2 september 2015

2 September 2015

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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Water, water everywhere as September dawns - p3 Sea Rescue heroes remembered - p5 Put the spring back in your home - p7

Get ready...

Catch top rockers from left are Albert Frost, Robin Auld and Rob Nagel - at Far Hills Hotel on Sunday September 6, when they will be joined

by Barry van Zyl on drums and bassist Roger Bashew to make the hills come alive, as is their wont during this annual get-together that attracts revellers and families alike - read more on page 6

10 000 free copies of cxpress distributed along the garden route every wednesday

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CXPRESS

News & Views

2 September 2015

Excerpts from ‘The Story of Archerwood’ by Charles Westwood

Part IV

On revellers in our reservoir and exploding Christmas puddings We continue the late Charles Westwood’s account of how Plett’s famous Archerwood was established, having concluded last week’s episode with a 1967 visit by an inspector prompting construction of a first-rate hotel - turn to page 2 of the August 12, 19 and 26 editions at www.cxpress.co.za for the first three parts of this series

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N 1967, the Hotel Board Inspector told us about letters received from various sources to the effect that our restaurant served great food, and that the establishment was worth looking into.

If we increased the number of rooms to 12, he felt that there was no reason why we would not be given a three-

star rating, as he was very impressed with the main entrance and lounge, built at the same time that we remodelled The Cave.

We had put a roof over the entrance courtyard which had three or four wagon wheels inserted into the stonework.

I had previously scoured the town for wagon wheels which

I turned into chandeliers.

All this fitted in well with the wooden chairs and tables I had made for the lounge area.

There was hardly any furniture in the whole place that I had not made myself, including the beds and cupboards for the guests’ bedrooms.

This furniture I designed in conjunction with Ken Louwndes, who was an adviser and travelling salesman for Federated Timbers in Oudtshoorn.

About this time, we had been approached by a building foreman keen on coming to work for us, and we arranged with him to build the eight extra rooms next to the existing four.

So Archerwood Hotel began to take shape.

The roadway from the entrance led up between the first four rooms and the new block of eight. Being crazy, I decided to build a brick archway between these two buildings.

--The 67/68 season went very well. After the great rush was over we realised we were actually beginning to break even financially, and with my wife managing to arrange a further loan through Richardson & Vowles, we built the swimming bath between the hotel reception and the family cottage.

The pool area was surrounded by arches. This had now become the theme of the hotel and I was known in town by the coloured people as ‘Mr Archie’.

--During 1971, we learned that Plett Municipality had started on a new water supply from the Rietvlei Dam to the Plett reservoirs and filtration area.

This new line did not carry along the same route as the old one along the road, but was laid over the middle of our property and we were given a permanent water connection only about 50m from our main reservoir at the top of the property... Great jubilation and loud hurrahs.

This really made our two reservoirs adjoining the ablution block in the caravan park redundant and I decided to do something with them.

At this time, accommodation in the family cottage adjacent to the hotel had become slightly cramped for the growing family, so I ended up making the big 35-foot reservoir into a lounge and the smaller one next to it into a kitchen.

I built on a bedroom at the back of the ablution block, turning the existing store room into a bathroom.

Up to this time, we had continual requests for cheap accommodation for hikers, so we decided to build an annexe in front of and attached

MR ARCHIE’S BEAUTIFUL ARCH: The brick archway can be seen to the right of the hotel

ROOMS WITH VIEWS: The view from Marine Way of the first hotel rooms

to the ablution block to provide 30 double rooms, which would be quite adequate for cheap accommodation.

The annexe was completed and running by the following year. But it brought along its own set of problems.

Many youngsters who patronised The Cave now started booking a room in the annexe for the night, and it often happened that we subsequently found that a number of their friends with nowhere to stay found this very convenient.

After the disco closed, 10 or 12 of them piled into a double room with sleeping bags and slept on the floor... Great dismay the following morning when they staggered out to the car park and found their car tyres were all flat.

Going to reception highly distressed to borrow a pump, they were quite indignant when we refused to let them go without paying for their accommodation. They seemed to feel that hot showers, toilet facilities, and a place to park a sleeping bag should be covered by the entrance fee to the discotheque.

--One night we heard singing from outside the annexe and found it was coming from the water supply tank - this was

about half an hour after The Cave had closed.

On investigation, we discovered that two youngsters in a most inebriated state had somehow negotiated the ladder leading to the top of the water tower and were happily wallowing around in the water supply tank.

Having extracted and severely chastised them, we dumped them into a bed in the annexe. These two were extremely polite and apologetic when leaving the next day.

THE RESTAURANT Christmas Eve was always exhausting for us, being spent steaming 12 turkeys to parcook them, hoping that would be enough for the usual 150 people expected for midday Christmas lunch the next day.

On Christmas morning, several of us were up at 5am and spent hours cutting up the turkeys into portions that were placed in two huge saucepans, ready to be braised in wine.

We also organised cold meats on platters and many bowls of salads.

As always, we had obtained yellowtail from local spear fishermen and a 50lb yellowtail had been steamed, de-boned and prepared the day before for the fish cock-

tail - with lettuce, cucumber, celery, and mayonnaise.

After breakfast, the kitchen had to serve 150 people, which took a lot of organisation.

We served a five-course Christmas meal and as we did not have sufficient crockery or cutlery for this number, soup bowls had to be washed up immediately to serve as dessert bowls for the Christmas pudding. The same procedure applied to plates for the main course, which were washed and returned for cold meats and salads.

One year during the latter part of the meal, five or six huge Christmas puddings steaming away for a number of hours had inadvertently been allowed to run dry.

Suddenly the top of one of the steamers blew off and a number of the puddings burst open.

At the time, Jeff and most of us were shirtless and at once the kitchen seemed full of Indian dervishes leaping around in anguish after being pelted with boiling hot flying Christmas pudding.

Fortunately no-one was seriously burnt and we were able to salvage enough puddings that had not burst to feed our guests.

To be continued...

INVENTING THE WHEEL CHANDELIER: The entrance courtyard’s roof had three or four wagon wheels inserted into the stonework - Charles had previously scoured the town for wagon wheels, which he turned into chandeliers

News & Views

2 September 2015

CXPRESS

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Alleged George taxi thugs set their sights on bail

The 11 men who were arrested for public violence following the recent Go George protests will again take their place in the dock tomorrow in a bid to be released on bail - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports

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HE bail application commenced in George Magistrate’s Court on Monday August 31 and was postponed until September 3.

The men were arrested after several disgruntled members of what is believed to be the local taxi industry on August 19 torched four Go George buses in an alleged attempt to derail the R2.27billion flagship project, following several other protests over the past four months.

Damage so far is estimated to be in excess of R15-million and includes damage to the George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN) infrastructure.

Police also confirmed that 22 minibus taxis were confiscated since the protest during various police roadblocks. Some of the taxis are

allegedly linked to the illegal protest action, while others were ostensibly used in barricading roads in Thembalethu on the outskirts of George.

The protest action stems from the unhappiness of role-players within the George taxi industry with regard to the agreement made between government and owners and operators over compensation.

After lengthy negotiations between government and the affected taxi associations, operators and owners were in 2013 given the option of either relinquishing their operating permits and receiving compensation on a sliding scale per permit starting at R350,000, or becoming shareholders in Go George and receiving a monthly in-

come, also on a sliding scale, starting at about R5,000.

Industry representative from the George United Taxi Drivers association Cornelius Esau have since labelled the agreement as “daylight robbery” and have said the owners and operators signed the agreement out of fear of losing their operating licenses.

Western Cape MEC for transport Donald Grant, however, said adequate negotiations had been done and that about R61-million had already been paid out to owners and operators.

In July the industry announced rolling protest action against the project, and has vowed to continue until compensation negotiations were reopened.

The recent violence was

Spring Day hailed by showers and floods By our going to press yesterday around noon, vitalweather.co.za reported in excess of 60mm of rain received in Plett since midnight, i.e. over a 12-hour period. From first thing in the morning, social media sites and WhatsApp groups were buzzing with reports of road closures, Knysna and Keurbooms and other Garden Route rivers in flood, and veritable waterfalls where solid ground used to be. By 11am, Bitou Municipality’s Communications team had issued a warning that Piesang Valley Road, Stofpad and Keurbooms Road had all been closed due to either flooding or debris, while Wittedrift Main Road was at the time under threat of being closed. It further cautioned that Avontuur Road was not accessible to light vehicles and stated that Plett NSRI volunteers were in the process of assisting with the evacuation of a house in Piesang Valley. In the pic at left, young Kai Müller of Plett takes advantage of the fact that his school in that very valley had been closed for the day by surfskiing on what used to be the park outside his home off Longships Road. The deluge of photos received by CXPRESS will be shared at www.cxpress.co.za - ‘till then, happy SPRING!

not the first time the project was met with resistance. On July 28, about 100 taxi drivers and operators marched through Nelson Mandela

Boulevard in Thembalethu.

In May, a similar march was staged.

In May last year Tom Queba, a leader within the

George taxi industry and the chief negotiator in the engagements with government, was shot and killed.

Garden Route Media

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CXPRESS

2 September 2015

News & Views

Alleged killer applies for bail seven months after arrest Yolandé Stander

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group of Plett residents will be throwing their weight behind an attempt to keep an alleged child killer behind bars.

On Thursday 18-year-old Lulama Candani, accused of slitting eight-year-old Sesona Bhayibhile’s throat and dumping her body near her home in Bossiesgif, was scheduled to briefly appear in court after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) made a decision to transfer his case to the Knysna Circuit High Court.

But in a surprise twist Candani, seven months after his arrest, indicated that he now wanted to apply for bail, despite initially turning down the option.

The matter was therefore postponed until September 11 for a bail hearing in Plett Magistrate’s Court. The high court date was set for No-

vember 23.

“We will protest in mass and [draw up a petition] against the granting of bail for Candani,” spokesman for the anti-child abuse group the Green Hearts of Plett Yvette Wilschut said.

She added that not only did they believe Candani was a danger to society, but also feared that he would flee.

“Or the community might decide to take justice into their own hands. We will make sure we are heard by the powers that be and that this man will not get bail.

We believe he has committed the most heinous crime that cannot go unpunished.”

Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) spokesman Joanne Barrett said although Candani had the right to apply for bail, she felt that this sudden decision so long after his arrest was a delay tactic.

“We find the unnecessary

delays in this case totally unacceptable and intolerable for the family members who are forced to spend time out of work in pursuit of justice.

They are in desperate need of closure,” Barrett said.

Sesona’s mother Binnie Bhayibhile said the decision by Candani caught her “off guard” and upset her. “I came to court to find out the high court date and then this happened. I really hope he does not get bail, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Sesona went missing on December 7 after playing with friends near Candani’s home. When she did not return by 6pm her mother went searching for her. Local street committees and police also joined in the search, but to no avail.

The following day Candani handed himself over to police and pointed out where the body was hidden.

Garden Route Media

All systems go for essential Knysna road maintenance programme

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URING their meeting last Thursday, Knysna’s council approved the R12million allocated for roads in the May budget meeting.

Said Planning, Development and Infrastructure head

Louisa Hart: “Approval of the roads maintenance budget demonstrates that maintenance of infrastructure is on council’s top priority list, and it will assist significantly in dealing with the pot-

hole problem in Knysna.

“Council has identified specific roads that are in disrepair and require urgent attention. This does not mean we are unaware of other areas that also need maintenance. We will consider these once more funding has been sourced.”

Council made the following resolutions: • That pavement management system resealing priorities be funded from R9.5M in the operating budget.

• That the upgrading of Rolihlahla Street be funded from the resealing budget.

• That pavement management system re-graveling be funded from R1.5M in the operating budget.

• That the final decision on fixing of potholes be made as soon as the report on funds needed is available.

Finally, the unallocated R1M in the roads budget will be used for Thubatsi and Heatherdale Streets, and any leftover funds will be allocated to fix potholes.

News & Views

2 September 2015

The story of how sea rescue commanders defied the odds

Plettenberg Bay reader Derek Frielinghaus contributed this classic image and story of two Garden Route men who dodged death and returned from the battlefield to help found the National Sea Rescue Institute

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SRI members have many fascinating personal stories to tell, some of which go back as far as World War II. NSRI Plett station commander Geoff Frielinghaus was captured by Germans after the battle of Sidi Rezegh (not far from Tobruk). As a POW, he spent one and a half years in Italy and two and a half years in Germany before being released by General Patton and his US troops.

Mossel Bay station commander Dick Harris was a navigator/bomber on a raid

over Germany when, over a forested area of the Alps, he was blown out of the plane without a parachute!

The snow-laden trees slowed his descent and Dick believes that he survived because his body hit the mountain slope at the same angle as his free-fall.

With an amputated leg, punctured lungs and numerous broken bones, Dick was hospitalised for many months and says that he owes his life to a wounded German officer who brought him extra food when this was possible,

MASTERS AND COMMANDERS: Dick Harris, left, and Geoff Frielinghaus on the Mossel Bay Rescue Boat during a joint exercise in Plett in 1978

Local heroes lauded at NSRI awards

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URING the National Sea Rescue Institute’s annual general meeting in Cape Town last month, an array of honours ranging from long service awards for volunteer crew, service to the NSRI, and remarkable rescues, were handed over to deserving recipients.

As usual, the Garden Route featured prominently with Station 14 Plettenberg Bay’s Laurent Eray and Dr John Donald being acknowledged for 20 years of service, and Roger Clancy of Station 12 Knysna scoring a remarkable 35-year long service award.

But the star of the hero-

heavy occasion may well have been young Devon Dodd, who won the first-ever Waterwise Academy Recognition Award after saving an unknown man from certain drowning on Freedom Day, April 27, in Buffels Bay. [Turn to page 2 of the May 6 edition at www.cxpress.co.za to read all about it.]

The friendly Grade 8 pupil at Oakhill School in Knysna took the kudos and attention in his stride, and will be on hand when Knysna Lifesaving Club is launched a little later this month.

Watch this space for time/ place details.

and who encouraged him to fight off various infections in order to survive.

Both Geoff and Dick were instrumental in the formation and development of the National Sea Rescue Institute in the early 70s.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

2 September 2015

News & Views

Plett tasting rooms to sip and swirl the day away…

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The SUPERSPORT Let’s Play Physical Education Challenge visited PPS last Tuesday, tasking our Grade 4s (aged 10-11 years) with tackling their obstacle course. The objective of the challenge is to see how many learners can complete the obstacle course in the allocated Physical Education timeframe of 45 minutes. The school with the highest number of pupils finishing the course in the allocated time will go on to represent their province in the finals on November 5, and winners of the final will receive a multipurpose sports court sponsored by the Sports Trust, to the value of R1.1-million.

The Brasswinds Quintet had all our learners boogying to their tunes during assembly.

Some of our Grade 3s make the most of their dialogues.

Our gardens are looking fantastic, thanks to Bonita and Riki Taylor of Feathers Gardens who helped us chip all our trees. Bonita will also assist in future with advice on our lawns and gardens. In the pic, the Taylors along with Darrel Andrews and Pieter Wildeman give a collective thumbs up.

HE Plett Winelands, which stretches 57km from Harkerville to The Crags, is South Africa’s smallest wine region, claiming just 58 of the 100,000 hectares planted countrywide.

Unlike many of the bigger Cape estates, most of the local wine farms are run by the owners and their extended families, offering guests a unique experience of the local viniculture industry.

The farms are producing various cultivars, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while expanding Méthode Cap Classique varieties are growing fast and flavoursome.

It is not uncommon for guests to meet the wine farm owners among the grapevines along this beautiful stretch of indigenous forest, mountainous beauty, and temperate coastal climes.

Since planting of the first grapes 15 years ago, the local wine agri-tourism has grown in size as much as stature, with many vineyards now offering meals and platter pairings with their wine tastings.

Not only are the vineyards

personal and picturesque, but they offer an array of unique attractions, from breathtaking views of the majestic Tsitsikamma Mountains to daily viewings of African elephants - a global first for any wine region.

Plett Tasting Rooms now open: • Bramon Wine Estate / res taurant@bramonwines.co.za / 044 534 8007

• Newstead Lund Family Vineyards / info@newstead wines.co.za / 083 616 0010 • Plettenvale Wine Estate / info@plettenvalewines.co. za / 082 322 0765 • Packwood / vicky@pack wood.co.za / 044 532 7614 • RE Vineyards / vineyards @rareearth.co.za / 084 504 8082 • Redford Lane Wines / laneleanne1@gmail.com / 083 708 0735.

Jon’s recollections a real good read In his memoir recently published on Kindle, Plett resident and former CXPRESS collaborator Jon van den Heever describes his youth in 1950s Cape Town and how apartheid SA, his WW II-hero father, and imported American culture played influential roles in the development of his perceptions. His father’s unlikely conversion to life as a Christian preacher, a family move to the country, his education as boarder at a privileged high school, the draft into military service and an eye-opening early adulthood all provide life-changing experiences for a sensitive young man. After marrying a farm girl, Jon finds himself working on a stud cattle farm for his wealthy and conservative father-in-law and raising a family. Although starting off as an ideal lifestyle, it ends in divorce and a return for Jon to the Cape, where he follows a lifelong dream to work at a newspaper. This is a time of precarious political developments at the end of apartheid, a demanding adjustment to life at the office, and eventually the rewards of working as a travel editor. The cycle is completed as he returns to the country and his ex-wife to get much closer to nature. (Visit www. amazon.com/dp/B0124ETAS2 to find out more.)

Notice Board Please attend the Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association public reportback meeting on September 3 at 5:30 for 6pm at Goose Valley’s Arugula Bistro. Refreshments and a cash bar will be available. Call 076 956 9165 for information.

Congrats on gaining their SWD colours to our tennis champs Doug Harvey, left, and Liam Schulz. Our tennis boys and girls also played friendly matches against Greenwood and lots of fun was had by all. Our top six tennis boys from left are Pierre Basset, Tieg Schulz, Dougi Harvey, Michael Bachle, Liam Schulz and Luc Schulz. The girls from left are Femke Murray, Fenella Hill, Erin de Villiers and Jana de Bruyn.

Casual Day in aid of persons with disabilities celebrates its 21st birthday on September 4. Use your imagination and dress up for the theme ‘Spring into Action’. Donate R10 for your stickers, available at all Edgars, Jet, CNA, Game, Shoprite and Checkers stores. Visit www.casual day.co.za to find out more.

The UCT Choir performs at Plett’s Methodist Church on

September 4 at 7pm. Tickets cost R80 for adults and R50 for pensioners and scholars.

Call Adele on 083 957 3241 and see the advert on page 11 for more information.

Catch top rockers Robin Auld, Albert Frost and Rob Nagel at Far Hills Hotel on Kaaimans Pass for a family affair of note on Sunday September 6. The tunes start at 2pm and tickets at R100 are available from Far Hills on 044 889 0120. A spit roast (R105) will be served from 12 noon. Call Maggie on 082 577 7711 and see www.albertfrost.com or www.bluesbroers.com for additional information.

Attend the PAWS Car Boot

Sale on September 6 from 9am to 1pm at The Market Square. Call Margie Hollely on 044 533 6262 or 082 551 6301 for information.

Knysna Plett Concert Series presents cellist Ben Capps and pianist Pieter Grobler on September 7 at Knysna DRC hall at 7:30pm. Capps began his cello studies at Juilliard Pre-College aged 10 and received a Master of Music Degree from Juilliard in 2010. Grobler joined Maties in 2010 as lecturer in piano.

He has won many awards in both SA and the US. The programme will include works by Britten, Chopin and Mendelssohn. Tickets at the door cost R120 for adults and R30 for scholars.

Feature

2 September 2015

CXPRESS

Get your home and garden ready for Spring!

10 ways to spring clean like a pro

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o one looks forward to spring cleaning, but think how much better your house will feel when it’s done! Here are a few tips from the pros to make your efforts effective: 1. Work down - Always start at the top of your house and work down. Start with the tidying, then go on to dust, clean, and vacuum, in that order.

2. Storage - Clear out your junk! If you haven’t used it in the past year, you don’t need it.

3. Curtain call - Don’t forget the curtains. If you don’t clean them thoroughly at least once a year they will rot. Dry-clean velvet, tapestries, brocades, chenille, and interlined curtains.

Cotton and similar textiles can be washed.

4. Deep clean - Give your carpets a deep clean at least twice a year. If you aren’t up to doing it yourself, hire a carpet cleaner or rent a machine.

5. Thwart moths - Clean the inside of your drawers and wardrobe, and then wipe the insides with cedarwood oil. Kill

moth larvae by washing clothing at the highest temperature possible - or you could stick your clothing in a plastic bag and freeze them for 24 hours.

6. Brighten up - Turn off your lights and remove the shades, globes, and bulbs. Wash the removable parts with dishwashing liquid and wipe the fixed parts with a damp cloth.

7. Turn over - Flip your mattress every three months and switch head and foot as well, which will help it maintain its shape. Vacuum your mattress on a low setting.

8. Freshen the beds - Launder all of your quilts, duvets, and pillows. Both natural and synthetic fibres can be washed, but you may have to head to the laundromat for big machines.

9. Cheer upholstery - Loose upholstery covers should be washed and then placed back on the furniture while still damp to reshape them.

10. Share the load - Don’t do all of the work yourself! Enlist the entire family to chip in.

Join the gold rush this Spring Marigolds have many different shapes and size blooms in shades of orange, yellow, red and bi-coloured, and is a firm favourite in gardens around SA. Just like all bedding plants, marigolds serve as indispensable addition to your garden, bringing warmth with their rich colours and needing very little fussing over to be adequately cared for. Modern hybrids are particularly uniform in growth and stay compact, making them superb plants for a mixed border, a rockery, or in areas where splashes of bold colour are needed.

Plant your marigolds in full sun in a well-composted bed, and deadhead regularly to keep the blooming blooms. (www.lifeisagarden.co.za)

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CXPRESS

Interval

2 September 2015

The principal of the matter…

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ittle Johnny is constantly late for school and what’s worse is that he always has a big lie explaining why.

The teacher tells the principal that she has had it with his exaggerations.

The principal tells her to send Johnny to him the next time he shows up late.

He will tell Johnny a lie so big that he will never tell another one. Ever.

The next day, Johnny shows up two hours late.

Johnny tells his teacher: “I was two hours early today so I had time to fish in the pond on my way to school.

I caught a 17-pound trout

and had to take it home. If I didn’t clean it and freeze it, my mom would’ve been angry. That’s why I’m so late.”

The angry teacher promptly takes Johnny to the principal’s office and explains the story to him.

The principal tells Johnny about his own trip to school that day.

He says: “I was walking to school through the park on the trail today when I heard something behind me. I turned around and was shocked to see a giant grizzly bear behind me. He was 24 feet tall and had 6-inch fangs. He was going to eat me, Johnny!

“Just then a little dog ran

out from the bushes, jumped up and attacked the bear. The little dog killed the bear and then ate the whole bear right there in front of me.

I’ve outlived Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Elvis.

Betcha didn’t see that coming.

Let this be a lesson

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ast year, I went to America on a mountain climbing holiday. I had an accident, and fell 30ft.

I broke both my legs and was bleeding heavily.

I managed to make it to a road, where I flagged down a car which drove me to the hospital.

I crawled into the waiting

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room, and two nurses ran over to me.

“Oh my, are you alright?” one of them shouted.

I said: “I’m absolutely fine, why do you ask?” before passing out.

After waking up in the same spot six hours later, I realised there’s a time and a place for sarcasm.

What it comes down to...

t was a particularly tough football game, and nerves were on edge.

The home team had been the victim of three or four close calls, and they were now trailing the visitors by a touch-down and a field goal.

When the official called yet another close one in the visitors’ favour, the home quarterback blew his top.

“How many times can you do this to us in a single game?” he screamed. “You were wrong on the out-ofbounds, you were wrong on that last first down, and you

missed an illegal tackle in the first quarter.”

The official just stared.

The quarterback seethed, but suppressed the language that might get him tossed from the game.

“What it comes down to,” he bellowed, “is that you STINK!” The official stared a few more seconds, then bent down, picked up the ball, paced off 15 yards, and put the ball down.

He turned to face the quarterback, and said: “And how do I smell from here?”

“What do you think of that, Johnny?”

Johnny replies: “Oh yeah, that’s my dog, Sparky. That’s his third bear this week.”

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Great news!

ome of the old favourite singers and bands have re-released their greatest hits with new titles and lyrics to accommodate their aging audience. Some examples: • Herman’s Hermits: “Mrs Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Walker.”

• The Rolling Stones: “You Can’t Always Pee When You Want.”

• Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Bad Prune Rising.”

• The Who: “Talkin’ ‘Bout My Medication.”

• The Troggs: “Bald Thing.”

• Carly Simon: “You’re So

Varicose Vein.”

• The Bee Gees: “How Can You Mend a Broken Hip?” • Roberta Flack: “The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face.”

• Johnny Nash: “I Can’t See Clearly Now.” • The Temptations: “Papa Got a Kidney Stone.”

• ABBA: “Denture Queen.”

• Leo Sayer: “You Make Me Feel Like Napping.”

• Commodores: “Once, Twice, Three Trips to the Bathroom.”

• Procol Harem: “A Whiter Shade of Hair.”

Social Scene

2 September 2015

CXPRESS

FRIENDSHIPS RENEWED: Inimitable Plett resident Rita Hardaker (née Van Rensburg) shared these photos and wrote: ‘My son Hennie and his wife Cindy travelled from their home in the States to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary last month. Their Renewal of Vows ceremony took place at the Tsala chapel on August 18. What an unbelievable venue, especially for people coming to SA for the first time like their friends Peggy and Joe Lipski, Cindy’s mom Sally and her daughter, Megan. The visitors were totally gobsmacked from the moment they arrived, and every day here was an amazing experience. I wore the same outfit to Tsala as I did to their wedding 25 years ago, feathers and all! My son Ettiene’s daughter Zoë played the flute and looked every bit the little lady, down to her pretty pink shoes. I thank everyone who made this ceremony and the visitors’ sojourn in Plett so very special - our brilliant African choir of three who serenaded the couple, Murray Pienaar for our marvellous dinner and flowers at home, and photographer Ewald Stander for his amazing service. He brought great joy to our little family and friends after a day never to be forgotten.

THEN AND NOW: Rita and Hennie at his wedding in Florida in the USA 25 years ago, left, and last month at Tsala.

Note Rita’s exact same elegant suit and feathers, and the fact that this lady seems to defy the aging process...

People, places & events SPRING KICKS OFF BIOWISE [R]EVOLUTION: BioWise launched its new initiative, the BioWise [r]evolution, on Spring Day. ‘And we’re all set to ignite and enable change that will ultimately make business and life better for all... naturally,” said initiator Sue Swain, adding that the BioWise [r] evolution would implement practical, life-changing projects to demonstrate how functioning like nature would help Knysna evolve into a thriving, resilient and vibrant community. ‘One of the greatest teachers is the indigenous forest on our doorstep - no waste, no unemployment, no polluting, poisoning or depleting of the system.

A key lesson from a forest economy is that it is largely localised with raw materials, products and services procured locally. So that is the focus of our first campaign called Grow Our Own.’ Mutually beneficial partnerships are key in natural systems and central to the BioWise approach, and this campaign is being powered by Trusted Traders.

Swing past the Organic Market in Waterfront Drive where Trusted Trader Johan Silvo’s bio-wise hothouse is on show. Grow seedlings or collect, clean and deliver plastic bottles in exchange for a Trusted Trader buy-back, or place an order for your very own hothouse. Celebrating the clever campaign are, in front from left, Johan Silvo, Melissa Hamman, Adelheid Schmid and Norman Ngwenya, with Mariana Bergman and Knysna speaker Eleanore Bouw-Spies in the middle row, and John Tom and Ash Stiebel at back. Visit www. biowise.org.za for more information.

9 Photos: Ewald Stander (ewardstander.com)

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CXPRESS

2 September 2015

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

2 September 2015

Letters to the Editor

CXPRESS

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

Some electricity users more equal than others A few months ago we read about how “Municipal workers” had stolen millions from the residents of Bitou by overriding their prepaid electricity boxes.

The whole matter has gone completely silent so once again, corruption is being swept under the carpet.

The issue that concerns me

is that certain residents within the community are charged R256.50 (VAT inclusive) per month for the right to have an electrical connection.

I do understand that this charge was introduced in order for the municipality to provide electrical connection to the houses that only get used during the holiday

periods. They should be able to differentiate from these users, and residents that are monthly users.

First of all, is this another way that the municipality pilfers from us residents? Secondly, is this charge applied to all users, or is this again a case where there is selective charging - and, if so, why?

Someone needs to explain the inequality. Maybe the municipality can provide us with an honest answer.

Mike de Klerk, Plett (No response was received from Bitou Municipality by going to press, but we hope to include feedback in this regard at the first next opportunity. - Eds.)

Masizame children grow well - they grow green!

The Masizame Child & Youth Care Centre in KwaNokuthula provides statutory residential care to kids who have been deemed in need of protection by the Children’s Court. They have been victims of abuse, neglect or circumstance.

Children are placed for periods of between six months and two years and Masizame aims to develop them according to their emotional, physical and social needs, under the guidance of trained child and youth care workers, and a senior social worker.

The children of Masizame are proud to show off their latest project: a sprouting veggie garden. They tend the garden over the weekend, although some have been caught getting their fingers dirty during homework hour!

The garden boasts a variety of vegetables from cabbage to broccoli, spinach, lettuce, beetroot and peppers. The children love nothing more than seeing the vegetables they grow find their way onto their dinner plates.

The sense of accomplishment and achievement is fundamental in developing their self-esteem.

The project was started in April after a friend of Masizame, Jill Mouat, encouraged them to get green fingers.

We met Jill last year when she was looking to do her

Litter makes poet sigh

It is such a sorry sight to see Man’s filth neglected so callously To be washed into the Bitou River And then sadly out to the sea.

Plettenberg Bay our beautiful town Why does our municipality let us down?

The day after rubbish collection And this atrocity is left for our inspection.

The man who cared and cleaned this mess Was tragically murdered and look what’s left!

Every day we drive past and turn a blind eye.

Get conscious! What is the solution? I sigh.

- Anti-litter, Plett

FROM GROUND TO TABLE: The kids delight in the fact that their homegrown veggies - from cabbage to broccoli, spinach, lettuce, beetroot and peppers - make their way to the table

67 minutes on Madiba Day. Now she has formed a special relationship with Masizame, cooking and delivering meals for the children once a week.

When entering the gates, she is always greeted with enthusiasm by the children, who can’t wait to see their weekly surprise.

A warm thank you goes to Roadside Nursery for sponsoring the veggie garden by providing Masizame with seedlings. The children appreciated this so much that they wrote Anthony and Sarah of the nursery some creative thank you cards.

Roadside Nursery grows vegetable, herb and flower seedlings to supply nurseries, landscapers and retail chains. In addition, they have a landscaping team for new and established gardens.

If you would like to purchase seedlings, or are looking for some free gardening advice, pop along to their retail store on Beacon Way (from town, at left of the road, just before The Market Square) or call Anthony on 082 202 8899.

Drop us a mail on masizamepr@gmail.com if you would like to make a contribution to Masizame whether through a donation or in kind.

Joan Petersen - Masizame social worker, Plett

La Luna

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CXPRESS

Sport & Adventure

2 September 2015

Bok captains and company to entertain PE crowd in final countdown to Rugby World Cup

T

WO Springbok captains will lead a squad of national rugby heroes for an entertaining panel discussion at the Madibaz Bok Banter gala dinner in Port Elizabeth tomorrow night.

Former SA skippers Hannes Marais and André Vos will participate in the star-studded event, taking place at the NMMU Indoor

Sports Centre in the final countdown to the 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup. Madibaz deputy director of sport Petrus Boukes said the event gave the city’s Springbok supporters an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of some of their heroes’ most memorable moments, get expert predictions on this year’s interna-

tional tournament and scoop up some rare memorabilia.

In 1970, Marais became the former UPE’s first player to run onto the field for his country. The following year he captained the Springbok tour to Australia, where the South Africans earned the nickname ‘The Invincibles’.

Vos was part of the national team from 1998 to 2001 and took over the captain’s armband from Joost van der Westhuizen after the 1999 World Cup. They will be joined by fellow Boks Eben Olivier, Schalk Burger (senior) and Garth Wright, former junior Springbok and TV com-

mentator Gavin Cowley and, arguably the greatest centre ever to don the green and gold, Danie Gerber.

This is in addition to the already announced members of the 1995 World Cup winning squad Hannes Strydom, Hennie le Roux and Garry Pagel, as well as the 2007 world champs’ squad manager Zola Yeye and former Blitzbokke coach Paul Treu.

Boukes said the Bok Banter event would be an unprecedented gathering of some of the country’s biggest rugby legends in the metro.

Just 600 seats were available for this exclusive event and funds from the evening,

which is endorsed by SARU and EP Rugby, will be used towards building a dedicated rugby clubhouse at the Madibaz stadium.

Email at sheree.vanrooyen 2@nmmu.ac.za or call 041 504 4358 for bookings, and go to Madibaz4U on Facebook and Twitter for more Bok Banter.

REVISITING VICTORIOUS 1995: Former Springbok centre Hennie le Roux will be among the star-studded squad of South African rugby celebrities at the Madibaz Bok Banter gala evening in PE on September 3 - Photo: Gerhard Duraan/Saspa

Sport Shorts Caleb Swanepoel lost his leg in a shark attack at Buffalo Bay in June, and the cost of a prosthetic leg will amount to several hundred thousand rands. If readers would like to alleviate the immense financial burden of his medical expenses, donations can be made to the Caleb Swanepoel Support Fund at Nedbank (branch code 198765), Current Acc

no 1107515017, swift code NEDSZAJJ. There is also a ‘donate’ tab on top of his Facebook page, which you can visit for further details.

Diarise Plett Surf Lifesaving Club’s Barefoot Bowls day on September 13. Fierce competition on the greens will be matched by excellent food and family entertainment. Contact Mike Polson

at plettsurf@gmail.com or on 082 553 4625 to get involved. (See the advert on page 4 to find out more.)

REMEMBER THE LOVESHINE? This year marks a gap year for the Ross Taylor surf events held at Buffalo Bay from 2010-14. The legend of Ross Taylor - who survived a shark attack but succumbed to cancer in Knysna in 2010, aged 29 - has grown beyond expectations. Now you can be part of his ‘Remembering the Loveshine’ legacy by owning a limited edition Ross Taylor t-shirt or hoody. Your contribution will give back to charities like Knysna Hospice and locals in need. Call 044 384 1761 or email the.ross.loveshine@gmail.com to order.