Photo: Vinthi Neufeld
3 July 2019
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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Armed robbery at Strandmeer
Plett cops rock!
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Go figure! Entrants in Saturday night’s Ms Full Figure pageant were, from left, Rinty Smiler, Natalie Cupid, Philicity October, Angie Mphafa, Beverly de Bruyn, Charlene Arendse, Njabulo Noyuna, Ms Full Figure 2018 Julie Booysen, and Sharon Pitzer. Turn to page 9 to meet the winner, who was voted the loveliest of our more buxom Plett beauties.
the bedroom shop furniture & linen emporium
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
3 July 2019
Way to go - burning up beats fading away… Correspondent BOB HOPKIN visits, and returns intact from, George Crematorium ASSING on, pushing up daisies, falling off your perch (unless you’re nailed to it like Monty Python’s parrot!) - these are just a few of the euphemisms used to disguise the difficult subject of dying. Or, as comic Henry Gibson put it: “Despite millions of dollars of research, death continues to be our nation’s biggest killer.” On a more serious note, with the Garden Route being one of the most popular retirement playgrounds, the topic of death and the aftermath is a delicate subject. However, it is a relevant and practical issue to consider as there are both financial and emotive aspects involved, and disposal of the deceased’s remains is one of the issues to be faced. At this tragic time, some families succumb to the temptation to splurge on a grand funeral that could leave them impoverished for years by choosing elaborate ceremonies - and the casket alone costing upwards of R40,000 - as a way of paying respect to the deceased. Last week, George Crematorium held an open event for interested parties to understand the details of the cremation process, and as a side effect, to encourage the elderly to consider cremation as a viable alternative to burial. As far as this writer is con-
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SENSIBLE: The economical alternative - a R500 cardboard coffin
CLEAN AND DECISIVE: George Crematorium manager Madelein Laufs attends to the single incinerator - gas-fired burners at 1,200 degrees Celsius ensure that disposal is swift and clean - Photos: Bob Hopkin
cerned, they were preaching to the converted as I have never understood the sense of cleaning and embalming a body just to have it placed in an expensive casket and buried out of sight. From an ecological point of view it is also extremely wasteful: on average 151,600 people die per day worldwide; if all of
them were buried within a plot of, say, 1.5 by 2.5 metres, then that would take up 140 acres of useful land… every single day. In the distant future, there may be a third alternative to burial or cremation, as a result of experiments by the University of California, Los Angeles. They have developed a tech-
nique called ‘Alkaline Hydrolysis’ that uses a chemical mixture to dissolve the soft tissues, which can be flushed away as a sterile liquid and the bones powdered through a ‘Cremulator’. However, this method has yet to be adopted on a major scale elsewhere. George Crematorium manager Madelein Laufs said cremation is gradually becoming the preferred method of disposing of deceased loved ones’ remains. “Even families from those cultures and religions that, traditionally, prefer burial are choosing this method as it is clean, decisive and does not involve cemeteries, which these days are becoming increasingly unsafe and unsightly,” Laufs said. She emphasised that from the undertaker, the body remains untouched in the casket before single cremation. As a welcome ecological and cost-saving move, there are now cardboard inflammable coffins available at just R500 as a means of avoiding needlessly wasteful expenditure. The George facility is consequently becoming increasingly busy with some six to eight cremations daily. As the only such installation serving the whole of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, moves are underway to double capacity with a second incinerator planned within two years.
The only pharmacy in Main Street
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NEWS & VIEWS
3 July 2019
CXPRESS
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Armed robbers pull off early-evening raid in Keurbooms HE usually peaceful hamlet of Keurbooms River was rocked by an armed robbery on June 25 when four suspects invaded a home in Strandmeer Private Estate, overpowered the owners, and made off with valuables worth more than R800,000. Police spokesman Captain Marlene Pieterse said
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the complainant and his wife had been watching television at around 7:30pm when he suddenly saw four men in his home - all wearing balaclavas. It is believed that the assailants gained entry through an unlocked kitchen door. Pieterse said it appeared that one suspect had a semi-
automatic rifle, while the others each had handguns. “They were wearing dark clothing,” Pieterse said. She added that the suspects pointed their firearms at the couple and ordered the husband to open the safe in the house. Pieterse said after the husband complied, the couple were tied up with wire.
Bail denied: Eden Travel scamster remains behind bars
Talia Day
ARIANNE Tome Roux, 32, was arrested at her home on Friday June 21 after allegedly defrauding innocent people for longer than two years. Roux was acting under a company called Eden Travels & Events, which was used as front to pocket holidayrental booking deposits. Said SAPS spokesman captain Malcolm Pojie: “She initially defrauded people by taking deposits that were supposed to be paid over to the rightful owners of places of holiday accommodation, then using the deposits for her own lavish lifestyle.” Sedgefield Information Centre founder Jurgens van der Walt said he started receiving calls from people enquiring if it was safe to make deposits to Eden Travel. After some investigation, he advised against doing business with Roux. Roux allegedly called Van der Walt and threatened to open a case of crimen injuria against him, for slandering her business, insisting that she was doing nothing wrong. “She was very hardegat with me on the phone. I told her she was giving tourism a bad name and had to stop this nonsense or she would be going to jail,” Van der Walt said. He placed a notice on his tourism webpage warning people of a scamster in Sedgefield, but did not name her. He said Roux then threatened to sue him.
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Many people started coming forward with complaints and queries about Roux and Eden Travel. A Pretoria resident was about to pay a R20,000 deposit to Roux, but first called Van der Walt to enquire about the condition of the house she was about to rent. Van der Walt advised that such a house did not even exist in Sedgefield and the deposit was stopped. Numerous complaints appeared on social media over the span of two years, according to Van der Walt, by people warning about this alleged scamster. However, since Roux had not been charged, the posts were deleted and no one was able to “name and shame” her. But then Estelle Ciaglia opened a case at Bellville Police Station after she lost a R4,000 deposit for her
GUILTY? Marianne Tome Roux allegedly defrauded at least 13 people in excess of R70,000
Sedgefield holiday. Ciaglia was a driving force behind Roux’s arrest, along with SAPS detective constable Lindinkosi Yoko and Van der Walt. “Roux was very professional in all her dealings, and there was no reason to doubt her,” said Ciaglia until she received a message from Roux that her father had passed away, and that she needed money for the funeral the following day. Ciaglia then started doing some enquiries. “Roux’s father must have died many, many times, because she spun the same story to a lot of people I spoke to,” Ciaglia said. It is alleged that Roux had defrauded 13 people of over R70,000, but more victims continue to emerge. She has allegedly scammed people from all over South Africa, while an American women also claimed to have lost R15,000. A WhatsApp group was created for scam victims and as they started coming forward, Yoko was instrumental in compiling the report against Roux to present to court and ensure her arrest. Roux appeared in court on Monday June 24, when she pleaded not guilty to all the charges. She was denied bail and remanded into custody, awaiting her formal bail appeal on July 11, which Pojie said would be opposed. Roux has since been transferred from Conville to the holding cells in Oudtshoorn.
The suspects fled the scene with jewellery, foreign currency, wedding rings, wrist watches, cellphones, a laptop and two revolvers. She said the value of the missing items was estimated at R823,750. Pieterse said the suspects escaped through a back door that leads to the river and then disappeared. No arrests have been made. Marius Venter of the Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBC-
PA) said they had combined all their security resources following the incident in an attempt to apprehend the group, but to no avail. “There is, however, new information that could lead to a positive outcome,” Venter said. Anyone who has information that could assist police in their investigation, please contact Plett Police station or the PBCPA on 082 251 8134. Garden Route Media
INFRA-RED-HANDED: Security cameras captured the suspects on the Strandmeer property outside the robbed house
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
3 July 2019
May tourism and municipal officials be resolving those issues that keep Plettenberg Bay off the map? On June 19, CXPRESS reported on the resignation of Plett Tourism chairman Peter Wallington in the form of a statement by Plett Tourism Association chairman Bruce Richardson; last week, Bitou Municipality responded to Richardson’s report - visit www.cxpress.co.za to get up to speed, and read on for an update on the current state of tourism affairs INCE the media statement by Bitou Municipality (BM), Plett Tourism (PT) has met with both the Municipal Manager and head of Strategic Services, as well as the manager of Local Economic Development (LED) accompanied by a member of his staff, who will be a primary contact between LED and PT. These meetings were held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, reconciliation and a determination to find and document a way forward in terms of the relationship between PT and BM, with a shared objective to ensure that PT remained stable and continued to carry out its core functions in the best interests of the town. This is the case despite the dramatic cut in funds allocated by the municipality for the ongoing work of PT and the consequent loss of its executive chairman. “Notwithstanding these positive developments and the commitment by all parties to discuss a basis for constructive cooperation, it re-
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mains necessary to correct a number of misleading statements in Bitou’s response to media enquiries, published in the press and on social media last week, lest the public are led to believe that we accept those claims,� said Plett Tourism Association chair Bruce Richardson. The following statements are contested: • BM’s claim of a total tourism contribution (including township tourism development, destination marketing, and branding) of R4,750,000 is misleading in that all the items listed are supposed to be covered by the R2M budget allocated to PT, which is not possible to undertake effectively within such a reduced budget. • The balance of R2.75M is for municipal events e.g. the Mayoral Golf Day, New Year’s Eve, turning on the Christmas lights, etc. and of very little benefit in promoting Plett’s tourism interests. • The decision of BM on the PT budget allocation may well have been based on relevant National Treas-
ury Circulars, but the response fails to take account of that BM failed to share the content of such circulars and their consequent impact on the accounts and budget submitted by PT. Said Richardson: “Such circulars apply to local and other government departments and not private-sector organisations like Plett Tourism which is not an agency of the municipality.� He added that another important point to clarify revolves around the claim that “the Memorandum of Agreement does not allow for salaries to be paid for Plett Tourism officials�. The MOA actually states: “The Association shall not use this funding for any travel costs, accommodation or food or entertainment expenses, administrative staff salaries, capital costs, bursaries, payment in lieu of rates, or other municipal charges, other than in the execution of listed projects, functions, and events.� The MOA simply requires that such expenses may only
be incurred and paid in executing agreed projects, functions, and events. Organisations as such cannot achieve anything without employing and paying staff to undertake the necessary work. The allegation that R767,490 was paid to consultants and then drawing the conclusion that such payments constitute a “duplication of costs� is incorrect, according to Richardson. “Use of the word ‘consultant’, while normal practice in the commercial sector, has assumed sinister proportions in the context of local government and government generally - and quite rightly so, since 100s of millions are being corruptly filtered out from government and municipal budgets through the pretext of ‘consultancy fees’. “Government and municipalities enjoy the luxury of being in a position to employ a candidate for each item of work to be done, but Plett Tourism has no such luxury owing to a lack of funding since inception. “A small number of office
Vote of confidence
express the pleasure of the Tourism Board that a constructive way forward has been plotted in consultation with municipal officials, and we look forward to the conclusion of the tourism bylaw in a format that shows the respect that has been committed to, and a return for Plett
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staff carry out basic management and administration functions. These people do not have the necessary skills for functions such as effective branding or a destination marketing campaign. “As a result, these functions are outsourced to competent service providers who run their own businesses, at a fraction of the cost to employ these necessary skills full-time and in-house. “As opposed to being a wasteful duplication of costs, this is, in fact, a costsaving measure to get work done within a limited budget,� explained Richardson. He also contested the suggestion that only 8% of the budget is spent towards township tourism development. “The development of
Tourism to a position of certainty. Bitou’s consolidated and ongoing support will enable the Association to market Plett to maximum effect and create the type of exponential growth evident during the first three-year Service Level Agreement with the municipality. Bruce Richardson
township tourism requires a large budget - participants do not have the funds to launch tourism projects. Plett Tourism has documented numerous researched and detailed opportunities for significant township developments within the Plett brand, but most of the larger projects lie gathering dust for want of funding.� Another debatable fact is if supplying funding actually constitutes support in the wider sense. Money without consistency and recognition does not constitute support in the required sense. It now falls to both PT and BM to show mutual respect, commitment, and cooperation to create an atmosphere conducive to attracting renewed investment in Plett.
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NEWS & VIEWS
3 July 2019
Mayor responds to demands of Qolweni protestors Ludumo Tede
ITOU mayor Peter Lobese told residents of Qolweni informal settlement that the municipality was not turning a blind eye to challenges faced by their community, and was working hard to better their living conditions. The mayor was addressing an unhappy crowd congregated at the traffic circle in the heart of Qolweni on June 25 in response to a list of demands received last month, with a seven-day deadline to respond. On June 18, residents of Qolweni and Bossiesgif embarked on a march to the mayor’s office and handed over a memorandum with their demands. They are mainly demanding houses but also, specifically, that previous beneficiaries of RDP houses,
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who have leased out their homes while still living in shacks, should move into these homes and demolish their shacks. Also on the list was a request for transparency around beneficiaries of the next housing project, and the dire need for the construction of more public toilets. “We were told that there’s no budget for the houses, so where did the money for the KwaNokuthula housing project come from?” asked Thandanani Mdatyulwa, chairman of the Qolweni residents, when explaining the root cause of their march. “KwaNokuthula is well taken care of, but for us it is only promises. Why do we need to close the N2 to be heard?” Lobese told the crowd the municipality was working on bringing to fruition the soci-
ety they envisioned living in. He said the houses would be built and the shacks belonging to RDP house owners demolished, but that residents should not criticise the municipality when the demolition was executed. “The construction of a Temporary Relocation Area (TRA) in Minnaar-land in Bossiesgif, where the beneficiaries will be moved while their RDP houses are being built, is currently underway. Another site will be at the school near Pinetrees,” said the mayor. The Minnaar-land TRA project is expected to be completed at the end of September, and the construction of 169 RDP houses is to commence in January 2020. Lobese said the selection of beneficiaries would be transparent. Those residents not yet entirely convinced asked to be given seven days to collectively evaluate the municipality’s response.
Greenpop going full-speed ahead in its quest to reforest the Route N a mission to help reforest the region, Greenpop aims to plant over 4,500 indigenous trees while clearing invasive alien plants as part of its Festival of Action. This is the eighth year that Greenpop hosts the event, and the second year that the Festival of Action takes place on the Garden Route, in response to the 2017 and subsequent fires that ravaged the area. Says Plettenberg Baybased photojournalist Carmen Claire: “This year my cousin and I attended one
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of their open days. Greenpop opens up the Festival of Action programme to offer specific days when locals are invited to join them during their activations. “The open day we attended on June 27 was part of the Greenpop Youth Week and was held at the main festival area: Wild Spirit Backpackers en route to Nature’s Valley. We planted 850 trees within the space of four hours. “It was so great to see youth from around South Africa connecting over nature and giving back,” says
Carmen, adding that a few open days remain to be hosted until July 12. All Garden Route locals are encouraged to get involved, as these Greenpop events offer excellent and productive outdoors fun for the whole family. Readers can find information and instruction to sign up for the open days on the events page of the Plett Tourism website (www. plett-tourism.co.za). Visit the gallery at www. cxpress.co.za for images of volunteers planting trees around Nature’s Valley.
NURSES’ OPEN DAY MHR INVITES YOU TO AN OPEN DAY FOR NURSES AT MEDICLINIC PLETTENBERG BAY. ALL NURSES ARE WELCOME TO COME AND JOIN US FOR A CUP OF TEA. Thursday, 18 July 2019 11:00 Main Boardroom at the hospital Contact Andrea Rothner on 044 803 2380/1 or andrea.rothner@mhr.co.za by Wednesday, 10 July 2019. 2844DWWD
Date: Time: Venue: RSVP:
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CXPRESS
NEWS & VIEWS
3 July 2019
Drommedaris Furniture and Appliance celebrates 35 years of service Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za
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ELL-KNOWN household goods retailer Drommedaris turns 35 years old this month, and will be celebrating this milestone by offering incredible deals on almost all household goods. Drommedaris was established in Jeffrey’s Bay back in 1984 as second-hand furniture store, but quickly transformed into the town’s foremost vendor of furniture, appliances, and electronic equipment. Today the Drommedaris franchise comprises three outlets: the flagship branch in downtown Jeffrey’s Bay, Drommedaris Interiors at Fountains Mall Jeffrey’s Bay, and Drommedaris Plettenberg Bay, which was established two years ago. The J Bay branch doubled its floor space five years ago, with the ground floor dedicated to housing big and small electrical appliances, electronics and beds while the second storey is dedicated to a large variety of furniture that will meet the demand of almost every buyer. The Drommedaris furniture collection is ex-
tended by Drommedaris Interiors in Fountains Mall, Jeffrey’s Bay. Here consumers will find a large collection of premium furniture, including lounge furniture, La-Z-Boy recliners, patio furniture and umbrellas together with a dedicated Sealy sleep centre that showcases the latest Sealy bed collection, with stateof-the-art technology. Drommedaris opened its Plett store in April 2017, offering the same vast and
exclusive range of large and small electrical appliances, as well as an extensive range of TVs and other audio-visual products. Its exclusive range of large electrical appliances include washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and stoves - available in red, green and orange for the more adventurous homemaker. The Plett branch at 1 Robberg Road also boasts modern furniture, patio furniture and a wide
PRIDE OF PLETT: Drommedaris launched its Plettenberg Bay store in April 2017
J BAY FLAGSHIP: The Drommedaris store in downtown Jeffrey’s Bay
Property area focus: Bowtie HE Bowtie area in Plett is unique and popular as a result of the breath-taking panoramic views over Keurbooms River mouth, Lookout Beach below, and the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Shifting high and low tides avail ever-changing sea views throughout the day. Bowtie boasts some of South Africa’s most spectacular sunrises, sunsets, and moon rises over the river and bay. Properties here are advantageously close to town and a variety of restaurants, shops, and malls. Keurbooms Lagoon and Lookout Beach are a short drive away or within walking distance for the fitter among us. Bowtie properties are set on a northeast facing slope allowing for a north or north-easterly aspect to maximise property potential and views. This makes for warm homes in winter as it allows sunlight in when the sun is on a lower axis. During summer the sun passes directly over the roofs during the midday heat, thereby allowing a more moderate temperature. Furthermore, the properties are generally sheltered from predominant winds. All of these factors have made the area renowned for a most comfortable climate. Many upmarket properties have been built here as a result of the views and climate, most with elegant
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range of beds. This is complimented by a linen department where clients can choose from a range of 100% cotton sheets. “We thank all our clients, old and new, for their loyalty and support over the last 35 years,” says Pieter Herholdt, general manager of Drommedaris. He invites readers to visit Drommedaris for a look at everything you will need to make your house a home. See the advert on page 7 for contact details.
and spacious entertaining areas that open up onto large patios or balconies, bringing the outdoors in while maximising views. The suburb offers a wide variety of properties ranging from comfortable/entry level homes to some of Plett’s most exclusive and sought-after properties. Private gated estates such as Bowtie Private Estate and Montmar are situated here, together with a popular sectional complex Bowtie Villas. Bowtie is situated between the suburbs of Poortjies, Upper Central, and Marine Drive, and is close to Plett Primary and the mediclinic. Front-row properties in Bowtie Private Estate enjoy views of the ocean, mountains, and even the lagoon, in some cases. Centrally located next to a green belt it consists of residential homes, mostly with three to five bedrooms. There has been a number of sales here over the past three years and the estate has grown in popularity and demand, as it is particularly well managed and centrally situated. Montmar is certainly the most upmarket gated estate in central Plett, with properties boasting some of the most beautiful views in the region. It really encapsulates all that Plett has to offer. The 2019 national elections have come and gone peacefully and hopefully we can now start moving
forward and building our country’s economy again. We trust that the residential property market will make a comeback after a slower start this year, compared to our exceptional start in 2018. Total property sales in Plett were 577 in 2018 compared to 642 in 2017 - a drop of just over 10%. Full title residential sales by volume also dropped by 27.9% from 197 in 2017 to 142 in 2018. Breaking this down further by value/price, only two price brackets have shown an increase in the volume of sales in 2018: the R2-3M price bracket increased by 50% and sales of R4-5M increased by 200%. These, however, were the only price brackets showing an increase in sales. The most noteworthy change is the 33.3% drop in sales in the R5-R7M bracket, where there were six sales in 2017 and four sales in 2018. Sales under R1M also dropped significantly (49.4%) from 85 in 2017 to 43 in 2018. This is also evident in the number of new houses currently being built in various gated estates, where many vacant stands were sold in 2017, making up the bulk of sales under R1M. Significantly in 2018 there were 10 properties sold for above R10M and of these 10 sales only four were in lifestyle estates, while other properties
Paul Jordaan
were sold in prestigious areas such as Beachy Head Drive, Bowtie, Cutty Sark, and Odland Street. There were 12 sales in the Bowtie area during 2018, with an average price of R4,251,017. If one bears in mind that this figure includes some vacant stands, it’s clearly slightly skewed. The sale of 4 Julia Avenue at R11.5M is the highest price paid in the Bowtie area in recent times; the lowest recent price for a house is 24 Challenge Drive at R1.5M. The cheapest property currently on the market is a vacant stand in Bowtie Private Estate at R430,000 and a house situated at 13 Challenge at R1,775,000. The most expensive house currently on the market is 3 Protea Place at R14M (including vacant stand in front), and the most expensive vacant stand is 23 Julia for R3.5M. Other good buys available and offering spectacular sea views are 21 Bowtie at R6.5M, as advertised on the front page of this edition. The unique layout of its roads and upmarket character of this area make the name “Bowtie” particularly appropriate. • Paul Jordaan is an intern estate agent at Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Plett and a Bowtie area specialist. See the listing on the cover for further info and contact details.
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INTERVAL
3 July 2019
Musings by authors unknown • I think it’s pretty cool how Chinese people made a language entirely out of tattoos. • My therapist said my narcissism causes me to misread social situations. I’m pretty sure she was hitting on me. • My life feels like a test I didn’t study for. • I ordered a Thesaurus online and it just arrived. The pages are all BLANK! I have no words to express my outrage. • When I was in elementary school, I learned about exaggeration. I had like 10,000 tests on it, and my teacher would kill me if I didn’t spell it right. • Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, it’s a beautiful day. • I’ve decided I’ll never get down to my original weight and I’m okay with that... After all, 2.8kg is just not realistic. • My career plans were much more exciting when I was five. • Anyone who thinks ‘talk is cheap’ obviously didn’t pay my daughter’s cellphone bill last month. • I don’t go crazy. I am crazy. I just go normal from time to time. • Some people wake up feeling like a million bucks. Me? I wake up feeling more like ‘Insufficient Funds’. • If you’re hotter than me, then that means I’m cooler than you. • My bed is a magical place where I suddenly remember everything I forgot to do. • I don’t weigh myself because most scales don’t
know the weight of all those grudges I’m holding onto. • I’m actually not funny. I’m just really mean and people think I’m joking. • My wife complained that I never take her anywhere... I told her that’s not true; we take a trip around the sun every year! • It’s okay if you don’t like me. Not everyone has good taste. • I’m kind of tired of being an amateur crastinater... I’m thinking of turning pro, but I’m going to put that decision off for a while. • I’m sorry. I really don’t take orders. I barely take suggestions. • I didn’t realise how bad a driver I was until my navigation system said: “In 50 metres, do a slight right, stop, and let me out.” • Finally my winter fat is done. Now I have spring rolls. • I’m not shy; I’m holding back my awesomeness so I don’t intimidate you. • Everything happens for a reason. But sometimes the reason is that you’re stupid and you make bad decisions. • I’ve never learned anything from someone who agreed with me. • My doctor told me to avoid any unnecessary stress. To comply, I didn’t open his bill. • I start a new job in Seoul next week. I thought it was a good Korea move. • When I lost my rifle, the army charged me $85. That’s when I finally un-
Modern day discipline NE day when returning home from work my wife proceeded to tell me that she had been called into the principal’s office because of the things our son had done at school that day. We agreed that he should be disciplined the same way I was dis-
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ciplined when I was his age: being sent to my room without dinner. But in my son’s room, he has his own television, telephone, computer, and CD player… So what is a parent to do in this day and age? Well, we sent him to MY room!
derstood why in the navy, the captain goes down with the ship… • Sometimes I want to go back in time and punch myself in the face. • If somebody asks me to “inbox” them my details, I will emergency room their face. • My brain has too many tabs open. • I have so many problems that if a new one comes along today, it will be at least two weeks be-
fore I can worry about it. • I don’t even believe myself when I say I’ll be ready in five minutes. • Feeling alone? Feeling unwanted, like no one gives a hoot? Do what I did... don’t file your income tax returns. • My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of chips and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.
I’m 37 years old and just today realised it’s called bird of paradise because it looks like the drawing at left, and not like the one at right...
SOCIAL SCENE
3 July 2019
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DOC’S BOY WEDS IN WINELANDS: Jani, daughter of Mr and Mrs Hannes Hattingh from Durbanville, married Leo, son of Dr and Mrs Dave McNally from Plettenberg Bay, on Saturday May 18. The ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Zorgvliet Wine Estate situated between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
People, places & events LOVE YOUR CURVES: Saturday night’s Ms Full Figure pageant at Spotlight in Plett Industria was organised by Carly Adams from George, pictured third from left, behind beaming winner Angie Mphafa. Also seen in the pic above are runners up Charlene Arendse and Rinty Smiler, second from left, plus co-organiser and last year’s Plett winner, Julie Booysen, second from right. Explains Carly: “It started in 2017 when I saw an upsized beauty show in an episode of ‘7de Laan’. I thought it was a great plan to host such an event in different towns on the Garden Route. The first show took place in George and then followed Knysna, Plett and Oudtshoorn, and my aim is to go even bigger. Ms Full Figure is a platform for women to embrace their curves. You don’t need to be skinny to be a model!” Carly says the top five finalists from each town will go through to the Ms Full Figure Garden Route pageant, to be hosted in March next year during a spectacular extravaganza in George. “I’m so happy for all these ladies,” beams Carly. “Sometimes we transform a battered woman into a beautiful diva.” - Photo: Vinthi Neufeld
WINTER ART: Lwandiso Futshane, left, and Viwe Krabi of KwaNokuthula attended the opening night of the Winter’s Tale Exhibition at Arteriors in Plett’s Lookout Centre on June 26. - Timothy
- Timothy Twidle
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ART AT MILKWOOD: At the opening of an exhibition at Milkwood Framing and Gallery in Plettenberg Bay on June 21, one of the exhibiting artists, Martin de Kock, second from right, was joined by, from left, Lisa Harris, Johan Victor and Werner Harris. - Timothy Twidle
SKY LIGHTS UP FOR JULY: This beautiful lantern is one of Julie Deferville’s marvellous creations that will adorn the tables at Saturday’s July at Sky event - a fundraiser for Plett’s Differently-abled Awareness Campaign being hosted at the magnificent Sky Villa Boutique Hotel from 1:30 to 6pm on July 6. Says organiser and campaign initiator Rita Hardaker (née Van Rensburg): “It’s the final build-up to the July races and our glorious day at Sky, so if you haven’t bought your ticket yet, you may still be in luck - at last count there were only four tickets left.” Call Rita on 082 5602 606 for details or to get your hands on those final few spots...
THE MIDDLE: At the open evening Art at The Junction, held at Plett’s Junction boutique hotel in the middle of Main Street on June 28 - midway through the Plett Arts Festival - were Fundiswa Maywayi, left, and hotel manager Nozuko Ntoto.
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CXPRESS
CLASSIFIEDS
3 July 2019
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ON THE SOAPBOX
3 July 2019
Letters to the Editor
Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600
SA needs more of the likes of Plettenberg Bay’s friendly, efficient police force I recently visited my family in Plettenberg Bay from Cape Town, when a new career endeavour indicated that I required my police clearance sooner than expected. Having gone through this process years before, I sighed and rolled my eyes into the next dimension - absolutely dreading the process. I walked into Plett Police Station and thought I had walked into the wrong building. The station is
beautifully clean and neat, the long line of people ahead of me disappeared within a few short minutes and behind the counter, three very hardworking officers soon gained a fourth colleague. Oh, the view was amazing, too. The friendliness and efficiency that these officers and the station provided to the people who sought out their services was mind-blowing. As a customer service
Doing it for tourism
specialist, I wish I had experienced such service in the private sector. The ladies in charge of the final part of my clearance process prepared me to expect a long waiting period, but it seemed that they would make every effort to assist where they could. Many weeks before the assumed return date of my clearance, I received a picture text from my mom with my clearance certificate. They had
Have you seen Mom’s lost signet ring? I am writing on behalf of my mom who lives in Johannesburg, aged 94. When she visited Plettenberg Bay in April 2017 she lost her gold signet ring. The ring has a rectangular shape and vaguely features her initials, NJA, in an old-fashioned
IF BITOU WON’T, DIY… Christo Vlok single-handedly cleared the viewing platform at Signal Hill after requests to the municipality went unattended
After repeated requests to Bitou Municipality - to trim the bushes around Signal Hill so the viewing platform could be accessed and the view opened up fell on deaf ears, Plett Ratepayers Association stalwart Christo Vlok grabbed a pair of secateurs and trimmed it
himself last weekend. These tiny things do not cost millions and the municipality could and should be doing to enhance the tourist’s experience of Plettenberg Bay. But for some reason, they fail to do so. Thank you, Christo, for your initiative. Debi Nicholson, Plett
All you need is the will to play I’m looking to grow the wonderful game of bowling in Plettenberg Bay and specifically invite any disabled members of our local community to consider trying it out. You can bowl if you are in a wheelchair, on crutches, missing limbs, have leg splints, or don’t have total control over any limb/s. What you do need is the ability to understand and follow instructions to learn the game, knowing that the skill of delivering the bowl will be adapted to your unique
physical limitation. And you must definitely have a positive attitude and the will to learn to play so that you can enjoy the camaraderie of being with fellow bowlers, as well as the health benefits of getting outside and being active. Julie Deferville, Plett (Email Julie at defervilles @telkomsa.net - she would love some Plett companions to participate in the Disability Championships 2020, which take place in Somerset West during the last week in March. - Eds.) GOLD ON THE GREENS: Differentlyabled Plett bowler Julie Deferville and her pairs partner Vicky van der Merwe, left, display the gold medals they earned at last month’s nationals
phoned her to collect it, and when she was 10 minutes late after the closing of their offices, they waited for her to arrive. Plettenberg Bay SAPS, if this is the kind of service that you always maintain, then the country needs more of YOU. Thank you for your service and efficiency. I feel at ease knowing my mother and brothers are in your town. Celeste Steyn, Cape Town
curvy style. It is of great sentimental value and she was most distressed to lose it. I am appealing to anyone who may have found it to contact me on 044 533 4187 or 082 844 2375. Many thanks. Angela Bird, Plett
Laws of physics should form part of driving tuition Figures recently reported in the press of 135,000 people killed on South African roads over the past 10 years, indicate a crisis on our country. If this figure is true, it averages out to 37 people per day and the country is indeed in dire straits. The problem goes a lot deeper than Automobile Association recommendations, as good as they are, such as rooting out corruption at testing centres, etc. I assume that pedestrians are included in the figure of 135,000. If so, two problems arise: they are intoxicated with either alcohol or a drug of some sort, or they are unable to judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle and thus step out into the road in front of an oncoming car. Both issues need to be addressed. Speed has to be a major cause of vehicle accidents. Any driver who adheres to the recommended maximum speed will attest to the fact that other vehicles soon back up behind them, flashing lights and hooting for you to get out of the way or speed up. The other issue is this: how many drivers have an idea of how fast they are really going?
What does 100km per hour actually mean? It is only when converted to metres per second (m/s) that it has some meaning - 100km/h converts to 28m/s. With an urgent need to apply vehicle brakes and with e.g. a delayed reaction time of only one second, the vehicle has already travelled 28 metres before brakes are applied! All potential drivers should have exposure to Newton’s laws of momentum, which should start at school level, even if a pupil is not following a course in Physics. Such laws should give them an insight into just how much energy is required and how much distance is needed in order to stop, for example, a car with a mass of 1,000kg and moving at 100km/h. New Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has indeed been handed a poisoned chalice and his first challenge is to convert the current traffic rule enforcement system from being ineffective and inept to a system that works and is seen to be efficient, and thus respected. South Africa can only benefit from such a system, but it is now urgently required. Kevin Meineke, Plett
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SPORT & ADVENTURE
3 July 2019
Intrepid Plett sisters to cross continent in Bibles-for-all pursuit many residents having learnt of their cause through posters displayed at The Bike Shop and elsewhere in town. They have spoken at various schools and churches to create awareness of their trip, such as their presentation during a Methodist Ladies Tea on June 12. The sisters will be cycling day-in and day-out, come rain, sun or snow. They sleep over in Knysna on Saturday July 20 and will do a presentation at Plett Community Church at 9am on Sunday the 21st.
Words & photo: Leigh Dunn
T 9am sharp on Saturday July 13, Plettenberg Bay locals Lynsey and Suzaan Knoetzen will depart on an epic bicycle tour across Africa. The intrepid cycling sisters will pedal from the continent’s southernmost point, Cape Agulhas, to its highest peak: Mount Kilimanjaro. Their aim is to raise funds for the SA Bible Society and its director, reverend Ruth Jonas, will be in attendance at Agulhas to see them off. The inspiration for this project was hatched when Lynsey read The Purposedriven Life by Rick Warren, and since both sisters love cycling, they decided to use this shared passion to make a difference.
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READY, STEADY… Suzaan, left, and Lynsey Knoetzen pictured with their sturdy wheels in preparation of the epic Bible ride
“The Bible brings hope, but many people can’t afford a Bible of their own. Research done by the South African Bible Soci-
ety has identified a need for 23-million Bibles in South Africa alone,” says Lynsey. Plett has much reason to be proud of these young ladies,
Plett locals are invited to see them off as they depart for the Eastern Cape from The Market Square parking area at 9am on Monday July 21. Born and bred in Plett, the sisters are counting on support from residents of their hometown. After having traversed five countries en route to the foot of the world’s highest free-standing mountain and Africa’s highest peak, the culmination of their efforts will be scaling the summit of Kili: Uhuru Peak. The sisters are set to start
climbing on December 3 when they will take the seven-day Machame Route to Uhuru. Anyone interested in joining the climb, can visit www.crossafrica. org and make contact, as they offer a package that includes a flight to Tanzania, hotel accommodation, and transfers. But with only 20 spaces available and an August 12 cut-off date, takers should make haste to sign up. Email info@crossafrica. org for details or to contribute to their cause.
Motor Show 2019 does it again for Knysna and Plett charities HIS year’s Knysna Motor Show (KMS), sponsored by Sanlam Private Wealth and held on Sunday April 28, was a phenomenal success yet again. Around 5,500 people attended the event, now rated as one of the top motor shows in SA, if not the best. Feature displays of the iconic Mercedes 300 and 190 SLs, Bentleys celebrating 100 years, Mini celebrating 60 years and Morgan 110 years were sure highlights, along with the high standard of remaining cars and motorcycles on display. This, along with impeccable organisation enabled the Garden Route Motor Club team to donate R108,000 to charity, once all show expenses had been accounted for. Beneficiaries of this generous donation are Knysna Sedgefield Hospice, Knysna Animal Welfare Services, E-pap (feeding scheme for underprivileged children), Famsa, Epilepsy SA, Badisa (child protection), Change for Change (caring for destitute families) and HopeHQ
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THESE GOOD CAUSES SCORED BIG: Charity beneficiaries of Knysna Motor Show 2019 include many local service providers, representatives of which are pictured here with chief event organiser Pieter Pretorius, kneeling at left
(skills development). Says Garden Route Motor Club chair Peter Pretorius: “The donation has come at a time when all of these charities are under tremendous funding pressures to meet the ever-growing need for their services. Over the past eight years, we have donated in excess of R600,000 to local charitable organisations.” He says the generous KMS donation was made possible through the support of sponsors, participants displaying their cars and motorcycles, the public that came from
across SA to experience the event, and the dedication of the Garden Route Motor Club organisers. “We salute all of them and extend a very big thanks,” says Pretorius, adding that they have developed a short video of the 2019 Knysna Motor Show that can be viewed on YouTube (https:// youtu.be/1KypuVp4UNA). “We look forward to build on this success when next year’s Knysna Motor Show is held on Sunday May 3 please diarise the date,” Pretorius concludes.
Karate kids impress at Mother City nationals
Storms River
TIN HOUSE Self-catering accommodation
Medals aplenty were raked in on June 15, when students from Plett Karate Kyousei dojos in New Horizons and Kranshoek took part in the Kyousei National Champs in Cape Town. Sensei Jonathan Jansen said the team made a significant impact at the competition and thanks team manager Jurine Clark and the parents for their support. Pictured above are Kranshoek dojo members, in front from left, Adrian Paulse (2nd kata, 3rd kumite), Kayden Frans (3rd kumite), Leesha Links (3rd kata, 2nd kumite); Noal de Vos (3rd kumite), Remone Jordaan (3rd kata), Jaco Mostert (3rd kata, 3rd kumite) and Eldrin Wildeman (3rd kumite) with Clyde John Smith (1st kata, 3rd kumite), Kay-lilly Smith (3rd kata, 2nd kumite), Michelle Jantjies (2nd kata, 2nd kumite), Chloe Stuurman (3rd kata, 2nd kumite) and Jadin Damane (2nd kata, 2nd kumite) at back. (Absent: Cohnwon Harker). New Horizons performers included Ashler Petro (3rd kata), Ruvenia Maxim (2nd kata, 3rd kumite), Kyle du Plessis (2nd kumite), Ezequiel Juries (3rd kumite), Chorde Clark (2nd kata, 1st kumite), Whitney Pasja (3rd kumite), Luciano Damons (3rd kata, 2nd kumite), Noah Bosman (2nd kumite), Devonte Oelf (3rd kumite), Jay-t Ambraal (3rd kumite), Eathan Windvogel (3rd kata), Amber-lee Ruiters (3rd kata), Duane Clark (2nd kumite), Kyle Mccallum (2nd kumite), Jayden Maxim (2nd kata, 1st kumite), Thenique Arnolds (1st kata, 1st kumite), Caitlin Bosman (2nd kata, 3rd kumite), Theo Toyis (3rd kumite), Hylene Cedras and Jemeille Dixon.