14 December 2016

14 December 2016

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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If you’re reading here in hard copy, you have the good fortune to be on the beautiful Garden Route, in the flesh... we welcome our visitors with open arms! Pictured below is the groovalicious Juliet Harding of Cape Town’s coolest electro outfit GoodLuck, who pulled hundreds of fans to the Beacon Island for Plett’s first Get Lucky Summer concert of the season last Sunday, despite a howling easterly - see more pics on page 23.

DA drama in Bitou - p3

Holiday activity guide - p18-21

Run and swim with Olympians - p32

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

The Redford Road Crags fire: from scorched earth to silver lining Local farmer JAMES STEWART felt the weight of the two hats he wore at the same time last week, the first as Crags Fire Protection Association (CFPA) chair, and the second as leader of the Pennypinchers Adventure Racing Team (PPART) FPA: The call that a fire had started at the end of Redford Road in The Crags, about 15km east of Plett, came from Leanne Lane of Redford Lane Wines at 11:25 on Tuesday December 6.

It set in motion a call-out of resources whose swift and efficient reaction prevented this fire from destroying homes or causing injuries.

Crags FPA members and members of Bitou Fire Department in Kurland were first to arrive. They were soon backed up by MTO Forestry, SANParks, Askop FPA, Plett South FMU (Fire Management Unit), Southern Cape FPA, and Working on Fire teams.

The fire started moving away from its source and by early afternoon was raging through pine forests and wild scrub.

Fire-fighting operations where now under the control and guidance of Dirk Smit, Eastern Region Manager of SCFPA (Southern Cape Fire Protection Association).

For the next four days, Dirk along with all the above agencies controlled an operation that involved well over 250 fire fighters, four helicopters, two bomber planes, and a spotter plane.

Local volunteers - too many to mention - and members of Bitou Fire Department rotated day and night to make sure that the fire did not damage buildings, livestock or people that crossed the path of what had become a three-headed monster heading north, east, and west.

MTO, SANParks and Working on Fire teams continued to battle the flames in the mountains. Five days, millions of litres of water, millions of Rands - and gallons of blood, sweat, and tears - later, the fire was declared safe on Saturday evening December 10. Some rain and favourable wind conditions contributed to this end, but not before more than 3,000 hectares had been scorched.

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PPART: By Tuesday afternoon December 6, the fire had swallowed about 6km of handmade single track of our Kurland Summer Trail Run and was on course to devour the rest.

By Wednesday afternoon, it was clear that the blaze was going to destroy all of the rest of the roads and tracks that we had spent clearing the previous couple of weekends. The destruction of the fire was depressing on a grand scale, made worse when it struck home that we would have to cancel the race.

The Pennypinchers Summer Run has been a significant annual fundraiser for the Masizame Feeding Scheme patronised by Kurland patriarch Peter Reynolds and, frustratingly, they were going to be the biggest losers.

But there was nothing we could do; plans rolled out and we set in motion the list of calls and messages to inform entrants and everyone else involved that the run was cancelled.

CFPA silver lining Watching the management teams of the SCFPA, Bitou Fire, SANParks, MTO, and

INFERNO CAPTURED: David Collett emailed this photo at 15:42 on December 6 and wrote: ‘Huge fire in the forests at the top of Redford Road’; the image below was taken around 8pm that evening

Working on Fire cooperate in attacking the beast and ensuring it inflicted as little damage as humanly possible was a lesson for all leaders in our country on how to get things done.

Seeing a community pulling together under extreme adversity was simply mind-blowing.

Behind the battlefield scenes, a campaign was driven by Kaarin Hindmarch to coordinate and collect food and water for firefighters on the frontline. This request was heard, and soon Plett and Crags locals were dropping off supplies to be distributed.

I am proud to say that the generosity of members of these two communities supplied extra food and water to between 60 and 250 fire fighters, every day for five days. Words cannot express our gratitude for these extras, but THANK YOU all.

PPART silver lining We will be able to donate the entry fees from the majority of the people who entered online to the feeding scheme - the option taken up by most entrants rather than being refunded, showing the generosity of the trail-running community.

Kurlandbrik, who sponsored prize money, also agreed to donate it to the feeding scheme.

Conclusion? Faith in humanity and nature restored.

• Unfortunately, just before going to print the fire had reared up again and was becoming a serious threat to MTO plantations at the end of Redford Road. By Tuesday morning, fire crews had gathered for their next briefing. We wish them the best of luck with this new battle. - Eds.

NO SUMMER RUN: Flames devour the various routes prepared for last Sunday’s Pennypinchers trail run, with event hub Kurland Pavilion in the foreground, above - Photos centre and at right: Rocky Reeder

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

CXPRESS

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Drama in the bay as DA demands fleet funds from Plett’s first citizens’ pockets The local authority in Plettenberg Bay is being accused of big spending and suspect staff selections over the past four months - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports

ALARMED: Democratic Alliance constituency head Donald Grant takes a stand against wasteful expenditure

ITOU Municipality vowed to address concerns over wasteful expenditure and irregular appointments after the town’s DA constituency head Donald Grant said he intended to write to Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, to request that his office reviewed all senior appointments made at the municipality.

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Grant was adamant that he specifically wanted to determine whether due process had been followed, and whether the chosen candidates were competent.

These incidents allegedly took place in the period after the AUF and ANC took control of the municipality following the August 3 local government elections.

Grant said in a statement

that he was alarmed at the constructive dismissal of municipal manager Allen Paulse and chief financial officer Felix Lotter.

“Their resignations follow their refusal to condone wasteful expenditure and irregular appointments,” Grant said.

This followed the “swift” appointment of Thabo Ndlovu, formerly from the troubled Westonaria Municipality, as municipal manager of Bitou on December 2.

“Tanya Wildeman, the wife of the deputy mayor [Euan Wildeman], was also reappointed after her dismissal from Bitou Municipality at a disciplinary hearing in 2015. She was fired for fraudulently awarding herself a salary increase and car allowance.

“Despite her dismissal, she will now be appointed as acting head of corporate services. Her appointment is illegal in terms of the Municipal Systems Act,” Grant said.

He added that since the ANC-AUF coalition took

over Bitou Municipality, several appointments had also been made to positions that were not budgeted for and without council approval.

“Expenditure on the rental of luxury vehicles has also increased while perfectly suitable vehicles are avail-

able in the municipal fleet.

The DA in Bitou has served the mayor [Peter Lobese] and deputy mayor with a notice of intent to recover money lost due to fruitless and wasteful expenditure.”

Grant said that clause 32 of the Municipal Finance Management Act stipulated that money that had been wasted or spent irregularly could be recovered from the personal accounts of the executive mayor and deputy mayor.

“The DA will take every action to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of public money.

We will not tolerate ANC patronage at the expense of the people of Bitou.”

“We have referred the queries relating to these issues to the relevant departments, including the finances and the human resources departments, and hope to have a response soon,” new municipal spokesman Dumisani Mnweba said.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

No end in sight yet for battle of Bitou landfill site recent court order states that the dumpsite on Robberg Road opposite Whale Rock Heights is to close with immediate effect.

The court order was obtained by the Whale Rock Heights Residents Association (WRHRA), who launched an application to

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the High Court in an effort to close the site.

The action arose following many undertakings by Bitou Municipality to close the site, which has long exceeded its licenced limit of 82m above mean sea level, and which has for many years been operating in breach of its license.

On November 11, a settlement was reached on the steps of the High Court and was made an order of the court. The order states that the dump is to be closed with immediate effect.

As a result of this order, there is to be no dumping of domestic waste, animal carcasses, building rubble, gar-

den refuse or green waste.

Any dumping of waste at the site is now illegal and those who contravene the court order could be liable for prosecution.

The order envisages a cooperative process between Whale Rock Heights residents and the municipality in respect of the ongoing rehabilitation process, and the municipality undertook to appoint a liaison and responsible person to assume all responsibilities relevant to the closure and rehabilitation of the dump.

The WRHRA commissioned an independent engineer’s report on the rehabilitation of the site, and this report states that no additional garden waste or builders rubble is required for this purpose.

The court settlement does not preclude the WRHRA from instituting any further actions or proceedings against the municipality, for any act or omission in respect of the closure or ongoing rehabilitation Notwithstanding the court order, the dump is continuing to accept garden refuse, builders rubble and other waste matter, in clear contravention of the court order.

The WRHRA is presently in the process of instituting

further action against the municipality (and various municipal officials) for contempt of court.

The ultimate objective of this action is ensuring that terms of the agreement are implemented.

COURT ORDER IGNORED: These photos were taken by a Whale Rock Heights resident on November 21, i.e. 10 days after the court order, who points out all the dumped material that is not builders rubble or green waste, “irrespective of the order stipulating that there is to be no dumping whatsoever”

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Take a short shower instead of a bath.

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Only flush the toilet when absolutely necessary (preferably using a dual-flush system).

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Set your appliances to economy mode - washing machines and dishwashers.

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Water your garden only at dusk (18:00 to 19:00) on designated days (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for houses with even numbers, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for houses with odd numbers).

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Use grey water (run-off from the washing machine, sink, shower etc.) in the garden if possible.

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Don’t brush your teeth, wash the dishes or shave with the tap running.

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Wash your car with a bucket and not the hose.

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Don’t top-up the swimming pool for the time-being

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Other measures may also be considered, like installing catchment tanks to store rain water, drilling a borehole or digging a well.

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For further water saving tips, visit the municipality’s website http://www.knysna. gov.za/be-water

REPORT ALL WATER ABUSE TO WHATSAPP 083 665 3824

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

CXPRESS

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George pedestrian safety project completed, and more in Sanral’s 2017 pipeline Words & photo: Bob Hopkin

HE South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) utilised a presentation in George recently to announce the completion of the largest and most expensive pedestrian safety investment in the country.

An historical legacy of natural settlement meant that close to George the location of the N2 highway

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straddles the routes between the relatively low cost - and in some cases, informal - settlements in Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp, and the commercial and industrial centres of the city.

The result of this was the constant risk of pedestrian and livestock-related accidents due to the use of informal crossing points, and

HAVE WE DONE ENOUGH? Managers ponder the project’s completion - from left are electrical consultant Morné Olivier, Sanral’s Randall Cable, and structural engineer Basil Steyn

the use of highway fringes as convenient footpaths.

While the presence of hikers and animals on a freeway is technically illegal, that does little to deter them from taking the most direct route.

With that in mind, and the practical impossibility of changing ingrained habits, Sanral had to make a decision to try solving the problem in an industrial manner.

In order to discourage walkers and livestock entering the boundaries of the highway a sturdy, 2mhigh steel fence topped with spikes has been erected along both sides of a 5.4km section of the affected area at a cost of R73-million.

Behind the fence, a paved walkway allows pedestrians to continue walking parallel to but not on the freeway.

To aid the security of the new walkway, it is illumi-

Counting the cost of road crashes ESEARCH completed in August this year by the CSIR for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) shows that anecdotal stories of the horrific loss of life and injuries on our roads are backed up by hard statistics, proving South Africa is one of the worst places in the world for road users.

The high volumes of traffic during the Christmas and Easter holidays provide the expected well-publicised statistics of casualties, but the report highlights a yearround incidence of loss of life that reads like the report of victims from a fullblown war.

For once, the report quantifies not just the emotional suffering of the families of those killed and injured, but the cost to the state and taxpayers of the physical consequences of the accidents.

A 2013 study on figures covering road deaths in 2011 showed that, with 28 annual

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fatalities per 100,000 population, SA had one of the worst records in the world, compared to countries like the USA with 10, Italy with six, Germany with five and the UK with just three.

Similar statistics show that road deaths increased by 46% between 1990 and 2010. The recent report shows that, since then, with improvements in road infrastructure and vehicle safety features, the situation has improved to about 23.5 fatalities - still one of the worst in the world.

The total figure for 2015 was 12,944 deaths, 41% of which were pedestrians and cyclists, 32% passengers and 27% drivers. Put into perspective, the total armed forces toll in the prolonged Angolan Border War would be equalled in just three weeks on South Africa’s deadly roads.

In 2015, a total of 832,431 road crashes involved 1.7million people. Interesting-

ly, international experts have been able to quantify the costs of Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) to the SA economy, and it paints an equally horrific picture.

There are many associated costs to the incidence of an RTC. Apart from the obvious costs of hospitalisation, vehicle replacement, insurance and cleanup operations, in the case of death there is the loss to the family of lifetime earnings of the deceased, or the longterm incapacitation of the seriously injured.

Trauma counselling, legal costs and many other factors come into play. In the best estimates of qualified assessors, the cost to the economy of each fatal crash is an incredible R5.4-million, compared to R765,000 per serious but non-fatal crash.

Clearly the situation is untenable and it must be hoped that the RTMC report will result in measures to reduce the current carnage.

nated along its entire length and constantly monitored

by CCTV cameras.

In addition the overpass from George to Pacaltsdorp has been widened and two pedestrian bridges across the highway added at a cost of R82.4-million.

Said Sanral Operations Engineering manager Randall Cable: “We have in-

vested over R155-million in total on this section of the N2 to help preserve life and reduce accidents. We now have to count on the public to do their part and the police to uphold the law.”

The project has been subject to some delays when new fencing was vandalised, and cables and lighting stolen.

Cable added that other major Garden Route projects in the design phase included an extra bridge to widen the N2 over the Gwaing River near George (due to start in July at an estimated cost of R88million), the addition of six roundabouts along the N2 through the Wilderness area (at a cost of R250-million), and an upgrade to the Nekkies interchange near Knysna at an estimated cost of R30-million.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

CemAir finances year-round lifeguard presence on Plett’s Central Beach

Words & photos: Timothy Twidle

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EACH lifeguard services in Bitou are to receive generous sponsorship for the next three years from CemAir, the airline that operates daily flights between Plett Airport, OR Tambo in Johannesburg, and Cape Town International Airport.

The arrangement was sealed with a handshake between Bitou mayor Peter Lobese and Laura van der Molen, Chief Financial Officer of CemAir, during a gathering of lifeguards and beach stewards at Plett’s Central Beach on Thursday December 8.

As Plett limbers up for what promises to be a peach of a holiday season, supervision of the town’s most popular beaches by properly trained, efficient lifeguards assumes paramount importance.

Lobese alluded to this when he addressed the assembled force of some 60 lifeguards and beach stewards. “Tourists must feel safe at all times when they are on the beach,” he said.

“The rigorous standards required of our five Blue Flag beaches must be maintained and your

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LIFE’S A BEACH: CemAir has committed to sponsorship of Bitou lifeguard services for the next three years and this arrangement was celebrated by airline staff, Plett Tourism officials, lifeguards and beach stewards last Thursday at front in red shirts are Laura van der Molen, Nicolene Myburgh, Vanessa Connelly and Lorna McCleod of CemAir

EN GUARD: Bitou mayor Peter Lobese and CemAir CFO Laura van der Molen

contribution towards that end is vital.”

Lobese expressed heartfelt gratitude to the airline: “I’d like to thank CemAir for the big contribution that you are making to the town, keeping our beaches safe and Blue.”

Van der Molen said that

CemAir was excited to be part of this initiative and to contribute to the maintenance of the Blue Flag status of Bitou’s spectacular beaches.

Chas Fraser, manager and mentor of the Plett Surf Lifeguards, also addressed the gathering

and warned his young crew that they should be prepared to expect “anything and everything in the weeks ahead, and you must rely on your training and discipline in each and every situation that you are faced with”.

Also in attendance were Peter Wallington and Cindy Wilson-Trollip, CEO and manager respectively of Plett Tourism, Bitou councillor Wayne Craig, municipal officials in charge of Bitou Beaches John Prins and Mark Fourie, and CemAir team members Nicolene Myburgh, Vanessa Connelly, and Lorna McCleod.

These able lifeguards and beach stewards have the full support of Bitou Municipality and all the people of Plett.

• The occasion should alert local, regional and national businesses to the fact that sponsorship of this nature has the potential for vast exposure to a captive audience, while moving closer to a desired result of all Plett’s Blue Flag beaches being manned by lifeguards, all year round.

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Promotion

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

Top walkers awarded at Plett Panters year-end bash

KEEP ON WALKING: Group leader Robyn Eidelman, left, presents top walkers of 2016 with their prizes - from left are Wally Lake (fourth place), Trish and Jos Coninx (shared first place), and Di Tuffin (third place)

HE slogan of a famous whiskey brand springs to mind when learning of the endeavours over the past year of Bitou’s most intrepid hikers. The Plett Panters have ‘kept on walking’ as is their wont and on November 24, 90 members and their spouses gathered at Plett Angling Club for their annual prize-giving braai.

Group leader Robyn Eidelman presented certificates of merit to the top

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10 hikers, i.e. those members who notched up the most kilometres forded on foot during 2016’s many outings.

Wally Lake took fourth place at 359km; third place went to Di Tuffin for trekking 391km; and tied in first place were husband and wife Trish and Jos Coninx, both of whom hiked 410km with the Panters this year.

Hi-Tec SA gave vouchers to the top 10 hikers, allowing them 20% dis-

count when shopping at their e-store. Philip Murton arranged meal vouchers from The Fat Fish worth R150 each for the top four walkers.

Cape Union Mart in Plett donated two prizes this year in the form of a R350 gift voucher for the hiker in fourth place and a R500 voucher for third place winner. Phillip Tobiansky availed two bottles of exclusive Teddy Hall Champagne - the magnum valued at

R800 and a 750ml-bottle worth R350. Only 500 magnums were ever produced, so the couple Coninx happily shared that big ‘un, while Di Tuffin was chuffed to pocket the 750ml bottle.

Ashley Wentworth from Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours kindly donated two canopy tours to the top two winners worth R600 each, proving again that for Plett Panters members it really pays to hit the track.

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Promotion

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 December 2016

Venture beyond the beaten track with these special interest guided tours T just recently submitted to UNESCO will be successful and the Garden Route will be proclaimed SA’s eighth Biosphere Reserve.”

The Plett Trail offers three night, five-night and ninenight modules, as well as individualised itineraries for special interest groups.

Special Interest Trails and Tours 1. Kranshoek Wine & Raptor Tour A combination of wine tasting at the Luka and Plettenvale wine estates, a hike through the Fisanthoek forest, and a homemade cheese platter lunch and wine tasting at Packwood country estate.

2. Crags Wine & Wildlife Tour A traditional wine tasting excursion incorporating the wine estates and vineyards of The Crags, including visits to The Mill at the old Cape Mohair factory and Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre.

3. Point of Human Origins, Pinnacle Point, Mossel Bay In partnership with Dr Peter Nielson, VB offers a full-day guided tour of the palaeontology sites at Pinnacle Point in Mossel Bay, with a visit to Timberlake Village for lunch at Zucchini restaurant.

4. Robberg Walking Trail

Robberg Peninsula is often referred to as the Cape Point of the Garden Route.

A half-day guided walking exploration of the peninsula, with particular reference to the palaeontology of Nelson’s Cave, returns around noon for a gourmet picnic lunch.

5. Keurbooms Gorge and Goukamma River Canoeing Trails In partnership with African Edu-Eco Wizard, VB offers a full morning canoeing exploration with a professional guide of either Keurbooms Gorge or Koukamma River.

6. Bhejane Safaris Secrets of the Knysna Forest Tour In partnership with Bhejane Safaris, VB offers a 4x4 vehicle and fully guided exploration of the Diep-

walle forest.

7. Nature’s Valley Trail In partnership with African Edu-Eco Wizard, VB offers a full-day excursion of the Nature’s Valley Trail, exploring the Groot River Valley and Kolanderkloof by canoe and on foot, with a gourmet picnic lunch.

8. Circles in the Forest Trail VB and Meagan Vermaas offer an exploration of the Diepwalle forest, its colourful history and unique ecological wonders.

9. Eco-marine Exploration with Ocean Safaris In partnership with Ocean Safaris, VB provides a unique opportunity to see some of the ocean’s largest and most mysterious creatures in their natural habitat.

10. Secret Elephants Forest Experience with

OCEAN TRAILBLAZERS: Plett-based marine sage Dr Gwenith Penry, who captured this spectacular image, is but one of many experts collaborating with Venture Beyond to offer unique insights into the coastal, forest, and palaeontological treasures of the Garden Route

Gareth Patterson VB and Gareth Patterson offer the unique opportunity to understand the history and current dynamics of the Knysna elephants.

11. Marine Ecology Tour with Dr Gwenith Penry In partnership with Ocean Safaris and Dr Gwenith Penry, VB offers a specialised guided marine ecology and pelagic bird exploration of Plett and the waters around Robberg Peninsula.

12. Cairnbrogie Family Mountain Bike Trail VB in partnership with Cairnbrogie Estate offer a half-day mountain bike exploration of the pristine coastal corridor between Robberg Peninsula and Kranshoek on the spectacular Cairnbrogie farm.

13. Plett Art Tour VB and Michele Bestbier offer a unique insight and exploration of the arts and crafts of Plett and surrounds. The tour includes visits to well-known sculptors, artists and potters, with a lunch at Quarry Lake Estate.

14. Keurbooms Coastal Hiking Trail The rugged coast between Keurbooms and Nature’s Valley contains some the most spectacular seascapes in Africa. VB offers a fullday guided walking explo-

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ration of this wonderland.

Extended Overnight Tours and Trails Three Parks - Addo, Mountain Zebra, Camdeboo: Guided three-night exploration of the Southern Cape National Parks.

Baviaanskloof World Heritage Mega Reserve Tour: Guided three-day two-night tour, overnighting at selected country lodges and exploring the wilderness areas of this world heritage site.

Three Passes and a Poort Tour: Guided tour of the Swartberg, Outeniqua and Prince Albert passes and Meiringspoort, overnight at Die Hel and Prince Albert.

Art and historical Tour of the Klein Karoo: Incorporating Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert, overnighting at Die Hel and Prince Albert, in partnership with Michele Bestbier.

Reflections on Water and Wilderness - a Journey to the Inside: A five-day spiritual wellness exploration in the forests and on the rugged coastline of the Tsitsikamma, with overnight stays at selected four-star country lodges in The Crags. The programme includes yoga, forest meditation and organic spa treatments.

• See the advert on page 21 for contact details and booking information.

SSBR/449884

HE Garden Route is one of the most beautiful and diverse natural landscapes on the continent. The newly-established Venture Beyond is a company whose vision is to provide ordinary travellers with the opportunity to explore the hidden and less well known jewels of this ecological wonderland.

Its portfolio of trails and tours traverses the full spectrum of the natural and cultural environment, including marine biology, ornithology, wildlife and endangered species, palaeontology, history, art, wine tasting and spiritual awareness.

Venture Beyond (VB) is also the appointed operator of The Plett Trail - South Africa’s premier ‘slack packing trail’. The Plett Trail traverses the rugged coastline between Nature’s Valley and Kranshoek, and the adjacent hinterland contains some of the most spectacular scenery and ecological diversity in southern Africa.

According to recent palaeontology studies, it is also the origin of modern man, who resided along the southern Cape coast some 160,000 years ago.

Says VB director Grahame Thomson: “It is indeed a very special place and hopefully, the submission we have

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Promotion

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CXPRESS

BUSINESS

14 December 2016

There’s a little extra festive cheer on employee leave calendars this year-end ANY South Africans spend a large part of December and January on leave celebrating the holidays with friends and family.

Four public holidays fall during December and January each year: December 16 is the day of Reconciliation, December 25 is Christmas Day, and the 26th is the day of Goodwill, while January 1 is New Year’s Day. These are four out of 12 public holidays provided for by the Public Holidays Act, No 36 of 1994.

The Act provides that “whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday”. The court has confirmed that where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it does not cease to be a public holiday on the Sunday; the Monday following the public holiday is an additional public holiday.

This year, Christmas falls on a Sunday, which means that the following Monday, December 26,

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shall also be a public holiday - but December 26 is already a public holiday in terms of the Act. The 2016 calendar gives rises to a situation where the “additional public holiday” on the Monday falls on a day already scheduled as a public holiday.

President Zuma has, however, declared an additional public holiday this year, that being Tues-

‘President Zuma has declared an additional publich holiday this year, that being Tuesday December 27’ day the 27th. Questions now arise as to whether an employer is obliged to pay an employee for the Sunday and Monday, or only one of these days.

The legal position in this regard is as follows: If an employee works on a public holiday, the employer must consider the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No 75 of 1997 (BCEA) when determining the amount to pay

Investor Focus

JAN Braai

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the employee.

In particular, the employer must consider whether the public holiday falls on a day on which the employee would ordinarily work.

If the holiday falls on a day on which employees would ordinarily work and they work on that public holiday, employees are entitled to double their ordinary wage for the day or, if greater, the employee’s ordinary wage for the day “plus

the amount earned by the employee for the time worked on that day”.

However, if employees don’t work on the public holiday that falls on a day when they would ordinarily work, employees are entitled to their ordinary wage for the day.

If it falls on a day on which employees would not ordinarily work and they do work on that public holiday, employees are entitled to their

ordinary wage for the day and “the amount earned by the employee for the work performed that day, whether calculated by reference to time worked or any other method”.

Importantly, the Labour Appeal Court has held that based on an interpretation of the Act, if the public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Sunday remains a public holiday in addition to the following Monday.

In other words, an employer is required to treat both days as public holidays and to remunerate employees accordingly with reference to the abovementioned provisions of the BCEA, depending on whether employees work on such public holidays.

It follows that in those instances where the public holiday falls on a Sunday, employees shall enjoy an additional public holiday for the year in question. The same applies in respect of Sunday January 1, where both that day and the following Monday are deemed to be public holidays.

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

Looking back on a turbulent two years for investors NVESTORS around the world and in SA in particular have had a rough year. This time last year we had a new finance minister (for a while).

Then there were those refugees in Euroland, then the Nkandla Constitutional Court judgment. We then had to ride through Brexit, and finally the American elections.

We dodged those dreaded downgrades; the Public Protector put the cat amongst the pigeons with her State Capture report.

The Austrians seem to have remained conservative, while the Italians voted to keep their democratic checks and balances in place.

Our local municipal elections produced some

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surprising results, while our president was severely tested by members of his own party.

Now we have to wait for the interest-rate announcements from the Fed, our own Reserve Bank, and the ECB. Isn’t it amazing that markets have survived this much turbulence and have still not really tanked?

The real message is that sound companies with clever managers will always survive these events.

The immediate period ahead, i.e. the next five or six months, will allow us a breather to reflect on these happenings. We can focus on our own economy as well as the major global players.

President Trump looks

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set on stimulating the US economy with his infrastructure spend while upgrading a lot of the country’s military. This could result in a much stronger US economy, rising inflation, and an even stronger US$.

Business and economic cycles do not go away.

It appears that we could have reached the bottom of both the global and our own economic cycle. We anticipate better economic growth in SA - and possibly more rain.

Our banks have retained their integrity, and most of our retailers have survived the slump.

Selected domestic shares are not expensive, some offering attractive dividend yields. The Pound

Sterling is at a 30-yearlow against the US$, while Euroland shares have rarely been as cheap.

The last two years have seen very lacklustre performances from most portfolios and unit trusts. But many companies actually managed to increase their dividends during this period.

So those investors who weathered the political storms will probably see better returns in 2017.

Those with cash could do well to re-enter the water, if slowly…

• Malcolm has been in the investment industry for nearly 50 years. He has written this column in CXPRESS for the last 18 years and is a specialist in managing retired wealth.

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Business

Plettenberg Bay property market overview

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AST year saw R882million worth of property sales in Plett. Overall, the market remained relatively constant over the past seven years, but there has been considerable improvement over the past two years.

Sales volumes and total value of all transfers in 2015 were up 18% from the previous year, which suggests that the market has recovered from the downturn.

Current figures are showing a ±7% increase in average prices from 2015-2016.

A lot more sales from this year will register over the coming months, so figures for 2016 will change substantially, but it looks similar to 2015 so far.

Plett estate agents all concur that 2016 is a great year, with lots of buyer interest both nationally and internationally, in spite of SA’s socio-political climate.

Plett is following the semigration trend of South Africans moving to the Western Cape, so demand is steady even though affordability is low. With the weaker Rand, foreign buyers have also increased substantially.

The average price for residential Plett property in 2016 so far is R2.2-million, or R2.6-million for full title (including vacant land),

and R1.3-million for sectional title units.

Entry level for apartments is R650,000 and vacant land starts at about R200,000. The entry level for houses is around R1.4million (similar to 2007 boom times), though there are cheaper options in areas surrounding Plett.

Over the past 10 years, which includes the crash, average prices in Plett have grown annually roughly in line with inflation. Looking back 15 to 20 years, the annual growth increases to ±11% per annum.

Hein Pretorius, Broker Principal of Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay, says that 2015 was a record year for his team “and we passed that record a few months ago in 2016”.

“We saw high interest in most sectors of the market.

But stock levels have come down and fewer new properties are coming onto the market, so choice is becoming more limited.

“Many people from Gauteng are relocating to the Garden Route, equating about 40% of all our buyers. Popularity of gated estates has increased significantly. Estates like Whale Rock Ridge and Brackenridge have very little stock

OWN IT: The Castle on the Cliff is one of two trophy properties currently on sale in Plett

available, so prices here are on the rise.”

Pretorius says that one of the most exciting new developments is One Beachy Head Drive - the only gated estate on what is affectionately known as Millionaire’s Row. There are only four homes on the property, all designed by world-famous architects Stefan Antoni/Olmesdahl/ Truen in association with Simplicitas Architects.

“They are north-facing which is unusual for sea view properties on Beachy Head, and their unique, contemporary and modern design will make them prominent signature Plett properties.

“The spacious four or five en-suite bedroom house prices start at R19.95-million including VAT, which is a very good price considering what you are getting

and the location,” he says.

The highest price achieved in residential sales in 2015 was for a large upmarket home on a double stand on Robberg Beach for R35.8million sold by Pretorius and Sotheby’s agent Elbie Pama. This year’s top price so far is R32-million for a beachfront mansion in Whale Rock Beach at the far end of Robberg Beach.

“Plett is one of very few locations in SA where there is appetite for property that falls in the super luxury bracket. The record price so far for residential property was R50-million for a luxury coastal estate I sold in 2006,” says Pretorius.

According to the New World Wealth SA 2016 Wealth Report, Beachy Head Drive, lined with mansions overlooking Plett’s unspoilt beaches, boasts the country’s most expen-

sive houses outside of Cape Town. The report further notes that there were some 2,300 South African trophy homes valued at R20-million or more as of December 2015.

“The majority are in Cape Town (880) and Joburg (550), but Plett, at the size of an average city suburb, boasts an astonishing 120 homes in that price bracket and ranks third in the country,” explains Pretorius.

“One of those properties, the Castle on the Cliff, is currently on the market for R75-million. I sold it in 2008 for R48-million, but now it looks set to break Plett’s previous records.”

The majestic rural villa perched atop a cliff on a 66-hectare estate near the Robberg Nature Reserve, commands sweeping views of the ocean and is a stone’s throw from some of SA’s

13 Steven Neufeld

most scenic hiking trails.

It comes complete with a large sea-filtered rock pool, private lake and prehistoric cave. This expansive natural wonderland was home to indigenous tribes thousands of years ago and various artefacts have been found on site. These belong to the estate and are included in the sale.

All areas surrounding Plett appear to be increasing in value on average. In Keurbooms, two properties transferred in 2015 for an average of R6.65-million, and six so far in 2016 for an average of R6.65-million.

The Wittedrift market also strengthened considerably as nine properties transferred for an average of R957,000 each in 2016.

Nature’s Valley saw 11 properties transfer for R2.9million on average in 2015, and seven so far in 2016 for an average of R4.5-million a big jump upwards.

• Steven Neufeld is Manager Principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay and a Professional Valuer and Court Appointed Appraiser for SA Property Valuations.

See the adverts on the cover and on pages 5, 16, 17, and this page for contact details and current listings.

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BUSINESS

14 December 2016

Make your home cool to catch buyers this summer ICE-ICE BABY: Ice-water or cold drinks for those viewing your home may refresh them to a point of making an offer

HEN temperatures start soaring up past 30-degrees and riding around in a hot car to view show houses is the last thing anyone wants to do, ensuring that your home is cool and summer-ready for prospective buyers can make it really stand out from other listings - and significantly increase your chances of selling it.

“Summer is a great time to be selling,” says RealNet estate agency group MD Gerhard Kotzé, “because lots of families have some extra time to look for a new home as the school and work-year comes to an end. Gardens and outdoor areas are generally also at their best at this time of year.

“But the heat often makes it less than desirable for people to venture out for a viewing, or reluctant to stay for long, so you need to make it worth their while.”

With this in mind, here are some suggestions for presenting your home as a cool and welcoming oasis where prospective buyers feel inclined to linger, look around some more, and then make an offer: • If you have time, paint your home inside and out

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in white or a pale neutral and varnish any woodwork. Nothing says “summer” like the scrubbed and freshly-painted look.

• Remove or pack away anything that immediately says “winter”, such as heaters or heavy curtains or warm throws hung over beds and couches. If you have a fireplace, decorate it with summer flowers or plants.

• Consider rolling-up and putting away your loose rugs to show off your freshly varnished wooden floors or an expanse of cool tiles.

• Be ruthless about decluttering surfaces, and don’t go overboard on seasonal decorations which can make your home feel smaller and hotter.

• If you haven’t used them in a while, give ceiling fans or the air-conditioner vents and filters a good clean so that you can put them on when you know there is a prospective buyer coming round and make your home a blissful escape from the heat.

• If you don’t have airconditioning, open the windows and doors on the cooler side of the house to let the breeze in, and make sure all cur-

COOL FLOORS RULE: Stash away loose rugs to show off freshly varnished wooden floors or an expanse of cool tiles

tains are drawn to let in as much light as possible.

• If you have an outdoor entertainment area, make sure it looks clean and tidy and ready to use. Dress it up with a few containers of flowering plants and set the table, if you have one, for an alfresco meal under a shady umbrella or gazebo.

• Set out a tray of chilled glasses and some icewater or cold drinks for those viewing your home.

Everyone appreciates a cool, refreshing drink on a hot day.

• Lastly, don’t forget to make your home appear a “must see” among online property listings by insisting on professionalquality photos of all the areas you’ve staged perfectly. Also make sure the details of your home are entered correctly and that the listing looks like a home you would like to view yourself.

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Business

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Do things differently this season: spend wisely to enjoy a less-stressed new year

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HE festive season is upon us and like previous years, many people will fall into a debt trap by succumbing to the urge of spending money they don’t have.

“This year, we want to warn and educate consumers to be moneywise and be different so that they can enjoy a happy new year,” says Mpho Ramapala, Manager: Education & Communication at the National Credit Regulator (NCR).

She says the festive season is aptly named the “silly season” because of a spending frenzy that appears to afflict people over this period. History has shown us that bonuses present a great temptation to continue buying things that they didn’t plan for.

“We strongly encourage people to stop, do a budget and plan their spending very carefully, especially over this period with a note that January is just around the corner with its expenses.”

The NCR credit bureau monitor states that there are 24.08-million credit active consumers; 14.41-million (59.8%) are in good standing and 9.67-million (40.2%) have impaired records.

A record is impaired when a consumer’s accounts are either classified as three or more payments or months in arrears, or fea-

ture an adverse listing, or reflect a judgment or administration order.

Should consumers find that they are battling to pay their debts, Ramapala advises them to contact their credit providers to negotiate lower repayments, or to contact a debt counsellor for assistance. Debt counselling is meant for over-indebted consumers but is not a free service, as there are fees to be paid.

Below, Ramapala shares tips of spending wisely during and after the festive season: • Do a budget for the festive season and include all debt, rent, electricity, water, insurance, transport, gifts, entertainment, etc.; • Request a pre-agreement statement and quotation when applying for credit. This will enable you to shop around and do a comparison on the cost of credit; • Read and understand your pre-agreement statement and quotation - if they offer you credit life insurance, seek clarity on what it actually covers; • Seek loans with NCR-registered credit providers only. You can identify such credit providers by a window decal (an orange sticker with the NCR logo) and a registration certificate that will also state the NCR credit provider registration number;

Here’s a golden opportunity for locals and holidaymakers to support Plett businesses

WIN-WIN: The discount vouchers contained in each quarterly Plett Pocket Pal will create customers for participating businesses and mean great savings for consumers

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LETT Pocket Pal is a brand new discount voucher booklet that affords participants the chance to gain great discounts at an array of local businesses, so creating a win-win situation for business and buyer alike, all year round.

Norman Doyle of Jangledbo Marketing has been working non-stop on this project which he plans to launch mid-January.

“The idea is to promote and encourage locals as well as tourists and holidaymakers to support your business both in and out of season,” says Doyle, adding that the seasonal nature of Plett means no commercial operator can deny the benefits of year-round support.

Participating businesses offer a discount of 5%, 10%, 15% or even 20% - whatever the percentage that suits best.

“What makes Plett Pocket Pal totally unique is our Golden Ticket bonus. This is something your business is willing to offer absolutely free, and that Golden Ticket will be hidden among the 500 vouchers in one of 500 booklets,” explains Doyle.

CXPRESS is a proud supporter of Plett Pocket Pal, and joined in this regard by ShowMe Plett, MC90.3FM, and Knysna 97.0FM. The Plett Pocket Pal Facebook page has also seen much activity since inception, so interest already abounds.

“We are inviting all businesses in Plett to participate in this initiative, which will be a quarterly project starting in January and revisited every three months, so 500 new booklets will be distributed each quarter.”

At a cost of R250, your business will have 500 personalised vouchers - that’s a mere 50 cents per voucher, otherwise known as an offer you cannot refuse!

Golden Ticket winners will be published in CXPRESS, mentioned on local radio in Plett and Knysna, feature on the ShowMe website, and posted on the Plett Pocket Pal Facebook page at absolutely no additional cost.

For more information or to arrange an appointment to view Plett Pocket Pal, please call Norman Doyle on 079 712 2787, and go to www.facebook.com/jangledbomarketing to see a video on the concept.

• Do not leave your identity documents, bank cards or pins and SASSA cards with credit providers when applying for credit.

This is a criminal offence. Report cases where your bank or SASSA cards and identity documents were taken by credit providers to your local police station; • Be wary of “buy now, pay after three months deals” and then incurring additional credit during those three months; • When going shopping, have a list to avoid buying unnecessary items; • Be proactive and double-up on your regular payments such as mortgage or rent, lights and water (arrange with your credit providers). That way you will be able to afford costs such as school fees and uniform which will

hit you at the start of the New Year; • Prioritise your home loan and rent; • Entertain at home. Ask guests to bring something for the meal so you share the costs of your festive entertainment; • Each year, set up a separate fund for birthday and Christmas presents as well as holidays. Keeping this money separate will enable you to save for special occasions, while at the same time fund your day-to-day living expenses without going into debt; • Use your bonus to reduce your debt burden by paying off existing loans; • Don’t forget to get a copy of your credit report from any credit bureau. This will assist you to know your financial standing.

Should you require an additional copy of your credit report within the same year, there will be a fee that credit bureaus will charge.

Visit www.ncr.org.za for more information.

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14 December 2016

Promotion

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Promotion

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14 December 2016

Holiday Activities

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Holiday Activities

SO MUCH TO DO... SO LITTLE TIME!

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14 December 2016

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Entertainment Diary • If you haven’t booked your seat yet for tomorrow’s performance of The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace by Sir Karl Jenkins at Plett’s Piesang Valley Community Hall, contact Lady Conyngham on 044 533 5178 or email aconyngham@telkomsa.net at once. David Hall-Green and Jill Kirkland respectively will introduce and MC this magical evening that showcases Plett choirs accompanied by a small orchestra.

Doors open at 7:15pm on December 15 and the show starts at 8pm sharp.

• Hornlee Summer Festival from December 16-18 is a fundraiser for needy people in and around Knysna, especially the

homeless. Taking place from 9am ‘till late at Hornlee Sports Grounds, there’ll be entertainment for the whole family from live music to face painting, a potjie competition and beer garden, sports activities and kids’ games.

Entry is R10 for adults and R5 for kids, and will go towards a three-course Christmas lunch and a gift to these special people. Call 082 497 1075 or email celestewaba nie@gmail.com for details.

• Plett Starry Nights on December 21 and 22 is a two-night extravaganza of excellent entertainment, boutique shopping, and family fun. Bringing together SA’s top de-

sign talent at spectacular Cairnbrogie Estate, a unique pop-up market will showcase premium Cape Town and Jozi fashion, accessory, and lifestyle designers.

Luxury leather label Missibaba joins Black Betty jewellery and coveted Lalesso resort wear, plus further home and beachwear offerings from across the land, including a curated selection of unique Plett brands.

A kids’ play area with Christmas crafting workshops will complement delicious food trucks, artisanal gin cocktails, local craft beer, and produce from Plett’s cool Kay & Monty Vineyards.

The newly-opened Airport Road linking Plett and Knysna affords easy access to

Cairnbrogie for visitors from all over the Garden Route, be it from George in the west or those travelling from the Tsitsikamma.

The Plett Starry Nights market opens at 5pm and outdoor movie screenings start at 8pm on both nights, Grease scheduled for December 21 and ET for the 22nd. Blankets will be on sale, and delicious picnic hampers can be pre-ordered.

Pre-book your seat through Quicket and 10% will be donated to the Sabrina Love Foundation. Visit www.facebook.com/ plettstarrynights and see the advert on page 19 for more information.

• The Soulshine Festival at Old Nick Village in Plett will now take place on December 22 & 23. Visit their Facebook page for the full programme and email philippa glazer@gmail.com to find out more.

SASSY SISTERS: Alice and Olivia Lalesso will introduce their 2017 resort collection of coverups and swimsuits at Plett Starry Nights

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

14 December 2016

CXPRESS

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Social Scene

14 December 2016

People, places & events

La Luna

BOOT SALE A BLAST: At the Plettenberg Bay Animal Welfare Service (PAWS) Car Boot Sale held at The Market Square on the morning of December 4, Beauty Nabukana of Hillview, above at left, purchased some wine glasses. She enjoys the company of fellow KwaNokuthula residents Sinoyolo Silwana and Nomase Mabhukana, right. The successful fundraiser was overseen

by PAWS stalwarts, at far left from left, Di Butlin with Marian and Allan Kushner. At left, Roger Davis is flanked by Sandra Lawrence, left, and Ruby Chetty. - Photos: Timothy Twidle

EIGHT OF THE BEST: Phakamisani Primary’s Grade 7 learners received well-deserved certificates in the school’s brand new hall during a ceremony led by principal Zola Faku on November 17. Pictured above with youth champion Vuyolwethu Vice at centre in front are top ladies, at back from left, Hlengiwe Silevu, Sinako Mbele, Sinawo Krabie, Siwe Tyam, Abonga Mpimpi, Asenathi Rubu and Tandokazi Saule. Best boy performers were Siphamandla Skosana, left, and Sbongisipho Mdladlana. At right, Hlengiwe shows off the eight certificates she received in different categories, making her the school’s sharpest learner of 2016 - very well done!

THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF BOWLS: Plett Bowling Club hosts its marvellously successful Business League competitions twice a year, in January/February and October/November. The first tournament in 2002 was the brainchild of Neville Whittaker and Hugh Stacey and saw 12 teams battle it out on the greens. This number has now grown to 38 teams contending each tournament over a six-week period. FNB sponsored the event for many years but 2016 has hailed a new main sponsor: Helen Melon Properties. The League is a wonderful opportunity for business folk in Plett to get to know each other and create opportunities in a friendly environment. Games start at 5pm on Tuesdays, when work colleagues and families rock up in droves to cheer on their teams in a lively atmosphere. During the last League competition, Crazy Hat category winners were Wild Dog Media - pictured from left are Brian Potter with sponsor Helen Ward, and Lyn and Brian Madeley. At centre are overall winners the Barbarians team of Deon Dorfling with Madelyn and Cliff Siebert. At right are winners of the Unlucky Wicks section Nature Sports Company - from left are Mark Edington, Ryan Gilbert and Max Smit. The next Business League season kicks off on January 24 and interested parties are welcome to call Neil Calder on 082 332 2218.

WEIGHTY GENEROSITY: Once again - now a full nine years running!

- Simon Ash of The Fat Fish provided the venue and a fabulous Christmas lunch for kids from Masizame shelter in KwaNokuthula.

Explains Jill Mouat, who shared this pic: “The famous restaurateur also very kindly donned his Father Christmas beard and hat to hand out gifts. All the kids were having the best festive fun and we thank Simon for his extreme and continued kindness.”

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Social Scene

People, places & events

Photos: Sharyn Hodges

BLOWN AWAY BY THE GROOVE: The first Get Lucky Summer concert of the 2016 season got off to a blustery start in Plett as a howling easterly wind battered the marquee on the Beacon Island’s south lawn. But the gale did little to deter the crowd that had come to see GoodLuck perform live, supported by The Sweet Resistance and DJ Just Dru. Get Lucky Summer continues next weekend and each week during the festive season until Sunday January 8.

Pictured anti-clockwise from top right is the shooter of our cover image Brendon Morris with daughter Hannah; Laurika, Murray and Annerie having a blast; Lee, left, and Alice doing some fly-fishing; and supercool DJ Siv, left, & Co shooting the breeze and sharing frosties.

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE CRAGS: Reverend Pam Berning of St Michael’s Church in The Crags shared this photo along with news of the ball had by members of her flock recently. “We were so privileged to have a wonderful ball during which the debutants raised R12,000 for church funds.” At centre in the picture is Priscilla Bernado, who scored the title of Queen for raising the biggest sum of money. In second place was Gert Fixter, right, and Sonja Camphor was third. “We honoured them with gifts and praise for their dedication and hard work,” says the Revd. “Thank you Crags community, you have done so well. God bless.”

‘AUNTY B’ FUELS SEASONAL TRAVAILS: Our front-ofhouse face Linda Ausker, left, and CXPRESS managing editor Lezanne Watson marvel at the culinary gift dropped off last week at our office in Park Lane by the splendiferous Mrs Barbara Rolfe of Plett’s Art Association fame, ostensibly to thank the team - and especially Linda, as her personal advertising agent - for our fine presentation of her regular features during the past year. ‘Aunty B’, as she is fondly known in the CXPRESS office, managed to keep the entire team in high spirits with her ‘gâteau cadeau’, which was of such magnificence that this bumper issue was virtually built on the energy channelled by that eighth wonder of the world: a cheesecake baked by Clare. Thanks Barbs, and here’s to many more years of ‘letting ‘em eat cake’.

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Derek shoots boats and horses T

DOWN THE HATCH: “While breakfasting at the Ski Boat Club on December 4, we watched NSRI crew launching their big boat down a very awkward ramp that had been eroded by recent high seas. That did not deter them however and subsequent tides have worked towards levelling their ‘playing’ field...”

PERFECT PARALLEL PARKING: “These SAPS members and their trusty steeds visited Plett earlier this month and according to local horse lady Janet Harding, these horsemen (and one woman) really knew what they were doing.

They were also seen putting children on their mounts, very much to the kids’ delight. What an asset they are!”

News & Views

14 December 2016

HESE pics and comments by well-known resident and part-time Plett chronicler Derek Frielinghaus captured some of the more and less talked about scenes in the town since the start of silly season.

Local NSRI volunteers are on call night and day, especially when the town is brimming with swimmers and hikers and boats on Plett’s rivers and in the bay.

Call them on 082 990 5975 in case of emergency.

Still close to the surf: opinions differed muchly over the presence of mounted police members on Central Beach, one faction claiming that the animals’ dung would cost Bitou this main Blue Flag beach. The other side bemoaned the fact that no one else is allowed beach rides, and was baying for horse and rider access on all of Plett’s beaches…

World Aids Day commemorated in Plett

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OUNG and old joined in the festivities for World Aids Day, held in Bossiesgif and hosted by Western Cape Government Health (WCGH) in partnership with LoveLife, Bitou Municipality and other stake holders on December 1.

Fighting the spread of HIV/Aids is still a top priority for the WCGH, as it remains committed to achieving an Aids-free generation by 2030. Of particular concern is the high rate of new HIV infections among women and girls between 19 and 24.

With the help of the Global Fund grant, this problem will be tackled in hot-spot areas. According to the Prevention Gap Report (UNAIDS 2016), in Eastern and Southern Africa there are 4,500 new infections per week among women in the 15-24 age group - double the new infections among men in the same age bracket.

Through its Women of Worth programme, the Department aims to initiate antiretroviral treatment for at least 80% of eligible clients, ensure an enabling and accessible provincial legal framework that protects and promotes human rights, and reduce the self-reported stigma related to HIV and TB by at least 50%.

UNITED AGAINST HIV: The day’s health team was, from left, Sister Robbie, Happy, Cynthia, Nozipho, Edward and Denray

CANDLES FOR THE FALLEN: Remembering those who have passed on after falling victim to the disease

LITTLE VOICES: Two youngsters entertained the crowd with their World Aids Day poem

Children, do NOT play with fire

As fires continued to rage through the north-eastern areas of Knysna on December 1 and 2, Gigi Lewis spoke to Knysna Fire Chief Clinton Manuel and Station Commander Wayne Sternsdorf, pictured at top right, on site. In constant radio communication, they were assessing manoeuvres with aircrew of two Huey choppers, each carrying 1,000 litres of water, a spotter plane, and a bomber 802 Air Tractor, pictured above, carrying 3,600 litres at once. The aircraft were employed to target specific areas to get the fires under control, in cooperation with ground teams, fire fighters and vehicles from Eden District, Knysna Municipality, Southern Cape Fire Prevention Association, and MTO Forestry. As the teams worked ceaselessly during the daylight hours, Manuel confirmed that all fires in Knysna’s northern areas were started by kids on December 1, as they could be seen lighting the fires from the air by the spotter plane and helicopters.

Measures were being taken to identify the children and open cases for police prosecution. Apart from the enormous expense these operations have incurred, the man-hours and personal risk to crews are immeasurable. - Photos: Gigi Lewis

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Food & Wine

PeeBee’s Wine Column

Peter Bishop

The Plett Wine Route - Part I of II

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HE Stellenbosch Wine Route was launched in 1973 and co-founder Spatz Sperling of Delheim prayed for clouds to appear in the sky. The beaches were deserted and the day was spent tasting.

The Plett Wine Route should be in demand on even the warmest days of this summer.

If, up to 2016, you came to Plett to strut the beach paths, times have changed; 10 wine farms are in production and open to visitors, with seven preparing for the next season. Some of these offer food and distractions for the kids.

I was lucky to be able to ‘do the tour’ - but it took two days of concentrated tasting. The concentration of the wineries on the eastern side is along Rexford Road to the east. Those I will preview next week.

In this article, I am guiding you to the other four stalwarts: Packwood, Plettenvale, Luka, and Bitou.

I tasted the full array of Sauvignon Blanc and MCC - the sparkling wine Méthode Cap Classique made from either Sauvignon Blanc (as pioneered

by Bramon), or Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay.

A few red wines are on show, but it is the Sauvignon Blanc and the people whom you meet that will fascinate. The fine acids from the cooler maritime climatic conditions and the aged clay show brilliantly in the Sauvignon Blancs, so much so that founder of the Route, Bramon’s Peter Thorpe, decided to produce an MCC Sauvignon Blanc - and be proven a winner.

Don’t be cynical and say that you don’t like acid.

It is that very component that sates your thirst and invigorates your palate in the heat of summer.

If you want to question the taste components of apple, white peaches, pineapple, gooseberry, lime or nuances of these, consider that you have rivals: baboons, birds, bush pigs and bushbuck.

By picking earlier, the astute farmer saves his grapes and decides to make bubbles, referred to as MCC. Between Knysna and Plett, on the N2 at Harkerville, follow the sign for 6.4km to Fisanthoek and Packwood - that most interesting English country

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farm of Peter and Vicky Gent, where Peter tends the cattle and Vicky does the wines, from planting, to vinifying, to chatting on the Pinot Noir Rosé, the Gent MCC Sauvignon Blanc (that bottle matures!), and an interesting Pinot Noir.

Visitors wanting to see a handsome young man in control could visit Luka Wines, on the N2 turning left rather than turning right to Hunter’s Lodge and Zinzi restaurant.

Entrepreneur Mark Barnard bought the established farm two years ago. As is evident throughout the Route, if you can taste a bottled-matured Sauvignon Blanc, do so.

The great clean crisp and invigorating acids form a rod around which great complexity forms. Luka’s 2015 Sauvignon Blanc will impress you. Mark is tinkering with an MCC but the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are a tad young.

The Fat Fish restaurants in Plett and in George offer Luka and an array of Plett wines.

Back on the N2, take the newly-conditioned Airport

Road, and opposite the ‘drome you’ll find Gloria and Martin Strack’s Plettenvale. Not for this go-getter a retirement of grace and memory…

Four hectares have been planted and from what the bush pigs and the birds do not devour, Gloria produces a popular Dry Rosé and Brut Rosé MCC. The catch is a unique red ‘Our Blend’, the narration of that name making a great conversation piece.

Who are the “our” and what are the components of this fast-selling blend?

To reach the fourth point of call, leave Plett eastwards ‘till you see those glorious stables past Goose Valley on your right. The polo fields have given way to newly-formed Bitou Vineyards, where Derek Harvey is developing two hectares focusing on Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Plett Wine Tours offers tripping you around, whether or not there is a cloud in the sky.

• PeeBee has kept his palate alive since 1975 when he met Beejay Lankwarden in the Wilderness. He explores local, national and international wines, looking for ‘the cutting edge’.

PEEBEE SAYS: ‘A week after my tour, I was asked to assess two Sauvignon Blancs from The Cape… they fell so far short, lacking that cutting-edge long acid that holds the food flavours’ - the image above shows part of the scrumpdelicious array of culinary treats that accompanied Plett products of the vine during this year’s Wine & Bubbly Festival

ALL ABOUT THE WINE: Peter Bishop spreads the good Plett wines word during the PE Wine Show earlier this year

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Interval

14 December 2016

Going out can be such hard work…

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couple is dressed and ready to go out for the evening. They phone for a taxi, turn on a night light, cover their pet parakeet, and put the cat out in the back yard.

The taxi arrives, and they open the front door to leave. Suddenly the cat they put out scoots back into the house. They

don’t want the cat shut in there because she always tries to eat the bird.

The wife goes out to the taxi while the husband goes back in to sort out the situation.

The cat runs upstairs, with the husband in hot pursuit.

The wife doesn’t want the driver to know the

Well, he wanted to know

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fter years of wondering why he didn’t look like his younger sister or brother, a young man finally gathered the nerve to ask his mother

if he was adopted.

“Yes, you were, Son,” his mother said as she started to cry softly. “But it didn’t work out and they brought you back.”

The indignant blonde

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ast year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive double-panel energy efficient kind, and today I got a call from the contractor who installed them.

He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn’t paid for them.

Helllllooooo, just because I’m blonde doesn’t

mean that I am automatically stupid. So, I told him just what his fasttalking sales guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would pay for themselves.

“Hellllooooo? It’s been a year!” I told him.

There was only silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just hung up.

He never called back. I bet he felt like an idiot.

It’s strange to think 75 years ago everyone owned a horse and only the rich had cars.

Today everyone has a car and only the rich own horses.

house will be empty, so she explains to the taxi driver that her husband will be out soon.

“He’s just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother.”

A few minutes later, the husband gets into the taxi.

“Sorry I took so long,” he says, as they drive away.

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“Stupid hag was hiding under the bed. Had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out.

“Then I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked. I hauled her big butt downstairs and threw her out into the back yard!”

Talking in your sleep

he teacher fell asleep in class and little Johnny walked up to him.

Johnny: “Teacher, are you sleeping in class?”

Teacher: “No, I am not sleeping in class.”

Johnny: “What were you doing, Sir?” Teacher: “I was talking to God.” The next day little Johnny fell asleep in class and the teacher walks up

to him.

Teacher: “Johnny, you are sleeping in my class?”

Johnny: “No, not me, Sir. I am not sleeping.”

Angry teacher: “What were you doing?”

Johnny: “I was talking to God.” Angry teacher: “What did He say?”

Johnny: “God said that He never spoke to you yesterday!”

Die nuutste 2-in-1 braai en cooler combo... nou beskikbaar by jou naaste groothandelaar

14 December 2016 CXPRESS Interval

27

A frustrated husband in front of his laptop: “Dear Google, please do not behave like my wife. Please allow me to complete my sentence before you start guessing and suggesting...”

... And meanwhile down on the farm

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Karoo farmer is overseeing his herd when suddenly a brand-new BMW advances out of a dust cloud towards him.

The driver, a young man in a designer suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses, and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the farmer: “If

I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf ?”

The farmer looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers: “Sure, why not?”

The yuppie parks his

Holiday shots you’d rather forget...

car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cellphone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photograph.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored.

He then accesses a MSSQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-colour, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturised HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the farmer and says: “You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.”

“That’s right. Well, I

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guess you can take one of my calves,” says the farmer.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as he proceeds to stuff it into the boot of his car.

Then the farmer says to the young man: “Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf ?”

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says: “Okay, why not?”

“You work for the government,” says the farmer.

“Wow! That’s correct,” says the yuppie, “but how did you guess that?”

“No guessing required,” answers the farmer. “You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used all kinds of expensive equipment that clearly somebody else paid for. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don’t know a thing about cows… this is a herd of sheep.

“Now, please give me back my dog.”

It’s bean soup...

hen the waitress in a Cape Town restaurant brought him the soup of the day, the visiting Englishman was a bit dismayed.

“Good heavens,” he

said, “what is this?”

“It’s bean soup,” the waitress replied.

“I don’t care what it’s been,” the Englishman said. “I want to know what it is now?”

On paraprosdokians

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inston Churchill loved paraprosdokians - figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected.

• If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.

• War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

• Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

• I thought I wanted a career. Turns out, I just wanted pay cheques.

• I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

HOLIDAY ROMANCE

NOT?

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• A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.

• Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

• You’re never too old to learn something stupid.

• To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

• Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

• Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

• Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

The first time flier

he first-time flier was very nervous as he buckled his seatbelt before take-off.

He turned to the woman

in the next seat and asked: “About how often do jetliners like this crash?”

After a moment, she replied: “Usually, just once.”

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

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CXPRESS

HOME & HEALTH

14 December 2016

Follow Doc Enzo’s simple recipe for great colon health EOPLE often underestimate the effect that colon symptoms have on mood, productivity, and even functions of daily living. They are one of the most common reasons for doctors’ visits.

These symptoms unfortunately become even more common as one gets older. Why is this the case?

Every meal that we eat has to pass through the colon. If we had to take, for example, a 70-yearold person having eaten three meals a day from the age of two, this person’s gut would have had to deal with just over 70,000 meals throughout that lifetime.

One of the main functions of the colon is to reabsorb water and produce formed stools. This takes time - much longer than the time it takes to get to the colon in the first place.

Therefore, the 70,000 meals containing all sorts of potentially harmful substances, have spent a large portion of every day in contact with the colonic wall.

Over the years, repeated insults from these substances result in all sorts of chaos including colon polyps, colon cancers, and many other unwanted symptoms.

At the same time, one can be left with hard, dry stools if, due to some imbalance, the colon absorbs too much water.

This results in constipation, which eventually allows diverticula and piles to develop.

This may be an oversimplification, but Dr Schroeder’s recipe for a healthy colon has only two ingredients.

The first is a proper diet with adequate dietary fibre intake and plenty of water. Fibre binds water and keeps it inside the

P

The only pharmacy in Main Street

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

DON’T FEAR THE BLACK MAMBA: Dr Enzo Schroeder opened his Plett practice a year ago, and recently presented a talk on colon health to residents at Glen Eden Retirement Village, regaling them by referring to the colonoscope around his neck as his ‘black mamba’ and subsequently gaining invites from several organisations in town to repeat this important presentation during 2017 – and after the informative talk, residents were treated to delicious refreshments prepared by the Mediclinic Plettenberg Bay kitchen staff while using the opportunity to meet and chat to the good doctor

MEET AND GREET: With Dr Schroeder at back is Richard Bird, and fellow Glen Eden residents Kay Prinsloo, Carol Damp, Corrie Nel, and Larry Arcus in front

THE DOC AND THE ELDERS: Dr Schroeder is flanked by most senior residents Edna Helfet and Kitty Kruger, right

colon where it keeps the stools soft.

Many people mistakenly assume breakfast is the meal where we take in the fibre we need for the day as this is what the TV ads

for breakfast cereals have led us to believe.

It is true that we can boost our fibre intake by choosing cereals high in fibre such as oats, but the fact is our main source

of dietary fibre is from fresh, uncooked fruit and uncooked vegetables.

These should be ingested on a daily basis.

The second ingredient for a healthy colon is regular screening for any nasty lesions as you start getting older. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and fourth in women, and the risk starts increasing dramatically as you pass 50.

It is also a cancer that does not show many symptoms until a late stage and therefore needs to be actively looked for.

We now know that most colon cancers develop from polyps that grow in the colon. If we find and remove these polyps, then we decrease the risk of progression to cancer.

The gold standard for screening is colonoscopy, which should be commenced at the age of 50 at five-year intervals.

The recipe for a healthy colon may be very simple, but not necessarily easy, as each person’s body is unique and handles food and fibre-intake differently. To get it right for yourself will take time with trial and error.

Also remember the danger signs and symptoms of serious colon problems, and when you should seek professional medical advice. These include seeing any blood in the stools, a sudden change in regular toilet habits, unexplained weight loss, and new onset lower abdominal pain.

Visit your family doctor or dietician if you need help to establish a healthy colon plan, or should you have any concerns regarding symptoms experienced.

Visit Dr Enzo Schroeder’s rooms at 17D Florina Place, cnr Gibb & Main St, Plett or call 044 533 1530, and see the ad on p29 for more info on Mediclinic Plettenberg Bay.

HOME & HEALTH

14 December 2016

CXPRESS

29

Blood is season’s greatest gift T’S the season to be jolly and most of us can’t wait to kick back, relax and take a well-deserved break. Although this is the time of year many people look forward to, the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) in turn will be entering one of its most difficult periods.

Besides the roads being extremely busy, blood collections tend to decline as fewer people remember to donate blood before going on holiday. This, added to the fact that many of our regular blood collection venues close their doors during the holidays, means that the Service have less access to its donors.

So now the WPBTS team is bringing its services to holidaymakers! Please be on the lookout for blood donation clinics in residen-

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tial areas, shopping malls, and holiday destinations throughout the Western Cape. Remember to donate blood and help give this season’s greatest gift to those in hospital and victims in various predicaments.

Blood donation only takes 30 minutes every 56 days. It requires you to be between the ages of 16 and 65, weigh over 50kgs, be in good general health and lead a safe sexual lifestyle. It does not cause you any bodily harm, since only 475ml of blood is taken - an amount replaced within 24 hours.

While donors from all blood groups are important, there is a particular need for donors with blood types O and B to donate regularly, as stocks of these are more vulnerable to shortfalls.

There is also a need for more black African people

to become blood donors to reflect the ethnic diversity of patients.

For more information, SMS “blood” to 33507 and an operator will call you back with info on where to donate. Donors can also call 021 507 6300, email info@ wpbts.org.za or visit www. wpblood.org.za for details.

Like the Service on Facebook (WP Blood) or follow them on Twitter (@WPBlood) for interesting facts and blood-stock updates.

The Service wishes to thank all donors for their support during 2016. Without your commitment to this cause, they would not be able to ensure a safe and sustainable blood supply to patients in the Western Cape.

Donors are welcomed at their clinics up until December 31, and from January 2 onwards.

PLETTENBERG BAY

Gerrit cracks the 100-pint milestone

And now… a nursery at Old Nick Village!

LETT’S well-known Roadside Nursery now has a big sister - the Red Shed Nursery @ Old Nick Village - a top quality outlet in the heart of Old Nick Village. Not only do Anthony and Sarah Pearce supply outstanding plants, but the savvy duo provide their particular brand of knowl-

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edgeable service, coupled with competitive pricing.

Red Shed Nursery allows the customer to browse and enjoy the array of colours, textures, and scents.

A sea of purple lavender alongside striking white iceberg roses, swathes of grasses, beautiful daisies, and an array of brightly-

And our Hill’s dog bed winner is…

Congratulations to Judy Dixon from Sedgefield - the lucky CXPRESS reader who won a lovely new Hill’s lazy pillow bed worth R500 by telling us the name of the veterinary advisor to Hill’s Pet Nutrition SA, Dr Guy Fyvie, by the December 10 deadline. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Judy’s doggie should have that new bed early in the New Year, yay!

coloured verbenas lead you up the pathway to the Red Shed, which is filled with lush green indoor plants and stunning gift ideas.

This garden centre provides an experience that will inspire even the least greenfingered gardener to take up a spade and start planting.

Also see the ad on page 19.

EXPERT HEALTHCARE ON YOUR DOORSTEP MEDICLINIC PLETTENBERG BAY PROVIDES QUALITY CARE WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT, TOP FACILITIES AND WARM, WELCOMING STAFF. FACILITIES AVAILABLE • A major theatre • A delivery room • Emergency room with resuscitation and procedure room • Pharmacy

SUPPORT SERVICES Ambulance services Radiology department Pathology department

• • •

GENERAL 24-hour Medical Doctor on call

•

DISCIPLINES Anaesthesiology Dentistry Dermatology Ear, nose and throat surgery Emergency medicine General surgery CCU/High care unit Internal medicine Maxillofacial Obstetrics and gynaecology Ophthalmology Orthopaedic surgery Plastic surgery

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

MULLER STREET, PLETTENBERG BAY 6600 T 044 501 5100

EMERGENCY ROOM GUIDELINES When contacting the hospital, please speak to the nurse on duty • Cash payments only (no medical aid claims) • Card facilities available • Identification document or passport upon arrival • Use hospital main entrance for access to the emergency room • Doctor on call will be contacted once situation has been evaluated by allocated nursing staff •

EMERGENCY ROOM: 044 501 5100 www.mediclinic.co.za

FLY15606LNMR

Plett resident Gerrit Teunissen is pictured here in the process of donating his 100th pint of blood on December 6 - what a milestone!

Upon further enquiry, wife Adrie explained: “It took Gerrit 47 years to donate the 47+ litres that equal 100 pints of blood. His first donation was as 18-year-old in Pretoria, where the blood bank was located in ‘Bloedstraat’! After a 20-year interlude, he gave blood again in Roodepoort, Gauteng. But when we retired to Plettenberg Bay in 2015, Gerrit feared that his uneven heart rhythm would prevent any further donations. Fortunately, a doctor’s letter did the trick and last week’s donation was done in a lovely large air-conditioned space in the BI Hotel. When he was younger, it took but three minutes to fill up a bag but last week’s timing was closer to five minutes.” That’s one sterling example set, Gerrit! Read the story above and do follow suit.

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CXPRESS

14 December 2016

Classifieds

ON THE SOAPBOX

14 December 2016

Letters to the Editor

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

Not all nectar-giving aliens bound for annihilation I write with regard to Andrew Forbe’s letter in CXPRESS of November 30 [see page 15 of that edition at www.cxpress.co.za].

I would like to set Andrew’s mind to rest that SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute) regulations do make provision for the continued use of Eucalypts for bees and nectar.

These regulations do not state that “… in order to save water all alien species must be eradicated” (An-

drew’s words).

For sure, many types of alien species in certain areas are on the list for eradication. But, because of their bee and honey utilisation, certain Eucalyptus species are exempt, such as Flowering gums, Grey ironbark, Yellow box and Black ironbark.

Some occurrences of Eucalyptus species are singled out for eradication, for instance in areas riparian to rivers, in order to prevent their water

Once proud Plett ratepayer’s plea to Bitou council

DARK DOLPHIN: It’s a shame that the beautiful dolphin bronze atop Plett’s mini traffic circle is not properly lit

I remember the day when our mayor was hoisted up in the air and unveiled that beautiful sculpture of the dolphins opposite the newly-built Upper Deck - I was a very proud taxpayer of Plett!

A couple of years after this, the council made me proud again when I saw them totally changing the face of our main road. Sidewalks were ripped up and replaced with brick paving, comfortable staircases, handrails and plant boxes. Trees were planted and roads properly marked.

Then the most state of the art light fittings made from stainless steel, Balau-wood and durable plastic were installed on our sidewalks, with a huge whale-tail fitting at the new traffic circle below The Grand.

It must have cost millions of rands, budgeted for by the council, and taxpayers could see where their money went.

This all made us proud and we took visitors to town, convincing them to invest in Plett. But within a year or two, things started to deteriorate and maintenance was neglected.

I wrote a letter to the electrical engineer to

report all the dead spotlights that were supposed to light up the dolphin sculpture, and those supposed to shine from the beautiful light fittings on the sidewalks.

When receiving no answer, I called him.

He was a very friendly man, but unfortunately a master of useless excuses. He told me that the lamps were discontinued because of LED lamps coming in, water in the pipes, rusted lamp holders, etc.

Today, of 30 light fittings, 18 are not working and some lamps in the remaining 12 are also dead. It seems to me that the word ‘maintenance’ does not exist in local Councils.

As former building contractor, I can only imagine how easy it must be to fix the lights and repair some dilapidated handrails.

I hereby plead with the Bitou council to rectify these things before the visitors come, so we as ratepayers can once again boast about our town and our council.

Charl van Deventer, Plett (Visit www.cxpress.co.za and read ‘Plett street light mechanics elucidated’ on page 11 of the November 2 edition. - Eds.)

utilisation and spreading further downstream.

Eucalypts in protected areas (National Parks for instance) must be removed unless they have historical or cultural value. Permits can be attained for the continued use of Eucalypt plantations/stands for shade, for instance, on farms and in towns under certain conditions.

Usual conditions for such permits would include a stipulation that the landowner must ensure against uncontrolled

spread of seedlings.

I would point out that landowners must be very alert to unscrupulous contractors who would like to impress upon them that all Eucalyptus must be removed from their properties - they generally have hidden agendas which do not accord with policy!

If in doubt, contact your local authority. In the meantime... enjoy your honey!

Robert Smith Outeniqua Dendrological Society, by email

Landfill woes abound...

There are a lot of ratepayers out there that would like CXPRESS to do an in-depth photographic feature on the Plettenberg Bay landfill site.

We are paying a huge amount of money to have our waste transported to George by road.

This, however, does not appear to be happening, as waste is still being dumped to a huge extent up at the dump site. It has to be seen to be believed.

One, therefore, has to ask: are the funds set aside for the transport of waste being pocketed, or is it a case of complete disorganisation and inability to send the waste to George for disposal?

We as residents look forward to your in-depth study on the situation, with photographs taken on site.

J Kipitfirst, Plett (Although no response to the above was received from Bitou by going to press, it’s clear the issue

is an ongoing bugbear for the municipality and residents alike - turn to page 4 for a report on the Bitou landfill site.

The landfill site at Mossel Bay is apparently due to close early in the new year, and the only solution now is for each and every Garden Route resident and visitor to recycle, re-use, compost organics, and the plethora of other tried and tested measures that decrease waste generated by the human race.

Whatever the solution for Plett, there’s no such thing as ‘away’, no matter how many photos are taken of misdemeanours at dump sites. And the global landfill dearth will never disappear - au contraire.

Visit www.mywaste.co.za to find your nearest recycler and www.allwastesolutions. co.za to find waste-management suppliers; www. iwmsa.co.za and www.recycling.co.za provide information on recycling and recovery. - Eds.)

Remember ‘êrrie tjêrrie tjorts’?

GOOGLE SURPRISE: This wording of a remembered kids’ count-out rhyme was one of the finds when the internet was trawled

To while away your postpublication lacuna, let me bounce something off your CXPRESS team.

This week, as octogenarians are apt to do, I cast my mind back to childhood days (1930s and 40s) and an odd recollection came to mind.

At school and play, there were a number of counting out ‘methods’ that the kids used. For some reason this is one I remembered - the piece of gibber-

ish as per the image at left.

As is my custom, I submitted it to Google, expecting it to not be recognised. To my surprise there were a number of hits - even a play centre for kids in the Free State called ‘Olka Bolka.’

There were also a number of comments from folk who remembered it well. I noted that these comments came largely from the Free State (I was a Vaalie), so I wondered whether the origin was among Afrikaners in that region.

My curiosity knows no bounds and I seek your assistance as to its origin and translation. No reason other than curiosity is involved! Is it part of your youthful memories?

John Magill, Knysna (Readers with memories to share in this regard are welcome to email editor@ cxpress.co.za and we’ll forward them to Monsieur Magill. - Eds.)

CXPRESS

Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

14 December 2016

Conjugal challenge causes Street Mile jitters for SA Olympian OUTH African 400m hurdler LJ van Zyl has taken on the best in the world in his career, but that is not stopping him from getting the jitters as he contemplates the Bestmed Eden Street Mile Series in three W-Cape towns this month.

Looming large for the national star is a challenge against his wife, Irvette, who was in the SA team to run the marathon at the Rio Olympics until she had to withdraw due to injury.

LJ said this was a perfect opportunity to settle an argument they had been hav-

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ing for several years.

“The question is who can run the faster mile,” said LJ, a brand ambassador for the sponsors. “And when Bestmed heard about this they suggested setting up the challenge in the Eden Street Mile Series.”

Confident of his position when the suggestion was made, LJ is now beginning to have second thoughts.

“Initially I thought I had a good chance, but her training in the last week has been amazing. She did a total of 10 times 1,000m with a minute’s rest in-between,

while I could do only three.

So I’m a little bit nervous.

“But it’s going to be fun and it’s not a bad thing to be doing some training at this time of the year.”

The series, which consists of races in Oudtshoorn on December 17, George on the 20th and Hartenbos on the 22nd will see athletes from across the country compete for a chunk of the total prize-money of R80,400.

The Van Zyls will run in the Family Mile at the ATKV Street Mile in Hartenbos.

To broaden the appeal of the series, the Klein Karoo

leg in Oudtshoorn will include a street mile for cyclists. It will take place in Baron van Reede Street, starting at 9am with the cycling races and the running following at 10am (registration from 7am).

The second event, the NMMU Street Mile, will take place on a scenic circular route through the NMMU George campus, starting at 10am (registration from 8am). The final leg at Hartenbos starts at 8:30am with registration at 7:30am. Visit www.eden miles.co.za for more info.

THE WIFE: Long-distance ace Irvette van Zyl has been training hard for the Bestmed Eden Mile Series taking place in Oudtshoorn, George and Hartenbos from December 1722 - Photo: Reg Caldecott

THE HUSBAND: South African hurdler LJ van Zyl - in action here during the Men’s 400m hurdles on day five of the Rio Olympics - Photo: Christiaan Kotze/SASPA

Six days ‘till Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge 2016 T’S that exciting time of the year again when sports stars, amateur and novices athletes, and families gear up for the Garden Route’s biggest family summer sporting event - the Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge from December 20-22.

Proudly sponsored

by Discovery, the event promises three days of heart-pumping fun in the Plett sun, and organisers are urging prospective participants to take note of the dates and enter now to secure their spots in this iconic event.

“The Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge event provides a great platform to get people active over the December holidays, while also enabling families to contribute meaningfully to society and the local community over the festive season.” says Iona Maclean of Discovery.

“This event is close to

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our hearts, and it is a good reminder that we all have a responsibility to support foundations like Sabrina Love, who are making a tangible difference to Bitou people’s lives.”

In the last 12 years, the Challenge has grown from just 25 participants in its first year to close to 4,000.

Mark Collins of event organisers Magnetic South says that it has been some-

BRUSHING SHOULDERS WITH STARS: A Sterreweg kid with Olympic Swimmer Achmat Hassiem - see story below

BEACH STROLLERS: Join the Sabrina walkers or runners in turning Robberg Beach pink - Photo: Jean Collins

thing really special to be a part of the phenomenal success of the event.

“Two things that distinguish this from every other event are the unique blend of family and sport, and the charity aspect. Not many events can claim to give 100% of entry fees to the charity, says Collins, “and the fact that the Discovery sponsorship makes this possible is nothing short of awesome.”

The Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge offers nine events, and is hosted on Plett’s Central Beach and the polo fields of Kurland Estate. Events include: • A 10km beach and road run • A 5km ocean swim • A one-mile swim • A 5km beach walk • A 6 or 10km trail run • A 25km mountain bike ride • Kids Of Steel adventure run.

See the advert on page 18 and visit www.sabrina love.co.za for more information or to enter.

Meet ‘Sharkboy’ on Plett’s Central Beach CHMAT Hassiem lost his right leg below the knee in a 2006 shark attack while he and his brother were training to become lifeguards. He successfully managed to lure the 4.5m great white away from his brother by

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slapping the water with his hand, until the shark bit his leg and dragged him for 50 metres. He has drawn the jaws of a shark on his prosthetic leg as a reminder and to motivate him.

Achmat took up com-

petitive swimming in 2007 at the Sport Science Institute of South Africa in Cape Town, where he studied alongside SA para-swimmer Natalie du Toit who encouraged him to get back into the water after his accident.

“I took to the pool like a shark to ocean,” he jokes - hence the nickname ‘Sharkboy’. He competed at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics and looks forward to participating in next week’s Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge.