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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Plane lands on Lookout Beach
Paddler saved at Eerste River
Remembering those we lost
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Paddle!
Photo: Glenn Murray Photography
30 March 2016
Central Beach in Plett was the place to be last Sunday as we saw yet another successful and fun-filled Pennypinchers Easter Surf Ski Challenge, now in its ninth year‌ and counting! In the pic Jordan Zeelie, left, and Thomas Lovemore dice for the last two spots in the final of the Round the Blinders Dash for Cash. Lovemore took the semi in the photo finish, and the final was won by East London paddler Bevan Manson. Look out for more images in CXPRESS of April 6.
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
30 March 2016
Driving Miss Crazy - Part I
On honing my car-part negotiating skills after meeting the perfect stranger at an art show JEEVES shares his adventures as Garden Route chauffeur extraordinaire... ORED with the small talk and phoney smiles at a recent social gathering, I moseyed off glass in hand to ruminate over a particular painting on exhibition. (‘Why not get totally ham-
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mered tonight, and have a monster of a hangover tomorrow morning, and find out if the artist’s meaning in a painting would change during the process of consumption…?)
The subject in front of me was an African herdsman, spear in hand, with a backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, crayoned images of cattle and various wild animals. A lady appeared next to me, studying the painting. A few moments later, I asked her if she noticed anything missing. She looked at me and pointed at an A4-sized unpainted white block in the bottom right corner of the canvas. “Look at the animals,” I said. We counted giraffe, elephant, rhino, impala, and buffalo. She shook her head. “It’s a Masai, so why the spear?” I posed. A minute passed by. “Oh YES!” she exclaimed. “There’s no lion in the picture!” “Korekt, Ma’am. Maybe Picasso here forgot to put it in, hence the white box,” I quipped. Tomorrow’s hangover was put on hold as we moved around the hall scrutinising and commentating on various paintings - great fun, actually. “Do you know anything about cars?” she asked me out of the blue. Has she seen something in this particular ‘piece’ that I’d missed? “A little - why?” “Well, I always get the feeling I’m getting rippedoff whenever I put foot in the male-dominated world of a workshop. It’s because, being a woman, they think they can pull the wool over our eyes!” “Oh, really? What’s the problem?” “There’s a crack in my windscreen.” “You’ll hardly be taken for a ride on that. I mean, windscreen is windscreen, and price is price, surely?” “Yes, I suppose. And boat is boat,” she said, smiling wickedly. “Shirley Valentine?” I asked with a deadpan look.
She blushed a little. “Anyway, I think you guys always get a better deal, somehow. Look, I know who you are, and maybe you could help me, being a man. Take my car one day, and get a quote for me, would you?” She met my eyes with an appealing, helpless look. (Good Lord. They have such tools, and they know how to use them... my legs buckled!) “That shouldn’t be necessary,” I explained. We went outside to her car, where I noted the VIN number on the licence disc. With this information, a supplier (whether for a battery, exhaust, shocks and so on) just punches it into a computer and up pops
all relevant details pertaining to that vehicle - owner, year, make and model, etc. and he can then access part numbers and prices for whatever’s required. A few more glasses of grape juice, and the art became more and more interesting as our imaginations ran rife. A cheek-to-cheek goodbye, and I promised to shop around and get back to her. I didn’t even get to know her name, but I liked her just the same! --Next day I hit the phone. First call, the motor dealership, parts department (knowing I’d have a good chance of getting the best/ worst price here). “R7,957, Sir, excluding fitting.” “And what’ll that cost?” I naturally enquired. “I don’t know, Sir.” “You mean, you’re the dealer, and you don’t know what it costs to fit a wind-
ART SPOTTING: The painting of an African herdsman including images of cattle and various wild animals was up for discussion... as something was just missing
PRUFE IN THE PUDDING: For less than two grand, Company C provided an SABS-approved no-name brand windscreen, the price including delivery to my lady friend’s house and fitting
screen?!” “No. We don’t do it. You’ll have to ask one of the glass companies.” This I duly did; cost to remove and replace: R735. If I were to pursue the dealer route, they would require payment upfront or the insurer’s claim number, prior to ordering the glass; then I could collect it and take it away to be fitted. Haah! I was right. Mission accomplished. Next call: the glass firms. All those phoned were super-polite, helpful, welltrained AND service-orientated. What an unexpected, pleasant surprise. Company A: cash price R3,095. Insurance price R3,649 (no, not a misprint… x#$@*%). Company B: R4,869 for original or R2,450 for ‘Chinese’ glass... “What’s that?” I queried. “It’s generic. The original one is Shatterprufe - a patent - the other’s called ‘Shatterproof’.” Finally, Company C: R4,389 and R1,837! I asked if it was OK to use the latter, to which I was told: “It’s SABS-approved and also the insurer’s preferred choice.” (‘That makes sense,’ I thought.) “And we’ve had no bad story comebacks.” My no-name lady was overcome with joy at the news, and very appreciative. She elected Company C’s no-name brand, and the quoted price included delivery to her house - and fitting! Now that’s not a deal… it’s a steal! Next day, a friend of hers phoned to find out if I could help her sort out a grinding noise in her car’s engine. She didn’t know what to do as she’d got two conflicting reports from separate workshops. “Help?!” More next week… Buckle your belt - Jeeves.
NEWS & VIEWS
30 March 2016
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Pilots in training make emergency landing on Plett’s Lookout Beach National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) media release reported that NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated at 12h22 on Saturday March 26 following reports of a light aircraft accident at Lookout Beach. The sea rescue craft Ray Farnham Rescuer was launched and an NSRI res-
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cue vehicle, the SAPS, and local lifeguards responded to the emergency. When they arrived on the scene, a Cessna light aircraft was found to have made an emergency landing on the beach. It is believed that the light aircraft may have suffered engine failure while flying over Keurbooms Lagoon
while on a pilot training flight from George Airport, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing on the beach. The two men onboard the aircraft, the pilot instructor and trainee pilot, were not injured, and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) is in the process of investigating the accident.
Plett marches against child porn
A RIGHT TO MARCH: At 10am on Saturday about 100 people gathered at The Grand in Plett’s main street holding posters and wearing T-shirts with anti-child abuse slogans. They marched to the ‘dolphin circle’ and back down to LM Restaurant. – Photo: Astrid Ashurst
Yolandé Stander
EVERAL Plett residents and visitors took a stand against child pornography this weekend after a series of perpetrators were handed down “slapon-the-wrist” sentences in recent months. This, while Plett’s high profile child pornography case is moving towards an end with plea negotiations being wrapped up. Several local activists organised the march, which took place on Saturday morning, in an attempt to have the laws around child pornography changed. This after a 40-year-old Midrand man with links to the same child pornography network Plett’s 37-year-old computer engineer allegedly has connections to, was sentenced to a R100,000 fine or three years behind bars. He was sentenced to a further eight years im-
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prisonment, of which five years were suspended on condition he did not commit similar crimes. He was arrested as part of a police operation known as Cloud 9. The first South African arrest as part of this operation was that of the Plett local who was apprehended on January 13 last year after South African and Belgian police raided his seaside home and allegedly found sections of files containing hundreds of images and videos of violent assaults of mostly babies in nappies as well as internet addresses of more than 300 other alleged paedophiles. Local anti-child abuse group Green Hearts spokesman Yvette Wilschut explained that courts saw the possession and distribution of child pornography as victimless crimes and therefore the lenient sentences. She added that this need-
ed to change as these images were creating a demand for child pornography and therefore more children were being abused. Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) Western Cape representative Joanne Barrett explained that while several laws governed pornography and the creation, circulation, exhibition, distribution and possession of child abuse material, it lacked the necessary prescriptions regarding sentencing for viewing or possession and distribution of these images. “It was a successful march as the streets were busy with many holidaymakers around who got to see our plight,” Wilschut said. She added that they would not stop campaigning for law reform and child protection as long as children were being hurt and criminals were handed down lenient sentences.
SAVED BY THE BEACH: Plett reader Derek Frielinghaus submitted this photo of the light aircraft after its forced landing, and writes: ‘I think this is the third aircraft to use Lookout Beach in an emergency. I believe the plane belongs to George Flying School.’
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NEWS & VIEWS
30 March 2016
Keurbooms River users, take note of this bylaw N March 9, following official authorisation from Bitou Municipality, the River Bylaw Committee met for their first full meeting. Readers are reminded that the River Bylaw was promulgated last December, after a long period of public consultation meetings. There is a no-wake zone (no speeding, maximum
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10km or 5 knots per hour) in fulltime enforcement for all motor boats from the river mouth near Poortjies, through the lagoon and estuary, all the way up to the ski-zone north of the N2 on the Keurbooms River. Skiing, or towing people in any manner, is only permitted between 10am and 4pm, and only in the skizone north of the N2 on
the Keurbooms. In short, no skiing or speeding is permitted south of the N2 bridge. These measures have already had a quietening effect, for the enjoyment of the overwhelming majority of people who use the river and its environs. The beneficial impact on safety of canoeists, board users, swimmers, and sail-
ors - and the natural aspects of wild life, birdlife, water life, vegetation, noise pollution and other factors - are self-apparent. The River Bylaw Committee comprises chairman Errol Finkelstein (river-
watch@parsun.co.za), vicechair Chris Schorn, Alan Croutz, Andre Jerling, Andile Sakati, Chris Schliemann, Freund Oberholzer, Gerry Schultz, Marc Rodgers, Peter Brown, Tracy Meintjies, Thobani Mbo-
nane, and Wayne Craig. Bitou Municipality and CapeNature are planning a joint presence on all Plettenberg Bay rivers this holiday season, so please look out for the friendlywater borne officers.
Paddler rescued after being swept out to sea at Eerste River T 15h30 on Friday March 25, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew initiated a helicopter rescue operation for a paddler reportedly being swept out to sea at Eerste River, between Oyster Bay and Plettenberg Bay. Eye-witnesses confirmed that the man appeared to be in difficulty in a strong off-shore wind and that he was being swept further out to sea, and occasionally capsizing on his sea-kayak. A sea boat rescue operation in the remote area of the coast was not an immediate option and the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter was activated.
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Before responding, the helicopter picked up an NSRI rescue swimmer in Plettenberg Bay. While responding to the scene, NSRI Plettenberg Bay controllers were able to activate local Eerste River fisherman Simone Bekker, who volunteered to launch his private boat. Bekker managed to reach and rescue the casualty paddler, 44-yearold Dewald Viviers, and then brought him safely to shore. A doctor, Jacques de la Harpe, happened to be on the scene when the paddler was brought ashore and he medically checked the casualty who
was found to be mildly hypothermic and suffering some sea sickness, but following brief medical treatment Viviers required no further assistance. It was discovered that Viviers, who was on holiday in Eerste River, had lost his paddle while paddling, causing strong offshore winds to sweep him out to sea. The Skymed rescue helicopter, although arriving on the scene when Viviers was being brought to shore, was not required to land on the scene and stood down to return to base. Bekker is commended for his swift actions.
News Briefs Plett police provide support for victims of violence at home SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Marlene Pieterse last week released a statement in support of victims of domestic violence in Bitou. “We will inform you of the support services that are available in the area and alternative shelters available. Counselling services will be provided if required, as well as medical assistance. “Victims will also be informed of the times and days on which these free services are available,” she said.
When cases of domestic violence are reported, an officer will request that a health care professional collects and records medial evidence to support a criminal charge. Pieterse concluded: “If you have a protection order, we will accompany you to your home to collect your personal belongings.” Call her at SAPS Plett on 044 501 1933 for more info. Crags clinic roof restoration Restoration work will be done to the roof of the Crags clinic from April
1 until July 2016, during which time services will be rendered from two containers and a mobile unit on the premises. Said Principal Communications Officer for Western Cape Government Health’s Eden and Central Karoo Districts Nadia Ferreira: “We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank the public for their patience. Please phone the clinic on 044 534 8737 should you have any queries.” Visit www.westerncape. gov.za for more info.
NEWS & VIEWS
30 March 2016
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History up for sale on SA’s largest classifieds website
I CAN SEE MY HOUSE FROM HERE! The telescope now for sale was mounted for public viewing next to the upper cable station in 1930, just after the opening of the cable car, and some of the illustrious visitors who may have peered through its lenses include the Royal Family during their 1947 South African tour
UMTREE.CO.ZA last week announced that a piece of Cape Town’s history was for sale when it listed the first public telescope placed on Table Mountain in 1930 on its site. The telescope was purchased from the Chief Technical Officer for a brass scrap price by UCT employee and telescope collector Julian Meyer in 1991. At the time, it had fallen out of use as its objective lens was badly cracked and the prisms were chipped. But this does not mean that
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the telescope has lost any of its historical value. “This is obviously a very, very rare piece and would be an amazing restoration project or an extremely valuable collectable for display. Some very important people looked through this telescope during the years it was on the mountain,” says Meyer. The telescope was mounted for public viewing next to the upper cable station in 1930, just after the opening of the cable car. Some of the illustrious visitors who
may have peered through its lenses include the Royal Family during their 1947 South African tour. On this occasion, they were greeted by then 77-year-old Prime Minister Jan Smuts, who not only hiked to the top of the mountain to meet them but arrived back in town in time for a joint sitting of the houses of Parliament. Meyer was able to confirm the telescope’s authenticity via the South African Astronomical Observatory. He also unearthed from online archives a picture of it in place on the mountain. A former Zeiss employee, visiting Cape Town from the United States, was able to provide the exact manufacture date and sent Meyer the original token used to test the timing mechanism, which takes the place of the coins the public used to pay for their spectacular view of the city and the ocean. After spending time trying to get the telescope refurbished by the now defunct SA Navy Optical Workshop and by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company as a possible public exhibit, Meyer finally reluctantly put the precious telescope up for sale. “I hope whoever buys it will have better luck than I did in getting this wonderful telescope back into working condition,” he says. Buyers can view it on Gumtree - the country’s most visited and largest classifieds website which, as part of the eBay Classifieds Group, has a global presence of more than 20 countries and 1,000 cities.
find us on the
upper level
044 533 6300
www.themarketsquare.co.za
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NEWS & VIEWS
30 March 2016
Live theatre helps water saving while unearthing local talent INDLY sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), Lunchbox Theatre embarked on a 10-day tour to municipalities along the R62 at the beginning of March. This road trip was planned with two goals in mind: to perform Lunchbox Theatre’s water-awareness show ‘The Last Drop’ to primary school learners in these towns, and to promote the Eden Drama Festival at the same time.
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The show has proved an effective tool to engage primary school kids in an exploration of water conservation and the economic usage of water. More than 2,000 children saw the show in the 10 towns visited, which included among others Barrydale, Ladismith, Zoar, and Calitzdorp. As this particular area is just emerging from a serious drought, the topic of the Lunchbox production was very timely indeed. In addition, the tour was
INTERACTION SATISFACTION: The Lunchbox crew visited 10 towns along the R62 this month to enlighten primary school kids on water saving with their show ‘The Last Drop’ and to recruit talented youngster to enter the Eden Drama Festival
a great success in terms of promoting the Eden Drama Festival - a competition started by DCAS to provide a platform for performance and development for community-based theatre groups in our district. This year, the festival will take place for the fifth time. The areas visited during the tour did not have entrants before, so DCAS sent Lunchbox Theatre to promote the festival and find more youngsters (aged 15 to 35) who are interest-
ed in theatre. Lunchbox Theatre visited high schools, communities and met local theatre makers, to discuss and hand out application forms. Eventually, of 38 interested youths, at least half signed up for the Festival, with possibly more entries to follow. Big thanks go to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport for supporting an initiative geared towards educating as well as enriching lives through live theatre.
Students now playing their way to top jobs as gaming sector soars in SA N exciting new career sector - gaming - has been quietly growing in the country in the past few years, and has now taken off with gusto as heavyweight degree courses come onto the market to provide professionals for the industry. While in the past gamers were mostly dismissively considered to be idling away their lives, these days what used to be a hobby has become a lucrative and multi-dimensional field of work, an expert says. “Whether as a player, a developer, designer or writer, the gaming industry - also known as the interactive en-
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tertainment industry - provides an exciting new opportunity for school-leavers,” says Nola Payne, Information and Communication Technology faculty head at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education institution. She says the opportunities in the gaming industry are a perfect example of why learners assessing their study options should look far and wide, and beyond the old-fashioned main streams of study. “Traditionally, learners were encouraged to go to universities to study broad
degrees that did not necessarily prepare them for the workplace, but were considered a must-have to be successful in life,” says Payne. “This approach is no longer suitable in the 21st century, however, as there are countless new fields with significant prospects which did not exist five years ago.” Payne says the gaming industry is fast gaining on the movie industry in the country, which creates thousands of jobs every year and is considered to be a prime production destination. “Globally, the revenue generated by the gaming industry now surpasses that of
the movie industry. In 2013, gaming revenues were double that of the movie industry, upwards of $70-billion. And the pool of prize money for the 2015 International Championship in E-Sports was over $18-million. Local career opportunities currently include software development, graphic and multimedia design as well as plot design, map design and storytelling to create the game plan, says Payne. “South Africa already has a thriving and growing game development and design industry, which is set to explode in coming years as leading institutions start
offering major gaming-related degrees.” Currently, only a handful of institutions have responded to the market demand, with UCT offering an elective Game Development major in their Computer Science degree, Wits offering a Game Design degree, and Vega School a degree in Game Design and Development. “Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban all have thriving Game Production and Development companies building their portfolios and reputations as forces to be reckoned with. As the industry continues to grow,
so will the demand for qualified gaming professionals,” she says. Already, Google returns countless hits on a search for gaming careers in SA, with many vacancies in the field. “Gaming has really come into its own as a respectable and viable career option and is no longer only a pie-in-the-sky option for nerds hoping to make a living from their passion. “Institutes of higher education have realised it as the most exciting new options for a career, and it is expected that the current offering will dramatically increase within the next decade.”
BUSINESS
30 March 2016
Effective tools for entrepreneurs BRAHAM Lincoln said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Lincoln’s productivity secret was good preparation and using an effective tool for the task. It’s the same for entrepreneurs - adequate groundwork and effective tools are key to business success. CEO of SMEasy and established entrepreneur Darlene Menzies gives a few tips to help you become more efficient and productive. Be well prepared at the start of the week Set aside Sunday afternoon to prepare for the coming week. Attend to emails you haven’t answered, write checklists and prioritise them - including setting time aside to communicate with clients or staff who need your attention. Doing your Sunday prep will clear your mind for the coming work week and will ensure that nothing slips through the cracks if the week becomes chaotic. “The only way to be proactive is to prepare,” says Menzies. “Positive ordinary preparation precedes extraordinary accomplishment.” Check your bank
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statements every morning Cash flow is the life of any business and without sound money management, things will unravel quickly. Keep an eye on what payments have been paid and what payments are outstanding, and determine how much cash you still need to bring in for the month to meet commitments. Staying on top of the business’s financial status will ensure that you can easily detect anomalies and take the necessary steps to correct them immediately, while giving you the necessary time to arrange finance to bridge any cash shortfalls you may have. Your mobile phone is key Mobile phones are important business tools for every entrepreneur - ensuring you can get hold of clients and they can get hold of you is paramount. Your phone is crucial to maintaining good relationships and eliminating delays in communication when it comes to urgent issues. A flat battery during your business day can be very costly. A helpful tip is to buy a spare battery and carry it with you at all times, so you are never unreachable when clients need you. Sending emails to your
mobile phone is another helpful way to ensure you are kept updated at all times and can be in constant contact with staff and clients. Raising finance When trying to raise finance for your business, potential lenders want to look at both your business and personal finance to gauge your eligibility for the loan. As such, it is important to ensure that your salary payments from the business are paid consistently each month into your personal bank account. If your salary is not reflected each month, then it is likely that your business loan will be rejected. A tip if you have a month when the business can’t afford to meet all its monthend expenses is, if it pays you your salary, make sure this payment is done first before all other business expenses are paid. Once it is reflecting in your personal bank account, you can loan it back to the business to cover other expenses. By doing this, you are providing proof that your monthly salary is guaranteed, which will assure lenders that you are low risk. In this way, securing finance will become much easier.
Offer early payment discounts to clients Most clients make payments 30 to 90 days after receiving your invoice. That’s not a problem if your company has a large cash reserve to cover expenses; however, if you don’t have a cash reserve, you could run out of money. This is a common situation for many businesses and affects small and large companies alike. There is a simple solution to this problem: offer your clients an incentive to pay quickly. Offering a discount for making immediate payments can improve your cash flow, often in a short period of time. It’s simple to implement and very effective. While you may receive less money, you will have the available cash to cover month end commitments. It can prove cheaper than paying interest on bridging finance. If you are running a small business, then becoming a better entrepreneur should be your goal. Make sure you prepare well for each new week, keep on top of your finances and your email admin and look out for effective tools and smarter ways to grow your business. - www.smeasy.co.za
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Bitou mayor joins Bill Gates, royalty, and presidents in local Rotary fold
Bitou mayor Memory Booysen was inducted as Honorary Member of the local chapter of Rotary at Plettenberg Bay Country Club last month during a function that coincided with the Rotarians’ annual Bonanza Draw. This makes him part of a very exclusive club, worldwide. Other notable dignitaries and influential people who have been inducted by Rotary International include President Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis, Neil Armstrong, Prince Bernard of the Netherlands, Sir Winston Churchill, American presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John F Kennedy, English monarchs Prince Philip and Prince Charles, Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Walt Disney, Bill Gates and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. As honorary member, mayor Memory Booysen has access to all Rotary Clubs around the world, and enjoys all rights and privileges accorded to members except for the right to stand for elections, vote in an election, or vote on policy decisions related to Rotary business. Mayor Booysen, second from left, expressed his humble gratitude to be bestowed with this extraordinary recognition. Flanking him in the pic are Adje Bos, left, and outgoing Plett Rotary President Ate Bos, and incoming President Patrick Leary, at right.
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30 March 2016
OBITUARIES
Romey left this world with grace and peace ROMEY HOPE: 13 April 1926 - 13 March 2016 OMEY Hope came to Plett in 1982, once husband Robin had retired and her lastborn child had left the home. She bought a sandy strip of fynbos at Ganze Vallei on the Bitou
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where she set about making a home. She was a builder and a maker and a doer, and leaves behind a beautiful home surrounded by a forest garden.
She also built deep and lasting friendships with people everywhere in Plett and will be very much missed, whether by her sewing group, her book club, her extended family
here and the many, many people she was involved with in all different places in the community. She died suddenly but peacefully at home on Sunday morning March 13, exactly one month short of her 90th birthday, and looking forward to celebrating her birthday with her beloved family. Her friend Emmy Foot has complained: “That Romey, she always got what she wanted!” - and certainly Romey left this world as she lived her life: with grace and peace. Thanks to all in Plettenberg Bay who have shown such love and support for the family.
Romey with her fourth and last husband Robin (49 years married) on Robberg
Romey with an eagle owl at The Heath
Romey with some of her family at son PJ Hope and Cathy Fisher’s wedding at her home on December 20, 1998 - PJ stands behind his mom, who’s flanked by her daughters Judy, Cass, and Moz
Pallie Blue passes away on Human Rights Day
At Shelly Wells and Euan Wildeman’s wedding
With granddaughter Julia Hope (now 16) on the lawn at her beloved ‘Saltings’
Granger Wilson-Trollip, known to most of his Plett friends as ‘Gay’, passed away on March 21 at The Helderberg Village. Bank manager at Barclays during the 70s, these were some of his and Joan’s happiest and most fondly remembered years. Farewell Pallie Blue - cherished always by Joan, Cindy, Mark and the grandchildren, as he cherished us. • A memorial service was held on Saturday March 26 at The Helderberg Village. The picture shows Granger with his dearly beloved Joan.
Romey with daughter Marion ‘Moz’ Leathem at the reopening of the Fountain Shack on Robberg - a project she strongly supported
With family friend Peg Matthews (mother of David Matthews) at Bosky Dell near Harkerville in the 1970s
SOCIAL SCENE
30 March 2016
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People, places & events
Photos: Timothy Twidle
FIVE ARTISTS, FIVE CONCEPTS: The studio of Plett artist Myfanwy Bekker - on the right in the pic at left - was packed to capacity on the evening of March 23, when some 140 people shoe-horned themselves into the limited space of her workplace of artistic endeavour for the opening of an exhibition entitled ‘Five Artists, Five Concepts’. Bekker kindly made her studio available for the display of works by Ingrid Coerlin, Carmen Clews, Donné Rundle, Teresa Angless, and Terry Zoeller. At the opening, each artist gave a brief overview of their modus operandi and methodology to explain the inspiration and rationale of their work - a move that clearly resonated with those attending, for several sales were recorded during the course of the evening. The works are innovative, cutting edge and refreshingly original. Says Myfanwy: ‘The exhibition is conceptual in that each artist has chosen a personal and meaningful concept and has described it by means of painting, drawing, sculpture and text, set to music.’ View this exhibition at Lookout Centre in Main Street until April 6 and call 076 066 0483 for more information. Pictured from right are Ingrid, Terry, and Donné in front of her painting ‘Integration’, presenting Myfanwy with a red rose as gesture of thanks for organising and arranging the exhibition.
BRING IT ON HOME! From left, star Nippers Jade, Henri, and Stella show off the pretty new shirts they’ll be sporting on the beach in Durban when participating in next week’s Nippers Nationals from March 31 to April 2. We wish the strong contingent of Plett kids, coaches, and parents the very best of luck in this top-level tournament – watch this space for details.
Photo: Glenn Murray Photography
EMO TAKES THE CAKE: Chris Ferreira of the Beacon Island and Bitou Rugby fame shared this picture of his wife, Tilana, and boys Stefan and Ruben with über entertainer Emo Adams after his hugely enjoyable slot during the inaugural Plett on the Rocks Jazz Festival on Central Beach earlier this month. We’re not sure if the Ferreiras requested his autograph, or if the superstar of SA stand-up comedy and music hoped to get this famous Plett family to sign their names on his shirt…
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INTERVAL
30 March 2016
A husband and wife had a fight. The wife called her mom: “He fought with me again; I am coming to stay with you.” Mom: “No dear, he must pay for his mistake. I am coming to stay with you!”
Text to the neighbour...
The error message
guy sends a text message to his next-door neighbour: “Bob, I’m sorry. I’ve been riddled with guilt and I have to confess. I have been helping myself to your wife when you’re not around, probably more than you have. “I know it’s no excuse but I don’t get it at home. I can’t live with the guilt any
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longer. I hope you’ll accept my sincerest apology. It won’t happen again.” Feeling outrage and betrayed, Bob grabs his shotgun, charges into the bedroom, and without a word, shoots his wife. Moments later Bob gets a second text: “Really should use spell check! That should be ‘Wi-Fi’.”
Lady lost in a snowstorm HILE driving, an American blonde became lost in a snowstorm. She didn’t panic, however, because she remembered what her dad had once told her. “If you ever get stuck in a snowstorm, just wait for a snowplough to come by and follow it.” Sure enough, pretty soon a snowplough came by, and she started to follow it.
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She followed the plough for about 45 minutes. Finally, the driver of the truck got out and asked her what she was doing. The blonde explained that her dad had told her if she ever got stuck in a snowstorm, to follow a plough. The driver nodded and said: “Well, I’m done with the Wal-Mart parking lot, do you want to follow me over to Best Buy now?”
Praying for Christmas gifts WO young boys were spending the night at their grandparents the week before Christmas. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers, when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs: “I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE... ”
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“I PRAY FOR A NEW NINTENDO... ” “I PRAY FOR A NEW STEREO... ” His older brother leaned over and nudged him, saying: “Why are you shouting your prayers? God isn’t hard of hearing.” The little brother replied: “No, but Grandma is!”
The negative double positive linguistics professor was lecturing his class the other day. “In English,” he said, “a double negative forms a positive. However, in some languages, such as Russian, a double nega-
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tive remains a negative. But there isn’t a single language, not one, in which a double positive can express a negative.” A voice from the back of the room piped up: “Yeah, right.”
One of those long sermons HIS past Sunday, Mary Ellen and Elisabeth went to the 10:30am service. The new pastor was long winded and his sermon was quite long. After the service was finally over, Mary Ellen said to Elisabeth: “The sermon was beautiful don’t you think?” Elisabeth replied: “Oh yes
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BOOKING ESSENTIAL
it was, but a bit too long. Next week I’m bringing my cushion to sit on, these benches are too hard.” She continued to say: “You know Mary Ellen, at one point during the sermon I thought my butt went to sleep.” Mary Ellen replied: “I know dear, I heard it snore three times.”
OUNG Susie was having trouble with her computer so she called Wesley, the computer guy, over to her desk. Wesley clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem. As he was walking away Susie called after him: “So, what was wrong?” Wesley replied: “It was an ‘ID ten T’ error.”
A puzzled expression ran riot over Susie’s face. “‘An ID ten T’ error? What’s that, in case I need to fix it myself next time?” Wesley gave her a grin. “Haven’t you ever seen an ‘ID ten T’ error before?” “No,” Susie said. “Write it down,” Wesley said, “and I think you’ll figure it out… ” … ID10T.
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
30 March 2016
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FOOD & WINE
30 March 2016
PeeBee’s Wine Column
Peter Bishop
Looking for ‘daardie geur en daardie smaak’ at Grand Reserve relaunch HE relaunch of Delheim’s famed Grand Reserve marks a positive move in the Simonsberg’s farm’s history. In the family house at Driesprong, 85-year-old Spatz Sperling - who conjured the majestic 1981 Grand Reserve with his then winemaker, Kevin Arnold is confined to a wheelchair, and cared for by his dear wife, Vera, who has been an inspiring force on the farm. There is only one of that tremendous 1981 left on the farm - but who will be the lucky taster? The next generation is fully involved. Daughter Norah Theal Sperling does the marketing and elder son Victor coordinates with top viticulturist Etienne Terblanche and the serious-minded winemaker Reg Holder - all the while wearing that huge Sperling smile of his dad and the consideration of his mom. Victor and Norah explored the soil and vines on the Vera Cruz site and decided to cull the Grand Reserve from 2009. With the impulse of Etienne and Reg, it was felt in order to reintroduce the farm’s icon wine. The 2013 Grand Reserve was launched in Johannesburg and in Cape Town to various members of the media. Presented prior to a sumptuous meal were the Grand Reserve of 1984 made by Kevin Arnold (now Waterford) and costing only R6, the 1987 by Philip Costandius (now making great Cabernet
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Sauvignon at Oldenburg), the structured 1991 by Conrad Vlok of Elim and the still-young 1999 by Brenda van Niekerk - now on the West Coast. Tastes differed, and the challenge was there to match and beat the best of the past. In Johannesburg, the 1991 stood out and in Cape Town the 1984 evoked memories. The final move in the relaunch of its icon was the announcement that Reg Holder - trained by the great Neil Ellis - had been promoted to Managing Director of Delheim. It’s also the final word in the collective drive for excellence as vineyards are replanned and the range is refashioned.
gemeend 1979), that Spatz bought Vera Cruz, modernised the cellars, went to Bordeaux with young Kevin Arnold, and had something that he could hand on to his children. It took aeons for Spatz to ‘christen’ the wine Grand Reserve, and a week later found that it was the name of a cheap brandy. He was the first to use the word ‘Reserve’, which has a different meaning to those guys on Heyneke Meyer’s bench. The beautiful black label was compelling. I duly tasted the 2013 Grand Reserve, albeit young and in the process of shaping. One could get that unique Simonsberg herbaceous nose, and the identifiable
Spatz had written: “It has been a good life. Africa has been good to me. By the Grace of God I now live to serve my children and I am sure that they will do that in turn.” It was 1973 when Spatz risked all to purchase the Vera Cruz vineyard that offered quaint buildings, a great view of Table Mountain and copious pig manure. He was able to fill a dam once the pines on the hillock were cleared. Since 1996, Delheim has developed an alternate icon - the Vera Cruz, whose Syrah has a fine following. But the sentiment is with Grand Reserve. It was for the reason of producing a top Cape Bordeaux blend, encouraged by his friend Billy Hofmeyr (who was to launch the Wel-
blackberry taste - a balance between the ripe pyrazine (lead pencil), the darker berries and, of course, the new French oak. I have been lucky enough to regularly taste Grand Reserves and looked for ‘daardie geur en daardie smaak’. The wines were not filtered in the early days, and filtered now with coffee filter paper, the taste of the older vintages, especially if chilled a bit, proved to be tremendous. Sentiment is not too far from the heart of a Sperling. Victor is quoted: “The vision and the passion will
never die as long as we can continue to harvest the icons they created. Grand Reserve deserves to be part of that legacy.” Spatz had written: “It has been a good life. Africa has been good to me. By the Grace of God I now live to serve my children and I am sure that they will do that in turn.” I was very impressed by the comments and the questioning of the guy next to me - sharp and prepared to challenge. So many of the media ‘enjoyed the day’. It worked out to be Miguel Chan of Tsogo Sun - a big buyer at the Guild Auction. He has great pragmatic knowledge and opinion. After tasting the 2013, Miguel said it was a generous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, very savoury, and it was ‘played safe’ with the tannins. Reg replied that there was a bigger extension of time on the skins, with pump-overs after fermentation. The tannins are longer and give a softer perception, but is the factor that will ensure ageability. “I seek a middle point - more plush than elegant.” So the 2013 is out there. “We intend to wow the industry! There are three pillars we built on: the fruit, the sense of place, and in reflecting the vintage.” • PeeBee has kept his palate alive since 1975 when he met Beejay Lankwarden in the Wilderness. He explores local, national and international wines, looking for ‘the cutting edge’.
Meet Plett’s best-kept culinary secret at The Market Casa Angelo Pizza & Pasta opened for the delicious business of authentic Italian food on March 2 at The Market in Plett’s Main Street. A recent arrival from Hout Bay in the Cape, Angelo Roberto decided to leave the bustle of big city life to join close friends on the Garden Route, but couldn’t resist the temptation to treat local diners to his home-made and organic Italian fare – from delicate handmade gnocchi and cannelloni to crisp thinbased pizzas with only the freshest local ingredients. His tiramisu is to die for, too, and daily offerings on his concise menu vary as seasonal products become available. Swing past his stall to see this maestro at work, or give Angelo a bell on 078 512 7104.
HOME & HEALTH
30 March 2016
Top UK psychiatrist trains Garden Route mental health professionals OCTOR Elspeth McAdam, who recently retired from the NHS in the United Kingdom, is one of Britain’s leading psychiatrists in the field of child abuse and exploitation. Dr McAdam presented a one-day workshop in Plettenberg Bay on March 2, attended by 23 psychologists and mental health professionals from along the Garden Route. The full workshop was titled ‘Using Systemic Appreciative Practices when working with individuals, couples and families’. The course was fully accredited by HPCSA for CPD purposes. Dr McAdam’s work is global in nature. She has
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GLOBAL IMPACT: Dr Elspeth McAdam has worked in countries such as the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Tanzania, India, Chile and Columbia, and earlier this month presented a workshop to Garden Route mental health professionals, as facilitated by Dr Elaine Finkelstein, inset
presented workshops and worked in community projects in several countries including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark,
Greece, Tanzania, India, Chile, and Columbia. The course was a huge success, with those who attended subsequently com-
menting that they have introduced the principles of Dr McAdam’s approach into their work. The event was organised by Dr Elaine Finkelstein, a psychologist in Plett, and we hope it will be the first of many such workshops. • Email elaine@finkelstein.pro to find out more, or to find out about Elaine’s series of seminars being presented in Plett this year. The first is titled ‘Near-Death Experiences - Profound and transformational insights from those who came back’. It is proving very popular and has been repeated several times to small groups, so enabling attendees to really connect with Elaine and the material.
Avoid these weighty mistakes made by many pet owners to put a pet on a diet. “About 95% of my patients absolutely love their special diet food and the transformation is remarkable; limping pets start walking normally and breathing difficulties become a problem of the past. “As the excess weight melts away, they become more energetic and much happier.” Another error is feeding just once a day. “At least ‘For a medium-size dog, just 100g of boerewors is equivalent to 22 mini-koeksisters! WINNING SLIMMER: Veterinary nurse Sister Cindy du Preez has helped scores of obese patients reach their goal weight, like Milo, who won a national slimming competition last year after she helped him get rid of nearly half his bodyweight
HEN it comes to managing our pets’ weight, it seems South Africans have got a lot to learn; vets says that more than half the pets they see weigh more than is healthy. Veterinary nurse Sister Cindy du Preez is in a position to give top notch advice, as she runs one of the most successful pet slimmer facilities in the country, at Bakenkop Animal Clinic in Pretoria. For the past five years, Sister Cindy has helped scores of obese patients reach their goal weight. Many have made it to the finals of the annual Hill’s Pet Slimmer of the Year competition - including
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Milo, the Jack Russell who took the 2015 title after having shed 46% of his bodyweight (6.5kg), and 2013 winner Hector. Sister Cindy says there are several common mistakes many owners make in the battle of the bulge. The first is in thinking it’s cruel
two meals a day helps keep the metabolism going and eases hunger pangs. Measure out their daily food and then divide it up into two or three smaller portions.” Table food and sweet treats, however, are a definite no-no. “Schedule feeding times before preparing a meal and keep pets out of the kitchen. Show your love with play, exercise and attention rather than food. “For a medium-size dog, just 100g of boerewors is equivalent to 22 minikoeksisters!” Too many owners think that a ‘light’ diet is equal to a weight-loss diet. “Light is for weight maintenance or preventing weight gain. It is a real struggle to get overweight pets to lose weight on light food.” Visit www.petslimmer. co.za or ask your local vet for more information on managing your pet’s weight. NO MORE SWEET TREATS! Show your love with play, exercise and attention rather than food, ‘coz fat pets aren’t happy pets, no matter how you dress it...
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HANDY TIP: Putting a small amount of 7up in a flower vase will preserve your flowers for much longer.
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CLASSIFIEDS
ON THE SOAPBOX
30 March 2016
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
Who can help me find peace in Plett? This time last year, I went to Plettenberg Bay SAPS to complain about a shebeen, called Mjingo’s Tavern, in Qolweni. The loud music over weekends forced me to take this step. I couldn’t face another Easter without any sleep. To my disgust, nothing was done about my complaint. I then went to see the Station Commissioner. Promises were made to me, but still nothing happened. With a great deal of effort, I eventually managed to open two cases of disturbance of the peace. The state prosecutor requested the police to act
against Mjingo’s for selling liquor without a licence. To my dismay, the police didn’t act on the state prosecutor’s request. According to the Liquor Act no. 59 of 2003, act 35, the sentence for selling liquor without a license is R1-million or five years imprisonment. According to Bitou municipal bylaw Act 3(1) (p) (v), no person is allowed to play loud music. I was referred to the Law Enforcement department to deal with this matter. A notice of compliance was issued against Mjingo’s tavern, as well as the Rasta
Rotary Plettenberg Bay thanks YOU Sales of the 2016 Rotary Calendar raised a little over R75,000 to be deployed in the support of local charities, and Rotary Plettenberg Bay extends a big thank you to each of you who purchased one or more calendars, gave them to friends or sent them abroad. We are reliably informed of many first-time visitors to the region who included Plett in their itineraries after paging through one of our calendars. Thanks must also go to sponsors Chas Everitt International, Harkerville Saturday Market, Herbalife Independent Distributors, Hog Hollow Lodge, Kurland Hotel, Lemon Grass Restaurant, LM in Plett, The Market Square, Mazars, Personal Trust International, Plett Property Management, Plett Tourism, Robberg Fine Foods, Sabrina Love, and The Fat Fish. Advertisers included Abseil Adventure & AfriCanyon, Cornerway House, Emily Moon, Hog Hollow Horse Trails, Knysna Elephant Park, Lilypond Country Lodge, Ocean Blue, Ocean Safaris, Ruby’s Kiss, Sanlam Private Wealth, Skydive Plett, The Bike Shop, and Total Beacon Isle. Contributing photographers were Africanyon, Anne Hrabar, Anton Boschoff, Daron Schatz, Eileen Covarr, Gordon
Smith, Grace Harrison, Gwenith Penry, Jaques Marais, Laura JamiesonChatz, Sophie Thompson, Stuart Brink, and Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours. Plett’s Rotary Anns must be commended for a spectacular sales effort at The Market Square; as anyone who undertakes these sales will know, this is hard work requiring a special kind of dedication. The Anns sold more than any other group - well done and a big hug to them all. We wish our 2017 Calendar to be a very special presentation of superb photographs highlighting the beauty of the area from Wilderness to Nature’s Valley, with the main focus still on Plett. Should you have a really special, relevant, scenic, high resolution photo that you are prepared to share, we’d love to see a low res version (email to pickers@iafrica.com) for possible inclusion. Come November 2016, please look out for this limited edition publication which we hope will once again enjoy your same generous support, attract further newcomers to enjoy this magnificent region we oft-times take for granted, and support Plett’s and Rotary’s common goal of providing meaningful lives for less fortunate inhabitants. David Pickering obo Rotary Plettenberg Bay
near the footbridge leading to Qolweni. The Rasta at the footbridge, plays loud music every morning as well as some nights. The notice of compliance didn’t deter either of them. I was then forced to complain to the Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Services, as well as to the Minister of Police, without any success. I have tried twice to make an appointment with the mayor, without any success. I even complained unsuccessfully to the DA offices. Twice, two Fridays ago, I personally went to the Rasta to request him to turn his music softer. He was so heavily under the influence, presumably dagga, it felt like talking to a brick wall. He plays his music over a PA system. Needless to say, he ignored my request. This whole dilemma forced me to put my house on the market, way below market price. I have to take medication. Nobody - and I mean nobody - in Plettenberg Bay, wants to act against the above-mentioned persons. I have been driven out of my own home by criminals. After a year, fighting a losing battle, it feels to me that the police and the municipality in Plettenberg Bay don’t care about their citizens. Just look what happened in Plettenberg Bay during Christmas and New Year. Although there is a liquor act and bylaws, people were allowed to drink and be drunk in public places. During that period nobody could dare walking in Odlands because of stabbings and robberies. The big question is: Can the police and Law Enforcement in Plettenberg Bay enforce the law? Why don’t the police act against people who are selling liquor without a licence despite the stiff sentencing? Is it because they are incompetent or are they corrupt? Why do we have a Community Police Forum (CPF) in Plettenberg Bay? Isn’t it the function of the CPF to hold the police accountable? Hopefully time will reveal the truth. It is time
that law-abiding citizens in this country stand up and demand that the police, law enforcement and even the CPF perform their duties. Johan Pieterse, Plett Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association’s Bruce Richardson, and former head of Plett CPF, commented as follows: The Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA), together with Plett Watch neighbourhood watch, is very active in Plettenberg Bay and we enjoy a very good working relationship with all law enforcement agencies in the town with whom we meet with regularly. As such, I have continued to play the role of receiving complaints from residents and taking these up with the appropriate law enforcement agency - inevitably with a great deal of cooperation and success. We are also very well known around town to all that show any interest in safety and security in Plett. My question then is, why has the author of this letter not been in touch with us? One of the questions raised in his letter is: “Isn’t it the function of the CPF to hold the police accountable?” My question to this person is: “Did you make contact with the CPF and, if not, how can you expect them to do anything about your complaint?” The comments regarding the Christmas/New Year period are grossly exaggerated, as we actually had very little in the way of public drinking problems. The comments regarding the safety of walking down Odlands are likewise lacking in factual content. In my view, our Police and Law Enforcement officials are by and large hardworking, cooperative and efficient and one of their target areas are illegal taverns. It is, however, very difficult without investigating the matter to ascertain what went on in this particular matter. Please ask this individual to make contact with me and I will investigate the matter and ensure that the tavern of which he complains is dealt with. In fact, I will investigate the matter whether contacted or not.
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SPORT & ADVENTURE
30 March 2016
Neill and Alberto scale Everest to further Kwano Cycling Academy’s cause Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za
NEILL CLARK IN A NUTSHELL: ‘This accomplished elite mountain biker based in Plett is generous, super-fit and extremely driven,’ according to KCA’s Colin Shave
WANO Cycling Academy (KCA) was founded just over two years ago and with help from members of Club 100 Plettenberg Bay, has gained incredible momentum. Established in partnership with Murray High School, the academy’s mission is to identify, coach and nurture young cycling talent in combination with a good dose of education, by focusing on advancing academic results and leadership/life skills. Additional objectives include the promotion of a healthy lifestyle for local youngsters in order to produce highly employable graduates. Says the academy’s Colin Shave: “Our next big move is to establish the base of operations in the Kwano community, which will allow us to increase the number of riders by 200%. To do this, we need funding to repair the container that is already at the school and to
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recruit a programme leader from the community.” This plight was taken to heart by one of the Western Cape’s top mountain bikers, Neill Clark, who offered to take on the Everest Challenge to raise funds for this important local cause. ‘What is the Everest Challenge?’ you might ask. Club 100 chairman Allan Kuhnert explains: “It is an international cycle challenge whereby cyclists ascend a mountain pass a defined number of times so that in the end, they would have cycled up to the height a climber would reach when summiting Mount Everest. And no, walking is not permitted.” Neill chose the Groot River Pass out of Nature’s Valley towards Kurland as his climb. The pass is 3km long and the vertical climb is 211metres. That means that Neill would need to climb the pass 42 times to achieve the height of Mount Ever-
SUPER SHERPA: A product of KCA’s road riding class, local youngster Alberto Wilskut completed the gruelling Everest Challenge alongside Western Cape elite biker Neill Clark
est at 8,848m. “Alberto Wilskut, a youngster who came through the road-riding side of the academy, decided to join Neill in his quest to complete the Everest Challenge,” says Allan. So Neill and Alberto set out at 4am on Sunday March 20, and completed the feat at 10:47pm on that freezing Sunday night. (Visit www.everesting.cc/therules/ for details of the strict regulations that apply.) What did Neill and Alberto achieve? They rode 252km in total, some of it in the dark and in cold and rainy weather; they ascended 8,862m and descended 8,862m. The enormity of the achievement is, they rode up a mountain pass that was 126km long and reached a vertical height at the top of the pass of 8,862 metres above sea level. “This challenge created so much excitement among club members and cyclists
in general that many came out on Sunday to show their support, and rode a number of ascents with Neill and Alberto,” says Allan. “There were members hanging on ‘till the very end, riding in freezing weather which says a whole lot for how they felt about Neill and Alberto completing this awesome challenge.” Club members and friends supported Kwano Cycling Academy by sponsoring the two-some for every metre climbed, e.g. anything from R1/m = R8,848 (obviously the preferred approach!) to R0.10/m = R884.50, etc. Check out www.facebook. com/kwanocyclingacademy to find out how you can get involved in this worthy Plett initiative, or for more details on forthcoming activities. Cash towards the cause can be deposited to Kwano Cycling Academy at FNB Plett (branch 210514), account no 62531618926, ref: EC and your name.
Plett martial arts clan win 60 medals at district competition Plettenberg Bay Martial Arts Academy sent 30 students to the ISKA SWD Classic competition and they did their coaches and parents and town extremely proud by collectively raking in 30 gold, 20 silver, and 10 bronze medals congrats!