20 august 2014

20 August 2014

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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Photo: Ian Michler

Hands off!

If we all act now, rhino will not go extinct in our lifetime - read conservation and wildlife management expert Ian Michler’s story on page 5 about a global event in which residents of Plett and surrounds are invited to participate

NSRI Station 14 awarded p3

Prepare yourself for the best of the BATS p7

Readers join in the fracking debate p15

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CXPRESS

News & Views

20 August 2014

Driving Miss Crazy

My oh my, there’s a lot that’s special about Knysna...

JEEVES shares his adventures as Garden Route chauffeur extraordinaire

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Our 10 000 free copies are distributed every Wednesday to a multitude of outlets along the Garden Route, with emphasis on Knysna and Plett and drop-offs at *Sedgefield Tourism *Caltex StarMart in Wilderness *Lynn Schroeder, Build It and other select outlets in George *Storms River Village and Bridge in Tsitsikamma - phone 044 533 1004 (o/h) with distribution queries.

If you’ve missed out on a hard copy, read the electronic version online at www.cxpress.co.za

HATTING away to friends over coffee one morning about local things, the Oyster Festival madhouse and how Knysna town was now deserted with the exodus of visitors and kids back to school, a local ‘sole trader’ chirped glumly, “three months a year I go to the bank to make deposits; the other nine months, I go to the bank to make withdrawals!”

Another added: “I used to walk into my private banker’s office - now I crawl in on my knees until she offers me a seat.”

Times are tough, and the way the town has grown, many retailers can’t just survive off support from the local populace. Read on...

One fellow, Al (for the sake of this article), said: “Have you checked all the sales that are on in the shops, and the special deals you can get at restaurants?”

(He’s an avid eater-outer, and enjoys a glass or two of the ‘grape’ with his meal.

Someone asked him once what he did. “I do lunches,” was his riposte.)

This topic was the entre to a whole discussion, with all at the table adding their snippets. This place does that, others do this, and so forth.

“Breakfast for under R20 at Quay Four,” said one.

“At 34° South, eggs, bacon, tomato, chips, toast, jam, and an Illy cappuccino thrown in to boot, for under 30 bucks!” stated another “Ja. The same at Mugg & Bean, with a bottom-less coffee.”

“Cozi Café is another.”

“What about any lunch specials?” Al enquired.

Everyone had something to say on the subject.

Al was taking it all in, absorbing every tip and word of advice as to where to eat at wholesale!

Eventually the party broke up, and we all went our separate ways, much the wiser in the arena of discount dining.

-------A few days later, Al - the retired salesman - was on the line.

“I’ve been doing some homework,” he began. “Been listening to the radio, and browsing through all the local rags and free sheets for any info on lunch specials.”

“Uh-huh,” I proffered trying not to sound bored; although I really do enjoy meeting and

eating with others at least twice a week.

“I have discovered that one can eat out daily for the next three weeks without visiting the same restaurant for the same meal... including Sundays!” he exclaimed most en-

thusiastically.

He added: “As you well know, I can’t do lunch without wine. So, I put it to you (the Barry Roux side of him coming out - he actually does fancy himself a bit of a hotshot on the legal front, throwing in the occasional legalese here and there for intellectual

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: A little homework on special offers at local eateries during the low season will enable you to eat yourself rich at a different restaurant every day of the week!

impact...), I’ll buy the lunch, you do the driving.”

“How do you mean?” I quizzed, wanting full clarity on this one, no misunderstandings.

“OK. You, Jeeves, collect me from my place. We go out in my car to one of the hot lunch spots; it’s on me; I drink wine, and you drive me home. Simple.”

Understood.

-------Monday: Eight wild cocktail oysters including a glass of wine at 34° South for R34!

Al ordered another glass of Sauvignon Blanc. “What does that cost out of interest?” he enquired.

“R28,” replied our waitron.

“In that case, bring me please another eight oysters for the extra six rand!”

We pondered on whether to order the other special of the day: half-price sushi.

Instead, it was off to Col’cacchio for their Monday deal of half-price pizza.

Tuesday: Harry B’s for chicken schnitzel, rice and veg...

35 bucks!

Wednesday: Half-price sushi at Tapas & Oysters.

Thursday: Pensioners a la carte lunch at Quay Four R49.

Friday: Steak, egg and chips at Harry B’s or 34° South?

Saturday: Paella at 34° South, including a glass of wine... R34!

Sunday was the day of rest.

However, had we decided to go out, there are numerous venues to choose for plated roasts from R65 to buffets at R95 upwards - just see the local press.

-------The next week the same routine, but different ports of call. A visit to my local, The Bell, where I always opt for their ‘Soup of the Day’ - a pint of draught at only R20!

Some restaurants offer daily specials Monday to Saturday, others only a couple of times a week, like Sirocco for pizzas and sushi, Col’cacchio, Fiela’s in Pledge Square (two burgers, pay for one; wors, mash and gravy for a R20 note), Spur too, especially for the kids.

There’s Savannah in Woodmill Lane, Bow Tie Chinese take-away (chicken, beef or pork R35), Tapas & Oysters for sushi and happy hour... and more! Louis’ for eisbein and curries, ditto for Olde’s and others.

Only two problems. Choices, for one, and, at this rate, the bathroom scales!

Hurry and get out there.

Soon it will all be passé, with the return in September of the madding crowd.

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News & Views

20 August 2014

Recent arrests bode well for Knysna’s crime Yolandé Stander

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NYSNA police have taken massive strides in clamping down on robberies and theft after a series of arrests over the past week.

On Monday police arrested two suspects after following up on information on a burglary in Gordon St in the Knysna CBD earlier this month.

“Two suspects aged 21 and 26 were taken into custody.

Investigation led police to a house at Mbetani St, Khayalethu, where tiles with an estimated value of R9,000 were recovered.

“All the items were positively identified by the owners,” police spokesman constable Chris Spies said.

He added that further investigation into another matter positively linked the 21-yearold suspect to a robbery involving an elderly woman.

Spies said the woman had been cycling down a footpath known as The Link

near Costa Sarda on Sunday just before 5pm when four men approached her. “One of the suspects grabbed her cellphone.” The other three suspects are still at large.

Both the suspects arrested on Monday will appear in Knysna Magistrate’s Court today. “Investigation into the cases is at an early stage and more arrests will follow.”

This success follows the arrest of two suspects in connection with the robbery of cyclists and theft of a motor vehicle last week.

Two local cyclists were robbed of their belongings in Uniondale Road last Saturday.

While cycling at 8:30am, a blue Ford Bantam bakkie approached them.

“The vehicle stopped in front of them and the suspects threatened the victims. They took the two bicycles, their cycling clothing, a cellphone, a watch, cash and a few other personal items [before fleeing the scene in the vehicle],”

Spies said.

He added that police later received information from a resident about the vehicle.

“Members of the Knysna detective branch, visible policing and the Tsitsikamma dog unit responded. They found a blue Ford Bantam parked in a concealed road near Uniondale road. Two suspects jumped out of the car and fled.

The police gave chase and both suspects were arrested.”

When officers searched the vehicle they found one of the stolen bicycles and several other items inside the bakkie.

“These items included some of the personal belongings of the victims.”

Police also found that the bakkie had been stolen in Thembalethu in George earlier this month.

The suspects, aged 24 and 25 respectively, appeared in Knysna Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday and face robbery and possession of stolen property charges.

Old men of the sea make Station 14 tops!

The National Sea Rescue Institute held its AGM at V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Monday night, and Plett station commander Deon Truter, centre, and fellow crew members Marty Reddering, right, and Brian Brink were in attendance to collect a bunch of awards and accolades. Among these were the Long Service Awards of 20 years for Brian, 25 for Deon and four decades for Marty – yeah, that’s a collective 85 years of helping you and me out of peril in the soup! – as well as picking up the Best RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) Station in all of the land. Finally, they brought home the Station Excellence Award for Region 3, which includes the coast westwards as far as Witsand. CXPRESS spoke to Deon en route back from the Cape, who said they may have been there on the night, but the entire 34-strong Station 14 crew worked together to earn these kudos. So if you’re averse to loud music and a bit of a party, steer clear of the NSRI HQ on Plett Central Beach tonight... See page 11 for more pics.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

News & Views

20 August 2014

Joint effort our only chance at combatting crime …but only handful of residents has heeded the call - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports

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N an effort to reduce crime in Plettenberg Bay the local Community Policing Forum (CPF) is calling on resi-

dents to do their bit.

With proven success in The Crags and various other neighbourhoods in the West-

ern Cape, CPF vice-chairman Otto Oliver said wellsupported street committees could go a long way in driv-

ing criminals out of town.

He explained that a street committee provided a direct link between the community and the police and was an efficient way of highlighting the issues experienced in a specific area.

A volunteer member of such a committee would then once a month meet with local police and stress the challenges the specific area is facing.

“Minutes will be drawn up at the meeting and feedback will be given, so it is not just about highlighting problems, but also ensuring that they are addressed.

“Depending on the issues, the appropriate action can then be taken. Say there is a lot of activity at a certain time of day, one could implement more patrols at those times,” Olivier said.

He added that extensive research had been done and

various community crime prevention options had been tested over the years, proving over and over again that street committees made it difficult for criminals to operate and, in some instances, criminal activities were eliminated entirely.

Olivier said such an initiative had already proven successful on Plett’s doorstep.

“The Crags is a great example of what can be achieved.

“The Crags was plagued by criminals and break-ins were a common occurrence, but by working together they managed to reduce crime to such an extent that they didn’t have a single burglary for a year up until last week.

“Under the guidelines and assistance of the police and the CPF constitution, we want to establish street committees that will endorse crime prevention activities while supporting or looking out for one another in a specific area.”

He added that the ideal would be to establish a committee for each street, but for now they hoped to create a committee for every 20 to 30 homes.

However, since making the call for support last month,

only eight residents have responded. Email otto@plettsecurity.co.za to enlist as a volunteer or for additional information.

• Over the past few weeks the primary challenge in the Plett residential and town area have been theft out of vehicles. Olivier warned residents and visitors not to leave any valuables in their vehicles.

He also urged residents to ensure their cars were parked in a secure area as there had also been several incidents where thieves had broken windows despite the fact that there had been no visible valuables in the vehicle.

“While residents are now starting to respond to the call not to leave valuables in their vehicles, thieves have come to expect that there might be something hidden in the car.”

It has also been found that peak time for residential break-ins is 6-9pm, before alarm systems are activated.

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They may steal your laptop next...

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HELP IDENTIFY THEM: These identity kits of two men suspected in a housebreaking in Plettenberg Bay have the following descriptions attached - both men are described as ‘Black and with a dark complexion’; the suspect at left is said to be aged 40+, 1.6-1.65m tall and of chubby build’ while the suspect at right is ‘late 30+, about 1.7m in height and of skinny build’

HE Plettenberg Bay Police are looking for two men matching these descriptions, who are suspects in an incident close to Plett taxi rank.

No arrests have been made following a housebreaking on Friday May 30 at around 4:30pm, when the suspects forced open the burglar bars of a house in Kloof Street and stole a laptop to the value of R3,500 out of the bedroom.

The SAPS urge anyone with information about the incident to contact the investigating officer D/Sgt Edwin Smith on 044 501 1926 or on 083 538 0886.

Bitou saga carries on and on and gal team will call witnesses on… Kerching! on his behalf on September 6.

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UDGMENT has been reserved in the Bitou takeover matter after it was heard in the Western Cape High Court last week.

The court action follows a June 20 attempt by six ANC councillors along with deputy mayor and COPE member Adam van Rhyner to take over the DA-led municipality and remove its leadership.

Following arguments by the various parties’ legal teams, Judge Dennis Davis reserved

judgment in the matter.

In the meantime, Van Rhyner is still facing party disciplinary action after allegedly breaching COPE’s agreement with the DA where there is a coalition arrangement in hung councils. The hearing started again on Friday after a string of postponements - the latest because Van Rhyner had a medical emergency.

After calling several witnesses, COPE closed its case on Sunday. Van Rhyner’s le-

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News & Views

20 August 2014

CXPRESS

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Plett joins the Global March for Elephants and Rhino Words & photos: Ian Michler

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HERE is no longer any dispute that elephants and rhino, two of Africa’s most

iconic species, are facing a poaching crisis. One elephant is being killed every 15 minutes and three rhino are killed every day; if this situation is

OFF THE EARTH’S FACE IN 20 YEARS FLAT? At the rate both elephants and rhino are killed today, both species face extinction within the next two decades

left unchecked, we will see both species facing extinction within the next two decades.

And the shameful fact is that the killing is being driven simply because of human stupidity, ignorance and greed.

Misinformation, myth and pure nonsense are what drive the rhino trade, while in the case of ivory, vanity, and inappropriate or outdated beliefs fuel the buying.

All these illegal operations are controlled by criminal syndicates, some linked to terrorism, while most are also involved with drugs, arms and human trafficking rackets.

It’s a disturbing situation especially for those that have a deep appreciation for our wildlife and wilderness areas - but not a hopeless one by any means.

If you want your voice to be heard while also speaking out for elephants and rhino, please join us on Saturday October 4 for the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos.

Already, there are over 130 cities and towns from around the world signed up for this event, making it an incredible collective platform to bring widespread attention to the plight of these two species.

In addition, we will be handing in a petition and memorandum demanding that our politicians and decision-makers respond to the crisis with the urgency it requires.

Included will be calls for increased security, improved policing, higher sentences as well as noting our strong

Oesophagus - a survivor’s tale...

Many penguins come and go through Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in The Crags, most of which are transferred on to SANCCOB in Cape St Francis pretty swiftly. ‘But,’ says the centre’s Steven Hendriks, ‘others stick around with us for some time and become unforgettable little characters - like this African Penguin rescued by Offshore Adventures and admitted on June 13. Possibly a shark, but likely a seal had taken a huge bite through this little one’s neck. Several days later he washed up and came to our clinic. With chronic pneumonia, a severed oesophagus, heavy bloodloss and rotting tissue, his chances of survival seemed very slim. Nonetheless, after three sessions of surgery, lots of fighting spirit and countless hours of care and delicate attention from vets and staff alike, this youngster made a heroic recovery.

Tenikwa’s animal keepers named him Oesophagus and he was finally sent off to SANCCOB on August 1.’

opposition to the South African governments’ current pro-trade stance on horn and ivory.

We also firmly believe that demand-reduction is central to the solution and that consumers must be educated and made aware of the consequences to their actions.

The elephants and rhino of Africa need our support now, so come and join us and let’s trumpet the voice of Plettenberg Bay and surrounds as loud as we can. At the same

time, we will also be celebrating these incredible animals and the powerful roles they play in our lives.

And if you don’t wish to walk, then please line the route to show your support.

Where: Please meet at the municipal parking lot on the corner of Church and Sewell Streets across from the Bitou Municipality offices.

When: Saturday October 4.

Route: From the parking lot we will proceed up Church Street and then right into

Main Street - from here down to the Whale Circle before heading back up Main Street to the Dolphin Circle where petition and memorandum will be handed over.

Time: The march will start at 10am but we’ll start meeting anytime from 9am onwards.

What to bring: Banners, posters, placards and costumes in support of elephants and rhino.

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CXPRESS

News & Views

20 August 2014

Try and try again, until you get life just right!

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ELINDA Coram of Born in Africa contacted CXPRESS to share the exciting news that one of her protégés, Wittedrift High Grade 11 learner Beugené Green, had just taken top honours at the school’s Senior Speakers Competition.

“Beugené came first out of 15 participants, and gave me permission to pass her speech on for publication.

Not surprisingly, the talented young lady wants to pursue a career in photography and journalism,” said Belinda.

Dgwigpê"Itggp‚u" ykppkpi"yqtfu" Life asked death: “Why do people love me, but hate you? Death responded: “Because you are a beautiful lie and I am a painful truth.”

This quote makes me stop and think: Is life fine? In actual fact, it is not.

Good evening adjudicators and fellow competitors.

They say if you’re bisexual, you’re confused. If you’re gay, it’s a sin. If you’re skinny, you’re on drugs. If you’re fat, you look nasty.

If you dress up, you’re conceited. If you dress for comfort, you’re a slob. If you speak your mind, you’re outspoken, if you don’t say anything, you’re rude.

Nowadays you can’t do anything without being labelled. We live in a society where people can’t survive if they’re not judging the next person.

A wise man sat in the audience and cracked a joke.

Everybody laughed like crazy. After a moment, he cracked the same joke again. This time, less people laughed. He cracked the same joke over and over again.

When there was no more laughter in the crowd, he smiled and said: “You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over again, yet you can

GIFT OF THE GAB: Beugené Green was the top orator at Wittedrift High School’s Senior Speakers Competition recently

cry over the same thing over and over again.”

The worst type of crying is the silent one; the one where everyone is asleep; the one where you feel it in your throat and your eyes burn from the tears; the one where you just want to scream; the one where you have to hold your breath and grab your stomach to keep quiet; the one where you can no longer breathe.

Sometimes you try to ignore the obvious and shield yourself from the blunt truth that some people are truly clueless as to how much they hurt you. There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be non-believers - and there will be YOU proving them wrong!

There’s always a little truth behind “just kidding”, a little emotion behind “I don’t care”, a little pain behind “it’s okay”, a little “I need you” behind “leave me alone” - and a lot of words behind the silence.

Have you ever just stopped for a minute and realised that we all face some kind of battle day in and day out?

You wake up, put make-up on, stare at the mirror but

it’s clear that you can’t face what’s wrong. No need to fix what God already put his paintbrush on.

Lollipops turn into cigarettes, homework goes to the trash, detention becomes suspension, mobile phones are used in class, soda becomes vodka, bikes become cars.

Remember when getting high meant swinging at the playground? When protection meant using a helmet?

Dad’s shoulders were the highest place on earth and mom was your hero? Race issue meant who ran in the forest.

The only drug you knew was cough medicine, the most pain you felt was scraping your knees, goodbyes were only until tomorrow, and we couldn’t wait to grow up.

But have you ever just thought of asking someone whether or not they really are okay? If not, next time do - you’ll be surprised at how many problems we all face daily.

We all want everything to be okay. We don’t even wish so much for fantastic, marvellous or outstanding. We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time okay is enough.

Trying again is okay. Trying again and again is okay.

It’s sort of an infinite thing because the alternative is failure, and that’s not okay.

In the end, everything will be okay, but hurdles have to be jumped first. Right now, finding a person that is genuinely happy is almost unheard of.

Don’t walk out the door everyday as someone else, for it can be paralysing because at some point you have to go home and when you go home and the lights are off, you have to look in the mirror and ask, am I happy with who I am? Is my life really fine?

Oakhill takes George Eisteddfod by storm Students of Oakhill once again did the school proud at the annual George Eisteddfod. This year saw Oakhill Prep enter 52 items the most items the school has ever entered. The children worked hard and enjoyed the experience of taking part against other children from over 22 schools in our region.

Overall results were as follows: 3 x A+++, 14 x A++, 18 x A+, 8 x A, 8 x B+ and 1 x B. Jessica Hall in Grade 4 received an A+++ for her monologue ‘Is it a Monster?’ and Emma Gibson in Grade 6 received two A+++ results in the undramatised prose and undramatised poetry divisions for ‘Clockwork Angle’ and ‘The Dancer’. Well done to all the students on fantastic participation and results! The pic shows all the participants who received A+++ and A++ results.

News & Views

20 August 2014

CXPRESS

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BATS BACK WITH MORE LIVE THEATRE

Meet the colourful crew that’s rehearsing up a storm to entertain you After two most successful plays, the Bitou Amateur Theatrical Society (BATS) will be presenting a very different production to Bitou audiences next month - MARSJA HALL-GREEN shares some inside stories from behind the stage curtain...

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HE Inspector Pratt comedy thrillers staged by BATS during the past year have now made way for a hilarious farce by contemporary British playwright Lynn Brittney, entitled Qnf" Cevqtu" Pgxgt" Fkg" /" Vjg{" Lwuv" Nqug" Vjg"Rnqv.

We find ourselves in Mount House, a genteel “home for retired theatricals” where old actors and actresses continue their lives of high drama, although their theatrical careers are long gone.

Edmund, formerly a wellknown actor (and philanderer), arrives to find that his three ex-wives have become close friends and share a rather uncomfortable interest in him.

Danny is a pathetic widower who, in his heyday, was famous as the Master of the Universe, while Walter was, rather surprisingly, known for his macho military roles.

Further high jinks are provided by members of the Russian Mafia who are “out to get” Edmund.

Other interesting characters complete the cast of 11 local actors - some of whom are becoming old hands at BATS, having appeared in both previous plays.

When David Hall-Green and Roger Davis established BATS last year, they had no idea how many talented people would come forward to try their hand at acting.

Says David: “Although some of them had had some experience of amateur theatre in the past, the majority had no acting experience. As the director, I am constantly amazed at their strong performances and commitment.”

Who are these aspirant thespians prepared to work so hard at learning their lines, and who give up their time to rehearse twice a week for months on end?

Plett residents one and all, ranging in age from 19 to 75, some of them work full-time while others, who are retired, lead even busier lives since joining BATS. David Hall-Green, former TV personality, was an actor in British Repertory Theatre for 12 years before joining the SABC. He directs and plays the part of Walter.

Roger Davis (Danny) is a serial entrepreneur who retired at the age of 42, only to start another business before retiring to Plett and setting up five charity shops, the last of which is the enormously successful PAWS shop.

“I don’t think I have ever worked so hard for no income, but I have a passion for it,” quips Roger.

His wife Nita (Becca) has been in all the plays so far, initially as an understudy in Owtfgtgf"vq"Fgcvj, when her natural talent (and remarkable ability to learn her lines) was discovered in the role of Miss Maple.

“Seeing our community enjoying live theatre is very re-

warding,” she says.

Mike Kantey (Molinsky) is another BATS veteran, having played the role of Pierre Marceau in the first play. He has had a variety of colourful careers, including professional musician, and is currently director of Watercourse Press where he “pro-

KNOW YOUR LINES: David Hall-Green directs and acts in the next BATS production, staged at St Peter’s Church Hall in Plettenberg Bay next month - the pic above shows David (Walter) consoling Roger Davis (Danny), with Chrissie Anderson (Ann) and Nita Davis (Becca), right, in the foreground; the rest of the photos at left show scenes from ‘Secondary Cause of Death’ - the last play in which many of the same talented BATS members starred

duces books while everyone else is sleeping”.

For Mike, “life is always about one damn performance or another, during which you are either hated or loved by the same audience!”

Ingrid James (Phil) - a former French and Latin teacher (and lover of art, words, music and wine) - has always been on the fringes of theatre.

“I was an active member of an amateur dramatic society as a student in Stellenbosch and loved taking part in musical comedy shows later in life,” she shares.

Chrissie Anderson (Ann), after travelling all her working life as a “cocktail shaker for British Airways”, retired to run a guest house in Hout Bay with her husband.

She now lives in Plett and says: “When I saw an advert for BATS I decided to give it a go - I was terrified!”

Rodney Grosskopff (Edmund) was a busy architect during his working life, has written a few books and has held a few art exhibitions. “I have always been arty-farty and have acted and sung a

bit.” He loves whiskey and travelling, when not being arty-farty...

Clyne Lederle (Marcie) is now at the age of 19 appearing in her second BATS play, after acting in Ugeqpfct{" Ecwug"qh"Fgcvj last year. She has voluntarily served time in the Israeli Army, out of conviction, and works as a waitress in Plett’s popular family bakery, Lederle’s.

“I love being able to act and have learned so much from my involvement with BATS,” says Clyne.

Kim Seiler-Hill (Irina) is a BATS veteran and, although also a young member of the cast, is now already performing in her third play. She is newly married and a mom-tobe. “Having fun as an actress with BATS makes a change from my day-job in the property business,” she says.

Gail Ractcliffe (Jules) studied English and Drama at UCT. Her post graduate degree in History of Art was interrupted with the arrival of quadruplets, bringing her total number of children up to five.

After a divorce, she mar-

ried a wonderful man who had even more children - six girls! She has spent a happy and full life being mother, stepmother and grandmother.

“I am no stranger to drama and can add nurse, psychologist, nanny and secretary to my list of skills!”

From its very inception, the BATS mission was threefold: having fun indulging their acting aspirations, bringing the magic of live theatre to the community, and donating any proceeds to the Plett Animal Welfare Services for the important work of providing a primary health care service to the neglected dogs and cats of Bitou.

Says David: “All the BATS members are confident that audiences will enjoy every minute of Qnf" Cevqtu" Pgxgt" Fkg. We may be amateurs but we are committed to presenting a very professional performance and this is why we pay so much attention to every aspect of the play, including authentic set.”

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CXPRESS

Interval

20 August 2014

Est. 1984

Wise Italian granddad

A

N old Italian man in Brooklyn is dying.

He calls his grandson to his bedside and, in a croaky voice, says: “Guido, I wan’ you lissina me. I wan’ you to take-a my chrome plated .38 Special revolver so you will always remember me.”

“But grandpa, I really don’t like guns. How about you leave me your Rolex watch instead?”

“You lissina me, boy! Somma day you gonna be runna da business, you gonna have a beautiful wife, lotsa money, a big-a home and maybe a couple of bambinos.

“Somma day you gonna come-a home and maybe finda you wife inna bed with another man.

“Whatta you gonna do then?

Pointa to you watch and say, ‘Time’s up!’?”

Classic British humour These classified ads actually appeared in UK newspapers...

FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER Eight years old, hateful little bastard. Bites!

F R E S H

FREE PUPPIES Half Cocker Spaniel, half sneaky neighbour’s dog.

COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED Also one gay bull for sale.

JOINING NUDIST COLONY!

Must sell washer and dryer - £100.

WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE Worn once by mistake.

Call Stephanie.

FOR SALE BY OWNER Complete set of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 45 volumes. Excellent condition - £200 or best offer. No longer needed, got married, wife knows everything.

You can’t beat experience

T

WO businessmen in the centre of Cape Town were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new shop. As yet, the shop wasn’t ready, with only a few shelves set up.

One said to the other: “I bet any minute now some pensioner is going to walk by, put their face to the window, and ask what we’re selling.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious old woman walked to the window, had a peek, and softly asked: “What are you selling here?”

One of the men replied sarcastically: “We’re selling idiots.”

Without skipping a beat, the old dear said: “Must be doing well… only two left.”

If you can stay calm while all around you is chaos, then you probably haven’t completely understood the seriousness of the situation… or your Prozac is working.

Business

20 August 2014

CXPRESS

9

Grow your small business as if you’re raising a child

I

T is often argued that growing a small business is much like raising a child mainly because of the devotion, care and affection that the parent or the business owner needs to show during the ‘development’ process.

For a child, the process of growing up has its fair share of challenges and it is precisely the same scenario for a small business. The prevailing sentiment for both is that they need to grow, prosper and be able to stand on their own in a highly competitive environment.

The process of growing up is never without a handful of lessons and challenges, but if a child or a business is in good health, prosperity is certainly within reach. Let us take a closer look at the process of development for both a child and a small business: Vjg"hktuv"yqtf" • For many parents, a child’s first word is a moment to treasure. For a small business owner, this could be getting your hands on that small business certificate that confirms that you now own a business and can officially start trading.

Dcd{"uvgru<"Ngctpkpi" vq"ycnm" • Among babies, this is usually a tricky balancing act which involves breaking one or two valuables around the house. But for a business,

this means getting used to the ins-and-outs of running a small concern, and learning how to stand on your own feet, independent of others.

Vggvjkpi"rtqeguu • Things get a bit itchy around this time, because the parent and child are both irritable as nothing seems to work - Grandma’s old book of remedies might be necessary to get through this phase.

For a small business, this could be the time when the owner delays paying salaries because the client has not paid, or the time when the business owner needs to tap into the family’s financial savings or school fees just to get through the month.

It is a trial and error phase where you have to learn what works for you. There are loads of books out there, for teething, and running a business, but you are the only one that knows what is best for your child.

Hktuv"fc{"cv"uejqqn" • Moment of nostalgia for the parent as they leave their child in the hands of strangers. Similarly, at this stage, a business owner needs to start letting go so that middle managers can start doing what they are hired to do.

If you’ve done your research, cross-checked references and conducted thorough interviews, trust that the process works. Your business

Accounting made easy

is in good hands.

Cfqnguegpeg • The thought of seeing one’s child growing to become their own person can be a combination of pride and fear, because teenagers have a tendency to absorb both negative and positive influences.

The adolescence stage for a business comes in various forms; managers start influencing the way the business operates and a few hard lessons are learnt along the way.

Dgkpi"cp"cfwnv000"Vkog" vq"ngv"iq# • At this time, parents tend to feel like they have very little or no influence over the lives of their kids. For a business owner, the feeling tends to be pretty mutual because at some point, you either have to hand over the baton or delegate full authority to a younger, fresher or better skilled individual to intensify business growth.

In a nutshell, my analogy is less about raising a child and more about the devotion, love and care you should show in order to grow a small business.

As with raising a child, you can only do the best you can with what resources you have available.

You can definitely ‘upskill’ yourself with books, advice and possibly studies or courses, but at the end of

Jeremy Andrews – Andrews & Co Chartered Accountant & Auditor - Plett

How do we fast-track entrepreneurship and I’m sure many more without the fallout first? spot, examples could be found.

I

worry about the South African dilemma - high rates of unemployment, poor education standards and few prospects in the near term for rapid growth of the job market.

I wonder just how the situation will resolve itself in time; what will the South African economic landscape look like in 20, 30, 40 years’ time? So I’ll veer this time round from pure accounting talk to a travel tale that should provide some food for thought.

Recent trips to Zambia gave me an inkling of what could happen in SA down the line.

Driving around Lusaka, you can’t help but notice the proliferation of small businesses.

Traversing what we might term a ‘township’ but which in their terms is just a less affluent suburb, there are small businesses operating on tiny plots of land producing and selling anything and everything.

Impressive, huge iron gates guard gated complexes. You can buy hardwood furniture and day-old chicks; tailors and hairdressers abound - the list goes on and on. It would seem that many of these small businesses are unbanked and operate on a cash basis.

One business that I christened ‘Chippers’ really caught

my eye. At first I could not figure it out: a row of guys attacking bits of granite with hammers. Finally, I figured it out, more or less...

Someone drops off large chunks of granite in the morning. Chipper One sets about breaking the chunks up, selecting the larger more attractive bits for his stock and then passing his discards to Chipper Two, who repeats the process but now on smaller chunks.

He in turn passes on his leftovers to the next chipper and so the process continues until the final guy makes fairly fine gravel - a sort of human ‘crusher and sieve’ replacing a mechanical one.

Customers then come and, depending on whether they are looking for decorative pieces or are just buying gravel for concrete or gravelling their road, go to the relevant chipper.

Then, of course, there are the charcoal sellers carting numerous huge bags of charcoal on their push-bikes via scarily narrow, busy and dangerous roads for delivery to their customers.

There are guys who will bring their sewing machines to your house and make up your curtains right on the

One has to admire their entrepreneurial spirit and innate inventiveness.

It seems that this entrepreneurial essence was born out of necessity as a result of Kaunda’s policy of nationalising the mines, which brought the economy to its knees and caused widespread unemployment.

He did, however, leave a legacy of relatively high educational standards; most Zambians I met spoke good unaccented English and are numerate and literate. So need together with good education provided the springboard for the country’s small business sector.

By all accounts, the country is booming. The point of all this is that the same thing could easily happen in SA - in fact, it is starting to happen.

Hopefully we won’t have to go through the same downward spiral Zambia experienced before government provides the necessary incentives for small businesses to become competitive and sustainable.

Lgtgo{"Cpftgyu"jcu"dggp" kp"vjg"dwukpguu"qh"ocmkpi" ceeqwpvcpe{"gcu{"hqt"nqecn" dwukpguu"hqnm"hqt"fgecfgu"/" ugg"vjg"cfxgtv"qp"vjku"rcig" hqt"eqpvcev"fgvcknu0

the day, you make judgement calls and you have to be confident that you are making the right decisions.

Arguably, the spirit of entrepreneurship is within many of us because we grew up in an entrepreneurial community or family. However, such a spirit needs to be harnessed for the greater good of one’s future and country - that way, an entrepreneur can create sustainable livelihoods and contribute to economic growth.

Sanjeev Orie, CEO of FNB Business Value-Adds

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CXPRESS

Photos: Timothy Twidle

Social Scene

20 August 2014

MUSIC FROM THE BLUE N WHITE ISLANDS: In happy mood at an afternoon of Greek food and music at The Courtyard Café in Plettenberg Bay on Women’s Day were, above from left, Peter Pretorius, Brian & Lyn Madeley, Sylvia Harvey and Graham Yendall. Pete ‘The Greek’ Papapanayatou, left, entertained all with songs from his homeland and great guitar accompaniment, while Mike Kantey provided percussion on a dharbouka. If you’ve missed Pete in the Mellville’s Corner courtyard on August 9, catch him at The Market across the main road every Thursday evening from 5:30pm.

TASTES MADE IN PARADISE: Eden Hospitality Group offers private chefs & catering, hospitality courses, Tastebuddies kids cooking classes, wedding & event coordination and hospitality consultancy, and the pics at left show some of their recent forays into the wide world of hospitality. They thank Su and Paul of Ice Palazzo for giving their Tastebuddies the opportunity to experience how fine Italian ice cream is made in the heart of Plettenberg Bay - pictured from left are Crystal Beutler, Iemke Muller and Gemma Tobin. At far left, Trogon House students Bruce Nkhata, left, and Herrie Chipetah enjoy EHG’s Wine Ambassadors course, which involves a cellar tour, practical demo on wine-making, and tasting some of Plett’s gorgeous local wines. Email Nadia at info@edenhospitalitygroup. co.za or visit www.edenhospitalitygroup.co.za for more information.

People, places & events

ROMANS SPONSOR SIXTH G&G GENEROUSLY: The annual Gourmets & Gourmands gala dinner has become a much-loved institution in the Southern Cape, having raised hundreds of thousands of rands for the 282 special-needs learners of Carpe Diem School in George during the past five years. These children come from all over the Southern Cape - Riversdale, Albertinia, Mossel Bay, Hartenbos, George, Hoekwil, Sedgefield, Karatara, Knysna, Plett and The Crags - and benefit greatly from donations and fundraising events such as these. This year, the theme is all Roman and the spectacle takes place in the Carpe Diem Arena on August 23. And the leading Romans backing Saturday’s event is Hartman & Sons Butchery - premier sponsor of this prestigious event for the third consecutive year, with dashing Andries Hartman, above, ready to woo damsels in attendance and slay those who dare not bid high enough at the auction of a spectacular masterpiece worth R40,000 and designed by Raffaele D’Amato Jewellers for the purpose at this year’s Gourmets & Gourmands.

Contact emperor Karools Hauptfleisch on 044 874 4074 or email carpekarools@telkomsa.net for more information or to buy your ticket.

Social Scene

20 August 2014

CXPRESS

GIRL POWER RULES THE SKIES: Two more maths and science students from Murray High, Melisa Kom and Amanda Mbala, right, were whisked to Cape Town courtesy of CemAir and Bitou mayor Memory Booysen’s High Flyers programme. A little apprehensive, the girls were given a pre-flight familiarisation tour of the aircraft and were more than happy to relax and enjoy the big adventure. They were back in Plett by sunset with big stories for the weekend and big dreams for life. In the pic at left, Amanda eyes out the First Officer’s seat in CemAir’s Beechcraft 1900D. Above, the sharp sistahs are about to embark on their big adventure, with ZS-PYU in the background. Call Russell Honeywill on 083 600 2219, Siphiwe Dladla (Office of the Mayor) on 044 501 3000, or Nicolene Myburgh of CemAir on 072 262 9572 and see the advert on page 4 for more information.

People, places & events

VIRTUOSOS ADORED: At the Knysna-Plett Concert held in Knysna on the evening of Monday August 18 were, at top from left, Carl & Amani Lamprecht with Lorna Chaula and Andrea Lamprecht, all from Sedgefield. Above from left, Robert Smith and Ina Engelbrecht of Knysna and Nicky & Fred van Berkel of Brenton-on-Sea also enjoyed the virtuoso performance of music by composers of the 20th century, given by flautist Cobus du Toit and Patrick Sutton on guitar. - Timothy Twidle

WATER HEROES LAUDED: On Monday night, the National Sea Rescue Institute paid tribute to its crews countrywide during an AGM and awards evening in Cape Town. At centre above, the crowd – with Plett station commander Deon Truter, his wife Mandy and NSRI stalwart Brian Brink at centre in the front row - gives a standing ovation to Robin Fortuin of Station 16 Strandfontein, who received a Silver Gallantry Award on the night. At the top, Station 12 Knysna’s George Parkes, left, receives his 25-year Long Service Award from outgoing NSRI chairman Peter Bacon. Congratulations, too, to Station 12’s Chris van Staden for earning his 30-year Long Service Award. Above, Deon receives Station 14 Plett’s Excellence Award from NSRI operational director Mark Hughes. Visit www.nsri.org.za for all the news and images of the AGM.

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CXPRESS

Home & Health

20 August 2014

SECOND-HAND FURNITURE: good for the environment and the wallet

P

EOPLE are starting to understand that everything we do has an impact on the planet, which is why many of us are starting to truly live our lives cognisant of the three Rs of protecting and preserving the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

While it’s easy to become overwhelmed, it’s also possible to make a positive impact by simply changing a few small habits, one at a time.

“One of the things we can look at is our purchasing decisions, especially when it comes to furniture,” explains Cash Converters managing director Richard Mukheibir.

“The manufacturing of new furniture has a considerable carbon impact, especially when you consider that pack-

aging, storage and shipping form part of the lifecycle of new furniture. There’s a long supply chain that we have no influence over, but we can reduce our carbon footprint by adjusting our buying habits.”

Selling old furniture or buying “pre-loved” furniture keeps it out of the landfill.

It’s also one less item that has to be manufactured from scratch, thereby saving raw materials, reducing your carbon footprint and lowering CO2 emissions.

“We can see by the quality of stock that comes into our shops, and how quickly it moves, that we are slowly becoming less of a disposable society,” says Mukheibir.

“People are more responsible when it comes to dispos-

ing of items they no longer need by selling them to furniture resellers.”

Many people change their décor every few years in order to keep up with the latest trends, or their requirements change as lifestyles change and the furniture is often still in excellent condition.

“Nearly new or ‘previously loved’ furniture loses value in the resale market, which is a major plus for those looking to buy second-hand goods.

Many pieces are still in excellent condition and can be bought for a bargain.

“Also, when you buy preloved furniture, you can often buy much better quality than you would be able to if buying brand new. Your purchasing power is extended.”

Mukheibir cautions: “When purchasing previously-owned goods, make sure you’re getting a good quality item and that there is some form of guarantee.”

Besides furniture, any good second-hand store will also stock a host of functional

and practical items like DIY tools, flat-screen TVs, kitchen utensils, DVDs, mobile phones, etc.

“Spring is nearly here, which is a great time to recycle and rethink one’s decor.

It’s also a time when most second-hand dealers are en-

thusiastically looking for stock in time for Christmas - a win-win situation for all.”

“Whatever you buy, a second-hand purchase is the best choice for the environment, and it puts the power of change directly in your hands,” concludes Mukheibir.

Tips from Cash Converters on buying ‘previously loved’ furniture • Try it out, take a seat, open drawers, lean on tables - make sure the piece is in satisfactory shape.

• Let the creative juices flow. A lick of paint or new upholstery can breathe new life into any item.

• Ignore the minor faults.

Sometimes a little DIY can turn an ok-item into a wow-

item. It’s easy to sand down a few scratches or simply replace a cushion.

• Pay attention to the type of wood used. Hardwood furniture like oak is durable and a good material for items you expect to last a long time. Softwood furniture like pine is more suited to furniture you don’t ex-

pect to have for long.

• Know your dimensions and your available space before purchasing a large item.

• Browse regularly, especially if you’re looking for something in particular.

Pre-owned stores get new stock all the time, particularly during the change of season or around Christmas.

DAZZLE IN BLUE ON SEPTEMBER 5

Bring out the bling on this year’s 20th Casual Day celebration

F

OR less than the price of a loaf of bread or with the small change in your pocket, you can make a huge difference. When you buy a R10 Casual Day sticker, you will be making a contribution to improving the lives of persons with disabilities.

Casual Day, this year set for Friday September 5, provides the country with the opportunity to show their solidarity with persons with disabilities, at the same time enjoying teambuilding and camaraderie with their fellow participants.

It allows South Africans to be creative and have fun while contributing to the betterment of society. It is community spirit in action.

Casual Day celebrates its 20th birthday this year. The theme for 2014 is ‘Bring out the Bling’ and the colour for the year is Dazzle Blue. Put on your dancing shoes and dress up, not down, for this year’s Casual Day. “The theme is appropriately celebratory,” says project leader Celeste Vinassa. “We have been dressing casually for the past two decades, but

this year is a special occasion. So our message to you is to rustle up a little razzledazzle, and dress up in the official colour of the year dazzle blue.

“Casual Day is all about fantasy and dressing up in things you can find around the house. Be creative with glitter, fabric, shiny paper or just wear your sticker and a posh casual attitude!”

Casual Day is South Africa’s most successful fundraising project for persons with disabilities, and the amount raised for last year has climbed to R24.8-million.

Sponsored by The Edcon Group, Casual Day is the flagship project of the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in South Africa (NCPPDSA), which this year celebrates 75 years of service to the community of persons with disabilities.

Your donation goes to the following organisations: • National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in SA • South African National Council for the Blind • South African Federation

for Mental Health • Deaf Federation of South Africa • Autism South Africa • Down Syndrome South Africa • National Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy • South African National Deaf Association • National Institute for the Deaf • Alzheimer’s South Africa • South African Disability Alliance • QuadPara Association of South Africa Stickers are available from Edgars, Jet, JetMart, Boardmans, CNA, Red Square, Legit, Absa outlets, Game and DionWired stores, and Shoprite/Checkers stores, or you can donate online.

Contact the organisers of the project on 011 609 7006 or visit www.casualday.co.za to get involved or for additional information.

You can also keep abreast of activities at Casual Day on the Facebook page at www. facebook.com/CasualDaySA, on Twitter @CasualDay_ SA or #BringouttheBling #CasualDay.

This offer could save your life, man!

You can detect and beat prostate cancer by being tested before end-August at Pathcare in Plettenberg Bay

A

S part of Cansacare in Plett’s recent Colon Cancer Awareness Promotion, Pathcare lab next to the Medi-clinic offered occult blood tests at a reduced price.

On reading the article in the CXPRESS, a local resident decided to have the test done.

Her results came back posi-

tive, so she was referred to her doctor and after undergoing surgery, has made a full recovery with no need of further treatment.

One simple test = one life saved! At the moment, the thoughtful folk at Pathcare are offering the PSA test for prostate cancer at the excel-

lent price of R90.

Guys if you are reading here and haven’t yet made use of this opportunity, time is running out as the special offer is only available until the end of August.

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Home & Health

20 August 2014

CXPRESS

13

A NATION OF TOUGHIES

Why do we still battle on through to work when we’re sick?

A

CCORDING to a justreleased survey, South Africans won’t let a cold or flu get the better of them, with eight in 10 determined to go to work even though they’re as sick as a dog - a phenomenon known as ‘presenteeism’.

Ninety percent of respondents also admitted that they steer clear of a sick colleague - so why are South Africans so intent on coming to work when they’ve got a cold?

A hardy 48% said they just can’t afford to take a day off work due to mounting workloads, while 33% argued that they’re just too essential to the business operation, and 12% go into work sick hoping they’ll be sent home by the boss.

A disturbing 17%, however, said their employer discourages them from taking sick leave or when they do, they get penalised for it, and a fur-

ther 11% fear of losing their jobs when they do take time off to recover.

The findings form part of a countrywide survey conducted by colds and flu medicine provider Pharma Dynamics, that polled some 1,900 working men and women about this year’s colds and flu season.

Pharma Dynamics spokesperson Mariska van Aswegen says many organisations have reported a growing culture of presenteeism in the workplace, which usually leads to lower-than-normal productivity levels and can actually cost employers more than it would if sick employees would just take a sick day.

“Studies show that productivity levels only drop to about 28% when employees take sick leave, compared to a much more significant drop of 72% when they show up at work feeling lousy.”

She attributes this trend to the prolonged economic stagnation. “To some, physically showing up at work every day means job security. People want to make sure that they are not forgotten and want to prove that they are committed to their jobs.”

But, with more sick employees hovering around the office, the risk of spreading viruses and making others sick, increases substantially.

“The working sick leave behind a trail of germs on shared surfaces like stair rails, door handles, water coolers, communal fridges, counters and light switches, putting others’ health in jeopardy.

“Cold and flu viruses can easily spread in public spaces such as an office and even more so when there is no proper ventilation,” says Van Aswegen.

While many South Africans

Excellent news for mothers of children needing paediatric cardiology expertise

WORK WITH HEART: Dr John Lawrenson and sister Alloise Schoeman attend to a patient

D

OCTOR John Lawrenson, Head of Paediatric Cardiology at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, and his team visited George Hospital on Friday August 8 to host a cardiology outreach clinic.

The clinic was aimed at providing children living in Eden and Central Karoo born with heart abnormalities with local access to highly specialised cardiology services through an agreement between George Hospital and Red Cross Children’s Hospital in the Cape.

It was a busy but rewarding day for both doctors and nurses. Dr Lawrenson and his team saw 49 patients from Eden District.

This was the fourth outreach of its kind at George Hospital.

Dr Rik de Decker from Red Cross Children’s Hospital initiated the first paediatric cardiology outreach programme to George Hospital in November 2012.

Western Cape Health minister Theuns Botha, commented: “The specialist outreaches from Red Cross War Memo-

rial Children’s Hospital demonstrate our efforts to reach to communities and bring health services closer to you.

“We realise the tyranny of distance and how difficult it is to be separated from the specialist hospitals in the city. Other outreaches are also to our neighbouring province, Frere Hospital and Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in the Eastern Cape, as well as outreaches to Worcester Hospital.”

The major benefit of these outreach clinics is that it saves sick children and their parents having to make the arduous journey to Cape Town. Some would have to repeat this journey every three to six months.

For a mother to take her child to Cape Town for a Monday cardiology clinic, would mean that they will have to travel to their nearest rural hospital on Sunday evening in order to get to George Hospital to catch the connecting transport to Cape Town at about 2am.

They would have typically only returned the Monday

night about midnight, after spending more than 24 hours in transit and at Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

This can be really difficult for parents and their families, who already have many odds stacked against them.

Through the cardiology outreach service, the Western Cape Department of Health will help families by making it significantly easier for their children to reach tertiary level cardiology service by offering a service closer to home.

Due to improved services, these children are diagnosed early in life and treated with medication and (occasionally) heart surgery at Red Cross Children’s Hospital - they have a chance at a normal life.

During these clinics teaching also takes place. Local paediatricians are equipped with additional skills to help look after these children.

Said Dr Lawrenson: “The paediatric team in George is a jewel to be treasured and to serve as the model for the rest of the country as to just how good a regional hospital service can be.”

do whatever it takes to stay germ-free by using hand sanitisers, disinfectant wipes or soap, an inconsiderate 38% who took part in the survey do not.

“Even though you may not be able to change your coworkers’ bad habits, you can protect yourself by washing your hands often enough, especially after you’ve come into contact with a sick colleague, before eating and after using the restroom.

“Also avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose at all costs and clean your desk, including your phone, cellphone and keyboard with antibacterial wipes at least daily.”

For the 85% suffering from presenteeism, Van Aswegen suggest asking yourself the following questions to assess whether you are too sick to report for duty: 1. Would you be putting others at risk?

2. Are you contagious?

3. Is your judgement perhaps impaired?

4. Are you thinking clearly?

5. Is your lack of productivity going to do the company any good?

“If you simply have to work, try working from home. This way you will reduce the spreading of germs while still dealing with urgent work, plus you can nap in between to give your body the rest it needs to recover.”

Another interesting finding that Pharma Dynamics’ survey yielded was that nine in 10 participants still prefer to first self-medicate a cold or flu rather than going to a GP. “The best way to make sure that you choose the appropriate over-the-counter (OTC)

medication to treat a cold or flu is to understand the different active ingredients and the symptoms they treat.

“There are four major active ingredient categories related to cold and flu symptom relief, which are analgesics, nasal decongestants, cough sup-

pressants and expectorants.

“It is also important to take other conditions like heart disease or asthma into consideration, so always ask your pharmacist for advice to help you determine the correct course of treatment for you,” concludes Van Aswegen.

Presenteeism fact sheet • The national survey was conducted online among 1,978 working men and women (18-55 years old); 32% of participants were men and 68% women. The survey was conducted during June and July this year.

Other findings were as follows: • Twenty eight percent of respondents said hand sanitisers, disinfectant wipes, paper towels, soap, etc. aren’t accessible at work.

• Twenty two percent said they would consider staying at home if the doctor

had booked them off.

• Two days is the maximum number of days that the majority (33%) of respondents would take off if they were too sick to come to work.

• Sixty four percent said they know they are too sick to go to work when they have a fever.

• Eight in ten agreed that catching a cold is by far the worst thing about winter.

• Eighty one percent don’t hesitate to take cold and flu medication at first sign of symptoms.

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20 August 2014

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

20 August 2014

Letters to the Editor

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

Crime pays in The Crags...

We are one of the many businesses trying to survive, not only in our seasonal economic environment that is Plett, but also as a business trying to weather the prolonged economic global meltdown.

What is far more demoralising and heart-breaking is having to endure the ongoing short comings of our Police and judicial systems.

During the past number of years (too many to count) we have been continually raided, robbed and ransacked by thieves, villains and druggies.

Obviously we have the high fences and armed response.

However, the problem lies with the punishment and consequences for the thieves when caught. It’s simply a case of the police arrest the

culprit, take the individuals to the charge office, detain them for the day and release them the following day.

Only for the same individual to repeat the same offence and the whole scenario repeats itself time and time again.

To start most days having been robbed by the same people is a massive ongoing hindrance, not only for busi-

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CXPRESS

ness reasons but personally.

It affects all our workers and communities.

The underlying problem is that the Magistrate and Prosecutor in our area lack the personal will power to do anything about the plight of all the affected citizens of our area, by simply not addressing the fundamental issue that crime doesn’t pay.

Because believe me, here in The Crags, it definitely does.

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Ta for fuelling our Knights!

On behalf of Round Table Southern Africa, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the tremendous support we received in the form of media coverage for this year’s Winter Knights ‘Fighting Cold’ campaign.

The value of your publicity is held in high esteem by our organisation as it plays a major role in communicating the details of our fundraising events to your readers. We are thrilled

to report that we received an overwhelming response of donated blankets and warm clothing.

So, once again, our sincere thanks to you and your readers for helping the Winter Knights of the Round Table bring hope and smiles to those less fortunate in your community - this is the true measure of the success of this campaign.

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Fracking: are we forgetting how fragile our life-sustaining eco-systems are?

Whilst we agree with the title of the letter by Peter Erasmus [‘Fracking: its potential cannot be ignored’ in CXPRESS of August 6], we cannot agree with his sentiment that the potential is for good.

In our opinion, only someone clinging to the antiquated belief that the world has an endless supply of resources just waiting to be plundered could hold such a destructive opinion.

In response to a few of the issues raised, we would like to point out the following: According to the corporate websites of major energy companies, such as Halliburton, there are up to 600 chemicals used in the fracking process. Many of these are highly toxic and - in some cases - known carcinogens.

Once these chemicals are introduced into the earth’s crust, there is no efficient means of retracting them. This inevitably leads to ground water contamination.

A 2012 Environment America Research and Policy Center report contained a quote from toxicologist David Brown that summarises the reality of the potential impact of this pollution: “At health clinics, we’re seeing nearby residents experiencing nausea, headaches and other symptoms linked to fracking pollution.

“With billions of gallons of toxic waste coming each year, we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of health risks.”

According to a recent report

published in Gpxktqpogpvcn" Uekgpeg"cpf"Vgejpqnqi{, less than 5% of all water used is recycled, the rest is mostly disposed in injection wells.

This is most concerning in the context of the Karoo where water is scarce and current meteorological models predict it will become more so.

The idea that the industry can be effectively regulated is highly contentious, given the enormous complexity involved, the logistical challenges of monitoring compliance, and the obvious temptation on the part of both industry and the regulatory bodies to circumvent procedure with kickbacks.

The idea of fracking creating jobs is an emotive card that needs to be considered realistically.

Firstly, the estimates are inevitably wildly inflated. In the oft-quoted case of Pennsylvania USA there was a 170,000job gap between the local publicity campaign (200,000 jobs) and the state agency calculation (30,000 jobs).

Agency officials openly admit that figures used to estimate jobs supported by shale amount to little more than a guess. In any case, the carrying capacity of the Karoo won’t sustain a huge influx of workers.

We could go on for pages.

There is plenty of scientifically validated information available in the public domain for all who choose to research it, as well as a growing body of (in some cases

frightening) anecdotal evidence from affected parties.

We live in a beautiful and relatively pristine environment. From the safety of that bubble it is easy to forget just how fragile our life-sustaining eco-systems really are.

They are beyond monetary value. There are emerging energy technologies that are quickly becoming efficient enough to compete with the old model.

By supporting fracking, we detract from the development of these sustainable alternatives.

Octvkp"cpf"Mc{nc" Yqnhcctfv."Rngvv //////// The letter by Peter Erasmus cannot be ignored for the simple reason that his arguments, although welcome, are in some respects based on insufficient evidence and hearsay.

Take the vexed question of macro-economic policy, for instance. It is no secret that the ruling party is made up of a centre-left, Tripartite Alliance consisting of the ANC, the SACP, and COSATU. It follows, therefore, that their macro-economic policy will tend to follow the idea of a “developmental state”, where the commanding heights of the economy will be owned by the State and managed on behalf of the majority, NOT the wealthy minority.

Whether they do this job properly and efficiently is neither here nor there. The masses of the people have recently cast their vote in favour of the ruling party, so

that takes care of that.

The question that immediately follows on relates to national energy policy. How precisely should we employ our State-owned capital and what proportion should we submit to private enterprise for developing new and welldefined solutions to our energy requirements?

Other than Medupi, Kusile, and other existing coalfired stations, the competing technologies are nuclear, gas (including the potential from fracking), wind and solar, with wave energy a forgotten Cinderella.

Apart from the huge potential represented by energyefficiency and energy-saving (as much as 20MW, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute), we are also blessed with a massive off-shore gas field in East Africa; the potential of run-of-river hydro in the DRC; and highest solar radiation in the world for 24/7 Concentrated Solar Power (combined with sodium salt storage) in the Northern Cape.

So why bother about fracking when there are so many easier, cleaner, cheaper, and more labour-intensive solutions?

The technical and economic arguments are by no means guaranteed just because qualified “experts” say so.

We were promised the earth by the ill-fated Pebble-Bed Modular Reactor, but had to waste R16-billion to find out it was just another radioactive bubble.

They said that nuclear

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

power stations would never fail, and then we had Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima.

The oil and gas industry has also had its litany of woes, including the Exxon Valdez and the Mexican Gulf fiasco, but our obsession with liquid fuels has continued, despite the obvious impact of global warming from vehicle emissions, cancers and birth deformities from inhaling all the additives, and the massive toll in human lives on the roads.

The most offensive part of Mr Erasmus’ letter, how-

ever, is the perennial appeal to “jobs” - a most pernicious PR stunt in a land where underemployment and the richpoor gap is mind-numbing.

Let him therefore please indicate the source of his claim that “even at the lower end of the scale, [fracking] will provide many hundreds of thousands of jobs”. I presume that “many” means “greater than one”?

I like walking myself, but this time I’m hanging out a red flag in front of simplistic and asinine arguments.

Okmg"Mcpvg{."Rngvv

Moon even cooler from Kransbos!

Belinda Coram sent this image and wrote: ‘I managed to capture this beautiful pic of the weekend’s super-moon - and you can have it, too! Suspect it looked even more spectacular from our mountain outpost here on the pass.’

16

CXPRESS

Sport & Adventure

20 August 2014

Knysna team tipped for top in Lipton Cup A

hand-picked team of Knysna’s top young yacht racers, skippered by John Young, will make up the crew of the Knysna entry in the 2014 Lipton Cup - South Africa’s premier and most prestigious, one-design regatta which attracts the very best sailors in a tough 10-day offshore event that starts this weekend.

In 1909, tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton donated the cup so that yacht clubs could enter their top teams to com-

pete in what is regarded as one of the most challenging and arduous regattas in SA. The yachts are identical L26 race boats, demanding a high level of expertise and teamwork with precise tactics and skill from all on board.

Knysna last won the event in 2011 with skipper Greg Davis, and hopes are high for another victory this year.

Knysna has a long heritage of yachting and should be proud of their team who collectively boasts over 50 years

of sailing experience.

Many local businesses and individuals from the town have dug deep in their pockets to help sponsor the team and the yacht to meet the considerable expense involved in taking part in such an event and Knysna wishes the team Godspeed and fair winds.

Contact Simon on 072 252 3381 or at oldcapesmoke house@gmail.com and Jay on 0765 817 479 or at jaynie@ bambooguesthouse.co.za for more information.

Wittedrift meet kragte met Uniondale, Villiersdorp, Oakhill en uitlanders

W

ITTEDRIFT Hoërskool was onlangs die gashere vir twee besoekende skole. Op Woensdag 6 Augustus het Hoërskool Uniondale se O/19-rugby- en O/18netbalspanne die bergpas aangedurf. Wittedrift het die rugby 20-17 gewen terwyl Uniondale die netbal 22-14 gewen het.

Saterdag 9 Augustus, was die jaarlikse kragmeting met Hoërskool De Villiers Graaff van Villiersdorp. Geluk aan die tuisspan se O/15 en O/18netbalspanne wat onderskeidelik met 22-2 en 25-4 geseëvier het.

Die rugbymanne het ook nie op hulle laat wag nie. Die O/19-span het 25-5 gewen terwyl die O/16-span 17-10 verloor het.

Op Vrydag 15 Augustus het ‘n groep van nagenoeg 100 rugby-, hokkie- en netbalspelers na Hoërskool Templeton in Bedford vir wedstryde op Saterdag die 16de vertrek.

Die O/15A-netbalspelers het dieselfde naweek Kaap toe getrek vir ‘n groot toernooi wat by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch aangebied is.

“Dit is vir ons belangrik dat leerders geleenthede kry om hul talente op die sportveld uit te leef, en daarom doen sportorganiseerders moeite om wedstryde met buurskole en selfs verder, te reël,” aldus Wittedrift skoolhoof Jeremy Marallish.

Hy het bygevoeg dat daar uitgesien word na die besoek van drie O/14-netbalspanne en een O/16 rugbyspan van Ludlow in Shropshire, Engeland, verlede week. “Wat ‘n wonderlike geleentheid vir ons skool en spelers om opponente van oor die wêreld op Wittedrift se velde te sien kragte meet.”

UITSLAE Vgorngvqp Wittedrift Hoër se rugby, netbal en hokkiespelers het nie verniet die lang pad Bedford toe aangedurf nie. Al die spanne, met die uitsondering van een, het hul wedstryde gewen.

Twid{< Eerste span (O/19) Wittedrift wen 17-3, O/16 Wittedrift wen 26-22 Pgvdcn< Eerste span (O/18) Wittedrift wen 27-15, O/16

SPRING, VILLIERSDORP, SPRING! Wittedrift se eerste netbalspan in aksie - Clarese Moos word nie sommer afgesit deur haar sterk verdediger nie; senter Mieke Wagener hou die spel dop terwyl Anju Duarte onder die pale doelgereed staan

MY HART VIR WITTEDRIFT: Brenden Henning, kaptein van die O/19-rugbyspan en hoofseun van Wittedrift Hoër, draf uit teen Templeton se eerste-span met Gian Jerling kort op sy hakke Wittedrift het die wedstryd met 17-3 gewen

Wittedrift wen 11-10, O/14 Templeton wen 12-7 Jqmmkg< Eerste span: Wittedrift wen 2-0, O/16 Wittedrift wen 1-0.

Ygu/Mccr"Vqgtpqqk Tien O/14-netbalspelers het die pad Kaap toe aangepak om aan die Wes-Kaap Top Skole O/14-netbaltoernooi deel te neem.

“Die blootstelling aan groter skole was ‘n wonderlike ervaring vir al ons junior spelers, en net om binneshuis te kon speel was opsigself vir hulle ‘n belewenis,” sê afrigter Hanri Cordier.

Qcmjknn Wittedrift het op 13 Augustus skaak teen Oakhill gespeel en vyf van die 10 wedstryde gewen. Geluk aan Anita Ngantweni wat albei haar wedstryde gewen het.

Drie netbalspanne het dieselfde middag kragte ge-

meet. Wittedrift se O/14A, O/15A en O/16A-spanne het gewen (15-3, 16-5 en 9-5) baie geluk!

Drie hokkiewedstryde is ook gespeel wat aldrie deur Oakhill gewen is: O/19 (120), O/16A (3-0) en O/16B (60). Welgedaan, Oakhill!

Nwfnqy Drie O/14-netbalwedstryde is gespeel waarvan Wittedrift twee gewen en een verloor het. Die A-span het 13-4 verloor, die Bs het 7-1 gewen en die Cs het 12-0 gewen.

Een O/16-rugbywedstryd is ook teen die besoekers gespeel en Wittedrift het 2421 gewen.

“Ons het die internasionale blootstelling baie geniet en sien daarna uit om in die toekoms meer teen besoekende oorsese spanne te speel,” het skoolhoof Marallich na afloop van die dag gesê.

The prestigious Leisure Isle Spring Bowling Tournament is back again!

L

EISURE Isle Bowling Club will host its Spring Tournament sponsored by Personal Trust International and Knysna Lifestyle Estates from September 1-3.

Says club secretary Denise Voysey: “Many other businesses in Knysna have donated fabulous prizes for which we are truly grateful. Even before the invitations were sent out the tournament was fully booked, and there is still a waiting list.”

The event will see 96 players from as far afield

as Port Elizabeth and Cape Town playing 21 ends, twice daily. The first two games will be predrawn and thereafter it will be strength against strength.

“We invite the public to come and watch some marvellous bowls played on the magnificent greens of Leisure Island.

“A great time is sure to be had by all - now all we can ask for is that the sun will shine!”

Call Denise on 044 384 1896 for more information or to find out about the waiting list.