13 September 2017

Photo: Mike Bridgeford

13 September 2017

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

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Two Secretary birds, that nearly succumbed to starvation after the June fires robbed them of the food found in their natural local habitat, were nursed back to their natural zest by the team at Radical Raptors, and on Monday were released back into the wild - turn to page 2

Access road woes

The unseen team

Time to bare it all!

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

13 September 2017

Rare fire survivors released into skies over Plett The team of Radical Raptors rehab centre for birds of prey had an exciting Monday... TANIA ROBSON tells all FTER the June fires, we were inundated with injured and exhausted raptors at our rehabilitation centre behind the restaurant and shops at The Heath. These feathered victims included two Secretary birds - a first for us in eight years of operating the centre!

The birds were picked up at two different locations and both of them were starving. We found the young female close to Knysna Lagoon while the other, an adult male, was picked up at Kranshoek, just off Plett’s Airport Road.

We have nursed them back to

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health for almost three months now and before we knew it, the time to release them had arrived.

Most of the winter cold is now a thing of the past, and we knew spring would be the perfect month to do a double release at Plett Game Reserve.

This rare and wonderful treat took place on Monday morning September 11 at 10am - what a big, beautiful fuss, with photographers aplenty to capture the joyous occasion!

• Contact Tania on 082 819 0073 or Radical Raptors founder Dennis Robson on 044 532 7537 to report injured birds of prey.

RAVISHING RAPTOR: One of the Secretary birds released on Monday

TreeApp launched locally by innovative Val Thomas VER the past six years, innovator and project leader Val Thomas with a team of highly skilled and diverse professionals have been creating TheTreeApp, South Africa - hailed as “the Google of tree search engines” by some reviewers.

TheTreeApp SA can be used on any smart phone or tablet under three years old and enables users to search for specific trees or to get an idea of which trees are growing in the region they happen to be in.

Ever wondered which of the trees in your midst are endangered, or how many trees are poisonous or have yellow or pink flowers? Now you can find out with a series of simple screen touches.

Exciting news for Garden Routers is that Thomas is launching the app in Bitou next week during a fundraiser for Plettenberg Bay Environmental Forum.

During a basic 45-minute presentation on indigenous trees of the area, Val will use

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TheTreeApp to show how it works. She will demonstrate the fun that can be had by all family members, as well as its uses for any professionals involved in trees, from landscapers, garden-

TREE CRAZY: Val Thomas - who created TheTreeApp along with senior botanical advisor Dr Robbie Robinson, IT development and systems analyst Herman van den Berg, and a team of artists and arbour fundis - will launch this ‘Google of tree search engines’ at Plett Angling Club next Thursday

ers, botany students, nursery people, to town planners.

She will also take a quick look at the local invasive aliens in the same way.

Thomas sincerely encourages anyone planning to buy the app to do so before the talk, as they will then be able to follow what she is demonstrating step by step and in one evening become totally proficient in the ins-andouts on their own device.

Unlike many apps used for identification in wildlife, TheTreeApp is far more than an e-book.

What differentiates it is the incredibly powerful search engine that allows the user to easily and accurately filter trees into very short identification lists, or even identify an individual tree - with names in any of the 11 local languages that have the tree in their home language area.

This search function not only comprises hundreds of categories, but also has a powerful GPS location capability that can narrow down the search

from 1,100 trees to those that are within a 12.5km radius of the chosen spot. These range from 480 to less than 25 trees.

The GPS, combined with beautiful illustrations, artwork, pictures and extensive tree information, makes this the most enjoyable and powerful tree identification resource on the market.

The app has been available for download from September 1 to coincide with Arbor Week SA (September 1-7) from both the Apple iStore and the Google Play Store. So a mere R499.95 puts a comprehensive list of most woody species that grow to three metres and above, in any natural area throughout South Africa, in your pocket.

Find out more at Plett Angling Club on Thursday September 21 at 5:30 for 6pm - and bring bucks along for a cash bar and voluntary donations to The Plettenberg Bay Environmental Forum.

• Visit www.thetreeapp.co.za for further information.

NEWS & VIEWS

13 September 2017

CXPRESS

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FROM HOODED TO HIGH FLYERS: From left, Dr Mark Brown of Nature’s Valley Trust is flanked by Radical Raptors founder Dennis Robson, left, and his brother, Mark Robson, holding the birds calm with hoodies over their heads; the headgear is taken off, top centre, but whereas the female bird gets on her feet at once, the boy at right plays dead at first - a typical Secretary bird trait; boy bird then pulls himself together, top right, before taking off in all his splendour to follow his mate, bottom right - Photos: Tania Robson and Mike Bridgeford

Matter of Shoprite versus Plett Primary tantamount to ‘corporate bullying’ CXPRESS is in possession of an extensive file that documents the chronological development of a mounting battle between the developers of the new Shoprite centre, Bitou Municipality, and Plett Primary School - this is a brief history of the current crisis ACK in 2013/4, when rezoning applications were done by developers of the Shoprite complex now rapidly being constructed in Beacon Way, no one at Plett Primary School (PPS) had reason for concern.

It was a single piece of property; the developers were in the process of buying a second, and apart from applications for rezoning, subdivision and consolidation, it was a low-profile affair with residents hardly aware of the development.

Local municipalities are obliged to advertise such applications, but it was a previous regime and too long ago for anyone today to but assume that this was indeed the case.

Interestingly, one rather significant local resident and business owner did bring a case against the developers.

This case was based on the application of the Administrative Law regarding certain aspects and procedure applied when the property was rezoned.

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He lost the case in the High Court but has appealed this decision and was recently advised that his appeal had been granted and should be heard in the next four to six months.

Notwithstanding this case, the Shoprite developers have opted to continue with the building, be it at their own risk.

Attorney and School Governing Body (SGB) member Harry de Villiers explains: “Previous headmaster Hendrik Bester says he was never formally informed about the development or consulted with regard to sharing an access road with the centre, so it was quite a surprise when the new SGB and principal were some months ago suddenly informed that ‘we are starting to build’.

“The school belongs to the department of Public Works, but as interested and affected party, we should have been informed long before we were privy to the first plans during June this year, when foundations were

already laid.”

Interestingly, final building plans were only approved on May 23, when the building was already in a progressed stage.

The gist of the problem is that the shared access road - already the scene of Plett’s biggest traffic challenge outside of season, when parents drop and collect students in an array of cars, bakkies, mini-busses and sometimes big school busses when sports events dictate - is now also expected to carry the huge delivery trucks and other service traffic, posing a very real safety risk to especially children on foot and bicycles.

All but ameliorating this fast-deteriorating situation is the fact that Bitou’s Public Works department has so far refused to furnish PPS with information regarding historic documentation in this regard, rather opting for litigation.

This stance did not work in favour of the relevant To page 4

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NEWS & VIEWS

13 September 2017

Update on the state of Bitou’s aid to fire victims Although Bitou Municipality has not officially responded to requests for information regarding the distribution of donated aid following the June wildfires, disaster relief experts who have volunteered their services since the establishment of the Joint Operations Control Centre (JOCC) at Plett’s Market Square have provided some useful information - CANDICE LUDICK reports CCORDING to Marius Venter and Sally Turner, both of whom have extensive experience in dis-

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aster relief, an audit trail of all fire victims who received aid from the JOCC has been kept by means of the fol-

lowing seven-step process: 1. Identify the fire victim; 2. Do a site visit; 3. Get full details of the victim and his/

her family; 4. Identify immediate need, short term, medium term, and long term needs (including any animal needs, e.g. dog or cat food); 5. Identify if the structure is legal or not; 6. Fill out requisition form with detail of goods to be sent; 6. Supply to the immediate need (normally food, clothing, bedding and mattress, and water for seven days); 7. On delivery, ‘Send Location’ of delivery address.

Neither Venter nor Turner wish to establish an NGO or earn an income from their efforts to assist the greater Plett community; as such, no formal auxiliary body has been formed and these individuals continue to assist the municipality on a voluntary basis in their personal capacities.

Rhian Berning, a local environmental activist who lost her home during the February wildfire in Plett, is part of a group of women who created their own support network because they all lost their homes - and some, their family businesses.

Says Berning: “These women are still asking questions about the medium to long term support needed to rebuild their lives and their family businesses after the fire.

“They say while family and friends have been incredibly supportive in the months since the fire, they

have received little to no support from the municipality since having their immediate needs met at the temporary relief centre days after the fire.

“Those that have lost their businesses have had no income in all these months since the fire, while others cite examples of staff who are now homeless and have received no support.

“And then there is the question of what happened to all the donated goods that were moved from the relief centre at The Market Square when it was shut down.

“The enormous task of rebuilding not only their homes but those of their staff and of course their businesses, which provide much-needed employment for the town, still requires ongoing disaster relief management and assistance from the municipality, NGOs, and the broader community,” says Berning.

Turner and Venter said that all donations received in the form of clothing, blankets, and dried goods had been distributed to fire victims. Some perishable goods were donated to charitable organisations before expiry.

Venter also pointed out that restoring people’s homes was the number-one priority, and that businesses were outside the bounds of municipal responsibility.

Neville Petersen of the Plettenberg Bay Ratepayers Association has been appointed to manage the municipal disaster relief fund.

According to Petersen, there are a number of people who have pledged money to disaster relief, but have not yet transferred the pledged funds into the bank account. “At present, there is approximately R300,000 in the fund with donations, hopefully, continuing to be paid in,” said Petersen.

He explained that he, the municipality, and the other disaster relief volunteers were in the process of identifying homeowners who have lost their homes and are in need of assistance in order to rebuild.

Bitou Municipality have included a Bitou Rebuild page on its website. According to this page, “the completion of the detailed final assessment of all the affected areas and properties will enable Bitou Municipality to quantify the total financial impact of the damages”.

It continues that the process will be thorough, according to prescribed legal procedures, and confidential, and that the website will be updated with FAQs on a regular basis.

Contact Chris Schliemann at cschliemann@plett.gov. za or on 044 501 3000 for more information.

Shoprite versus Plett Primary...

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22nd – 24th September 2017 Kurland boasts the first Eric Winter signature eventing venue in Africa.

Eric Winter is an acclaimed FEI, UK-based course designer, who recently designed Badminton.

Come and enjoy three days of extreme horsemanship, as well as markets, good food, good wine and a trail run.

The Kurland Eventing Trail Run takes place on Sunday morning, the 24th of September. www.entrytickets.net – Kurland Eventing Trail Run. Kurland Eventing invites you to experience the hospitality of the Kurland Hotel and Spa, and view all the fixures from the pavilion viewing deck. Enjoy the spoils of VIP lounges and delicious catering.

From page 3 department - or Bitou ratepayers, for that matter when on September 1, the George High Court’s Justice Steyn ruled in favour of the school, with costs, in terms of the SGB’s request to compel Bitou to provide them with a record of proceedings, while rejecting the developers’ offer deemed unacceptable by the school.

“The court ordered them to hand this record to us by close of business on Monday, but by Tuesday morning, nothing had been received,” says De Villiers.

“Shoprite’s best proposal was that they would widen the road, with a 2m pedestrian sidewalk, but that would have to happen on our school grounds, with no compensation for ground used.

“Another reason for our rejection is that they in-

sisted approvals had to be effected in time, or else they would revert to what was decided when the zoning was done - that is to say that there would be only two lanes for all traffic,” he explains with regard to the ‘rejected’ offer.

To add to their no-budge modus operandi, representatives of the development last Monday arrived at the school to inform acting headmaster Ivor White that the shared access road would be closed as of September 18, and that all school traffic would have to be diverted to a temporary access road across from the Engen garage’s northern entrance.

“This is not acceptable, given that neither the school nor SGB was consulted - we were merely told that it was going to happen.

This is tantamount to corporate bullying.”

This matter and related issues were being hotly discussed by going to press, but the crux is thus: PPS is not opposed to its neighbouring development, but only concerned for the safety of its children, brought on by the vastly hiked traffic congestion.

Concludes De Villiers: “First prize for us would be no service trucks on the road, and that it is not used as offloading route to the proposed butchery’s service door. We are definitely not in favour of our kids being exposed to carcasses being offloaded right next to the school premises.

“If we don’t act now and something terrible happens in a year’s time, parents will be justified when questioning why we did nothing to prevent tragedy when the development was still under construction.”

Enquiries for sponsorship or stall holders participation, please contact Monique Dokter on monique@projectbox.co.za or 082 330 2088

GET A LOAD OF THAT: Trucks like this one are soon to share Plett Primary’s only access road, if developers get their way

NEWS & VIEWS

13 September 2017

The team that’s never seen...

These are the aerial experts controlling our flights Correspondent BOB HOPKIN takes a look behind the scenes at a vital component of our travelling safety - Air Traffic Control

GROUND CONTROL: Qualified AT controller Rudie Barnard monitors and directs aircraft on the ‘Tower’ frequency

CONCENTRATION: Advanced ATC trainee Anja Labuschagne guides an incoming flight via Multi Radar Tracking at ‘Approach’ frequency, under the supervision of a nearby instructor

ROTATE: A Mango flight departs, with the ‘white mushroom’ George Radar tower in the background - Photos: Bob Hopkin

HE visible face of airline safety - the captain with his four gold-striped epaulettes, the first officer and the professional cabin crew - is a familiar and a respected necessity of every commercial flight.

What they do to ensure a safe and comfortable flight is accepted by all regular fliers: timely departure, bump-free climb to cruising altitude, avoiding bad weather turbulence, on time or early arrival and smooth landing are the marks of an enjoyable and safe flight.

A sobering thought, however, according to popular app and website Flightradar24.com, is that some 3,300 aircraft are in flight worldwide at any one time,

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carrying about 660,000 passengers high above Earth.

The task of keeping all these aircraft en route but separated from each other is the domain of air traffic control (ATC).

In a local context, a recent visit to the ATC tower at George airport (‘GRJ’ in aviation parlance) revealed several interesting details of how the system works in SA. Although Airports Company SA (ACSA) manages most of our major commercial airports, the air traffic control function is sub contracted to Air Traffic and Navigational Services SOC Ltd (ATNS) who train, equip, and staff all the control towers at each of ACSA’s airports.

PAWS AGM - September 20 VER the past year, we’ve had to deal with a number of issues that arose due to lack of knowledge, misconceptions or hearsay. Although we communicate quite extensively through local print media, social media platforms and

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email, we still find instances where a lack of understanding leads to publicly expressed opinions that may adversely affect our credibility and our work.

Our AGM presents an excellent opportunity to report fully on every aspect of

In a smaller airport like George there are usually just two AT controllers on duty and in touch with incoming, overflying, and departing aircraft.

According to ATNS Officer in Charge of Air Traffic Services at George Airport Lucinda Stander, the best way to understand the complexities of ATC is to imagine the scenario of an upside-down layer cake, where greatest breadth of control would be the international air lanes.

Then, at national level, the country is divided in regions controlled by either Johannesburg or Cape Town airports. The final local level layer is where an individual airport’s ATC function controls its immediate area.

In the case of George, Lucinda has at least two, and sometimes three, staff monitoring and communicating with aircraft - firstly at the ‘Approach’ level, when aircraft are still some hundreds of kilometres distant but coming into George airspace, and then at ‘Tower’ level, when another controller takes over just prior to landing and until just after take-off.

The latter also controls the aircraft’s movements on the ground to avoid collisions.

The now familiar ‘white mushroom’ George Radar dome and tower adjacent to the N2 near the airport is the primary source of location information for the Approach controller, as it gives the precise locality of every aircraft within several hundred kilometres.

The hard and fast rule is that aircraft must be separated by a minimum of 5 miles (8.1km) in distance and 1,000 feet (305m) in altitude.

The output of this and every other radar dome is integrated nationwide in the Multi Radar Tracking system and this, combined with the on-board aircraft TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System), makes an airborne collision practically impossible.

These fact, and the obvious competence and training of staff at George ATC, gave this reluctant flier the reassurance that flying really is the safest way to travel. our work and finances. We owe our community a great debt of gratitude for ongoing trust and support and it is important for us to share our successes and challenges over the past year.

Please join us at the Methodist Church Hall next Wednesday at 10:30am.

- Marsja Hall-Green

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NEWS & VIEWS

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Hats off to Eisteddfod organisers ESSA Scott and Marie Skeen - both significant players in the cultivation of music prowess in local kids over the past many years through their tuition of piano, vocal, and other musical disciplines - put their heads together months ago to initiate and motivate an Eisteddfod for Plett.

The word eisteddfod originates from Welsh and literally means ‘session’. In South Africa, the Pretoria Eisteddfod was first held in 1923.

Many readers would have grown up with either themselves or their children participating in such festivals of culture but Plett residents never had the privilege of the event being held on their doorstep.

So in this first-ever for the town, Marie and Tessa set down the categories into Music (classical, light, and vocals), Speech and Drama, Visual Art, and Dance.

Hosted by Greenwood

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Bay College in the Piesang Valley, participating schools and academies included GBC as well as Plett Primary, Wittedrift High, Oakhill in Knysna, Baia Formosa, Raphaeli Waldorf School, Creative Music, Oaknote Music, Martinet Nel, Gill Teggan, Tracy Roman Ballet, Loune Poulson School of Dance, and Plettenberg Bay Dance Academy.

And after group adjudication of the various categories, e.g. dance taking place on the Plett Primary stage, a Gala Evening was held at Barnyard Theatre in The Crags to provide a central venue for the inaugural Plett Eisteddfod’s gold and platinum-winning entries.

MC David Hall-Green, who also acted as adjudicator for the Speech and Drama category, entertained a packed crowd of 220 in-between the youngsters owning the stage with their wide variety of talents, and with

beautifully colourful winning artworks on display at the theatre’s entrance.

Medals were given to selected Platinum achievers and Gala Evening participants, with trophies for Versatility awarded to those who achieved an A+ or above for participation in more than three areas.

Ava van Reenen (GBC), Jenna Packwood (A+ in four categories), Kaitlyn Noble (PPS), Jana van Wegenegen (Oakhill multi-instrumental), and Kate Selfe of GBC formed part of this elite group.

The organisers thank Barnyard owner Mel Botes - who also helped adjudicating the Light Music category - for facilitating this glorious cultural feast on the evening of September 2. And everyone who was somehow touched

by Plett Eisteddfod 2017 thanks Tessa and Marie for their efforts. See more images on page 9.

CONGRATS... to each GBC student who helped achieving 17 platinum, 16 gold, 13 silver, and six bronze certificates, and many medals for excellent art

BUSINESS

13 September 2017

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CXPRESS

Want to switch your home loan?

F you ever find yourself pondering the prospect of switching your home loan to another bank, it’s essential that you do your homework. Head of Sales at FNB Home Loans Stanley Mabulu says lenders have made it easier for consumers to switch home loans, provided they meet all criteria.

“There are many reasons why consumers consider switching, such as better service and value, favourable interest rates, consolidating finances when getting married, and longterm saving,” says Mabulu.

However, before embarking on this journey, there are factors that consumers should consider to ensure they get the best possible value from their bank:

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• New home loan - when switching, you are technically applying for a new home loan.

As a result, a full loan application has to be completed, followed by a standard affordability and credit assessment in line with National Credit Act (NCA) requirements.

“If your finances are not in order, there is a high likelihood that your application may not be successful,” he says.

• Costs - fees normally incurred for a new home loan, such as initiation and bond registration, are also applicable when switching.

“Because you’re taking up a new home loan, the bond you had registered when first buying your house should be cancelled

at the Deeds Office, and there will be additional fees,” says Mabulu.

Furthermore, you are also likely to be charged an early termination fee by your current provider, should you fail to inform them 90 days in advance that you are cancelling your bond with them.

In order to take the angst out of switching, lenders often give customers discounts or take on some of these fees to make the process easier.

• Switching to your primary bank - it is advisable to bank with the provider that has bonded your home, as this could give you more value and provides flexibility in managing your finances.

“Consumers who have

more than one home loan with different lenders also find it valuable to switch, as having their property portfolio with one bank makes it easier and cost effective while providing more value in the long term,” explains Mabulu.

• Shopping around for the best deal - it is standard practice for lenders to entice customers with irresistible offers to switch.

But, when planning to switch, make sure you have consulted all major lenders and weighed the value and benefits offered before making your decision.

“Switching your home loan can benefit you in the long term if carefully considered and carried out in line with your personal financial plan.”

Tribunal finds Shoprite guilty of reckless lending with consumers without conducting a reasonable and objective assessment of the consumers’ ability to afford the loans,” says NCR CEO Nomsa Motshegare.

“Some of the retailer’s conduct found to be in contravention of the National Credit Act (NCA) was that Shoprite, when

assessing whether a consumer could afford a loan or not, took into account unverified income of another person, such as a spouse or a life partner.”

Over and above the finding that Shoprite has committed a prohibited conduct under the NCA, the Tribunal has imposed a fine of R1-million and has

also ordered Shoprite to appoint a debt counsellor at its own costs, in order to assess if the consumers mentioned in the referral were over-indebted.

“The NCR believes that this judgment by the Tribunal reaffirms the undesirability of reckless lending in our society,” concludes Motshegare.

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HE National Consumer Tribunal (‘Tribunal’) recently handed down judgment after finding Shoprite guilty of reckless lending.

“This judgment comes after an investigation by the National Credit Regulator (NCR) revealed that Shoprite entered into credit agreements

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INTERVAL

13 September 2017

Under quarantine...

A few handy tips guy goes to the doc- put you on a diet of dry A and after a thor- wafer biscuits.” from an old farmer oughtorexamination the doc “Will that make me betsays: “I’m going to put you in an isolation room.”

“Will that make me better?” the guy asks.

“No. I am also going to

• Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong.

• Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

• Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

• A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

• Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled.

• Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight.

• Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.

• Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

• You cannot unsay a cruel word.

• When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

• The best sermons are lived, not preached.

• Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.

• Don’t judge folks by their relatives.

• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

• Live an honorable life.

Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.

• Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none.

• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.

• Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

• The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.

• Always drink upstream from the herd.

• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

• Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.

• If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.

• Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.

Home insecurity S I stepped out of the shower, I heard someone in my kitchen downstairs.

Knowing that my wife was out, I grabbed my 1903 heirloom rifle which no longer works - and crept downstairs, forgetting the fact that I was in my birthday suit.

I came around the cor-

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ner with the gun raised, only to find my wife loading the dishwasher.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I thought I heard an intruder. I came down to scare him.”

Scanning the contours of my doughy ol’ naked body, she mumbled: “You didn’t need the gun.”

Interviewer: “What do you have planned for the future?”

Me: “Lunch.”

Interviewer: “No, I mean long term.”

Me: “Oh... Dinner.”

ter?” the guy asks.

“No,” the doctor replies: “but it’s the only food that will fit under the door.”

When girls are hugging

When guys are hugging

SOCIAL SCENE

13 September 2017

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People, places & events

GREENING PLETT: Isn’t it wonderful when people come together for a common cause? Nature enthusiasts who want to make Plett even more beautiful attended an Arbor Day celebration on September 9, with a perfect show to entertain everyone. ‘The Tree Show’ is hilarious while conveying the message about the importance of trees and nature through song, dance and dialogue in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

Lunchbox Theatre loves working with good people like Julie Carlisle from Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, Nature’s Valley Trust, Plett Environment Forum, Plett Botanical Society and Bitou Municipality, who donated and helped to plant 10 yellowwood trees. Big thanks go to the families who assisted and volunteered to help the trees reach a ripe old age. Pictured at right are Lunchbox actors Gaillene Isaks, Nomzamo Maga, Amanda Valela, Mncedisi Ncedani and Nkosinathi Xipula, with Hector Lugulwana, Leslie Andrew and Sandile Kula from Bitou Municipality, as well as indigenous tree champion Jean Sparg, second from right, and two enthusiastic child helpers.

HI-TECH LABS FOR PACALTSDORP HIGH: The demand for science and IT graduates in industry has created a need for sophisticated high-school education to feed the right candidates into universities. However, the cost of installing suitable training laboratories is usually prohibitively high. A novel solution was demonstrated recently at Pacaltsdorp High School, where two mobile laboratories funded by PPC Cement were handed over for the future use of their pupils.

As PPC Group Corporate Social Investment manager Kabira Akoob explained, their campaign funding combined with the innovative ideas of retired science teacher turned electronics expert, Albert van Jaarsveld, would provide science and IT labs for 17 schools countrywide at a fraction of the cost of a conventional solution. The IT edition contains two laptops for teachers, 24 Bluetooth-connected tablets, printers, a video projector, e-beam (smartboard) and a host of training programmes. “We are grateful to ex pupil Jonay Anthony (née Daniels), now employed at PPC, for remembering her Alma Mater where she matriculated 16 years ago, and for suggesting to her employer that we would be a good candidate,” said principal Lloyd Petersen, pictured with PPC’s Kabira Akoob, left. The primary cart is at centre, with lab materials in the racks. - Bob Hopkin

CULTURE VULTURES: Pictured above are the Riley House Singers from Greenwood Bay College, who received a platinum award for their choir performances - from left are Leah Wells, Kate Selfe, Kasia Braum, Megan van Zyl, Willow Mullins, Chenoa Gips, and James Taylor. They were but one of the entertaining acts that performed during the recent Eisteddfod Gala Evening at Plett’s Barnyard Theatre, the other images here illustrating the wide variety of performing arts on offer. Read more about this first for Plett on page 6.

WARD 5 EXECUTIVE THROWS A PARTY: DA activists in Bitou’s Ward 5 are thanked for attending a get-together held in KwaNokuthula Phase 4 recently, organised by ward councillor Nomphumelelo Ndayi, assisted by her executive chairperson. The purpose of the event was to prepare activists for the 2019 national and provincial elections, mobilising more people to join the party, and empowering them while conveying the principles and polices of the party. Pictured at left are chairperson SW Futshane, councillor Ndayi, deputy chair C Nyabaza, secretary T Gqolana, treasurer M Hodi, and additional members N Mhlana and M Mtwa.

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13 September 2017

005-417 NPO

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

CLASSIFIEDS

ON THE SOAPBOX

13 September 2017

Letters to the Editor

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

Family of pitbull victim sent from pillar to post with no closure on Dawid’s death We as the family of Dawid Loff would like to make our concerns known to the community of Bitou.

Two pitbulls brutally attacked Dawid on August 1. The incident happened in Kiewiet Street, Kranshoek, between 7 and 8am.

Our brother, Mikey Loff, was informed by our cousin about the incident. Mikey arrived on the scene just before 8am. The police arrived at around 10am.

We had to wait outside the premises because the dogs were still roaming

inside the yard. The dogs were busy sniffing my brother, the victim.

The brother of the owner of the premises had to enter the yard first to put the dogs in the garage so the police and the forensics team could enter. We were not allowed on the scene.

When the police had finished, they took my brother’s body away. The police asked Mikey’s contact details as well as the personal details of our late brother.

Members of Bitou Municipal Law Enforcement were also on the scene.

Gedig vir Suna Terwyl hy by bekende Plettenbergbaaise algemene praktisyn en avonturuur Dr Peter Berning gekuier het vroeër die maand, het besoeker DAN BADENHORST hierdie gedig vir gestorwe joernalis Suna Venter geskryf - Google haar naam om meer uit te vind van Suna se vele pogings om reg en geregtilikheid te laat seëvier, haar aaklige vervolging, en uiteindlike afsterwe aan ‘gebroke hart sindroom’ op 27 Junie

Weens jou moed om teen boosheid dapper te wees Is jou wese verwond in vlamme van vrees Al het hierdie land jou hart gebreek Was dit nie vergeefs want jy bly leef Daar orals waar jou vlerke blink In hoe jy aan kinders in ‘n oorlog dink GEBROKE HART: Suna Venter was een van die groep van agt SABC joernaliste wie afgedank is omdat hul eertydse hoof Hlaudi Motsoeneng se beleid om geen geweldadige protes uit te saai nie, teengestaan het - ‘n tatoeermerk op haar arm, ‘Wees Dapper’, het verwys na die kinders in oorloggeteisterde lande, en sy het nou met Gift of the Givers saamgewerk

I see a good moon rising…

Derek Frielinghaus of Plett shared this pic of last Wednesday night’s full moon rising spectacularly over the bay, as viewed from the apt vantage point of Plett Ski-boat Club’s deck. Wolf howls are now in order…

082 251 8134

Mikey was promised that they would contact him with further information regarding the case.

He has been waiting ever since.

We have contacted the KwaNokuthula police station in an attempt to get a case number and to know how far the investigation is. We have been sent from pillar to post.

This is extremely frustrating as it makes us feel that our pain as a family does not matter. We want the law to take its course, but still cannot get clear answers from the police as

to how far the process is.

On September 8, we got an inquest number, 8/82017. Constable Mona told my brother that the case is under investigation and they are waiting for the investigation to be completed.

The matter will then be taken to court for the magistrate to decide on foul play or not. We are not certain how long this will take.

We are extremely dissatisfied with the insensitive manner in which this case has been handled.

The Loff Family, Plett

Keurbooms community takes action to curb illegal dumping

TIRELESS TEAM: Dollie van den Berg, assisted by Lorenzo Hendricks and Keenan Davids of the Western Cape Department of Transport team, worked in adversity to remove builders’ and domestic waste disgracefully dumped on the slopes of the old N2 past Keurbooms Photo: Claire Parkman

We write in response to the letter by David Scott [turn to page 11 of the August 30 edition at www.cxpress.co.za and read ‘Illegal dumping remains rife along Garden Route roads’], with specific reference to dumping areas like the Old N2 Keurbooms P1888 Scenic Route, and the need for positive action to reduce and eliminate the scourge of illegal dumping.

We are pleased to report that the Keurbooms community has received overwhelming support from Eden District, led by Anthony Cupido, in tackling the issue on the Old N2, and we are well advanced on a programme of works. This includes: • Installation of poles (at 1.5m intervals) at the most vulnerable areas, including the view sites.

The trenches mentioned

by Mr Scott are the focus of our first phase of works, and an interim measure to reduce access for dumping.

• Dumping prohibition signs to be installed at these areas. These actions are scheduled to be completed during September.

• The matter of applying vehicle weight restrictions and associated

signage on the P1888 is being followed up with the relevant authority in an attempt to prevent further deterioration of the road surface.

It is felt that the road is being used as a ‘rat run’ for construction vehicles accessing the N2 from Keurboomstrand, and weight restrictions will have the added benefit of reducing littering associated with heavy construction traffic.

So don’t despair, Mr Scott, there are good people out there working on all of our behalf to deal with this problem.

That said, it is up to each one of us to name and shame the few who decide to pollute our environment by these actions, and we echo the editors’ comment on your letter, urging all residents to report illegal dumping to the authorities - preferably with pictorial proof of the perpetrator.

Laurence and Claire, Keurbooms (As we feel rather strongly about curbing this bane, let’s repeat the numbers to call when readers witness illegal dumping: report Knysna incidents on 081 556 9374, and on 0861 24 8686 in Bitou. - Eds.)

CXPRESS

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Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

13 September 2017

Come barefoot and hungry and bring your best game…

HIS year’s Plett Surf Barefoot Bowls event the club’s most significant and festive annual fundraiser - takes place on Sunday September 17.

And as anyone who has ever participated in these particular jollifications at Plett Bowling Club in Challenge Drive will agree, the occasion is invariably remembered for its excellent food and raucous fun on and off the greens, with prizes and awards galore.

Barefoot Bowls Day is the start of the massive fundraising effort made yearly

by Plett Surf Life Saving Club, the board of which raises cash throughout the season and the bulk of these finances being directed to its Nippers (think junior lifesavers) section.

During previous years, funds raised helped sponsor a branded tour bus that safely transported 58 kids to Durban for the Nipper Nationals 2016, and returning them home groaning under the weight of medals and lifelong memories.

Funds are also used in conjunction with Adopt a Swimmer and Born in Africa for an extremely successful Development Programme, which has seen kids’ lives changed for the

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better, forever.

The inaugural Barefoot Bowls event in 2015 was met with great enthusiasm by pro and novice bowlers alike. With a handicap scoring system and members of Plett Bowling Club on hand to give advice to beginners, no experience is needed to join in on the greens.

Teams of four participate, with a lunch break in-between morning and afternoon sessions. And with food and service by The Table, Le Fournil and The Fat Fish, quality is guaranteed.

The day offers an excellent opportunity for families and businesses both to

join the action and tons of entertainment.

Playing space is limited, so enter at once with a team of colleagues or staff or friends and don’t be shy to dress up for the occasion. Your team entry fee also ensures wonderful mileage for your business, so call Shaamera on 083 304 5087 to book and see the advert on this page for more information.

• Plett Surf Lifesaving Club reopens on October 13, and all prospective Nippers and their parents are invited to an open day at the clubhouse on Central Beach on Sunday October 22. Visit www.plett surf.co.za to find out more.

DEFENDING CHAMPS: Plett Surf Lifesaving Club chairman James Stewart, left, with last year’s winning Plett Sports/ Sportscentre team, who along with all the usual suspects will be back on the greens to cling onto that coveted title

Merüska back from Limerick with memories and a commendable Kata A JKA (Japan Karate Association) sent a team of 120 members to the 14th Funakoshi Cup JKA World Championships held at the University of Limerick from August 18-20. Our country’s JKA contingent was one of the largest to compete.

Luxury coaches took the team from Dublin to the University of Limerick where they were accommodated for seven days. Worldclass accommodation was availed to every member and nobody had to share a room or bathroom.

As part of the tour package, members had the opportunity to visit the worldfamous Cliffs of Moher and the Bunratty Castle.

They also discovered the city of Limerick - for many of these South Africans an incredibly exciting first.

Explains Gerrit Massyn, father of Plett Primary student Merüska Massyn, who was one of the youngest team members: “Only the wet Irish weather provided some kind of a challenge, but once the South Africans got used to it, nothing could dampen their spirits.”

Fifty-two countries from around the globe competed in this world-class event, which was hosted by Ireland JKA, and JKA headquarters

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coordinated and planned everything to perfection.

“The event started on time and the flow of the tournament was controlled like only the Japanese can. Every competitor was guided by military precision and for that reason there were no delays at all,” says Massyn.

More than 3,000 athletes participated, but just eight contenders per category could go through to the final rounds. By the second and third rounds of the tournament, 75% of the participants had already fallen out.

ALL THUMBS UP: Merüska and fellow competitor Koga during the JKA World Champs in Limerick

Only six South Africans managed to make it through to the final rounds, and only three medals returned to SA with the team.

Young Merüska, as lowest graded (Brown 2) participant in her category, attained a formidable fourth place in Kata in her age category - the first three places all going to Japan.

“Merüska did the best in Kata of the entire SA team, and seen in light of the fact that she practises on her own with scant instruction, this achievement is even more remarkable,” beams Massyn.

Along with Merüska, he thanks everyone for the support given during the preparation and the fundraising phase of this great karate adventure, with particular mention of sponsorships by Beacon Island Resort, Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, and Plett’s Biltong Boutique.

“Family members and funds from as far as Iraq and New Zealand made it possible for Merüska’s dream to be realised. Words cannot describe what all this meant to us. We also thank CXPRESS for publicising Merüska’s journey from start to finish,” he concludes.

Turn to page 16 of the June 14 edition at www.cx press.co.za to find out more.