April 30

30 April 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

Fatal tangle

FREE

Photo: Dr Gwenith Penry

Plett NSRI volunteers Jaco Kruger, left, and Ross Badenhorst labour to free the carcass of an entangled Bryde’s whale - read the full story on page 7

Election Day is nigh... p3 & 5

Pink is the new funky p13

May I rev your motor? p16

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

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CXPRESS

News & Views

30 April 2014

Driving Miss Crazy

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Meeting interesting people in the line of personal driver duty JEEVES shares memories of his adventures as Garden Route chauffeur extraordinaire...

O

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

N a road trip once, in conversation, my passenger enquired as to why I do this thing - i.e. Jeevesing… “For fun,” I replied.

“Meeting people; travelling the countryside; getting out and about and so on.”

Driving people around is not exactly taxing on the intellect, but you do get to meet some interesting types.

A new arrival in Knysna from Cape Town called me recently to ask if I could drive him to George. His car was in the garage for repairs, and he needed to collect something a.s.a.p.

I explained that I am not a taxi driver - and that I drive you, in your car, where and when. (I prefer to see myself as a driver who delivers people in their own cars to the destination of their choice, usually because they can’t drive themselves.)

“Sorry, old chap.”

He understood, apologised and said he would look elsewhere for a lift.

As far as I was concerned, that was the end of that.

But a few days later, a lady - who is suffering from a life-threatening disease asked me to drive her in her own car to George for specialist medical attention.

Arrangements were made, and I suddenly remembered this fellow who needed a lift, and so I asked the lady if she would mind if another person hitched a ride with us, provided he pitched in with a contribution for petrol.

She instantly agreed, and during the journey to George this guy turned out to be a man of few words - he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

When I asked him where he was headed for, he replied simply: “To fetch some books at a friend’s house.”

I didn’t see it as my business to delve any deeper at

this point, so I let it ride.

An hour later, after dropping the lady, we set off back to Knysna with two sealed cartons of books in the boot, and a Cape Town printer’s logo stamped on each.

“Just asking, but what are the books we just picked up?” I asked.

“They’re novels about rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park,” he replied.

“Oh really?” I said. “How interesting! Who’s the author?”

“Me.” I glanced at him with raised eyebrow. He met my look, could see I was intrigued,

ing - two are being killed each day in the Kruger Park - for their horns, which is falsely believed by millions in the Far East to have extraordinary healing powers as a traditional medicine, let alone its mythical aphrodisiacal effects.

Because of rising demand, prices have surged and rhino poaching has reached epidemic proportions. By all accounts, this prehistoric beast is now heading for extinction.

I thought: ‘Who can blame an unemployed, hungry Mozambiquan for taking to the gun, and getting a R20,000 TO SAVE JUST ONE RHINO: Recent passenger Nick Whiteley says his novel is the first ever to focus exclusively on rhino poaching, in a story interwoven with greed, corruption and love - and with the aim of fighting the scourge that’s driving these animals to extinction

and continued…

“It’s the first novel in the world to focus exclusively on this heinous crime.”

He paused, looking at me, and carried on.

“It’s all about human greed and corruption… but there’s a love story woven into it.”

As if it was an afterthought, my passenger added: “And it ends happily.”

It reminded me of reading about rampant rhino poach-

to R50,000 reward for a rhino horn, size dependant?’

“Your first novel?” I asked.

He nodded as he gazed out of the window at the forests and lakes rushing past.

“I’ve been a writer and an investigative journalist all my working life, but I’ve always wanted to write a novel about something that really matters. Rhino poaching is a perfect opportunity.”

My ‘interesting’ passenger

‘I prefer to see myself as a driver who delivers people in their own cars to the destination of their choice, usually because they can’t drive themselves.’ went on to explain that he had won awards for his investigative reporting in the 90s - he exposed the infamous Masterbond scam that bankrupted 20,000 pensioners, and ruffled some feathers in the UK when reporting about official British government involvement in a car bomb blast in London in 1982.

His life had been threatened a number of times, he claimed. His biography would be fascinating, I thought.

All in all, he was an interesting character who had clearly been around the block a few times.

When I dropped him off at his home on Thesen Islands, he opened one of the boxes, removed a book, signed it, and thrust it into my hands.

“There you are,” he said.

“Thanks for all your help!

Nice talking to you,” and bade me a cheerful farewell.

His parting comment was this: “If it helps to save just one rhino’s life, it will have been worth it.”

His name is Nick Whiteley, and he tells me that his thriller is now available in Knysna. Soon it will be posted with Amazon Paperbacks and e-books on the ‘net. Can’t wait to get my teeth into the grit of it!

As I wrote at the start of this column, I certainly do get to meet some interesting characters.

Watch out for those potholes... /"Lggxgu

News & Views

30 April 2014

Disrupt election day and risk five years in jail Police have urged Garden Route voters to head to the polls next Wednesday without incident or face the full force of the law - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports

C

OME Wednesday May 7, about 25-million registered South African voters will be making their mark in the fifth democratic national elections since the end of apartheid 20 years ago.

Nationally police have scaled up its operations capacity to keep the order as voters descend on the country’s voting stations, and locally police officers from bigger centres will be deployed to stand by in case of any incidents.

Plett police spokesperson Lieutenant Marlene Pieterse warned that police had taken a no tolerance approach to election day, and that no political marches, meetings, demonstrations, or events would be allowed.

“We are authorised to act on any infringements, which can result in a fine or imprisonment of five years,” she said.

She added that Bitou police would be keeping an eye on the various voting stations, while officers from the George tactical response team and public order policing unit would assist in the general Bitou area.

Political parties also urged their supporters to ensure a “peaceful and legitimate” election process.

“We encourage all our supporters to respect the Constitution and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and to cast their votes in a peaceful and orderly manner,” said DA Western Cape leader Ivan Meyer.

“We believe a successful election is characterised by three features: a wide acceptance of the ‘rules of the game’, an informed and involved public, and an election structure that delivers

ballots to voting stations, ensuring stations open and close on time and ballots are protected so that voters feel safe and believe their votes will be secret.”

ANC S-Cape spokesman Putco Mapitiza did not comment on the party’s election day measures for the region before going to print.

Polls will open from 7am until 9pm and voters are urged to cast their votes at the voting station where they are registered. This can be verified by sending an SMS with your ID number to 32810.

Because it is a national and provincial election, registered voters are allowed to vote anywhere in the country. If a voter however votes outside the province where he or she is registered, the voter will only receive a national ballot paper.

Public to help bring rapists to book

J

UDGING by reports received during the past week, the prison sentences received by those found guilty on sexual assault charges do little to scare off prospective rapists, so the community is requested to assist police in fighting this scourge.

This was the case in Knysna last week, when a man allegedly raped two 17-yearold learners at knife-point.

Said Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Bernadine Steyn: “On April 24 at about 2pm, the victims were walking along Noetzie Road on their way from school when the suspect approached them on foot.

“He took out a knife and took both victims into the bushes after which he allegedly raped them.”

The girls then walked to a nearby home from where they were assisted in contact-

ing the police.

“The suspect was arrested with assistance from members of the community. We would like to thank them in bringing the suspect to book,” said Steyn.

The 30-year-old suspect appeared in the Knysna Magistrates court yesterday (April 29) on two charges of rape.

The George Family violence, Child protection & Sexual offences (FCS) unit is also asking that members of the public assist them in an attempted rape case reported in Pacaltsdorp recently.

A 46-year-old female victim was hiking from Sedgefield to Caledon and a man driving a beige Tata bakkie, of which the registration number starts with CCK, offered her a lift.

At the entrance to Rosedale, Pacaltsdorp, he turned into the veld and allegedly attempted to rape the victim.

She managed to flee and was given a lift to George after she managed to get the attention of a woman driving past.

Anyone with information is requested to contact the investigating officer W/O Martin Borg on 044 803 4618.

• Two men were sentenced in the George and Thembalethu Regional courts during the past month after they were found guilty in two separate incidents.

Luyanda Joja, 27, was found guilty and sentenced on March 27 to 10 years’ imprisonment after raping a 15-year-old victim at knifepoint in May 2012.

On April 15, Jeswill Adams, 24, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment of which three were suspended for five years after he was found guilty of raping a 30-year-old female in Blanco last June.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

News & Views

30 April 2014

Knysna loses ‘pillar of strength’ councillor D

EMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) councillor Magdalena Williams died suddenly on the afternoon of Freedom Day, April 27, leaving colleagues and constituents shocked and saddened. She was 59 years old and represented Ward 5 in the Knysna Municipal Council.

“The death of Magda, as she was affectionately known, is a huge loss to the DA, her fellow councillors, and the community of the greater Knysna municipality,” said mayor Georlene Wolmarans.

“I am deeply saddened by her death. We first met when

we were both members of the Independent Democrats (ID) and over the years, she has become a very close friend and confidant.

“She was genuine, hardworking, and fought tirelessly for bettering the lives of the people of Ward 5. We have lost a pillar of strength, a good friend and a valued colleague, who was loved by all members of Council across political lines.”

Williams was elected to Council in May 2011. She has served on the Mayoral Committee as chairperson of the Community Services Portfolio.

Municipal manager Lauren Waring said: “Passion and commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people best describe Magda’s drive.

“She was well known and hugely popular in her home in Rheenendal for her community service and fight to improve conditions in poorer communities. She brought that enthusiasm to her ward areas of Brenton, Belvidere, Buffalo Bay and Rheenendal. She will be sorely missed.”

Since Williams was a ward councillor, a bi-election must be held to fill the vacancy left by her passing.

FIGHTING FOR RIGHTS OF THE POOR: The passing of Magda Williams will leave a void in Knysna Council, especially in her ward areas of Brenton, Belvidere, Buffalo Bay, and Rheenendal

Garden Route NSRI stations on standby, but freighter saves Cape fishing crew

When Cape Town-registered fishing trawler Starfish started taking water and sinking about 60 nautical miles off-shore of Plettenberg Bay in the early afternoon of Saturday April 26, the crew’s Mayday distress call resulted in NSRI crews in Knysna and Mossel Bay being placed on standby. Both stations were tasked to respond after reports that the 20 fishing crew members had abandoned ship and were in their life raft. However, the bulk carrier Navios Northern Star, above, happened to be nearest to the incident at the time, and diverted her course to assist the Capetonians. When it was reported that the 20 fishermen were safely aboard the tanker with no one injured in the process, the Garden Route crews were released from responding, but NSRI Port Elizabeth heard by 7pm that night that they had to meet Navios Northern Star off the Port Elizabeth coast to get the Starfish 20 back on dry land.

The rendezvous happened in the early hours of April 27, the pictures here giving some idea of the bulk carrier’s size and the technical know-how such evacuations require from our National Sea Rescue Institute volunteer crews.

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

News & Views

30 April 2014

CXPRESS

A week in politics is a very long time MIKE KANTEY recently dined with Dr Mamphela Ramphele - and the rendezvous got him thinking, and telling, some more about next week’s national election

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S elections get closer and closer, conventional and social media are abuzz with political chatter. Some comment on leadership, others more rarely on policy - so it was interesting to meet by chance with Dr Mamphela Ramphele, the leader of Agang, on a recent visit to Plettenberg Bay. Being something of an “old party hack” myself, I grilled both Dr Ramphele and her national youth leader Nyameka Mguzulo, who also appears at No. 4 on Agang’s Western Cape Provincial list.

Despite obvious signs of

campaign fatigue, they both acquitted themselves rather well, and I got the impression that Dr Ramphele was more interested in forging a multi-party movement from the scraps and the dog-fighting among the ruling African National Congress and the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance.

She explained that they had formed a “Multi-Party Forum”, including Congress of the People (COPE), the United Democratic Movement (UDM), the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the Econom-

ic Freedom Front (EFF), among others.

When I asked her how she would manage to work together with such disparate forces from such a wide political spectrum, she answered by pointing to their combined work in opposing Advocate Pansy Tlakula as the head of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

According to the SA Press Association, reported in News24 over the weekend, by the time this CXPRESS appears, the Electoral Court will have heard an application on Tuesday April 29.

COME TO THE MULTIPARTY: Agang leader Dr Mampela Ramphele in full cry in the runup to the national and provincial elections on May 7

On voting for politicians and development proposals...

T

HE Zapiro cartoon below, which appeared in Vjg" Vkogu of April 22, was emailed to us by Knysna reader John Magill who asks: “Doesn’t Plett have the copyright?”

He is referring, of course to the giant NO formed by a vast crowd of protestors on Central Beach last year, when the town first cottoned on to the fact that Western Cape Marina Investments proposed a ‘small boat’ harbour development of mammoth proportions on the beach and in the adjacent Piesang River Estuary.

The latest on this front is that earlier this month, the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning notified the developer that it rejected his Final Scoping Report on a number of technical and procedural shortcomings (find out more at www.saveplett.com).

But the Save Plett battle is not yet won as, despite the FSR’s failings, the developer may resubmit the FSR within six months if he makes the required changes, and this period may be extended if he can motivate

why it should take longer.

And just as that news was cooling down, CXPRESS received the invitation below from Robert Scholtz, purportedly in his capacity as liaison officer for community organisation ACDA: “We will be having a mass march on May 1 in Plettenberg Bay from 8am to 2pm, when all stakeholders, political parties, churches, civic organisations, businesses and the greater public will come out in support of a YES! for Plett’s harbour development.”

JA well NO fine...?

COPYRIGHT TO PLETT? This Zapiro cartoon, depicting a line of voters spelling ‘NO’, was published in a recent edition of ‘The Times’

If the application were to have been successful, IEC chair Tlakula will have been forced to resign.

This follows a forensic investigation by the National Treasury on the procurement of the IEC’s Riverside Office Park building in Centurion, Pretoria. The probe found the process was neither fair, transparent, nor

cost-effective.

It found Tlakula did not give guidance or formally inform various people what was expected of them in the process.

Tlakula has maintained that she was not accused of corruption in the report.

Whether or not the smaller parties have been successful in their application will not

5 have a material outcome on the voting.

By all accounts, the ANC will still dominate the country by the sheer weight of its support, and it is widely predicted that the DA will continue to dominate the Western Cape, while making marginal gains elsewhere.

Whether Agang can make its presence felt at such a late stage, or whether COPE can recover from its leadership bloodletting, remains to be seen.

In Plettenberg Bay, however, communities are still divided along party lines.

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CXPRESS

News & Views

30 April 2014

Vote for Plettenberg Bay as Africa’s top beach spot before May 17

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LETTENBERG Bay has been nominated as Africa’s Leading Beach Destination in the World Travel Awards, which serves to acknowledge and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

This is the 21st year of the

World Travel Awards and Plett’s fifth consecutive nomination since 2010 as a top beach spot on the continent.

Nestled within the protective arm of the iconic Robberg Peninsula, Plett has some of the most beautiful and sheltered beaches along the SA coastline and offers

beach-goers a choice that includes three international Blue Flag beaches - Robberg, Nature’s Valley and Keurbooms Beach.

Blue Flag beaches are an indication of high environmental and quality standards and are awarded annually to those that meet excellence

in safety, amenities, cleanliness and environmental criteria and standards.

Plett’s beaches are also perfect for many popular water-sports activities like surfing, scuba diving and snorkelling, sea kayaking, stand-up paddling and whale and dolphin watching.

The rare pansy shell can be found when wandering one of the sandy stretches, and recently having made an incredible comeback, Lookout Beach has added an exciting option for beach lovers.

Nominated alongside Plett in the top African beach category are Bazaruto (Mozam-

bique), Cape Town (2012 winner), Diani Beach (Kenya), Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt - 2010, 2011 winner), Taba Heights (Sinai, Egypt) and Zanzibar (Tanzania - 2013 winner).

Vq"xqvg" Visit www.worldtravelaward s.com/vote, register to vote and navigate to find Africa’s Leading Beach Destination voting closes on May 17.

Call Plett Tourism on 044 533 4065 or email projects @pletttourism.com for more information - and see the advert on this page.

What was your Argus time?

Pioneers of incredible Human-Powered Speed Championships – Part V With this year’s event having concluded last month, JOHN STEGMANN jogs his memory in this six-part account on the run-up to the first Argus Cycle Tour

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ROUND 1976, cycling was typically shunned by the South African middle and upper classes, although movements in other countries were already actively responding to the increasing numbers of recreational and commuting cyclists.

Concerned about the declining general level of physical fitness, our government launched national Trim Gym and Trim Trap programmes.

Believing that segregation in sport was about to crumble, we deemed it advantageous to team up with Trim Trap and their Raleigh SAsponsored Pedal Power concept of non-competitive provincial and national pedal

power associations.

We established the Western Province Pedal Power Association - open to all - and were duly accepted.

Our first major event was the Big Ride In, in September 1977. The idea, and name, had come from a recent event in Australia where crowds of cyclists converged from all quarters on the centre of town to claim their right to safe space on the roads.

We descended on the Grand Parade where Cape Town’s cycling mayor John Tyers and I, as WPPPA chairman, made short speeches from the Town Hall balcony.

(Years later, when Nelson Mandela stood on the same

balcony, I wondered if he had perhaps been watching.)

But Darling and Adderley Streets were closed to motor traffic and Tyers led us on a ride down Adderley Street, around the fountain and back.

Our daughter, Anne, then showed me a magazine story about “funny bikes” in California. I was fascinated.

Two cyclists, Fluid Dynamics Professor Chester Kyle and aeronautical engineer cum microlight pioneer Jack Lambie, had founded the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (IHPVA) to promote the development of highly efficient vehicles.

Prior to their first Speed

Championships the duo had produced new world records, simply because the vehicles were more efficient.

I wrote to Kyle and joined the IHAVA to promote the concept here.

To be continued...

4236"´"Lqjp"Uvgiocpp HOME-BOYS BEATEN

BY HOME-BUILT: At the 1979 International Human Powered Speed Championships (IHPSC) in California, the state’s tandem champs were beaten by amateur Fred Tatch in his home-built hand-and-foot cranked front-wheel-drive bicycle Photo: Giles Pearson

News & Views

30 April 2014

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CXPRESS

Bay Bryde’s whale death highlights need for industry and research collaboration Regular CXPRESS readers will recognise the name of DR GWENITH PENRY, post-doctoral researcher with the Whale Unit of the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute, from previous reports on her current project to determine the abundance of South African Bryde’s whales – here, she tells the sad tale of how entanglement threatens these ocean leviathans

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N Saturday April 12 around 4:30pm, I received a phone call from the visiting research team of the Oceans & Coasts division of the Department of Environmental Affairs.

They reported a dead Bryde’s whale at sea, approximately two miles offshore of Keurbooms village, adding that the animal was heavily entangled in rope around the head and tail stock.

On the Sunday morning, Plett NSRI was contacted by concerned residents saying the whale was washing ashore, and requesting that the carcass be towed into deeper water.

NSRI station commander Deon Truter kindly allowed me to join his crew in order to collect skin samples and photographs.

As we approached the whale, the enormity of the task was clear. This was a fully grown adult female, measuring 13.5 metres and weighing about 15 tons.

We carefully approached the carcass, which by now was extremely bloated due to natural decomposition and the accumulation of gases that could not escape due to the extent of entanglement around the throat.

We managed to collect a skin sample and, since we were close enough to do so, grabbed hold of some of the rope that was around the tail stock and started to pull it in to find the end.

Over 280 metres of rope was finally retrieved, as well as 21 pots belonging to an octopus fishery. The whale was then towed into deeper water - a process that took well over five hours.

When whales swim into rope or net, they tend to spin in an attempt to detangle themselves. This, however, usually results in them becoming more entangled.

Judging by the state of decomposition, this animal most likely became entangled on the Friday night and was pulled underwater and drowned. After several hours, the gases would have started to build up and the animal would have floated to the surface.

Whale entanglements off the South African coastline are most common on the west coast, where southern right whales (Gwdcncgpc"cwu/ vtcnku) often come into contact with lobster traps.

The South African Whale Disentanglement Unit (SAWDN), run as a joint operation between the Dolphin Action & Protection Group (DAPG) and Oceans & Coasts, was set up in 2006.

BEYOND RESCUE: Above, the Plett NSRI craft Airlink Rescuer is dwarfed by the bloated carcass of the drowned Bryde’s whale floating off the Keurbooms coast - the crew removed all the rope from the whale to prevent further entanglement by other marine life or boats, finally retrieving the 280m of rope pictured below, before towing the whale out to deeper water Photos: Dr Gwenith Penry

This network provides training and specialist equipment to various organisations along the coastline, enabling them to successfully and safely remove entanglement from whales.

Although we commonly think of whales as gentle giants, these leviathans can become extremely aggressive - particularly right whales - when entangled, and untrained members of the public are strongly advised not to attempt disentanglement.

(Visit www.dapg.org.za/ sawdn.htm for more information on the SAWDN, including a list of trained personnel and organisations.)

The setting of octopus traps along the SA coastline is a relatively new experimental fishery, having come about within the last decade, and therefore incidences of entanglement are low.

However, in the past few month this is the second report of entanglement by this fishing gear - the other was a right whale in False Bay, which was successfully dis-

entangled.

If the traps are set correctly and regularly checked and maintained, there should be no, or very little, risk of entanglement. But in the case of the Bryde’s whale in Plett this month, several reports of excess rope coming off the set of traps were received.

Excess rope on the surface, or just below it, is extremely hazardous - not only to marine life which may become entangled in it, but also to boat users in the area.

The South African Bryde’s whale population is resident along our coastline all year round. Recent estimates of abundance are 400-500 individuals. To put it into perspective, this is roughly 10% the size of the southern right whale population that visits our coastline annually.

The loss of a reproductively active female from a small population such as this one is therefore extremely significant and we cannot afford to allow this to happen again.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of the utilisation of our marine re-

sources. In order for it to be sustainable - economically and environmentally - it is imperative that all parties come to the table and work together.

Owners of the local octopus fishery have been approached and agree to discuss ways to prevent further conflicts.

It is the responsibility of all bay users to report any hazards to boat traffic and marine life.

Plastic bags, discarded fishing line, rope, and plastic bottles are all commonly found ingested or entangled in our seabirds, fish and marine mammals, and ultimately result in their death.

There is a well-established relationship between the west coast rock lobster fishery and SAWDN, whereby the owners and employers of that fishery are constantly educated about the correct setting of their gear to avoid whale entanglement.

It is imperative that the same is done with the octopus fishery; that measures to prevent entanglement are put into place and, most importantly, enforced.

One of the biggest concerns to fishermen is the cost of lost gear. According to one of those involved in the local octopus fishery, the equipment (rope, traps, buoys, and weights) involved in this incident amounts to around R40,000 - an expense that small businesses can rarely afford to lose.

As someone who has been working on the SA Bryde’s whales for over 10 years, it is difficult to remain objective in a situation like this.

However, if we are to prevent similar incidents happening in future, the only way forward is to establish a ‘working party’ responsible for monitoring the frequency of checks made on the gear, reporting potential hazards at sea, and sharing as much information between industry and researchers as possible.

A huge thank you is owed to the 14 NSRI crew members who attended to this unpleasant and costly task.

At least R2,000 worth of fuel was used in towing the whale into deeper waters.

If you would like to follow the work of the SA Bryde’s whale project, please join our Facebook page at ‘Southern African Bryde’s whale project’.

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CXPRESS

Interval

30 April 2014

Do you wish to know the endings of fairy tales?

The pros and cons of three-legged chickens

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man was driving down a country road at 70km/h one day when suddenly he noticed a three-legged chicken running at the same speed beside his truck.

Though he thought this odd, the man decided to speed up

so he wouldn’t crash into the chicken.

The man sped up to 85km/h but low and behold, so did the three-legged chicken.

The man then accelerated up to 100km/h only to again be equalled in speed by the

C.h.i.p.s.

F

RIEND: “Can I have some chips?”

Me: “I don’t have any.”

Friend: “Can I have some chips?”

Me: “I DON’T have any!”

Friend: “Can I have some chips?”

Me: “Only if you can spell it correctly.”

Friend: “C.h.i.p.s.”

Me: “You missed the F.” Friend: “There’s no F in chips!”

Me: “That’s what I keep telling you!”

three-legged chicken.

As the man watched in amazement, the chicken suddenly made a sharp left turn and took off down a side road towards a small farm.

The man quickly turned left too, and followed the chicken to the farm, parking out front.

Looking around, the man found the farmer around back surrounded by many threelegged chickens.

After greeting the farmer, the man asked him why he

was raising the three-legged chickens. “Well we figure,” said the farmer, “that with an average family of three people, only two can have a chicken leg with an average chicken. But with a threelegged chicken, all family members can enjoy a chicken leg of their own.”

“That’s pretty sharp,” said the man. “But how does a three-legged chicken taste?”

“I don’t know,” replied the farmer. “We’ve never been able to catch one.”

Cinderella is divorced...

Nothing like a good movie with your best friend

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man running a little behind schedule arrives at a cinema, goes in to watch the movie that has already started, and as his eyes adjust to the darkness, he is surprised to see a dog sitting beside its master in the row ahead, intently watching the movie.

The dog even seems to be enjoying the movie - wagging its tail during the hap-

py bits, drooping its ears during the sad bits, and covering its eyes with its paws during the scary bits.

After the movie, the man approaches the dog’s owner, and says: “Jeez mate, your dog really seemed to enjoy the movie. I’m amazed!”

“Yes, I’m amazed too,” the man replies, “because he hated the book.”

Snow White has not been so lucky...

Little Red Riding Hood hasn’t seen the wolf since...

Sleeping Beauty is still asleep...

... The Little Mermaid has met a sad fate

Business

30 April 2014

CXPRESS

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Use head not heart when shopping for second-hand wheels

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PART from your home, a car is often one of the most expensive purchases you will make.

Initial decisions when buying a second-hand car based on aesthetics, status or performance can sometimes come back to haunt you if the purchase decision was made too hastily.

“When buying a used car, one of the most dangerous things you can do is buying with your heart,” says Les McMaster, chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA).

“It doesn’t pay to get overly emotional about the vehicle you have in mind, as this could cause you to neglect doing the necessary research, checks and balances to ensure the purchase

Investor Focus

makes logical sense.

“Keeping your wits about you may just prevent serious buyer’s remorse later on.”

One of the first warning signs you should look for in a used car is dirty oil, says McMaster.

“Remove the dip-stick and take a look - if the oil is black, walk away. Yes, maybe the thought of owning this particular car makes your heart beat faster, but this is exactly the kind of emotional decision you want to avoid.

“Take the car on a test drive, too. If something feels off, have it checked again.

It’s a good idea to break hard during your test drive. If the car swerves when you stop, it may well point to structural damage.

“Unless you are prepared

to spend a lot of money fixing the vehicle, my advice once again would be to walk away.”

The reality is that consumers are often faced with problems after a purchase, which could have been identified and corrected upon proper scrutiny at the time they were buying the vehicle. These consequences then end up being the consumer’s responsibility.

“Our consumer affairs department has many cases on record where consumers have bought cars too hastily and only realise later that the checks and balances where not done.

A common trend we have noted is youngsters buying high-performance cars of which the original equipment

manufacturer and aftermarket warrantees have expired, and then realising that the running expenses far exceed their budgets,” he points out.

Here are some important and relevant checks to make before buying your next car: • Service history authentication is essential; • Checking what guarantees and/or warrantees exist; • If aftermarket warrantees/ service plans do exist, taking time to read and understand the conditions; • Checking when the last service was done and when last the cambelt was changed; • Combined fuel consumption stats; • Accident records/checks and mileage verification; • Your finance agreement satisfaction;

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

Retired Investing: Decumulation - Final Part

I

T’s no good retiring if financial worries keep you awake at night. Every retiree needs a reliable income stream that at least grows with inflation.

Dividend income from well established companies with a consistent dividend policy is ideal. The chart at right shows the dividend history of Standard Bank from 1985 ‘till now.

If you had retired in 1985, your income would have grown exponentially, and never declined.

The value of any financial instrument is ultimately decided by measuring the income it produces.

Imagine you bought a business for R1-million and it produced an income of R100,000 per year. You then worked hard and after 10 years, the same business was producing R1-million per year. That business is clearly worth much more than the original purchase price.

The above chart clearly shows income growth, and

it also shows how the capital value of any listed instrument will fluctuate depending on short-term market conditions.

The ideal situation for a retiree then is to rely on the dividend income from a portfolio of well-established, dividend-paying shares, and to ignore the gyrations of the market.

The chart shows that in the period from 2000 to 2003, the market value of Stand-

ard Bank shares declined but the dividends in fact continued to grow! And when the markets crashed in 2008, the Standard Bank dividend remained unchanged.

Clearly you cannot rely on the dividends from a single share. Your stockbroker will establish a portfolio of like shares that will diversify the dividend income as well as spreading the cash flow.

For those retirees with insufficient capital to produce

income, there are property trusts (called REITS), which hold properties throughout South Africa and pass on their rental income to shareholders.

This income is normally better than that offered by dividends, but is fully taxable (retirees do get some tax relief). And it grows as rentals escalate.

For those retirees who cannot take the stress of market fluctuations, there are certainly two if not more unit trusts that also offer consistent and growing income streams.

These are managed by Grinrod and Marriott asset management companies.

Their yields are attractive and they will be less volatile than direct equity portfolios.

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• Interest rate; • Understanding balloon payments and the terms of agreement; • Being clear on the “extras” in the finance agreement; • Investigating the general condition of the car, tyres, spare wheel, spare key, etc.

McMaster suggests taking the car for a visual report

and test by an accredited MIWA workshop.

“Otherwise you’re free to contact MIWA ahead of making a commitment. We can provide the necessary tips to consumers before parting with their cash and help you to ask the right questions.”

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The Exchange: Bury your head in the sand or look ‘net-way for business?

Mark Allan – Knysna Business Xchange

C

REATING wealth has never been easy. If it were, we wouldn’t be asking the sort of questions that need to be asked.

I also doubt that there are many who would contest the fact that the last five years have thrown up some of the toughest challenges we have ever experienced.

This situation leaves us with two options: We can either bury our heads in the sand hoping it will all pass, or we can start asking questions, looking for alternatives - the point at which we turn to the ‘net.

Never before have we been given access to such a vast array of tools and opportunities - opportunities for the taking. We have a workshop site at www.gardenrouteshuttle.com that works, that is waiting.

Every single month it gen-

erates one or two enquiries from visitors looking for transport from the airport to various centres on the Garden Route. These are leads.

This is the business we are all looking for.

The site is nothing to look at. It is a default WordPress installation which takes two hours or less to set up. I have added a plug-in to offer classified adverts and there it sits, like a fishing boat bobbing around on Google.

It’s simple, it’s almost free, it works. The challenge now is to unlock that promise of value - the opportunity that awaits those who want to question. All you need is access to the internet, a couple of hours a week, and the need to explore.

All of us are trying but most of us are battling to make ends meet, so we have every reason to help you to unlock the potential offered in that site. Email me at pro jects@thexchange.biz if you are interested.

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CXPRESS

Events

30 April 2014

DISCOVERY PLETT EASTER GAMES

Best vibe, best weather, best fun - Games 2014 a roaring success!

T

HE fourth annual Plett Easter Games was a great success, blessed with blue skies and perfect conditions for a weekend of high action and lots of fun.

Sponsored by Discovery and Pennypinchers, the Games drew hordes of holidaymakers as well as local participants to compete in the trail run, surf-ski, surf swim, mountain bike, golf, Tag Rugby and CrossFit events.

Daron Smit of event organisers Nature Sport Company said that overall figures had increased from previous years and attributed this to a combination of great weather and the fact that the event is gradually becoming synonymous with Easter in Plett.

Day one’s line-up included the ever popular Pennypinchers Cairnbrogie Easter Trail runs, MTB Nite Relay and Discovery Golf Challenge as well as the first heats of the inaugural CrossFit Plett Challenge, which drew crowds of spectators who watched in awe as the teams battled it out on the beach to see who would proceed to the next rounds.

Day two’s events were equally well received, kicking off with the Beacon Isle Mile Surf Swim, followed by the junior and senior Tag Rugby tournaments and the final rounds of the CrossFit Plett Challenge.

A total of 13 teams competed in the latter, hailing from Knysna, George, Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch and Plett. Categories included Mixed, Men and Women, and the top individual performers were then selected to compete in an individual Men’s and Women’s final.

Music was pumping and supporters lined the arena, loving the vibe and the banter between commentators Ian McMillan and Algoa FM’s Daron Mann. Plett locals cleaned up in the Mixed division, with Team Oakley (Kevin & Kari Evans and Alice Freedman) taking first place.

Local lasses Victorious Secret (Jaymee Larrison, Lindi Barkhuysen and Lisa van Zyl) won the Women’s divi-

sion too, with Larrison also scooping the overall individual Women’s title.

The main prize sponsor of the CrossFit Plett Challenge was Tracetec, who put up R10,000 in cash for winning teams and individuals as well as two Tracker systems valued at R2,500 each.

Day three of the Games saw the Discovery MTB Challenge taking place, introducing a longer 50km route. Clear skies had cyclists flocking to register for the event, with Kevin Evans taking first place in the Men’s race and Hedwig Lemmer first in the Women’s.

The first two men accross the line in the MTB50 were awarded prizes from Cem Air, which now flies commercially between Plett, the Cape and Joburg.

The cycle finished at Central Beach, where the Greenwood Sandcastle Competition was underway with groups of kids hard at work, perfecting their ‘Easter Fun’ sand sculptures.

The overall aim of the event is encouraging people to get active and have fun - not only from a physical perspective, but also within the community. As per previous years, each event was linked to a local charity or community development programme and this year’s beneficiaries include the Plett Nippers Nationals campaign, cycling and golf development, Adopt a Swimmer, and the Plett Pioneers Field Band.

The Plett Easter Games continues its reputation as one of the most popular sporting events in the Western Cape and is sure to grow annually. “Every year the vibe gets better as people return to improve their times, to try a new challenge or just to make new friends,” he said.

“Everywhere you look people are having fun, and that is our main objective for this event. We’re already looking forward to what Plett Easter Games 2015 will have in store.”

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LOCAL HERO: Kevin Evans cool as ever when finishing first in the 50km MTB event on Sunday April 20 Photos: Glenn Murray Photography

Results for Surf Swim, MTB and CrossFit OVD"42"Ogp 1. Andrew Damp 2. Wihann Katze 3. Tertius Franzsen OVD"42"Yqogp 1. Mellanie Damp 2. Kelly Lewis 3. Kim Stillwell OVD"72"Ogp 1. Kevin Evans 2. Jason Meaton 3. William Wertheim Aymes OVD"72"Yqogp 1. Hedwig Lemmer 2. Denise de Jongh 3. Malandi du Toit Hktuv"Lwpkqt"jqog Hennie Anderson Uwth"Uyko Girls: 1. Arianne Bauer 2. Berenice Chabanel 3. Danni-May Nel

Boys: 1. Ettienne van Wyk 2. Alexander Auersperg 3. Ben Brink Ladies: 1. Donna Murray 2. Kirsten McMillan 3. Liz Mills Men: 1. Jayden Loots 2. Shanti Stewart 3. Rob Hansen EtquuHkv Mixed Team - Team Oakley (CrossFit Plett) Men’s Team - Pants Are Optional (CrossFit Algoa) Women’s Team - Victorious Secret (CrossFit Plett) Men’s Individual - Dean Shaw (CrossFit Algoa) Women’s Individual Jaymee Philips (CrossFit Plett)

SWIMMINGLY: BI Mile Surf Swim winner Jayden Loots, centre, with runner up Shanti Stewart, left, and Rob Hansen, third

ON THE PENNYPINCHERS PODIUM: Clockwise from top left, Nic Hill, left, and James Armstrong won the (‘awesomely scary!’, according to Nic) junior Pennypinchers Nite MTB Relay; Sean Rice paddles like hell to win the Easter Surf Ski Challenge; and trail run winners Melikhaya Msizi and Chantal Nienaber are flanked by Wade Faure of sponsors Pennypinchers, and host venue Cairnbrogie Farm’s owner Andrew Hill, right (www.facebook.com/PennypinchersAdventure)

Social Scene

30 April 2014

Photos: Desmond Scholtz

AND GRAY MORGAN MAKES FOUR: Congratulations to dad Logan and mom Nicole Harris on the arrival of the newest addition to their family, baby Gray Morgan, on April 7. Especially chuffed with the advent is little big sis Jay Donte!

Photo: Louann Waters

People, places & events

CXPRESS

WHAT’S NEWS FROM KAWS & PAWS? This year’s Slow Festival Dog Walk, Talk & Show sponsored by Simply Pets was the most successful event yet in terms of funds raised for Knysna Animal Welfare Services.

Owners arrived in droves accompanied by all shapes, sizes and breeds of dogs, with 100% of proceeds benefiting KAWS, and its annual Smutsville spayathon in particular. ‘We were completely blown away when we counted the money that had come in… with walk entries, show entries and donations, we raised an astounding R6243!’ beamed Slow Fest organiser Amanda Dixon. In the pic above is Alison Roberts with Reggie and, at left, Joanne Grobbelaar with Damita. While on the subject, Plett readers are reminded that PAWS has an abundance of pets ready for adoption. Says Marsja Hall-Green: ‘We are concerned that some of the dogs have been in the kennels for longer than is ideal.

While not yet completely overcrowded, it is not good for any dog to be in a kennel too long, as they eventually suffer emotional stress.

While they may be safe and well-fed, it will ultimately become cruel to keep them under these restrictive conditions for months on end. As a pro-life organisation PAWS will do everything in its power to avoid euthanizing any animals - this will always be a very last resort. Please help PAWS to find as many animal-loving people as possible to adopt all our wonderful animals in desperate need of happy homes.’ Check www.plett-paws.org.za. facebook.com/Plett Animal Welfare for pictures of animals up for adoption, and call Tracy van der Bijl on 083 287 9917 for more information.

BIKER EGG SURPRISE: On Easter Sunday, Clint and Sarah Murray (Protecx Workwear), PJ (Flashbacks) and Linda (CXPRESS) Ausker, and Brent Freeman cruised KwaNokuthula on their motorbikes handing out Easter eggs to kids from the ‘hood. They distributed around 400 of these choccie delights to the great surprise of as many youngsters, and thank Debbie L Fermor from Ingwe, Abby Spangenberg from Absolute Design, Taryn Cromie from Hansa World, Jo Beveridge, and Lauren Westwood for contributing to this exercise in proving again that giving’s as much or more fun than receiving.

HARRY’S ROMAN GETS THE LOOT: Winner of the biggest edibles fishing competition hosted by Plett Ski-boat Association on April 18 Harry Wixley - photographed here with committee member Etienne van Rensburg, left - claimed the overall cash prize when hooking the day’s largest red roman at 1.8kg.

Caught from a Plett Fishing Charters boat, that edible winner also got Harry a Plett Sports cap and SAASA gift voucher. The Association thanks all participating anglers and the competition’s generous sponsors for a fantastic fishing event.

11

IT’S MAGIC! The official opening of the new addition to the day-care centre at Die Sterreweg in New Horizons on April 22 was a joyous affair with prominent business folk from Johannesburg and members of the Plett community that have been involved in fundraising for the project joining the centre’s staff and kids for the occasion.

Above, Bitou mayor Memory Booysen is about to cut the ribbon of the new Magical Garden and the upgraded building, along with Sabrina Love Foundation founder Tony Lubner, left. The centre has become a beacon of light for the people of New Horizons and families of the special kids cared for at Die Sterreweg - Timothy Twidle

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CXPRESS

Home & Health

30 April 2014

Spending your life at work while your kids grow up without you?

Willem Gous

R

EMEMBER when your children were born and you thought to yourself that you would be the best parent ever? You had a vision of the time you would spend with them, teach them and guide them through life.

You are a mother or a father and you have been given the biggest gift on earth. But you sit at the office while

that vision is fading and they are growing up without you.

Below are some of the things I do that enable me to spend time with my family. [qwt"tgcn"lqd"fguetkrvkqp<" Hktg/hkijvgt During the 2008 financial crisis, many jobs were lost and those who were lucky enough to still have jobs, had to do their usual work as well as the work of the people who left the company.

This resulted in corporate chaos, or more simply put: fire-fighting. Every day is filled by dealing with crisis after crisis. Most people looking back at a day’s work will see little structure and very few goals reached.

The problem is that you form part of a bigger system, and vjcv system simply dumps more and more on you. It is impossible to change the whole system in a day or even in a few years.

The best solution is to start with yourself. Multi-tasking does not work, but I am not about to fix that dilemma for you. Instead, approach your multitude of tasks using a specific system.

Start by bringing your kids and family into your work.

This might sound strange, but if work is so important, then why not make your loved ones just as important?

Uwrgt"ujqtv"iqcnu One day, I had a look at the way I work. I saw that I employed quite a few routines that waste my time: Open computer, check email, check Facebook, check reports, new emails come in and so I check again, Skype, email again and so on and so on.

There was no structure. I simply had the time and a lot of tasks and I started working on them. It did not work well, because there was no focus. I simply started on the one end of the pile and slugged through it, hoping to get through it during the day.

Then, I fixed it by using the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks my day up into 30-minute intervals. It is called Pomodoro in reference to a kitchen timer - it can’t be stopped or paused once it has been set and simply runs its time.

Start by looking at your tasks and what you can do in the next 25 minutes. Then, set a timer for 25 minutes and finish those tasks.

After that, take five minutes off and have coffee, go to the bathroom and so on. Once you are done, start planning and working on the next 25 minutes.

I have found this absolute focus has had an amazing effect on my world. I have two businesses, building a third, doing a Master’s Degree and two other certifications, reading daily, writing, exercising and I spend at least three hours a day with my kids.

Ocmg"vjgo"CU"korqtvcpv Work is important and if family were just as important, we

would be with them. We are torn between earning an income and our personal lives.

So, what I have done is to schedule time with my family as part of my working life.

Take your calendar and make time for them. We use our calendars to organise and schedule our work and career lives, so why not use it to schedule your personal life?

Cdqwv"vjg"cwvjqt Willem never really knew his dad when he was a child because Dad was always working. They only started forming a real relationship when Willem turned 19.

Today, Willem runs his businesses in the complete opposite way and has freedom to focus on the things he loves while making money. He helps other people build similar companies so that they also have the time and money to do what they love best.

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The Garden Route gets its own home inspector!

Getta Inspecta CEO PETER AUERSPERG takes a closer look at the cracks in your wall

I

remember a family member buying a boat some years ago. He thought it was the bargain of the decade nice looking cabin cruiser with clean and, apparently, working motors with lots of spare parts.

The bells should have rung at the ‘spare parts’ bit...

Well after much ado and the launch affair, the motor eventually started - running just long enough to reveal that the steering wheel worked back to front. The proverbial towel was thrown in.

Boat-shopping is one thing, but if you spend your last bit of credit buying a sick home, it could literally ruin your life. And most buyers are not aware of home inspection services.

There seems to be an impressive improvement in property sales along the Garden Route, as advertised in the lo-

ALL ROUND HOME CHECK: Home inspections before buying can save you time and tears and thousands of rands

cal press. Is the property market improving? It is reported that one of the leading Plett estate agencies has sold 20 houses this year so far.

The house looks well maintained - how much could be wrong with it!

Did you know that up to 80% of house sales overseas

are concluded after a thorough home inspection? This old concept is new in South Africa and only now starting to blossom.

Would-be buyers, remember that the short sweet taste of a great deal is soon overrun by the lingering bitter pill of never-ending repair bills.

When last did you climb onto the roof of the house you want to buy? What does the putty look like in the window?

Is the automatic garage door working according to the safety regulations?

These are just some of the things that Getta Inspecta has to do when checking a house for you. The cost of an inspection pales in comparison to the thousands of rands you may well save, making an informed decision on a realistic purchase offer on that bargain.

Here’s wishing all prospective home buyers happy hunting. Don’t get caught, Getta Inspecta!

Peter’s house inspection top to bottom and inside too – can be booked by all estate agents, home buyers, and sellers.

Call him on 082 410 6129.

Entertainment

30 April 2014

13

CXPRESS

Knysna hosts 14th Pink Loerie Mardi Gras K

NYSNA has turned pink and will stay that way ‘till Sunday May 4 as the town welcomes an estimated 30,000 local and international visitors to the 14th Globeflight Pink Loerie Mardi Gras & Arts Festival in association with Barefoot Wine.

The five-day festival is one of South Africa’s most exciting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and, intersex (LGBTI) events and will celebrate the theme Funky Town, with comedy and cabaret, live music and dancing, and a diverse programme of visual arts.

Other highlights include the annual parade down Knysna’s Main Street on Saturday May 3, a colourful procession of decorated floats and pedestrians many of whom are strutting their stuff to raise money for local charities - which provides fun and entertainment for the whole family.

Two fundraisers will take place on Friday: a VIP Dinner & Fundraising Auction with guest of honour Mr Gay World 2013 Chris Olwage, and The Queens of Funky Town Fundraising Auction.

A flea market, including a Barefoot wine garden, will be open daily until Saturday at the Knysna Mall upper level from 10am to 5pm.

Knysna Tourism’s marketing manager, Johan van Schalkwyk, says that Knysna is proud to welcome the LGBTI community.

“The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras is getting bigger and better every year, and is now one of the highlights on the international gay calendar,” says Van Schalkwyk.

“It’s a fun event which brightens up the town and brings a much-needed capital injection to local businesses during a historically quiet time of the year.

OH MY HAT! This year’s pink party promises to once again be one of Knysna’s must-see celebrations - Photos: Justine Edwards

“It also adds funds to the coffers of many local charities including the Loeriehof Old Age Home, Knysna Animal Welfare and the Mayor’s Social Relief Fund.

“We are grateful that the Pink Loerie organisers

For wine lovers heading west this weekend...

Photo: Jeremy Shultz

choose Knysna as a venue for their festival every year and that the locals turn out in their numbers to support the fun events, particularly the parade and arts festival,” he says.

Pink Loerie co-ordinator

The annual Elgin Cool Wine & Country Festival takes place on May 3, when estates of the Elgin Valley will be open for wine tastings as well as offering mouthwatering luncheons and top class entertainment. This festival offers wine enthusiasts and leisure seekers the chance to enjoy the beauty of the valley, while also discovering a vast variety of fine wines from a unique wine route that lies just an hour outside of Cape Town. Festival goers can look forward to a day filled with fine wines, good food and plenty of entertainment for all ages. Each estate offers not just the chance to explore the wines produced, but also the rich culture and heritage that is part and parcel of the Elgin Wine Route. Pictured are some valley wine lovers in good cheer at Oneiric Estate. Visit www.elginwine. co.za for further information.

John O’Neil says that the festival is “home-grown by Knysnarians”.

“It was started by local businessmen to entice tourists to the town during the slow month of May and reinvigorate the local economy, and at the same time celebrate the cultural contribution the LGBTI community makes to the region,” says O’Neil.

“It has become one of the most written about and must-see annual celebrations within the global LGBTI community.

“We come back to Knysna every year because, apart from its scenic beauty, the town is hospitable and gayfriendly and we get support for the festival from all sectors of the community.”

For more information or to book accommodation in Knysna for the festival, visit www.visitknysna.co.za or call Knysna Tourism on 044 382 5510. For the full festival programme, visit www. pinkloerie.co.za – you can also follow on Twitter: @ KnysnaTourism or like it on Facebook: www.Facebook. com/VisitKnysna.

Est. 1984

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CXPRESS

Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

30 April 2014

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

30 April 2014

Letters to the Editor

CXPRESS

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

A look inside local rubbish bins could save Plett millions A reader who prefers to remain anonymous puts forth his case for an Environmental Business Park versus the current waste transfer station plan, which he claims costs in excess of R7-million Recycling represents the Bi- areas, namely a Material obtained. Why is it accepttou Municipality its best op- Recovery Facility (MRF), able to fund the current waste portunity for a local, demo- which is a small factory for management cost at 100% cratic, flexible, responsive sorting and storing of dry through public rates (e.g. coland effective solution. Recy- household waste; an organic lection, bins, vehicles, staff / cling is an interesting pheno- / garden waste area for mak- labour, operating costs), but menon, representing one of ing of compost, and a build- not so the funding of an MRF the most popular, multi-ethic, ers’ rubble area. recycling system, where the multi-racial and multi-class Bottom line, once an EBP income from recyclable mamovements in modern times. is in place, these three meth- terial resale pays for the jobs A fundamental problem ods and systems of separat- it creates? with the municipality is that ing waste will help achieve Why is supporting the MRF they keep running back to the objective of aiming for method called a ‘subsidy’, their comfort zones. When Zero Waste. while supporting collection, it comes to solid waste, But with a total recycling dumping, and waste transfer the comfort zone lies deep process, the value of resi- costs is referred to as a ‘cost within their collect-and-bury dential recyclable materials of business’? This is the repsyches. will never cover all the costs covery method and approach Its Solution A to this prob- of collection and processing to all waste. lem is closure of the waste those materials. This is a very No other transport / transsite, building a transfer sta- important fact for all to note. fer method to dump-only can tion on a site already earThe objective of this propo- ever be called environmentmarked, and transporting all sal is to clean up Plettenberg friendly and should therefore rubbish (compacted) by road Bay by introducing a cost- not be considered, particuto Mossel Bay – a cost that effective, workable solution larly as the costs will always will constantly increase. that will have long-term benThis plan includes no re- efit for the town, particularly covery on possible recycled the environment and tourism. waste, which can be dividThe capital (equipment We at Plett Animal Welfare ed into three components, purchasing costs) involved, Services (PAWS) are appalnamely household, garden, as well as operating costs, led to report the brazen theft and building rubble. will have to be borne by Bi- of several of our collection To change the mind-set tou Municipality. Ideally, we tins around town. Four of of the municipality as well should become the first town these have been stolen from as the ratepayers from a to focus on aiming at Zero a number of shops over the disposal-based system to a Waste and making it an ob- past six months. recovery-based system is no tainable goal.

On the day of our street easy task, but there are real We need to stress the im- collection, Friday March rewards, and reduced costs. portance of Buy Recycling 28, a white man aged about Solution B entails convert- campaigns, in the interests 40 stole collection tins from ing the transfer station site of expanding and improving The Vet Shop next to Tointo an Environmental Busi- end-use markets. Simply ask- tal BI garage, and from the ness Park (EBP) - an inno- ing ‘can we make a profit?’ locksmith on Main Street. vative concept, as time has misses the mark. Let’s talk Yvonne Raath has been in come for officials to move about whether we can reduce charge of collection tins for beyond their fear of change. the overall financial burden some time and by now eveStatus quo really isn’t a via- for the ratepayer and protect ryone should be aware that ble option. Now there is more the environment. she personally replaces the profit to be made from haulCharging the public (rate- full tins with empty ones, on ing and dumping only, than payer) is exactly how fund- the spot. recycling. ing of all waste manageThe common thief claimed An EBP has three defined ment-related expenses are that he was from PAWS

increase annually, while not achieving the required wastereduction goals.

Household waste requires separation at source, i.e. kitchen, into dry 60% and wet 40% into two different bins, ready for weekly collection. It should be possible for the municipality to lower its total system costs as a result of aggressive recycling, composting, and builders’ rubble programmes.

Much larger gains are available almost immediately if the municipality uses the EBP system versus the transfer station, based on future needs rather than historic methods.

Keep it local for the locals, by the locals. This is a practical and workable solution for Plettenberg Bay to manage all its waste in an environment-friendly way.

It will require acceptance and support from local and national government and, allimportant, Bitou residents, resulting in a proper clean-up of Plettenberg Bay.

Theft of animal welfare money

Mandela St an example of empty promises My name is Davin Sampson, and I currently live in Mandela Street, KwaNokuthula. But let me jump to the reason why I’m writing this letter for publication in your paper.

It is now almost four years that the DA is in power, and two months after our ANC councillors had a meeting in this street.

We have a street named after a world icon, but to Plett’s disgrace and shame, this road has not been tarred. Can you believe it?

The mayor, councillors and people who work in high places for the municipality drive past here daily and not once do they think of repairing the road.

So old uncles are stopping the potholes with cement or sometimes old crushed blocks, just to make it safe

for our children.

On Saturday, a vehicle was speeding at over 100km per hour down this road, and one of the stones flying off just missed a child’s head - leaving me to wonder what would have happened if it had hit her.

Enough is enough; I have kept quiet for long enough about this matter. DA, ANC, UDM, COPE all claim to work for the people or to serve them, but what about a problem like this that is affecting our community and our kids?

I’m also a leader, serving as the chairperson of YCLSA’s Southern Cape region. So this letter is not meant to condemn those who are in power, but to show what kind of promises politicians are making.

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and that he would deliver replacement tins later. Unfortunately, no-one thought of checking with Di Butlin, whose telephone number is on the tins.

We find it hard to believe that shameless people would stoop so low as to steal from a charity. We appeal to the public to report any information they may have on the matter to Di on 082 569 2571.

PAWS relies entirely on public donations and cannot afford to lose this important source of income. We are investigating ways of preventing this from happening again and will welcome any suggestions - apart from nailing the tins to the counter!

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Never quote a dog...

I think your so-called joke about bathing a cat under the Have a Laugh heading [visit www.cxpress.co.za and see page 11 of the April 23 edition] extremely sad and unfunny, and anybody who found it amusing needs serious therapy.

There is enough animal cruelty out there without putting sick ideas into these pathetic little people’s heads.

Not amused.

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Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

Sport & Adventure

30 April 2014

MG International Indaba part of next month’s Knysna Car Show

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ARTICIPANTS of the biennial MG International Indaba held in Knysna will take part in the 2014 Knysna Car Show on Sunday May 11 at the Knysna High School sport fields on Waterfront Drive from 9:30am to 4pm.

With more than 300 MG

enthusiasts attending the Indaba, organiser and chairman of the Garden Route Motor Club Peter Pretorius explained that 160+ MGs, covering the various model ranges, will be on display at the event.

“This will include three late 1940s, TC-based racing cars,

MOM’S BEST RIDE? Beauties like these Jaguar E types OR this McLaren will be seen at the Knysna Car Show on Mother’s Day - a charity event that last year raised over R40k for local causes

as well as a race-prepared MGA that will also enter the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb the following week,” Peter said.

“We are very excited to see the 1950 MG Special Spider, built by Les Miller. This car has many wins under its belt, including five national wins for Miller.

“It also won the Fairfield 100 in 1958, the 1974 Historic Racing Car Register championship, and three Historic Single Seater Association National Series championships for various other owners.

“A familiar sight in Knys-

na is the 1959 MG Special Hedgehog,” Peter continued. “The Hedgehog has not only taken part in the Simola Hillclimb in previous years, but has won an award in the 2011 event.

“The engine was fully stripped and rebuilt after this run and Team Hedgehog maintain this fully restored engine, allowing it to compete in many national events - and completing every race.”

“The third racing special on show will be the MG Special Fatman. But you’ll have to visit the show to find out more about this fascinating car,” Peter said.

Entrance fee for the Knysna Car Show is R30 for adults (children enter for free), and the club hopes to better

the R41,000 raised for charity last year, and distributed among Hospice, Animal Welfare, E-Pap and Famsa.

“The Knysna Car Show is a fun day for the whole family – not just the petrol heads!” Peter smiled.

“The beer tent will be pouring Knysna’s own Mitchell’s brews and a variety of food stalls will cater to everyone’s tastes.

“And, as it is Mother’s Day, we’ll be giving away a number of spot prizes to lucky mothers, such as a weekend away, spa treatment with lunch, delicious breakfasts and more.”

Visitors can also look forward to seeing the Porsche 911 S that completed the London to Sydney Rally in 2004 and the Brian Bruce car collection featuring the Jaguar C-type, D-type and XK 140, Cobra Daytona, GT 40, Austin Healy, Rolls Royce and many more.

Also on display will be Minis, e.g. a Mini Cooper S similar to and dressed in the livery of the car that won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 and a variety of veteran, vintage and classic road and racing motorcycles.

These are a new feature to the show and will feature prominently in future years.

In addition, visitors will see an array of Ferraris, Aston Martins, Jaguars, Porsches, Austin Healeys, Mercedes and other rare and remarkable collector cars.

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Mayday, mayday - there’s a zebra on my route!

You can earn your running stripes on Worker’s Day tomorrow, when Plett Athletics Club hosts its second annual Trail Run & Family Day on Mahlangeni Game Farm in Wittedrift, where the friendly zebra roam... Choose between the 3km, 7km or 14km routes on beautiful single-track through the fynbos with stunning panoramic views. Bring the family and picnic, or bring and braai brunch afterwards. Skottels will be provided and if there’s leftovers, you can feed it to one of the three tame stripy ones. The run kicks off at 9am on Thursday morning May 1 with registration on the day from 8:30am (club members R40, nonmembers R80, children R10 - carry your own water on the trail).

Walkers are most welcome but dogs are not. Call Vicki on 072 271 0788 to find out more.