1 May 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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May Day… no work today!
Election Day a week away
On racial politics and tourism
Knysna educators aim high
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Photo: Corinne Fernley
This photo of a Kelp Gull in mid-flight was taken during the last spring low tide with the iconic Beacon Isle as backdrop. Says ace photographer Corinne Fernley: “It reminded me that Plett really IS a feeling, and bluesy in colour to boot!” Workers Day in South Africa, also known worldwide as May Day, is a chance to commemorate our labourers and the contributions they make towards the growth of the nation. Historically, labourers across the globe are appreciated and their struggles acknowledged on May 1. Here’s wishing readers some me-time on this public holiday, and that there’ll be no cause to signal ‘mayday’ for any reason whatsoever…
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
1 May 2019
Here’s how you can ensure a bright future for our beached baby turtles Nature’s Valley Trust marine research technician CHANEL HAUVETTE reminds readers of the action required when finding stranded turtles on our beaches T this particular time of year, turtle hatchlings are known to wash out along our beaches and therefore it’s imperative for the general public to learn how to deal with these special little creatures - mostly Loggerhead turtles - once detected. The massive offshore storm that last week pushed down from the north of Durban would have washed babies out of the warmer currents. Then the onshore breeze blew them into colder water. They are too small to swim against wind, waves and currents, and are fortunate to reach a beach anywhere along the coastline - however, this good fortune only prevails if they are found by people rather than predators. When they end up on the beaches, they are usually in a state of shock and generally suffering from hypothermia and injuries sustained during their arduous journey. At the time of writing, a total of seven stranded babies had been found on Plett beaches. If you find a turtle while walking along the beach, please do not walk away or attempt to place the turtle back into the water. Pick it up, even though
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it may appear dead. Their metabolism shuts down completely but most often they are very much alive and can be revived. Also, if you happen to come across any deceased turtles, our stranding network would greatly appreciate it if they could be delivered to us, since post mortems often yield really significant research that can be used to determine cause of death, e.g. if they had ingested foreign objects such as plastic. Once a turtle has been found, they can be placed into a small, well-ventilated box like an ice cream tub with a dry towel at the base of the container. Keep
FORTUNATE FEW: Turtle hatchlings are too small to swim against winds, waves and currents, but humans in the know can change their fate
the turtle out of direct sunlight; do not wet the turtle and do not attempt to feed it. Please immediately phone the Plett Marine Animal Stranding hotline on 079 463 4837 so that we can arrange for collection. Once we have these turtles in our care, we arrange lifts for them to Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium, where they are rehabilitated and strengthened, before being released back into warmer offshore waters. Alternatively, call Nature’s Valley Trust on 072 317 2280 or Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness and Rehabilitation Centre on 044 534 8170 for collection.
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NEWS & VIEWS
1 May 2019
CXPRESS
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If choosing not to vote, you have no right to complain FRAN KIRSTEN asked three diverse South African citizens about their thoughts and hopes for the country’s 2019 general elections SKED if she would be casting her vote on May 8, Marguerite Hill from Montague was adamant
that every eligible South African citizen should seize the opportunity. “It is extremely important
to vote if you want our country to recover from the ‘lost nine years’. If you are eligible to vote and you choose not
Marguerite Hill
Peter van der Spuy
Alex Kirsten
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Just visiting? You’re allowed to vote on May 8! LETT Tourism advised that visitors are allowed to vote in Plett, provided they are registered in their respective home towns. On Election Day, you will be able to vote at any convenient local station. In Plett, these are Piesang Valley Community Hall or
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Plett Primary School opposite the Engen service station at the northern entry off the N2. Take your ID book and ask the presiding officer for your ballot papers. If you have registered in the Western Cape, you will be able to vote in Plett on
both the national and provincial ballots. If you have registered in any other province, you will be able to vote on the national ballot only. For assistance, call 082 569 2571 or 083 303 8094 and check out www.elections. org.za for more details.
Heavy sentences for drug traffickers HREE men found over the past fortnight that the drug trade does not pay, when they were sentenced to several years behind bars for drug-related crimes. A Nigerian man was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment after he was convicted in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court on April 26 for dealing in tik in December 2106. Kennet Okafor was arrested during an intelligencedriven operation in Plettenberg Bay after the vehicle he was travelling in, a Volkswagen Amarok, was pulled over and searched. Five years of his sentence was suspended for five years, on condition that he is convicted on a similar charge during this period. His Amarok valued at R380,000 and more than R6,000 was also seized by
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the Anti-forfeiture Unit. “This double blow will hopefully deter future and potential drug dealers to enter this lucrative drug trade,” said Western Cape police commissioner lieutenantgeneral Khombinkosi Jula. He also commended those involved in the initial bust, as well as the successful investigation done by the provincial detectives tasked with fighting organised crime and narcotics, and based in George. “Dealing and trafficking of drugs is quite a popular commodity in the lucrative drug trade business in our country. Many dealers or traffickers think that they can get away with such action. However, concerted efforts by our members ensure that that is not the case at all,” Southern Cape police spokesman captain
Malcolm Pojie said. Just over a week earlier, on April 15, two men - Graven Greeff, 30, and Hagen May, 31 - were convicted and sentenced to 10 years behind bars after they were arrested with more than R600,000 worth of drugs hidden in their vehicle in Hornlee in January last year. According to police they were travelling in a black Toyota Tazz in Fraaisig near Hornlee when the police pulled them over and escorted them to the Knysna police station, where they searched the vehicle and discovered the hidden drugs. About 4,060 Mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R264,000 and 10 bags of tik worth about R350,000 were confiscated. Each received a 10-year prison sentence in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court.
to, then you have absolutely no right to complain about the political landscape of this country,” she said. Hill added: “For the first time in a long time, I feel optimistic about the future of our country. We can’t give up now. We need to make this country work.” Peter van der Spuy was celebrating his 89th birthday when he spoke to CXPRESS last week. “I am definitely going to vote,” he
said. “I have never missed a single opportunity to vote in my 89 years and I am definitely not going to start now. “I have seen many things change in our country over the decades, some good and some not so good. I hope that I will live to see those who have stolen our money be sent to prison, and that stricter regulations will be enforced to stop further plundering.” Alex Kirsten was one of
the more than 29,000 South Africans currently abroad who cast their vote for the sixth general elections on April 27, celebrated in SA as Freedom Day since 1995. “I just thought of service delivery and what my family needs back home! I was pragmatic in my vote, since there’s no point in voting for an idea that will never work,” said the youngster currently living and working in London.
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Racial politics: the last refuge of the scoundrel Wandisile Sebezo
HE Plett Tourism saga - and Bitou Municipality’s coordinated attack on this essential organisation - refuses to die down. On April 16 I, together with many Kwano residents, attended an IDP meeting at the community hall, where the municipality was due to present its draft budget. Of course the tourism issue came up, but to our surprise, Bitou had already made up its mind regarding the fate of our tourism industry - in spite of the fact that the municipality had received thousands of letters and emails objecting to its plans to make tourism a municipal function. It was said at the meeting by some municipal officials that the Plett Tourism Association board is “too white” and therefore no monetary support would be forthcoming. In no uncertain terms, this confirmed the widely-held suspicion that the municipality is creating a parallel tourism structure. Particularly worryingly is that there seems to be no understanding of what tourism management is all about. The great confusion shared by these municipal officials and politicians is thinking that tourism management or development is about creating events. Alas, if this is the rationale behind our new tourism structure, it’s destined to fail. I have always argued that a primary requirement is to fully capacitate the LED department, because in its current state, it’s in no position to offer any developmental support to entrepreneurs seeking to establish themselves in the local economy. I have also warned against in-sourcing, and maintain that we should rather redirect the mandate of the Plett Tourism Association by setting up transformation targets to be met, as opposed to killing it by way of stripping its funds. The argument that Plett Tourism Association is “too white” doesn’t hold water as far as development is concerned, because the bulk of the beneficiaries of this institution are black, and they reside in KwaNokuthula. A public-private partnership is the way to go, since in reality the municipality can’t pull it off on its own. Racial politics has always been practised by political actors who exploit the issue of race to forward an agenda. They’re as divisive as they’re a waste of time, delaying any progress whatsoever. Replacing whites with blacks won’t solve the problem when you’re not talking integration or inclusivity. It’s a futile exercise when you refuse to look at the performance output of the organisation over the last five years. I’ve seriously given up on this lot - they are running our town into the ground. (See the advert on page 9.)
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W-Cape premier candidate claims what DA did for province, they will do for SA Words & photos: Timothy Twidle
HE Democratic Alliance (DA) held a breakfast meeting with business leaders, stakeholders and local residents at Ouland Royale on Friday April 26. The main address was by Alan Winde - the DA’s candidate for premier of the Western Cape, come the May 8 national and provincial elections. Winde was supported by provincial DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela, Western Cape Transport and Public Works minister Donald Grant, and DA Bitou municipal councillors Sumeia Ndayi, Bill Nel, Anne Windvogel, Dave Swart and Annelise
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Olivier, as well as Bitou’s DA constituency chair Liz Mundell. In opening, Madikizela claimed: “The DA is the only political party in South Africa that brings people from all different backgrounds together. We have a value system and we have principles.” In a wide-ranging address, Winde dwelt on his party’s record of governance in the Western Cape over the past 10 years, saying they had concentrated on three core elements: the economy, education, and health care. He went on to say: “Jobs are a top priority. We want to see that there is at least one job in every household.” By way of an example,
Winde cited Cape Town International Airport. “As a result of work carried by the Western Cape government, the number of international flight carriers having Cape Town as a destination has increased from four to 14 over the course of the past five years. “That has benefited the economy of the Western Cape and the country as a whole and it has created jobs.” On the topic of education, Winde informed the meeting that 134 new schools had been built in the province over the last 10 years, and ever more school learners in the province were now completing their primary and secondary education.
With regards to health services, he said: “Of all the provinces, the Western Cape has the highest percentage of households, at 91.5%, living within 30 minutes of a health facility. The DA has invested in health facilities and people from other provinces come to the Western Cape for health care.” Mention was also made of the number of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) already developed in the province; in excess of 4,000 initiatives bolster agriculture and support for the arts. In closing Winde urged those in attendance to vote for the DA. “What we have done in the Western Province, we will do for South Africa.”
GRAND VENUE, GREAT PROMISES: Alan Winde, right, was supported among others by, from left, Bitou councillor Sumeia Ndayi, provincial DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela, Western Cape Transport and Public Works minister Donald Grant, and Bitou councillor Annelise Olivier
DEEP IN DA COUNTRY: Marietta van Rooyen, left, shares a moment with Bitou municipal councillors, from left, Sumeia Ndayi, Dave Swart, Annelise Olivier, and Anne Windvogel
Knysna MM on a mission to reconnect with Sedgefield UNICIPAL manager (MM) of Knysna Dr Sitembele Vatala is extremely alarmed by the view of some local residents that Sedgefield is less important to the municipality than the rest of Greater Knysna. “Since taking office I have been concerned over the perception that we don’t care as much about Sedgefield as we do about the rest of our municipal area,” said Dr Vatala. “I want to categorically state that this is definitely not the truth, and to show my commitment to this beautiful coastal village I will be residing there for a few months.” To underline his commitment, the MM assures Sedgefield residents that he will be taking a personal interest in several projects due to commence before the end of the current financial year (July 2019). “Seeing as Sedgefield is currently my home, I will be keeping a keen eye on Phase 2A of the upgrade
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SEDGE LOCAL FOR NOW: Dr Sitembele Vatala will endeavour to make all residents feel included
to the bulk sewer infrastructure as well as the upgrading of the Sedgefield Town Hall,” he said. “The officials involved assured me that projects such as the provision of new speed humps and the walkway between Raven Street and Myoli Beach were on track.” Dr Vatala lauded the strong community spirit with which Sedgefield has become synonymous.
“The recent Slow Festival showed how big-hearted the residents are. It was encouraging to see a village pull together for the greater good of its economy. “Sedgefield is diverse and has much to offer. I am sure that residents took cognisance of our commitment to the town in our new billboard, which draws attention to the beauty of Sedgefield. “Currently it exhibits the many beautiful beaches that hug the coastline, and I am told that this billboard’s picture will soon change to showcase another aspect of Sensational Sedgefield, ensuring the continued attention of passers-by.” Dr Vatala acknowledged that feeling excluded could lead to a reduced sense of general belonging, and that social belonging is a fundamental psychological need. “I would never want any of our residents to feel excluded, and want to reiterate that nobody
here in Greater Knysna is or will ever be abandoned, and nobody in Sedgefield is or will ever be excluded. Greater Knysna will only succeed if we all work together.” He invited the Sedgefield Ratepayers and Voters Association to approach his office with written submissions on items of concern, and vowed to try amicably resolving any issue brought to his attention. “I also want to encourage our residents to attend public meetings during which they can engage with our officials and councillors to get a better understanding of local government and have their concerns heard.”0 Dr Vatala concluded: “Greater Knysna prides itself on being Inclusive, Innovative and Inspired, so please reach out when you need an issue addressed.” Residents are invited to email ips@knysna.gov. za to share their suggestions, ideas and inputs with the MM.
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NEWS & VIEWS
1 May 2019
Bitou 10 celebrates 13 years of educational excellence N March 13, 2006, the Cadbury School Development Initiative (CSDI) was initiated by Jeremy Ractliffe and then president Nelson Mandela. Soon after, what we know today as the Bitou 10 Education and Development Foundation (B10F) evolved from the CSDI. Since its official launch on November 1 the next year, the Foundation has provided substantial educational support services to all Western Cape Education Department schools in Bitou. “These schools have benefited greatly from our programmes,” said Colin Wildeman, B10F board member and principal of Formosa Primary School in New Horizons, during a celebratory gathering on April 4.
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Wildeman expressed his gratitude to the coordinators for doing an outstanding job, and to B10F funders for their invaluable contributions. “Without your support, our current results would not have been possible. The learners have shown substantial improvement and it is evident that the programmes are effective,” he said. Having completed numerous literacy, mathematics, and youth empowerment programmes, B10F educators and collaborators have developed a profound understanding of the needs of learners, teachers, schools, and their local communities in general. B10F chairperson Marietta van Rooyen thanked the board members, facilitators,
FIELD SPECIALISTS: From left are Pippa Ford (reading and English programme coordinator), Desmond Harrison (R&E Programme and mathematics development funder), and specialist maths teacher Gillian Reid
and funders for their continued support and expressed her delight at being part of the group of great minds collaborating to positively impact the lives of learners at Bitou’s WCED schools. A big thank you is due to generous hosts Marietta and Basil van Rooyen, and to Bread and Brew for sponsoring delicious platters for the evening. The Foundation empowers community members, parents, teachers and students with the educational assistance and life skills necessary to succeed. Call Sooneela Naina on 044 533 6466 or email manager@ bitou10foundation.co.za if you would like to assist, and visit www.bitou10 foundation.co.za for additional information.
DRIVING FORCE: Jeremy Ractliffe was present when the Bitou 10 Foundation celebrated its 13th year of achievement on April 4
Entertainment Diary • Knysna Plett Concert Series presents ‘Violin Dialogue’, featuring violinists Zanta Hofmeyr and Mirosalav Charkaryan, and pianist Olive Sandilands on Monday May 6. Well-known SA and Bulgarian violinists, Zanta and Miro will perform an exciting programme of virtuoso violin duos. They share their love for the violin by engaging in a musical dialogue performing works by Wieniawski, Sarasate, Leclair, Shostakovich, and Moszkowski. Miro is concertmaster of the Joburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Zanta is well known as a concert violinist and chamber musician. Based in Mossel Bay, Olive studied at UCT and is in great demand as an accom-
plished piano accompanist. Expect a concert full of musical fireworks, bursting with intensity, enthusiasm and passion at the Knysna DRC hall in Fichat Street. Tickets are sold at the door from 6:45pm at R150 (scholars pay R50) and the show starts at 7:30pm. • An expert in the field of forestry, Georg von dem Bussche will describe his experiences at a meeting of the Van Plettenberg History Society at 11am on May 12 at The Verandah, Goose Valley. Entrance is R30 and separate bookings for lunch at R120pp may be made with Emma on 044 533 0889 before 5pm on May 8. (Also see the invitation on p5.) • A fabulous musical evening of French and Russian
romance will be hosted by Ouland Royale when wellknown baritone Werner van Blerk performs familiar songs from the French and Russian repertoire. He will be accompanied by award-winning pianist Jose Dias, whose recent international performances include the Berliner Philharmonie and the Beethovenhalle in Bonn. Local music lovers can always look forward to an exceptional event at Ouland - a truly magical musical venue where Wilja will serve her usual delicious canapes (cash bar open) on May 18 at 5:30pm sharp. Buy tickets at R250 from Marsja Hall-Green (marsjahg@netactive.co.za or 073 645 9476 / 044 533 4578). Seats are limited!
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Domestic dilemmas Where’s your mother? I walked into my sister’s kitchen and found my nephew having a snack. “Where’s your mother?” I asked. “She’s upstairs, said she was going to take a shower. Hang on, let me check,” my nephew replied. He stepped into the nearby bathroom and flushed the toilet. A second later a sharp yell came from upstairs. My nephew walked back out and said: “Yep, she’s in the shower.”
I once had a goldfish that could break-dance on the carpet!
Lunch break When a mouse slipped into my house, I did the logical thing: I panicked and called my father. “How do I get a mouse out of my house?” I shrieked. Dad advised me to leave a trail of cheese and crackers from the inside to the outside. And it worked! The mouse ate his way out of the house. Unfortunately, he passed another mouse eating his way in...
Viva Las Vegas Y friend came back from Las Vegas. He told me the slot machines were an easy way to win big. He left for Vegas in a $10,000 Nissan and returned in a $360,000
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Porsche. I thought: “Nice, I’m going to get in on that.” So I left for Vegas in my $15,000 Toyota. I returned in an $800,000 vehicle. It was a Greyhound bus.
Bar talk… Surprise! I met an older woman at a bar last night. She looked pretty good for a 60+-year-old. In fact, she wasn’t too bad at all, and I found myself thinking she probably had a really hot daughter. We drank a couple of beers, and she asked if I’d ever had a ‘Sportsman’s Double’? “What’s that?” I asked. “It’s a mother and daughter threesome,” the woman replied. As my mind began to embrace the idea, and I wondered what her daughter might look like, I said: “No, I haven’t.” We drank a bit more,
then she said with a wink: “Tonight’s your lucky night.” We went back to her place. We walked in. She put on the hall light and shouted upstairs: “Mom, you still awake?” Careful now A guy walks into a bar, orders a beer and says to the bartender: “Hey, I got this great Polish joke... ” The barkeep glares at him and says in a warning tone of voice: “Before you go telling that joke you better know that I’m Polish, both bouncers are Polish and so are most of my customers.” “Okay,” says the guy, “I’ll tell it very slowly.”
How to replace a hen HE golfer sliced a ball into a field of chickens, striking one of the hens and killing it instantly. He was understandably upset, and sought out the farmer. “I’m sorry,” he said, “my
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terrible tee-shot hit one of your hens and killed it. Can I replace the hen?” “Oh, I don’t know about that,” replied the farmer, mulling it over. “How many eggs a day do you lay?”
But only for, like, 20 seconds. And only once.
Goldfish One and Two little girl won two goldfish at a fair. When the family arrived home, her mother asked her what she was going to call them. “I think I’ll call them One and Two,” said the
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little girl. “They’re unusual names for goldfish. Why have you chosen them?” asked her mother. “Because if One dies, I’ll still have Two!” replied the little girl.
Can you hum it? ONY was a pianist and was practising late one night. There was a tap on the door, and when he opened it his landlord was standing outside the door.
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The landlord asked: “Do you know there is a sick lady upstairs?” Perplexed, Tony answered: “No, I haven’t heard that song. Can you please hum it a little?”
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CLASSIFIEDS
ON THE SOAPBOX
1 May 2019
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
Why is blatant corruption getting a media free ride? Self-proclaimed anti-corruption activist MIKE HAMPTON defends his case I am being targeted. The latest court order against me is continuation of nine years of arrows shot at me. My real crime has been the exposure of corruption. I have clearly been more successful at that than any other in the district. Yet the response by media has been to only report the side that opposes me, and continuously deride me as only a ‘blogger’. This is my response to the anonymously authored article ‘Knysna blogger’s arrest ordered by high-court judge’
JUDGED DEFAMATORY: The cover of Mike Hampton’s book carries the subtitle ‘A citizen’s fight against the ‘liberal’ corruption of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance party’
[read it on page 3 of the April 3 edition at www. cxpress.co.za]. Knysna has been sliced by selfish politics. That’s not an opinion, but a well-known situation. DA factions shift across party lines, either to hang onto power or try grabbing it. Last in line has been the citizens they’re supposed to serve. Not even the assassination of [slain Knysna councillor] Victor Molosi could provide a wakeup call. Judge Mantame or-
dered the sheriff to arrest me and banned my book, ‘Same Shit, Different Government’. Where am I? I’m rightfully scared. (This letter has been substantially shortened upon legal advice. It was also pointed out to CXPRESS that Mike Hampton’s book, rather than having been “banned”, is subject to an interdict, i.e. a court order preventing publication since the judge regarded the content as defamatory. - Eds.)
System fails victims while doing nothing to deter potential offenders At 28 minutes past midnight on April 9, the police was called to deal with a case of domestic violence in The Crags. A mother was being beaten with a stick by her partner of 14 years in the presence of their 14-yearold daughter. The mother’s 25-yearold son, who also lives in the house - her house - wakes up to assist his mom and sister. The ‘partner’ then hits him with a pick-steel and takes off half his ear; when he falls to the floor, the beating continues. By now the other brother arrives to assist. The ambulance arrives and takes the son to hospital. By 8:05am that morning, after numerous calls, two policemen arrive on the scene. They open a case and tell the mom to get a protection order, which can only be done on Wednesdays. They also suggest that the son opens a case once out of hospital. The police members take the mom’s statement at the neighbours, where she is hiding in safety with her daughter, as their attacker is still in the house. They arrest the partner, remarking on the fact that he looks wounded. He gets patched up at KwaNokuthula Clinic and is taken into custody later that day. At 11am, I receive a call to say the son is back. I was surprised to learn that, after getting stitched up in hospital, you are expected to ‘hike’ back home - a 55km trip from Knysna. We collect and take him to Plett police station to open a case. The officer says he must get a J88 (a form completed by a district surgeon or clinics to note injuries). But Plett clinics don’t
do J88 forms, so I have to drive him to Queen Street Knysna Surgery and wait in the queue to get the form completed. We drive back to Plett to hand in the form at Plettenberg Bay police station, along with the weapon used by the attacker. Wednesday April 10. I collect mom and we go to court for the protection order. By 9:20am, the staff have not arrived and an attorney tells his client “they are only leaving Knysna now”. When the prosecutor - a really helpful man - arrives, he says we need a J88 for the mom’s case. I am stunned but off we go to get one and, on our way out of the court, collect the protection order form. The lady tells us she doesn’t have time to help today, so we must come back - so will that be next Wednesday? In the meantime, the partner is still in custody but will appear today. We tell the prosecutor that she does not want him in the house, so he has to give an alternative address to be verified by the detective. Off we go to a local doctor to pay R300 to complete the J88 for mom. While in the waiting room, we complete the protection order. We take the J88 to the detective and then take the completed protection order to a lady who says the mom needs a municipal letter of proof or residence. We get one but she says this is not good enough, as it just says she “resides” there. We must go to Bitou Municipality to get a valuation… at a cost of R287! We pay the amount and return to hand it in. All paperwork finally looks fine. “When will this protec-
tion order be delivered?” I ask. The lady says it doesn’t come into effect until the police have delivered it to both parties, and both have signed. “When will this be?” She is not sure. When asking what mom should do if her attacker returns, we are told: “Call the police!” But wait, there’s more: On the partner’s release the Thursday, he lays a charge of Assault GBH against the sons who were trying to protect their mother. They immediately get arrested at 5am on Friday morning. What a quick response by the police, seeing that the mother waited seven and a half hours for help. So mom and daughter are now at home with no protection. Phoning since the early hours of Friday, I finally get hold of the investigating officer, who says it is his job to arrest the sons as there is a case against them. I phone the world to try and get them to court early in the morning as they were arrested at 5am already. I call the head of the detective branch on the hour. By 3:30pm, I give up. In the holding cells ‘till they appear in court on Monday, mom and daughter are left totally vulnerable. So, the police and clinics and courts wonder why people drop cases. Well, hell, being a victim is just too traumatic, since you’re being treated like a criminal by those supposed to protect you. It’s an absolute nightmare to get anyone at all to assist, so rather just get beaten up - it’s easier. Domestic violence is on the rise and will not
be fixed unless we fix the systems. Being a victim today means you are stuffed. If this is how the system works, people will have no choice but to take the law into their own hands. I do not believe this can be addressed at local level; these problems come from the top. The ratio of citizens per police officer is shocking, as is the ratio for social workers - I think we have three or four to service the entire Bitou from Covie to Nature’s Valley, The Crags, Wittedrift, town, New Horizons, Qolweni, Pinetrees, and Wittedrift. Our police members are working under tremendous pressure. The last time I checked, we had one policeman per 509 people. How can they possibly cope? Basically the whole system is a disaster. I have offered to become a reservist just to answer phones and do certifications, so that our police units can go out and do their work. I will continue to fight for my victims, even though we know the sentence will not befit the crime, and do nothing to deter existing or potential offenders. Well, mom and daughter are okay now, if still traumatised. The incident happened on April 9; we tried to get a protection order on the 10th; by Friday April 12 the sons were arrested. The case was postponed to May 14. The ‘partner’ is still walking around, but is not staying in the mother’s house - the police went with him to remove all his belongings. The protection order was finally served on Monday afternoon, April 29. Yvette Wilschut, Plett
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SPORT & ADVENTURE
1 May 2019
Knysna Primary teacher returns to SWD Eagles senior squad UANDRE Digue - a teacher at Knysna Primary School since January 2018 - learnt recently that he had once again been selected as a member of the SWD Eagles team that will compete in the Supersport Rugby Challenge, where they will cross swords with all of SA’s provincial teams, as well as teams from Namibia and Zimbabwe. Their first game was against Western Province on Sunday and in the second part of the season, they will compete in the Currie Cup First Division-A competition, which the SWD Eagles won last year. Representing his region is nothing new to Juandre, who has delivered sterling service to the Eagles as loose head prop from 2015 to 2017. But injuries
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THIS PROP IS STURDY: Juandre Digue is pictured here on and off the field; this Knysna rugby star is part of the SWD Eagles seniors team now tackling the rest of the country’s top First Division-A squads
prevented him from playing last year, so the news on April 12 of his reselection to the senior side was received with great elation. Juandre attended Sedgefield Primary and matriculated at Oakdale Agricultural School in Riversdale. He represented the SWD Eagles as U13, U18, U19, and U21 before being selected for the senior team four years ago. He teaches the junior grades at Knysna Primary and qualifies end next year for high-school teaching. He also maintains the IT department at the school thanks to a qualification obtained while he attended the SARU SWD Eagles rugby academy after having matriculated. Not surprisingly, Juandre is part of the coaching team
of the Knysna Primary U13 squad. We wish him and the SWD Eagles the best of luck for the season ahead and will be watching his personal progress as player and coach with interest. • Congratulations are also due to Knysna Primary School sport coordinator Petroné Bouwer, who was recently selected as a member of the Eden Senior Netball team. The team will compete in the Spar National Netball Championships in Gauteng, at the University of Johannesburg during August. Petroné and her team competed in the Western Cape tournament in Hermanus during the weekend of April 12-14 and won two out of four matches against Boland and the mighty WP. Very well done!
Knysna Motor Show a roaring success Words & photo: Timothy Twidle
HE eighth Knysna Motor Show on Sunday April 28 was a great success. Held under clear blue skies, the display of motoring prowess attracted thousands of automotive enthusiasts from far and wide. Those that visited the show were able to view some of the great names in the history of motoring, including Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, BMW, and Porsche. The stands of the British marques, Morgan, Bentley and Mini that this year celebrate the 110th, 100th and 60th anniversaries, respectively, of their founding, all had a splendid selection of a variety of models. And the motorcycle section, where aficionados of twowheeled motorised transport were spoilt for choice, was as popular as ever. The prize for the Best Classic Car was won by Rick Garrett with a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster.
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MORGAN AND MUCH MORE: The Knysna Motor Show held in glorious weather on Sunday attracted thousands of visitors - in the foreground are two models of the Morgan marque, which is presently celebrating the 110th anniversary of its founding
John White with a Bentley received the Best Vintage Car award, and the Best Car Overall was adjudged to be a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville owned by Kobus Mostert. Visitors to the show voted the best motorcycle to be the BMW 1200 Custom of Corrie Venter, and Gavin Venter’s Sherco 300 Custom was chosen as the best motorcycle by the other exhibitors of two-wheeled motorised vehicles. Said Garden Route Motor Club chairman and chief organiser Peter Pretorius: “We are now rated as one of the best motor shows, attracting
many prestigious and unusual cars and motor cycles from throughout SA.” The 2019 Knysna Motor Show was generously sponsored by Sanlam Private Wealth along with Pezula Hotel, Llumar, Shatterprufe Windscreens, PG Glass, Protea Hotels, Elf Diesel Electric, Pick n Pay, ITOO Special Risks, and Classic Car Africa, and was supported by Algoa FM. Proceeds from the event are donated to charities like Knysna Sedgefield Hospice, Famsa, Knysna Animal Welfare, and the e’Pap Children’s Feeding Project.
Nothing petite about bravery of Plett Micros
TIN HOUSE Self-catering accommodation
The most anticipated event on the Micro Nippers calendar, the club champs and prize-giving, took place two Sundays ago in gorgeous weather, ensuring a fantastic turnout. For the first time ever, the Micro Champs took place on Central Beach, as opposed to the traditional setting of Keurbooms Lagoon. Aged five to eight, the Micros took on the surf in style, going above and beyond expectations in the board race, surf swim, and run swim run race. Closely monitored by lifesavers, water-safety crew, coaches and parents, these three events were super exciting for spectators and competitors alike. Beach events comprised of long runs, beach sprints and the firm favourite: flags. Again, these little athletes were a joy to behold, displaying excellent sportsmanship for their tender years. The events concluded with entertaining parents’ races… thankfully no injuries were reported. Everyone then gathered at the clubhouse for lunch and a prize-giving where all Micros were rewarded with medals and goodie bags. Further awards were made to first to third-place winners in each event. Co-organiser Mandy Mcnicol says a big thank you to the dedicated coaches and Plett Surf Lifesaving Club committee who enable these events and so leave the children with most memorable experiences. Above, some of the youngsters are sprinting away while others brave the surf. - Photos: Lauren Westwood & Derek Frielinghaus