26 April 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
The final push...
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Photo: Stuart Brink Films
Volunteer crewmen Robbie Gibson and Daniel Meiring push the newest addition to Station 14’s rescue fleet into the surf during an official launch ceremony at the Plett NSRI headquarters on Central Beach last Wednesday - find out more on page 5, and please take note that these are the final few days before lifeguard services take a six-month break from duty on all Bitou beaches save for Central
No jail for Wilderness sensei
Mini-Mossgas fears allayed
Zero Waste secrets revealed
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
Henk’s Little Travelogue: Australia/Tasmania/New Zealand - Part II
Was my rendezvous with Trim the cat mere coincidence? Sporadic contributor HENK BOLHUIS is currently exploring the wonders of Down Under with his wife Rentia, and will entertain CXPRESS readers over the next few editions with his travel tales and images N last week’s edition, I shared the first part of our trip to the famous Blue Mountains Region where, after our first short stop in Leura, we later arrived at the small town of Katoomba. Just outside the town is a place called Echo Point Lookout from where one can enjoy, among many other lovely vistas, a spectacular view of the famous sandstone peaks called the Three Sisters, rising up from the Jamison Valley floor. With a staggering 4-million visitors a year, this place is certainly one of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions and we were extremely blessed to be able to take pictures in brilliant sunshine. About 940m below lies the ancient land of the Gundungurra and Dharruk people who left us with the legend of the Three Sisters. The story goes that long ago, three lovely Gundungurra maidens - Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo - fell in love with three warriors of the Dharruk tribe. Because tribal law forbade the sisters to marry outside the tribe, the boys decided to take the girls by force and caused a fierce tribal war. The shaman of the Gundungurra tribe, Kuradjuri (“clever man�), however had a plan he would temporarily turn the three maidens into stone pillars and restore them back to life once the danger had passed. Unfortunately, Kuradjuri was killed in battle and afterwards nobody was able to break the spell, and therefore Meehni (922m), Wimlah (918m), and Gunnedoo (900m) are still
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FAMILY AFFAIR: The Three Sisters at Katoomba will not return to life
standing there to this day. Also in the immediate area is the world’s steepest funicular scenic railway, descending to the rain forest floor at an angle of 52 degrees; a scenic skyway cable car linking with a 2.4km scenic walkway down The Giant Stairway with its 892 steps, as well as a number of other nature walks through the valley below. However, at nearly 78, I decided that such a venture was definitely not for me and after a lovely drink of fresh mountain water it was time to head back home, and taking the alternative route, Bell’s Line of Road. Via the towns of Mount Victoria - with One Tree Hill at 1,111m the Blue Mountains’ highest point - Bell, Bilpin, Kurrajong Heights and Richmond, we eventually got back to North Sidney late in the afternoon, tired but with beautiful pictures both in our minds and on our cameras. --I don’t believe in coincidences, but have discovered over time that circumstances can often have a profound meaning or result. I’m not saying that my next story can be categorised as such, but‌? Anyway, some months ago,
HENK AND TRIM: The jet-black cat of Matthew Flinders has been immortalised in bronze
before I had even considered a visit to Australia, I found a book on my shelf by Australian author Bryce Courtenay, called ‘Matthew Flinders’ Cat’. One of the story’s fictional characters is Billy O’Shannessy, a former lawyer who has become an alcoholic, chucked his law practice and at night sleeps on a bench on Macquarie Street in Sydney, just outside the New South Wales State Library and
next to the vast Royal Botanical Gardens. Another character is the near 10-year-old inquisitive street kid named Ryan Sanfrancesco, and these two form a kind of friendship. Courtenay then mingles precious historical facts with wonderful fiction as he uses Billy, the derelict, to tell the boy the story of Matthew Flinders and his famous cat, Trim. Naval captain Matthew Flinders was an English navigator and cartographer who first circumnavigated the continent of Australia between 1791 and 1810, the story of which was later published in his book and atlas ‘A Voyage to Terra Australis’. Trim, the cat, was also very real: history tells us that he was born in 1799 on board HMS Reliance, during a voyage between the Cape of Good Hope and Botany Bay in New South Wales, Australia. Flinders named him ‘Trim’, after the butler in Laurence Sterne’s novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, as he considered Trim to be a faithful and good friend; in his biography he wrote that Trim was “one of the finest animals I ever saw‌ [his] robe was a clear jet black, with the exception of his four feet, which seemed to have been dipped in snow, and under his lip, which rivalled them in whiteness. He also had a white star on his breast.â€? During our excursion on that Sunday, March 26, I found myself sitting on Billy’s bench that faces the State Library’s eastern outside wall where, on a window sill, sits the bronze statue of Matthew Flinders’ cat. To be continued‌ 'URPPHGDULV -HIIUH\V %D\ -HIIUH\V 6WUHHW -HIIUH\V %D\
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
Mixed emotions over sentence of Wilderness karate instructor There has been outcry as well as relief among children’s rights activists after the case against a George karate sensei recently found guilty on child pornography charges came to a close after three years, but saw the man escape jail time - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports ILDERNESS resident and karate sensei Wessel Wilms, 40, was handed a suspended four-year prison sentence and further sentenced to 24 months under correctional supervision in the George Regional Court last Wednesday. The court also ordered that his name appeared on the sex offenders register and he has been prohibited from working with children - this after Wilms was convicted on charges of the creation and possession of child pornography, as well as four counts of crimen injuria, on February 8. Wilms was arrested on August 1, 2014, but was released on bail and allowed to continue teaching karate in Knysna and George. During the court case it came to light that Wilms had made a video of two teenagers - 16 and 17 years old at the time - while they were naked in the shower. He made the video without their consent and without them knowing that they were being filmed. He, however, denied ever watching the video, but admitted that he had been in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl. “We are horrified that no jail time has been given. The sentence makes a mockery of what justice stands for,” said Women and
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Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) Western Cape spokesman Joanne Barrett. She added that the charges Wilms had been convicted of were “extremely serious”. “Child abuse is an outrage. Who is going to protect this country’s children while paedophiles are out under house arrest? “We have a similar case currently going on in George with a prominent dentist, who was convicted of sex crimes against a child, having allegedly committed similar crimes while under house arrest. Who takes responsibility?” Barrett said the team at WMACA and law-abiding citizens in general felt that the country’s courts were too lenient when sentencing those found guilty of sex crimes against children. “We want child abusers to be punished and given maximum sentences.” She further said the only way that those considering committing these crimes would refrain from doing so, was the realisation that they would be exposed and harshly punished. Janet Harding of the Green Hearts said they were however pleased with the sentenced, as he had been precluded from dealing with children and that his name would be entered into the sexual offenders’ register.
“This case has dragged on for years but justice has finally been served to prevent this predator from hurting and abusing more children,” Harding said. In the meantime, the Plettenberg Bay man who pleaded guilty to more than 18,000 charges of the possession of child pornography will have to wait until June 30 to hear his fate. William Beale, linked to a horrific international baby pornography network, was set to be sentenced in the Knysna Regional Court on April 18, but the case was postponed for two months for additions to psychologist reports - required for sentencing purposes - to be handed in. The 38-year-old computer engineer was the first South African to have been arrested as part of Cloud 9 - a joint effort between South African and Belgian police responsible for cracking down on a child pornography ring linked to a cyber meeting space for paedophiles whose fetishes appear to be the sexual abuse of babies. When Beale was arrested in January 2015 during a raid on his Plett home, police found sections of files containing thousands of videos and violent assaults as well internet addresses of more than 300 alleged paedophiles.
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
‘Mini-Mossgas’ not in Plett pipeline yet NVIRONMENTALISTS and various other individuals who care about the natural beauty of Plettenberg Bay were gripped by a mini-tsunami of concern earlier this month when it came to light that the exotic-sounding Sungu Sungu Oil (Pty) Ltd had submitted an application to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) “for Environmental Authorisation of a proposed 3D seismic survey in the Pletmos Basin”. A quick glance at the executive summary of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) attached to the emailed notice in this regard revealed that the Pletmos Basin is located roughly between Knysna in the west and Jeffrey’s Bay in the east. “The target area is located at least 12km offshore and reaches up to 60km out to sea,” according to the summary - which includes maps and graphics galore. But the vision of an oil rig off the Plett coast was not uncommon among those receiving snippets of the news last week, in the absence of any advertised notices in the local press. “Why is there a public meeting on May 3, but no one knows about it?” was one concern, while others questioned why they seemed to have “stumbled upon” the fact that the EIR had been available for public scrutiny since April 12 already. In an effort to allay such fears, CXPRESS consulted an expert on the subject in the person of resident geologist Gavin R Selfe (BSc Hons: Geophysics, Geology - Wits). “It’s important to realise that it is too soon to panic. Seismic surveys are just a ‘look-see’, like so many prospecting techniques, and by no means indicate that an oil rig will be on the horizon in six months’ time,” explained Selfe. “They are simply done to confirm that the correct rock units and basin structures are present, which may host oil or gas. Even if the survey returns potentially interesting results, the next stage of drilling may return negative results. “There are many hurdles to cross before an economic deposit is found and this is a relatively rare occurrence - especially offshore in South Africa, which is generally of low potential compared to elsewhere off the continent’s coastline.” If you would like to find out more, take note that the EIR is available for public review and comment until May 16. Printed copies can be accessed at libraries in Knysna and Plett, as well as at Jeffrey’s Bay Public Library and the SRK Consulting office in Cape Town. Says public participation practitioner Wanda Marais: “The report can also be accessed as an electronic copy on the SRK Consulting webpage [www.srk.co.za], and any comments received will be incorporated into the Final EIR, which will be submitted to PASA for a decision.” Rudi Martin of the Plettenberg Bay Community Environment Forum confirmed that the matter would be discussed at their normal weekly meeting next Tuesday, “to explore possible environmental objections, mostly involving the anticipated effect on whales, dolphins, and other marine life”. Martin said the Forum had already commented on the Basic Assessment Report, and would consult experts on, for example, the visual and geological impacts before submitting final comments. Email him at rudimartinarchitects@ gmail.com for additional information. Most importantly, diarise the Public Participation meeting scheduled at Piesang Valley Community Hall in Plett on Wednesday May 3 from 3-6pm, as this will provide an opportunity to find out everything you need to know about the survey. Any written comment you wish to submit on the EIR should be sent by May 16 to: PO Box 21842, Port Elizabeth, 6000; you can also email wmarais@srk.co.za or fax comments to 041 509 4850.
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
Free Runner joins Station 14’s state of the art fleet
CXPRESS PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
Bitou’s Municipal Lifeguards take a break between April 30 and November 1 - this applies to all beaches except for Central, which remains ‘guarded’ year-round thanks to a donation by CemAir. So locals, visitors and especially guest house owners, please ensure that your autumn/winter guests swim only on Central Beach to avoid disasters on lifeguard-free beaches.
BUBBLES SET YOU FREE: Trish Myburgh obviously enjoyed the honour of christening the new craft in her capacity as representative of the Harold Smith Trust, which kindly availed Free Runner for service in Plett’s waters - Photo: Stuart Brink Films
REW and board members of NSRI Station 14 in Plettenberg Bay were more than pleased when taking delivery of its new vessel, a jetski named ‘Free Runner’, last Wednesday around dusk, the sky’s pink and blue hues lending a magical tone to the highspirited proceedings. Replacing Discovery Rescue Runner, which has served with aplomb in the bay and beyond for the past eight years, Free Runner will add an extra dimension to Station 14’s superb reputation of highly successful rescue rates. “This new vessel will reduce our response times to an ever-increasing number of surf-related emergencies, and with various rescuespecific modifications made
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to an already extremely competent craft, it will improve crew safety as well as the chances of those in peril. “It is an extremely valuable addition to our fleet,” said Station 14 commander Marc Rodgers, adding that extensive testing was carried out both in the Cape and locally to assess the vessel’s suitability to particular needs and abilities in prevailing surf conditions. The powerful jetski comes equipped with critical first-response lifesaving equipment, a rescue sled, tow ropes, and search and rescue equipment, and is capable of carrying two crew and a casualty. “We are truly excited about adding this state of the art equipment to increase our crew’s efficiency
during call-outs. Station 14 is the first to acquire this new generation equipment, which is ideally suited to our needs and beach launch requirements,” said Rodgers. CEO Dr Cleeve Robinson and Operations director Mark Hughes from NSRI headquarters in Cape Town joined 120 guests at the launch. Among them were 16 Lifeboat Circle members along with local supporters and friends and family of the crew. The Station 14 team is indebted to the Harold Smith Trust, which boasts NSRI Plett as one of its beneficiaries, for generously donating the jetski. Call David Haysom on 076 796 2982 if you would like to support Plett’s volunteer crew with a donation.
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THANK YOU WWW.MUDDYFOOTADVENTURES.CO.ZA
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
TED Talker to guide us towards attaining Zero Waste status HE has addressed the UN and the European Parliament, and now she’s 10 days away from sharing her secrets in Plettenberg Bay - thanks in great part to the efforts of resident environmentalist Rhian Berning, who was asked to help coordinate the national Zero Waste tour. TED talker (www.ted. com/talks) Bea Johnson’s Garden Route stop next month means that local residents will be inspired first hand, as will her audiences in Cape Town, Durban and Jozi. Where do all those black rubbish bags we put out weekly really go? Many towns along the Route truck them out daily, at great ex-
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pense over long distances, to languish in fast-filling landfills - a deplorable waste of resources all round. Californian Bea Johnson and her family of four create a single, one-litre jar of waste to landfill… in an entire year! Founder of the Zero Waste Home movement, Bea’s book on the subject has been translated into 14 languages as more and more people feel the urgency to lead healthier lifestyles and radically reduce the waste leaving our homes. In a visually-rich and upbeat presentation, Bea shares her tribulations and secrets to achieving Zero Waste. She shatters misconceptions, proving that
the Zero Waste-lifestyle can not only be “stylish”, but also lead to significant health benefits, while saving time and money. Dubbed ‘Zero Waste Guru’, and ‘Priestess of Waste-free Living’ by The New York Times, she talks about her personal journey with humour. Plett Tourism’s Thought Leadership Programme supported Eco Atlas founder Rhian in her quest to include Plett on Bea’s talk schedule. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a TED speaker of this calibre at the BI’s Lagoon Room on Saturday May 6 from 5pm. Limited tickets are available online - call 073 232 5169 for further information.
BUCO Adventure Weekend 2017 ends off with a perfect photo finish DVENTURE is the name of the game every Easter in Plett, and this year’s BUCO Adventure weekend was no different, with great weather and excellent participation by residents from all over the Garden Route and many corners of the country, while the trail run even saw a couple of overseas competitors signing up for the challenge. Plett Trail Park on the fabulous Cairnbrogie Farm hosted several events on Easter Saturday. The morning saw a record number of trail runners taking on routes ranging from 1.5km (won by local Plett Surf Nipper Matt van Coller) to the challenging 18km run. All runners returned to The Barn and received fresh farm milk from Farmers Dairy and a choc chip cookie for their efforts. Knysna trail ace Melikhaya Msizi won the 18km race for the third time, while adventure racer Tracy Campbell was tops in the ladies division. That afternoon, under13s were treated to a cross
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country-style race around the Park’s exciting single tracks. Matt Brink cleaned up the nine-and-under category while Cullen MacMillan won the U-13 boys race. Lucy Nagel and Dominique de Jong won their respective girls age groups. As darkness descended, a Nite MTB relay was held with riders doing laps, with headlights their only guide. The Bike Shop Plett team of Aiden Connelly and Rogan Smart won the event for the third year running. On Sunday April 16, the action moved to Central Beach for the 10th running of the Easter Surf Ski Challenge. A 12km paddle in the morning saw Jasper Mocke and Chloe Bunnet win the men’s and ladies K1 event. That left the afternoon’s Dash for Cash, which saw paddlers lining up for the fat prize purse. The BUCO Dash for Cash surfski dice saw a knockout format wheedle down 20 paddlers to two. The cream rose to the top with Jasper Mocke and
Richard von Wildemann making it to the final after having progressed through three rounds each. The 1,000m Dash around the Blind Rocks off Central Beach is a flat-out sprint, with skill and luck required to reach the beach first. Both paddlers approached the beach on the same wave but outside the two finishing flags; both then fell out and had to carry their skis through the flags. A desperate lunge by Von Wildemann saw him pip a very disappointed Mocke, who had held a slight lead all the way. Richard von Wildemann has paddled in all 10 editions of the Easter Surf Ski Challenge and was super stoked to pocket the R5,000 prize. His joy was equalled by that of new title sponsor BUCO, after a most successful weekend with a great turnout for all races in this fun family event. Visit www.muddyfootad ventures.co.za for full results and see the advert on page 5 for additional information.
PROMOTION
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NEWS & VIEWS
26 April 2017
Dogs on beaches unleash debate Herewith two opinion pieces by readers responding to an article in our April 12 edition and subsequent letters featured in the April 19 edition of CXPRESS. This debate once again hogs the letters page of this edition - turn to page 11...
Dogs on beaches: the problem is not dogs, it is people I refer to the letters of Derek Luyt and L&C, published in your April 19 edition [turn to page 11 at www.cxpress.co.za]. It seems to me that broadly people can be divided into three groups: 1. Those who love dogs and walking with them freely on beaches. 2. Those who detest dogs in any form. I suggest that if you are one of them, you stop reading this now. 3. Those who do not know dogs and are simply scared of them. I belong firmly to the first group. In 10 years of walking our dogs on local beaches without leashes every day, we have never come across any dog fights (beyond ritualistic hierarchical growling), nor have we seen anyone attacked by dogs. In the same time, we have witnessed various assaults on people by people, not to mention losing a lot of possessions to (human) thieves. We have also seen (human) children behaving impossibly but no one putting leashes on them. We have also witnessed
countless vehicle accidents, but no one advocating the banning of cars. In addition, we visit the townships around Plett regularly and see dogs lying peacefully in the streets with no leashes, and no one being fined. I appreciate that there have been genuine distressing incidents, even if I have not witnessed them, but also that they are as rare as shark attacks, and that often the people concerned blow the incidents out of proportion because they are scared of any large dog loping towards them. This may be the case even if the dog is smiling from
ear to ear, wagging its tail, and desperate to say hello. I HAVE been attacked by dogs in my life but this was always by dogs turned aggressive and territorial by being cooped up in small spaces every day with no outlet for their energy. Dogs need exercise, and just walking at human pace on a leash does not provide sufficient exercise. Dogs need to chase balls and run free. There is no space to do so in Plett except on the beach. I am all for fining people (use R5,000 fines - why stop at R500?) who do walk dogs on swimming beaches, who do not pick up poop, who cannot
GOLDZILLA: Beware the unleashed monster dog, ‘coz this Golden Retriever may just lick you to death
control their dogs (with or without leashes), etc. But the problem is ALWAYS the owner, and never the dog. If you have an aggressive, unsocialised dog, it has no place on the beach and you should be arrested and put in jail if you take the dog to the beach. However, we dog lovers will never keep the people under points 2 and 3 happy whatever we do, so the logical solution is segregation. Put up clear signs dividing the beaches into dog and non-dog zones, and let each one keep to his own. We have 20km of beaches according to Plett Tourism; surely there is space for us all, and for dogs to run free? A last word, about tourists: half the dog people we meet on the beach in summer are visitors, and our European visitors especially like cuddling our dogs because they are used to having dogs in trains, hotels - all over - and miss their own dogs. Hating dogs seems to be a peculiarly South African thing. Basil van Rooyen, Plett
Anti-dog ramblers don’t reflect reality of situation The issue of dogs walking ‘off leash’ on certain Plett beaches is highly emotive. The sudden focus on fining owners, particularly on Sanctuary Beach, where they have walked the beach with their dogs off leash unhindered for many years, has certainly raised the ire of dog owners and dog lovers. The justification for the sudden interest in enforcing the existing bylaw has been met with immense suspicion and cynicism, particularly the reasoning that they are punishing all dog owners who walk the beach for the alleged transgressions of a few individuals. The sudden appearance
of large number of Municipal Law Enforcement officers on Sanctuary Beach is a disproportionate response to the issue and is seen by dog owners as a wasteful abuse of their rates and taxes. The fact that they are punishing all dog owners for the transgressions of a few, smacks of persecution and a severe lack of judgment. It is akin to any other form of profiling and is unconscionable. There is no reasonable justification for the persecution of dog owners by officials hell-bent on enforcing a bylaw that is not only illogical, but also outdated. If the Municipal Law Enforcement
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officials were to patrol the Blue Flag beaches, to keep dogs completely off these beaches, that would be understood (and even supported) by those of us who regularly walk our dogs between Sanctuary and The Wreck. Recent correspondents to CXPRESS, particularly the last two issues, have made some very broad, sweeping and general statements about “attacks” and about “faecesstrewn” beaches, and dogs attacking environmentally-sensitive areas, in an attempt to create the impression that the dogs allowed to run off leash are creating havoc and making the beaches uninhabit-
able by humans while destroying the environment for “endangered” species. The three letters published in the last two issues of CXPRESS do not reflect the reality of the situation on the beaches. If attacks have occurred, did the victims press charges against the owners of the offending dogs? Did they resolve the matter with the owners? Alternatively, if your correspondents are so opposed to dogs in their midst, they could exclusively visit our Blue Flag beaches where dogs are not permitted at all. Furthermore, dogs are the responsibility of their owners and (To page 9)
NEWS & VIEWS (From page 8) where a dog is being a public nuisance (something I have not yet experienced), it is the owner who should be held accountable and responsible. On Easter Monday, a group of dog owners gathered on Sanctuary Beach at 11:30am. There were at least 60 dogs with the group and the owners and dogs walked from Sanctuary to The Wreck and back. There were no incidents of dog-fights, nor were there any attacks on other beachgoers. This outing does not really merit reportage as it is a regular occurrence, however, in light of the recent persecution of dog owners it needs to be mentioned, as none of the anti-social behaviour that your correspondents wrote about was in evidence on the day. Over the last few years, I have walked this beach (with my dogs) at least 500 times. I always pick up after my dogs, and whenever I encounter ‘parcels’ from other dogs, I pick these up too. (In all this time, I have probably picked up 50 at most). Picking up after other people’s dogs is not pleasant, but most of the people who walk their dogs on the beach are responsible and when I see someone not picking up after their dog, I alert them to the issue - or I will pick it up and present them with the packet. I also pick up other items on the beach, including glass bottles, fishing hooks and sinkers, beverage cans, plastic, paper, etc. (The cartoon in your April 19 edition is highly relevant to this scenario). On many occasions, visitors to Plett have remarked on how nice it is to see the dogs enjoying the beach. I believe that there is a move afoot to make certain beaches off leash areas and other beaches on leash, and of course the Blue Flag beaches will remain dog free. I fully support this initiative and hope that it can be implemented very soon. Lance Rothschild, by email
26 April 2017
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26 April 2017
Degrees of ignorance and stupidity... FIRST DEGREE Jon and his wife are asleep when the telephone rings at two in the morning. He picks up the phone, listens for a moment and says: “How should I know, that’s 200km from here!” and hangs up. The wife says: “Who was that, my sweets?” Jon answers: “I don’t know, some man wanting to know if the coast is clear.” SECOND DEGREE Two blondes are walking down the street. One notices a compact on the sidewalk and leans down to pick it up. She opens it, looks in the mirror and says: “Hmm, this person looks familiar.” Her friend says: “Here, let me see!” So the first blonde hands over the compact. Her friend looks in the mirror and says: “You
dummy, it’s me!” THIRD DEGREE Harry suspects his wife of cheating on him, so he goes out and buys a gun. He goes to his house unexpectedly and when he opens the door he finds his wife in the arms of another man. Well, Harry is really angry. He pulls out the gun, and as he does so, he is overcome with grief. He takes the gun and puts it to his head. His wife yells: “No, honey, don’t do it!” Harry replies: “Shut up, you’re next!” FOURTH DEGREE Jill is bragging about her vast knowledge of state capitals. She proudly says: “Go ahead and ask me, I know all of them.” Her friend says: “Okay, what’s the capital of England?” Jill replies: “Oh, that’s easy - E!”
What kind of car was he driving? man was annoyed when his wife told him a car had reversed into her, damaging a fender, and that she didn’t manage to see the licence number. “What kind of car was he driving?” the husband asked. “I don’t know,” she said. “I never can tell one car from another.” At that, her husband
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decided the time had come for a learning course, and for the next few days whenever they were driving, he made her name each car they passed until he was satisfied that she could recognise every make. It worked. A week later she bounded in with a pleased expression on her face. “Darling,” she said, “I hit a Buick!”
A case of mistaken identity HE flight attendant sees a suspiciouslooking couple on board, so she reports it to the captain immediately. “Sir, I think we have a case of human trafficking! There is a very attractive, sexy female passenger on board who
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looks quite frightened and the man she is with is an overweight old slob who looks like a lecher, very sullen, mean and dangerous!” The captain responds: “Patricia, I’ve told you this before. This is Air Force One.”
CURIOSITY “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” - Dorothy Parker
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
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SOCIAL SCENE
People, places & events
Photo: Helga Jordaan
Photos: Timothy Twidle
La Luna
SMALL BOXES, BIG BOOM BANG: These Micro Nippers and their Plett Surf Club coaches annexed the beach at Keurbooms Lagoon caravan park last weekend for their annual camp and champs, during which kids aged five to eight showed their prowess in the water and on the sand. As is always the case, parents and friends of these sharp little sea urchins contributed their time, energy and skills behind the braai to make it a weekend to remember. Visit www.plettsurf. org.za to find out more about Plett’s Surf Lifesaving’s nationally-awarded Nippers section.
PARTYING WITH RABBITT, LETTUCE & CO: A fundraising evening was held at Plett Ski-Boat Club for members who will tackle Expedition Africa from May 14-21 in the Eastern Cape. Pictured from left above are adventure experts Meyer van Rooyen, Hanlie Sinclair, Johan Jansen van Vuuren, and James ‘Lettuce’ Stewart of the BUCO adventure racing outfit. Musical entertainment on the night was a mix of contemporary tunes played by ex-key man of the 70s rock group Rabbitt, Duncan Fauré, pictured at left with Mel Botes junior (percussion) and dad Mel, who showed his musical mettle on guitar and vocals. Having a ball on the night were, from left below, Andries and Tania Coetzee, Arina Linde, Gerda and Stephen Goedhals, and Johannes Linde. Find out more about Expedition Africa on page 12 of the April 19 edition at www.cxpress. co.za and contact Sue on 073 845 4141 if you’d missed the fundraiser but would like to throw some cash to fuel these intrepid local athletes’ cause.
The only pharmacy in Main Street
FISHING FOR ALL AGES: Port Alfred Ski-Boat Club hosted the Junior Deep-Sea Nationals from April 1-7, where the Southern Cape was represented by two teams. Barend Boshoff, Henrico Scholtz and Morné Crouse formed the U16 crew while Wade Tiran, Renco Myburgh and Hanno Terblanche made up the U19 team. Weather and sea conditions were conducive to good fishing for the first three days with Yellowtail, Santer, Red Roman, Poenskoep, Dageraad, Geelbek, Carpenter and Scotsman in the bag. But the good climes did not last and the fourth was declared a rest day, before heavy seas and gusting winds resulted in the competition being brought to a close on day five. Catches worth noting from our U16s were as follows: Barend caught a 4kg Yellowtail, Henrico landed a 10.1kg Poenskop, and Morné’s best catch was a 3kg Yellowtail. This landed the Southern Cape U16 team a first place overall and we congratulate each of them for hauling home the gold medal. Pictured above on his recent deep-sea pursuits off Struisbaai - as far west from CX Country as Port Alfred is east - is Plettenberg Bay Ski-boat Association chairman Chris Schorn after landing the ravishing ‘Miss Lucy’. See the advert on page 11 for details of Plett Angling Association’s inaugural Rock & Surf Open on April 30.
SOCIAL SCENE
26 April 2017
CXPRESS
People, places & events BONNIE LITTLE BEAUTIES: The Micro Car Club of SA is embarking on a Garden Route Run from April 29 to May 6, so look out for these lovely little vintage mobiles and their fun-loving owners on our local high-and-byways. They will gather at Plett’s Dunes Resort before departing on Sunday for the Knysna Motor Show (see advert alongside and on page 7). After checking out the hood’s best eateries, entertainment and views, the Micro crew will visit Storms River Village on May 2 to - you guessed it - enjoy a toot at the quaint hamlet’s micro-brewery. When heading back west, stops will include the Knysna Heads, Sedgefield and Wilderness, before the tourers make their way back to Gauteng. We thank Plett-based micro-car owner Hennie van der Walt for sharing this news, and the pic above of his 1957 three-wheeler Messerschmitt. Says Hennie: “I bought it second hand as a part-time student in 1964 at the princely sum of R25. My salary at the time was R49 per month and I had to pay for the little car in three instalments - R10, R10 and, finally, R5. The car is in a beautiful condition but I am busy overhauling the engine and can therefore not partake in next week’s rally.” Hennie also shared photos and more interesting snippets about mini cars and club members in SA and the UK - visit www.messerschmitt. co.uk to find out more.
KEEP THESE WITS ABOUT YOU: Local music-loving audiences are fortunate that the busy, well-respected Wits Trio will be able to pull off a return visit to Knysna next month. Last year the trio performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown to huge acclaim from audiences and critics alike. In March, they were featured in a SAMRO concert at the University of Pretoria, where they performed a piece written specifically for them. Later this year they will perform the Beethoven Triple Concerto in Johannesburg. Pictured from left above, Zanta Hofmeyr (violin), Malcolm Nay (piano) and Maciej Lacny (cello) make a dazzling trio of players, with many years of local and international travel, awards and prizes. Come and enjoy another wonderful evening of sparkling music at Knysna DRC hall in Fichat Street on May 8. Tickets are sold at the door from 6:45pm at R120 (students pay R30) and the show starts at 7pm sharp.
MEET JAN
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26 April 2017
NEXT DEADLINE: Monday 1 May 10am
CLASSIFIEDS
ON THE SOAPBOX
26 April 2017
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
CXPRESS berated for sharing dog opinions I believe your first duty as a “responsible person” is to present a balanced and true view of the situation on Solar Beach in your newspaper. I find the letter from Mr Luyt quite extraordinary [see page 11 of the April 19 edition at www.cxpress. co.za] - it is not the experience of anyone I know or have spoken to and gives a totally wrong impression. In the past four years I must have walked that beach at least 2,000 times, during which I have seen three disturbing incidents involving a Boerboel and an Alsatian-cross whose owners tend not to accompany their dogs, allowing them to roam the beach unchecked. Why should the rest of us be penalised for the irresponsibility of these owners? This is where Law Enforcement should be putting their efforts. I know many others who have walked the beach longer than I have, 10
years-plus in many cases; some of them have heard of aggressive dogs, but I have not spoken to anyone harmed by a dog. Why not send a reporter to Solar Beach to interview a good crosssection of users on their experiences? The occurrence of outof-control dogs grows exponentially during the Christmas holiday period, when there is a great influx of city dogs that are probably not socialised or used to the freedom of a beach, and many of their owners are not used to picking up poo. The photo on page 5 of your April 12 edition gives the wrong impression of dogs on our beaches, and from the texture of the sand I suspect it’s not Solar Beach. I cannot recall ever having seen four dogs racing along the sand with possibly only one person in the field of vision. The impression that will remain in people’s minds
from the two letters in the April 19 edition is of frightened people running scared while trying to avoid the mine field of dog poo. Nothing could be further from the truth. Interestingly, the photograph below shows a group of people and their “aggressive dogs” on Solar Beach on Easter Monday. Many more dogs and owners were on the beach before and after the photo was taken and absolutely no incidents of dog fights or members of the public being attacked were reported. People together with their dogs should not be targeted, but unaccompanied dogs should be rounded up and if their owners turn up to claim them, they should be charged with a public nuisance offence - unless it is a non-aggressive dog that has genuinely strayed and got lost. Bill Ingram - endorsed by Lutz Pinkepank
and Ruedi & Marianne Blickenstorfer, Plett (As a responsible community newspaper, we deem it extremely important to serve as a forum for readers to voice their opinions, however vastly these may differ, on a wide range of topics. The letters in our previous edition arrived unsolicited and, as is the case with items on our Soapbox page, were not in any way endorsed by CXPRESS. Interestingly, the image that accompanied Nikki Ridley’s April 12 report was taken by Plett photographer Diane Goosen - a veritable activist for animal rights and, incidentally, the person responsible for setting up a petition on Avaaz, specifically to make the area between Sanctuary Beach and The Wreck a ‘run-free’ zone. Visit www.dianegoosenphotography.com to see more of her work and Google ‘unleashed in Plett’ if you would like to sign the petition. - Eds.)
NO DISSENT IN THE RANKS: The mass dog walk on Easter Monday was organised as an ‘occupy’ event, not as a protest march (also see the opinion pieces on page 8 and 9)
Doggone it! A word from Plett Ratepayers’ chair... Rarely has an issue raised as much emotion as the question of dogs on beaches and in public areas without a lead. Fines currently being levied by Municipal Law Enforcement officers have added to the indignity, annoyance and frustration felt by many dog owners in Plettenberg Bay. Petitions are being raised, protest meetings planned and the social and local media is inundated with complaints as well as expressions of support by those who oppose dogs on beaches in the first place. Whether we like it or not, the law bans dogs off leads from all public plac-
In the dogbox May I suggest that your ‘On the Soapbox’ page be renamed ‘In the Dogbox’? Then another Letters page could be devoted to non-canine issues… Pooh-bah, Knysna
es in Bitou, and no dogs are allowed on Blue Flag beaches in particular. The fact that the law has not been enforced until recently does not change the fact that the bylaw has been in place since 2009. Many owners completely disregard any rules of etiquette when it comes to their own dogs, allowing them to run wild chasing birds on Lookout Beach as well as at Poortjies, and having chased away the flamingos from the area near the estuary mouth. These same people do not care to pick up their dogs’ mess on the other beaches and boardwalks. They and they alone are responsible for the law now being enforced! I am a dog owner who walks daily, and have witnessed instances of bad behaviour on the part of dog owners, as well as the majority who are responsible and clean up meticulously after their dogs while preventing them from chasing birds et al. So what do we do?
Your Association has been directly involved with this issue and instigated the first meeting with municipal officials regarding complaints about dogs on Lookout and Robberg beaches in particular. We were party to the decision to implement the bylaw. This is an effort to reduce the bad behaviour of a few irresponsible dog owners. The result is that we have all had to suffer from this situation, myself having been fined under questionable circumstances. Subsequently, we have met with interested and affected parties and a possible way forward has been agreed to in principle, but subject to professional input from Dr Mark Brown and his team of Nature’s Valley Trust. The request that certain prescribed areas be set aside for dogs to run free of leashes is under consideration and the final decision on areas that may be set aside will be communicated to the community as a whole
within the next month. An amendment to the bylaw will be required and this is being looked at concurrently with other activities, to reduce time before a final communication to all Bitou residents. In the interim all the petitions, social media and illegal gatherings will have little effect in resolving this issue. The way forward is well laid out and carefully considered with the best interests of all stakeholders in mind. We have agreed not to go into all the details until Bitou Municipality and others have completed their work and issued a public statement, but we wanted members to be aware of some of the facts earlier rather than later. Neville Petersen chairman: Plettenberg Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association (Email info@plettratepay ers.co.za or visit www. plettratepayers.co.za for more info. We endeavour to keep readers abreast of developments. - Eds.)
CXPRESS
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SPORT & ADVENTURE
26 April 2017
Continent’s most fuel-friendly car stars at Knysna Motor Show ROBABLY the finest gathering of historic, modern, and futuristic vehicles ever seen on the African continent - that’s the verdict on displays registered for this year’s Knysna Motor Show sponsored by Sanlam Private Wealth, which takes place Sunday April 30. “The line-up is incredible, with everything from very rare veteran and vintage cars and bikes, to a selection of supercars that’ll be competing in the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb. Or come and see a car that can drive 6,363km on a single, 50-litre tank of fuel,â€? enthused Peter Pretorius - chairperson of the Garden Route Motor Club and organiser of the show. He named a 1926 Hispano-Suiza - the only one of its kind in the world - a 1937 Bentley Drop-head CoupĂŠ, a 1929 Packard Super Sport, a 1929 Bentley, a 1927 Bugatti, a 1916 Maxwell Tourer, and a selection of 1915 Model Ts as being among the rarest on the list of more than 400 vehicles (“including 50 awesome motorcyclesâ€?) on display. “We’re also very honoured that we’ll be hosting a number of GSM Darts and Lotus 7s (both of which are celebrating their 60th birthdays this year), as well as vehicles from local private museums like the Motorcycle Room - which will be exhibiting for the first time this year - and the Brian
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ONE OF A KIND: View the Hispano-Suiza - the only of its kind in the world - at Sunday’s Knysna Motor Show sponsored by Sanlam Private Wealth
Parnell Bruce Collection,� said Pretorius. “For anyone who’s interested in seeing into the future through the eyes of the young people who’re shaping it, one of the most exciting displays at this year’s show will certainly be the NMMU Eco-Car. “Designed and built by students of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, it’s an ultralight, fuel efficient, carboncomposite vehicle powered by a 125cc, fuel-injected, 4-stroke engine that boasts a measured fuel efficiency of 127.86km/l of ordinary unleaded petrol - which would make it capable of travelling 6,393km on a standard 50-litre tank (or about the distance from Johannesburg to Cairo),� explained Pretorius. The local entry won the prototype gasoline cat-
egory in the 2016 Shell Eco Marathon: SA - the local version of an established worldwide event with annual competitions in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. “This qualifies it as the most fuel efficient internal combustion-engined vehicle on the African continent,� said project manager Clive Hands of the Renewable Energy Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NMMU. “The current team is now on a light-weighting programme and a fuel efficiency programme in preparation for this year’s marathon, when they hope to extend this distance even further,� he said. “The Knysna Motor Show has become known as a fun day out for every member of the fam-
ily - both for the quality of the displays, and for its unique country-style atmosphere with an excellent food court, a beer tent, and undercover seating,� said Pretorius. “And this year, we’ll have Algoa FM broadcasting live from the showground - which will add to the festivities.� Gates are open from 9:30am to 4pm and tickets range from R40 to R10 (under-12s accompanied by an adult enter free of charge). Dedicated parking will be provided for motorcycles and for the disabled. Proceeds from the show will benefit Hospice Knysna, FAMSA, E-pap, and Knysna Animal Welfare. Email peterp@afrihost. co.za or call 082 321 4724 and see the advert on page 11 for more information.