6 august

6 August 2014

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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It’s Women’s Month and the CXPRESS team wishes all the fabulous ladies in our ‘hood the best of fun and laughter on National Women’s Day this Saturday, and hopes to see you at tonight’s Women of the World event at Plett Primary School - turn to page 6 for contact details, and see pics of last weekend’s Hats & Heels tea on page 11

Bomb scare in Knysna p3

Good news for schools p5

Business tips & views p9

10 000 FREE COPIES OF CXPRESS DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE EVERY WEDNESDAY

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CXPRESS

News & Views

6 August 2014

Driving Miss Crazy

Casino Royale and a royally good time for two bank-breaking octogenarians JEEVES shares his adventures as Garden Route chauffeur extraordinaire...

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OT a call from a senior citizen residing in a Knysna retirement village.

She wanted to meet up to discuss a matter. (And to check me out, no doubt - you can’t just head off yonder with a stranger... didn’t you know?)

“Will anyone else be there,” I asked.

“My neighbour,” she said.

Turns out, over coffee and cake at her cottage, she and her friend (both in their 80s) want to hit the casino in Mossel Bay - and would I fetch and carry?

One of them had never ever been in a casino, and the other, last in the 60s to the Royal Swazi Spa. And they were just itching to go.

But how could they? Their

kids and grandchildren were spread all over the globe; they didn’t know anyone “young enough” to take them there; a taxi would cost the earth and they didn’t wish the risk to drive that distance, behind the wheel of their car.

Someone had told them about ‘Jeeves’ and there I was, seated in her lounge with the two of them. Arrangements were made and they were as excited as a couple of kids off to the movies for the first time!

On the day, the garage door was opened to reveal what can only be called a real umg/ fqpm: a greeny-yellow 60s VW Beetle, with fat takkies all round, and a stainless steel straight-through exhaust.

Our 10 000 free copies are distributed every Wednesday to a multitude of outlets along the Garden Route, with emphasis on Knysna and Plett and drop-offs at *Sedgefield Tourism *Caltex StarMart in Wilderness *Lynn Schroeder, Build It and other select outlets in George *Storms River Village and Bridge in Tsitsikamma - phone 044 533 1004 (o/h) with distribution queries.

If you’ve missed out on a hard copy, read the electronic version online at www.cxpress.co.za

The owner, red lipstick, heavily rouged cheeks, thick blue eye-shadow, large hooped ear-rings, and blonde hair in a pony-tail, spattered with silver and grey, gave me the keys and pointed to the driver’s door.

It was just like my first car, 50 years ago.

Once submerged in the driver’s seat I knew it needed reupholstering. I was sunk so low, I could hardly see over the dashboard, my head adjacent with the side windowsill.

What if I wore a schoolboy cap, would the cops haul me over?

All the familiar signs of the cockpit returned to me - the single central speedometer on the metal ribbed dash-board visible through the steeringwheel; knobs and switches for lights and things; a Blaupunkt radio with finger dials; floorshift gears; and the Wolfsberg Castle logo on the hooter button staring at you from the steering column.

Four cranks of the motor and the engine exploded with a roar that can only be compared to a WWII Spitfire Merlin engine firing up. The rear-view mirror reflected a cloud of blue smoke, so thick nothing could be seen through the back window.

After grating through the gears, eventually the VeeDub graced (?) the driveway.

I jumped out deciding to do a pre-flight check, like you are taught to do before taking to the skies in an aircraft; kicked the tyres, checked the rear lights and indicators, measured the oil. Checked the spare.

Where’s the radiator? What a goof!

“Do you reckon we’ll get there and back?” I enquired.

“It’s got me this far,” was Blondie’s response. And off we drove.

A quick stop at Dis-Chem in George to collect pills, ointments and creams only they stock.

The whole trip the two chirping like canaries as to how they were going to lay their bets and break the bank.

The experienced gambler was going to hit the tables (roulette); the to-be-initiated one asked me my thoughts, and whether I had any experience or advice.

“Back Jack?” I asked, glancing at her over my shoulder, eyebrows raised.

“Sorry?”

“Pontoon...?”

“What?”

“Vingt-et-un...?”

“Huh?” “Twenty One... a card game?”

“No”.

Roulette, then?” I enquired.

“Sounds sexy, but what is it?” she asked.

“Oh! I know!” I exclaimed, as if I had just worked out the answer to the final question on Yjq"Ycpvu"Vq"Dg"C"Okn/ nkqpcktg.

“Slot machines!”

“What ‘machines’?”

“Have you heard of onearmed bandits?”

“Ye-e-es...” she hesitated.

“Well, these are the same but only no ‘arms’. Push button stuff. Electric. You don’t need to be a seasoned gambler on this one. The machine does all the talking. When you win, you win; if you lose, you lose. And it lets you know. I’ll show you when we’re there. Ok?” She was hugely relieved and well satisfied at having discovered a tool whereby she could participate in breaking the bank, without having a clue what to do, but push a button.

one of her personalised chips on Zero.

(If you were to add all the numbers together on the table, one to 36, the total is 666... the Devil himself! A message here?)

Her pile rose nicely, having just hit one of her lucky numbers - red, even and in a group of 12.

The Novice and I extracted ourselves from the glass smoking tank, surveyed a few hundred machines, and settled on a 7-7-7-7 bandit for starters.

First pull: three 7s in a row!

The credits pumped up. She was betting a rand at a time, and started with R100.

“Shall I stop now?” she asked me with a smile on her dial. I suggested she carried on, and reassess the situation should she work her way down to her original start of R100, thus giving back her winnings, without having lost a cent. She agreed.

Half an hour later, and up R400, I again suggested to her that perhaps she should quit this machine - her return

a rolling jackpot with other machines. An hour later...

Bingo! Huge shrieks - and over R3,000 for her R1-bet!

She was hysterical, and all the regulars stared enviously over their shoulders in our direction.

After a celebrity drink, we went to check out how Blue Eye-makeup was doing on the wheel.

The croupier was just sliding her four flat chips for a stack of her little round R5jobs. She was also up a few thousand! Wow. What a hit.

At the bar, a dinky of JC le Roux. They had had their fun, and won. They cashed up, signed a register for the jackpot win, and away we blew. You’ve never seen such smiles - even the casino staff and security were all smiles at the sight of us.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION! The gambling girls - about to enter the Garden Route Casino - didn’t want their picture to appear for fear of being labelled ‘addicted to’ the house of slot delights...

At Garden Route Casino, pics of the girls and our transport in front of the building.

“Not for print, Jeeves! We don’t want anyone to recognise us and think we might be addicted to this establishment,” commanded redlipped ear-rings.

My digital camera was confiscated by security when the alarm went off, the ladies’ bags searched.

Inside, we walked around for 20 minutes doing a recce on the joint, like seasoned pros. I pointed out the ‘Slots’ and explained their operation behind a lady playing two machines simultaneously, with one finger permanently depressing the button on a ‘Cherry/Bar’ unit - her particular bet 50c on each spin - and how the credits built up if you hit three cherries or bars in a row, any which way.

She loved it. Smiles, squeaks, gulps and sighs.

They each changed a thousand rands! We followed Blonde to an empty American Roulette table where she seated herself, enjoying the luxury of her own private croupier and pit-boss.

She had a “system” covering two rows of numbers, odds or evens, red or black, and two of the 1-12, 13-24, and 25-36 rows. And always

was outstanding, and she’d had a good run.

We found another, the colours and pictures of which appealed to her. Twenty minutes later, she had blown a 100-buck kitty per machine.

Off in search of another. Yay! All the sevens grabbed her again. This one was linked to

“We broke the bank. We broke the bank!” they shouted, jumping up and down together.

In the car, they phoned a friend of theirs retired to Mossel Bay, yelling their good fortune to her. She had to meet us - there were a couple of “fishy places” to eat down near the navy and the harbour, where it was agreed we would rendezvous and have lunch.

A very interesting friend indeed: large, blonde, Afrikaans, and a retired Mqnqpgn!

Ex-Army, she was high-up in the catering and cafeteria division all her life.

A bottle of bubbly with a large fish platter plus oysters.

Home Jeeves. They dozed in the back on the return journey, the loud drone of the car’s engine also inviting me to nod off. Down with the window a fraction for some cold air to refresh.

Back safely in Knysna, ‘thank yous’ and ‘good byes’.

Hugs.

They insisted I accept a R500 “tip” for making their day, and bringing them good luck, and home safely.

A pleasure!

Don’t forget to belt-up, particularly if you are in the back... /"Lggxgu

News & Views

6 August 2014

Knysna Mall evacuated after bomb scare YOLANDÉ STANDER reports that there is nothing humorous about the loss of business and police time when a false alarm over hidden explosives is sounded in a CBD shopping centre

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OLICE are trying to establish the origin of a bomb threat on Monday which led to the closure of all the Knysna Mall shops and the evacuation of the entire centre.

Local police spokesman constable Chris Spies said one of the shops in the mall received a call just before 11am on Monday from someone claiming that there was a bomb in the mall.

“The building was immediately evacuated and all the shops closed. Our dog unit responded and did a complete sweep of the mall,” Spies said.

The explosive detection dogs did not find any traces of explosives and the mall was declared safe after about an hour. By 12pm the shops were allowed to reopen.

Spies said police are investigating the matter and that the person who made the call

could face criminal charges.

“We are trying to establish the origin of the call at the moment. But false threats like this are seen in a serious light and making one is a criminal offence.

“Not only were police resources wasted to look into the matter, but the shops lost out on business after the threat forced them to close their doors.”

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Provincial government geared for Ebola

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ESTERN Cape Government Health has a contingency plan in place for the Ebola virus. Tygerberg Hospital is dedicated to contain the virus, should there be an outbreak here, in conjunction with Communicable Disease Control, Port Health Services and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), said provincial Health minister Theuns Botha.

The dedicated hospital for treatment of a suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever case (e.g. Ebola) is Tygerberg Hospital in Bellville.

Suspected VHF cases seen at

other W-Cape hospitals will be managed and treated in consultation with the Infectious Disease Specialist/VHF consultant at Tygerberg.

National and provincial alerts were issued in April already to ensure that Port Health and healthcare workers would be able to detect suspected Ebola haemorrhagic cases.

The risk of Ebola being imported into South Africa is low, however surveillance for viral haemorrhagic fevers must be ensured. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, secretions,

organs or other body fluids of infected persons.

A detailed travel history and level of contact with suspected or confirmed haemorrhagic fever cases is imperative.

A provincial alert circular on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa indicating the risk of imported cases, case definition and reporting of suspected cases, was issued back in April already.

The department has infectious disease specialists at Tygerberg and Groote Schuur Hospitals that are equipped to treat suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases.

Date pegged for Bitou Ward 7 by-election

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HE Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced that Bitou’s Ward 7 will be contested in a byelection in just over a month.

This after councillor Nolan Stuurman suddenly resigned last Sunday - just hours before the court action involving the move by local ANC councillors, including Stuurman, to take over the DA-led municipality and oust its leadership, started in the Western Cape High Court.

The by-election will be held on September 17.

The court action started on Monday with an order preventing the IEC from filling

the purported vacancy in respect of deputy mayor and COPE member Adam van Rhyner’s seat in the Bitou council.

The case was then postponed to a date to be determined by Judge President John Hlope this week.

The municipality declared Van Rhyner’s seat vacant after issues around his COPE membership status after allegedly breaching the party’s agreement with the DA where there is a coalition arrangement in hung councils, by aligning with the ANC in a call for a special council meeting to serve a motion of

no confidence in among others mayor Memory Booysen.

The saga started on June 20 when six ANC councillors and Van Rhyner called for the meeting. Speaker Annelise Olivier refused to convene the meeting on July 1 as she claimed it was against the municipality’s rules of order and turned to the court to stop the meeting from taking place.

The matter was postponed indefinitely, but this followed a counter application on July 4 by the six councillors and Van Rhyner seeking an order to force Olivier to convene the meeting. /"[qncpfí"Uvcpfgt

CXPRESS Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

News & Views

6 August 2014

Crime surge in Solar Beach compels homeowners to call for access control Yolandé Stander

Deadline for comments: August 20

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N an attempt to control crime and keep locals safe, Solar Beach residents have submitted an application to implement an access control system in their neighbourhood.

Over the past year the neighbourhood has been plagued by crime and according to local homeowners’ association chairman Jan Minnie, this surge includes 20 incidents of theft from vehicles parked inside the owners’ properties, eight cases of theft from vehicles parked on the pavement, and 15 breakins while the owners had been home.

In eight cases the perpetrators used vehicles to access the area, while eight gained access from across the wetland area, and a further eight used the beach boardwalk.

To address the crime in the

area residents have formed a neighbourhood watch, but to bolster these efforts they are now proposing access control after sunset as Solar Beach only has one public access road and three pedestrian accesses.

This will entail the implantation of an electrical and computerised “boom gate” on the corner of Gris Nez and Capricorn drives which, if accepted, will be closed after sunset and each resident will be supplied with a remote control to open the gate.

Together with the proposed access control, residents are also investigating the feasibility of installing CCTV cameras for the public and beach access points.

“About 90% of residents are in favour [of these measures]. Our proposal is specifically sensitive to people who want to access the beach for walks or taking their dogs for walks. Therefore the area will only be closed at sunset and opened again at sunrise,” Minnie said.

“Anyone who absolutely has to access the beach after dark can do so using the Rothersands entrance. During the day all normal activity such as municipal meter-reading and refuse collection is possible without any hindrance as the gates will be open.”

Similar pedestrian access gates have also been proposed at the public beach access areas.

Visitors to the neighbourhood will be able to press a button of the resident they are visiting, enabling the homeowner to open the gate via his or her cellphone.

A non-profit organisation has now been established and the costs for the project will be financed by the residents themselves. Minnie said the proposal had already been advertised.

Municipal spokesman Kholiswa Masiza said the public had until August 20 to submit comment on the proposal.

“The application and any comments received will then be addressed in a report to be submitted to the mayoral committee for a decision.”

She added that security issues and theft was leading to an increasing amount of requests for similar projects.

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DO FENCE US IN: Two aerial plans of the blocks between Robberg Beach and the vlei, the red line indicating the Solar Beach area applying for access control in the dark hours

News & Views

6 August 2014

CXPRESS

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Formosa Primary School’s new building the scene of great tidings for education in the Western Cape The official opening of Bitou’s most recently-constructed school was also occasion for the announcement that two new schools would soon be built in KwaNokuthula and Kranshoek - TIMOTHY TWIDLE reports CUT IT! Cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the new school buildings of Formosa Primary are, from left, Bitou mayor Memory Booysen, principal Colin Wildeman, and Western Cape minister of Transport & Public Works Donald Grant - Photos: Timothy Twidle

LONG-SERVING: Staff members of Formosa Primary, at back from left, David Puren, Edgar Marais, Ingrid Tyler and Monica Raubenheimer, with Patricia Marais, Desmond Leonard, Christina Aarons and Joey Dunn in front - Desmond and Ingrid joined the teaching staff in 1979, while everyone else pictured share the proud record of having joined in 1969!

GOOD KIDS: Pupils of Formosa Primary sing the National Anthem during the official opening of their new school buildings on August 1

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HE new buildings of Formosa Primary School in New Horizons were officially opened on Friday August 1 by Western Cape minister of Transport & Public Works Donald Grant.

Provincial minister of Education Debbie Schäfer was unable to attend, as she had been summoned to a meeting by the National Minister of Education at short notice, and tendered her apologies.

That Donald Grant should have had the honour of formally declaring the new school infrastructure open was entirely appropriate, however, since it was during his tenure as minister responsible for education in the Western Cape - from 2009 until earlier this year - that the construction of the new buildings was initiated, funded and brought to fruition.

In his keynote address, Grant announced that during the past five years, the Government of the Western Cape had facilitated the construction of 47 new schools throughout the province, and that R3.4-billion had been set aside for the establishment of a further 73 schools over a five-year period.

He also said that increased funding was available for

the improvement and further development of the existing 1,476 schools in the province - wonderful news for education in the Western Cape.

The official opening of Formosa Primary’s new school facilities was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Bitou mayor Memory Booysen.

The Education District Office in Knysna was represented by Suzette de Villiers, who made mention of how schooling at Formosa Primary is underlain by an ethos of learning, good behaviour and religious instruction.

Also present were leaders of local businesses, communities and other organisations, as well as past members of the teaching staff, who had been associated with the founding of the school on its existing premises in 1969.

Members of the school staff were in attendance and all of the pupils presently enrolled at the school sat peacefully on the floor of the hall throughout the proceedings.

Speeches of thanks, prayers and blessings, were interspersed with song and dance routines performed by Formosa learners. It was a happy occasion enjoyed by all.

Formosa Primary traces its

roots back to St Peter’s Mission School, started in 1901 on a site near Plett’s Central Beach. From 1912 to 1951 the school was guided by the leadership of Michael William Dunn - one of whose descendants, Leigh Dunn, is a teacher at the school today.

Formosa Primary School has 40 staff members and provides for the education of 1,280 children aged from five to 14 years.

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CXPRESS

News & Views

6 August 2014

Dashing from Kwano to Cape Town on a wet Friday afternoon

COOL CATS - AND CLEVER, TOO: Thulani Nevha, left, and Bongolethu Mtengwana on the ground at a rainy Cape Town International with ZS-CEM in the background

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WO more Maths and Science students were part of Bitou mayor Memory Booysen and CemAir’s High Flyers programme recently, when Murray High’s Thulani Nevha and Bongolethu Mtengwana had a quick Friday afternoon flip to Cape Town and back.

The teens, both with plans to study further in Geography

and Geology, were treated to a close-up view of cumulonimbus clouds and the dramatic accompanying weather, as well as an aerial view of the mountains en route.

A quick turnaround in Cape Town was followed by a fast 50-minute dash back to Plett to beat the weather and the sunset. Once again, career paths were changed with

An Inter-schools Spellathon took place at Knysna Secondary School on July 26, with representatives of 12 schools from Sedgefield, Knysna and Plett. ‘But,’ says Bitou’s awarded special-needs educator Leigh Dunn, ‘according to the organisers most of the trophy winners came from Formosa Primary, with Wittedrift Primary also winning a trophy. In the photo are the proud Formosa winners with their teachers - at back from left are Mrs Rosie Andrews with Anelisiwe Gojela (Grade 3), Veruschka Titus (Grade 2), JamieLee Daries (Grade 3), Mrs Winnie Arendse, Shanice Smith (Grade 2), Tiffany Krigga (Grade 3), and Mrs Michelle Bruiners. In front from left are Mrs Hilary Ackerman, Joy Miller (Grade 2), and Grade 1s Zoey Levendal, Aiden Kamfer and Lindokuhle Manoni with Mrs Charmaine Hannie. Well spelled!

R p r o u d ly robberg

both young men expressing the intention to investigate aviation as a career - such is the magic of flight!

Contact Russell Honeywill (Bitou Municipality) on 083 600 2219, Siphiwe Dladla (Office of the Mayor) on 044 501 3000 or Nicolene Myburgh (CemAir) on 072 262 9572, and see the advert on page 4 for additional info.

These winners can spell extremely well

News & Views

6 August 2014

CXPRESS

We built that ‘sort-of-bus’!

Plett reader FANIE JONKER fondly remembers his finishing years of apprenticeship at Bus Bodies in the final throes of the 60s - and shares a travel tale with an Irish twist...

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HEN reading Derek Frielinghaus’s account of retail in the 70s [turn to page 2 of the July 16 edition at www.cxpress.co.za], his picture of the “sort-of-bus,

sort-of-truck” that served as courier for his shop’s goods compelled me to share some memories of my own.

In the late 60s, this “trailer bus”, as it was loosely refer-

red to in the workshop, was built by Bus Bodies (later called Busaf).

I was completing my final two years of apprenticeship in the tool room when this GET ON THE BUS, GUS: The photo that sparked Fanie’s flashback, as he was part of the team that assembled like vehicles in Port Elizabeth

Erasmus Panelbeaters does it again

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HE entire team at Erasmus Panelbeaters in Plett was excited when receiving yet another invitation to the Southern Cape Leaders and Achievers Awards breakfast.

According to the survey, Erasmus Panelbeaters for the second consecutive year received a Diamond Award the highest accolade, with an excellent score of 4.3 compared to last year’s 4.12 out of a possible 5 in the category Panelbeaters.

This award was presented to them by PMR Africa who publicly acknowledges competency and performance in accordance with the results of the survey reflected by the opinions of 95 respondents, which include CEOs, MDs, business owners, and senior management.

Not only does the award and ceremony acknowledge performance, but it is also a fat feather in the cap of the management teams of companies acknowledged thus.

Owner Kallie Erasmus said

that it was once again a proud moment for his team. “They work consistently towards the highest standards and customer service is a priority.”

BEACON OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE: Owner Kallie Erasmus and his wife Tigi share the pride of their entire team after raking in a Diamond Award for excellence from PMR Africa for the second year in a row

The purpose of the annual PMR Africa survey is to profile the Southern Cape region as a growth point and potential investment area for foreign and local developers and investors.

The survey measures companies, institutions, government entities and individuals on their contribution to economic growth and development of the region, levels of management expertise and innovation.

Erasmus Panelbeaters’ score reflects a high level of professionalism and their growth is a positive sign for other businesses in the Southern Cape.

Visit www.erasmuspanel beaters.co.za or contact them on 044 533 3259, fax 044 533 6866 or mweraspb@iafrica. com, and please note that they offer courtesy cars if available, and provide a free pick-up and delivery service in George, Knysna, Plett and all the way to The Crags. They also have a 24-hour breakdown service call 082 568 2479.

Sanlam Knysna Awards 2014 nominations nomic Development Depart- Businesswoman of the Year now open ment of Knysna Municipality, Award (sponsored by San-

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HE second annual Sanlam Knysna Awards (SKA) kicked off last month with the announcement by organisers that the nomination stage is open.

“The awards honour exceptional local companies and businesses, community leaders, brands and industry leaders who make us proud to be local,” says organiser and SKA founder Pieter Cloete.

“We want to acknowledge, reward and encourage Knysna enterprises that produce quality products which make us competitive in the fields of technology, trade and investment,” he adds.

The awards also recognise community leaders and those determined to effect change in their communities through a culture of giving.

Sanlam has a rich history in South Africa’s business and economic development. Other SKA partners include the Garden Route Business Circle, Knysna Tourism, Barnies Trading, SEDA and the Eco-

and Simola Hotel.

Nominations must be submitted online at www.knysna awards.co.za by September 1 at 5pm. Public voting will run for six weeks, from September 3 to October 17.

The gala awards evening will be hosted by Simola Hotel on November 6. Winners will receive extensive media coverage as well as a unique Sanlam Knysna Awards floating trophy and certificate.

Entrants must be located in and operate from the greater Knysna area (including Sedgefield, Rheenendal, Harkerville and surrounds), be registered with the Companies & Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), be in possession of a valid Tax Clearance Certificate, and comply with all relevant laws and regulations of Government and/or industry associations.

Entrants can be nominated in up to three of the following categories: • Small Business Awards (sponsored by Sanlam) •

lam) • Businessman of the Year Award (sponsored by Sanlam) • Best Eatery Award (sponsored by Barnies Trading Knysna) • Best Tourism Establishment Award (sponsored by Knysna Tourism) • Best Community Leader Award (sponsored by SEDA) • Charity Award • Best Tourism Activity, Festival & Local Market Award (sponsored by Knysna Tourism) • Proudly Knysna Award (sponsored

by SEDA) • Young Entrepreneur Award (sponsored by Sanlam) • Service Excellence Award (sponsored by Garden Route Business Circle) • Social Media and Online Marketing Award (sponsored by Sozo Digital Agency).

A Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a local resident who has made a significant contribution to Knysna as a whole, at the discretion of the judges.

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contract started.

The tow vehicle (horse) in the set up was an International, which was imported as a CKD Pack, i.e. completely knocked down and requiring in-house reassembly.

For this application, certain components on the chassis had to be made with special tooling in the tool room.

This bus configuration was used mainly in areas where no rail systems were in place and superseded the old all-inone passenger bus with loading compartment at the rear.

The latter used to service various locations, including the Knysna to Port Elizabeth

run on Fridays, with a return trip on Mondays.

These recollections reminded me of a comical story that Taffy - one of our buyers in the company - told about his bus trip to Knysna to visit his daughter.

He said the fact that the bus stopped at every conceivable and inconceivable place to drop and collect goods meant he had to put in an extra two days leave for the trip.

On his way home from work the day before setting off for Knysna, he decided to obtain a bit of Irish refreshment. Taffy’s wife, who wasn’t joining him on this occasion, packed a basket with snacks and a flask of coffee, which he happily carried off at seven ‘o clock on the morning of his departure.

Getting onto the bus and settling down in his uncom-

7 fortable seat, a big notice up front caught his attention: NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED. Thinking of the possible frequent and severe thirst attacks that might occur during the trip, Taffy poured himself a cup of coffee.

When they arrived at Jeffrey’s, however, the driver cum conductor got off the bus as usual so Taffy decided to top up his flask with some of the Irish stuff.

Taking into account the extent of this boring and uneventful journey, Taffy reckoned he had to cheer himself up with a few Irish coffees.

Long story short... On his arrival at Knysna around five, his daughter was not at all impressed with his condition.

And needless to say, she made very sure that there were no Irish coffees available for Taffy’s return trip on the bus.

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CXPRESS

Interval

6 August 2014

Money can’t buy happiness, but somehow it’s more comfortable to cry in a Cadillac than on a bicycle.

The lemon squeezer

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T a local bar in downtown Texas, the bartender was so sure he was the strongest man around, that he offered a standing $1,000 bet.

He would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and then hand the lemon to one of his patrons.

Anyone who could squeeze two more drops of juice out of it would win the money.

Many people had tried over the years: weightlifters, longshoremen, etc., but nobody had ever been able to do it.

One day, a scrawny little fellow came into the bar, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit.

He sat down, ordered a glass of draft and started looking around the bar.

After reading the sign on the wall about the lemon chal-

lenge, he said in a small voice: “I was just reading your sign, and I’d like to try the bet.”

After the laughter had died down, the bartender said: “Ok… ” He grabbed a lemon and squeezed the hell out of it.

Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little fellow.

The crowd’s laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his little fist around the lemon… and six drops fell into the glass.

As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the guy his $1,000, and said: “Do you mind if I ask what you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack, a weight-lifter, or what?”

The little fellow quietly replied: “I work for SARS, in South Africa.”

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The bathtub test

URING a visit to my doctor, and with my elderly father in mind, I asked: “How do you determine whether or not an older person should be put in a care home?”

“Well,” my doctor said, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the

HOW DOES NASA ORGANISE A PARTY?

Aphorisms (An original thought spoken in a concise and memorable form - Wikipedia) • The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.

• Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make it wag its tail.

• If you don’t have a sense of humour, you probably don’t have any sense at all.

• Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

• A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you’re in deep water.

• How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

• Business conventions are important because they demonstrate just how many people a company can operate without.

• Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?

• Stroke a cat and you will have a permanent job.

• No one has more driving ambition than the teenage boy who wants to buy a car.

• There are no new sins; nowadays, the old ones just get more publicity.

• There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4am - it could be the right number.

• No one ever says “it’s only a game” when their team is winning.

• I’ve reached the age where ‘happy hour’ is a nap.

• The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.

• Do you realise that in about 40 years, we’ll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos?

• After 60, if you don’t wake up aching in every joint, you’re probably dead.

• Always be yourself, because the people that matter don’t mind, and the ones that mind don’t matter.

person to help empty the bathtub.”

“Oh, I understand,” I said.

“A normal person would use the bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup.”

“No” my doctor said. “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?”

THEY PLANET

Business

6 August 2014

CXPRESS

9

‘Tis the month to gain financial flair, ladies...

S

OME women are born with a flair for working with money while others have to work a bit harder at it. August is National Women’s Month and the ideal time to sharpen up your money know-how.

“Drawing up a monthly budget and keeping track of your income and expenses on a weekly or monthly basis comes more naturally for some women than others. A few small tweaks can easily lift your financial performance regardless of your skills,” says head of FNB Consumer

Education Eunice Sibiya.

“The good news is the first step to becoming a financially savvy woman is not signing up for a course in finance, but rather a change of mindset and an understanding of your relationship with money.”

Sibiya suggests the following money tricks used by women with financial flair.

Firstly, they don’t use money to make themselves feel good.

Unfortunately as the fairer sex, our emotional side often sends us running to the shops after a bad day. Splurging is nothing more than instant

Accounting made easy

gratification that is likely to leave you feeling guilty as soon as you put all your parcels down on your bed.

Being vigilant about impulsive shopping is a sure way to display emotionally intelligent financial behaviour.

“The only way to fight emotionally driven spending is putting alternatives in its place that tackle the root of the problem. When you realise that your rush to the shops is emotionally charged, ask a friend whether you can pop over, take a run around the block to clear your head or

make yourself a cup of tea and work through your emotions.

“When feeling stressed or depressed, a short distraction may save you from a shopping spree you might regret,” recommends Sibiya.

Apply the “have-to-haveit” rule, which can save you from incurring unnecessary expenses or debt. Before you buy another item of clothing, ask yourself: do I really have to have it?

If the answer is no, put it down. If you are in two minds, buy it, but keep tags attached and don’t throw the slip away.

Jeremy Andrews – Andrews & Co Chartered Accountant & Auditor - Plett

Beyond Tax Season 2014 - Intro to SimplyAccounting

T

HE drive towards efficiency of collections and efficient management discussed in the previous article is not confined to SARS, as the WCC (Workmen’s Compensation Commissioner) and UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) guys are also getting in on the action.

This is particularly true for the former organisation, the staff of which is going back several years looking for noncompliance or non-payment.

Admittedly a fair bit of blame can be laid at their doorstep because they have been in disarray, but they are getting their act together, extracting arrears from business people and checking for registrations.

Damn, more red tape and

Investor Focus

time wasted on unproductive admin, you might curse - and, business owners, particularly owners of smaller businesses, rightly so. It’s hard enough putting bread on the table as is, without all the extra PT. Ironically, governments worldwide are looking to smaller businesses to solve the economic woes of the world, yet they persist in burdening them with all these compliance issues.

There is, however, some good news out of this because it is a clear demonstration that the ability of civil servants to administer well is starting to emerge. Sure, I know it’s all on the ‘money-in’ side, while the ‘money-out’ side is still a run-away wheel.

However, the appointment

of Pravin Gordhan as minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs seems a clear signal that government is serious about controlling the run-away wheel.

This ministry has, as one of its objectives, “to build and strengthen the capability and the accountability of provinces and municipalities to implement their constitutional mandate”.

As Finance minister, Gordhan knocked the inflow side into shape in no time at all, so here’s hoping he can do the same on the expenditure side of things.

So, contrary to the normal South African pessimism, I am beginning to feel green shoots of optimism - and judging by all the building

Malcolm Stewart – Investment manager at Michaelides Parker Wealth Knysna & Plett

About benchmarks and indices

C

OMPETITION between unit trust companies is based on their performance. In the case of general equity funds, the most common benchmark is the JSE All Share Index.

The true benchmark for an advisor managing total funds should be meeting the client’s long-term objectives.

These objectives will vary depending on the client’s circumstances, i.e. the objective of a 40-year-old client saving for his retirement 20/30 years later will be very different from that of the 65-year-old retiree, whose objective is maintaining capital in real terms while earning sufficient income to live off.

When examining the JSE All Share Index in detail, one comes across some startling numbers and anomalies.

There are 165 companies in this index; however, it is largely biased towards big international stocks - in fact, the top 10 companies make up 60% of the index.

The 40 biggest companies make up 85% of the index, which is only 25% of the 165

total universe!

There are thus many unintended consequences that occur when using this index as your benchmark.

For example, Naspers (the Chinese-based internet giant Tencent is its primary asset) currently constitutes 8% of the JSE All share Index. In 2004, it made up only 1% of the Index, so it grew by a staggering 2650% over the past decade.

You should have bought it then; today, very few private portfolio managers will have 8% of a portfolio exposed to this giant.

The current consensus profit projections from analysts sees the top 40 companies as being ±12% overvalued, versus the smaller cap stocks which still offer a 7% upside.

This is a particularly substantial premium and is a valuable warning to those who follow this benchmark.

Clearly, when addressing these figures, it is impossible to project future earning with any real degree of accuracy.

Naspers could still continue to astound investors and outper-

form the index for the foreseeable future.

The figures do, however, show why so many unit trusts underperform their index.

You cannot blame any unit trust manager for resisting the pressure of putting 8% of the funds under his management into any single stock.

It is clear from the above that truly specific investment objectives should be the benchmark used. These objectives should be set after an in-depth needs analysis has been done.

A portfolio is then constructed around the objectives.

The portfolio can use unit trusts, direct equity or balanced portfolios, or ETFs. The time frame of the benchmark (read: investment objective) should also be considered.

No investment manager can predict any short-term trends, but a long-term objective should be attainable Ocneqno"jcu"dggp"kp"vjg" kpxguvogpv"kpfwuvt{"hqt"qxgt" 62"{gctu0"Jg"jcu"ytkvvgp" vjku"eqnwop"kp"EZRTGUU" hqt"vjg"ncuv"38"{gctu"cpf"ku" c"urgekcnkuv"kp"ocpcikpi" tgvktgf"ygcnvj0

that’s going on in Plett, I am not alone in this sentiment!

Realising the trend towards timely compliance and the stresses it would put on the administration of businesses, I have not only trained my staff to efficiently handle compliance issues but have developed a system that allows them to easily keep clients’ bookkeeping completely up-todate while facilitating accurate, efficient compliance.

Named SimplyAccounting, as it so aptly describes it, this system is designed to use both open-source office productivity software, which does not cost anything, and free cloud computing.

This combination enables cost-effective collaborative working with clients to deliver an efficient, transparent solution for the pressures faced by our business folk.

Already in use with a number of clients, it is proving to be a huge help to staff and clients.

Oh, and here is a plug for the open-source software known as LibreOffice, which does everything the commercial product does. In use by more than 80-million consumers, it is also the software of choice for a number of governments around the world.

Visit http://www.libreoffice. org and download it for free.

Lgtgo{"Cpftgyu"jcu"dggp" kp"vjg"dwukpguu"qh"ocmkpi" ceeqwpvcpe{"gcu{"hqt"nqecn" dwukpguu"hqnm"hqt"fgecfgu"/" ugg"vjg"cfxgtv"dgnqy0

Try it on again at home and check if it can be matched up with many of the clothes in your cupboard. You may be surprised to find that you have a similar item already.

Invest in you. “The mistake some women often make is relying on their partners to look after all the finances and their future,” says Sibiya.

“Make sure that you look after your own financial future by understanding what money comes in and out of the household. Be part of the household budget discussion.”

Even if your job provides you with a pension fund, you can never prepare enough for old age. Try saving 10% of your income in various types of accounts that will prepare you for retirement - one such nest egg to consider is a retirement annuity.

This is a great way to boost your retirement, as you can choose the amount you want to save every month, increase it at any given time and enjoy the tax benefits.

Don’t live beyond your means. Women who are financially stable never spend more than what they earn and one of the easiest ways to do so is to stop carrying debt, in the form of a credit or retail store card, around with you.

“With purses full of store and credit cards, it has become easy to spend more than what we can in actual fact afford.

The ease of swiping is but the beginning of the problem.

“Because these bills are not on one account, it is easy to forget how much you have spent and even more difficult to remember what monthly repayments have to be made,” says Sibiya.

Rather adopt an emergency mindset to debt. Transact primarily with your cheque cards and leave your retail store cards and credit cards at home. By doing so, you will be unable to make impulsive purchases and forced to remember packing your cards if the need really does arise.

Be prepared to say no.

Whether it is your kids or family, women tend to put others first and their finances suffer as a result,” says Sibiya.

“Remember that kids don’t understand the value of money, unless you are financially disciplined and teach them about financial concepts.”

The same goes to lending money to family or friends.

Rather send them to a financial planner or help them set up a budget.

“Every woman has the capacity for financial flair.

Empower yourself by taking control of your finances: sit down this Women’s Month, write down how you’d like to change your mindset and then hold yourself accountable.

“Personal financial management is achievable. Set your goals, be disciplined, strive to manage your finances smarter, and see your dreams fulfilled,” concludes Sibiya.

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CXPRESS

6 August 2014

HUL VERF DIE LAND ROOY VIR DRIE EEUE AL! Andrie van Rooyen van Plettenbergbaai het ons laat weet dat op 24 September se Erfenisdag, die nageslag van Cornelis van Rooyen (‘ag, sommer alle Van Rooyens’) hul 300ste jaar in Suid-Afrika sal vier. ‘Sover ons weet vind die enigste byeenkoms of reunie fees plaas op Plettenbergbaai - ‘n wonderlike vakansiebestemming in die lente! - in die gemeenskapsaal te Piesangrivier, en duur van Erfenisdag tot die naweek. Die Van Rooyens op hiérdie foto het ‘n baie aangename Erfenisdag vier jaar gelede beleef toe ons 200 jaar in Plettenbergbaai gevier het, en het besluit om alle Van Rooyens in SuidAfrika by die 300-jaar viering in te sluit. Dit sal wonderlik wees indien lesers wat Van Rooyens hier en elders ken, hulle na hierdie saamtrek sal nooi.’

Kontak Andrie by vanrooyen1@telkomsa.net vir meer besonderhede.

People, places & events

PAINTING IT BLUE FOR MANKIND: Saturday July 26 saw runners and walkers come together for Plett’s first male cancer fundraising event.

The fun 5km run started at the Harkerville Farmers Market and headed off into the beautiful surrounding farmland. The morning had a great blue theme with everyone’s hair being sprayed blue at registration and the water table at halfway serving blue Powerade. All proceeds from the event went to the Cancer Association of South Africa, specifically towards the research, education and support of male cancer. This inaugural event was the doing of star Plett Athletics Club runner and Cansa fundraiser, Hanlie Sinclair. Everyone agreed that the Blue Run is sure to take off in Bitou, just as its sister, the Pink Walk, did.

Social Scene

WHAT’S IN THE WATER OF THESE LEGAL EAGLES? Perino Pama of Mosdell, Pama & Cox Attorneys in Plett passed on the happy news of a veritable baby boom at the firm’s Knysna branch, where the little critters pictured here saw the bright Garden Route light in four consecutive months! From top to (baby) bottom... Cayden, cleaner Jacelyn and her husband Errol’s daughter born on March 4.

Next up Susan, a paralegal at the firm, and her husband Marcel first set eyes on their daughter Mika on April 16. Then it was time for Donald, a director at the firm, and his wife Sarah to welcome their boy Robert into the world on May 28. The latest addition to the ‘law babies’ arrived on June 8, when candidate attorney Sabelo and wife Nonelelwa received their son, Alunamida, as a special bouncy gift.

Congratulations to all involved!

KARATEKA IMPRESS IN MOSSELS: National medals were gained last month when students from Plett’s Karate Kyousei Dojo took part in the SA championships in Mossel Bay. Sensei Jonathan says the team made a good impact at the competition, and thanks all the parents for their wonderful support, as well as team manager Jurine Pasja. In front from left is Kieran Windvogel, Hylene Cedras (2nd kata, 1st Kumite), Noah Bosman (3rd Kata, 3rd Kumite) and Anastagio Davids (1st Kata, 3rd Kumite). In the middle row from left are Edward Dickson (3rd Kata), Ashwill Pegram, Carin Plaatjies (3rd Kata), Thenique Arnolds (3rd Kata, 2nd Kumite), Jayden Wates, Caitlin Bosman (3rd Kumite) and Hailey Kivetts (2nd Kata). At the back from left are Donovan Clark (2nd team Kumite), Dayne Clark (3rd Kata), Britney Paulse (3rd Kata, 3rd Kumite), Cole Kivetts (3rd Kata) and Bryden Plaatjies (1st Kata, 2nd Kumite).

Absent from the group photo is Christal Mokate (2nd Kata).

Social Scene

6 August 2014

CXPRESS

NOTES ON WILD LIFE LAUNCHED: ‘Living on the Wild Side’ by Erwin Leibnitz - a descendant of the great mathematician, Gottfried Leibnitz - was launched on the evening of July 29 at Plettenberg Bay Country Club. The reception and lounge areas of the clubhouse were thronged with a crowd of some 175 people for the launch of the book, which recounts the experiences of Erwin in a working life involving the conservation and management of wildlife throughout South Africa and Namibia. Erwin’s wife Jenny and two daughters were present at the evening. Short talks were given by a friend, Geoff Robinson, and Erwin himself, while sales of the book were brisk and a thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all. Above at left is Mike Kantey - who facilitated the editing, printing and publication of the book - with Erwin and Jenny smiling along. Below from left, Suzaan & André Groenewald, Phil Raymond and Michelle Nagel enjoy the occasion. - Timothy Twidle

DISNEY MEETS THANDI AT TENIKWA: The ‘Disney on Ice’ group visited Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness & Rehabilitation Centre in The Crags on July 31.

Taking a breather after an action-packed ice spectacular staged at Grand West Casino from July 23-27, some of the skaters and tour managers are pictured here with owners Mandy, in front, and Len Freeman, standing at right. The first-rate production’s team of international award-winning figure skaters, high-energy choreography and imaginative set changes transported audiences into the animated movies that childhood dreams are made of. But the star of the day on their Garden Route visit was Thandi the Cheetah, here looking more dazzling than most celebrities can muster.

People, places & events

Photos: Timothy Twidle

11

HATS & HEELS FOR CANSA: The pretty ladies of Plett put their best feet forward last Saturday at the White House Theatre for an elegant cake and tea do that raised more than R10,000 to further Cansa’s good work of cancer research and support for victims and their families.

Hats off - but don’t lose those heels! - to Hanlie Sinclair and Merle Hagerman (not pictured here as they’re rather camera shy) on yet again organising an excellent event for this important cause.

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

12

CXPRESS

Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

Home & Health

6 August 2014

A quarter century of making Plett homes pretty

S

INCE Toy Black started her Interior Design & Décor Service in Plettenberg Bay in 1989, she has continued to grow and evolve with her clients and their requirements.

Her showroom in Dulcy Centre, High Street, features all the latest fabrics, coordinating ideas and catalogues.

There is a selection for the budget-conscious, the little more exclusive, and those that most of us simply drool over… And everything for your home: furniture and custom-made goods, carpets, tiles, pictures, curtains, upholstery, lampshades, beds, linen as well as paint finishing - you name it.

Toy’s love for her profession is evident in the fact that, if she doesn’t have a new catalogue or know about a product, her curiosity drives

her to find out and make it available to her clients.

She finds each assignment new and interesting and

truly enjoys the challenge of helping you find what you like, and advising where necessary.

Toy can beautify your entire home, but is equally happy to assist with the interior design

of single rooms, or to provide individual items to enhance your home.

You are most welcome to visit - see the adverts on this page for additional information and contact details.

A TOAST TO THE FAIRER TRADE: Toy Black is celebrating 25 years of plying her interior design trade and ploughing beautiful ideas into Plett homes - and along with Lyle Clark, right, invites you to celebrate, too, by taking advantage of the excellent sales currently on at both Toy Black Interiors and Black Orchid in the Upper Deck centre - Photo: Watty Watson

Find the treasures in your home and garden for this month’s Maison Market

K

NYSNA Sedgefield Hospice invites you to hunt down all your home and garden treasures no longer used for donation to its second Spring Maison Market, scheduled for August 29 & 30 at St Boniface Catholic Church hall in Queen Street.

The treasures Hospice is looking for include furniture, ornaments, vases, lamps, artwork, frames, soft furnishings, carpets, tableware, crockery, baskets, kitchenware, linen, craft items, garden pots and ornaments, fabrics, beads, buttons, wool, ribbons, stationery, jewellery, and classy vintage clothing.

The 2013 Maison Market proved to be such a great winner with the Knysna public that the Hospice fundrais-

ing team, who organises the event, has already received many enquires regarding the details of this year’s market.

A steady stream of donated treasures has come pouring in, including a new, hand-crafted bridge table and several beautifully framed mirrors and prints. The 2014 Hospice Maison Market promises to be an exciting must for all homeware enthusiasts and bargain hunters.

Pam Golding Properties is proudly sponsoring the Hospice Treasure Hunt for the Maison Market and has kindly offered their premises on Leisure Isle to be used as a drop-off point for all donated items. Alternatively, call 083 448 1934 to have your goods collected.

MARKETING AN EXCELLENT CAUSE: All proceeds from the Hospice Maison Market - where you’ll find everything from quirky kitchenware to classic furniture and vintage clothing will help ensure that Knysna Hospice continues providing free palliative care for those who need it most

Home & Health

6 August 2014

CXPRESS

Our Betty gets her cooking kicks from spreading the Banting word

B

ANTING Betty is the brainchild of Sarah Murray - the catering half of newly established wedding and function coordinating duo, The Party Angels.

The Banting approach is experiencing an exceptional resurgence, currently enjoying incredible popularity as vjg healthy way of eating.

And as a keen Banter herself, Sarah saw a huge need in Plett for locally-sourced, organic Banting-friendly food.

Having worked in hospitality and catering for many years, Sarah has in-depth understanding of how using the best ingredients available to mankind results in a product of superior quality, and this is the ethos she has adopted for Banting Betty.

All products and dishes in her growing range of eats and

FEEDING THE SOUL AND FILLING TUMS... HEALTHILY: Sarah Murray was so taken by the Banting way of life that she’s dead-set on sharing the organic goodness of these recipes with locals ready to eat themselves into super-health, but not quite as adept on the cookin’ front

treats are made to order, so ensuring maximum freshness.

Says Sarah: “There is something particularly exciting about experimenting with new ingredients and making really tasty food that is actually tgcnn{ good for you!

“When I’m standing in my kitchen immersed in recipes and ingredients, it feeds my soul, and my hope is for you to taste that in the finished product.”

And that’s exactly what 200 lucky ladies will be doing tonight, when Banting Betty launches officially at Plett Primary’s much anticipated Women of the World gala evening - read all about it in next week’s edition of CXPRESS, and call 083 631 1278 or email sarah@protecx. co.za for additional information or to place your order.

The Ten Commandments of Beginner Banting 1. Eat enough fat. This is central to Banting - animal fat does not make you fat… you need to eat it. Small amounts make you feel full, which stops you from overeating.

It also gives you long-lasting energy so in time you won’t have that carb craving.

2. Eat enough vegetables.

This is high fat, not high protein. Don’t forget to eat your greens with every meal.

3. Don’t snack. Initially, while you’re in carb-coldturkey you will crave everything and will most likely need to snack. Once you’ve come off carbs, the only reason you should feel the need to snack is if you are not eating a fatty enough meal or

large enough breakfast. Eventually, snacking and Banting become like oil to water.

4. Don’t lie to yourself. Eating carbs that are perceived to be proteins like legumes, peanuts and quinoa can be detrimental.

5. Don’t over or under-eat.

New Banters get nervous about the idea of not snacking and end up stuffing themselves. With a high-enough volume of fat in each meal, a reasonable portion of food should carry you to your next meal. Even though the theory is that if you eat enough fat you should stay fuller for longer, you should still be careful that you’re not forcing down food. Eat slowly, drink

water and only eat until full; not starving nor stuffed, just full. Get used to eating more substantial, less frequent meals. One serving per meal, one meal at a time!

6. Don’t eat too much protein. This is not high protein eating. You shouldn’t need more than 80g of meat with any meal. The main aim is reducing carbs, then increasing fat. Protein stays the same or could even decrease.

7. Be alert. You could be eating secret carbs in supposed healthy products or premade meals. Check the packaging.

Anything containing more than 5% carbs should be avoided. Remember: that diet milkshake you always buy

Popular Petunias bloom in every colour

T

HE Petunias that were first discovered in the mid-1700s to early-1800s in South America actually looked nothing like the stunners that grace our gardens today.

Rgvwpkc" czknnctku and Rg/ vwpkc" xkqncegc originally had small white and purple flowers, respectively. The large colourful blooms that we can buy from our garden centres today is known as Rgvwpkc"z"j{dtkfc.

Rgvwpkc" itcpfkhnqtc has large flowers requiring regular deadheading to keep the blooms coming and spreads vigorously so would be more

suitable for garden beds.

Rgvwpkc" ownvkhnqtc have blooms about half the size but double the quantity of itcp/ fkhnqtc and they grow more into a mound like structure which makes them perfect for filling in dips or as borders for a garden bed.

Rgvwpkc"oknnkhnqtc have tiny flowers but they are prolific in nature. It is a neat, compact plant which makes it a winner for container planting.

When it comes to planting, make sure that your soil drains well and they’ll get to bask in the sun for most of the day. Petunias are not par-

ticularly thirsty, so without making them think they’ve been relegated to the Sahara Desert, let the soil dry out a bit between watering.

There is a Petunia for every season and region so there is no reason not to get down to your local accredited garden centre and pick some up.

With a colour palette from blue, purple, burgundy and lavender to pink, red, yellow and white, there is no colour scheme that cannot be accommodated.

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DON’T FORGET TO DEADHEAD: They’re not particularly thirsty, but be sure to free Petunias – especially the grandiflora – of dead blooms regularly to ensure its abundance

may be low in fat, but will be loaded with sugar.

8. Avoid too many fruits and nuts. Fruit is laced with fructose, which is perceived as ‘good’ sugar. Sugar is sugar and regardless of its perceived goodness, it needs to be controlled. Refined sugar is a lot more poisonous so while natural sugars are less likely to kill you, they will do nothing for weight loss. Berries and nuts are safe but should be restricted. Roasted nuts are not good; raw nuts are great.

9. Control your dairy. Although dairy is good for you, it does contain carbs. In your Banting beginning, avoid too much dairy. Butter is good.

10. Be strong!

13

14

CXPRESS

Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za

6 August 2014

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

6 August 2014

Letters to the Editor

CXPRESS

15

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

State of Knysna roads sure to repel investors I enjoy reading the local news in CXPRESS and was especially interested in the article with regard to Plett’s Airport Road. [Visit www.cxpress. co.za and turn to page 3 of the July 30 edition.]

I must say, generally the roads in that municipality ap-

pear to be in good condition and well maintained - plus a very smart Main Street.

Although we often boast about our superb road infrastructure in the Western Cape, it certainly does not apply to Knysna.

I spend about half my year

Education is key - and we can all make a difference One of the major problems South Africa is experiencing is the high unemployment level, causing pain and despair in the lives of thousands of people.

It is of little value to be painfully aware of this terrible problem without working towards putting measures in place to not only alleviate but eradicate this problem. Time is of paramount importance.

The most important question is: Is there a solution?

And if so, what is that solution? The goal should be to concentrate on solutions.

Prof Mohammad Yunnus from Bangladesh made a difference in 100-million poor peoples’ lives around the world. He and his Grameen Bank, making micro loans available to poor people with no financial security, received the Nobel Prize.

There are also many success stories of amazing entrepreneurship initiatives in South Africa. South Africans are well known for their practical wisdom over many decades.

The number-one solution is excellent education.

Bill Gates wrote a book about the future called Vjg" Tqcf" Cjgcf. One of his chapters concentrates specifically on education.

University of the Free State rector Prof Jonathan Jansen’s latest book, Hkz/ kpi" Qwt" Uejqqnu" kp" Uqwvj" Chtkec, was published recently. He and his co-writer brilliantly dissect our education situation.

A study has been done on the key factors for successful schools in the nine provinces in South Africa.

After studying these, they suggest pro-active recom-

mendations and solutions.

Practical workshops that could turn the tide are in place for principals, teachers and educators. The majority of schools are in townships.

Included in this publication are two DVDs taking the reader to 19 successful schools and illustrating the viewer the know-how of successful educators. This is an amazing tool and opportunity not to be underestimated and missed!

The sky of opportunity by means of this project is the limit. There are many privileged South Africans in key positions that can play a decisive role to bring about an educational transformation in our beloved country.

The challenge is to study the contents of this publication, to spread the good news to other key people and to support key educators to become involved, and implement, the key aspects of this project - to risk riding this wave of strategic opportunity in our education.

This publication not only sheds a clear theoretical light on the horizon, but provides the key to open up a new dispensation to millions of people living in dreadful poverty, especially in our townships.

Good qualifications open mighty financial and economic doors. We cannot afford to miss this last door of hope for the strugglers in our midst.

The big question is: where can you and I make a difference? We have a great strategy! Are we going to use it, or continue to build our own empires?

Gtpguvq"Ikdcnfk."Xgtoqpv

Latin fit for texting?!

We should bring this abbreviation back into use - it would save much time, space and paper: SVBEEV (Si Vales Bene Est Ego Valeo), which means: “If you are well, it is good. I am well.”

Among the Romans, this was a traditional salutation at the beginning of a letter.

Come to think of it, it could have been invented with texting in mind!

Lqjp"Ociknn."Mp{upc

in Knysna, where the roads are generally in a poor state, with rather lethargic attempts at repairing them. For example, a particularly overdue effort was made to resurface George Rex Drive - a busy traffic area for industry, as well as a popular tourist route.

However, this petered out after a short distance and the balance of this road remains in a poor condition, as do those in the CBD, plus a High Street that certainly needs longer-term planning.

Although I have emailed Knysna Municipality on a couple of occasions over the

past few months to ask about these issues, there has been no response.

Plett and Knysna desperately need investors to urgently fill the empty factories, and to create jobs and other business opportunities. But any investor would probably think twice at the moment.

Ejtkuvqrjgt"Fwtcpv."

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ACCIDENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION? This recent accident on Plett’s Airport Road, above - resulting from blind turns, at right, and exits - reopened the debate on the state of streets in our neck of the woods

In praise of medical care at W-Cape provincial hospitals I was surprised and, to some extent, disturbed to read of the experiences described by ‘Disillusioned’ from Plett in a recent edition of CXPRESS [visit www.cxpress.co.za and turn to page 15 of the July 16 edition to read the letter].

I have been a resident of Plettenberg Bay for the past 33 years and have, therefore, lived here through the pre and post-apartheid years.

I have been a patient at both Plett and KwaNokuthula day hospitals as well as Knysna and George Provincial Hospitals for over 20 years and have observed the many changes in the management

of these institutions.

In my opinion, the improvements achieved by the Western Cape health authorities have been nothing short of exceptional.

In saying this, I should emphasise that it includes Grootte Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, where I have also received treatment.

Apart from Drs Scholz, Van Rooyen, and Gould from Plettenberg Bay and George hospitals respectively, I would like to make mention of Dr Patrick Ntuli - a proficient surgeon at Grootte Schuur with an irrepressible sense of humour.

Fracking: its potential cannot be ignored There has been a flurry of articles and letters in the media recently decrying the consequences of fracking in South Africa. They have generally had the following themes: • Any financial benefits will be kept by the filthy rich and nothing will filter down to the population.

The principle of capital development in a country has been the subject of controversy and debate over the years, from Marx to Smith to Hayek and, particularly applicable, Keynesian stimulus. A simplistic approach is asinine.

• Rogue fracking organisations in the US have caused huge pollution. Ditto rogue mining companies in South Africa.

Why this behaviour, which occurred anything from 50 to 150 years ago, should apply to today’s fracking companies is not clear. The industry today is development in progress.

Fracking fluid is now nonpollutant, backwater is recycled, modern acoustic methods pick up leaks and blockages immediately as well as identifying dolomitic sills, which can then be dealt with.

Horizontal drilling is the norm, which means that only small surface areas are occupied, and so on.

• The gas deposit in SA is only 40tcf and not financially worth developing.

In fact, the estimates range from 480tcf downwards. At 50tcf, the economic benefit to South Africa is estimated at R80-billion.

At the top end of the scale, the estimates are in the trillions of rands. (The Mossgas project was based on 1tcf.)

What is not mentioned are the job opportunities which, even at the lower end of the scale, will provide many hundreds of thousands of jobs through all facets of the process. Nor what fracking will bring to increasing the production of electricity in the country.

Gas turbines will be financially efficient, not to talk of the reduction in atmospheric pollution relative to coalpowered stations. Regulation and control is well developed in the US and EU. Even with the defective civil administration we currently enjoy in this country, it should not have a problem with setting up a regulatory system that will at the very least protect underground water in the Karoo, most of which is contained in a shallow aquifer zone of 300m deep.

If negative, short-sighted objections had been heeded in the past, we would now still have people with red flags walking in front of our motor cars.

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These doctors, and in particular their staff, will forever be remembered by me for their professionalism, civility and caring attitude.

It saddens me that these institutions and their staff should be deprecated because of the action of some wayward bus driver and a lowly night shift employee.

I, too, have come into contact with such persons who I have treated with patience and civility, all to good effect.

But in the years that I

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have attended the hospitals and clinics mentioned, I am unable to recall an instance of having received anything but courteous treatment.

While I could go on forever singing the praises of the Western Cape’s provincial hospitals, let it suffice to say that, having been a patient at private hospitals both in the Southern Cape and Gauteng, I would without a shadow of a doubt prefer to be treated at the provincial establishments.

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16

CXPRESS

6 August 2014 Jill Mouat sent this beauty and wrote: ‘We saw this brilliant sight on Friday July 25 at about 3pm after lunch at the Ski-boat Club.

Quite amazing to see both sides of the rainbow, and here’s hoping that this is a good omen for all of us in Plett!’ Hear-hear, Jill - couldn’t agree with you more and hey, it’s Women’s Month so our girl-heavy CXPRESS team can feel much lightness returning to our lives, with spring less than a month away and the next salvo of sports, adventure, and wine & diningin-the-great-outdoors events around the corner. Visit www.plett-tourism.co.za/ events/ for more on the Dr Evil and Plett to PE cycling events, as well as October’s Wine & Bubbly Festival. Check the Full Moon Beach Run advert on this page for a Saturday night event that you wouldn’t want to miss. And surfing enthusiasts, it’s the Ross Taylor competition in Buffels Bay this weekend so see y’all there! Turn to page 4 and see the Ross Taylor advert for everything you need to know.

There’s hope in the air and gold at both ends of the BI!

Charities benefit big-time from Knysna Car Show 2014

Garden Route Motor Club chairman Peter Pretorius sent these lovely photos, the top pic with organisers and beneficiaries of this year’s Knysna Car Show, which was yet again an awesome event with excellent funds raised for local charitable causes.

Says Peter: ‘A grand total of 350 cars were on display, and Knysna High’s sports fields were packed to the perimeters with a glittering display of veteran, classic and exotic vehicles.

For the first time, there was also an excellent display of rare and exciting motorcycles. The quality and variety of machines on show was a sight to be cherished by all petrolheads, and our R53,000 distribution to charity beneficiaries is a whopping 29% up on last year’s R41,000 contribution!’ Organisations benefiting from the funds raised are Knysna Sedgefield Hospice, Knysna Animal Welfare, the e’Pap Feeding Scheme, Knysna High School, Famsa Plettenberg Bay and Change for Change. Pictured at the top is a happy collective of organisers and beneficiaries who got together to close off this year’s event - standing from left are Shirley Sparg (Hospice), Shelly Godsell (e’Pap), Duncan Miller (Garden Route Motor Club), Trish Eustice (Knysna High School), Veronica Carter (KAWS), Tony Duff (Change for Change), Dr Janet Stanford (Hospice) and Karen du Plessis (Famsa), with Peter Godsell of e’Pap, left, and Peter Pretorius kneeling in front. - Photos: Chris Daly

No-nonsense Nadine chops her way to the trophies Bitou reader Sylvia Christian sent this pic of martial arts ace Nadine Patterson with the following lowdown: ‘Nadine lives in Kranshoek and was, at age 15, chosen as a Junior Springbok to partake in the World Martial Arts Championships in Florida in the USA during July, where she won a medal for third place, as well as two secondplace trophies and a proud first-place trophy. This quiet and shy young lady is superdedicated to her training in karate and kickboxing - so watch out boys, she will stand no nonsense... Well done, Nadine, we are very proud of you.’

Sport & Adventure