Summer holidays are a thing of the past and it’s back to the benches for Garden Route boys and girls of all ages - in this case, from left, Mandla Tsewu, Tamsa Donald, Owen Poluta, Tristan Steyn & Gregory Ovenstone, and Isabella Bröhm, Gabby Steyn, Lulu Mukuwiri, Lila Kloeckner & Jessica Cockcroft, all of whom graduated from Greenwood last year and today start a whole new high school adventure… learn hard, have fun, be good!
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21 January 2015
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CXPRESS
News & Views
21 January 2015
People Around Town
Hermann Paris - who took the people of
Knysna by one huge symphonic storm
GIGI LEWIS interviews interesting Garden Route residents and visitors that happen to cross her path
F
OR the short time that Hermann Paris has been in this town, it would seem that everyone I spoke to had recently crossed his euphonious path in one way or another. The Frenchman who sailed in from Brazil*, via Cape Town and Mossel Bay, gen-
erates a trail of quixotic romance of the seven seas and not only because he taught himself to sail, out of necessity, but also because he is a skilled graphic artist and a pianist who studied classical music at the legendary Conservatoire de Paris - a college of music and dance, founded
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in 1794. Famous names of tutors that formed the backbone of his education peel off his lips, as he tells his story with that enchanting French lilt that caused me to concentrate more than usual on his actual words spoken, than on the sound of them. Hermann was born in 1967, in St Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. As both his parents were accomplished photographers, he was introduced to a string of well-known French artists from an early age and his life alternated between a comfy Paris lifestyle and visits to his parents’ country house in the undulating landscape of the Loire Valley, where an uncle owned a château as well. To this day, Hermann has remained friends with his first primary school teacher in Paris’s 10th Arrondissement, Christian Billet, who in the year 2000 was inaugurated as president of the Ucnqp"fgu" Ctvkuvgu"Htcpècku (association of French painters and sculptors) and - among numerous other achievements - became the official painter to the French Navy. When Hermann’s zest for learning tugged him to a four-year study course at a College of Graphic Design, French academics such as Jacques Bracquemond (who wrote an extensive book on typography along with JeanLuc Dusong: V{rqitcrjkg" /" nc" ngvvtg." ng" oqv." nc" rcig / ‘... the letter, the word, the page’) further motivated the young aspiring artist. Hermann’s fine art teacher, Pierre Chabin, formerly had the legendary French painter and sculptor Pierre Caron as a tutor. Thus Chabin’s work venerated the teachings of the grand master in several solo exhibitions in Parisian galleries. Still searching for his true
calling, Hermann’s thirst for knowledge increased and his exploits in the visual arts fused with a yearning to equally express his talent in the world of music. He enrolled with the Conservatoire de Paris, played most of the classical composers on piano and soon had a repertoire that stretched from classical music to ragtime jazz, and everything in between. The 90s proved to be a turbulent time for Hermann as he was by then a professional painter with several exhibitions under his belt. During
couple were coming to a head, mainly due to Hermann’s irregular work, and shortly after his mother died in 2005, his girlfriend left with their daughter and resettled in Reunion. They remained good friends and Hermann sees Moira periodically. Around that time, a friend’s introduction led to Hermann receiving an old piano, which he taught himself to repair, but for the completion he needed a string-maker. Bernard in Paris turned out to be the right man for the job. In addition, Bernard was also an expert sailor. If I was writ-
MUSICAL ARTISTIC SAILING FLYING FRENCHMAN: Hermann has been playing his ragtime repertoire and other styles at venues like Knysna Yacht Club and All that Jazz, where the picture above was taken
these years he also did a threeyear spell teaching art to deaf children, which he says was extremely rewarding. The little spare time he had available - mainly at night was spent by playing ragtime jazz in bars to earn the extra money. This was also the decade he met his French girlfriend, a partner of 10 years, who bore him their daughter Moira in 2001. When things between the
ing about anyone other than Hermann, my story would finish “and the rest is history”. Not so with Hermann, as he then decided to branch out in a different entrepreneurial direction. Around 2009, he wanted to buy an aeroplane and needed a commercial pilot’s licence, which he obtained within six months, helped by Olivier, a good chum from Paris. It was a matter of cost that deterred Hermann from buy-
COOL: Hermann Paris knows how to deal with necessity
ing a plane and Olivier suggested he bought a boat instead. With Olivier and Bernard who promised to teach them how to sail - the trio set off to Turkey, where Hermann purchased a 14-metre steel Catch, originally built in Malta, which he had seen on the Internet and for which he had negotiated a very favourable price. The three men prepared the boat together for an epic voyage through the Mediterranean Sea and across the North and South Atlantic to Brazil. As you can imagine, there were many more daring stories related to me. But limited space excludes their publication. Journeying with his selfbuilt rustic piano, Hermann is best-known in the area for his astonishing performances in local establishments such as Knysna Yacht Club, All That Jazz and others, and would be happy to take on assignments while he remains in the area. ," Jgtocpp" eqorngvgf" vjg" lqwtpg{" htqo" Dtc|kn" vq" Ecrg" Vqyp" kp" 64" fc{u" ykvj" iqqf" ykpfu"cnn"vjg"yc{0
Ikik"Ngyku"nkuvgpu"vq"{qw"qp" jgt"ujgnn/rjqpg000"Cp"ceg" rjqvqitcrjgt"cpf"kpfqokvcdng" cfxgpvwtgt"yjq"gplq{u"nkhg"vq" vjg"hwnn."{qw"ecp"gockn"jgt"cv" ikik0ngykuBvgnmqouc0pgv"ykvj" eqoogpvu"qt"uwiiguvkqpu0
News & Views
21 January 2015
CXPRESS
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Alleged child pornographer’s bail causes outrage on local, national level The release of the Plettenberg Bay computer engineer allegedly involved in an international baby porn ring has sent shockwaves not only through the local community but also sparked outrage among children’s rights activists - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports
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HE 37-year-old Plettenberg Bay business owner’s arrest made headlines after South African and international police swooped on his home last week. He appeared in the local magistrate’s court on Wednesday and was released on R10,000 bail under strict conditions. The man, who cannot be named until he has pleaded, was arrested following a lengthy investigation by South African and Belgian police after his internet address was discovered on an obscure cyber meeting space for alleged paedophiles with fetishes for what seems to be the sexual abuse of infants in nappies. This followed the arrest of an alleged paedophile in Belgium in October last year. While using the suspect’s profile, members of the Antwerp police child sexual exploitation unit found the Plett man’s internet address on the porn site. They immediately linked up with the Gauteng Family violence, Child protection & Sexual offences (FCS) unit after which Operation Cloud 9 was implemented and he
was arrested at his home last Tuesday. Police also confiscated his computer on which sections of files allegedly including images of sexual violence was found, and uncovered his internet profile along with the internet addresses of more than 300 alleged paedophiles. Lieutenant Colonel Heila Niemand from Gauteng FCS, who led the investigation in South Africa, said on Monday that police were currently trying to establish if any of these alleged paedophiles were in South Africa or if there were others in Plett, and were attempting to identify them. Thousands of images depicting the abuse of children - many in their homes or in their bedrooms - were also discovered. Niemand said some of these photographs had been taken very recently and that it was therefore crucial to identify them and subsequently end the abuse. In the meantime, the incident and especially the suspect’s release had sparked outrage among residents and children’s rights groups. “It’s a horrific case involv-
ing more than 300 criminals and tens of thousands of images of rape and murder of babies and toddlers, and police fear that all over the country babies are being molested right now,” said director of Women & Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) Miranda Friedmann. “The State has a duty to protect. How does our court grant bail to a criminal who could make contact with others involved alerting them to cover all traces of their activities - this man should be under police surveillance until all the suspects are found.” While Friedmann applauded the work done by local and Belgian police in tracking the suspect down, she called on government and the police to ensure that the country was equipped with the necessary technology to enable a dedicated police team to keep up with that of crime syndicates and individuals. This would enable them to close down and arrest any person caught producing and distributing images of rape and torture of children. “We call on members of the
Child sex offense cases postponed
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ARDEN Route prosecutors had their hands full on Monday dealing with alleged child sex offenders. The 40-year-old George father who allegedly drugged his 12-year-old daughter and six of her friends during sleepovers, raped them and took naked photos of the girls appeared in the local magistrate’s court dock for the second time on Monday. The matter was, however, postponed until March 25 for further investigation. The man was arrested at his home in November after an investigation into abuse
claims. The incidents allegedly happened over a twoyear period and the accused allegedly administered pills to the girls which resulted in them losing consciousness. While unconscious he allegedly raped them. In the meantime, a trial date has been set in the case against a former 52-year-old Knysna teacher who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old pupil at Fraaisig Primary in 2013. The man appeared in the Knysna Regional Court on Monday after a series of postponements since his arrest in
August 2013. The matter was postponed until April 15 for the trial to start. The teacher, who is out on bail and no longer teaches at the school, allegedly pinned a pupil against a wall in the school’s photocopying room, covered her mouth with his hands and sexually assaulted and raped her. The man, who had been at Fraaisig for 29 years, was allegedly caught red-handed by the acting principal who alerted authorities. The accused denies the incident. /"[qncpfê"Uvcpfgt
public to come forward with information they may have to assist the police in identifying the other perpetrators exposed during Operation Cloud 9 and any other suspicious activities they are aware of.” It is believed that the suspect’s internet service provider tipped him off about the police investigation. “We also call for an investigation into the internet service provider
which tipped off this dangerous criminal that police were onto him,” said Friedmann. Renowned woman and children’s rights activist Lesley Ann Forster said she too was horrified about the incident and the court’s decision to grant him bail. “This is just absolutely horrific and it shows that the erosion of morality in this country is far worse than we
thought, especially when you see extreme sexual violence against babies like this,” Forster said. She added she was disappointed that bail was granted as this gave the suspect the opportunity to “cover his tracks” and “alert others who are involved”. Plett social media pages were abuzz with comments from some residents demanding the suspect be “named and shamed” while others called on authorities to “hand him over to the community”.
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CXPRESS
Less rip current drownings, say NSRI’s seasonal stats
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AST Wednesday, as the school holidays drew to a close, the National Sea Rescue Institute released statistics from stations around the country from the period December 1 to January 14. During the festive season, NSRI rescue crews responded to 144 calls for help and rescued 151 people, while 40 boats were assisted. In incidents that these crews responded to, there were a total of 31 fatalities, with 19 adults and 12 children drowning. Rip currents posed the greatest threat to bathers, claiming the lives of nine people, five of whom were children. The biggest risk to children was being near water unsupervised. NSRI volunteers responded to six drownings in fresh water, with three of
News & Views
21 January 2015
these fatalities being children. Compared to the same period last year, drownings caused by rip currents were lower, with nine fatal drownings this year versus 13 in rip currents for last December/ January. “The number of fatal drownings for the past two years is similar when looked at nationally. The most heartening thing for us this year is that fatalities from people caught in rip currents are lower than last year,” said NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson. “We believe that the intensive education that we did throughout the year had something to do with this.” NSRI’s WaterWise Academy has taught over 620,000 children how to avoid danger, what to do in an emergency,
who to call for help and how to do bystander CPR. It is hoped that this year the department of education will consider including water safety and CPR in the national curriculum. • NSRI is the charity that saves lives on South African waters. It is manned by over 900 volunteers at 31 bases around the coast and on four inland dams. Donations, bequests and sponsorships cover the annual running cost of R52.5m. Contact Dr Cleeve Robertson on 021 4344 011 and visit www.searescue.org.za for more information. Dial 112 from a cellphone to report a sea rescue emergency. You can SMS 32287 with your name and a message of support for our region’s hardworking sea rescue crews.
Getting our landmarks on the CemAir map takes some very fancy flying
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XPRESS received this note from Plett reader Errol Finkelstein on Friday: ‘Yesterday my wife and I drove to Robberg Peninsula at around 5:30pm. We saw what appeared to be a CemAir flight coming in, accompanied by a small plane. Although the plane seemed heading to the airport it did not land but swung over us again at Robberg with the small plane still very close by. ‘We thought that the plane may have had a landing gear problem but that was pure speculation. Could you perhaps find out? All of us regular flyers would be particularly grateful!’ We spoke to the CemAir crew who explained that the exercise was all in the name of pretty images, i.e. taking photos from the smaller plane with Plett landmarks like Robberg and the Beacon Isle in the background. Veteran pilot Stu Lithgow was joined by Mark Andrews in the photography plane, which followed CemAir’s Dash 8 passenger plane as it flew from the airport to Kranshoek and turned inland to the N2 before heading towards Keurboomstrand. The flying twosome then returned to Plett, sticking to the coastline with the smaller plane ducking in and out for shots. They rounded Robberg and did another loop before returning to Plett Airport, some spectacular photos shot along the way. It must be during this final flight around Robberg that the planes were spotted by the Finkelsteins. Needless to say, there’s no reason to fret about faulty landing gear. And the best part of all?
CemAir invited members of the airport personnel, including two security guards and other ground staff who had never been in an aeroplane before, to come along for the ride of their lives. So there were six people on board who had never flown before, enjoying a low-level
aerobatic journey around Plettenberg Bay. Visit www.facebook.com/ PlettAirport for all the pics and other news, and watch this space for a near-future report with seasonal facts and figures regarding airport activities and passengers served during the holidays.
ON A HIGH: These photos were taken during the aerial shoot of the Dash 8 last Thursday afternoon, with pilot Stewart Lithgow at the wheel and Mark Andrews snapping away - and of course, the landing gear was mostly retracted for a cleaner, smoother look, but readers are assured that there was nothing the matter with either wings or wheels... - Photos supplied by CemAir
News & Views
21 January 2015
Teacher, principal, scholar and sportsman celebrates 50 years in the profession EDUCATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE: With retirement finally beckoning, Greenwood Independent School’s acting head John Wegerhoff, 72, toasts half a century of service in the teaching profession
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OHN Wegerhoff, wellknown science teacher and author of science textbooks, last year achieved a feat of which few can boast - 50 years of service in the teaching profession, and still going strong! Having kicked off his teaching career at Kingswood College in Grahamstown in 1964 at the tender age of 22, his remarkable legacy continued with stints at Grey High in PE, Union High in GraaffReinet, Plumstead High, Milnerton High, Gardens Commercial High (10 years as principal), Abbott’s College, SACS, Hout Bay International School, and Wynberg Boys High in Cape Town. This series was interrupted only when John took time out in 1980 and 1981 for fulltime study towards his masters’ degree at the University of Cape Town on the Readability of Science Textbooks, awarded cum laude, and for which he received a medal for the best science-related thesis at UCT in 1981. At the end of 2013, having finally decided to hang up his chalk, OHP pens and dongles, he left Cape Town to retire to his home on the Island at Great Brak River. Hardly had he settled into a leisurely life of daily beach walks, tending his immaculate garden, making new friends at the local bowls club, and reading his ever-growing collection of many books, when he was approached to step in as acting principal at Greenwood Independent School in
Plettenberg Bay, where he has been since last August. John will remain until April, when Greenwood’s new principal, Luke Perkins, arrives to take over the reins. In this short time he has already left an indelible mark at Greenwood, with chairman of the Greenwood Board, Harry Brouwers, recently remarking: “Mr Wegerhoff brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position and we are very excited to have him.” And a “wealth of experience and knowledge” he certainly has. He has gained legendary status as science teacher, author and co-author of science textbooks and workbooks. He has been matric examiner for science in the former Cape Education Department, served on the Western Cape Education Department Science Study committee, and run courses for the Western Cape Education Department for science teachers. He has also served in various management positions over the years. These include deputy principal positions at Union and Milnerton High, as well as principal positions at Gardens Commercial High, Hout Bay International School and, most recently, at Greenwood. Actively involved over many years in the management of SATA in various capacities, he has also facilitated and presented numerous professional growth courses for the general betterment of the teaching profession.
John Wegerhoff is a son of the Eastern Cape, having grown up in Walmer, Port Elizabeth, matriculated at Grey High School, and read for his BSc and Bsc Hons degrees at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. The teaching genes he no doubt inherited from his father, Jack Wegerhoff, well-known Port Elizabeth maths teacher and founderprincipal of Summerwood Primary. His mother, Vicky Wegerhoff, still lives in PE, where he visits her regularly. The Wegerhoffs have left their mark not only as educators, but also as a family of exceptional sportsmen. While brother Norman, now resident in Canada, continues to excel in hockey, younger brother Frank, now in Seattle in the USA, was a provincial tennis player from a young age. John has been a wellknown coach in various sports, having served at numerous schools as master in charge of rugby and coach of the first XV. He has been first league referee and Craven Week selector, and organiser of overseas sports and educational tours. But his forte has undoubtedly been in squash, where he has excelled as coach, league player, and finally as player and committee member for Western Province Masters Squash. Today, at the age of 72, he looks back on a professional life well-lived and says: “What I will remember is the quality of the children I taught and coached over the years. All were great and produced the goods when it counted. “Children always do so when they enjoy the right kind of encouragement and support from teachers and parents. So, to all stakeholders: get involved!” The prospect of ‘real’ retirement finally beckons later this year, when he plans to take a long and well-deserved trip to visit his brothers, and to spend more time with his three children and seven grandchildren.
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Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za
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CXPRESS
News & Views
21 January 2015
All the best for school year ahead! Learners all over the province return to school today, and the CXPRESS team wishes all of you the very best of luck and happy learning. Congratulations to the five youngsters at right who were selected as prefects at Wittedrift Primary - in front from left are Meghan Barnardo, Embrochia Zondage and Janoh Kapp, with Lilitha Namntu and Simone Malan at back.
Vote for Knysna’s unique ornithological icon before the end of February FLASHY FORESTDWELLER: A recent shot of the Knysna Loerie by local resident Lisa Greyling
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OUTH Africa boasts an incredible 845 species of birds. So no matter where you are, you live side by side with these feathery friends. Spot them in your garden, on the way to work, in the mountains, on the beach and in the forest. Just look out of your window or step out the front door and you’re sure to see and hear birds. Experts at BirdLife South Africa have whittled down our list of birds to 52 species and invite you to “meet some
of your neighbours” before voting for your favourite bird in a fun poll. And not surprisingly, the town’s tourism team is campaigning for the Knysna Turaco - or ‘loerie’, as it is known locally. “The Knysna Turaco is synonymous with the forests and early stories told about our town. From the days of Hkgnc"ug"Mkpf, the Turaco has inspired many writers and visitors and created fond, colourful memories of Knysna -
the true home of the Turaco,” says Tourism marketing manager Johan van Schalkwyk. “We support the nomination of this species as it projects our town brand into the world and it is a proudly Knysna icon.” The loerie’s cawing call is evocative of mist-shrouded mountain forests. It has no equal for nimble branch-running in the canopy but when it does take wing, its rubyred primaries are stunning, both for sheer contrast and because their copper-based pigment may well be unique in the animal world. How can you not root for such a handsome candidate? Cast your vote at www.bird life.org.za/vote before February 28 and so join Knysna Tourism in promoting this great poll and campaigning for a ngmmgt local icon.
Business
21 January 2015
CXPRESS
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Put off maintenance and you’ll pay more, for sure A
LL homes need maintenance - even new ones - and homeowners need to budget for this so that small problems don’t get out of hand and become big ones, says Shaun Rademeyer, CEO of BetterBond Home Loans. “Some home maintenance and repair projects are easy, of course, and require your time rather than much money, such as clearing a blocked kitchen drain, cutting back a tree that threatens to break a window or de-rusting and repainting a garden gate. “Others are definitely bigger, however, and you may well be tempted to put them off either because you don’t have the expertise to tackle them yourself or because
you fear that calling in an expert would be too expensive,” he says. “But this will usually just lead to even bigger problems and more expensive fixes, not to mention possible increases in your insurance premiums, so as a homeowner, your best course is opening a maintenance savings fund as soon as possible and, more importantly, creating a maintenance schedule for your property.” Rademeyer says having such a schedule should enable you to find and address most common maintenance issues yourself, before they develop into major problems that will deplete your savings. Here are some examples of tasks to put on the list – and
Investor Focus Malcolm Stewart – Investment manager at Michaelides Parker Wealth Knysna & Plett
Final words on the art of selecting a Unit Trust
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T has always been my view that dividends form the greatest part of the return that you earn on any investment, particularly as you compound these dividends over the long term. Thus being a dividend fan (they are taxed at only 15% at the moment), my favourite unit trust will be one that is focused on dividend income. Marriott has been known as the income specialists for well over a decade. They stick religiously to their mandate and are fanatical dividend hunters. Their flagship fund is the Marriott Dividend Income Fund. It holds shares that have a solid track record of consistently paying dividends that should always grow at a rate greater than the inflation rate. The spread of companies is wide, with no great concentration around the index favourites. It holds no resource or mining companies as they have highly irregular dividend payments. They tend to be mature companies, with stable earnings streams that tend to be highly defensive in bear markets or in weak economies. The Marriott investment team is not large; however, Marriott is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Old Mutual. So it certainly has a sound parent. Over the last seven years, it delivered a capita plus income return of 14.56%, with a dividend pay-out that grew by 8% pa over the last 10 years. This implies that if your entire pension (I’m not suggesting this!) were invested in this fund, your annual payments would have easily outperformed inflation. Grindrod Asset Management has recently launched an Equity Dividend Growth Fund with a similar pedigree
as the Marriott funds. It has a short track record so there are no meaningful performance figures. However, it emanates from the conservative Grindrod stable that gave rise to the Marriott fund and should be worth watching in the future. The financial sector of the JSE has a sound track record. In general terms, both banks and life companies are conservatively managed; they are well monitored by the authorities, while their shares tend to be defensive in poor markets. Both the banks and the life companies tend to have sound dividend track records and, certainly in South Africa, they have avoided all the vagaries of the international banks. Both the Coronation Financial Fund and the Nedbank Financial Fund have outstanding track records. Coronation achieved 13.77% and Nedbank 13.79%, both over seven years. (The Nedbank Financial fund is managed by Sanlam.) Finally, one cannot ignore the property sector, which is another one of my favourites. Here the Coronation Property Equity fund gave a sound performance of 14.76% over the last seven years. Within this sector, there are those funds that benchmark against the property index, as does the Coronation Fund. Grindrod, however, recently launched a property fund that focuses on generating a high level of income distributions rather than focusing on the index. Both these funds could form part of a unit trust portfolio. Ocneqno"jcu"dggp"kp"vjg" kpxguvogpv"kpfwuvt{"hqt"qxgt" 62"{gctu0"Jg"jcu"ytkvvgp" vjku"eqnwop"kp"EZRTGUU" hqt"vjg"ncuv"38"{gctu"cpf"ku" c"urgekcnkuv"kp"ocpcikpi" tgvktgf"ygcnvj0
what the results could be if you ignore them: • Check your roof regularly, especially if you’ve had strong winds lately. Check for loose tiles and flashing, loose roof nails, damaged waterproofing and blocked gutters and downpipes. All of these problems are relatively easy and inexpensive to fix, but if left unattended, can quickly evolve into holes in the roof, major leaks and very costly damage to roof timbers and ceilings and rising or descending damp as a result of water getting into wall cavities. • Don’t forget about the plumbing. Just because most of it is out of sight in the ceiling void or walls does not mean it should be out of mind. Fix any dripping taps or running toilets immediately to keep your water bills down. Lag all exposed pipes to stop heat loss and prevent
winter freezing that can cause pipes to break. Check your geyser regularly for any leaks or corrosion. And if a pipe suddenly starts banging or gurgling, or you notice a patch of damp that might indicate a leak, call in professional help immediately. A broken water pipe can cause thousands of rands worth of damage to your home and could even cause part of a wall to collapse if left unattended - which would undoubtedly cost far more to fix than a plumber’s callout fee. • Take electricity seriously. Even if you have an electrical certificate of compliance for your home, you should have the whole electrical installation checked about every two years - or sooner, if you are having any problems such as lights or switches only working intermittently. Rodents can get at your wiring at any time, wear-and-
tear can cause overheating and short-circuits, and overloading or water in the system can cause the power to keep tripping. It is worth it to have an electrician find and fix such problems if it prevents a fire in your home or someone getting an electrical shock. “Remember, even if your home insurance covers most of the serious problems mentioned above, you would still have to pay the excess and most probably higher premiums going forward. “There is also a risk that
you might not be covered if the insurance company decided that the damage resulted from a lack of basic maintenance,” says Rademeyer. “In short, putting in a little work or money on the front end means you stand a good chance of avoiding major expense down the road. “Better still, it will pay off when you want to sell your house, because you are not likely to have to make a lot of costly repairs all at once, or drop your asking price to account for what repairs the buyer will have to make.”
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CXPRESS
21 January 2015
The dinner party
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Y wife hosted a dinner party for all of our friends, some of whom we hadn’t seen for ages, and everyone was encouraged to bring their children. All through the meal my wife’s best friend’s fouryear-old daughter stared at me as I sat opposite her. The girl could hardly eat her food for staring. I checked my shirt for spots, felt my face
for food, and patted my hair in place but nothing stopped her from staring at me. I tried my best to ignore her, but finally it was too much for me, so I asked her: “Why are you staring at me?” Everyone at the table had noticed her behaviour and went quiet for her response. The little girl said: “I’m just waiting to see how you drink like a fish.”
I told my friend that she drew her eyebrows on too high. She looked surprised.
The fisherman’s sons
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ANY years ago, a fisherman’s wife blessed her husband with twin sons. They loved the children very much, but couldn’t think of what to name their children. Finally, after several days, the fisherman said: “Let’s not decide on names right now. If we wait a little while, the names will simply occur to us.” After several weeks had passed, the fisherman and his wife noticed a peculiar fact. When left alone, one of the boys would always turn towards the sea, while the other boy would face inland. It didn’t matter which way the parents positioned the children, the same child always ended up facing the same direction. “Let’s call the boys ‘Towards’ and ‘Away’,” suggested the fisherman. His wife agreed, and from that point on, the boys were simply known as Towards and Away. The years passed and the lads grew tall and strong. The day came when the aging fisherman said to his sons: “Boys, it is time you learned how to make a living from the sea.” They provisioned their
ship, said their goodbyes, and set sail for a three-month voyage. The three months passed quickly for the fisherman’s wife, yet the ship had not returned. Another three months passed, and still no ship. Three whole years passed before the grieving woman saw a lone man walking towards her house. She recognised him as her husband. “My goodness! What has happened to my darling boys?” she cried. The ragged fisherman began to tell his story: “We were just barely one whole day out to sea when Towards hooked a great fish. He fought long and hard, but the fish was more than his equal. “For a whole week they wrestled upon the waves without either of them letting up. Yet eventually the great fish started to win the battle, and Towards was pulled over the side of our ship. “He was swallowed whole, and we never saw either of them again.” “Oh dear, that must have been terrible! What a huge fish that must’ve been!” “Sure, but you should have seen the one that got Away!”
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Social Scene
21 January 2015
CXPRESS
MAYORAL FUND MAKES KNYSNA DREAMS REAL: Executive mayor Georlene Wolmarans handed over R165,000 in bursaries - in support of further education, and made from the Mayoral Social Relief and Bursary Fund - to 60 students last Friday. The vast majority of these funds were raised during the annual Mayoral Golf Day held at Simola Golf & Country Estate last October. Additional contributions to the fund are raised at events hosted by Wolmarans’ office, and from donations made to the fund. ‘It is with great sincerity that I thank all the role players who made the golf day such a great success,’ she said during the handover ceremony, where this photo pictures her surrounded by some of the grateful recipients. The mayor encouraged the students to make the most of this opportunity, but reminded them that it is their responsibility to work hard at their studies. ‘I know it’s difficult to commit to studies, but I can’t wait until these candidates return as graduates, ready to make a difference in their lives and in their communities. By creating an opportunity to complete their further studies, we are encouraging these candidates to help us in creating a town where people and nature prosper.’
HOPE FOR HOSPICE: Justice Edwin Cameron - a justice of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, pictured at right with Trish Trahar - gave a Hospice Plett benefit talk entitled ‘Commitment and Hope in South Africa after Two Decades of Democracy’ on the evening of Thursday January 15 at The White House Theatre. Below, the good justice is photographed with, at back from left, Amanda Frost of PlettAid, municipal councillor Elaine Paulse, Bitou mayor Memory Booysen in traditional Xhosa dress, Anthea May of Hospice Plett, mayoral PA Thandi Sibhengile and Hilary Matthews, former CEO of the Bitou 10 Foundation. In front from left are Marie Pluim, Zenzall Plaatjies, Edward Muchenje, Sandra Tapfumanei, Jaqueline Windwaai, Gladys Xhayimpi, Clara Lawrence and Anne Koopman, all of Hospice Plett. - Timothy Twidle
People, places & events FRESHLYGROUND HAS ROOTS IN PLETT: Local Tshisa Talent Agency provides entertainers to those seeking entertainment, and super famous SA outfit Freshlyground is one of the top outfits on their books. Formed in early 2002, this iconic band is made up of seven talented and diverse musicians from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In the pic from left are Simon Attwell (flute, mbira, sax and harmonica), Peter Cohen (drums), Julio Sigauque (guitar), Zolani Mahola (vocalist), Kyla Rose Smith (violinist), Josh Hawks (bass) and Shaggy Scheepers (keyboard). Although hailing from diverse backgrounds, between them the band’s members weave a musical magic that is highly infectious and undeniably groovy. They will be in Plett for a private wedding organised by Events & Tents in February.
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Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za
21 January 2015
Classifieds
On the Soapbox
21 January 2015
Letters to the Editor
CXPRESS
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
Recycling training needed
Yes, Plett is a rip-off
Last Wednesday was recycling day, but unfortunately the bags were still lying outside on Friday morning. I happened to be outside when the municipal refuse truck came past on Friday and tried to pick up the bags. I stopped them just in time, shouting that these were recycling bags. How depressing, that these
With reference to the letter ‘A sincere sorry to Bitou visitors’ [turn to page 15 of the January 14 edition at www. cxpress.co.za], I would like to make a comment or two. My daughter, who lives in Cape Town, paid more than exorbitant prices for Calamari & Chips at a beachfront restaurant, a body stress release session, and a mani-
guys are still not aware of the difference between recycling material and domestic refuse. Bitou Municipality obviously don’t seem to care about training their staff about recycling, so why should we recycle? I am very annoyed and disappointed at their lack of interest. Jcpu"xcp"Cog{fg."Rngvv
cure & pedicure. Three different service providers ripping off visitors! She had a perfect plate of calamari and chips at a waterfront restaurant in Knysna for half the price, and the latter two services are by far way less costly in Knysna as well. Shame on you, Plett. N{pgvvg"Dgnn."Ecrg"Vqyp
Brilliant Boere Brocante raises R60,000! During a visit to France last year, Marietta & Basil van Rooyen were delighted to discover the pleasure of browsing through several country dtqecpvgu - superior flea markets to be found in country villages across France. On their return to Plettenberg Bay, Marietta, as chairman of the Bitou 10 Foundation, was determined to bring the concept to Plett as a fundraiser. Her vision was for four Plett NGOs to collaborate in the organisation of this event, namely the Bitou 10 Foundation, Hospice Plett, PAWS and Plett Environmental Forum. She invited Annabelle Conyngham and myself, representing Hospice Plett and PAWS respectively, to join forces with her, and so the idea of a Boere Brocante was born. Ouland Royale, Wilja Reitz’s Baroque Barn, was identified as the most perfect venue for the event. Not only was the décor and country ambiance in keeping with the idea, but Wilja immediately became an enthusiastic partner in the venture, offering generous support in many
different ways. French-style picnic food would be on offer in the form of Krok Meneer and Krok Mevrou sandwiches and other imaginative snacks. Having decided on the event and the venue, the team embarked on the task of collecting appropriate Brocantestyle items to sell. In our appeal for donations, we were at pains to emphasise that this was not just a fancy car-boot sale, but that items had to be interesting, in good condition and preferably old. Slowly but surely, boxes of goods started arriving, revealing a treasure trove of items, worthy of any French Brocante. Very soon our garages were piled high with boxes containing silver and glassware, china, interesting ornaments, a fabulous feather hat, a collection of kitchen copper, collectible books, paintings, lamps, furniture and... a collection of 60s high-heel shoes in their original boxes! Plett people had obviously dug deep into the recesses of their cupboards and lofts to uncover long-forgotten (and perhaps unwanted) items,
and now they finally knew how to dispose of them. There was even a magnificent full-length mink coat and an art nouveau brass bedstead to be sold on commission. While unpacking the donated goods the day before the event, it was discovered that there were not enough tables to display the large number of goods and the Anglican Church was called on to supply more trestle tables at short notice. Volunteers worked all day to display and price everything, hoping that there would be a good turnout to buy the impressive collection of qdlgvu the following day. People started arriving just after 9am and it was a scramble to get ready for the crowds that came in a steady flow all morning. Holidaymakers and Plett locals were clearly having a wonderful time - browsing, buying and enjoying Wilja’s tasty food, the festive atmosphere and perfect weather. Business was brisk and by noon most of the stock had been sold, but sales continued and by the end of the
day, there was very little to pack up. We were astounded at the large numbers of people who attended the event, the resulting a traffic jam in Robberg Road! On behalf of all four charities, we thank our wonderful Plett community who donated so many amazing goods so willingly and who came to support us on the day. Thanks also go to Wilja Reitz for hosting us free-ofcharge in her beautiful barn and for donating a percentage of her takings, to all our volunteers who worked so hard before and during the event, and many other people who contributed in different ways. We are proud to announce that the Boere Brocante raised just over R60,000, to be divided equally among the four participating charities. We could not have achieved this remarkable success without the generous donations of time and goods of all concerned. We are gratified by the wonderful response to this event and hope to make it an annual feature on the Plett calendar. Octulc"Jcnn/Itggp."Rngvv" Cpkocn"Ygnhctg"Ugtxkegu"
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Sport & Adventure
21 January 2015
Team SA brings back one gold and overall bronze from World Bodyboarding Championships
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HE 2014 ISA World Bodyboard Championships held in Chile last month was an incredible experience for Team South Africa. Under the management of Patricia Harris and coach Clinton Millard, the team excelled to end in third position (the highest spot any SA team has ever reached in the games) behind hosts Chile (gold) and France (silver), and ahead of copper-winners Portugal. The team comprised of Pamela Bowren, Georgina McKeone, Iain Campbell, Storm Prestwich and Tristan Roberts, their combined points showing that they needed only a few more positions to put them into second place, and possibly even higher. The standout SA team member was teenager Roberts, who went on to take top honours when winning the Open Mens division, while ending as runner up in the U18 Division. His riding style in the Chilean waves benefited the 17-year-old big time, allowing him to beat the 2014 APB World Bodyboarding Champion, the Frenchman Amaury Lavernhe.
narrowly lost to the strong French contingent and ended with a ninth place in the Open Mens. McKeone couldn’t get the score she needed to advance but with a small interference, attained a tied sixth place in the U18 Girls. Both manager Harris and coach Millard were extremely chuffed with the overall team performance. “Being part of an amazing family team at the games was an awesome experience and made us extremely proud members of Team SA. The riders did South African Bodyboarding and their coun-
FLYING OUR FLAG HIGH: Before the opening ceremony of the 50th ISA World Bodyboarding Championships, Team SA looks dapper and ready to tackle the Chilean waves - from left behind flag-bearer Georgi McKeone are Tristan Roberts, Storm Prestwich, Iain Campbell (captain), manager Pat Harris, Pamela Bowren and coach Clinton Millard
Roberts has also claimed the 2014 Junior World Champ title along with the SABA title, seeing a great end to his competitive year. Team captain, Campbell, was able to claim a third in the Drop-knee division after a good fight in the repo
charge heats, making it back into the main event with overall winner Lavernhe. Campbell gave his all and even though it was not enough to get into the top position, he kept the SA flag flying high with his podium finish. He was knocked out
of the Open Mens division early in the competition, achieving a joint 25th place. Bowren, Prestwich and McKeone all ended up with good finishes in their respective divisions. Bowren claimed a sixth in the Open Women’s, while Prestwich
try proud. We will return to the Chile 2015 Champs, going for gold.” They thanked all the riders’ individual sponsors, as well as their family, friends and SABA for the support. This year’s event will again be held in Iquique. Turn to page 12 of the November 12 edition at www. cxpress.co.za for the background story and visit www. isawbc.com for the full report and more photos. And here’s hoping we’ll see some of these stars in action in Plettenberg Bay when it’s time for this year’s Wedge watch this space!
It’s Old Car Show time in George next month
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N less than a month, you’ll again have the opportunity to be carried away by the nostalgia of grand machines from another era, when the Southern Cape Old Car Club presents its 19th annual George Old Car Show during Valentine’s weekend. “This year’s theme is Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow and will include vintage cars dating from the turn of the previous century and brand new futuristic models,” says organiser Willie van der Merwe. “And to fit in with Valentine’s Day, a special display of new and old red vehicles has been arranged.” The number of exhibits for the upcoming show is expected to equal or exceed last year’s 1,000 entries. So far more than 300 entries have been received and, as the trend is to register closer to the time, many more are expected before the closing date one week before the show on February 14 & 15. In addition to the cars, vintage tractors and farm machinery, old stationery engines in perfect working order, as well as one of the largest collections of model cars will be
on display. The aim is to cater for the curiosity of everyone, young and old. “We will also have a display of vintage motorcycles, while latest offerings from the likes of Harley Davidson will also be on display and available for test runs.” One of the objectives of the show organisers is to establish the Old Car Show as a destination event for the public. In this regard subtle changes will be incorporated to cater for the ladies and children alike. " A bumper crowd is again expected at this year’s Old Car Show at its usual spot on the grounds of PW Botha College in York Street. “We fully expect to exceed the 11,000-plus visitors that came through the Old Car Show gates last year,” says Van der Merwe. “Come and join us for this festive occasion and ensure we support our locals. After all, it’s all about raising money for charity!” Contact Karen van der Merwe at info@scocc.co.za or on 082 774 8290 and visit www. scocc.co.za for more information and entry forms.