcium.

foods that contain cholesterol.

“Healthy individuals with normal blood cholesterol levels should now feel free to enjoy foods like eggs in their diet every day,” the lead researcher from a 25-year University of Arizona study on cholesterol concluded.

" Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" It is very rare for someone to die from drinking too much water, but it can happen. Overhydrating is most common among elite athletes. Drinking an excess of water, called water intoxication, dilutes the concentration of sodium in the blood, leading to a condition known as hyponatremia.

The symptoms of hyponatremia can range from nausea and confusion to seizures and even death in severe cases.

To avoid this, drink fluids with electrolytes during extreme exercise events.

Can yogurt ease digestive problems?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Although egg yolks are a major source of cholesterol - a waxy substance that resembles fat - researchers have learned that saturated fat has more of an impact on cholesterol in your blood than eating

Can watching TV ruin your eyesight?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Watching TV will not destroy your rods and cones as the outdated myth suggests.

Before the 1950s, TVs emitted radiation that could increase an individual’s risk of eye problems after excessive TV viewing.

Modern TVs have special shielding that blocks these harmful emissions.

Is red wine better for you than white wine?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu Our digestive tract is filled with microorganisms - some good and some bad. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria, generically called probiotics, that helps maintain a healthy balance.

Probiotics can relieve several gastrointestinal problems, including constipation and diarrhoea. Certain brands of yogurts, like Activia by Danone, are marketed exclusively to treat tummy issues.

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" Red wine contains much more resveratrol than white wine - an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes that has been shown to fight off diseases associated with aging.

Is bottled water better for you than tap water?

Do whitening toothpastes whiten teeth more than regular toothpastes?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Whitening toothpastes usually contain peroxides and other strong abrasives that might make your teeth appear whiter by removing stains.

Unlike at-home whitening strips and gels that contain bleach, these toothpastes do not actually change the colour of your teeth.

Is it safe to microwave food in plastic containers?

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Not all wheat breads are created equal. Wheat breads that contain all parts of the grain kernel, including the nutrient-rich germ and fibre-dense bran, must be labelled ‘whole

Ujqtv"cpuygt<"[gu" But the plastic container should display the words ‘microwave safe’. This means that the Food and Drug Administration has tested the container to make sure no chemicals used will make the plastic leech into foods during microwaving.

If chemicals do seep out into food, the amounts are tiny and not dangerous to our health. As a general guideline, plastic grocery bags and most plastic tubs that hold margarine, yogurt, cream cheese, and condiments are not microwave safe.

"

" Ujqtv"cpuygt<"Pq" Bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water, although it’s substantially more expensive.

A recent study by Glasgow University in the UK found that bottled water is actually more likely to be contaminated than water from your faucet because it is less wellregulated.

Bottled water and tap water typically come from the same sources - natural springs, lakes, and aquifers. And while public water supplies are tested for contaminants daily, producers of bottled water are only required to test for specific contaminants every week, month, or year.

Food & Wine

13 August 2014

CXPRESS

A fisherman’s notes on cooking... mainly fish

Fennel and fish go together like strawberries and cream ALASTAIR GRANT’S continuing personal culinary journey takes him to The Market Square and Plett Industrial Area

T

HERE were packages of lightly smoked trout ribbons on display down at The Market Square in a shop we visit regularly. They were above the delicatessen items.

I was looking for something as a starter course for my guests. They also sell wine,

which is very convenient. It’s a fine shop.

The smallest packages of trout ribbons were 50g and the shelf price was R19.99.

I needed at least 100g so I looked at the 100g packages - they were R44, so instead of just taking two 50g packets I

called the staff, hoping to get the 100g packet for less than R40. Right?

The staff member said the prices are right. “You see, we encourage bulk buying.”

Ahem. “Excuse me, but the 200g packet costs over ninety rand.”

“Yes, it’s cheaper to buy bulk,” he said while walking away... Oh dear!

F

MONGER SUPREME: Dennis serving beautifully filleted fish with a brilliant smile LIQUORICE LEGUME: A fist-sized fennel bulb - sliced thinly and spread over the bottom of a pan in which a good knob of butter is just melting - makes the perfect bed for fish fillets

Then when I start looking for fennel there isn’t any on the shelves at all.

Oh never mind.

I didn’t let things rest in my quest for whole fennel and fair pricing, so I contacted the worthy shop on line, and lo - they now, like all their other branches, stock fennel bulbs in Plett, too.

But the price of trout ribbons has gone up. Those 50g packages are now R23.99 and the 100g ones are marked R59.99 - not R47.98, which is the price of two 50g packets. Where did I go wrong?

Of course I didn’t buy any but with some lovely fen-

Gurnard & Fennel

OR two people, you need two or three fillets of gurnard or individual portions of cob, fresh salmon or trout - as you wish.

You decide the quantities, too, and double it for four people, of course.

You also need a fist-sized fennel bulb, a generous knob of butter and four cherry tomatoes sliced in half. A little splash of white wine goes in at the end.

Slice up the fennel bulb thinly and spread it over the bottom of a pan in which a good knob of butter is just melting, not browning.

Cook the fennel for a few minutes to start softening it. Stir it around a few times and place the fish portions in a single layer over the top with a tiny knob of butter on each piece of fish.

Toss in the little tomatoes and add a splash of white wine - no more than a tablespoon - and replace the lid. It will be done in about four minutes, if you have

chosen gurnard.

When cooked, take it off quickly and remove the lid.

It should not go on cooking. Thicker pieces of fish take a few minutes longer, but watch them carefully and test them with a fork. If they shrink, you have overcooked them.

Pour the buttery juices from the pan over the fish as you serve it. The cherry tomatoes are not just to add colour - if they are good and sharp you won’t need to serve lemon slices but hell, why not?

If your fish is a main course, serve it with boiled potatoes and parsley butter.

Little green peas or asparagus are a good choice for greens, and a light white wine is almost essential.

For dessert stewed Cape gooseberries with full cream yogurt are just the right choice. You need something a little sharp after fish - a lemon sorbet perhaps?

Plett Ski-boat Club presents...

L

Jean’s fish cakes

ONG-TIME member of Plett Ski-boat Club Jean van der Gaast shared this old favourite and super-easy fish cake recipe. [qw"yknn"pggf000 1 tin pilchards 1 medium onion, chopped 3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed 1 egg 1 tsp thyme Salt and pepper

Ogvjqf • Mix mashed potatoes with salt and pepper and add drained, flaked pilchards, egg, onion and thyme.

• Mix well, then place tablespoons of mixture into a bowl of flour and roll quickly.

• Fry in hot oil for about 7 minutes, drain and serve with salad and/or chips.

Ugg"vjg"cf"qp"vjku"rcig"hqt" Umk/dqcv"Enwd"urgekcnu0

COMPLEMENTARY F-WORDS: Gurnard cooked and served with fennel bulb and parsley potatoes - but fish like cob, salmon or trout will also do the trick

nel bulbs safely in the bag, I went to our largest local fishsupplier in search of gurnard.

It’s that place down in the industrial area.

There was Dennis serving beautifully filleted fresh fish.

He does this every day and you always get that smile. It’s endemic in there.

I had a very simple French recipe in mind. I had the fennel bulbs and it was all coming together for me so I can

13 share it with readers.

In short, you gently soften sliced fennel bulbs in butter in a pan and put the gurnard fillets on top of it.

Cover them with a lid of some sort, add a small splash of wine, and it’s done in four minutes - that’s it. The sauce which develops in the pan is wonderful.

To be sure that it turns out perfectly, check my recipe below in more detail.

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CXPRESS

13 August 2014

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

13 August 2014

Letters to the Editor

CXPRESS

Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600

State of the nation as experienced in Southern Cape • PG Bison - a private own- an immediate moratorium forestry settlements er of forests where people on evictions and destruction In the Southern Cape there are 16 forestry settlements, formed in the 1960s when workers were forced to live in the forests to guard against fires.

In the beginning, these were all-male compounds but over the years, families have moved in and the settlements are now established with unique cultures, good housing and opportunities for livelihoods.

In the early 1990s, the forestry sector restructured and the tenure and livelihood of the people living in the settlements became insecure.

There were threats of relocation into urban townships; there were job losses and pensioners began to be evicted.

The 16 settlements therefore organised themselves into a united forum, the Forestry Indaba. Vocal in pushing for tenure and livelihood opportunities, the Indaba had some major gains.

But in 2013/14, there has been a renewed onslaught upon people living in the settlements: • SANParks, responsible

for four of the settlements, has made it clear that they wish to move all people out.

Letters were issued to pensioners and tenants giving families one month’s notice to vacate the houses.

Many of these families have lived in the houses for years, have nowhere else to go and are protected by the long-term occupier rights afforded under the ESTA legislation.

SANParks has continued their intimidation tactics by telling residents to get rid of livestock (again, which has been kept for years) and destroying livestock camps.

live - has refused to maintain services, has intimidated residents of villages like Brackenhill, and has been offering people R70,000 to sell their tenure rights.

• Cape Pine has secured the lease to manage the forests, but this lease is now expiring. Cape Pine cut services in some forestry settlements and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (DAFF), owner of the land, has not stepped up to provide services.

Therefore the forestry settlements have decided to reorganise themselves through mass action on August 2.

The action targeted relevant municipalities, calling for them to integrate the forestry settlements within their municipal areas.

• SANParks was asked for FEARFUL OF LEAVING FOREST HOME: Sara Hartzemberg and her husband Hendrik - who receives a disability pension from DWAF - are apprehensive about trying to make a life outside of their Farleigh Forestry Village home

of livelihoods, to seek to fulfil the concept of people in parks, and to explore ways in which the occupiers of settlements could benefit from tourism and small-scale agricultural opportunities • DAFF was called upon to take responsibility to follow through the transfer of the settlements to the municipalities and, most importantly, to coordinate an integrated stakeholder response to the future of the forestry settlements in consultation with people.

• PG Bison was urged to recognise the people’s structures, to deliver services to people living on their land, and to make sure that if people agreed to leave they would have title of homes and not just be dumped with some cash.

• The Department of Rural Development & Land Reform was asked to continue to protect the tenure rights of people and to seek opportunities for land redistribution and rural development.

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Authorities set on compliance when dealing with evictions SANParks would like to assure citizens that none of its employees who were provided with houses as part of their employment contracts are facing evictions.

The six households who received notices to vacate the premises being occupied by

them, are not SANParks employees, but private tenants.

Private tenants refer to private individuals who entered into lease agreements with SANParks and whose lease agreements were not connected to their employment with SANParks.

All issues relating to the eviction of tenants, who are in unlawful occupation of SANParks property, have been referred to our attorneys and these matters will be dealt with in terms of the prescribed legal process.

SANParks has every inten-

tion of complying with the prescribed procedures as set out in the various Acts relating to the eviction of tenants.

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CXPRESS

Sport & Adventure

13 August 2014

Did you know Africa’s youngest tandem paragliding pilot hails from our ‘hood?

André Schutte crossed comms with CXPRESS a couple of months back to inform us of an exceptional young man he had encountered through his affiliation with Knysna Christian School and Garden Route Home Education Academy, his email sparked off by the fact that ROLAND DE VRIES, the youngster in question, had helped realise the flying dream of a paraplegic gentleman recently - so we asked Roland to tell us his story

I

started my flying career at the age of 14 by jumping off dunes in the Garden Route with my paraglider.

With no fear and the will to fly, I couldn’t wish for a better adventure challenge.

I soon built up enough airtime to go from one level to the next, perfecting my paragliding skills - and enjoying every second of it.

At the age of 17, I had the opportunity to travel to Turkey to fly in various competitions, allowing me to gain maximum experience.

Then, when turning 18 last year, I became the youngest tandem pilot in Africa.

I am now a qualified TFI (Tandem Flight Instructor) working in Cape Town, where we do commercial tandem flights from Signal Hill and Lions Head. The tandem is an instructional flight, where we strap the client into a comfortable harness attached in front of the pilot.

During the launch, we take a few steps and the glider behind us catches the wind and lifts us effortlessly into the air. Within seconds we are hundreds of metres above the ground.

We do in-flight pictures and videos with specialised photographic equipment attached to an extension arm that is controlled by the pilot.

All footage recorded is edited to be available after the flight, in case clients wish to re-live their experience.

Each client sees a threedimensional, panoramic view of Cape Town, the surrounding mountains and ocean while at the same time experiencing the powerful G-forces of a spiral (strong turn) before being guided by the pilot and landing next to the beach.

A highlight of my flying career was when I had the privilege to take Daniel Nel on a

HIGH ON FLIGHT, BIG ON COURAGE: Roland de Vries, in yellow T-shirt above and below, and sans headgear top right, says it was a career highlight to take Daniel Nel, who is paralysed from the waist down, on a tandem flight - standing in the pic below from left are Eugene Claase, Roland Jnr with dad Roland de Vries Senior, Andrew Taylor and ‘Calum’, with Daniel in front

tandem flight at Theewaterskloof Dam near Caledon in March.

Daniel is paralysed from the waist down, but showed immense courage from takeoff through to landing. The trust he placed in me boosted my confidence immensely.

Now, aged 19, I’m flying commercially and studying part-time, a student of Garden Route Home Education Academy (GRHEA) that

forms part of Knysna Christian School. I have finished my seven majors for matric, one of these being Tourism.

I have decided, however, to continue my studies with a further two subjects to finally end my matric with nine majors. This opportunity granted by the school will help me to further my studies in Herpetology, which focuses on reptiles and amphibians and is a Biological Science

degree in which I am particularly interested.

This academic direction is my long-term plan for the future, and hopefully I can incorporate my passion for paragliding.

Finally, to those who plan to follow a career similar to mine, I would like to say that it is adventurous and exciting, but high risk. Make sure you have a backup plan in case of serious injury.

But at the end of the day, if you don’t take a chance you will never know.

These final lines of Rudyard Kipling’s poem Kh hold special significance to me: “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son.’

See you on the mountain!

Find out more by contacting Roland at riekert@ paraglidingsa.co or email andre.j.schutte@gmail.com for additional information on Knysna Christian School and GRHEA.