23 August 2017 by CXpress

23 August 2017

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

Photo: Mandy Mcnicol

Tragic loss of two Plett kids - p3

FREE Becky and James Mcnicol were among a large contingent of rugby fans from CX Country to trek to Port Elizabeth last weekend for the Springbok rugby test against Argentina. Like most of the supporters in the full and festive stadium, the young Plett siblings were in awe of all about them, but also keen for Plett-based grandparents Derek and Trish Frielinghaus to spot them on TV! Turn to page 9 for more images of locals enjoying the game.

‘My sister says I’m an alien’ - p7

BUCO Plettenberg Bay

Sunrise dip with a difference - p12

Corner N2 & Rietvlei Road, Plettenberg Bay Tel: 044 501 3800 Fax: 044 501 3850

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

23 August 2017

Tips on dealing with post-disaster trauma XPERIENCING a natural disaster like the June fires results in physical and emotional distress, damage, and loss. For some people, the physical losses include loss of loved ones, homes, pets, livestock, and valuables or sentimental items. For others it is the sense of security and emotional loss associated with short-notice evacuations, where people are required to make hasty decisions about what to take and what to leave and where to go for shelter and care. People may be displaced for long periods of time, suffer financial troubles and experience disruptions in their regular routines. Losses can cause great sadness and lead to feelings of vulnerability and depression. Often children are left with others while parents try to save homes; this causes great fear and insecurity. According to the US NCTSN (National Child Traumatic Stress Network), “… when children experience child traumatic stress, these reactions interfere with their daily life and ability to function and interact with others”. The aftermath of a disaster is confusing, unsettling and painful. Many local residents have taken up temporary accommodation as they sort out their sometimes uninsured properties but with Season looming, they will again have to move as the owners rent these loan abodes out for season. This will cause more disruption for both parents and children. Public interest in disasteraffected communities quickly fades away, according to McFarlane and Williams (2012:3) and people are expected to just get on with it as “communities recover, move on and forget”. Outside care and support diminishes over time. Make no mistake, people who

did not lose their homes, were not injured and suffered no material losses can be traumatised by evacuations or by the evacuation of their friends or even by the fear experienced by others. Some experience ‘survivor’s guilt’ as a result of the fact that they did not suffer loss in comparison to those who suffered great material or emotional hardship. While stressed and traumatised parents deal with practicalities, children are looking to them for support they may not be able to provide, as they are in need of care themselves. According to research conducted by McFarlane, Polican‘The two-month mark after a disaster is a common time for behavioural issues to appear’ sky and Irwin (1987), traumatised parents resulted in children similarly showing post-traumatic stress symptoms more than two years after the fact. The reactions of parents inform and lead the reactions of their children. All adults react differently to stressful situations; so do children, with signs of stress sometimes only observed months after the fires, and many diminishing over time. Although no symptoms may be present at first, the twomonth mark after a disaster is a common time for behavioural and other issues to appear and post-traumatic symptoms have been recorded up to 26 months after the event. Preschool and young schoolage children may experience feelings of helplessness or uncertainty about continued danger. A general fear may extend beyond the traumatic event and into other aspects of their lives. At this age, it is difficult to de-

scribe in words what is bothering them or what they are experiencing emotionally. This feeling of helplessness and anxiety is often expressed as a loss of previously acquired developmental skills. Children might not be able to fall asleep on their own or might find it difficult to separate from their parents at school. Their play patterns may change - they may no longer want to venture onto the playground or play freely without a parent present, where this was not an issue prior to the trauma. Speech and toileting skills may be “forgotten” and sleep may be disturbed by nightmares, night terrors, or fear of going to sleep. In many cases, children may engage in traumatic play - a repetitive and less imaginative form of play representing a continued focus on the traumatic event, or an attempt to change its negative outcome. Older children may feel persistent concern over their own welfare, or the safety of others in their school or family. These children may be preoccupied with their own actions during the event, experiencing guilt or shame over what they did or did not do at the time. School-age children may engage in constant retelling of the traumatic event, or may describe being overwhelmed by their feelings of fear or sadness. In terms of developmental milestones and tasks, children of this age may display sleep disturbances, including difficulty falling asleep, fear of sleeping alone, or frequent nightmares. Teachers may notice difficulties concentrating and learning at school, and they may complain of headaches and stomach aches without obvious cause. Some children engage in unusually reckless or aggressive behaviour.

Karen Spurrier, PhD

Adolescents generally feel self-conscious about their emotional responses to the event and may experience feelings of fear, vulnerability, and concern over being labelled “abnormal” or different from their peers. This may cause withdrawal from family and friends. Adolescents often feel shame and guilt after the event and may express fantasies about how they can exact revenge and retribution. Sometimes this results in a radical shift in the way they think about the world, and they may engage in self-destructive or accident-prone behaviours. How can you help? Family involvement is critical to children’s recovery after a trauma. Parents of young children can offer support by providing comfort, rest, and an opportunity to play or draw. Reassure them that the traumatic event is over and that they are safe. Family and teachers should encourage children to talk about their feelings so they don’t feel alone with their emotions. Be consistent and ensure that children are collected from school or after-school activities on time. Telling your children where you are goes a long way to providing a sense of security for children who have recently experienced a traumatic event. Parents, family, caregivers, and teachers may need to tolerate regression in developmental tasks for a period of time. Encourage older children to express fears, sadness and anger, and to discuss their worries in the supportive environment of the family. It is important to acknowledge that their feelings are normal under abnormal circumstances, and to correct any distortions they may have about the event. To page 4

NEWS & VIEWS

23 August 2017

CXPRESS

Exploding gas heater causes tragic death of KwaNokuthula youngsters Two young children died in a blaze in Bitou this past weekend after a gas heater exploded and subsequently set the home they were in on fire - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports LETT Police spokesman Captain Marlene Pieterse said that the tragic incident happened at 11:30am in Nkqubela

Street, KwaNokuthula, on Saturday August 19. She said a 26-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl were looking after two chil-

dren, aged six and seven years old respectively, while their parents were taking a sick woman to Knysna Provincial Hospital.

Plett murder accused chooses no bail Yolandé Stander

N a widely-welcomed about turn, the Plettenberg Bay man accused of killing his girlfriend with a spade and leaving her body in their home for days has decided not to apply for bail. According to friends and neighbours, Natasha de Lange was allegedly killed in the KwaNokuthula home that she shared with her boyfriend. Although it was initially reported that the murder took place on July 28, police confirmed they believed the incident happened a week earlier and her body was discovered on July 23. Her partner was

arrested on July 30 in connection with the murder. It is believed that De Lange was brutally attacked with a spade and her body, covered in a blanket, left locked in the house for days before police made the horrific discovery. The murder sent shockwaves through the community and has seen two protests and a petition against his release on bail. The suspect, who has not pleaded yet, was set to apply for bail in Knysna Magistrate’s Court on August 16, but during his scheduled court appearance it came to light that he no longer wished to do so. The matter was transferred

back to the Plett Court. During his previous court appearance on August 7, a large group of locals marched from the Shell garage in Marine Way to Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court to voice their horror over the incident and against his possible release on bail. A petition was also drawn up and signed to show the court that they did not want him back on the streets. Last week a group of residents again gathered, this time at the Knysna Magistrate’s Court. He appeared in court on Monday, but the matter was postponed to September 14 for further investigation.

Number of rapes decreases compared Candice Ludick to same period last year notice pasted to the window of the help desk at Knysna Provincial Hospital that provided a schedule for post-rape follow-up consultations prompted the question as to how common an occurrence rape is in Knysna. According to Nadia Ferreira of the Western Cape Health Department, a total of 41 patients were treated for sexual assault at Knysna Provincial Hospital during the period from April to July this year. “The majority of the cases were females aged 13 years and older,” said Ferreira. According to Sergeant Christopher Spies, South

African Police Services (SAPS) Knysna communications officer, his office “may not provide statistics on crime to members of the media or the public in terms of internal regulations”. However, he was able to disclose some pertinent information. “Our analysis indicated a decrease in sexual related offences during the period April to July 2017 in comparison with the same period during 2016,” he said. According to Spies, a number of cases were reported in Knysna during the months stipulated above, including cases where children were involved either as

perpetrators or as victims. “Some of the cases reported during this period involved victims aged between two years and 16 years. Investigation into these cases led to the arrest of 10 suspects during this period. It included a number of juvenile offenders,” said Spies. “Child safety remains one of the focus area of the Knysna SAPS. We urge all role-players to take hands to ensure that children are safe. A special emphasis must be placed on parental supervision and the role parents play pertaining to child safety, in particular sexual abuse,” he concluded.

They had turned on the gas heater to warm the home, but wanted to switch it off just before the incident occurred - this, while the two children were asleep in a bedroom in the house. “The man did not know how to switch the heater

off and asked the girl to do so. She tried to show him how, but while he was busy attempting to do so again, the gas heater exploded (setting the home on fire),” Pieterse said. She added that the man tried to rescue the two younger children by breaking the bedroom window, but without success. The man and the 12-yearold girl managed to escape the blaze, but the two

sleeping children however succumbed in the flames. Pieterse said police had opened an inquest docket and a post-mortem would be carried out on Wednesday in George. It is believed that the two children were learners at Phakamisani Primary School and KwaNokuthula Primary School and were in Grade R and Grade 2 respectively. Garden Route Media

CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

23 August 2017

Saving water is now of utmost importance Basil van Rooyen - Plett Environmental Forum

OLLOWING on the recent article about the probable water shortage looming in Plett [turn to page 4 of the August 9 edition at www.cxpress.co.za], these useful tips provide some simple measures that you can start taking in your house and garden to save water. The greatest waster is probably sprinklers in the garden. In Plett, this is a significant problem with holiday homes whose absentee owners are probably unaware of water restrictions. This places a heavy responsibility on garden services to keep the owners informed of the situation. Watering of gardens may currently only be undertaken in Bitou from 6-8pm, two days per week. Remember, there is a 50% penalty on tariffs for monthly consumption of more than 20 kilolitres per month per household connection. Check on leaking pipes, taps, toilets, etc. One leaking toilet can let as much as 100,000 litres go to waste in a year. A dripping tap can waste 5,500 litres yearly. Water-wise gardening The best way to keep a lovely garden with water restrictions is to plant indigenous plants of a type that do not require much water. If you must have aliens, plant those that are easy on water but not invasive. Even then, one needs to water now and then. If the garden is not too big, use a watering can rather than a hosepipe, which uses 1,000 litres per hour. Mulching your plants (with bark chippings, heavy compost or straw) will reduce the need for watering enormously, for it keeps the soil moist. Water early morning or late afternoon. Most water used in gardens in the warm part of the day simply evaporates. Collect rain water in tanks using run-off water from your roof and other surfaces. Use grey water - from the bath, washing machine, and collected rain water - to flush the toilet or water the garden. If you have a lawn, wash your car on it if you can; don’t not let the hose keep running while washing the car. Swimming pools are thirsty water con-

sumers, so avoid backwashing your pool too much, and cover the surface when the pool is not in use to avoid evaporation. Finally, use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks. Water saving in the home Insulate hot-water pipes so you don’t waste water while waiting for it to warm up, and don’t leave the water running when rinsing items, or yourself, or when cleaning veggies. If you want to make an investment towards water saving in the home, call in professional plumbers and implement duel-flush toilet mechanisms and low-flow shower heads. When replacing washing machines and dishwashers, make sure they are water efficient. Useful tips for kitchens and bathrooms • Always use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher. They waste a heck of a lot of water if you run them when not full. • When using the sink, stop the flow of water while busy and then proceed to rinse off as required. • Don’t fill kettles to the brim, but with just enough for what you need thus saving power, too. • Don’t use more water than needed when cooking. • Shower rather than bath. A bath uses 80150 litres of water while showering uses between six and 45 litres per minute (so keep them as short as possible). An average shower uses one fifth the amount of water needed for a bath. Try to shower for one minute less. • Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - this can save six litres of water per minute. Turn the tap off between washing your face, brushing your teeth, and shaving. • Put a two-litre plastic bottle filled with water in your cistern. The toilet will use about 20% less water. • Add a flow aerator to your taps, especially the shower-head. • Place a bucket in the shower while the water warms up. • Throw trash like tissues in the bin, and not in the loo, as this avoids excessive flushing. • Every time you flush the toilet, you waste up to 35 litres of water. So why not just flush when necessary? If it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown let it drown...

Dealing with trauma From page 2 Parents play an important role in supporting their children when they report to teachers that their thoughts and feelings are getting in the way of concentrating and learning. Parents who feel unable to cope need to reach out to professionals who can assist them with their children. For adolescents, the family can encourage discussion of the event and feelings about it, expectations of what could have been done to prevent it, and how it may affect family relationships. Parents can help adolescents understand “acting out” behaviour as an effort to voice anger about traumatic events. When children experience trauma, the entire family is affected. Often, family members have different experiences around and different emotional responses to the traumatic event. Recognising each other’s experience and helping each other cope with possible feelings of fear, helplessness, anger, or guilt in not being able to protect children from a traumatic experience, is an important component of a family’s emotional recovery. If you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to deal with your own feelings or those of your children, please reach out for assistance. There are many professionals who are willing and able to assist. Call Famsa Plett on 044 533 0515 and 044 382 5129 in Knysna, or a social worker or psychologist in private practice (email karen spurrier@icon.co.za for a list of contacts).

NEWS & VIEWS

23 August 2017

DA heavyweights gather in Plett for talks Words & photos: Timothy Twidle

ESTERN Province Transport and Public Works minister Donald Grant, who doubles as Democratic Alliance constituency head of Bitou, hosted a DA discussion and feedback meeting at Plettenberg Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piesang Valley community hall on Monday August 21. Points on the agenda included, inter alia: The 100day plan jointly developed by the DA/AUF coalition partners; the water crisis in Eden District and the potential impact on Bitou; the fire disaster, and Garden Route Rebuild programme. Finally, current political developments in the DA were discussed, along with the way forward to 2019 and beyond. Find out more about the frank deliberations that took place on the night, in CXPRESS of August 30.

IN DA HOUSE: Donald Grant is flanked by local DA stalwarts Sue and Rob Windsor

TOP TRIO: From left are Bitou deputy mayor Jessica Kamkam, speaker Annelise Olivier, and Bitou councillor Sumeia Ndayi

Environmental rehabilitation interventions underway on the Garden Route OLLOWING the recent fires around Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in partnership with the local municipalities has joined forces with many other organisations to collectively implement an environmental rehabilitation intervention. Key environmental rehabilitation interventions include felling and scaling down of dead brush and trees, and the stacking of biomass along contour lines to prevent or limit soil erosion and allow faster plant regeneration. Some of the work already underway includes the installation of bio-degradable berms (sausages) to slow water velocity and reduce sediment flow along steep slopes, seeding of slopes above the berms to fast track re-growth of ground cover, as well as installation of bio-

degradable blankets to limit sediment flow, reduce water velocity, retain top soil, and boost re-growth potential. To date 350 berms, spanning a total of 2,100 metres have been installed. The DEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Working on Fire (WoF) programme has already provided teams consisting of 45 workers, including a High Altitude Team (HAT), and a process is under way to recruit a further 45 individuals, to assist with the hydro seeding process (scarifying of slopes). Supervision, operational, and technical support are provided by the Southern Cape Fire Prevention Association (FPA), under the auspices of the Project Management Unit (PMU). Prioritisation is in accordance with the immediate threat to lives and infrastructure, and currently at risk are houses and developments down-stream

of catchments and ravines above Brenton and Belvidere (significant sediment flow has already occurred in Brenton on Lake). Training of 40 people on erosion control measures has been initiated. Rapid progress has been made with the labour force who have been up-skilled in rehabilitation methods and interventions, and are already effective. Partnership organisations include SANParks, CapeNature, The Southern Cape Fire Protection Association (SCFPA), Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI), Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Knysna Municipality, Bitou Municipality, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Advanced Fire Information System (AFIS) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU).

CXPRESS

5 LOCAL SUPPORT: From left are Happiness Magwebu, Lulama Mtwa, Dumisani D Shandu, Nosandiso Khethimali and Gaile Smith, all of Bitou

CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

23 August 2017

Young science boffins’ work now on show in Port Elizabeth HE Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is South Africa’s biggest science fair for Grade 5-12 students, providing boffins from around the country with the opportunity to share their bright ideas and innovative discoveries with other students, teachers, judges and interested folk from all over SA. Regional expos are held around the country between July and September, and the most outstanding participants are selected

to show their mettel in the Eskom Young Scientists International Science Fair, held from October 3-6. If in the vicinity of Port Elizabeth this week, you will do well to attend the Eastern Cape regional expo currently taking place at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s South Campus, at the Indoor Sports Centre, until August 25. This is a great opportunity to meet with the scientists of tomorrow and

see the impressive science and technology, engineering, maths and pioneering projects that South Africans learners develop in response to their community’s needs. The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is a platform that enables the discovery of innovation and excellence in science, and is open from 8am to 5pm daily. Contact Maggie Matlala on 079 753 3115 or at mag gie@groundedmedia.co.za for more information.

Bring it on, say 2018 Wittedrift rugger buggers Grade 7 rugby players from various Bitou schools who have been accepted at Wittedrift High next year were invited to a braai and meet and greet between the youngsters, their parents and coaches by headmaster Jeremy Marallich, pictured third from right in the back row. While the adults connected around the braai, the young bucks invented night games on the revamped Wittedrift rugby field that familiarised and enthused them for a sporty and fun-filled five years ahead. Initiated by Plett Primary rugby coach Gerhard van Huyssteen and happily supported by the devoted Wittedrift staff, the evening served as excellent appetiser for a bright and healthy high school career. Hearty thanks are due to everyone involved!

BUSINESS

23 August 2017

Universal first when NASA responds to job application from nine-year-old boy the space and alien movies I can see. I have also seen the show Marvel Agents of Shield and hope to see the movie Men in Black. I am great at video games. I am young, so I can learn to think like an Alien. Sincerely, Jack Davis (Guardian of the Galaxy Fourth Grade). Jack in turn received a letter from the eminent Dr James L Green, director of NASA’s planetary science division: Dear Jack, I hear you are a ‘Guardian of the Galaxy’ and that you’re interested in being a NASA Planetary Protection Officer. That’s great! Our Planetary Protection Officer position is really cool and is very important work. It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids, and Mars. It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibly explore the solar system. We are always looking

for bright future scientists and engineers to help us, so I hope you will study hard and do well in school. We hope to see you here at NASA one of these days! Sincerely, Dr James L Green (Director: Planetary Science Division). Jack also received a phone call from NASA’s planetary research director, Jonathan Rall, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, to congratulate him on his interest in the position. NASA stated that although the planetary protection officer position “may not be in real-life what the title conjures up”, it plays an important role in “promoting the responsible exploration of our solar system by preventing microbial contamination of other planets and our own”. (http://news.sky.com)

HE vacancy advertised via www.usajobs.gov… • Job description: Planetary Protection Officer Location: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. • Open and closing dates: 2017-07-13 to 2017-08-14. • Salary: $124,406 to $187,000 per year. • Series: 1301 General Physical Science. • Appointment type: Permanent. • Work schedule: Full Time.

OUT OF THIS WORLD: In the photograph above, taken by British astronaut Tim Peake, an Aurora is seen over northern Canada - will Jack Davis, at right with a copy of his handwritten letter, or another successful candidate travel in space and take photos like this one?

Pros and cons of applying for a joint home loan T some stage in life, everyone aspires to have a home of their own, but circumstances such as not earning enough income to qualify for a bond often stand in the way. Fortunately, banks do allow individuals to apply for home loans jointly to be able to realise their dreams. FNB Housing Finance Special Projects head Dr Simphiwe Madikizela says a joint application can help increase your chances of qualifying as both parties’ incomes and expenses are taken into account to assess the affordability based on their disposable income. “Before applying for a joint bond, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages to avoid any pitfalls,” says Madikizela. Pros • There is a high likelihood that the housing loan application will be approved if both individuals have a good credit record. • You can afford to buy property that one partner wouldn’t necessarily afford with their salary alone. • You could benefit from a good interest rate as affordability assessment is done on both parties. • You are only liable for half of the bond payments and legal fees. Cons • If you are not married, you will share ownership of the property with another individ-

The job at hand…

ual once paid off. • If there is a default, both partners’ credit records are affected. • Should one partner want to pull out of the bond agreement, a new bond application will have to be processed and a full credit assessment conducted on the application to verify affordability. • In addition, the home loan facility will be closed, which means you will have to pay bond registration fees for the new home loan facility. • Upon the approval of the home loan, the bank may require both applicants to have adequate life cover that will be ceded onto the bond. During the application process, both parties need to sign all the necessary documents such as the offer to purchase, home loan quote and legal documents, etc. Most importantly, the monthly debit order has to come from one account. As a result, this will have to be agreed beforehand to ensure that there are always funds available to avoid defaulting on the monthly bond repayments. “Buying a property is a big commitment and the decision to buy with someone else should not be taken lightly. The parties need to work out all the eventualities before taking ownership as shortcomings could potentially set you back financially,” concludes Madikizela.

Building South Africa through better roads.

ADVANCING ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN. There is no doubt that women in South Africa are better off than they were two decades ago. Yet much remains to be done – therefore the focus in August of every year, with the highlight being the actual Women’s Day on the ninth of the month. This is the approach that SANRAL also takes: so much achieved, so much to be done. In line with the year-long celebration of O.R. Tambo’s life, the roads agency is mindful of his approach, as expressed in 1981: “The mobilisation of women is the task, not only of women alone, or of men alone, but all of us, men and women alike, comrades in struggle.” Women’s Month is celebrated as a tribute to the 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to protest against the extension to black women of the pass laws, used to control the right to freedom of movement. It is that spirit which has inspired this year’s theme: The Year of OR Tambo: Women United in Moving South Africa Forward. This is already a reality, of which there are many examples. One of these is the representation of women in Parliament - up from almost 3% at the dawn of democracy to just under 42% at the last election. It is also true of the judiciary and business. However, the Minister of Women in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Susan Shabangu, said during her budget vote earlier this year that the advancement of women in engineering and technical industries is lagging. This is an area where SANRAL has a proud story to tell. All contracts awarded by the roads agency require principal contractors to sub-contract SMMEs, particularly entities with black and women owners. They must also prioritise the hiring and training of local workers. Small businesses earned R4bn through these contracts, with more than half going to black-owned enterprises. The skills development RTQITCOOG DGPG VVGF UQOG RGQRNG QH YJKEJ YGTG women. The same is true in education. As an example, the agency provided almost 200 learners at schools across South Africa with scholarships – and more than 60% of the recipients were female. The IWTGU HQT KPVGTPUJKRU KU UNKIJVN[ NQYGT QH OQTG VJCP KPVGTPU LWUV more than 40% were women. This epitomises what is happening to its own workforce - the agency is committed to employment equity at every level of its business. This commitment to gender equity and the fast-tracking of female talent in key sectors is borne out by the appointment and promotions made in the past year. Appointments such as Nenekazi Songxaba as the environmental coordinator for SANRAL’s

Victoria Bota Environmental Co-ordinator

Southern Region, as well as Asithandile Ben-Mazwi as new Supply Chain Controller for the same region. Ntombikayise Faku was appointed as the Northern Region’s new Supply Chain Controller, and at our *GCF 1H EG &QTTKU 5KORUQP CU %QPVGPV /CPCIGT KP VJG Marketing & Communications Division. This approach to boost empowerment across the board has been standard SANRAL practice over the years. The transformation strategy centres on positioning the agency HQT GH EKGPV UWUVCKPCDNG CPF RTQ VCDNG UGTXKEG FGNKXGT[ CPF long-term value creation. It sets out from the premise that VTCPUHQTOCVKQP CU FG PGF KP PCVKQPCN RQNKEKGU UWEJ CU DTQCF based black economic empowerment and employment equity, is an integral part of the sustainability agenda. The agency has noted that there is now a heavier emphasis to speed up this process. The government’s approach is twofold: to put the economy on a qualitatively different path to ensure more rapid and sustainable growth while at the same time shifting structures and patterns of ownership in favour of all South Africans, including the poor and those presently excluded. For a state-owned enterprise there is a clear way forward - supply chain management must be the tool to enhance what the agency is already doing, namely empowerment at all levels whilst keeping the need for gender equality in mind. SANRAL will do this in the spirit of what Tambo said in 1990 just as democracy began to dawn: “The struggle must now be taken forward to ensure that the gains which have been made lead to further advancement.”

SANRAL. Beyond roads. An agency of the Department of Transport.

&09)46-28 ) 6):

nine-year-old American boy this month received an encouraging response from NASA after he applied for the role of planetary protection officer - a vacancy listed some weeks ago, as the space agency seeks help to protect Earth from aliens. In technical terms, the officer would assist with the “avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration”. The job advert notes that “space flight missions may intentionally or unintentionally carry Earth organisms and organic constituents to the planets or other solar system bodies”. Among the first applicants for the job was nineyear-old Jack Davis from Tennessee. He wrote to the space agency to explain: My name is Jack Davis and I would like to apply for the planetary protection officer job. I may be nine but think I would be fit for the job. One of the reasons is my sister says I am an alien also I have seen almost all

CXPRESS

INTERVAL

23 August 2017

Ending sentences... HE following are called paraprosdokians. A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence is unexpected and oft times very humorous. • If I had a dollar for every girl that found me unattractive, they’d eventually find me attractive. • I find it ironic that the colours red, white, and blue stand for freedom, until they’re flashing behind you. • A man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool, so I gave him a glass of water. • Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. • I’m great at multi-tasking - I can waste time, be unproductive, and pro-

crastinate all at once. • If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame. • Take my advice - I’m not using it. • Hospitality is the art of making guests feel like they’re at home when you wish they were. • Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes. • Ever stop to think and forget to start again? • Women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend thinking. • He who laughs last thinks slowest. • I was going to give him a nasty look, but he already had one. • If tomatoes are technically a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?

The mail order catalogue of yesteryear

Fed up with blonde jokes young ventriloquist was touring Sweden and, one night, he was doing a show in a small fishing town. With his dummy on his knee, he started going through some of his standard dumb blonde jokes. Suddenly, a blonde woman in the fourth row stood on her chair and started shouting: “I’ve heard enough of your stupid blonde jokes. What makes you think you can stereotype Swedish blonde women that way? “What does the colour of a woman’s hair have to do with her worth as a human being? It’s men

like you who keep women like me from being respected at work and in the community, and from reaching our full potential as people. “It’s people like you who make others think that all blondes are dumb! You and your kind continue to perpetuate discrimination against, not only blondes, but women in general; pathetically, all in the name of humour!” The stunned ventriloquist started to apologize, but the blonde interrupted and screamed: “You stay out of this! I’m talking to that little cretin sitting on your lap.”

“Everyone dies, but not everyone fully lives. Too many people are having a nearlife experience.” - George Bernard Shaw

A Sunday school question Y sister-in-law was teaching Sunday school class. The topic for the day: Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Christ. “What did Jesus do on

this day?” she asked. There was no response, so she gave her students a hint: “It starts with the letter R.” One boy blurted out: “Recycle!”

WO guys are looking at a mail order catalogue and admiring the models. One says to the other: “Have you seen the beautiful girls in this catalogue?” The second one replies: “Yes, they are very beautiful. And look at the price!” Wide-eyed, the first one says: “Wow, they aren’t very expensive. At this price, I’m buy-

ing one.” The second smiles and pats his friend on the back. “Good idea! Order one and if she’s as beautiful as she is in the catalogue, I will get one too.” Three weeks later, the youngest guy asks his pal: “Did you ever receive the girl you ordered from that catalogue?” His friend replies: “No, but it shouldn’t be long now. All her clothes arrived yesterday!”

SOCIAL SCENE

23 August 2017

CXPRESS

People, places & events SAYING GOOD-BYE TO SAIDA: Jason Graber of Kransbos shared this photo of his recently departed ‘brother’ Saida (8 July 1985 - 9 August 2017) and wrote: “We celebrate the life of Saida, and mourn the loss of a gentle and creative soul with a smile that could light up even the darkest recesses of the mind. That he died a young man does not at all mean he was short of wisdom. We will never forget Saida. A good man, an inclusive man without prejudice. Aweh brother Saida, your ancestors are sure to welcome you.”

MONDAY MUSIC: At the sixth Knysna-Plett Concert of the year held on Monday August 21, when pianist Ben Schoeman gave a superlative performance of works by Robert Schumann, Zoltán Kodály, Peter Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov were, above from left, Marina Smuts, Andy Muir, Elinor Clegg, Alison Watson and Jane Crowe, all of Knysna. At right, Bob Forbes and Tom Grieve of Plettenberg Bay were joined by Rod Fehrsen, right, of Sedgefield for the melodious occasion. - Timothy Twidle HOW SECURE OUR FATE? Black Oyster Capital hosted Dr Jakkie Cilliers, author of the recently released ‘Fate of the Nation’, at a talk and Q&A session in Knysna on Saturday August 19. Founder and chairperson of the Institute for Security Studies, Cilliers provided valuable insights into potential futures for South Africa as he discussed the three possible scenarios outlined in his book. He is photographed here with Shireen Nkosi of Knysna Shell, left, and mayor Eleanor BouwSpies. - Candice Ludick Photo: Fran Kirsten

RUGBY RULES AS LOCALS ANNEX PE: These are just some of the images shared with CXPRESS after numerous Plett and Knysna residents made a glorious and victorious trek to Port Elizabeth for last Saturday’s winning Boks v Pumas game. As far as we could gather, everyone made their way back to CX Country in safety - some sooner than others… On that subject, a special word of thanks is due to Henk and Tania Nieuwoudt for making an about turn mid-Sunday morning to collect six stragglers on the side of a desolate N2 but 20km outside of the Windy City: Family van Huyssteen and friends are eternally grateful for the very welcome ride!

BUCO Plettenberg Bay

Corner N2 & Rietvlei Road, Plettenberg Bay Tel: 044 501 3800 Fax: 044 501 3850

CXPRESS

23 August 2017

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

CLASSIFIEDS

ON THE SOAPBOX

23 August 2017

Letters to the Editor

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

Annual rates shock will cost millions, and many are sure to lose their jobs We have been living on a smallholding of four hectares on the R340 for 20 years. We’ve just received our annual rates bill from Bitou Municipality - and our rates have gone up by 200%. I went to the municipality and asked what was happening. They said that we were now zoned as ‘single residential’ - the same as all private houses in Plett! I told them that we re-

ceived no water, no sewage collection and no electricity, and that our access roads were provincial, not municipal. They said that this was the law. All of us living on smallholdings around Bitou must now pay to fund the people of Plettenberg Bay with: • Maintenance of the water supply pipes of Plett, as well as upgrading of the purification works and additional water storage.

• The upgrading of sewer lines in Plett as well as that of the sewerage works. • New electrical cables, substations, and maintenance of the system in town. None of these will be used by the owners of smallholdings, who have to provide their own services and pay for them out of their own pockets. I cannot understand why we have to fund the residents, business, and com-

mercial properties in Plett. Surely this is in conflict with our constitution? There used to be a rural zoning called ‘rural lifestyle’, but that has now been dumped. Why? Many people will lose their jobs because of this. Paul Scheepers, Plett (We hope to find out more in this regard from Bitou’s Treasury department in time for enlightening feedback in a near future edition. - Eds.)

Thank you for telling reading after personal close encounter Today (August 16) was the first opportunity I have had since the events that caused us to pack our suitcases on two days in succession - on that ill-fated Friday and the Saturday in June - to see a copy of CXPRESS. Fortunately we survived and Strombolis is intact on account of the wind dropping at noon on the Saturday, albeit that we were surrounded on three sides by fires eminently visible. Your articles by Candice Ludick [read the most recent of these, ‘Evidence after forensic sleuthing finds that Knysna fires

were man-made’, on page 3 of the August 16 edition at www.cxpress. co.za] make for interesting but telling reading. Although retired now, I am involved at the NMMU’s Department of Future Studies, where I have been assisting students in getting their language acceptable to satisfy degrees of MBA and DBA. In the process, I have picked up various useful knowledge titbits that could be helpful to those trying to reconstruct devastated parts of the Garden Route. To this end, I would like

Winged one cupped back to life

‘This Colibri flew through the open garden door into our house and could not find its way out, so headed for the panoramic window… and knocked itself out! Udo then picked it up carefully and held it in his cupped hand against his body; a little later, he put it on the lawn where it slowly recuperated. Five minutes later, we looked and it was gone.’ - Heide and Udo, Plett

‘Truth’ of malachite sunbird presence questioned Thank you for featuring the beautiful malachite sunbird on the front page of last week’s edition [see CXPRESS of August 16 at www.cxpress.co.za]. It is always uplifting to see sunbirds at any time of year, and great when we take the time to appreciate and responsibly feed them. However, while I wholeheartedly support positivity and optimism, especially during a time of recovery, it seems a touch misleading (albeit poetic) to suggest that the appearance of the common sunbird into our gardens is a “true sign that Mother Nature is smiling upon our steadily recovering towns”.

For all we know, increased numbers or viability could be because of a huge loss of food sources in the burnt perimeters of our towns. So, perhaps, their presence might be a good sign, but it seems a stretch to suggest it is “a true sign”. Truth, as we know, is always relative and contextual... ‘Matty’, Plett (Thanks for that, Matty. But from where we’re looking, the optimism of our intended message on last week’s cover wins wings down when compared to a debate on the use of the word ‘good’ versus ‘true’. It’s all relative, indeed! - Eds.)

to contact Kam Chetty with the object of arriving at an efficient and cost-effective reconstruction of the region. Dr Dennis Ring (DPhil Sussex 1968), Plett (With input from Candice’s side, we managed to

put Dr Ring in touch with Knysna municipal manager Kam Chetty, and if you read here and would like to chat to the doc with regard to reconstruction efforts, email esther@cxpress. co.za and we’ll gladly hook you up. - Eds.)

Notes on 1869 inferno Details of the Great Fire of 1869 found on the internet shows the extent of the fire was far worse than what Leigh Dunn reports in his article [turn to page 2 of the August 9 edition at www.cxpress.co.za]. I found the story in question in 2011 when I was researching a history project for an assignment I had to complete. To recap, the Great Fire of 1869 was the first fire in South Africa to be officially declared a disaster. It was extremely widespread and raged across almost the whole area from Swellendam to Uitenhage and inland to Meiringspoort, through the Lang-

kloof and over the mountains almost right to the sea at Great Brak River, Victoria Bay, and Knysna. Just as an aside, the site I found in 2011 (but have been unable to get back onto) claimed that burning embers were landing on the passing ships, and that the flames were visible from the decks of these ships, some of them far out to sea. This huge fire thinned out the entire forest, destroying most of it in the Humansdorp area and Oudebosch section of the Tsitsikamma. I just thought this might be of interest to your readers. ‘Researcher’, Plett

Testimony about life change Before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I lived a very messy and meaningless life. I started using drugs at the age of 14; I began to misbehave at home, stealing from my mother and from people in the neighbourhood. I was then sent to a rehabilitation centre but after coming back, I started afresh with using drugs and even selling them to make ends meet as I was now older and had relocated to Plett. Then Pastor Jacob invited me to attend one of the services. I was sceptical at first but he never gave up on me, even though I was not interested at first. I eventually went to attend the services regularly. One day during a prayer, I had a lightbulb moment: I needed to change my lifestyle but didn’t know how to. Through the teachings I realised I was destroying myself and needed for

God to help me and rely on him 100%. I started looking for a job and got it. I stopped selling drugs to make ends meet. I became serious about my transformation and continued with my prayers. Today, my life is transformed and I live to please God - my ways are meant to glorify God, as I can see where I am going. I no longer have a desire to sell drugs, and the bad dreams that used to haunt me are no longer there. To other young people going through the same experience, know that it’s not too late for you. God can change your situation and you can live a clean and happy life through Jesus Christ. ‘Nadia’, Plett (Pastor Jacob is Senior pastor of the Will of God Ministries at 7408 Skhosana St in KwaNokuthula. Email him at nthako@me.com for more info. - Eds.)

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

23 August 2017

Giant kob and regional kudos bode well for remainder of angling season T Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

HE Southern Cape was well represented when sending an able team of anglers to the 2017 Bottom-fish Nationals held in Durban from August 4-9. Captained by Plett SkiBoat Club chairman Chris Schorn and managed by vice-chairman Rod Kieser, the rest of the team comprised Georgebased team members Cobus Myburgh and Etienne Steenkamp. In spite of the weather proving to be a bit of a challenge, the Southern Cape anglers still managed to come in at fifth place among very stiff competition. Myburgh weighed in a rock cod, geelbek, dageraad and kob, while Schorn landed a 20.52kg kob as well as a fat geelbek. Kieser, Schorn and fellow club member Ivor Karan will be representing Plettenberg Bay at the Tuna Invitational 2017 in Rumbly Bay during October. On the rock and surf side, Plett’s Protea angler Kallie Erasmus was awarded second place in the Masters category at this year’s Eden Sports Awards. Erasmus and Renier Nortje will be representing club, province and country in Namibia later this year, and Erasmus will also participate at the world famous FIPS tournament in Spain during October. May the big ones not get away...

CHRIS 1, KOB 0: Plett Ski-Boat Club chairman Chris Schorn landed this 20.48kg kob at the 2017 Bottom-fish Nationals held in Durban this month

FISH ARE JUMPING: Plettenberg Bay SkiBoat Association member John Lagaay shows off his 14kg leerie caught at Robberg last week

SECOND TO ONE: Protea angler Kallie Erasmus, pictured here with wife Tigi and Eden mayor Memory Booysen, brought home second place in the Sportsman of the Year Masters division during the recent Eden Sports Council awards

Crime fighters’ sunrise dip a true spectator sport LETT resident Pascalette Quirk started a quirky tradition four years ago: along with a handful of partners in crime, she embarked on a sunrise dip in the ocean on the first day of every month. During the last such occasion, newly-appointed PBCPA (Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association) exco member Michelle Muller’s husband

David had the bright idea to turn September 1’s dip into a Spring Day fundraiser with a difference… Veering from the normal order of these occasions, next Friday’s dip promises to be an EPIC beach-side affair with participants dressed as fairies sporting tutus, leopard men and cat women, beauty queens and mermaids, dinosaurs, rugby players

and minions. You can also brace yourself for PBCPA members and other animals dressed as Shrek, Fred Flintstone, BA Baracus, a flippered Father Christmas and much more - a spectator sport in the most wonderful sense of the word! “Says David: “Pascalette graciously agreed to share her sunrise dip platform with our sponsored

PBCPA executives and members, as well as some prominent local residents, who will all brave the waves in custom-made costumes to raise funds for the Association. Call Michelle on 082 739 0557 if you would like to sponsor (viz: force!) someone to dress down for the PBCPA sunrise ocean dip at Central Beach at 6am for 6:30 on September 1.