17 July 2019

17 July 2019

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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Alien slayer

Newly-appointed Working for the Coast project manager Suray Makwena is tasked with identifying Madeira Vine - an invader found throughout vast tracts of the Garden Route and Eastern Cape - and managing its eradication with her able team of alien annihilators. She is pictured here at Ebb and Flow Rest Camp in the Wilderness section of Garden Route National Park. Turn to page 5 to find out more about the rise and rise of this passionate SANParks staffer.

Committee to address housing needs - p3 July is the month to start saving... big - p7 Excelsior gets BUCO shot in the arm - p12

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

17 July 2019

Yes we’re paying more, but we know a little more, too!

XPRESS received the note below from Plett reader Ann Thomas under the heading ‘Something to consider’: "This morning I bought a litre of milk and realised that, 60 years ago, what I paid for it constituted my entire salary for the month!"

When dredging our archives for additional

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examples of such staggering proof of the state of inflation, we stumbled instead on an entertaining if rather scary email shared some time ago by history buff Derek Frielinghaus, with the subject ‘Ads from the past - how times have changed?’

A look through the below images of dinkum advertisements from the

middle of the previous century, give or take a decade or so, is guaranteed to elicit a chuckle and, in some cases, a shudder of indignation (‘Show her it’s a man’s world’ and ‘You mean a WOMAN can open it?’).

Possibly most cringeworthy are the adverts punting smoking (‘I’m sending Chesterfields

to all my friends, that’s the merriest Christmas any smoker can have’ and ‘Before you scold me Mom, maybe you’d better light up a Marlboro’ and ‘More doctors smoke Camel than any other cigarettes’).

Then there are the shockers showing happy babies downing bottles of Cola and 7Up (‘We

have the youngest customers in the business!’ and ‘For a better start in life, start Cola earlier’).

Check it out and let’s breathe a collective sigh of relief that, if bogged down by the ever-rising cost of living, at least we seem to have learnt some important lessons of life and good health over the past century or so…

What’s the Plett University of the Third Age crew up to now?

HIS month on Mondays, U3A Plett presents London: a short history of the greatest city in the Western world on Mondays, with Lecture 7 (Elizabeth I and London as a stage), and 8 (Life in Shakespeare’s London - east) on Monday July 22, and Lecture 9 (Life in Shakespeare’s London - west), and 10 (London rejects the early Stuarts) on Monday July 29.

Says U3A Plett conven-

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or Michael Lond: “This is one of The Great Courses series, which Marina Niven bought in the USA and has kindly donated to U3A. It follows the usual format of half-hour lectures and is presented by professor Robert Bucholz who took his first degree at Cornell and his doctorate at Oxford.

“Despite being American, as are all the Great Courses tutors, he is a

great lover of London and presents a fascinating look at the city from its Roman foundation to the Millennium.”

Vivienne Brooks’s talk on Wednesday July 24 is entitled ‘Depression: simple things you can do to save your mind’. It addresses this wide-spread and debilitating condition and offers guidance on steps sufferers can take to alleviate it Film Club fans will

want to diarise Colette, to be screened on Monday July 29 at 7pm, starring the fabulous Keira Knightley as SidonieGabrielle Colette in late1880s rural Burgundy.

Vagabond spirit and selfproclaimed country girl, she is courted by literary entrepreneur Henri Gauthier-Villars (Dominic West), marriage to whom opens the door to the intellectual and artistic splendour of Paris.

Her fight over creative ownership and gender roles drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionising literature, fashion and sexual expression - a sure must see.

All presentations start at 10am (unless otherwise stated) at Formosa Garden Village. Contact Michael on 072 838 6949 or at damilo@mweb.co. za for additional information on courses.

NEWS & VIEWS

17 July 2019

CXPRESS

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Fully-representative committee now proposed to prevent continued unrest in Plett OME Bitou councillors have called for the establishment of a community inclusive housing committee to improve communication about municipal projects - an issue that they believe contributed to the recent violent protest action that has been crippling Plettenberg Bay. “We believe that the interest of the community must come first and that all political differences between political parties must now be set aside and a lasting solution to the housing development conflicts must be found and effectively communicated to community members,” Bitou DA caucus leader Bill Nel said.

Nel said they were calling for council to form a standing/working housing committee that consists of at least two elected public representatives from each Bitou ward elected by the various individual communities themselves.

The committee should also include all ward councillors, the mayor, municipal manager, chief financial officer and the senior managers responsible for housing, project management, town planning and engineering.

Nel added the committee should also include a senior

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COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Bitou DA caucus leader Bill Nel says the interest of the people must come before political differences, and that solutions to housing conflicts must be effectively communicated to all community members Photo: Ewald Stander

representative of the provincial Human Settlements department and an ad hoc senior representative of the national department.

“Such a committee should be tasked to give monthly feedback to every community through each responsible ward councillor supported by the publicly elected community members of that ward and relevant municipal staff.

“The dates, times and venues of these feedback meet-

ings should be publicised in advance and loud-hailed inside the relevant community on the day before as well as on the day of the meeting.”

Municipal spokesman James Sijama said the municipality had embarked on a peace process to resolve and deal with all the issues as outlined by the community, facilitated by the South African Human Rights Commission involving community leadership, business, government and other stakeholders.

This call follows after the town once again came to the brink of protest action last week when issues arose in terms of housing in New Horizons.

“The recent unrest with its devastation of the local economy, stopped tenuously last week. Order and peace had barely been restored when, once again, miscommunication between officials and the leading coalition almost rekindled the flames,” Nel said.

He explained that an ad hoc meeting was held on Monday July 8 with municipal housing officials, ANC mayoral committee members and DA councillors.

“At the meeting a clear agreement was reached that

Bastille Day break for capsized Keurbooms casualties

At 7:24 on Sunday morning, NSRI Plett received reports of a boat capsized in Keurbooms River Mouth. Rescue craft Discovery and Ray Farnham were launched, while an NSRI rescue vehicle and crew responded to the scene, too. On arrival, six crew of the capsized boat were found safely ashore and only one man sustained injuries. Says station commander Marc Rodgers, pictured at right above: “It appears that after the boat capsized while exiting the river mouth, one adult male got out and assisted the other three men and two children, who were trapped underneath the boat, to get out through a gap, before wading safely ashore.” So their Sunday morning fishing plan may have gone awry, but the rescued anglers - some of whom are pictured here with their righted ski-boat and NSRI volunteers, from left, Tyrone Evans and Oli Olivier - could spend the rest of Bastille Day grateful that no serious injuries were sustained.

no further construction will commence or continue at the so-called ‘school site’ a possible transfer area located inside Ward 4 (New Horizons) but earmarked for Ward 3 (Qolweni) beneficiaries of RDP houses.”

The transit camp area has been a thorn in the side of New Horizons residents, who have been lobbying for housing in the area for more than two decades.

In the meantime, Qolweni had been approved for a

housing project, and a transit area for beneficiaries on a property in New Horizons is allegedly on the cards.

“The agreed moratorium was to last until thorough engagement and negotiation with the New Horizons community, who have been waiting for housing development for many years,” Nel said.

“However, exactly one day after reaching this agreement, contractors and municipal workers were

going ahead with work on the very same ‘school site’, leading to immediate dissatisfaction by the New Horizons community.”

Nel added that the DA had recently received conflicting reports to the effect that one housing official had informed the New Horizons community that construction on the site had been approved, while another official denied any such approval.

Garden Route Media

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

17 July 2019

Knysna Municipality and partners plan to change lives on Mandela Day K NYSNA Municipality invites the community to celebrate Mandela Month by showing the personification of Nelson Mandela’s legacy of compassion, tolerance and humanitarianism that continues to inspire the world.

In celebration of Madiba’s birthday and the spirit of Ubuntu, municipal staff and business partners will participate in a number of activities dedicated to those in need on and around July 18.

Thanks to the generosity of partners Cape Island Homes, Bukho Construction, Colarossi Civil, and local Govan Mbeki Award winner Nyameko Trading, the Integrated Human Settlements department was able to start the construction of four BNG (Breaking New Ground) housing units.

“I sincerely thank our business partners for the sponsorship they provided for our BNG Housing Project for those less

fortunate. Thanks to their generosity, we are able to make an enormous difference to the lives of desperate families within Greater Knysna,” said Knysna mayor Mark Willemse.

Senior managers and staff of Knysna’s Technical Services directorate chose to align their 67 minutes with one of the municipality’s core business functions, so will be fixing potholes in the CBD on Thursday.

Nelson Mandela believed nobody deserved to go to sleep while hungry, and keeping that in mind, the Rheenendal’s Community Vegetable Garden will receive much-needed attention on the 18th as well.

Rheenendal will be a hive of activity on July 18, when library staff, joined by the Rheenendal Women’s Group will take 60 disadvantaged and marginalised children under their wing.

Some of them are not enrolled in any Early Childhood Development facilities, so this pro-

gramme aims to nurture a love for reading and encourage them to attend school to better themselves. This programme will kick off at 11am at the Rheenendal Library.

To further assist in alleviating hunger, Social Development in partnership with Knysna Women’s Forum are planning a

Clothing and Soup Drive on July 20, for the benefit of the homeless.

“We would be honoured if residents would join us in celebrating Madiba’s life and in doing so bringing together our communities while fighting poverty and promoting peace, reconciliation, and cultural diversity.

“Like our beloved Madiba, we should give life to the true ethos of Ubuntu - ‘the quality of being human’. Let us look beyond what has been done and live every day with Mandela’s mind-set, and do whatever we can do to make Greater Knysna, a better place for all,” concluded Willemse.

The municipality invites you to become involved in showcasing a community that is inclusive, innovative and inspiring by helping someone less fortunate this Mandela Day. Call Nandipha September on 044 302 6430 or email pr@knysna.gov.za for more info on the various Mandela Projects.

READERS HAVE THEIR SAY

Eskom: could this simple solution be given the light of day?

The future of Eskom is being proposed. not as its ability to provide an economical and efficient service, but to continue being a centre of employment and cash swill for the robber elite.

The new idea of breaking it up into the German model of three divisions will only extend the ability of the economic thieves to enrich themselves further, from management to municipalities.

Perhaps it would be better to look at what is happening in Germany.

Starting in Hamburg, cities and municipalities are taking back the provision of power into their own hands, i.e. local public ownership ousting the giant private companies.

If I remember correctly (and at my age there could be a bit of a wobble in this), Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban all had the right to produce their own electricity. In this age of wind power, solar power and in incineration of refuse, every town should be able to produce electricity at a cheaper rate

than the presently-bloated Eskom does.

If every house and building was required to incorporate the use of alternative energy and leave Eskom as a primary source of power for large industries and mines, the game would be over.

But of course this will not happen, and we all know why.

If one analyses an electricity bill, less than one third of the cost is for the consumption of power; the rest is for ancillary uses and every time there

is an increase in consumption costs, the static costs increase as well, putting electricity far beyond the average house holders’ ability to use it.

What the end of this will be God alone knows.

Thank heavens he created the sun, however…

There are simple solutions to the problems of a utility that was once considered to be among the finest in the world. But when was a simple solution ever given the light of day?

Paul Deans, Plett

On primates and aliens and the threat of renewed wild-fires...

La Luna

I thank CapeNature for the response to my question in CXPRESS of July 10 [read it on page 11 of that edition at www.cx press.co.za].

They have, however, missed an important fact: the period of approximately 12 weeks, frommid April to Mid-June this year, of chainsaw activity in Brackenridge Valley (on the sea side, not golf course side).

No one knows any details about who the people are or which property is actually being cleared, allegedly of alien vegetation. Is it Brackenridge,

private, or CapeNatureowned property?

Be it as it may: I am convinced that this is the reason why baboons have come to Maplin Drive.

I have lived here since 2014 and there have only been shy Vervet monkeys around. The fires of 2017 did not bring baboons to Maplin Drive - but the chainsaws have.

Of course, it is too late now but my question is this: how can anyone so radically and inconsiderately decimate a natural area without a thought for the small species of wildlife (including ba-

boons and Vervets) that live there?

Not only animals but humans, too, had to bear the nerve-wrecking noise day-in and day-out.

Doris Fornefeld, Plett CapeNature’s Henk Nieuwoudt, Keurbooms River Nature Reserve Conservation Manager, responds: The alien vegetation clearing in and around Plettenberg Bay is long overdue and the recent fires have made land owners more aware of the fact that alien vegetation will not disappear on its own,

but require funding and a major effort.

With the alien clearing and wild fires in our area land owners have also realised that sufficient fire breaks are not a mere luxury but a necessity to prevent wild fires from burning down houses within residential estates.

We therefor support all efforts to remove such unwanted vegetation.

The home range of the baboon troop extend over a large area and one therefor cannot put the blame on one aspect such as the alien vegetation removal only.

NEWS & VIEWS

17 July 2019

CXPRESS

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Suray’s war against the evil vine: this is why our plants need her protection ADEIRA Vine - cat- which is capable of starting systems against alien inva- scored the coveted post of gramme, I took every opM egorised as a ‘1b’* al- a new plant. sive plants.

Working for the Coast pro- portunity to learn and went ien invader and found from The SANParks BiodiShe started her career in ject manager. on virtually every in-service Wilderness to Port Elizabeth - is a strong climber that typically takes over indigenous plants, with its origin traced to South American countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Paraguay.

According to the Agriculture Research Council (ARC), its stems outgrow the canopy of indigenous plants and spread over their ground as well. This throttles the invaded plant from necessities like light and nutrients, while preventing germination of seeds.

Madeira Vine has fleshy heart-shaped green leaves and spikes of white flowers (February to April). It produces multiple aerial tubers along the stems, each of

versity Social Programme (BSP) has prioritised the eradication of this unwelcome alien and has committed resources to do so inside SA’s national parks and surrounds.

Newly-appointed project manager for the Working for the Coast programme, Suray Makwena is tasked with identify the plant in its infant stage. She says the plant can grow up to 30m once developed, while younger stems resemble reddish or greenish ropes and later turn into a greyish-brown colour.

At the age of 31, Suray has already dedicated more than 10 years to protecting indigenous plants and eco-

YOU’RE NOT WELCOME ANY MORE: Madeira Vine, or Anredera cordifolia, is a robust tropical vine with succulent leaves, which grows characteristic aerial tubers on axils of its older stems as well as big underground tubers

2008 in the employ of a contractor, but when there was an opening in 2009, she grabbed the opportunity to work as general administrator for the programme’s then project manager.

“This was a great foot in the door for me,” says Suray. “As general administrator, I had the chance to get a good overview of the programme.”

In 2011, she applied for the position of administrator assistant, which allowed her to work in the office as well as the field.

In 2017, Suray became shadow project manager and could stand in for the project manager in his absence. By the next year, she

Her passion and drive make it easy for Suray to manage the 74 people working in her project area. Its jurisdiction stretches over 63km from Harolds Bay to Victoria Bay, Pacaltsdorp, Lientjiesklip, and Swartvlei in Sedgefield.

Asked about the mammoth task of managing such a taxing project, she says the solution is striking a healthy balance between work and play.

“As a single mom, I’m fortunate to have a supportive team and a supportive manager. I also learnt from early on that as a young person in the workplace, I have to always up my game.

“So when I joined the pro-

training course that came my way.”

She adds: “Having a schedule for my daily work helps. I try hard to switch off during weekends by spending time with my loved ones. I like to go out with my friends and family and spend as much time as possible with my son.” * Category 1b: Invasive species requiring compulsory control as part of an invasive species control programme. These plants are deemed to have such a high invasive potential that infestations can qualify to be placed under a government sponsored invasive species management programme (www.sanbi.org).

Meet the awesome foursome that’s Plett’s optimal force in all things accounting EMBERS of a newly-merged Plett venture trading as Optimal Business Practice avail a sneak peek into the services and specialities offered by their dynamic team, ranging from basic bookkeeping and data capturing, to total business and financial restructuring.

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tice’s very own tax-ninja, Managing Director Rose is a registered accountant and tax practitioner.

• Manages all business and strategic planning.

• Oversees all tax and tax planning for individuals and companies.

• Rose is an estate planner as well as a corporate restructuring specialist.

Annerie Smit • Financial Director Annerie manages all client and individual accounts and finance matters.

• Creates and maintains cashflows, financial fore-

casts, and budgets.

• Company and personal business restructuring and planning.

• Key client relationship developer.

• Payroll and company human resources liaison.

• Key member of taxplanning services.

Megan Grant • As Senior Bookkeeper, Megan is responsible for the monthly maintenance of all individual as well as company bookkeeping and reconciliation.

• Facilitates SARS verification and correspondence

matters on behalf of clients and companies, bridging the gap between the client and SARS. • Maintains monthly payroll and payroll taxes for clients in addition to company annual returns and bi-annual recons.

• Megan has a corporate secretarial background.

The Optimal Business Practice ladies invite you to watch this space and reserve the date for their new premises launch. See the advertisement below for additional information and contact details.

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Our unique approach is founded on personal relationships with each client and our willingness to go the extra mile.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

17 July 2019

Get your kid on the coding path today HERE is a lot of talk in South Africa about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the need for education in the country to start preparing learners for the future world of work from a young age.

Unfortunately in SA, resources are often lacking and many teachers are not yet equipped to teach coding. But this shouldn’t stop parents from encouraging their children to start with the basics of coding from a young age, an expert says.

“Just as we teach our children to read and speak our mother tongue, so should we start with coding at an early age,” says John Luis, head of Academics at ADvTECH Schools.

“Parents who are not tech savvy may find this daunting, so the easiest way to start the children off will be to download some apps to their mobile devices, which will use games to kick off coding thought processes.

“Learning to code is like learning to speak, read or write in a different language. Kids are very good at learning a variety of languages from a young age so teaching them coding will be no different,” he says.

Luis says that the importance of preparing children for a technologically-enabled future cannot be overstated. “Technology changes rapidly and our children must be able to adapt, be agile minded and, most importantly, prepared for the future working world.

“The 4IR should not be dismissed as a buzzword - it is real, and it is here where our lives will become intertwined with technology.

The edges between reality and virtual worlds will blur and we need to ensure our children will be effective workers in this rapidly changing environment.

“This means that in the future world of work, coding

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will be a fundamental digital skill which our children will need to be literate in, in much the same way we prepare kids with language, numeracy and physical skills. Coding is no longer reserved for scientists, engineers and IT geeks.”

Luis explains that the fourth industrial revolution is characterised by a rapidly developing technological environment in which disruptive technologies, the Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and artificial intelligence are changing the way we exercise, play, study, live and work.

“Behind this technology, functionality is achieved using code. It is how we communicate with computers and build websites, mobile apps and computer games, and instruct robots. The Internet of Things (IoT) is already becoming more integrated into our homes.

Smart TVs and watches, automated home management and security are only some of the examples where IoT is already used.”

Like maths, becoming competent in the language of coding has many advantages beyond the obvious.

“Coding also helps with maths skills, fosters creativity, improves problemsolving abilities and can improve language and writing skills,” he says.

Globally, coding has long been recognised as a future life skill and is offered as part of the normal primary school curriculum. In SA, high schools have been offering the subject Information Technology from Grade 10-12 for many years, but mostly to select learners based on their maths marks.

Still, only a small percentage of schools have been able to offer the subject as it requires dedicated infrastructure and highly competent teachers.

The situation is better at progressive private schools, where coding is part of the mainstream offering from as early as pre-prep, using simple techniques and readily available software.

“While many schools are still in the starting blocks, and most haven’t even arrived for the race yet, parents must realise that academic excellence and individual competitiveness in future will require a solid grasp of the language of technology.

“So the question of a school’s offering in this regard should be one they take very seriously before enrolling their child.

“And where they do not yet have the option of enrolling their child in a school that incorporates coding as part of the mainstream offering - which is the reality for the majority of SA - they should ensure that their child isn’t left behind by assisting them independently,” says Luis.

One of the options available to these parents, is to search for holiday camps in their area. And where those are not offered, parents can start by helping their child download some of the free mobile apps and software to help young children to start coding, he says.

• Scratch (https://scratch. mit.edu/educators) is a very effective free coding language that is designed specifically for ages eight to 16.

• Alice (https://www.alice. org/) is a block-based programming environment, which makes it easy to create animations or program simple games in 3D. • Microsoft Minecraft Education is an educational version of the popular Minecraft game (https://edu cation.minecraft.net/).

• Roblox (https://develop er.roblox.com/resources/ education/Resources) caters for kids aged eight to 14.

Soft Landings: paving the way to teen dignity HERE are currently at least 2.1-million South African girls aged between 12 and 18 years who live below the poverty line.

These youngsters dread monthly menstruation, as their dire financial situation forces them to resort to using old clothes, rags, newspapers, leaves, bark or grass, since they cannot afford buying sanitary towels.

“No young woman should have to feel such shame simply because her body is acting naturally,” says Benny Jonkers, manager of PEP Stores in Plett CBD and initiator of the Soft Landings project.

The project has been borne out of a desire to help local girls by providing sanitary ware in a bid to prevent them from missing several days of school on a monthly basis.

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“Our mission is to provide menstrual dignity to girls in our area, starting at primary school level,” explains Benny, who has already provided boxes in the store and is encouraging customers to add sanitary towels to their shopping basket when paying at the till.

A packet of sanitary towels can be purchased for less than R10 - cheaper than a loaf of bread - and from PEP the pads will be distributed to girls in need.

Benny and his team are now appealing to the public to assist with this project.

In fact, sanitary ware can be bought from any retail outlet and dropped at PEP branches in High Street or at The Market Square. The Soft Landings team would also greatly appreciate the assistance of volunteers to distribute these important

donations to local schools.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that in South Africa, three out of 10 girls miss a week of school every month, totalling 150 weeks during their high-school careers, due to not being able to afford menstruation management products such as sanitary pads.

This often results in girls dropping out of school altogether, since they simply cannot catch up on their schoolwork.

If you can assist, please call Benny on 083 436 5345, Adam on 079 279 5190 or Sue on 073 845 4141 or deposit your sanitary donations at Plettenberg Bay’s PEP outlets.

• UNICEF estimates that over 100-million girls worldwide miss out on school for the same reason each month.

BUSINESS

17 July 2019

Property area focus: Old Plett and Whale Rock Ridge Carrie Maclean

LETTENBERG Bay has a unique combination of old and new residential areas. Over the years, some have adopted descriptive names such as ‘Old Plett’.

A sought-after area with close proximity to the town centre and north to northeasterly sea, lagoon and mountain views, this suburb has been holding its value throughout market fluctuations.

Seven residential home sales have registered in Old Plett since the beginning of 2018 to date, with the highest price achieved being R23,100,000 and sold

by Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay. Many of the properties in the area have been passed down through generations.

In recent years a number of the homes have been modernised to maximise the value that the suburb achieves.

Having lived in Plett for 26 years and selling property here for 19 years, I have been fortunate to list and market some interesting properties in all areas.

Currently, we have a house for sale in Old Plett which was originally part of the Anglican Church property.

It was built in 1855 by none other than Billy Jones, then schoolmaster and a colourful historic figure.

Originally known as For-

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OLD VS NEW: Carrie Maclean is an Old Plett area specialist, but also knows lots about modern local security estates

mosa Cottage, Jones leased the property and later converted it into an inn called The Van Plettenberg Arms.

He was reprimanded at one point for impinging on his lease by running a pub on the premises but by 1897, the church allowed him to buy the property.

Today this generous property has all modern conveniences and has been renovated in part, but retains its old-world charm.

Another interesting property - a new listing and a unique opportunity - has endless potential and includes the vacant stand in front of the house, which has a lovely established indigenous garden and also stunning panoramic views (see the advert on the front page of this edition for additional information).

Old Plett is one of the

most in-demand open areas. But there is also a high demand for security estate living, and Whale Rock Ridge is one of the most popular among these.

Established in 2003, it is adjacent to the spectacular Robberg Peninsula and Robberg Coastal Corridor, and is ranked as one of the top 10 estates in SA. With its up-to-date security technology, open green belt areas, and an emphasis on maintaining the natural ecology, the estate is equally popular with permanent and holiday buyers.

Whale Rock Ridge estate covers an area of 369,017m2 and comprises 157 erven.

Transfers from the beginning of 2018 total 17 sales, 11 stands and six houses, with the highest price achieved being R17,600,000 and sold by Sotheby's International Realty.

Both Old Plett and Whale Rock Ridge enjoy the same northerly aspect and excellent sea views, so it is easy to see the popularity of both old and new. But since I’m selling and listing in all areas of Plettenberg Bay, I will be more than happy to do a market-related valuation on your property.

• Contact Carrie Maclean, estate agent at Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Plettenberg Bay and Old Plett area specialist, at carrie.sir@plettenbergbay. com or on 082 566 1881.

CXPRESS

Tips and advice for Savings Month large percentage of South Africans live from pay cheque to pay cheque, so money is tight and there’s nothing left by mid-month. People often question how saving for the future is even remotely possible, when so many have to get by on their low salaries.

Statistics from Trading Economics indicate that the Household Saving Rate in the country dropped from 0.20% in the third quarter of 2018 to a low of -0.50% in the fourth quarter of the year.

With July being Savings Month, African Unity founder Herman Lombard believes that everyone should make an effort to spend less and save more.

“There’s no doubt that this is a tall order for the majority of South Africans, but with a shaky national and global economy, we all have to try. Every cent not spent, will eventually result in a saved sum of money. The key is simply to get started.”

Lombard has the following tips for saving on a lower income: • Pay high interest debt first, as interest on personal loans often lead to ridiculous additional fees and charges. Pay your debt and try not to accumulate

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Uncertain times call for credit-score certainty OME things that make for interesting times include the fourth industrial revolution, climate change, Brexit, Donald Trump... or, closer to home, load shedding, elections, and a new government.

Although there’s no proof, wishing to live in interesting times is supposed to be a traditional Chinese expression that seems to be a blessing but might not be.

Whatever its origin, rapidly changing local and global events, borne out by news headlines, suggest we’re living through a remarkable time in history.

When things change quickly, you’re bombarded with information and you’re not always sure what is true or accurate. It’s difficult to make decisions, especially those that might have longterm financial implications.

That’s when it’s sensible to stick to the basics and those things that you can control.

One of these essentials is your credit score.

Your credit score is one of the most important pieces of financial information about you. It determines whether people or companies, from landlords to retailers, are prepared to do

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business with you. Even prospective employers can request seeing your report.

It’s always a good idea to know your credit score, but even more so in these uncertain times. A good credit score will allow you to qualify for loans or other credit facilities and will also enable you to possibly get better interest rates.

By law, you are entitled to one free credit score report annually from any of SA’s credit bureaus. Most people aren’t aware of their rights or don’t know where or how to apply so never check their scores. For the few who do, the free credit report can be difficult to understand.

Fortunately, there are other ways to check your credit rating that are free, simple to access and understand, and allow you to check as often as you like. One of these is a credit rating tool from financial services provider, DirectAxis called Pulse (www.directaxis.co. za/pulse/credit-rating).

It allows you to check your credit profile and provides easy-to-understand information about what is influencing your rating and how to improve it.

Despite what many people

think, there are things you can do if you have a poor credit score. By understanding what is affecting it and limiting negative behaviour such as not paying accounts on time or responsibly managing your debt, you can gradually improve it.

Another advantage of checking your credit rating often is that you can see any sudden changes. These may be mistakes by the credit bureau or the result of fraudulent activity such as identify theft, where people open accounts or take out loans using your name and ID number.

Regularly checking your rating will have no affect on the state of your score at the credit bureaus.

“In uncertain times a good credit score gives you confidence that you are more likely to qualify for finance if you need it, and the advantage of getting better interest rates. If your score isn’t what you’d like it to be, tools such as Pulse will tell you what you need to do to improve it,” says Marlies Kappers, head of marketing at DirectAxis..

“Either way, knowing your score gives you some control in uncertain times.”

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THE TIME IS NOW! Herman Lombard is big on saving

any further debts.

• Set limits on your debit and credit cards to help prevent impulse purchases.

• Try to cut housing costs, as these take up a huge chunk of your money. For example, switch lights and geysers off when not in use to help you save on your electricity bill.

• Consider a change of bank to gain the lowest fees and highest perks.

• Avoid buying takeaways or eating out; prepare meals at home and pack lunch for work.

• Monitor your bank statements religiously to stay aware of all deductions from your account.

• Have a “side hustle” - an extra job over weekends, like waitressing, doing

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005-417 NPO

makeup or a delivery service can be helpful.

• Plan your shopping, as impulsive sprees are a definite no-no. People are always shocked at the amount of money they’ve spent when it’s all over. It’s better to work with a written budget every month to prevent money leaks.

• Try the 50-20-30 rule: Set up a budget with three spending categories - 50% of your income should be spent on rent, utilities, groceries and transportation costs; 20% should go to savings, investments, and debt; 30% can be used for other things you may want but dont’ really need.

You need to be realistic here, though, so try adding to your savings. It’s more important than the instantgratification a want brings.

“Always remember that diligence is key,” Lombard advises. “There are many ways to save money, but you need to be persistent and commit to following through so as to reach your long-term saving goals.

“Lastly, don’t get too excited once you notice the results from these savings techniques. That money needs to be put into an emergency fund or investment account as nest egg for your future.”

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CXPRESS

INTERVAL

17 July 2019

You’re aging fast if…

• You get winded playing chess.

• Everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt, doesn’t work anyway.

• The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.

• You feel like you really hung out the night before, and you were in bed asleep by eight.

• Your children begin to look middle-aged.

• You begin to outlive enthusiasm.

• You know all the answers, but nobody asks the questions.

• You look forward to a dull evening.

• Your favourite part of the newspaper is ‘25 years ago today’.

• You sit in a rocking chair and can’t get it going.

• Your knees buckle and your belt won’t.

• You’re 17 around the neck and 42 around the waist.

• Dialing long distance wears you out.

• Your back goes out more than you do.

• A fortune teller offers to read your face.

• You are startled the first time you are addressed as ‘old timer’.

• You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there.

• Your pacemaker makes the garage door go up when you see a pretty girl walk by.

• You have too much room in the house and not enough in the medicine cabinet.

• The best part of your day is over when your alarm goes off.

• The thought of getting out of bed never occurs to you.

Old robbers don’t die HE die-hard old bank robber, well into his 80s, enters a bank with his gun drawn in plain sight.

He walks to the middle of the lobby, pauses for a few seconds,

T

turns around a couple of times, and then approaches a teller.

Scratching his temple with the gun barrel, he asks the teller: “Do you ever enter a room and forget why?”

The long courtship man is madly in love with a princess and wants to propose, but an evil witch has cast a spell on him and now he can say only one word a year.

So, he waits 14 agonising years - accumulating all his words - before approaching his beloved.

Finally, the big day ar-

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rives. When he sees her, his heart skips a beat.

He gathers his nerve, drops to his knees, and intones: “My darling, I have waited many years to say this... Will you marry me?”

The princess turns around, smiles sweetly, and says: “Pardon?”

Take your kid to work day N eight-year-old girl went to the office with her father on ‘Take Your Kid to Work Day’.

As they walked round the office she started crying and getting cranky.

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Her father asked what was wrong.

As the staff gathered round she sobbed loudly: “Daddy, where are all the clowns you said you worked with?”

Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.

Why call it rush hour when nothing moves?

SOCIAL SCENE

17 July 2019

GARDEN ROUTE ROTARIANS UNITE: The Med Seafood Bistro hosted the 2019/20 Plett Rotary Induction lunch on Sunday July 14, when Neville Henley was reinducted as Rotary president for the next year, and his wife Marjory inducted as president of the Rotary Anns. The Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay has been supporting many worthwhile causes in and around town for the past 36 years since its establishment in 1983. Some of their fundraisers include monthly quiz evenings at Goose Valley, quarterly Bonanza events at Plett Country Club, and annual calendar sales. Rotarians also assist in the Knysna Oyster Festival forest marathon, and Plett’s annual Dr Evil MTB race. Over the past year, Plett Rotary has been supporting Hospice, Plett Watch, and a local soccer team, while also having sponsored Born in Africa students to attend a youth development and leadership project in Cape Town. They help with providing and circulating wheelchairs, avail bursaries to deserving students, and invest much time and energy in Harkerville School with the assistance of Rotary International, Born in Africa, and St Peter’s Anglican Church. The local club has featured in the Rotary Africa magazine over the past year, for their community projects and their pledge to continue with these important objectives. Pictured at left above are, from left, Knysna Rotary president Julie Staub with Marjory and Neville Henley, George Rotary president Carryn Trollope, and assistant district governor Sune Rupping. Also enjoying the auspicious occasion are, at right above, Leigh Dunn, Ruby Chetty, Philip Murton, Ate Bos, Pamela Rodwell, Dermot Stobart, Marjory and Neville Henley, Mollie Smit, and David Pickering. At right, Neville rubs shoulders with Ann’s past president Beryl Winter. At left, Marjory shares a moment with Di Kershaw from George Rotary, who also serves as district liaison with the provincial Education department.

People, places & events

ALLIES MADE AMONG THE ALOES: The U12 netball team of Plett Primary School had loads of fun at the Aloe Cup in Jeffrey’s Bay during the holidays. It was also an opportunity for excellent team building, so here’s wishing them a great netball season ahead.

BLISS ON TAP: On Thursday July 11, Lucy Slabbert welcomed friends to check out a new accommodation establishment called Bliss in the Bay. Says Lucy: “It was a great evening - bubbly was flowing, amazing snacks from Mobys were served, and Ryan Kidwell, right, entertained with live music. I loved showing everyone our new refurbed rooms and chatting about the exciting future of the guesthouse, located five minutes from both Central and Robberg beaches. I and am so grateful to John Wessels and his family for the confidence they had in me, allowing me to run their business. Thank you to everyone for the constant support!” Pictured above are Nic and Alison Bryant, at left, with John and Christy van Coller.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS

17 July 2019

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Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

ON THE SOAPBOX

17 July 2019

Letters to the Editor

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

Has anyone else suffered windscreen damage caused by speeding timber trucks?

I read with interest Merv Prior’s letter in CXPRESS of June 19, about him being a victim of general carnage caused

by South Africa’s postal “service” [read it on page 15 of that edition at www. cxpress.co.za].

I was recently subjected to a somewhat different type of CARnage to that suffered by Mr Prior. This happened while I was travelling to Plettenberg Bay on the R340 - a gravel road connecting Plett with Kruisvallei on the way to Uniondale.

The scene: It is Thursday morning June 20 at 5:45am and I have just passed Klein Bavaria.

I see lights approaching of one of the ever-present

multi-tiered (and tyred) timber lorries. As usual I pull off as far as possible to my side of the road and then stop.

Guess what happens as the oncoming lorry roars passed me?

What happens is that there ensues a very loud splattering sound on my vehicle’s bonnet and windscreen as a hail of stones thrown up by the passing lorry hits the bonnet and entire windscreen from end to end.

It is too dark for me to see if there is serious damage to my windscreen.

But my worst fears are confirmed when daylight comes and I find a windscreen pitted and chipped from end to end where the

Please accept my apologies...

My deepest apologies are due to Vera Jantjies who was in the direct line of my fire, my outburst of rage, on the evening of July 5 at Engen garage.

I am so sorry for hurting and humiliating you.

I have been thinking of you ever since that night and I have the deepest level of respect for you as a woman of worth, a mother, a sister, and a person who remains positive no matter what.

While we cannot erase the past I thank you for

forgiving me and for allowing us to both move on from this.

Anger is temporary, but regret is forever and I deeply regret my actions.

A rude awakening only happens to a select few in life and I thank my higher power that it recently happened to me, even though the circumstances were absolutely awful and in the process hurt a most precious woman, for which I’ll be eternally remorseful.

Nicky, Plett

Open letter to Rita and Mike Hardaker for pulling off a most memorable event

hail of stones struck.

Late in the day I phone my insurance company and they confirm I am covered for this particular kind of damage.

Nevertheless, it seems unfair to me that an insurance company should have to pay for damage caused by an irresponsible, speeding multi-tyred vehicle on a gravel road, not to mention the waste of one’s personal time and effort in getting the damage fixed.

And what about those vehicle owners who are not covered by insurance for windscreen damage and get their windscreens damaged by the gravel thrown up by passing timber lorries?

Full marks to Jacques van der Merwe - why can't Plett have a mayor like him?

His comments and strategy [on page 11 of the July 10 edition at www.cxpress.co.za] make a lot of sense, and anyone with half a brain must surely realise how close to the brink this town actually is.

The same old story has been repeated so many times: Bitou Municipality assuring the protesters that soon everything will be all-right… until the next time.

Unfortunately, though vast numbers of residents in the township

Photo: Timothy Twidle

rated tables with all the special touches and gifts; the generous number of raffles of magnificent hampers and other prizes; the exciting live streaming of the Durban July and excellent management of the betting; the fabulous canapes and delicious lunch; the excellent choice of Paul Deans and Gordon Hoffman… I can go on and on!

It is rare that such an

(Readers with similar experiences to that of Mr Bovey are invited to email their stories to editor@ cxpress.co.za for possible publication. - Ed.)

Van der Merwe for mayor!

EVERYONE A WINNER: Craig Buchanan of Knysna, centre, successfully bid for a hamper of culinary delights donated by Roost of Old Nick Village during an auction conducted by the inimitable Paul Deans, second from left, during the July at Sky event; pictured with them are, from left, Jacquiline Baldwin, Marsja Hall-Green and Helen Buchanan

David and I were privileged to attend the Durban July at Sky event last Saturday - without a doubt one of Plett’s most outstanding events, ever!

We all knew how much effort you both put in, but could never have imagined that there would have been so many marvellous aspects to the day.

Everything was planned and executed to perfection: exquisitely deco-

I feel that the lorry owner/s should be called on to pay for the damage.

Or am I wrong?

I think it would be of interest to not only readers of CXPRESS, but also to motorists in general to share their views.

Perhaps some of your readers have had similar cases of windscreen damage caused to vehicles by passing lorries throwing up stones, and can write in to explain how the matter was dealt with.

Herb Bovey, De Vlugt

ambitious project comes together so brilliantly.

You took on an enormous challenge and succeeded in creating a memorable event for your guests.

Dear Rita, you clearly have the ability to inspire people to want to help and support you. That, in itself, is a major achievement. It was obvious from the very start that people were enjoying themselves enormously. Gordon and

who do not agree with this mayhem, few have the courage to stand up and be counted.

The time has surely arrived for the criminal element in high places to be thrown out and made to pay back their ill-gotten gains so municipalities can once again work for the good of the people who have paid them well for years.

The next few days and weeks should make for very interesting observing and reading.

Pease don't disappear, Jacques, you are badly needed in this crippled town of ours ‘Stella’, Plett Paul kept things going at a very brisk trot and kept us laughing all afternoon.

I have never tried to do anything as complicated and elaborate, and I salute you for your courage and determination to make it happen.

Please accept my most sincere thanks, again, for the extremely generous donation to PAWS for the small part I played in helping you.

David and I were thrilled to win a full three nights’ stay at Sky Villa, and I was delighted that Wilja’s fabulous confection bagged me a first prize in the Best Hat competition.

We will be talking about the July at Sky for a long time to come.

Marsja Hall-Green, Plett (Turn to page 9 of the July 10 edition for more images of the event, and read Rita Hardaker’s praise to every sponsor and individual who made the July at Sky event a reality at www.cxpress. co.za - Ed.)

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

17 July 2019

After a hard day’s work, they just want to play... the glorious game of rugby K ENNETH Momo is one of the friendly sales personnel you will encounter when entering BUCO Plett on the N2’s Rietvlei Road intersection.

But he is also a community-minded sports fan who has been integral in ensuring that his employers continue to support his neighbourhood’s rugby team by sponsoring them with kit and gear - this now for the second year in a row.

Kenneth speaks with pride of Wittedrift’s Excelsior Rugby Club, and was in attendance when new jerseys were handed over to the team and management on Saturday July 13 at the community sports field adjacent to Green Valley.

He provides a brief background of Excelsior: “The club was formed in 1966

with very few resources to keep it moving forward, but it continued regardless of a dire shortage of equipment and kit.

“Today, the club has about 50 registered players, most of whom are permanently employed by various companies in Plett. Some also work at BUCO, and others at Robberg Fine Food, Robberg Quarry, and many other private companies.

“What fascinates me most is that when these guys come home after a hard day’s work, they go straight to the field to prepare for the next game. They really put in a lot of effort to make our community proud.”

He says that this hard work is paying off, as the team has not lost a single game of the past 12 played.

“As the club committee,

COOL BLUE FOR THE CREW: Committee member in charge of sponsorships Kenneth Momo accepts a jersey from Kurt Lange, left, with club president Willem Malgas at right

we are proud to say with that number of registered players, the club has helped us to combat crime in our community. We would like to thank BUCO for sponsoring us with rugby jerseys again this year, to help us with this project.”

CXPRESS reported in March 2018 on BUCO’s sponsorship of Excelsior, as

well as its backing of related non-profit organisations.

Says Kenneth: “We want to acknowledge BUCO Plettenberg Bay and especially its owner Mr Sean Gannon, as well as the staff members that regularly cheer for our club, like Kurt Lange, Jaco Carr, Christine

HAPPINESS IS: Having fun at last Saturday’s handover are, from left, Jafta Sam, Andrew Jordaan, and Excelsior club captain James Kamfer

Raseponi, Andries van der Walt and other BUCO employees, alongside the community at large.

“What BUCO did for us might look small, but as members of the club we know that it gives us extra power to move forward to promote positive minds and

fight crime through sport.”

• Excelsior take on KwaNokhuthula and Kranshoek respectively over the next two Saturdays, both opposition teams playing on their home fields, so don't miss this opportunity to see these local rugby greats in action.

THE MIGHTY EXCELSIORS: The team reek of victory in their brand new BUCO-gifted gear

High Five more apt in Plett than anywhere on Earth!

LETT is the crosscountry of adventure destinations in South Africa - arguably the world with more than 30 activities across the region. From the forests of Harkerville to the mountains of Tsitsikamma, Plett is the ultimate base camp from which to tackle the toughest and funnest adventures to be found.

Canyoning, abseiling, ziplining, scuba and sky-diving, swimming with seals, quad biking, black-water tubing and, of course, leaping off the world’s highest bungy bridge all provide endless exhilaration in this exquisite wilderness.

Throttle down with a select mix of unforgettable excursions to balance out the thrill: horse and hiking trails, stand-up paddling, kayaking, surfing, deep-sea angling, marine safaris and animal sanctuaries.

Whether you prefer to ramp it up or throttle down, get ready to take it on.

Here’s the lowdown…

What is Plett High Five?

A week of extreme adventure and leisure activities in Plettenberg Bay, with a 20% discount price tag. Everything you’ve ever wanted to do in and around Plett, now come at a highly attractive price. Bring a buddy, bring the family and make some lasting memories.

P

Storms River

TIN HOUSE Self-catering accommodation

ZIP IT AND GO: Zip-lining is not for the faint-hearted...

When and where is Plett High Five?

September 23-29. September is the middle of the official whale season, in the school holidays, and right after the epic Dr Evil Classic and Karoo 2 Coast MTB races. Plett Adventure Hub is where the planning takes place, the rest is out in the blue and green - action, adventure, adrenaline.

Once registered online, all you need do is visit the Hub to book your activities and collect your goodie bag.

Who is Plett High Five?

Plett Tourism, in partnership with the coolest, most extreme, pioneering individuals (viz: our local adventure operators) will bring together like-minded souls to tailor-make their own Plett High Five package. There’s no same-same here, you create your own adventure and create your

own custom bracelet as a souvenir.

Why Plett High Five?

Why not? We know Plett has the goods when you want to ramp up the extreme or throttle down for a super-chill. Now all you need to do is register online at www.pletttourism.com to redeem your discounts and show up at the Adventure Hub from September 2329 to meet the legends and pick your passion.

The boss of adventure destinations, Plettenberg Bay, is bringing out the big guns for a season of adventure in nature: brace yourself for Plett High Five - the best excuse to head to Plett during the upcoming September holidays.

Plett High Five Adventure Week is offering fantastic bang for your hard-won buck. Visit www.pletttour ism.com to register online.