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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Ablaze again… Daniel Gondwe throws water onto his neighbour’s shack during yet another fire in the informal settlement of Kurland Village which, according to some sources, was caused when two children left unattended lit a gas stove to cook themselves a meal - read the story on page 3
New Bolhuis series kicks off
Suicide at Bloukrans Bridge
10 Years since ‘DJ murders’
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Photo: Glenn Murray Photography
18 November 2015
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
18 November 2015
Legal Alien: Recollections of the Bolhuis family’s immigration to SA - Part I
Let’s start at the very beginning, when World War II left our people emaciated and deprived... Plett resident and part-time CXPRESS columnist HENK BOLHUIS returns to these pages with a new series, this time on how his clan came to settle in South Africa EARS ago, when I first put pen to paper to write down some of our family’s experiences dealing with our immigration to South Africa, I was looking for a heading of some kind, when my wife coined the phrase ‘legal alien’ because, as she put it, we’re legally here but as we were not born here, we are, in a sense, aliens. In a nutshell, that sort of explains the story of the first generation of the Bolhuis family coming to this wonderful country; it also explains why, somehow, we are even more ‘South African’ than some born here - they had no choice,
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whereas we deliberately chose to come and settle here permanently. --The story of our immigration to the (then) Union of South Africa actually started way back before our departure from the Netherlands in 1959. When World War II ended in May 1945 and the Netherlands was liberated, it certainly did not mean that things improved drastically overnight. Conditions were definitely better and improving and there was peace, but the country had suffered much and the majority of the people were still weak
IMPORTANT POST: I received an envelope from a relative which contained, inter alia, a map dating back to 1867, at right, showing the location of the old family farm ‘Het Bolhuis’ - also included was a sketch of our family crest
LIEVE PAPA EN MAMA… This letter dates back to 1948, when as homesick youngster I wrote to my parents during one of my forced holidays with family in the farming district of Groningen
due to serious malnutrition and the deprivation of nourishment for the past five years. As a result, for a number of years afterwards, my mother would dispatch me to family in the farming district of Groningen, in the northeast of the country, during the July/August school holidays in order to “gain weight and to become strong again”, as she used to say. In my research for this article I subsequently came upon a short letter written by me to my parents during
one of those long forced and traumatic vacations. It reads as follows: ‘8 August 1948. Dear dad and mom. How are you both, with me it’s going well, I sleep alongside Harm. Monday morning I’m going with Harm to milk cows and I’m going with aunt Tjaakje to Uithuizen to the brick factories. But I want to go home, when are you coming to fetch me, if it is possible next Wednesday please? Write back soon for I am so very homesick. OK goodbye, a kiss for dad and
mom; bye.’ Fortunately, by this time my father had recovered sufficiently from his severe injuries caused by the Gestapo during the latter part of the war and he was able to work again - no longer as a police officer, but at this time as a house painter. He was also still fishing regularly to bring in extra food - this kind of fishing, however, was very different to what he had done before the war. I remember accompanying him weekends to a place called Het Driekantegat (dam with three sides) where he used hand grenades, which were still plentiful, lying around in the dunes and bunkers and had been collected by him. He would throw some in the water where, after detonation, he and I would collect the stunned fish that floated to the surface. Obviously this was not at all legal, but being an ex-police officer, his old colleagues let him be and looked the other way. The euphoria of the newly acquired freedom, unfortunately, did not last that long and as the country had been severely ravaged and had suffered much destruction, many thousands of Dutch people who had lost everything in the war and did not wish to start all over again in the country of their birth, decided to emigrate. Emigrants from the Netherlands, just after WWII especially to countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa - numbered so many that it became known as ‘The Dutch Diaspora’. Every now and then the question of emigration
also surfaced in our family and I remember a number of quite heated discussions taking place between my parents and also with family and friends. Somehow, the whole idea of pulling up one’s roots and permanently leaving the Netherlands was more than just a physical exercise - it was a very emotional thing. --Fast forward from those days just after the war to the beginning of this century when, perhaps for the first time, I really understood how difficult it must have been for my dad - one of 15 children - to leave behind the country of his birth and his family. One day, out of the blue, I received a large envelope filled with the records of the Bolhuis genealogy from a distant relative and suddenly became aware of the significance of the background of my family. In those documents I discovered how my ancestors, especially from my father’s side, had lived in the Netherlands for hundreds of years, dating as far back as the year 1450. The package also included a map dating back to 1867, showing part of the Province of Groningen, with the location of the old family farm ‘Het Bolhuis’, close to the small village of Wirdum. Also included was a sketch of the official Bolhuis family crest. To be continued…
NEWS & VIEWS
18 November 2015
Latest Kurland fire serves as pre-seasonal cautionary tale RAGS vet Dr Jacqui de Villiers-Rodmell was driving past Kurland Village when she saw smoke billowing from the settlement last Thursday morning. “We arrived on the scene to find one block of wooden shacks on fire. I spoke to one of the residents who lived there with her twoyear-old girl, five-year-old boy, and partner - she had lost everything. “It sounded as if the children next door were playing with lighters. She had previously told them off but then went out, only to be called back to hear that her house was on fire.” Another witness said that the fire truck seemed to be having difficulty in getting
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its pipe connections joined. “Residents were mainly putting the fire out using buckets of water that they were filling from a local tap. Fortunately, the wind was blowing in the opposite direction to the rest of the houses, otherwise at least 20 residents would have lost their homes in seconds.” Bitou Mayoral Communications officer Manfred van Rooyen confirmed that one of the units on the Kurland fire scene experienced a problem with a pump’s pull-start cord. “The crew engaged the second pump on the vehicle, but this was after the fire was contained and there were two other vehicles on the scene as well. The sec-
Plett Secondary: one arrest and tighter security Nikki Ridley LETT SAPS have confirmed the arrest of one of the two young males who assaulted a 52-year-old teacher at Plettenberg Bay Secondary on November 5. The 18-year-old was arrested on a charge of assault and appeared in the local magistrate’s court on November 12. His case was postponed and his bail hearing is set for November 25. The arrest was made in the wake of a meeting between concerned parents, teachers, and a Knysna-based representative of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Held at the school on November 9, the meeting called for urgent intervention in security problems that left teachers and pupils vulnerable to “gangsters” and drug dealers accessing the school grounds on a daily basis. Local police said they were now doing regular pa-
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trols during the day at the school to help keep pupils and teachers safe. The WCED has also issued a statement post follow-up meetings last week between parents, the school governing body and safety committee, SAPS and the Bitou mayor, saying that “representatives from various law enforcement were identified to serve on the School Safety Committee to contribute to a more effective safety plan”. The WCED has also approved a request for a secure fence to assist with access control. One of the parents reported back to CXPRESS that things were already getting better; that there was much better law enforcement on the school grounds and that parents and police were contributing to maintaining security, with volunteers monitoring the gates.
ond pump on a fire engine is part of the Standard Operating Procedures - if one pump fails, the second is available to be deployed,” said Van Rooyen. An abridged incident report from Bitou Municipality states that the November 12 fire was reported to Kurland Fire Station at 9:22am. The first truck arrived within minutes, followed by additional units from Plett at 9:41 and 9:45 respectively. The fire was contained and shortly after 11am all units stood down, but not before four structures were destroyed, affecting 11 residents. Bitou provided blankets and food parcels.
During another blaze in the village about four weeks ago, 22 families were affected. In that instance, Checkers provided food parcels to all the affected, while Woolworths provided various household items. The municipality acknowledges these companies’ contributions and urge residents to consciously prevent veld and other fires during the coming festive season. (Also see the notice in this regard on page 4.) If you can assist Bitou’s Housing Department with contributions for fire victims, please call 044 501 3024 or email mvanrooyen@plett.gov.za for details.
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News Briefs SUICIDE AT BLOUKRANS BRIDGE Face Adrenalin issued the following statement on Tuesday November 17 at 9am with regard to an incident at Bloukrans Bridge, where they operate the world’s highest bungy jump. “We regret to confirm that a white male appears to have committed suicide from the road deck of Bloukrans Bridge at 6:12am today. “Unfortunately it took place too quickly for anyone to attempt to reach the man before he carried out his intentions. A member of our crew alerted Storms River Emergency Services, who responded to the scene immediately. “Everyone on our team
is deeply saddened by the event, and we extend our thoughts to the victim’s family and friends.” Police spokesman Sergeant Majola Nkohli confirmed that someone had died at the bridge. THE WEEKEND’S ROAD FATALITIES As the annual World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims took place on Sunday November 15 in the Cape, reckless behaviour continued to contribute to avoidable injuries and fatalities on Western Cape roads. Of the weekend’s 12 road fatalities, only one occurred in Eden when a pedestrian was killed in Knysna on Saturday the 14th.
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NEWS & VIEWS
18 November 2015
Bereft families of DJ murder victims still suffer a decade down the line Yolandé Stander
S the 10th anniversary of the chilling murders of two girls in Knysna at the hands of a former nightclub DJ dawned, the latest in a series of bids to free their killer proved unsuccessful. On Sunday, exactly a decade ago, the partially-burnt body of Victoria Stadler, 20, was discovered near
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the Noetzie forest. She had been strangled. Just a month earlier, the body of Jessica Wheeler, 19, was found in the St George’s Anglican Church yard. She suffocated after her face was forced into the turf. Former Knysna DJ Heinrich van Rooyen was subsequently arrested, tried, convicted, and then hand-
ed two life sentences for the murders in 2008 following damning evidence linking him to the two girls, including the discovery of his DNA in sperm found on both victims. He has however maintained his innocence since his arrest and remains adamant to this day and, as a result, several attempts by
Van Rooyen and his camp have been made to secure his release. The latest campaign started when claims of new evidence surfaced when author Alan D Elsdon was researching the murders for a book he plans on writing. Earlier this year, he spent three months fine-combing evidence gathered during the initial investigation and trial. He then claimed to have discovered a witness from the night Wheeler was murdered who allegedly revealed that the person who murdered the young girl was someone who had testified against the DJ. A written statement made by the “new” witness was handed over to police. Police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie said that after careful investigation into the authenticity and origin of the new evidence, a decision had been made not to pursue the
matter any further. “The case has not been reopened. The information [handed in by Elsdon] is ‘old’ information that was taken into account during the initial investigation. After submitting the statement and after consultation with the National Prosecuting Authority, they [NPA] decided not to pursue further investigation into this matter. “The matter is therefore regarded as concluded,” Pojie said. In the meantime the girls’ families are still battling to come to grips with their loss. “It is 10 years, but we have not forgotten our lovely daughter. She never had the chance to live the life she deserves. We still love and miss her terribly. We keep her alive in our hearts,” Dusty Wheeler said. Stadler’s mother, Hannetjie, said every time the murders made headlines again, she relived the pain of losing her daughter. On November 10, she
shared a poignant message to her daughter on her Facebook page: “Time has flown. Today, 10 years ago I started looking for you and I couldn’t find you. The sun set for you before the moon rose. Victoria, I miss you. Rest in peace.” Van Rooyen’s family said they too had suffered over the past decade as they had also lost a loved one. As the 10th anniversary of the girls’ murders arrived, Van Rooyen’s brother, Franklin - who started a Facebook page ‘Justice for Heinrich van Rooyen’ in July and now has just shy of 2,000 supporters - remained adamant that his brother was framed. In a recent post he said: “Just remember that this fight is not [to] gather sympathy or just about my brother Heinrich. It is about fighting for justice, justice for all, for you, me, Jessica Wheeler, Victoria Stadler and most important, for our children.” Garden Route Media
Peace in a battered world as Belvidere hails 160 years of Holy Trinity Words & photos: Gigi Lewis
N the aftermath of Friday night’s horrendous Paris atrocities, the calm of a delightful spring morning in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church in Belvidere created a therapeutic relief as the Right Reverend Brian Melvin Marajh, Bishop of George, conducted a blessing and dedication service of the church’s new Prayer Walk on Saturday November 14. The Prayer Walk of 12 different stations, set in the gardens surrounding the church, was initiated by the Men’s Fellowship as their contribution to the 160year celebrations of Holy Trinity Church. New benches and stepping stones were donated by the congregation as well as by local residents and
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BLESSINGS: Bishop Marajh and Father Jerome Prins walked together, leading their congregation and guests past each station and dedicating it to the church
organisations supporting the venture. It was a serene occasion when Bishop Marajh - invited by Father Jerome Prins, Rector of Holy Trinity Church - walked together, in front of their congregation and guests, halting at each station for the bishop to bless and dedicate it to the church. The Prayer Walk, now officially recognised by the Diocese as part of the church,
was created as an encouragement for visitors to explore and reflect on their inner feelings in a spiritual way, without sitting through a full church service. Each station has a bench to sit on and displays an uplifting text on a plaque. A brochure, obtainable from a holder just inside the Church door, provides space for visitors to record their thoughts and prayers on their spiritual journey.
NEWS & VIEWS
18 November 2015
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Two lovely little lions get a second lease on life thanks to goodwill, serendipity, and Jukani
Paula Hallam
country in a suitcase. Lia was one of these cubs and, when blocked from being taken out of Egypt, she was sold back to the market. Fortunately for Lia, Egyptian businessman Hesham Shita and his family saw Lia and decided to buy her, with the express intention of getting her rehomed somewhere safe. He contacted an international animal rescue organisation who, in turn, contacted Drew Abrahamson of Captured in Africa. Drew contacted a number of facilities in an attempt to
NOT BORN FREE: The fate of both Elsa the white lion and Lia, who was saved from being smuggled out of Egypt in a suitcase, have turned dramatically since Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary in Plett agreed to provide them with a home Photos: Paula Hallam
UKANI Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the SAASA (South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance) group, welcomed two rescued lion cubs on a bright Saturday late last month. After a pretty abysmal start to their lives, these cubs are the lucky ones who now have the chance of a new life in the safe haven provided by Jukani
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Wildlife Sanctuary, located in The Crags east of Plett. Elsa, a nine-month-old white lion, was rescued from a big cat breeder in Brits, North West Province, by Maxine Prins from Holland. Maxine had previously volunteered at the farm before learning that the likely fate of its resident animals was to be sold to animal traders or into the canned hunting industry. Many young people from all over the world volunteer at animal facilities in South Africa. They are usually informed that the cubs have sadly been orphaned and, therefore, need to be handraised until they are old enough to be self-sufficient and can be released into the wild. The truth is that, in most
instances, these cubs are purposefully bred and have been taken away from their mothers while only a few days old. When they get older, they are sold to traders or canned hunting operators. Once Maxine learned the sad truth behind these volunteering projects, she travelled back to the farm in Brits with the hope of rescuing the lion cub she had helped raising. She discovered that Elsa was being kept in terrible conditions and agreed to buy her from the owner. A fellow volunteer gave Maxine the contact details for a sanctuary that had previously helped with rescued lion cubs. Sadly, they did not have space for Elsa and referred Maxine to Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary in Plett, who, after careful consideration, agreed to give Elsa a home for life, free from any form of exploitation. On the other side of the continent, custom officials intercepted two lion cubs that a Saudi man had bought at an Egyptian animal market and was trying to smuggle out of the
SA’s Leading Enzymologists
find the right home for Lia. After careful consideration, both Hesham and Drew agreed that Jukani could provide the space and care that Lia so needs and deserves. SAASA was approached and Drew managed the complex process of bringing Lia safely to Jukani. Lia was housed temporarily at an equine rescue centre where she was taken care of by Jill Barton while awaiting permits to be approved for her relocation to Jukani. Elsa and Lia are now set-
tling into their new home and have already begun to form a bond. • Paula Hallam is the media volunteer for SAASA, which comprises Monkeyland, Birds of Eden, and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a body that strives to improve the lives of captive animals including primates, birds, apex cats and any other wild animals. SAASA does not allow clients to touch, ride, or walk wild animals on leashes or any other form of exploitation. See www.saasa.org.za for more information.
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18 November 2015
NEWS & VIEWS
Saying goodbye to Ethan
Plett Surf Lifesaving Club (PSLSC) lost one of its young members in a tragic incident a fortnight ago and paid tribute to his life during a short ceremony on Friday November 13. Ethan Beauzick had been a member of PSLSC since 2011 and was one of Plettenberg Bay’s Pro Lifeguards, serving on Bitou’s beaches for the past two years. Said Club chairman James Stewart: ‘We bid a sad farewell to one of our own and will miss this dedicated member of our team.’ He added that the Club was blown away by the Friday night fundraiser, and the support shown to help Ethan’s family during this trying time. His funeral took place on Saturday November 14. Above, head honcho of the local lifesaving crew Chas Frazier, at left, is pictured with a bunch of Ethan’s colleagues, several of whom used the opportunity to say some sad words about their departed buddy, while remembering the good times with him during their years of keeping bathers out of trouble together.
On the loss of Peter Delmont
Sun circle spectacle
There are spaces That cannot be filled Though time holds the shovel Gaps in daily life Suddenly a shock Where are you? I start to talk and wait Realising there will be No answer Talk on anyway In that is comfort And slowly the invisible Clock of time heals - Paul Deans
I see a fine moon rising…
Derek Frielinghaus shared this lovely photo, which he says was ‘taken with my cellphone after early supper at Plett Ski-boat Club on Central Beach’. Turn to page 11 of this edition (and the Classifieds page of every CXPRESS) to find out more about the state of the moon and tides.
Rudi Bliggenstorfer took these photos of the sun circle that enthralled Garden Route earthlings on Saturday November 7. What a pretty solar display! If any of our planet-savvy or weather-wise readers can explain the phenomenon, please be so kind as to email us at editor@cxpress.co.za for some, erm, enlightenment…
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INTERVAL
18 November 2015
The location of your mailbox shows you how far away from your house you can be in a robe, before you start looking like a mental patient.
After 10 years, finally the best day of his life NE day an Irishman who had been stranded on a deserted island for over 10 years, saw a speck on the horizon. He thought to himself: “It’s certainly not a ship.” And, as the speck got closer and closer, he began to rule out the possibilities of a small boat or even a raft. Suddenly there emerged from the surf a wet-suited black-clad figure. Putting aside the scuba gear and the top of the wet suit, there stood a drop-
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dead gorgeous blonde! The glamorous blonde strode up to the stunned Irishman and said: “Tell me, how long has it been since you’ve had a cigarette?” “Ten years,” replied the amazed Irishman. With that, she reached over and unzipped a waterproof pocket on the left sleeve of her wet suit, and pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes. He took one, lit it, and took a long drag. “Faith and begorra,”said
Excuses, always excuses ONES came into the office an hour late for the third time in one week and found the boss waiting for him. “What’s the story this time, Jones?” his boss asked sarcastically. “Let’s hear a good excuse for a change.” Jones sighed: “Everything went wrong this morning, Boss. The wife decided to drive me to the station. She got ready in ten minutes, but then the drawbridge
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got stuck. “Rather than let you down, I swam across the river - look, my suit’s still damp - ran out to the airport, got a ride on Mr Thompson’s helicopter, landed on top of Radio City Music Hall, and was carried here piggyback by one of the Rockettes.” “You’ll have to do better than that, Jones,” said the boss, obviously disappointed. “No woman can get ready in ten minutes.”
Summer holidays
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EVEN-YEAR-OLD John had finished his summer break and gone back to school. Two days later his teacher phoned his mother to tell her that John was
misbehaving. “Wait a minute,” said the mother. “I had John here for two months during the summer holidays and I never called you once when he misbehaved.”
Questions and answers proud and confident genius makes a bet with Albert. The genius says: “Hey Albert, for every question I ask that you don’t know the answer to, you have to give me R100. And if you ask me a question and I can’t answer yours, I will give you R1,000.” “Okay,” Albert says. The genius then asks: “How many continents are there in the world?”
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Albert doesn’t know and hands over the R100. Then Albert says: “Now me: what animal stands with two legs but sleeps with three?” The genius tries and searches very hard for the answer but gives up and hands over the R1,000. The genius says: “Dang it, I lost. By the way, what was the answer to your question?” Albert hands over R100.
Marriage is nature’s way of keeping people from fighting with strangers.
the Irishman, “that is so good I’d almost forgotten how great a smoke can be!” “And how long has it been since you’ve had a drop of good Irish whiskey?” asked the blonde. Trembling, the castaway replied: “Ten years.” Hearing that, the blonde reached over to her right sleeve, unzipped a pocket there and removed a flask and handed it to him. He opened the flask and took a long drink.
“Tis nectar of the heavens!” stated the Irishman. “Tis truly fantastic!” At this point the gorgeous blonde started to slowly unzip the long front of her wet suit, right down the middle. She looked at the trembling man and asked: “And how long has it been since you played around?” With tears in his eyes, the Irishman fell to his knees and sobbed: “Sweet Mary! Don’t tell me you’ve got golf clubs in there, too?”
SOCIAL SCENE EIGHT DECADES OF SPREADING THE LOVE: Plett fundraising fundi and show-stopping festival organiser extraordinaire Ann Fermor - here looking utterly at home on the red carpet, along with husband Dai and grandson Oli in the background - celebrated her 80th birthday at The Table on Saturday, with her three sons and their spouses, all but one of the grandkids and a crowd of sprightly friends in attendance. A Mother City lass in the word’s true sense, Ann was born in Muizenberg and taught at Star of the Sea in St James before the Fermors moved to Plett two decades ago. When she finally retired from teaching, Ann got involved in the Kids of Kurland project and has been championing this cause with incredible results (viz: years of successful Plett Fringe Festivals, etc. etc. etc…) ever since. But on Saturday it was all festive fun, with Ann, Dai and their friends dancing to romantic tunes ‘till deep into the late spring night.
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People, places & events FUNKY FEATHERS AND HAIR-HAPPY FAMILY AT THIS SHAQ: Lyn and Nikki of The Hair Shaq & Barber Shop at Plett’s Market on Main recently announced the addition of Richard to their expert coiffeur team, while also welcoming Donna back to Plettenberg Bay ‘as part of our extended family’. Apart from letting their valued clients know that the styling team has expanded, Lyn also added: ‘We look forward to a fantastic year-end and an explosive 2016 with our new team that simply brims with knowledge and creativity, and many combined years of experience in the hair industry.’ As can be seen in the pic, The Hair Shaq crew specialises in funky colours, hair feathers and beaded accessories. Call Lyn on 078 800 9226 to book your good hair date and if you present this article, you score 20% discount to boot!
RUSSIAN DUO DAZZLES IN KNYSNA: The season of Knysna Plett Concerts for 2015 concluded on November 9 with a dazzling performance by Russian pianists Natalia Lavrova and Vassily Primakov of works by Robert Schumann, Carl Czerny, Sergei Rachmaninov and Darius Milhaud. Among those who enjoyed the evening were, above from left, Willem & Veronica de Voogt, Keith Hollis, Rose Markantonis and Francis Blitz. Pictured below from left are Wendy Bott, Nadya Loutfe, Don Bodley and Dawn Tyndall, all residents of Knysna. - Timothy Twidle
FOUR GENERATIONS FÊTE ONE! Saturday November 14 saw the happy first birthday party of handsome Callen Gibson, seen here with gentle great-granny Mary Craig; yummy ‘oumie’ from the Cape and beloved former Plett local Shelley Craig; and gorgeous mom Tash Pells-Gibson. Well, with auspicious female company and zesty genes like that, it’s likely that CXPRESS of 2114 will report on Callen’s happy 100th… - Photo: Sue Wale
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CLASSIFIEDS
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SOAPBOX
18 November 2015
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
In a cruel world there’s no space for nature A happy colony of weaverbirds has been grounded in the field between Gris Nez and the Plettenberg Bay rugby field. The big pine trees have been felled, the birds startled and bewildered, flying hastily around to find their nests and their youngsters. There is a young one on the dusty road, totally confused. Can it survive? Will the parents find it and feed it? Weaver colonies are noisy and there is a constant hus-
HOMELESS: The male weaver builds one or more beautiful intricately woven pouch-like individual nests to attract a mate, but now a resident weaver colony off Plett’s Gris Nez Avenue has been robbed of their hanging homes
‘Car guard’ at Robberg no CapeNature employee I have read the letter about the parking issue at Robberg [turn to page 11 of the November 4 edition at www.cxpress.co.za]. I don’t agree with the manner in which the writer has raised his concerns and I would like to commend Henk and the ever so friendly staff at Robberg for the way in which they ensure that the trails and braai areas are always in impeccable condition, even during peak season. However, I have only one concern which my husband and I observed over the past month and last week. There is a guy in the parking pretending to be a socalled ‘car guard’ for CapeNature. He assists in finding parking and controlling access in the parking area. I am not sure whether this is part of his duty for the season or if he works for the same company as the gentleman at the gate. My concern is the fact that he requests money or even a cigarette or two in return. My husband and I gave him something once but we saw an article about the ‘red bibs only’ policy in Knysna. Does Plett have the same policy when it comes to parking attendants? I’d appreciate it if CapeNature could confirm whether he is employed by them and why he is not being paid a salary, as this is creating a bad image for them. ‘Marie’, Plett CapeNature Public Relations Officer Justin Lawrence responds: CapeNature does not employ ‘car guards’ for Robberg Nature Reserve. We will only have additional staff working at the car park during the peak holiday period between December 15 and January 10 to ensure that the visitor facilities are serviced regu-
larly and maintained to a high standard. Trained staff manning the information kiosk will assist visitors regarding general information and requests. If any CapeNature employees are found guilty of harassing the public for personal gain, CapeNature will take the necessary steps to deal with this behaviour. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused and request the public to bring such incidents immediately to the attention of CapeNature. Thank you for your support. --To whoever Bradley Sparg is: You clearly have never engaged with our CapeNature staff in Plett. I have worked in conservation for almost 20 years, and engaged various officials in numerous provincial and national departments, and can say without question that the Plett CapeNature team is the best and most passionate I have encountered. You also clearly have no idea about due process. How you think the parking could be doubled by season dumbfounded me. I do suppose they could just grade away an extra 100 square metres or so of pristine state protected land for your convenience... But then none of us would want to go there anymore! Why not work with officials to come up with a sustainable solution rather than fire salvos randomly in a newspaper? Our country works so well when passionate citizens combine forces with passionate officials. It is one of the reasons Plett is so awesome. Dr Mark Brown - Nature’s Valley Trust, via the CXPRESS Facebook page
tle and bustle. The male weaver builds one or more beautiful intricately-woven pouch-like individual nests from grasses and palm tree leaves to attract a mate by hanging from the downward facing entrance, swaying to and fro, flapping his wings and uttering sizzling calls. But now the trees that homed them are down. The nests are destroyed. I am shocked and very, very sad. Traute Brueck, Plett
Sterling Bitou service I believe it is only fair to give credit when credit is due. Last Saturday, I returned home after lunch only to find that my electrical appliances were operating on a reduced power supply for which I could see no obvious reason. I telephoned the Customer Care line at Bitou Municipality and the call was answered promptly by an efficient and very pleasant operator who immediately said she would arrange for an electrician to call. ‘Yeah, right! Possibly
next week,’ thinks I… To my surprise, in the proverbial blink of an eyelid, a municipal bakkie pulled up at my gate and two chatty chaps set to finding the cause of my problem. This was quickly achieved with a lot of banter between us. Off they went with a wave and I then realised that less than an hour had elapsed since my phone call! That’s service. Well done and my thanks to them all. John Pickering, Plett
Put up a parking lot… Why doesn’t Bitou Municipality do something about the parking at The Deck restaurant and Lookout Beach? Why do they not replace the parking area that was washed away next to Lemon Grass restaurant? At busy times, it’s impossible to find parking for customers of them, The Deck or the new Equinox eatery. These three restaurants are all very popular and, especially over the festive season, it’s sure to be chaos!
Robberg Beach is going to be unusable at high tide, and Central Beach not much better, so everyone will go to Lookout Beach. Where are they supposed to park? Why not turn the supposable wetland at Lookout into more parking spots? Sorry Greenies, but there is enough ‘green’ land in Plettenberg Bay, i.e. Robberg, the vlei below Whale Rock Ridge, and much more. We need the parking! Robert Baudinet, Plett
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18 November 2015
SPORT & ADVENTURE
Pennypinchers Adventure Racing Team members impress at inaugural SANParks ride ITH the excitement of South Africa’s premier adventure race, Expedition Africa, being hosted on the Garden Route next year, the Pennypinchers Adventure Racing Team dusted off the cobwebs and injury and illness woes of 2015 and set their sights on taming this beast in May 2016. But back to matters of
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a more recent nature: Saturday November 7 turned out to be a busy day for the team. James Stewart and Jeffery Willcocks under the guise of Muddy Foot Adventures in conjunction with SANParks hosted the inaugural Garden Route National Park (GRNP) Fun MTB Ride. The route was a 25km mountain bike track with a
twist, as is always the case with these organisers. The riders followed rally style directions from a route book to navigate around the beautiful SANParks Harkerville Forest and MTO Forests along the coast. With no insider information the Pennypinchers AR Team of Jeanette Wylie and Woit Orzechowski won the Mixed Pairs sec-
tion - despite taking a couple of wrong turns. Jeanette, who has been on Mother Duty for a bit, said: “It’s great to be back and racing and getting to know new team mate Woitek.” The Male Pairs was won by Jacques Brink and Stuart Lightley from Team Knysna Cycle Works, who also served as sponsors on the day. In what turned out
to be a highly contested Parent and Child category, Charlie and Brendan Proctor claimed the honours. Being multisport support stalwarts, the team then set out the routes and start/ finish area for the Pennypinchers Adventure Nights Trail Run at the same venue, with a route through the forest on hiking trails and bike tracks. Says Stewart: “Running at night is a huge part of ad-
venture racing, as the race does not stop when the sun goes down. So sharing this special time with other runners is a great joy for us.” Local speedster Dylan van Wyk claimed first place from John Collins and in the ladies it was Veruska Freebury who pipped Christine Collins into second place. All the runners gathered in the lapa around the fire sharing war stories and lapping up great prizes from Earth Scout, AfriAbseil, Off the Hook and Aromaflex.
GRNP Fun MTB Ride results HE event launched a new cycling route called ‘Graspad’, which starts at the Kranshoek Gate in the Harkerville forest. Graspad joins other timeless classics in the Knysna forest (the blue, green, yellow, red, Petrus se Brand, and Farleigh MTB trails). Although other routes are expected to open for cyclists before next year’s Fun Ride, SANParks has committed to hosting the event at least once a year. • Individual: Anja de Nil • Individual Men: Wian
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Kotze • Ladies Pairs: Ashley Willcocks & Svelka Sharpe • Mixed Pairs: 1st Jeannette Wylie & Wojtek Orzechowski, 2nd David Corria & Bernike Beukes, 3rd Sandy & James Hart • Parent and Child: 1st Charlie & Brendan Proctor, 2nd Zinadine & Bart Denil, 3rd Martin & Brian Fraser • Men’s Pairs: 1st Jacques Brink & Stuart Lightley, 2nd Gavin Ainsley & Raymond Botha, 3rd Colin Shave & Snako Smoko.
Sport Shorts
OH WHAT FUN WE HAD: Pennies racers Jacques Brink, centre left, and Stuart Lightley, centre right above, won the Men’s Pairs at the MTB event launching Graspad; at right, a participant shows his approval of the spectacular forest route - Photos: Glenn Murray Photography
Run with giraffe Plett Athletics Club presents its year-end Family Trail Run again on Sunday November 22 at Giraffe View Safari Camp in Wittedrift, starting at 9am. Email Vicki Meggersee at giraffeview@tiscali.co.za for details. Plett Nippers fundraiser Plett Surf Lifesaving Club’s intrepid Nippers are raising funds for participation in next year’s Nationals in Durban. Have mega fun while contributing to
this cause by signing up for the Nippers fundraiser party at The Table in Plett’s Main Street on November 28 at 6pm for 6:30. Tickets at R100 per person include a glass of wine or a beer at the door and yummy pizza. Come and join in the festivities, mingle and chillax with DJ Butters in the house. Raffle tickets will be sold on the evening with fantastic prizes to be won. Call Colleen on 072 914 6914 or Lorna on 078 425 4382 for tickets.