14 September 2016 by CXpress

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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14 September 2016

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NEWS & VIEWS

14 September 2016

Jogging Down Memory Lane

Derek Frielinghaus

Do you remember those times - the places and people? N the previous edition, we included photos of pretty finalists of some international beauty pageant, who were treated to a cruise by then members of Plett NSRI during a visit to town. [Turn to page 2 of the September 7 edition at www.cxpress.co.za]. I guessed that the year may have been 1988, and asked if anyone could confirm whether they were Miss Universe or Miss World finalists. Longtime resident and NSRI stalwart Dave Harrow was quick to respond as follows: Those pictures in CXPRESS certainly brought back fond memories of Sea Rescue… The photos were taken in December 1991, just before the Miss World pageant that took place at Sun City. The entrants were divided into four groups, each of which was entertained by Sun

EAR Derek, allow me to share some old reminiscences of Plettenberg Bay… I was born in the house we now live in during the year Plett was declared a village! It then belonged to Rev and Mrs Perry - he was in charge of the Church of England area and they came to retire here. I was christened in the lovely old stone church of St Peters. They had built the first house in San Gonzales Street. Opposite was then built a house belonging to the Moolmans who had a cow where we could get fresh milk. My grandfather bought our house when the Perrys decided to return to England, and we spent many holidays here. Nicely positioned we could go into Melvilles General Store in the main street, order what we wanted and it would be sent up to us. Monks at the eastern end of

International. One of these groups came to Plettenberg Bay and stayed at the Beacon Isle Hotel. Miss South Africa of that year Diana Tilden-Davis, who ended up being crowned second princess, was in this group - the blonde in the front of the boat in one of your pictures. At our Wednesday training

session, the crew were asked to volunteer for a ‘most unpleasant task’ that following Saturday. The usual hard core, always up to any mission, once again volunteered. When the ‘unpleasant task’ was revealed, they were the envy of every crewman. Needless to say, as can be seen in the picture below, on Saturday the

entire crew turned up to help launch - some even brought their own boats to ‘escort’ the rescue boat. Each beauty queen had at least three crewmen to help her on board. Wetsuit zips were pulled down to show off our rescue heroes’ manly chests, and they all wore their designer sunglasses! SERVICE ABOVE SELF: When seeing this photo and reading Dave Harrow’s account of the occasion, I couldn’t help thinking that ‘never have so few been assisted by so many’…

Anne de Wet remembers... Main were the butchers and then became a general store. We would watch the sea horizon about midday for the white sails of the wooden fishing boats and rush on foot down to Central Beach to watch in fascination the boats being turned around, catching a good wave and being rowed in by the very strong fishermen as far up the beach as possible. A youngster would then put a large rubber roller in front and the sturdy fishermen would put their oars in the locks and heave the boats in. We could buy a very large fish for a couple of bob fresh from the ocean, put it in the pram and mother pushed it up the steep Odlands Road which, like all the roads here, was still dirt. The boat houses were taken by a huge storm later and it is good we have no harbour here

as this coast can be treacherous. Harbour walls would be washed away by a big southeaster storm. Water was brown from the leaves of trees on Keurbooms River and we had a large urn with coal to filter it for drinking. Bucket toilets were up the garden path so when we were teenagers, we did not like arriving home at night if the donkey cart was around removing the buckets! Candles and lamps were used and we had a wind charger and batteries for lights. No fridge, so we kept the milk and perishables in a wire cage hanging from the stoep roof. Someone made and gave my brother a huge velvet owl which was put in his jump chair hanging from the same stoep roof: a dog was drawn by the lovely meat odour but saw the green and yellow owl and backed off with his hair bristling. We did not need fences in those days. There was one doctor here dear old Dr Heynes - so when my brother, who was very fairskinned, got too sunburned, he would paint his burns with gentian violet. Both he and his wife are buried in graves on the eastern side of St Peters. Our parents knew most of

the people who arrived for holidays here and we teamed up and had great fun with paper chases across the golf course, which was then down Longships way. This must have annoyed the golfers no end. The course was very sandy and full of biting ants, so it eventually moved to Plett Country Club’s excellent position. The Crawford-Brunt family built a very popular tearoom and fishing shop near Judge Murray’s house, where The Fat Fish and many other stores are now. It was most popular, of course. Aunt Betty Crawford was eventually on the Village Management Board and took a keen interest in everything in Plett. My husband and I saw her last in the Old Rectory, which the Crawford-Brunt family owned for many years. Until about 22 years ago, it was just a privilege to be mayor of Plett. The mayor had expenses paid, but no salary perhaps better than being political, as is now the case! • If these stories ring a bell, please feel free to email your reminiscences to haus@mweb. co.za (with or without your name), or drop it off in hard copy at the CXPRESS office at 6 Park Lane in Plettenberg Bay CBD.

NEWS & VIEWS

14 September 2016

After leave to appeal, Bitou leadership can now ‘get on with the job at hand’ The dust has finally settled in Bitou after a recount of one of Plettenberg Bay’s voting stations last week following a series of post-election issues, from the results revealing a hung council to complaints over the calculation and recording of votes in one of the town’s wards - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports ITOU made national headlines when the DA turned to the Electoral Court following the August 3 local government elections over a dispute regarding among others the spoilt votes recorded at the St Monica’s Church voting station in KwaNokuthula in Ward 5. On August 11, the party’s legal team sent the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa an objection against the declaration of the results, which showed that the DA lost out on an outright majority by a mere 21 votes, in terms of Section 65 of the Municipal Electoral Act. The party was subsequently granted leave to appeal the results. In their objection, the DA’s legal team claimed that each of the ballot counting forms - PR [Proportional Representation], ward, and district - showed that 53 spoilt ballots had been counted at a voting station in Ward 5. The second page of the counting forms also had not been signed by party agents as required. It is alleged that the counting officer refused to allow the

party agents to sign the page which recorded the spoilt ballots. The party’s lawyers also argued that they believed that the recording of the spoilt ballots had been “overstated and incorrect”. The DA party agent recorded eight, four, and 18 spoilt ballots respectively. Another political party’s agent recorded a similar number of spoilt votes. The objection also referred to claims that the counting officer sealed the ballot boxes with blue tape instead of the required seals. The Electoral Court last week ordered a recount of the votes which was done in Cape Town. The results were released on Thursday revealing several discrepancies with regards to the vote recording. The number of spoilt ballots was reduced from 53 to 17 on each of the three ballots - the PR, ward, and district. The recount also resulted in one additional vote for the DA and saw the ANC votes drop by seven. While the results showed a net shift of eight votes, it did not change the seat allocation. “We would like to thank

the Electoral Court for acceding to our request for a recount following our complaints of irregularities in the vote count. This is a testament to their commitment to a fair and open democratic process,” said DA Bitou constituency head Donald Grant. Former Bitou mayor and current DA PR councillor Memory Booysen said councillors would abide by the outcome and continue with the party’s role as opposition in Bitou. Bitou ANC chief whip and speaker Phakie Mbali said he was not surprised by the outcome, as he never expected a material change in the results. “This was just the DA’s way of fishing for votes after not being able to accept defeat,” Mbali said. ANC Southern Cape secretary Major Sokopo said the party had a responsibility to serve the people of Bitou and that he was delighted that they could now go on doing this without any uncertainties. “The fact that the status quo remains, means we can get on with the job at hand: serving the people of Bitou,” Sokopo said.

DA informs that ‘plundering has begun’ N a strongly worded email yesterday to “DA Friends and Supporters”, Liz Mundell of the Bitou Campaign Team addressed the recount and other issues, inter alia. “The ANC/AUF coalition government has not made a promising start. The plundering of Bitou finances has already begun. “Their first action was to completely evict the Munic-

ipal Manager (MM), Allen Paulse, from his office moving him lock, stock and barrel to share an office with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Felix Lotter. “When you consider that the executive responsibility for a municipality lies jointly with the Executive Mayor and the MM, this was an outrageous and humiliating action. Both the MM and the CFO are very

highly regarded professionals in the country. “Under the DA-run government from 2011 to 2016, both the MM and the CFO have been at the forefront of bringing Bitou from corruption, maladministration, insolvency with debt of R30million to a more efficient and financially viable organisation with R50-million in the bank. This equates to a turnaround of R80-million.”

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NEWS & VIEWS

14 September 2016

Knysna mayor responds to blogger O

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N Friday September 9, the office of Eleanore Bouw-Spies released a statement to express its disappointment that blogger Mike Hampton “had chosen to go public with unsubstantiated allegations and unfounded claims of corruption and cover ups in Knysna Municipality”. The statement continues: “Following an open and frank meeting held at the Mayor’s request, the details of what he calls ‘a communication scandal’ were provided as well as confirmation that all procedures were followed. “Acting Municipal Manager Carl Mattheus explained the procedures in detail as well as the deviations according to the Supply Chain Management Policy 2016/2017, which is in line with the 2005 Supply Chain Management Regulations. “Hampton chose to not only ignore this, but to also make serious accusations against the Legal Advisor, Acting Municipal Manager and Communications Manager, whom he accuses of supporting and trying to cover up corruption. “While Knysna Municipality recognises Hampton’s right to free speech, his blog postings should not be confused with mainstream journalism, which requires a higher level of procedural and ethical standards.” According to the state-

ment, the municipality provided Hampton with the relevant information pertaining to the appointment of Out There Communications on a threemonth contract. The statement concludes: “The office of the Mayor will continue to respond to reasonable requests for information but cannot be drawn into an online war of words where information is conveniently edited to suit a particular agenda. “Hampton, like any citizen in our democratic country, is entitled to use existing and established structures to raise any and all concerns that he may have.” The following day, Hampton retaliated with a statement sent to the local press and interested parties, entitled ‘Open Letter: Dear DA Mayor Eleonore BouwSpies, You Disappoint’. After stipulating his version of events with references to an array of seemingly

sinister dealings, Hampton claims that Bouw-Spies cost the people of Knysna R105,000 because of contracting Out There Communications without putting it out to tender. His statement concludes: “Apologise... And be our Mayor. Make an effort. Backpedal into decency. Give what you promised: communication and transparency. Stop denying openness. Choose to destroy secrecy. Promote accountability. Please accept my offer of a public meeting wherein all issues can be addressed via Q&A. “Surely that’s the best way to put so many scandals to bed and give the public you serve a good night’s rest? “What kind of Mayor do you choose to be? I hope that all matters can be settled more amicably than has happened so far. I keep my door towards meetings open so long as they are on record.”

NEVER THE TWAIN…? Knysna blogger Mike Hampton met with mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies on Friday September 2 to conduct an open discussion

NEWS & VIEWS

14 September 2016

CXPRESS

Installation art at Central Beach celebrates 20 years of international beach cleaning efforts

WAVE-HANDS: In the true spirit of community collaboration, many local artists, environmentalists, arts enthusiasts and students have volunteered their time to the construction of Gyred - an incredibly labour-intensive process

YRED, a new sculpture by Plett-based fine artists Carol Nathan Levin and Charles Levin, will be exhibited on Central Beach to coincide with the 20th anniversary of International Coastal Clean-up Day on September 17. A gyre is a spiralling form in the ocean driven by oce-

anic currents - such as the Pacific trash vortex in the Pacific Ocean - and comprised of marine debris. ‘Gyred’ will be installed on Friday and remain on exhibition until Monday September 19. The sculpture, conceived by the Levins in 2013, is approximately 2m high, 10m

long and 3m deep. It has been constructed from thousands of single-use plastic bottles sourced from local guesthouses and restaurants as well as from friends. As part of the Gyred project, Carol presented talks to eight schools in Bitou, highlighting the plight of the planet in the face of plastic pollution, as well as the effects of littering. The Levins document their plastic journey by sharing research on their Facebook page ‘The Plight of Plastic’. • The Plett Hope Spot programme for Saturday kicks off with a cleanup of Central Beach (8:30-10am), followed by the unveiling of Gyred (10:30), Lunchbox Theatre (11am), Plett Field Band (11:30) and an art competition from 12 noon to 1pm. Be there!

This free workshop will give priceless tips on running an eco-efficient home ATURE’S Valley Trust has invited Eco Atlas founder Rhian Berning to present a free session for Bitou folk as part of their Education and Skills-Shop programme supported by the Table Mountain Fund. The motivation behind the workshop is the notion that what we do in our homes and in our everyday lives has greater impacts on the natural environment, the local community, and the welfare of both domestic and wild animals, just by the

consumer and home management choices we make. Says Rhian: “I like to see the home as a living system so we will look at everything that enters your home, the effects it has on your family and the surroundings, and then everything that leaves your home, to minimise as many negative impacts as possible.” Topics covered will be energy and water use, food choices, waste and recycling, body and cleaning products, and supporting local busi-

nesses. The workshop will take a tour of each room in the house. “Going green and ethical is often seen as expensive and a luxury, but this is not at all the case - there are simple, practical solutions that will easily make your home far healthier for you, your children, and the planet, too,” says Rhian. The free Healthy Homes Skills-Shop takes place on Tuesday September 20 from 9am-1pm. See the advert on page 7 for details.

CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

14 September 2016

This charity shop crew does hard sell with a soft touch ROGER DAVIS of the Plett Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Charity Shop tells of two long-suffering pooches that have been nurtured back to happiness and health OT many people are aware that the PAWS Charity Shop not only takes in donations of goods and sells them for funds for PAWS itself, but we also feed many dogs from the local townships at the shop premises. I would like to tell a story about two such dogs of the many that we feed. The first case is a really thin bitch that started coming into the shop around eight months ago. We were rather upset to find that she had become pregnant and although we were feeding her, she was very timid and would not let us close to her. Once the four puppies were born, she became so thin we worried that she would not survive, and so we purchased special food just for her. Once the puppies were around four weeks old, we managed to find the owner and insisted that the puppies be given to us for checking and rehoming. Later, when the bitch came into the shop after she had stopped lactating, we took her to the PAWS ken-

nels and the following day she was spayed. Tracy, the kennel manageress, phoned the owner and said that she would return the bitch if she was wanted and collect the puppies, of which two had died by this time. Unfortunately the remaining two were so sick that Tracy had to have them put to sleep. I am pleased to say, however, that through our feeding the bitch has put on good weight and comes daily for her breakfast and a fuss by all the staff. On inclement weather days, she curls up inside the shop. The second dog appeared in the mornings for food about six months ago. He was so frightened of humans that he would cower and back away if you tried to approach him. You could see that his lower jaw had been broken and had reset quite skew and forward from where it should be. He also walked with a severe limp and it appeared as if his one rear hip joint was out. Well, this boy took close to five months of morning

feeding for us to be able to get his confidence to a point of touching him, but once he realised that we only wanted to love him, the ice was broken. This poor boy, who must have suffered a life of misery, now greets us every morning like a long lost friend, and stays by the shop all day knowing that as we pass him, he will get a fuss. Please help us in our quest to alleviate the suffering of these poor souls by donating your unwanted goods to our shop at 11 Hutchinson Street in Plett Industria, or phone Sandra on 084 734 4545 for collections. PAWS Annual General Meeting Join PAWS for its AGM in the Methodist Church Hall on Wednesday September 21 at 10am. This is an important opportunity for chairman Di Butlin and her committee to share successes, concerns, and plans for the future with the Plett community. All welcome for refreshments and a chat afterwards - call Di on 082 569 2571 for details.

RESCUED: These two dogs are now part of the furniture at the PAWS Charity Shop, and your donations of goods could ensure their care for many years to come

Raphaeli Waldorf School Open Day - creative education in Plett HE well-being of our children and the health of our societies are greatly influenced by our education. A child’s development must be skilfully nurtured if he or she is to have a good foundation for becoming socially balanced, happy and academically productive. We don’t know the demands which the future will place upon our children, but it is clear that inner strength, intellectual flexibility, empathy and sound independent judgement will be qualities vital to their future. At Raphaeli Waldorf School the educational ideal is to strengthen each child’s unique individuality, while encouraging healthy social responsibility and a love of learning. Its curriculum develops these qualities through creative teaching approaches

in which pupils experience learning through activity and through independent thinking. Children are able to become self-motivated and this love of learning will stay with them as they fulfil their life goals and dreams. On Monday September 19 from 11am to 12 noon,

Raphaeli Waldorf School welcomes you to come explore their beautiful school grounds where you will experience the active teaching methods and view the children’s school work. Please call 044 533 6157 and see the advert on page 9 for more information.

ALL-ROUND INSTRUCTION: The small classes at Raphaeli Waldorf School enable focussed individual attention while the immersive theme-based learning allows the development of the whole child - so, for instance, would maths include movement, calculations, music, object making and storytelling for a wellrounded, active and inspiring learning experience

14 September 2016

CXPRESS

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14 September 2016

INTERVAL

Q: What did the lawyer name his daughter? A: Sue.

Imagine all the time wasted in meetings! NCE upon a time the American government had a vast scrapyard in the middle of a desert. Congress said: “Someone may steal from it at night.” So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job. Then Congress said: “How does the watchman do his job without instruction?” So they created a planning department and hired two people - one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies. Then Congress said: “How will we know the night watchman is doing his tasks correctly?” So they created the Quality Control Department and hired two people. One

did the studies and one wrote the reports. Then Congress said: “How are these people going to get paid?” So they created a time keeper and a payroll officer position. Then they hired two people. Then Congress said: “Who will be accountable for all of these people?” So they created an administrative section and hired three people: an Administrative Officer, an Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary. Then Congress said: “We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cut back overall cost.” So they laid off the night watchman.

What’s wrong with me? man told his doctor he wasn’t able to do all the things around the house that he used to do. When the examination was complete, he said: “Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English ,

what is wrong with me.” “Well, in plain English,” the doctor replied, “you’re just lazy.” “Okay,” said the man. “Now please give me the medical term so I can tell my wife.”

We’ve got a speedster... Y mom has a lead foot, so I was not surprised when a traffic officer pulled us over as we were driving through a coastal town. Hoping to get off with a warning, mom tried to

appear shocked when he walked up to the car. “I have never been stopped like this before,” she said to the officer. “What do they usually do, Ma’am,” he asked, “shoot the tyres out?”

Clever shop names

SOCIAL SCENE

14 September 2016

CXPRESS

BOWLING SPORTS WITH PLETT SURF: Sunday’s Barefoot Bowls fun day in aid of Plett Surf Lifesaving Club was an even bigger success in terms of attendance and funds raised than last year’s inaugural event, and every bit as jolly. Decibels on the bowling greens climbed at a steady pace as the collective competitive spirit mounted and beginners were shown the ropes by those in the know, while members of Plett Bowling Club were on hand with guidance in terms of rules and technique. Plett Surf chair James Stewart who appears at left in the top right pic with the winning Plett Sports team of Cliff & Liesel Barnard, and Jane & Deon Coetzer - thanks main sponsors Beacon Island Hotel, Ocean Blue Adventures, Glenn Murray Photography, Willemijn Murray, The Table, and The Fat Fish. “We’re also again indebted to Plett Bowling Club for hosting this event, and of course to CXPRESS for the excellent exposure as, always.” Runners up after a hard afternoon’s bowling battles were the Dulux and Spur teams, with Nedbank winning best-dressed team for 2016. At far left, whiskey winners Ryan and Phillip show off their loot - Photos: Isabelle Brink

People, places & events PUSHING IT TO THE LIMITS IN KNYSNA: On September 2, Knysna was turned into a battlefield of the ‘hood’s best rappers when it played host to the Do or Die Live Battle. Explains Plett rapper Pushy aka 3P, who was introduced on these pages when he initiated a similar battle in Bitou some months ago (turn to page 6 of the June 15 edition at www.cxpress. co.za): “Due to bad weather on the day, some of the rappers couldn’t travel from Plett so finally our only representative was #Scorpio, [at top right], who came up against Knysna-based Eno and Mike Zee. After three rounds, Mike Zee walked off with the R300 first prize, but both other participants scored cash for their entertaining participation,” Pushy explains. Call or WhatsApp him on 073 838 1893 to find out more about the local rap scene.

ANGELS HANDS AT THE GRAND: Debbie Windvogel celebrated the opening of her very own salon on the lagoon side of The Grand boutique hotel in Main Street two Saturdays ago. Snacks and bubbles were enjoyed with a handful of happy clients, many of whom had become close friends of the superb beauty therapist during many years of plying her trade in Plett. With Debbie, at centre above, are buddies Clea, Alice and Abby, and sis Liz at right. At left, hubby Robin toasts the lovely new premises and at right, Renate and Stephanie, right, check out the ample interior of Debbie’s salon. If you’d like to experience the magic of her Angels Hands, call 076 489 0344 or email debbie.windvogel@gmail.com to book.

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2016 REGISTRATION MAKING MONEY AT THE MARKET SQUARE: Wittedrift High School students had a ball two Saturdays ago when they had their annual Entrepreneurs Day, selling delicious treats and raising funds for their ‘small school with the huge heart’. Visit www.wittedrift.co.za to find out more and check the gallery at www.cxpress.co.za for a whole bunch of lovely images of the day. - Photo: Sandi Smith

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14 September 2016

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

CLASSIFIEDS

ON THE SOAPBOX

14 September 2016

Letters to the Editor

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

Let’s get it straight… It would be good if someone could take your article on the resignation of top Bitou officials [read it on page 3 of the August 31 edition at www. cxpress.co.za] further and interview these two officials as to the real reasons for their resignations. From an inside source, I hear that they are disgusted with what the ANC is doing in the municipality since taking over. You may be interested to know that last week there were two full-house bookings at the most expensive restaurant in Plett: Equinox. On the first evening for 120 people, the bill just for alcohol alone was

R10,000. The next night there were 150 people, we have not heard what that bill was. One wonders where they are taking the money from. We are going to end up in debt like years back - and which took a lot of work to clear by Memory Booysen and his team. Perhaps some investigation of what is going on could be done and put ‘out there’ to the public. ‘Vee’, Plett Mayoral spokesperson Manfred van Rooyen provided this response: The previous Council approved the hosting of the IMPS-SA (Institute for Municipal Public Safety

Not fair that IEC freelancers worked for almost free Did you know that the people assisting the IEC during the recent elections were paid R700 per day? However, their three-day pay was recalculated to a monthly amount and then taxed. Net effect? The expected take-home of R2,100 was reduced to R1,100. Enquiries at SARS showed that these deductions were lawful and that the affected persons could go to SARS in George, fill in

forms and get a refund. Needless to say, this is beyond the means of many of the workers. Perhaps the elections were not so fair to those whom worked almost for free to ensure this… Word is that there was a celebration party for 155 people at the upmarket Equinox Restaurant, where seafood platters were had. Now who paid for this, I wonder. Ericcie the Ratepayer, Plett

Short shots In my obituary of Ena Giddy [p2 of the August 31 edition of CXPRESS at www.cxpress.co.za], I gave the name of the Catholic priest as Father Steven Strydom, but his name is Father Steven SCHEEPERS. Please include my apology in this regard. Also many thanks for editing my words so beautifully - you made the story flow so well. Ann Thomas, Plett --In the previous edition, an anonymous correspondent fired off a salvo of questions to the DA’s Bitou branch [p11 of

the September 7 edition] - among others, on the outcome of the Ward 5 recount that has by now been widely publicised. Although out of town at the time, the Bitou campaign manager, Liz Mundell, replied as follows: It is DA policy not to respond to anonymous letters; similarly, we do not respond to rumours. As soon as we have evidence of tangible progress we will, as is always the case, communicate it to our members. Please feel free to contact me for any queries you may have on my return.

in South Africa) conference in Plett on August 31 and September 1. A budget of R250,000 was set aside as a contribution from Bitou Municipality for the successful hosting of the event. Plett Tourism was part of the organising of the event, along with IMPSSA and the Department: Public Safety in Community Services directorate. The full amount of R250,000 was transferred to Plett Tourism in accordance to the relevant provisions of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, No 56 of 2003. All procurement for the said event was done by Plett Tourism. In terms of the transfer agreement, Plett Tourism has to provide a financial report on the spending of the

R250,000 to Bitou Municipality. This report will be tabled in Council. (We wouldn’t dream of lecturing our esteemed correspondents, but when looking at the number of letters of late brimming with wild allegations concerning Bitou’s new leadership, we urge you to do at least some investigation before sharing personal views as absolute truths.We were not attempting to speak on behalf of the top officials in question; our report simply and clearly stated their official response. A different topic entirely but still on the unsubstantiated-claim theme: we wonder what Mr Stroebel would say about his restaurant being ordained Plett’s “most expensive”… Let’s try a little optimism - and tenderness won’t hurt, either. - Eds.)

Owner denies wrongdoing after dog-bite incident I would like to report on an unfortunate incident that occurred with my husband a week ago. We went cycling on Sunday and were about to cross the wooden boardwalk across the wetland that joins the Longships side with Gris Nez Avenue. The first thing to mention was that we had to avoid fresh dog poop on the boardwalk and then we noticed a man ahead, walking three dogs off lead - an Alsatian, a black Labrador, and a brown brak. I cautioned my husband to approach slowly and remain behind the group ‘till they had crossed and were on Gris Nez Avenue. The man, however, decided to stop at the observation section and as we slowly approached, I asked whether it was safe to pass his dogs on bikes, to which he replied in the affirmative. And so we continued past them slowly, my husband in front of me. As he passed, the Alsatian sprang towards him and bit him on the calf. As he was moving, the teeth pulled along his calf as

well, opening the skin. At this point the owner, having seen his dog’s actions, called her back to him. Then I noticed the blood and we stopped on the road, waiting for the man and his dogs to approach. Well, to cut a long story short, the man denied that his dog had bitten my husband. He refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing on behalf of his dog, and took no responsibility whatsoever for the incident at all. Shame on you! When I asked for his name and suggested that the correct thing to do was to at least pay for a tetanus injection, he refused and claimed that an injection was not necessary. I rest my case! Which yet again begs the question: why do a few spoil it for the rest of us dog owners and lovers? Why will some categorically refuse to put their dogs on leads? And why do some dog owners point blank refuse to accept responsibility for their dogs’ actions? Enough already! Jeanine Horsfield, Plett

Thanks for averting another Crags fire crisis On behalf of the homeowners at Kuthumba Nature Reserve in The Crags, I would like to express sincere thanks to the members of Bitou Fire Department, who have gone out of their way to support and assist us with our firefighting initiatives at Kuthumba. The devastating De Vlugt fire proved to be another wake-up call for us to get our backup systems in order and firefightingready, and the invaluable

CXPRESS

advice and assistance offered by the Fire Department - and in particular Senior Firefighting Officer Swannie Swanepoel - was exemplary. I would also like to give an accolade to James and the team at The Crags Fire Protection Association, who keep us informed and battle fires on our behalf. Thanks again to the heroes who fight our fires in the greater Plett area (and even beyond) with such dedication and self-sacri-

fice. You make us proud! Allan Rogers, Plett --After the runaway fires, I was once again reminded of the huge sense of community shown by not only locals, but also residents and businesses in Plett. As the fires spread towards The Crags, numerous fire-fighting teams began to gather on our boundary in an effort to prevent the disaster that struck the area in 1998. Many people were giving

up time away from work, and when the threat of the fire entering The Crags became very real, offers of support streamed in from all corners. The list of individuals and businesses that helped is a long one, but you know who you are, so thank you very much on behalf of The Crags Fire Protection Association and the fire fighters of MTO and SANParks. James Stewart chairman: CFPA

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

14 September 2016

Kurland takes eventing to new heights this weekend ITH its flair for spectacular course design, Kurland Estate will be hosting the prestigious SA Individual Eventing Championships from September 16-18. The event will include dressage, cross country and showjumping components, and thanks to a partnership with Nedbank Private Wealth, Kurland also boasts its first 2-star FEI track. “Kurland Hotel is extremely proud to be the host property to Kurland Eventing and the upcoming Nationals, now in its second year,” says GM Diana Howell. “It’s fabulous to see so many visitors, contestants and families come together from all over the country spending wonderful days using all the facilities our estate offers, reiterating our family-friendly nature. Sarah Arnot, President of the Western Cape Eventing Association (WCEA) says that Kurland is an optimal eventing destination for a number of reasons. “First of all the ground is really good, which means tracks run over good footing, neither too hard nor too soft, which is very important for the horses. There is space for our course designers to build their dream tracks, and spectacular viewing and

facilities for spectators. She adds that the right facilities, a great organising committee and officials who handle the stress of shows with a balance of firmness and sympathy are imperative for successful equestrian shows, while a sense of humour is also important. “We are blessed with these elements in the Western Cape and especially at Kurland.” Since its inaugural show in 2015, Kurland Eventing has attracted top riders from across the country with the Kurland Winter Classic. The partnership established with Nedbank Private Wealth is an exceptional step forward to growing not only the venue, but the sport as a whole in SA. Phil Cunningham, who heads up fundraising for WP Eventing says: “The team at Nedbank Private Wealth has been fantastic to work with and genuinely collaborative and supportive in the spirit of true partnership.” Richard Mulholland of Nedbank Private Wealth says their reason behind partnering with Kurland Eventing is two-fold. Firstly, the sport and families association with eventing are well aligned to the values the organisation holds close; secondly, they have a clear

TOP-NOTCH: Kurland Estate is not only soft on the eye, but provides the perfect eventing venue, the sport requiring complete mastery of disciplines including dressage, cross country and showjumping

focus to manage the money of wealthy individuals in a way that none can equal. Their commitment to Eventing takes the form of a financial partnership and will evolve in line with the needs and strategic direction that the committee and the riding community need it to. The organisation will remain supportive, in the spirit of a true partnership, says Mullholland. “We would like to see the

infrastructure and development of the sport reach a wider audience, to the point where we can assist in establishing a philanthropic initiative that will help uplift the communities in which Eventing takes place. Many locals and horse enthusiasts attend these events. Spectators have a bird’s eye view of the dressage, show jumping and cross-country from the beautiful Kurland Pavilion. Anna Roberts An-

tonsson is a passionate eventer and a friend of Kurland. She says that its breath-taking landscape, ample space to gallop and wide variety of obstacles at all levels combine to make Kurland the best that eventing has to offer in the Western Cape. Kurland is not only set apart in its offerings, but its CCI* 2-star course is just as original. This is Africa’s first Eric Winter signature eventing course, created by the renowned FEI International Course Designer, and included working with local designers Graham Winn, Jacki Cherry and Andile Balula. Winter has designed over 30 different venues in Britain, Western Europe and Asia. Lance Gibbons, show director of this weekend’s event, says they are looking forward to hosting the first ever 2-star FEI Long Format Track in the W-Cape. “The team has worked extremely hard to achieve this international acclaim, under the watchful eye of Eric Winter, The event is going to be bigger than ever; we invite families to come and enjoy all that Kurland has to offer and to watch SA’s top riding talent.” Heidi Caine, who represented SA at the World

Equestrian Games in 2010, won the 2-star Class at the Kurland event. She says the venue stands out for her primarily because the going for the horses is superb - “the best in the country by far”. This is the first time the Western Cape will host the SA Individual Eventing Championships, and their first international CCI 2-star Horse Trials. According to Arnot, they wish to show visitors that although they are far from Gauteng, they are close to the world. “Kurland hosts a world-class event run to international standards and we are incredibly proud of it and the Kurland Eventing Team,” she concludes. • CCI refers to Concours Complet Internationale, and the stars refer to the level of difficulty, ranging from 1-4. Concours means competition and complet means complete, referring to the complexity of eventing as it requires complete mastery of three disciplines. In English the competition is called ‘horse trials’ and the sport itself is known as eventing. But the international competitions use the language of the French FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale). See the advert below for more details.

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