29 August 2018
Published every Wednesday by CXpress 2006 (Pty) Ltd - PO Box 1449, Plettenberg Bay 6600 - 6 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay - Tel: 044 533 1004 - Fax: 044 533 0852 Email: editor@cxpress.co.za / advertising@cxpress.co.za Web page: www.cxpress.co.za Printed by Group Editors
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Bye-bye Eden, hello Garden Route
On August 24, the Western Cape’s Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning minister Anton Bredell officially approved the name change from ‘Eden’ to ‘Garden Route’ District Municipality. Sharing the moment with management and staff while displaying the Government Gazette are district mayor Memory Booysen, seated second from left next to his deputy, Rosina Ruiters. Turn to page 4 to find out more about elements of our district’s new branding.
Knysna Tourism states its case - p3 Should politics trump economics? - p7 BUCO teams bask in glory - p12
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NEWS & VIEWS
29 August 2018
Guided walk revisits Knysna’s top heritage sites Words & photos: Timothy Twidle
NITA Best, a Young Patriot of the Western Cape government, led a group of learners and staff of Knysna schools - Rheenendal, Chris Nissen and Thembelitsha Primary, and Concordia and Percy Mdala High - on a guided walk of the heritage sites at the centre of town on Tuesday August 21. The walk kicked off near the Knysna Information Office at the western end of Main Road and ended at the Old Gaol. Along the way, Best outlined the background and history of 12 different sites or buildings. Venues included a former home of the Thesen family,
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who played a pivotal role in the founding of present-day Knysna; Ou Fabriek, the Templeman Building, the memorial to those who fell in the two world wars of the 20th century, Fyfe’s Pharmacy, Knysna Library and Saint George’s Church. All of the participants in the walk expressed delight at learning more about the history of their home town. The Young Patriots Programme (TYPP) embraces a partnership of the department of Arts and Culture and National Youth Development Agency with the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, which has counterparts in SA’s other provinces. The aim of TYPP is to promote social cohesion and na-
tion building by encouraging young people to take pride in their nationality and to be more aware of their country’s
history, so as to help them develop self-confidence and become responsible adult citizens of integrity and purpose.
BENN THERE: Anita Best stopped for a moment at the grave of John Benn, pilot of Knysna from 1868 to 1877
CHAMPIONING OUR HERITAGE: Anita Best, left, led a group of learners and representatives of five schools in Knysna on a guided walk of heritage sites located throughout the centre of the town
Arts festival comes of age - and everyone is invited Correspondent BOB HOPKIN recently met up with the mentor of many a Wilderness artist N common with many Garden Route destinations, Wilderness has a reputation of hosting an eclectic and sometimes quite bohemian population. The scenic surroundings and laidback culture also tend to promote leanings toward spiritual and artistic activities. For the last three years an informal group of creative artists has held an ‘Open Gallery’ at Wilderness Hotel where local painters, sculptors and artists in other media have been able to exhibit, promote and sell their work at minimal cost. Some two months ago the group decided to become a formal Art Association and in no time found itself with a full 69 members. For 2019, organiser Carole Durrant of Cabesa Gallery plans to build on the popularity of the event by expanding it into a full-blown art festival,
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involving the whole village. “Although we really appreciated the assistance of the hotel over the last few years, increasing popularity with the public meant that the venue has become too crowded. For the next event, we want to allow space to expand by using the entire CBD of the village as exhibition space,” she said. The next event, planned to take place over three days from February 14 to 16 next year, will continue to use the hotel for some exhibits but will supplement those with displays in and around shops and restaurants as well as on pavements in the village centre. Live music in four locations will add to the festive vibe as well as introductory tuition in various media for both adults and children who want to test their creative abilities. Carole added that, although
it has ‘Wilderness’ in the name, the festival is open to all current and aspiring artists in the area. “For those interested in promoting their work, I suggest that they start now to build
an inventory of exhibits and contact me from October to reserve space in anticipation.” Contact Carole at carole@ bcreative-design-print.co.za or on 082 569 0800.
EYE ON BIGGER THINGS: Wilderness Arts Festival organiser Carole Durrant shows off one of her creations
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29 August 2018
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Knysna Tourism and municipality wrestle over ‘approved’ funds never paid N Wednesday evening August 22, the board of directors of Knysna Tourism announced that it was “saddened to advise its members and members of the public that it has decided to close the company’s offices with immediate effect”. “The service level agreement between Knysna Tourism non-profit company and Knysna Municipality, under which the arrangement had operated, ended on June 30,” according to the statement. “Numerous negotiations have taken place between the municipality and the board of Knysna Tourism regarding interim funding of the Knysna Tourism offices while a solution is sought. “Owing to broken undertakings by Knysna Municipality, the board believes that the municipality has negotiated in bad faith. Despite recent additional financial contributions from members, Knysna Tourism is now no longer able to fund continuing operations.” The announcement concluded by stating that the company’s directors had a duty in terms of the Companies Act 2008 to avoid trading in contravention of the Act. “The board therefore feels it has no option but to order the doors to be closed.”
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However, Knysna Tourism board CEO Clive Bennett told CXPRESS on Tuesday (August 28) that, following meetings on Friday and Monday with the mayor and municipal manager, the information centre remains open, albeit as a “scaled down operation”. “After our meetings last week and yesterday, we undertook to reopen the doors for Knysna Municipality, who availed a number of personnel they had employed on a casual basis to man the centre,” said Bennett. Most of the Knysna Tourism staff had been retrenched by end July, but apparently a few of the original info centre personnel remain on hand to “sort out admin and deal with guests”. This state of affairs is expected to be the case until such time as a service agreement with Wesgro is signed - which may only take place in November. Knysna Tourism is currently negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Wesgro - the Western Cape’s investment and tourism marketing organisation, which is itself negotiating a service level agreement with Knysna Municipality. Tourism board chair Elmay Bouwer explained that the accusation of negotiat-
ing in “bad faith” stems from the fact that a former acting municipal manager of Knysna Municipality had signed off an amount of R250,000 towards the Tourism budget. “This budget was approved, but when the related invoice was sent, no payment was forthcoming. This was the case for three months, during which time we requested that all Knysna Tourism members pay R300 to tie us over in terms of operational costs. “Numerous requests and reams of correspondence were sent to the municipality regarding the unpaid amount, but when nothing had appeared in our account by last Wednesday, we had no alternative but to close the info centre’s doors.” Bouwer feels strongly that municipal and tourism stakeholders have in common their shared love of Knysna and a desire to promote the town for all to prosper. “If and when the Wesgro agreement materialises, it would strategically be a very good move to have one of their staff stationed in an office in Knysna - the heartbeat of the Garden Route. “But for the immediate future, we expect the municipality to do the right thing. The ethical thing would be for them to pay over the
Molosi murder accused behind bars ‘till bail hearing OUR men, including Knysna councillor Velile Waxa, 58, briefly appeared in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court last Thursday in connection with the murder of local ANC councillor Victor Molosi last month. Molosi, 50, was shot and killed on the night of July 23 after leaving Concordia High School where he had attended a school governing body meeting. The matter was however postponed to September 12
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for formal bail applications. Five men have been arrested in connection with the murder. First was Knysna Taxi Forum secretary Mandla Tyololo, 39, who has since been charged with conspiracy to murder. About two weeks ago four more suspects were arrested, but the charges against one have since been dropped. Southern Cape police spokesman captain Malcolm Pojie said the reason for his release was insufficient evidence.
The other three - Waxa, Mawande Makhala, 42, and Vela Patrick Dumile, 37, have since been charged with murder. Hundreds of residents gathered at the court building yet again, demanding that the suspects not be released on bail. The group also handed a petition to this effect to the court for consideration. The men remain in custody until their September court appearance. -Yolandé Stander
agreed-upon funds. We are committed to sort this matter out,” said Bouwer. In the meantime, the directors and board of Knysna Tourism will continue to negotiate with municipal manager Johnny Douglas and his colleagues to address the issue of a substantial financial commitment made by a predecessor now deigned “un-
authorised” to have done so. Bennett concluded: “Along with the board members, we are in the process of drafting a written motivation proving that the financial commitment was discussed and had created certain expectations.” • CXPRESS will endeavour to keep readers abreast of developments in this regard. In previous editions, we have focussed on not dissimilar negotiations between
Bitou Municipality and Plett Tourism (visit www.cxpress.co.za and turn to page 2 of the April 11 edition for one of several reports). Take note that the Plett Tourism AGM takes place on August 30 at The White House Theatre from 12 noon to 2pm. All members and interested parties are urged to attend. Email Patty Butterworth at projects@ pletttourism.com or call 083 453 5331 for information.
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NEWS & VIEWS
29 August 2018
Off-duty Knysna cop goes beyond the call of duty Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za
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OLLOWING a burglary at a business in Waterfront Drive at about 3:20am on August 23, an off-duty Knysna policeman arrested a 27-yearold suspect and was instrumental in the arrest of two of his accomplices. The member, who is attached to the Crime Prevention Unit, was on his way home when he noticed two suspicious men walking on the N2 highway. They fitted the description of suspects involved at an earlier burglary. He decided to stop but on approaching the suspects, they fled into the bushes near Bokmakierie Street. While in hot pursuit he called for assistance - which was provided instantaneously by other patrol vehicles as well as security officials in the area. Even his fellow Crime Prevention members who were returning home after having finished their shift responded and joined in the search, which was carried out in dense bushes near Upper Old Place and lasted for an hour before the first suspect was found. Upon searching the man, SAPS members
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found an undisclosed amount of cash in his possession. Further investigation led to the arrest of two more suspects. It was revealed that the trio entered the business premises by gaining entry through the roof. They subsequently opened two safes inside the business and fled the scene with the cash. All three suspects between the ages of 27 and 37 were later positive-
ly linked to the burglary. Captain Malcolm Pojie, SAPS Southern Cape spokesman, said: “They will appear in the Knysna Magistrates court once they are charged with the possession of stolen property as well as housebreaking and theft.� Col Atwell Metu, station commander of the Knysna police, thanked the members involved for their dedication and com-
mitment, which led to these arrests. Eden Cluster commander major general Oswald Reddy also commended these members who displayed loyalty towards service delivery by going the extra mile to bring the culprits to book. “The possibility that these suspects could be linked to other burglaries in the area is also being investigated,� said Pojie.
Aspects of new Garden Route district logo
The August 24 announcement that the name change from Eden to Garden Route District Municipality had been officially approved by province, was made in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998), as per the Western Cape Government Provincial Gazette (find a copy of the Government Gazette No 7972 at https://goo.gl/C4ALMy). Elements of the new logo include the King Protea, which is SA’s national flower and native to the W-Cape, including parts of the Garden Route; the Outeniqua Mountains to depict the link between municipal areas on both sides of this mountain range, which separates the northern and southern parts of the Route, but can also be seen as linking the lush southern areas with the dry northern part of the region; the ostrich resembles the Oudtshoorn and Kannaland municipal areas - Oudtshoorn being the Ostrich Capital of the world, it was important to incorporate this aspect with the logo; the blue swishes resemble the ocean and wetlands.
NEWS & VIEWS
29 August 2018
Bitou Fire and associated crews breathe more easily after Dräger donation HE longstanding and healthy relationship between Bitou Fire Department (BFD) and the various Fire Management Units (FMU) team is not news. Having developed over many years, this symbiotic rapport is the envy of virtually every volunteer crew in Eden and far beyond. Explains Bitou’s Associated FMU’s spokesman Steven Ritky: “Members of our crew have received many, many hours of guidance on the fire lines, in the classroom, and during meetings with our Bitou counterparts. “Important factors in building this relationship are the understanding that FMU crews are not professional firefighters and that we operate under the command of, and alongside, the BFD. They are as much a part of Associated
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HONOURING BRADLEY: Pictured from left are Bitou Fire chief Hedley Venter, Brad’s dad Gordon Richards, his sister Debby Cronje, Wimpie van Onselen (Dräger SA), Bitou Public Safety senior manager Andile Sakati, and Charl Watkins of Dräger SA, who kindly donated 10 complete Breathing Air systems to Bitou Fire last week Photo: Lynette Mullins - ShowMe Plett
FMUs as are members of these units themselves. “Seniors from both crews who knew our fallen brother Bradley Richards regard the lifting of FMU standards and procedures as vital, and as a legacy to Brad. But FMU crewmen are not qualified to use all the same equip-
ment as Bitou’s crew.” Ritky says that, for all the above reasons, when Dräger South Africa made contact with Associated FMUs to discuss a donation of 10 complete Breathing Air systems as a tribute to Brad, the obvious people to receive these would be the BFD crew.
“Similarly our FMU crews would not put to the best use a very large VWdriven portable pump trailer donated by Ivan Inauen through the Swiss Military Reserve,” he explained on the wake of a handover ceremony at Bitou Fire Station last week. “Dräger SA flew Debby - Brad’s sister who started the project - as well as Brad’s father, Gordon Richards, down to Plett for the handover of the equipment to the Bitou Fire crew. “Following refreshments, some of us went out to the Harkerville forest to spend a few minutes in reflection and shared details at the scene where Brad sustained fatal burn injuries. “In complete contrast to that day in June last year, this time it was freezing cold and pouring with rain ,” Ritky comments.
Neglect of public facilities at Buffels pointed out
‘The Drone’ shared these images, and lamented the fact that water is wasted at a leaking tap, and a public bench on Buffels Bay Beach completely overgrown. We hope the powers that be act swiftly to correct this sad sight... watch this space.
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NEWS & VIEWS
29 August 2018
Differently-abled Awareness Campaign launches school art competition OR the Differentlyabled Awareness Campaign (DAC) to have an everlasting impact, initiator Rita Hardaker realised that it had to start at grassroots level, with children prioritised when it comes to accepting folk with disabilities. “People are differentlyabled in many ways, be they confined to a wheelchair, missing a limb, or have visual or hearing impairments. And then there are those whose scars from being abused are not visible,” says Rita. She felt that a children’s art competition would be the best way to instil positive values, hoping at the same time for it to be the first of many, and for it to become a permanent, fun and interactive event. “We need to teach our kids that we’re all equal and that disabled or differently-abled people, be they grown-ups or children, have as much right as the able-bodied to access all facilities and pleasures. “Details of the Differentlyabled Children’s Art Competition were discussed during my chat with Gordon Hoffmann on MCFM.90.3 on Friday morning and it is with enormous gratitude that I can safely say the reaction has been very positive,” she smiles. “This first competition is sure to be successful and is planned to take place over a
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period of three years, with different grades involved to give everyone a fair chance, and for them to learn to interact with those who are different, yet the same.” Children have to draw any one of the following on A4 paper using coloured pencils, roll-ups, or crayons: • A one-armed boy playing football; • A blind man with his guide dog; • A little boy or girl on crutches. The first prize is R500, second R300, and third R150. Half the amount will be in cash and the other in stationery vouchers. As arranged with Grade R to Grade 3 teachers, entries can be handed in at the schools or at Barraclough’s (next to Checkers at Plett Mall), PNA (at The Market Square), or at the Beacon Island KwikSpar. It is important that the child’s name, grade, age, parent contact number or school stamp appear on the back of the entry. Call Sooneela on 044 533 6466 for further info. Closing date is September 21; the top 10 will be chosen on October 20 and winners announced on November 3. Winning artworks may be used in various ways to create further understanding of the differently-abled. “We are now experiencing
a ripple effect as not only has the launch created ways to allow learners to have fun during games while imitating the various types of impairments, but with the distribution of our free sewing kits, the therapeutic value of this type of creativity has been realised. “One of our valued volunteers, Fransie van Zyl of Barraclough’s, is now teaching children at The Crags creative sewing one afternoon a week, and the older ladies are also clamouring for more,” says Rita, adding her thanks to those who have contributed sewing aids to this end. “Please keep the pins, needles and other haberdashery coming. We also need knitting needles and wool desperately. You may drop these items off at Barraclough’s.” Call Rita on 082 560 2606 with any queries. And don’t forget the DAC Sky Villa competition! The Different-abled Awareness Campaign competition runs ‘till early September. Grand prize is a night’s stay for two at Sky Villa Boutique Hotel with dinner and breakfast included. Answer the question: ‘What does being differently-abled mean to you?’ then email your answer, name, and town of origin to winwithskyvilla@gmail.com.
Early Childhood Development managers benefit from B10F computer training HE Bitou 10 Foundation’s (B10F) Early Childhood Development (ECD) Capacity Building Training for Managers programme is funded by ApexHi and provides weekly training sessions at 12 ECD sites throughout Bitou. The workshops aim to empower ECD managers from historically disadvantaged areas to improve the quality of their facilities, practitioners, resources and equipment. Shamuss Booysen, 27, is the computer training facilitator. He hails from Port Elizabeth but has been living in Kranshoek, just west of Plettenberg Bay, for the past three years. He completed his IT certificate in Port Elizabeth in 2013 and is now contracted by the B10F to provide eager ECD managers with computer training. Booysen is currently a facilitator for the Click Foundation at Kranshoek Primary and specialises in helping Foundation Phase learners with the basic functionality of computers when using the Reading Eggs Programme. “The Bitou 10 Foundation has afforded me the opportunity to share my talent with the ECD managers. This has given me the con-
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BOFFIN: Beaming Shamuss Booysen is the computer training facilitator for the B10F workshops
fidence to persevere with the training aspect of my career,” he says. “Being able to teach and help the managers gives me a sense of pride, as I can help others achieve what before might have seemed impossible to them.” Booysen has received excellent feedback from the managers on how the training is helping them, and in which aspects: • The training helps me to be more computer active. • It has helped me to do my assignments and presentations, and to be more actively involved with computers in general.
• The computer training is helping me to do things on my own, for example, to work on my letters and to type stories for my learners. • Computer training has encouraged me to want to learn more about it. • This training helped me a lot because I can work on my computer on my own without having to rely on others. • It has motivated me to want to buy my own computer and to learn more about it. Special thanks go to Macey from the e-Centre in KwaNokuthula for providing the Foundation with a venue in which the managers can be trained.
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Kudos to SMMEs for risking sans local government support Bad economics and bad politics engulf local economic development departments, writes KwaNokuthula resident WANDISILE AFRIKA SEBEZO T is common knowledge that government is not in the business of creating jobs; if that’s not exactly their mandate, they should at least ensure that conditions are conducive to allow for entrepreneurs to take risks. But small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) are a different story altogether, since government has a responsibility to provide the necessary infrastructure for them to take flight on their own. It’s no accident that government introduced a whole division aimed at
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focusing on this sector: the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), headed by Ms Lindiwe Zulu. According to its website, DSBD objectives are to “facilitate the development and growth of small businesses and cooperatives to contribute to inclusive and shared economic growth and job creation”, to be effected “through public and private sector procurement”. On local government level, municipalities have what is called Local Economic Development (LED) units, their sole purpose being
to build up the capacity of its jurisdiction to improve economic activity. The end result is economic growth and thus job creation. Naturally, such a unit has its own budget to better facilitate this process, but in Plett no small business has, for a very long time, been able to stand up and say they have been assisted by Bitou Municipality’s LED office. I hope that anyone can prove me wrong. Despite this setback and lack of visionary leadership from Sewell Street, Plett has seen young, black, and female entrepreneurs
There’s fake news and there’s bias, so beware the hype... Stuart Murray
HE ongoing brouhaha over what is popularly termed “fake news” has firmly focused our attention on how modern media can shape our thinking, decisionmaking, and allegiances. Note Trump and the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election; the Brexit song-anddance; the Middle East tugof-war, and so on. With so many news and comment avenues - television, social media, and newspapers, to name the most common - one simply has to take a deep breath and a long leap. My personal view is that bias, particularly on news channels, is the more perfidious. Its reach is long and often subtle, particularly on television news channels of which there are as many as ticks on a dog (and just as infectious). Fake news, or its companion manipulated reporting, is more easily uncovered, but bias has manipulated minds for a very long time and is, in my opinion, more insidious. And then, of course, we have sensationalism, the most common of all media transgressions. Take the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), that pillar of Britain’s establishment and icon of responsible reporting. There are impartiality laws in the BBC Charter which actually forbid the corporation from expressing opinion on current affairs or matters of public policy, other than broadcasting issues. These guidelines also apply to broadcasting generally in Britain. Most broadcasting outlets find them irksome and earlier this year John Ryley, head of Sky News, told an audience at the Cambridge Union that he thought the impartiality rules governing British news broadcasting should be scrapped. Sky News, owned by Australian TV and radio mogul Rupert Murdoch - the
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“Dirty Digger” of Private Eye magazine fame - is an interesting example. Its top political presenters and commentators have been in the firing line recently, accused of bias. This, of course, has been strenuously denied, but it is an embarrassment to the Sky News top brass since their boss is trying to sell the business... In the past, it has been held up as a shining example of squeaky clean reporting, but this is said to contradict the belief that every outpost of the Murdoch empire is forced to sign up to the Aussie tycoon’s personal agenda. So is Sky skewed? ‘With so many news and comment avenues television, social media, and newspapers, to name the most common - one simply has to take a deep breath and a long leap’ Well, let’s take a look at its big political television “scoop” aired recently. Sky’s lead story was the frontline airing of the results of a national poll by Sky Data, which asked the British public three key questions on the Brexit issue: • Do you or do you not trust Theresa May to get the best possible deal in negotiations with the EU? • Do you think Theresa May is the best available option in the Conservative Party to lead British negotiations, or do you think someone else in the Conservative Party would do a better job? • Which do you think is more likely? The UK and EU strike a deal on Brexit; the UK leaves the EU without a deal; the UK remains in the EU; or Don’t Know. With voluminous coverage and comment by political staff, eminent politicians, and private citizens, Sky launched its dramatic results.
• Question 1: 64% said No, they didn’t trust Theresa May to get the best deal. • Question 2: 44% replied that the UK would be better off with someone else in the Conservative Party; only 30% believed she should stay the course. • Question 3: 37% believed the UK and EU would strike a deal; 34% thought the UK would leave without a deal; 22% reckoned the UK would remain in the EU. As one can imagine, the repercussions were loud and wide, momentarily displacing the currently popular wave of mass seaside excursions due to the UK’s extraordinary hot summer. Theresa May on the rack, economic ruin on the horizon, let’s vote again on Brexit, and so on... The more I mused on the poll and the ongoing debate which followed, the more I wondered about its validity. A spot of research, with the help of an old pal in Europe, revealed the dramatic numbers of those Brits who participated: According to Sky, the total number was “a nationally representative sample of 1,502 Sky customers interviewed by SMS and data weighted to the profile of the population”. My keen interest in Sky’s self-acclaimed Brexit poll quickly evaporated: one and a half thousand people out of 66.4-million inhabitants (2018 survey), including 128 Scots, representative of the nation’s current views on Brexit? So how should we label the Sky poll - biased? Self-serving? Sensationalist? Fair and reasonable? Bullshit? Maybe we simply absorb the lesson ‘look before you leap’. • Stuart Murray (stuartmurray758@gmail.com) is a former senior assistant editor of Financial Mail and co-founder, editor, and CEO of Finance Week. He is retired and lives in Plettenberg Bay.
taking the necessary risks by starting their business ventures without the required resources. Many are struggling to get funding because they’re not registered - food for thought? In all corners of Kwano, one sees informal traders day in and day out, braving the cold at times, trying desperately to make ends meet. You guys rock! Kwano CBD is yet to be properly developed into a
modern business precinct. This is one single project that could facilitate the formalisation of these traders. Plett is one of the fastest growing towns in the province, but unemployment is a ticking time bomb. Drive around places like Kwano, Qolweni, and New Horizons in the middle of the day and see how many young people are sitting at home or roaming the streets, rather than toiling
on the factory floor. When Stats SA released its quarterly figures on unemployment recently, it was revealed that 9.6-million South Africans are unemployed, 41% of them being black. But as one columnist wrote in Business Day, politics and elections like to get in the way of common sense. We end up with a mixture of bad politics and bad economics. It truly is a shame.
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INTERVAL
29 August 2018
Ladies, do you love your husband? group of women was at a seminar on how to live in a loving relationship with their husbands. They were asked: “How many of you love your husband?” All the women raised their hands. Then they were asked: “When was the last time you told your husband you loved him?” Some women answered ‘today’, a few said ‘yesterday’, and some simply couldn’t remember. Each woman was then told to take out her cellphone and send her husband a text that read: “I love you, Sweetheart.” Next, the women were instructed to exchange phones with one another and read aloud the text message they received in response to their message. Read on for 11 rather telling replies. If you have been married for quite
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a while, you will understand that these responses are signs of true love. Who else would reply in such a succinct and honest way? 1. “Who the hell is this?” 2. “Eh, mother of my children, are you sick or what?” 3. “Yeah, and I love you, too. What’s wrong?” 4. “What now? Did you crash the car again?” 5. “I don’t understand what you mean.” 6. “What the heck did you do now?” 7. “Don’t beat about the bush, just tell me how much you need.” 8. “Am I dreaming?” 9. “If you don’t tell me who this message is actually for, someone will die.” 10. “I thought we agreed you wouldn’t drink during the day.” 11. “Mmm, your mother is coming to stay with us, isn’t she?”
Swim, sister, swim… HREE sisters are stranded on an island. They live there until they run out of food. They decide to try to swim to the next island, but it is 100 miles away. The oldest sister swims the first 15 miles, gets
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tired, and swims back. The middle one swims the first 25 miles, gets tired, and swims back. The youngest sister, and not the smartest one, swims the first 50 miles, gets tired, and swims back.
Crying on the first day ALKING through the hallways at the school where I work, I saw a new substitute teacher standing outside his classroom with his forehead against a locker. I heard him mutter: “How did you get yourself into this?”
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Knowing he was assigned to a difficult class, I tried to offer some moral support. “Are you okay?” I asked. “Can I help?” He lifted his head and replied: “I’ll be fine as soon as I get this kid out of his locker.”
I finally realised that I needed to get in shape, so I made plans to join a club and work out for one full year. The year I picked is 2023.
- Laughing out loud. - I love everyone. - Crying out loud. - Time to call friends. - Speaking other languages. - Exotic dances. - I’m very rich! - I’m fine. I’m fine. - Hospital.
The good, the bad, and the ugly • Good: Your wife’s not talking to you. Bad: It seems she wants a divorce. Ugly: She’s a lawyer. • Good: Your husband understands fashion. Bad: He’s a cross-dresser.
Ugly: He looks better than you. • Good: You give ‘the birds and the bees’ talk to your daughter. Bad: She keeps on interrupting... Ugly: ...with corrections.
I’m not self-medicating with chocolate. The lady at the shop wrote me a prescription... Well, she called it a receipt. Whatever.
SOCIAL SCENE
29 August 2018
BEING AWESOME AT THE BI: Bitou Municipality invited 100 worthy ladies nominated from all the different ‘hoods in and around Plett, to attend a luncheon and high tea Women’s Day event at the Beacon Island Resort on Saturday August 25. The event was filled with fun, entertainment and special surprizes, and seven lucky ladies received special awards, with sponsored prizes and gift vouchers including gym contracts, whale watching trips, and much more. On arrival, every lady received bubbly or juice, a rose, and ‘Plett - it’s a feeling’ memorabilia. The gathering was themed ‘She Rose’ and one message clear: God identified women as ultimate! Above from left are the lucky winning ladies - Vuyokazi Kitsi, Minnie Ganga, Michelle Jantjies, Elaine Paulse, Leela Verity, Hessie Wildeman, and Sylvia Mtshamba. Enjoying the event at left from left are Mariana Grobler, Susan van Zyl, and Noluthando Doyi. Looking like a million bucks are, at right from left, Ziyanda Hlela, Busisiwe Ndzongo, Vuyokazi Mpemnyama, Zikona Ncera, and Kayakazi Melane. - Leigh Dunn
People, places & events MUFFIN TIPS THE JOY SCALE: John and Pat Larter from Plett shared this delightful photo of their brand new baby girl and wrote: “After losing our beloved Topsy-Turvy two years ago, we have now been blessed with the arrival of nearly eight-week-old Muffin, who came all the way from Wellington with her sister, Purdie. Muffin’s little sibling lives happily in George with Len and Les Alford, who collected the fluffy puppies from their Boland birth home on Sunday August 19. Now both our families are complete again!” Regular readers may remember the Larters’ moving tribute to Topsy when she departed for doggie heaven two years ago, and it was a most pleasant surprise when Pat popped in at the CXPRESS office last week to personally introduce us to their brand new pride and joy in the form of this marvellous miniature pooch called Muffin.
COME PARKJAMMIN’ WITH HIP-HOPPERS: Faizel Kleynhans, at left, hopped past the CXPRESS offices to remind us of the free fundraising show called Spring ParkJam, scheduled for Saturday September 1 in front of the New Horizons community hall from 12 noon ‘till 6pm. His organisation Plett Active Youth, through its Hip Hop vs Crime initiative, yearly hosts a Sharing and Caring event which involves a Christmas show for underprivileged children. “We are currently in the process of fundraising for this party and gifts for the kids who may receive nothing for Christmas, and Saturday’s event will feature live performances by 14 local artists, musical entertainment, and fun games with prizes sponsored by Spur,” explains the big-hearted local. “There will also be fish and chips at R30, all of which will bolster our annual Sharing and Caring party funds. Come and enjoy a fun day with your family and help us help others.” Anyone who wants to get involved or contribute can call Faizel - see the advert on this page for contact details. Also take note that the first Plett Accommodation Association (PAA) Hospitality Trade Fair is taking place TODAY at the Piesang Valley community hall from 11am to 4pm. This is a great opportunity to network, view new products and meet hospitality industry service providers. Please support this initiative and feel free to bring a friend - the PAA organising crew would love to see you all there! Call Patty on 083 453 5331 for more information. Then, B10F is hosting a Sandcastle Competition on Central Beach in front of Plett Surf Lifesaving Club on Saturday, with registration starting at 9am. The competition starts at 10am and ends at 11am, which gives participants enough time to complete their masterpieces. Enter in any of the three categories Junior, Senior or Group (family and friends) - at R10 per single entry and R20 per group. See the advert on page 5 for more information.
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29 August 2018
Paws
Plett Animal Welfare Service
CLASSIFIEDS
ON THE SOAPBOX
29 August 2018
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
Open letter to town fathers and mothers on the subject of Plett’s dark dolphin art
SHADY CIRCLE: Shedding some light on Robert Leggat’s masterpiece would serve more than a single porpoise… erm, purpose!
I have in the past on several occasions - through direct contact with the relevant municipal departments and local newspapers - tried to promote the illumination of the wonderful dolphin sculpture Plett is so privileged to have. All to no avail. It occurred to me when I received notice of this week’s AGM, that Plett Tourism could be the catalyst in this matter. I’m not from Plett but live fairly nearby and visit town frequently, especially in the evenings. Besides giving this work of art the exposure it de-
serves, there is a practical purpose it would serve as well. That busy road junction is dark at night, and introducing some form of lighting would improve safety both for vehicles and pedestrians. If Bitou Municipality hasn’t the will or the finances (surely the cost can’t be a factor?) then some wealthy and/or sympathetic sponsors could easily be found. Here’s hoping that I’ve contacted an audience with some clout, which recognises the merits of this suggestion. ‘Bene Lux’, Knysna
Cry, the beloved country - still… I write in response to the latest racist video trending in South Africa, shot by Adam Catzavelos on some idyllic beach where he uses the K-word with relish. Let me start by saying that I didn’t have to write this - we shouldn’t have to do this in 2018; it’s tiring and distracting. Over 24 years since the dawn of democracy, South African race relations are again exposed. We have yet to become a fully transformed country, partly owing to our painful and violent past. We don’t trust but only tolerate one another, across all racial lines. It’s evident in our everyday lives, like when two differently-coloured people enter an elevator and the atmosphere becomes tense, or those fake grins encountered when we pass
each other in the corridors. Look guys, we don’t even have to like one another, but mutual respect is always welcome. I personally avoid all white spaces, like dining at a restaurant where the only blacks are the service staff. It’s very uncomfortable, and such spaces tend to be toxic. It’s like being the only black at a dinner party - unnecessary and undeserved attention. So when the Adam Catzavelos and Penny Sparrows of this world spring up and make racist comments, yes we are outranged, but not entirely surprised. Some of us expect racism from white people (because the belief is that white South Africans don’t want to transform), even from the ones we work with every day and consider to be ‘progressive’. The
Let’s get the land facts straight, please Can someone please tell me the exact amount of land owned by white people in this country? It cannot be the 13% banded about in the media. Take out land owned by government, municipalities, state institutions, tribal land and trust land, national parks, roads, railways, the old homelands like Transkei, all the farms that have been trans-
ferred in the last 20 years, state forests, government buildings, and state land leased out to private companies - and now forcibly occupied by informal settlements. The list is without end, so let’s stop the bull-dust and have a little honesty if possible. Emotionalism and reality do not sit comfortably together in our country, unfortunately. Paul Deans, Plett
reason is that your silence and inaction in combating such deep-seated hatred makes you complicit. Covert and subtle racism is more dangerous than outbursts from nincompoops like Adam Catzavelos. Springbok rugby star Ashwin Willemse walked out during a live broadcast on SuperSport, not because the ‘K’ was said, but because he felt undermined and small. This is an everyday experience for most black South Africans, especially in corporate environments. In his case, racism can’t be proven, because how do you prove a feeling? White South Africans who are not racists should stay away from the broken record of “Not all of us…” and “We distance ourselves…” This is not helping; what are you doing to stop racism in the circles you socialise in? At the dinner party where a black servant is the subject of a trivial joke, at the golf club where the president is called all sorts of names, when your spouse treats the domestic worker with utter disdain, chances are most white people look
the other way, although knowing fully well that an injustice has occurred. Your silence in these situations is telling, and very loud. The fact that Adam was comfortable enough to make a public video shows that he has before shared his hatred of black people with friends and family, and no one called him out. He ended up believing that his views were correct and generally accepted. His friends and family failed him, in that they helped breeding a monster - and the same goes for the society in which he has honed these ‘attributes’. It was in 1948 when Alan Paton wrote: “Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear.” What it is that frightens white people so, is beyond me. It’s a question I won’t attempt to answer; you white folks must find yourselves. To my black brethren: much has been said, we’ve seen this movie before. I’ll leave you with Biko - and I paraphrase: “It’s either you’re alive and proud, or you’re dead.” Wandisile Sebezo, KwaNokuthula
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SPORT & ADVENTURE
29 August 2018
Plett and BUCO adventure racers shine bright at Full Moon Kouga DVENTURE racing teams from all over the country were welcomed back to Cape St Francis Resort over the weekend, all of them ready to take on the 120km route of Kinetic Events’ Expedition Africa Full Moon. Race organisers Heidi and Stephan Muller needed no introduction after having successfully hosted the 2017 Expedition Africa 500km adventure race.
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The Garden Route was once again well represented with teams all set to take on the 120km of running, mountain biking, canoeing, and a new addition of SUPing (a short special task in the race), all while navigating with map and compass. The route was well designed not only to test the country’s best teams, but also to open the door to the sport of adventure racing to a healthy contingent
of newcomers. With the event being part of a series, the country’s two top short-course teams, Neverest and Jabberwok, were always going to fight it out right ‘till the end and only minutes separated them after 10 hours of racing, Neverest claiming first and Jabberwok second spot. Finishing in third place was Plett’s BUCO Adventure Racing (AR) team, comprisLET THE GAMES BEGIN: Members of Plett’s BUCO Adventure Team and The Bike Shop BUCO Team look dapper before the start of last week’s Expedition Africa - from left are Nic van den Handel, Andrew von Blommenstein, Stef le Roux, Monica Taylor, James Stewart, ‘Netski’ Wylie, and Kevin Evans, with camera-shy Jeff Woody Willcocks missing in action - Photo: Glenn Murray
ing members that conform to the official adventure racing team format of a mix of men and women. In the men’s pairs, it was Plett AR’s Andrew Scott and Petrus Maree who took top honours, running their way into first place after some early errors forced them to play catch-up. Explains BUCO AR team captain James Stewart: “The Full Moon Adventure being a tamer version of the 500km Expedition Africa, this weekend’s race saw a host of novices entering. Plett managed to rope in four newcomers into two teams.� Another Plett outfit, now
KILLER SPECIALS
old hands Three Dutchmen and a Lady, lost the Dutchman and gained a Soutie in the form of Wayne Craig, and finished the course in a creditable time of 16hrs29min. “The Bike Shop BUCO Adventure Team had three novices, but none of them strangers to Expedition Africa. Nic van den Handel followed BUCO as media man at last year’s race. Monica Taylor attended both of the last two editions as media and sports masseuse, and Kevin Evans has been fixing our bikes for the last 10 years after adventures races.
“The bug finally bit and they decided to enter a team to avoid another dose of FOMO. It was a great experience racing with this group, all of whom embraced the sport like a long-lost relative they had seen in photos but had never actually met. “They have adventure racing in their blood and I don’t think they will let go anytime soon. Finishing in seventh place, only one hour behind our experienced racing snake team, was an excellent result,� says James. Visit www.kinetic-events. co.za for more information.
@ KEKKEL SAND KRAAL RD, KNYSNA & PLETT!
Fresh Thighs & Leg Q’s
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R439955 per kg
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R2990 18’s
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