Cx 357

30 January 2013 #357

Published fortnightly by CXpress (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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LOOKING UP! This spectacular image was taken during a photographic mission by Plett reader John Larter while flying his microlight, and shows the two Keurbooms River mouths in their current state. In addition to our everpresent natural beauty, Garden Routers can now look forward to ‘fatter wallets’ (see p.3) and the ‘Great Reflation’ (see p. 7) predicted for 2013!

Photo: John Larter - 083 427 3728

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CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

News & Views

January 30 - 2013

Long-term study on barn swallows initiated in Plettenberg Bay New programme director of Nature’s Valley Trust DR MARK BROWN tells about an exciting project in Robberg Vlei, carried out with the kind cooperation of BirdLife Plett

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ARN swallows are fantastic birds. They migrate from Europe and Asia to Africa to escape the harsh northern winters each year, and an annual round trip of 20’000km is not uncommon - all this from a bird that weighs a mere 20g… incredible!

While in Africa, barn swallows form large roosts, mostly in reed-beds, where they sleep at night. Watching these birds come in to roost in the late evenings is spectacular, to say the least.

Imagine thousands of swallows cartwheeling in the sky, flying round and round in a rest-

less manner, and then literally falling from the sky in waves to land in the reed-beds.

Significant numbers of this species choose the Garden Route as their preferred holiday destination - wise birds! - and researchers over the years have speculated that the Western Cape visitors mostly come from Britain and Ireland, while birds visiting eastern South Africa come from northern and eastern Europe.

In order to test this, large numbers of birds need to be ringed, and the convenient location of a reasonably-sized roost in Plett’s Robberg Vlei provides

an excellent opportunity for this to be done regularly each year.

Bird-ringing involves catching birds, mostly using mistnets, placing a uniquely numbered aluminium ring on their legs, taking a series of measurements, and releasing them back into the wild.

The process is relatively stress-free for the birds, having been equated to being chased by a predator and escaping unharmed. Using this process, we have started ringing birds at the boardwalk along the vlei, in order to see where ‘our’ Plett swallows come from.

The hope is that we either trap

a few birds with foreign rings on, or that some of our birds get re-trapped back home, giving us valuable information on this species and its incredible annual migration.

The team will be ringing birds throughout January and February, and hopes to nab as many swallows as possible before they all pack up and head back home to breed.

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ACCOUNTED FOR: Ringing the barn swallows in Robberg Vlei will reveal much about their migratory patterns – Dr Mark Brown, above, and members of BirdLife Plett went about this fascinating business - Photos: Mike Bridgeford - Chair: BirdLife Plett

CapeNature ensures protection of snakes this summer

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UMMER is in full swing and CapeNature reminds readers that authorised volunteers are available to capture, remove and release unwanted reptilian visitors.

If you discover a snake in your garden, CapeNature should be contacted for the number of the nearest authorised snake capturer. It is recommended that the snake is not interfered with in any way, but merely observed from a distance in order to aid the capturer to find and remove the snake.

Snake capturers are authorised by CapeNature by means of a permit and are required to obtain a letter from callers before snakes are removed from the property - please assist the capturers in this regard.

CapeNature encourages members of the public to ensure that those involved in snake capture, rehabilitation, or snake shows are in possession of the necessary permits.

Persons involved in these activities are required to have valid permits in their possession and should be ready and willing

to show these to anyone who makes use of their services.

In November 2011, 45-yearold Shaun Ross Macleod was convicted in the Bellville Magistrates Court on four counts involving the transport and possession of reptiles (snakes and tortoises) without a permit.

He received a sentence of R3’200 or 22 months imprisonment, suspended for three years. Fines for the illegal possession of snakes could be as high as R10’000.

If you come across a snake in a residential area, do not attempt to remove it yourself.

Here are the easy things you can do to ensure the safety of everyone: • Keep your distance from the snake, while watching its movements (what it is doing, where it is going, etc.); • Clear the area (keep everyone away from the snake); • Call your closest CapeNature office and you will be put in contact with a competent snake handler.

Snakes are an important part of the environment as they

help control rodent populations. There are at least five kinds of venomous snakes in the Western Cape, namely puffadder, Cape cobra, rinkhals, boomslang, and black spitting cobra.

All snakes should be treated with respect, but be particularly careful around these snakes, as they are dangerous indeed.

During the summer season we are faced with a number of wild snakes found in residential areas. Most people are terrified of snakes and this fear is mostly caused by the lack of information and understanding of these creatures, leading to dire consequences for both snakes and humans.

Snakes can be kept away from houses by trimming dense shrubs or removing loose building material close to the house, as these usually attract the rodents that are the prey of most snakes, including the venomous puff adder and Cape cobra.

The activity of snakes during winter is much reduced and they stay in hiding until the weather warms up again. They usually

hide underground, under dense shrubbery, in rock cracks, or under rubble on the ground.

CapeNature has initiated a bi-annual herpetological workshop and public meeting aimed at sharing information and promoting the conservation of reptiles, and snakes in particular, in the province.

Gogtigpe{"rtqvqeqn In the event of a snake bite, keep the victim calm and immobilised until transported to the closest hospital.

If the victim stops breathing, resort to artificial respiration or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and call the Poison Information Centre helpline on 027 931 6129.

Do not cut and suck the wound, use ice or very hot water, give the victim alcohol, apply electric shock, or inject antivenom randomly, as this needs to be administered by a doctor in a hospital environment.

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DANGER! From left, puff adders, boomslang, and Cape cobras should be handled with extreme care as their venom could be lethal

News & Views

January 30 - 2013

CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

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New Cluster Commander promises ‘changes for the better’ Words & photo: Bob Hopkin

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EW George SAPS Cluster Commander major general Thembisile Patekile was introduced to the media at a briefing this month.

He gave an undertaking to assess where positive changes needed to be made to policing actions and policies in the

southern Cape, and to introduce them without delay.

Patekile replaces maj genl Allan Mondise, who retired from this posting on May 31 last year, and comes from his last appointment as Cluster Commander in King Williamstown as a cop with a reputation for

TOUGH COP: Major general Thembisile Patekile emphasises a point during his recent introduction as the new George Cluster Commander

discipline – a workaholic with a hands-on approach to policing.

He laid out his priorities to not only improve the apprehension rate of criminals, but also to reduce the causes of crime in his area of responsibility.

“It is no secret that most crime is the result of a need to satisfy desires and in particular drugs and alcohol.

“If we can remove the illegal availability of these substances then it will assist greatly in bringing down criminal activities,” he said.

He shared his support for increased visibility of policing as well as more frequent “stop and search” activities to find and confiscate offensive weapons such as knives, screwdrivers and guns which, when combined with drugs and alcohol, featured in more than 60% of violent crimes.

Patekile said he hoped that residents in the area would im-

Fatter wallets countrywide benefit Plett’s Yolande Stander seasonal business

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UNNY skies and a bit more money in the pockets of households around the country resulted in one of the most successful festive seasons in years for Plettenberg Bay. Most accommodation establishments and restaurants were fully booked between Christmas and New Year while some retailers’ turnover skyrocketed by up to 50%.

“We’ve had a terrific season,” said Joffré Lottering, acting manager of Plettenberg Bay Tourism, who believed slightly fatter wallets had a lot to do with domestic tourists flocking to the holiday town this time around.

“South Africans finally had a break from turning the cents around after tightening their belts due to economic pressure, but this year seemed better and people were able to save up to go on holiday. We’ve also had more sunny days than what we’ve had in a very long time.”

Although he did not have official statistics yet to back up the positive feedback, his office had been inundated with calls by travellers needing accommodation over this period.

“By December 20 we ran out of space and we could not help them with bookings anymore.”

Lottering said he also spent about three hours on the N2 just before town during December, pulling vehicles over, with the help of the traffic department,

and promoting the area.

“In about 45 minutes we pulled over 100 vehicles on their way into town. This shows how busy we were.”

Despite more people visiting Plettenberg Bay, many did not stay as long as tourists did before. “In the past people would stay about three weeks, but now they only stay between 10 days and two weeks.

“This is not totally negative as we have become part of an itinerary. People stay in Plett a few days and then move on further along the Garden Route,” he said.

It seems most tourists were not only in town to soak up the sun, but also to immerse themselves in local activities and shopping.

“We’ve had an outstanding season and initial reports from tenants have been very positive,” said The Market Square centre manager Karin van Riet, adding that some of the centre’s anchor tenants showed increases in turnover of up to 50%.

“It is difficult to say why we were so busy, but the season basically started very early, from about the end of November, and ended just before the schools reopened.” Van Riet said now that most domestic tourist had gone home, they had made way for international tourists who have started flocking in.

Brenda Sitole from clothing

retailer Out of the Blue Knysna in Plett CBD agreed that initial figures showed an increase in shoppers.

Rental agents could barely keep up with demand this season. One of these agents, Sanet Cloete of Seeff, said she and her colleagues were “incredibly busy”.

“I would say we showed figures very much in line with that of pre-2006, before economic pressure started negatively impacting tourism,” said Cloete.

The town was bursting at the seams so Cloete and other agents did not have a single house available between Christmas and New Year. She said she expected figures to show an increase of about 30%.

Stella de Villiers, owner of Impact Estate Agents, said she too was satisfied with how rentals were snatched up by holidaymakers.

Faith Chidyamatamba, manager of Plettenberg Bay River Lodge, said she estimated the occupancy rate was about 40% better than the previous year and that they were fully booked through most of the season.

While satisfying their appetite for a break from the hustle and bustle, holidaymakers did not forget to indulge their tastebuds as most restaurants reported being fully booked for many a meal.

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prove their level of cooperation with the police service through police forums, neighbourhood watch and street community groups.

“We cannot put a cop on every street corner and we have found that positive interaction between residents and the police regarding unusual activities and

suspicious people in an area can have a hugely beneficial effect on crime prevention,” said Patekile.

He expressed concern that apathy in residents and business owners, as yet unaffected by crime, is a major handicap to making both neighbourhoods and industrial areas secure.

“I’m sure that the residents of the Southern Cape will do their best to assist us in keeping crime levels down by being observant, never being tempted to purchase stolen goods, taking their own security precautions seriously, and cooperating positively with their community policing officers,” he concluded.

Answers evade Rheenendal parents over a year after tragic accident

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HE nightmare of the horrific Rheenendal bus crash, which claimed the lives of 14 young pupils more than a year ago, still haunts their parents who are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the death of their children after suffering a major blow in their quest to find answers.

“We cannot begin to start the healing process before we have the answers about what happened to our children,” said a distraught Cornelius Davidson.

He lost his 17-year-old son, Ashwell - who had big dreams of becoming a detective one

day - in the crash, just days before his 18th birthday.

The inquest into the incident was set to start in Knysna Magistrate’s Court earlier this month, but came to an abrupt halt after the bus company owner showed up without a lawyer. The case was postponed to March 25 to allow African Express owner Pravin Singh’s attorney to prepare for the case.

The inquest follows the death of 14 children and their driver, when the bus they were travelling in plunged into the Kasatdrift River about 20km from Knysna in August 2011.

Davidson, who spoke on behalf of some of the parents who lost their children, said it was difficult to start processing the tragedy while they still had so many questions.

“We need to know who is responsible and hope that justice prevails.”

Kathleen Wessels, who lost her 12-year-old daughter, Raylene, in the tragedy, agreed.

“Although answers won’t bring our children back, at least we won’t have to wonder how their lives ended anymore,” she said. [qncpfg"Uvcpfgt"/" Ictfgp"Tqwvg"Ogfkc

the bedroom shop furniture & linen emporium

Knysna Mall, Main Street, Knysna

(opposite Lunar Café on Spar parking)

044 382 2835

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CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

News & Views

January 30 - 2013

New Knysna liquor by-law to benefit townsfolk S

OCIO-ECONOMIC benefits are expected for the greater Knysna municipal area as a direct and indirect result of a new liquor by-law that allows licensed premises to trade on Sundays and hours suitable to the hospitality industry.

Knysna mayor Georlene Wolmarans said the Knysna Municipality By-law on Liquor Trading Days and Hours was promulgated in mid-December according to the Western Cape Liquor Act, Act 10 of 2010, Section 59(1), which provides for municipalities to determine their own trading days and hours for businesses licensed to

sell alcohol, within their area of jurisdiction.

Wolmarans explained that licensed businesses in areas where municipalities did not pass their own liquor trading by-laws by March 31, would have to trade according to the stipulations of the Western Cape Liquor Act. These would allow licensed businesses selling liquor for consumption off the licensed premises to sell liquor on any day between 9am and 6pm, and licensed businesses selling liquor for consumption on the licensed premises on any day between 11 and 2am the next day.

“The hospitality and tourism sectors are major economic drivers in the Knysna municipal area, which was a major motivating factor for council in the determining of trading hours for licensed businesses.

“As host to several festivals, food and lifestyle events, and a range of outdoor and adventure activities, the greater Knysna area attracts visitors over weekends who then spend much needed money in venues and restaurants.

“By allowing suitable hours, legal local businesses are given the opportunity to operate optimally yet within acceptable pa-

rameters that can be enforced by the SAPS. “Municipalities with their own hospitality-friendly bylaws are also more likely to attract tourism investors such as hotel groups and event sponsors. All these factors add to potential long-term benefits including poverty alleviation, job creation and economic development,” said Wolmarans.

The new licensed liquor trading days and hours are immediately applicable – visit www. knysna.gov.za for more information on the Knysna Municipality By-law on Liquor Trading Days and Hours.

Knysna park marred by lawn-mowers’ languor A disappointed Knysna resident took the pictures at right of the park on George Rex Drive between Bosun’s Pub and the African Market, on Friday January 18.

“A resident of Lower Old Place, I frequently use this area to walk my dogs, as do many other Knysna locals.

“Our refuse is removed on Friday mornings, but some put their rubbish out on Thursday evenings.

This results in bags being taken from bins and into the park to be rifled through - a trend hard to stop, and not really the issue I am writing about.

“The municipal parks department is responsible for mowing this area and, on many an occasion, I have witnessed the tractor-mowers not going around beforehand to pick up rubbish, but simply mowing

UNSAVOURY: Rubbish is strewn over the park as a result of dispersion by tractor-mowers after being discarded by vagrants

right through it.

“This breaks bottles and spreads the rubbish into a far wider area, which is then blown all over by the wind - and the rest is history, because of sheer laziness!

My pictures tell the story.

“What can be done to remedy this situation? I am also sending pictures to Knysna Municipal-

ity in the hope that someone in charge will have something to say in response.”

Mp{upc"owpkekrcn"ocpcigt" Ncwtgp"Yctkpi"tgurqpfu< Knysna Municipality thanks the writer for bringing the matter under our attention and agrees that rubble should be removed before lawns are mowed. The

matter has been referred to the relevant departments and will be addressed accordingly.

The municipality requests that matters such as these be reported by mailing knysna@knysna. gov.za or phoning the Directorate Community Services on 044 302 6442 or the Department Waste Management on 044 302 6405.

Plettenberg Bay police notice

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IEUTENANT Marlene Pieterse, who is in charge of communication at SAPS Plettenberg Bay, asked that the following points be brought to the attention of Bitou readers.

Kwanokuthula residents are urged to do any police clearance at their local police station. The charge office there is now finished and there is a main entrance to the Community Service Centre, which is open for the public to use.

She said the police received information of someone who was selling stolen property at The Crags and, on arrival at the crime scene, they found the suspect in possession of a digital camera. The suspect was arrested and if you have lost a camera and think this might be it, contact W/O Donachie on 044 501 1914.

“Theft out of cars remains a problem in our area,” says Pieterse. Vehicles parked in the

street are easy targets, so park behind locked gates and do not leave valuable items inside.

“Do not park in dark areas overnight, as criminals can go about their business unnoticed.

Visible items invite criminals to break in so keep parcels and shopping bags in the boot.”

Report suspicious vehicles or people to the police on 044 501 1934, or call them when in doubt about the safety of a specific area in Bitou.

News & Views

January 30 - 2013

CXPRESS

Trophy-hunter leaves headless shark on Central Beach

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OHNNY Prins of Bitou Beach Control popped in at CXPRESS on January 24 with a set of sad and rather gruesome photos of a ragged-tooth shark

found on Central Beach earlier that morning – ‘sad’ because rather than tagged and released, the raggy had been beheaded for trophy purposes.

Measuring in at 2.17m in this amputated state, Henk Nieuwoudt of the local CapeNature office estimates that the head would add another 50cm or so

to the size of this regal male fish of undetermined age.

A keen diver, Henk feels quite aggrieved over the trophyhunting angler’s actions. “It’s a privilege to see raggies, especially in our current clear water conditions – they look scary but are actually real softies.

Step right in, honey, the water’s just fine...

HACKED OFF: The sight of this 2.17m shark carcass greeted beach-goers in Plett last week - Photos: Johnny Prins

This aerial photograph of a shark, claimed to be a great white and photographed on Saturday January 5 between the Beacon Island and Central Beach, did the rounds on Facebook earlier this month.

Local corridor initiative forms part of decade-long international study

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OCTOR Andrew Gregory, a post-doctoral research scholar from the University of Northern Arizona, was in Plett last week visiting the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative.

Andrew is a landscape geneticist who is travelling the world identifying up to 100 corridors for a 10-year study to determine whether natural corridors work.

Fragmentation of the landscape is the biggest cause of biodiversity loss. A corridor is a strip of natural habitat that bisects the fragmented landscape connecting officially protected areas or parks.

This allows for movement of fauna and flora, thereby maintaining biodiversity, ecosystem services and beauty.

Natural corridors are also considered to be a mitigating factor against climate change. As the planet warms, corridors facilitate the movement of fauna and flora to higher altitudes where the temperatures are cooler.

The Knysna elephant/s are a prime example of how frag-

PROTECTION-WORTHY: Dr Andrew Gregory surveys the Robberg Coastal Corridor at Stilbaai, Plettenberg Bay

mented landscapes affect biodiversity. Unfenced they are nevertheless unable to move to join other herds and thus preserve a healthy gene pool.

“Fourteen per cent of the land surface worldwide has been set

aside to conserve biodiversity.

Unfortunately, these natural areas by themselves are inadequate for conserving biodiversity,” says Andrew. South Africa has set aside 6% thus far.

Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative, established in 2006 and well known for its yearly 400km Great Corridor Hike, is identifying corridors from the Garden of Eden to Addo Elephant National Park with the intention of protecting and managing them.

The vision is to connect the three mega-reserves, namely Garden Route National Park, the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site, and Addo. Natural corridors exist but only where they overlap with willing landowners is it possible to protect and manage them.

The Robberg Coastal Corridor, connecting Robberg Nature Reserve to the Garden of Eden, is such a corridor and is in the process of being gazetted and declared a Protected Environment for 30 years.

“Exciting news is that Eden District Municipality has agreed to include Stilbaai - a 76-hectare area well known to Plettenberg Bay locals - in the Robberg Coastal Corridor,” says E2A’s Joan Berning.

Other locations where Eden to Addo is working and where landowners are willing to protect their land are the Keurbooms Corridor, and three corridors in the Langkloof.

Pam Booth, founder director of Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative, in association with WWF, has managed to raise R9-million to clear alien vegetation in the Keurbooms Corridor, creating work and releasing valuable water for the inhabitants of Plett.

Through Andrew’s work, the Eden to Addo corridors will form part of an international network of natural corridors backed by sound scientific research. Andrew intends studying the movement of three to five different species in the Robberg and Langkloof Corridors by means of genetic sampling, and is hoping to engage local students from a range of South African universities to do the groundwork.

“If you’re catching shark for cooking then sure, take the whole fish home and marinade it in vinegar. But this fish was an old local and has been caught several times before by sports fishermen who treat sharks with great respect.

“Coming to Plett specifically for the purpose of sports fishing - from Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and all over the place - they lay their catch on a stretcher for the purpose and take measurements, maybe take a quick photograph, then release it back into the ocean.”

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He says that these sports anglers’ hooks often leave telling scar tissue that indicates previous captures. But other than the hooks, which are either cut out or rust and disintegrate, they don’t harm the fish in any way.

The shark killed last week was probably caught close to Lookout Rocks before being dragged out on the sand close to Beach Control. Even if the culprit was identified there would be no prosecution as it’s not against the law to catch raggies.

But the bay is all the poorer for the loss of this shark.

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CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

News & Views

January 30 - 2013

Big guns of publishing and education bestow gifts upon Formosa F

ORMOSA Primary in Bitou has been awarded educational equipment to the value of R170’000, courtesy of Telkom SA, iSchool Africa, Oxford University Press and Think Ahead Education Solutions.

The equipment comprises 20 iPad packages to a total value of R150’000 and a small library of books worth R20’000.

The award was facilitated by Media 24, publishers of Jwkuig/ pqqv."[qw and Ftwo magazines – and the trio of publications plans to grant one such award monthly throughout 2013, to a school deserving of recognition for exceptional work in the education of children with learning disabilities.

Maxi Goodwin, who has worked at Formosa Primary School for 38 years, nominated

special needs teacher and national award-winning educator Leigh Dunn, for his conscientious and diligent work in the field of academically challenged children.

The school became the year’s first recipient of the package of awards when equipment was presented to the school last Friday (January 25) by Elisma Roets - managing editor of publishing at Jwkuigpqqv." Ftwo and [qw.

Elisma was joined by Rethabile Thaba of iSchool Africa, Lourens Kruger of Oxford University Press, and Dries de Jager on behalf of Telkom SA. Also present were Formosa principal Colin Wildeman, his deputies Desmond Leonard and Griselda Baron, and Deon van der Westhuizen of Associate

Publishers.

George Faria, Nic Gallic and Charlie Scott of Melvilles Spar in Plett kindly sponsored snacks, drinks and a party pack for each of the kids, and were present to witness their joy upon receiving these spoils.

In a short speech Leigh explained how, during study tours abroad, he had become aware of recent findings that children with learning disabilities tended to respond better to images and font characters on a computer screen than in books.

Formosa Primary’s Elsen (Education for Learners with Special Educational Needs) unit teaches kids aged eight to 13 years, some of whom suffer autism, while others are visually impaired or have inherited certain learning difficulties.

The school, will move to new premises in April, was founded in 1969 and has 1160 pupils.

Two weeks left to ‘Donate to Educate’ SMS ‘LEARN’ to 40305 to donate R20 towards work in rural schools

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OVEMBER 2012 saw the launch of the Catholic Institute of Education’s ‘Donate to Educate’ campaign, which runs until February 15 and is aimed at raising awareness of the CIE’s work in rural schools, where it helps thousands of poor and vulnerable children to overcome barriers to education.

For a R20 donation, the general public can make a contribution towards these children’s educational needs.

The CIE is a registered NPO and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) established in 1985, its projects aimed at facilitating a quality education for children in impoverished communities.

Of the 349 Catholic Schools in South Africa, 260 are public (Government schools) on private property, mostly located in rural and peri-urban areas and former homelands; 95% of the children in these schools are black and previously disadvantaged, and only 26% are of the Catholic faith.

The CIE’s work is focused in 105 of these most under-

resourced schools. Currently 39’229 learners and 1’411 educators directly benefit from its services in these targeted areas.

The ‘Donate to Educate’ campaign aims to raise a minimum of R120 000 towards our Caring Schools Project, which assists orphaned and vulnerable kids. For most of these learners, a quality education is their only escape from the cycle of poverty into which they are born.

The project has been operational since 2007, and its success is largely due to the role that teachers play in identifying vulnerable learners.

As they work with the children daily, teachers get to know their social circumstances and are able to identify children in need.

It costs the CIE approximately R1000 a year to provide the following support to a vulnerable child in a rural school: • Nutritional support - in the form of food parcels to take home, as well as healthy food to supplement the school feeding scheme, which is often insuffi-

cient for their needs; • School uniforms - e.g. jerseys and school shoes, especially necessary in winter; • Health care and toiletries like soap, toothpaste and sanitary towels, as well as transport to the nearest clinic when ill; • Safe transport to and from school - little girls are particularly vulnerable when walking to school in rural areas; • Psycho-social support some of these children are traumatised by the loss of parents and their social circumstances, and so need counselling; • Assistance with obtaining social grants - some of these learners do not have birth certificates to apply for social support grants, and so they receive help from the Pastoral Care Committee for this purpose.

If R120’000 is raised, the CIE will be able to support an extra 100 vulnerable children (the target is 500 learners).

Visit the website www.cie. org.za for more information or contact Karen, Desiree or Busi on 011 433 1888.

Words & photo: Timothy Twidle

TOOLS TO TEACH: Managing editor of publishing at ‘Huisgenoot’, ‘Drum’ and ‘You’ magazines Elisma Roets, left, presents Elsen teacher Leigh Dunn with some of the equipment that will assist with the instruction of children with learning difficulties

Teachers for Change

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N her address during the handover ceremony in Plett, Elisma Roets said, inter alia: “Education is one of our passions. Our brands are known and trusted in South Africa’s classrooms. It’s time to take it a step further.

“As the biggest magazine brands in South Africa, we also have a responsibility towards those bettering education and the learners. We can think of no better way than doing it with this project called Teachers for Change (Mqrumwkh"Qppkgu in Afrikaans).

“We received a lot of entries

and after careful consideration, Jwkuigpqqv." [qw and Ftwo chose one winning teacher for each month of this year to be rewarded with prizes to empower them to be even better teachers.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to announce our first Teacher for Change: Leigh Dunn of Formosa Primary School. Mr Dunn was the first male teacher to start the Teachers for Learners with Special Educational Needs-programme in the Western Cape.”

CXPRESS congratulates Leigh and his team for earning this exceptional award.

Notice Board Join WESSA on Wetlands Day (Feb 2), to clean up the riverine area of the Garden Route Botanical Garden. Meet at the teardrop banner at 7:30am - contact Christine Ridge-Schnaufer on 044 873 4203 at wessageorge@ isat.co.za with queries.

Knysna-Plett Concert Series presents the World Orchestra, conducted by Josep Vicent, on February 11. The DRC hall in Fichat Street’s doors will open at 6:45 and the show starts at

7:30pm. Tickets at the door cost R150 and scholars pay R50.

Golf’s best amateurs will converge on the Hyatt Regency Oubaai’s fairways next month, so diarise this date to witness a top SA golfing challenge in our ‘hood. The practice round for the 2013 SA Stroke Play Championship tees off on February 11, and the tournament starts officially on the 12th. Entrance is free of charge - call 044 851 1234 or 011 476 1713 for info.

Business

January 30 - 2013

CXPRESS

Is 2013 the start of a new financial era?

The recession is dead and the great reflation is about to begin, writes CLEM CHAMBERS from London IN January 2012, I declared the Euro crisis dead. You might now be thinking I was way too early on that one. In my

defence, while there were wobbles in Italy and Spain in 2012, the Euro didn’t disintegrate and it doesn’t look likely to disintegrate anymore.

So the storm didn’t actually hit the shore. In fact, if you acknowledge that the Euro crisis is not actually the same thing as the Euro problem - that the situation has gone from acute to chronic, or from short to longterm - then the Euro crisis was dead after all. And it still is.

For this year, then, my speculation is that the great depression is dead.

Yes, we may fall off fiscal cliffs, and yes we will have currency crises. Yes, interest rate moves and QEs will shake and

Tax Matters

stir but nonetheless, like the Mayan calendar, the bear market started by the credit crunch has run its course.

The world will go on - go on, and go up!

From my point of view, this is all an investor needs to know.

Any idiot can make a profit investing in a bull market. And we are in the overture of a bull market. It could run and run throughout this decade.

Imagine that!

Not many people in 2000 believed we were in for a 12year bear market, so it is not a wholly ridiculous prediction to make. Imagine a huge and long bull run. Double or triple the indices. Can you hold that idea

Sean O’Connell - M.Com (Tax), CA (SA)

The Tax Administration Act – ignore it at your peril!

O

UR previous article on this topic brought to readers’ attention that there was now such a thing as the Tax Administration Act. Act 28 of 2011 became law on October 1 last year and attempts to align itself with international best practice in a modern tax administrative environment. Duplication is eliminated, redundant requirements are removed, and administrative consistency is applied across numerous taxrelated acts that include income tax, VAT, UIF and a host of other lesser known taxes.

The application of this Act is intended to effectively eliminate all fly-by-nights posing as tax practitioners – effectively, those who have not aligned themselves with a registered body of professionals recognised as such by the Act. It also means clients can rest assured that at least a minimum standard of professional ethics must be applied by qualifying tax practitioners, who are now accountable to the registered professional body with whom they are obliged to register.

Statutory tax compliance by all South Africans is now law

in your mind without thinking “yeah, right”?

So why and how will a huge equities rally be possible?

The ‘why’ of it can be looked at from many angles. You could suggest a 12-year bear market has to come to an end sometime, for instance. However, I think it is all about the huge reflation of the US and Europe which has at last begun to produce the desired recovery.

Couple this with China’s recovery, which has kicked off now it has worked through its soft/hard landing to avoid a boom and crash in property, similar to the one that felled the West. Then add to that the news that Japan is going for a dash

and non-compliance is a punishable offence, but taxpayers should not feel boxed in by their practitioners because of the Act. Although the Act is silent on the rights of taxpayers i.t.o. the regulation of tax practitioners, it does not mean that taxpayers’ rights are being ignored - quite the contrary, as these rights are entrenched and guaranteed by the Constitution of the RSA. Tax practitioners act on behalf of their clients not only to prevent that they pay more tax than is necessary, but also to help maintain tax compliance.

However, the ultimate responsibility of compliance is and will always rest with the taxpayer. In this regard alone, it is worth a visit to a tax practitioner to find out what your tax status actually is.

Taxpayers’ rights are amplified and made more explicit to counterbalance the significant and expanded authority of SARS to obtain information.

In this regard, the new definitions in the Act include: • Fqewogpv - anything that contains a written, sound, or pictorial record, or other record of information, whether in

physical or electronic format; • Kphqtocvkqp - information generated, recorded, sent, received, stored or displayed by any means; • Tgngxcpv" ocvgtkcn - any information, document, etc. that is foreseeably relevant for tax and tax risk assessment, collecting tax, showing non-compliance with an obligation under a tax act, or showing that a tax offense was committed.

The technology now available

by SARS has the ability to integrate taxpayer data from multiple sources to gain a complete economic understanding of the taxpayer across all tax types and areas of economic activity.

SARS can now detect inaccuracies in submissions and identify those who intentionally avoid knowing their tax status, and has indicated that its strategic focus in this regard is to concentrate on trusts, high net worth individuals, and specific economic sectors.

It is no longer a question of how to stay below the taxman’s radar but rather a question of when offenders will be caught out. Take this stand at your peril or come in and get advice from a professional tax practitioner.

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for growth. You have an alignment of giant bullish factors.

An inflationary Japan will set a series of inflationary dominos falling and there will be growth.

Not just old school growth, but a sudden explosion of it.

Things could go wrong and we could get massive inflation, yet things could go right and we could get huge growth with mild, technology-dampened inflation and global growth.

The world’s demographics can easily deliver a huge decade-long boom. Politicians could, of course, utterly screw it all up and deliver the world into an inflationary asset bubble

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mirror image of that.

In any event there’s going to be a step-change in activity from defensive, deflationary economics to frothy, reflationary activity.

The beginning of the next financial era is near. I reckon it will be this year - which means it will more likely occur in 2014, as I’m often early to the party.

The active investor couldn’t ask for more. The trend is your friend especially if you can catch it early. What’s more, this trend is up.

The way to go, is to ride the trend. Take on risk. Short money and go long on hard assets.

What could be easier? Let the good times roll!

Engo"Ejcodgtu"ku"vjg"cwvjqt" qh"101 Ways to Pick Stock Market Winners"⁄"xkukv"yyy0 cfxhp0eqo"hqt"oqtg"kphq0

Sue sells Brackenridge home for a record seven bar

UPMARKET EPITOMISED: This home with its spectacular sea views was recently sold by Sue Harvey, inset

S

UE Harvey - the Brackenridge Estate specialist at Sotheby’s International Realty Plett - this month achieved the highest sales price to date of R7-million in the popular eco-estate last week.

Located on the ridge, the home is an upmarket, modern, four-bedroom house with a guest apartment, swimming pool, jacuzzi and panoramic sea views.

Says Sue: “There are a few higher value homes in the estate, but this sale demonstrates the popularity of Brackenridge and the confidence the market has in the estate.”

Brackenridge is one of the

few areas in Plett that has seen a recent increase in new buildings. In 2012, 10 new homes were built and seven new homes have already been approved for 2013 so far.

The popularity of the estate is due to excellent management, top-class security, great views of the ocean and golf course, good-value land prices, upmarket homes, low density within indigenous vegetation, and an excellent independent water supply.

If you need any information on Brackenridge or would like to sell or purchase property there, contact Sue at sue. sir@plettenbergbay.com or on 083 306 7499.

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ISSUE 357

Social Scene

January 30 - 2013

Photos: Steve D’Elboux - www.picsbysteve.co.za

HAPPILY BACK IN THE SADDLE: Plett photographer Steve D’Elboux snapped these shots of Plett Primary School kids and their parents on the first day back on the benches. From left are the lovely Moukarzel ladies - Mieke, Loulette and Jana - as they prepare to depart for school, Janika Linde on her first day of ‘big school’ with parents Johannes and Arina, and twins Zachary, right, and Nathan Meggersee, who will spend the year receiving expert tuition from Ms Visser.

OLD LOCAL = NEW HEAD: Formosa Primary welcomed headmaster Colin Wildeman, at right in the back row, into the fold when the new school year started on January 16. Born and raised in Wittedrift ‘till his seventh year, the family Wildeman moved to the Cape, where Colin completed his school career and studies. Having served as deputy principal at Delft South Primary in Cape Town for the past few years, Formosa’s new headmaster was bowled over by the wonderful welcome received, and expressed his excitement about the progress and development of the school, along with the prospect of the new building to be occupied next term. In the pic at left is Cameron Attwood of Kitchen Café and VIP-fame, who donated new school uniforms to five deserving pupils. Bitou deputy mayor Adam van Rhyner, centre, formed part of the uniform-donation initiative, which benefited the boys pictured here – from left are Marco Botha, Elmodin Jordaan, Keenon Ruiters, Newton Kees, and Cole Bruiners. - Leigh Dunn

People, places & events GREAT START TO LEARNING: Greenhill Educare Centre and Little Flower Pre-school in KwaNokuthula this year plan to continue their good work of building a stronger nation through early childhood education. Pauline Coubrough sent these pics and wrote: ‘Greenhill is registered and managed by Muriel Cubitt and team, who work with the crèche team of, top from left, cook Francis, teacher Nomvuzo, cleaner Oskaria, teacher Pandora, and principal Zoleka (Lindi was absent). Little Flower is a small but effective crèche with Nontle Gama as principal and teacher. Nontle, pictured at right with some of her charges, is a dynamic person and highly educated in preschooling. Moral values are strictly adhered to at Little Flower – when I arrived to take these pics, lunch was served and the little ones sat patiently at their tables and waited for all the kids to arrive, then closed their eyes to say grace before tucking in.’

FOR THE LOVE OF CRICKET: Woodridge Preparatory hosted its third 20/20 Cricket Festival for primary schools last weekend. OLA Ice-cream kindly came on board to sponsor what has become a rather popular festival, which serves to involve players in the shorter form of the game at the beginning of the season, allowing coaches to make fair and honest selections.

Five matches per school were played over the two days, with the emphasis on participation by all teams and enjoyment of the game. Other teams taking part were St George’s Prep, Muir College, EP U/11 and EP Zonal invitational development teams, Herbert Hurd, Knysna Sports School, and Clarendon Park Primary.

In the pic are some of the Woodridge cricketers - at back from left are Jonas Andrews, Kayle Russell, Caelan Matthews, Fritz Arndt, Thian Meiring, Mikhail Lindoor, and Tristan Farrell. In front are Liam Oberholster, Nicholas Yerolemou, Shannon McTiffin, Christopher Yerolemou, and Stephen van Niekerk.

Visit www.woodridge.co.za for info on the school.

GLOBAL FLAVOUR: Members of the core team associated with the unique Earth Stewardship Science workshop TopoAfrica, hosted at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s George Campus at Saasveld recently are, from left, Cécile Robin, French coordinator professor Francois Guillocheau, NMMU professor in Earth Stewardship Science Maarten de Wit, and Jean Braun. Prof Guillocheau pointed out that this initiative helps to unearth information about our landscapes dating back more than 300-million years. This has significant social and other implications for humanity and industry, providing important predictive information.

The initiative, which involves more than 13 countries, also includes an exchange programme involving top junior scientists from across the globe.

ALL-ROUND TRAINING: Tshisa Talent and Lunchbox Theatre launched their Performing Artist Training Programme on January 19. Offering performing artists the chance to develop their talent and learn vital business and marketing skills, these workshops aim to empower local artist to become professional performers. Drawn from those who had registered for training at Open Mic sessions hosted in each community since September, 12 participants from KwaNokuthula, Kranshoek, New Horizons and Qolweni attended the Saturday’s workshops, presented by Stuart Palmer, Mncedisi Ncedani and Ricky Luiters. Covering everything from marketing to financial management, this session was followed by a next workshop on January 26, on the subjects of performance, stage technique, and repertoire, with the final session in the series, on February 9, covering artist collaborations. Stuart thanks St Peter’s Anglican Church for providing a wonderful venue for these talented local performers. The training programmes are enabled by the generous support of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport call Stuart, pictured at left in front, on 083 423 0083 for more info.

Social Scene

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People, places & events

THUMBS UP! The Crags Eco-preschool’s Inge Bassett sent this pic and wrote: ‘Well here we are back at school with sunny sunflowers and smiling kids.’ The Wild Ones – from left are Elan, Chilli, Julian and Khyro – invite new buddies and their parents to come check out the friendly little Plett school with its eye fixed firmly on Mother Nature.

STARS OF SCREEN AND FIELD: Lika Berning, above left, who reached serious celeb status with her starring role in the musical ‘Liefling die Movie’, watched the recent Ikey Tigers v SWD Eagles game in Plett with former Springbok and Ikeys rugby great Dugald Macdonald. Married to Clyde, the son of longtime Plett residents Joan and Dr Peter Berning, the couple and their boy, Hugo, relocated from Gauteng late last year. Team doctor for the day, Peter – who appears top right with Jafta and Ronnie Engelbrecht, right – has known Dugald for decades and among their many shared adventures counts an epic trek to the Magnetic North Pole in April 2005 when, along with Ikeys Icemen team mate Ted Adam, they became the first South Africans to walk to the pole. A lively crowd, which included former Springbok coach Nick Mallett, turned out to watch the January 19 game, packing the stands or, in the case of the foursome at right, had a tailgate party in the back of their bakkie - from left are André, Hylton, CJ and John.

Chris Ferreira of Bitou Rugby said the club benefited greatly from the Ikeys’ presence, with local players meeting the team, watching their practice sessions, and getting a good feel for what it takes to run this professional outfit. The Capetonians also donated equipment to the club and, says Chris, showed unflinching support for their bar service on the day.

Watch this space for more good news on provincial games hosted by Bitou Rugby Club, and see the back page for the full story of the Ikeys’ visit to Plett.

HOOKED AND RELEASED: Recently returned from Uganda after running a restaurant on Lake Victoria for a year, Plett local Maggie Ubsdell shared this pic of the spectacular 28kg Nile perch hooked shortly before packing her bags for SA. Says Mags: ‘I caught the fish on January 6 off Bulago Island - part of a fishing sanctuary at Pineapple Bay Resort, which is run by Joseph and Kat Ott from the Eastern Cape. Located on the equator, the spot is about 40km, or one hour by speedboat, from Entebbe, and about 3’750m above sea level. The lake is the source of the Nile, which travels north from Jinja for 6’600km to the Mediterranean. At 340km long and 250km wide, covering an area of 68’800km² and at an average depth of 85m, the lake borders Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Being so shallow, and with weather coming over Kenya from the Indian Ocean, the lake is renowned for wild storms that can develop within minutes and which have claimed many lives over the years.’ Maggie claimed she gave the perch a big fat smooch before releasing it back into the lake. And Plett gives her a collective welcome home kiss... mmmmmwha!

HATS OFF TO GASJAC: Jannie Cremer, right, presents Carlos Koeberg, captain of The Plett Pioneers cricket team, with a cap sponsored by Gasjac. Some of the team members are lined up behind them, displaying their bright new headgear - from left are, Willy, Darryl, Danrick, Everette, Burger, Jacques, Jannie, and Clive.

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ISSUE 357

Let’s see your pets through YOUR eyes!

Competition

January 30 - 2013

Theme no. 6: OWNER/PET LOOK-ALIKE... and the winners are: Start shooting NOW for the next theme - see details at the bottom of this page

DOG CATEGORY

OTHER CATEGORY

Over R20 000 worth of prizes to be won!

Sponsored by:

Rosie Walters from Sedgefield

With age comes compassion and tolerance… This man and his dog share the same sentiments and we find it a most endearing image. Well done, Rosie, for capturing this beautiful moment.

CAT CATEGORY This theme-based competition is open to all Garden Route residents. Your photographic abilities should not be a stumbling block - we will be looking at your ability to portray the personality of the animal you capture.

Follow the Challenge in CXPRESS and on the CXPRESS Garden Route Newspaper Facebook Page.

HOW THE CHALLENGE WORKS • The CXPRESS PICTURE YOUR PET CHALLENGE is a theme-based competition with the focus on domesticated animals. There are 10 themes and four categories (dogs, cats, birds, and other domesticated species), and a prize per theme for the winner in each category is announced in every alternate edition of CXPRESS. A grand prize winner in each category will be selected from the 10 theme winners at the end of the Challenge.

• A theme (see below) is announced at the onset of each Challenge. The judges select any of these themes at random at the start of each new Challenge, and readers then have two weeks to capture and submit photos that they consider best depict the theme.

• Winning entries with the judges’ observations are published in CXPRESS and on the CXPRESS Garden Route Newspaper Facebook Page.

THE PRIZES • Dog Category: Theme winners - A Rogz voucher and 3kg Propac veterinary food and toys valued at R400. Grand prize - An Axiss Dog-powered Scooter valued at R3 999.

• Cat Category: Theme winners - Hagen Catit Senses toy, cat accessories, and Nutrience veterinary super premium food valued at R350. Grand prize - Cat bed, scratching post, food & treats valued at R650.

• Bird Category: Theme winners - Daro pet supplies voucher and Petline voucher to the combined value of R400. Grand prize - Daro bird cage suited to bird size up to the value of R1 000.

• Other Domesticated Species: Theme winners - A R250 Pet Pool Warehouse voucher. Grand prize - A R500 Pet Pool Warehouse voucher.

• Each winner will also receive an A3 full colour print of their winning photo, courtesy of Kodak Express.

HOW TO ENTER • Submit no more than two entries per theme to editor@cxpress.co.za or post directly on the CXPRESS Garden Route Newspaper Facebook Page – a new EVENT will be created for each theme (please enter your photos on the wall of the EVENT and not on the page wall) - or deliver entries on CD at the CXPRESS office at 6 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay. • Entries must be in Jpeg (.jpg) format and no larger than 400KB. • Provide your name, location, and contact details.

THE RULES • Only Garden Route residents may enter • All photos must be taken by the person whose name is submitted with the entries • Entries will only be accepted in electronic format • Entries that have no relation to the theme whatsoever will not be considered • No late entries will be accepted • For layout purposes, CXPRESS reserves the right to crop photos published in the paper • The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

THE THEMES (which the judges select at random) • Animal smiles • The little ones • Owner/pet look-alike • In relax mode • Feeding time • All eyes • Cuddles with the family • At play • A moment to remember • Funny pics with captions

Erin Shattock from Plett

How proud are these two, showing off their lovely grey/blonde looks and trim physiques? The only difference here seems to be a matter of two or four legs! Congratulations, Erin.

OTHER CATEGORY

Alisa Burger from Harkerville

Aah, the freshness of youth! Both young, both brighteyed, both pretty as a ginger pudding! Thanks, Alisa, for submitting this entry – we hope the kitten has a royal time with the prizes you’ve won.

Jessie Alison Wiley from Knysna

Although the resemblance is a bit dubious, we reckon Zane and Cooper, the rabbit, share a serious case of bunny hugging! Because there are no entries in the Bird Category for this theme, we decided that the bunny deserves a special treat from our sponsors.

Visit the Events tab on the CXPRESS GARDEN ROUTE NEWSPAPER Facebook Page to view more entries.

ENTER NOW!

THEME NO. 7: A MOMENT TO REMEMBER DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: 21 FEBRUARY 2013 WINNER ANNOUNCED: 27 FEBRUARY 2013

Example

Interval

January 30 - 2013

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11

At the bar...

Interesting images

The keen golfer A

golfer is involved in a terrible car crash and is rushed to hospital. Just before he is put under, the surgeon pops in to see him.

“I have some good news and I have some bad news,” says the surgeon.

“The bad news is that I have to remove your right arm.”

“Oh my goodness, no!” cries the man, “my golfing days are over! Please, Doc, what’s the good news?”

“The good news is, I have another one to replace it, but it’s a woman’s arm. I’m going to need your permission before I go ahead with the transplant.”

“Go for it, Doc,” says the man, “just as long as I can play golf again.”

The operation goes well and a year later the man is out on the golf course when he bumps into

the surgeon.

“Hi, how’s the new arm?” asks the surgeon.

“Just great,” says the man.

“I’m playing the best golf of my life. My new arm has a much finer touch and my putting has really improved.”

“That’s great news,” says the surgeon.

“Not only that,” continues the golfer, “my handwriting has improved, I’ve learned how to sew my own clothes and I’ve even taken up painting landscapes in watercolours.”

“Unbelievable!” says the surgeon, “I’m so glad to hear the transplant was such a great success. Are you having any negative side effects?”

“Well, just one problem,” says the golfer. “Every time I feel like making love, I immediately get a headache.”

Men explained by famous wine estate names The Four Ages of Man: 15-30 yrs: Kanonkop 31-50 yrs: Meerlust 51-60 yrs: Rust en Vrede 61 yrs +: Allesverloren

Brothel sues church over lightning strike

D

IAMOND D’s brothel began construction on an expansion of their building to increase their ever-growing business.

In response, the local Baptist Church started a campaign to block the business from expanding with morning, afternoon, and evening prayer sessions at their church.

Work on Diamond D’s progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening, when lightning struck the brothel, causing it to burn to the ground.

After the cathouse was razed by the fire, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about the power of prayer.

However, late last week, Jill Diamond, the owner/madame, sued the church, the preacher,

and the entire congregation on the grounds that the church “was ultimately responsible for the demise of her building and her business either through direct or indirect divine actions or means”.

In its reply to the court, the church vehemently and voraciously denied any and all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise.

The crusty old judge read through the plaintiff’s complaint and the defendant’s reply, and at the opening hearing he commented: “I don’t know how the hell I’m going to decide this case, but it appears from the paperwork that we now have a brothel owner who staunchly believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that thinks it’s all nonsense!”

I pointed to two old drunks across the bar from us and told my mate: ‘That’ll be us in 10 years.’

He said: ‘That’s a mirror, you idiot.’

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Food & Wine

January 30 - 2013

PeeBee’s Wine Column

Peter Bishop

Oak Valley – an emporium of excellence Y

OUR occasional trips to Cape Town might just be a bit more exciting now that Oak Valley’s Anthony RawboneViljoen and his son Christopher have completed the delicates-

sen stall on their farm in Elgin.

Sure there will be the exciting range of wines of Oak Valley, and there may be flowers (the majority of which is sold to Woolworths and to overseas

buyers) from the 15-hectares of greenhouses on the farm.

There will hopefully be some juicy Pink Lady and other apples – but the ultimate will be the cuts of meat from the imported breed of Wagyu cattle from Japan. This will be backed up by 456 head of Simmentaler cattle on 573-hectares.

These meats are all the rage internationally for its anti-cholesterol properties – read: to die for, not to die of. Add to that the piggery, where local children earn pocket money by collecting bags and bags of acorns for the grunters.

I stood in the Pink Lady orchards. Even those apples that fell off the tree were watering with juice and are, in fact, ‘local market’ and fruit juice material.

It is always something that I respect in our wine industry, that the best is available to locals.

Not so with fruit.

Contracts destine the best for export. We need a new Julius Malema to fall in love with ‘An Apple a Day’ as poverty alleviator and then we shall have great apples.

Because they are there, in those orchards, yielding 4080 tons per hectare – 10 times what the grapes yield (334-hectares are devoted to apples and pears). If only they were available to the public!

But Europe, the East, Africa and the Middle East are happily paying better prices than locals do. Add the huge array

of flowers, the attraction of hiking trails, mountain bike paths... and to that add the vines.

Small wonder that Anthony employs 30 highly specialised staff and 150 helping hands on the 1786ha farm, of which 50ha is dedicated to wine grapes. A full-time crèche is in operation.

Oak Valley almost seems to be like the Britain reflected at the opening of the London Olympic Games - “our clouded hills” - before the impact of the Industrial Revolution and its chimneys.

Tucked away in the nape of where the mountains meet the plain, are vineyards focusing on 200-tons of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Since 2003, the Sauvignon

Blanc has been from its own vineyards. The 3% added Semillon gave length to the 2009 – a vintage of longer and slower ripening, whereas the 2010 was creamier.

The Rawbone White Blend is primarily from young vines. It is the Rawbone Red that fascinates visitors, who immediately associate the wine with rare steaks or chops on a braai. Well, the owning family is Rawbone, so it is a happy double-up.

Apple Country Blanc (the latter at a scant 2-ton per hectare), and the former in old oak casks needs time to come together as a refined meal wine. The Chardonnay 2010 had that cut of minerality and white fruits as opposed to citrus that is finding favour these days.

What Jan Boland Coetzee calls “bros” is evident in the Oak Valley Pinot Noir 2009 to

GRAPES GALORE: Anthony Rawbone-Viljoen employs 30 highly specialised staff and 150 helping hands on the 1’786ha farm, of which 50ha is dedicated to wine grapes

the extent that it earned five stars in the Platter Guide of 2012. Production is limited.

My favourite has always been the Oak Valley Blend (it calls out for another name) of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon that is so very conducive to Greek lamb with its feel of baked beetroot.

The first Oak Valley wine was the 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. The 2011 has a lovely tone and good flintiness.

Just over a century ago Dr Antonie Rawbone-Viljoen was arrested during the Anglo-Boer War. An earlier James Rawbone had decreed that inheriting owners had to have the name Rawbone.

But he did not help things by having three daughters, nor did another heir down the line who did the same. This would have called for treble-barrelled names which would have been frightfully posh if they were British. But they were not.

Humour does, however, pervade. With that lamb affinity in The Blend and the prospect of fine pork and beef, the entry level wines form part of the Rawbones range, the Butchers’ Block Merlot Cabernet, with a Sauvignon Blanc called Wishbone – so there must be turkeys and chickens around as well.

The Medium Rare Rosé comes in at under R40.

The attraction at the moment would be the new delicatessen, or a pre-booked walk to see the greenhouse flowers.

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Bring your favourite friends to Lederle’s today T HE recent holiday season has brought more to Plett than just tanned bodies and Christmas decorations. With the arrival of many tourists came the arrival of a new culinary treasure called Lederle’s.

After working for her husband for over a decade, Cindy Lederle finally received the love gift she has always wanted: a little bakery to play around in and make all her favourite recipes for all her favourite friends.

Lederle’s opened its doors to

the public on December 23 and has since gone from strength to strength. There are now a few regulars, a few stalkers - a few of everything, really.

Situated in the heart of Plett’s Market Square, Lederle’s prides itself in brownies (the recipe of which is more guarded than the Crown Jewels), pot pies (known to bring brave men to their knees), and the most sumptuous of cheesecakes.

And then there is the bread...

Tasting is believing but, suffice

TASTE IT, LOVE IT: Pop in at Lederle’s at The Market Square and be treated to Cindy’s best bakes – in the pic at right, she gets a hug from proud hubby David

to say, these fresh loaves’ crispy crusts can tempt the most determined among us to break the most rigid of diets.

Everyone needs a break, so why not make Lederle’s the

place you sip your tea? Pop in at the friendly bakery next-door to Horse & Hound or give them a call on 044 533 3718 to find out what’s fresh and ready to delight your taste-buds.

Home & Health

January 30 - 2013

CXPRESS

Prevent kids overheating with rooibos A

S children go back to school and with sports activities in full swing, warmer weather means mothers should give some thought to hydration when packing lunchboxes.

Ensuring children get enough of the right kinds of liquids, particularly during the hot months, can be as important as making sure they’re properly fed.

Mild or moderate dehydration can lead to sleepiness or tiredness and even headaches and dizziness, making it difficult to pay attention in class. In more severe cases, delirium or even unconsciousness could occur.

But packing a water bottle isn’t always a guarantee that children are going to drink enough to compensate for fluids they lose while trying to cram as much fun as possible into break times.

The problem is that water can be bland and tasteless, particularly after a couple of hours in a plastic water bottle, so children simply don’t drink it - or pour it out and say that they did!

The alternative is to add some sort of cordial and while this may make it more appealing, not many of these options are particularly healthy - nor are

fizzy drinks, and buying a fruit juice each day can be costly.

Fortunately there is a South African solution that’s affordable, tasty and amazingly beneficial: rooibos tea.

Although many people tend to think of rooibos as only a hot drink, it is an exceptional flavour enhancer and naturally sweet, which makes it a favourite ingredient for iced teas, fruit shakes, smoothies, iced lollies and many other tasty treats.

Add to this that it contains no caffeine, fats or carbohydrates, while its proven health benefits include boosting the immune

Meet handsome Logan van Zyl Sandra van Zyl sent us this pic last Wednesday to advise that Thursday January 24 was International Moebius Awareness Day, and invited readers to wear purple to help spread the message.

Although this edition hit the streets too late to alert readers to Sandra’s request, we decided to include her message to inform you of this rare syndrome. She wrote: ‘Our handsome little boy, Logan, was born with this very rare syndrome and I’m inviting you to join me, Sandra Flamingo van Zyl and his dad, Liebrecht Bugs van Zyl, in wearing purple to help spread awareness, then take a picture and email it to sansvz1@gmail. com – and please visit www. manyfacesofmoebius syndrome.com/logan to read our story.’

In the Garden

L

system, relieving allergies and preventing heart disease and cancer. Researchers are also investigating the link between rooibos and stress relief.

According to professor Jeanine Marnewick of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, rooibos is a natural thirst-quencher and drinking the equivalent of six cups a day – hot or cold – will provide a sustained health benefit.

Making a simple rooibos iced tea is easy. Just make a litre of rooibos tea using four to six teabags. Sweeten the tea with honey to taste and leave it in the fridge to cool overnight.

You can now experiment with this basic iced tea, adding mint, lemon, orange, granadilla, mango or apple, or a combination of flavours until you find one that your children really love. You can even get them involved in mixing their own flavours.

Juiced or squeezed fresh fruit usually delivers the best results, but you can also use preservative-free fruit juice.

Mixing it with cold rooibos will make it go further and keeping a jug of the children’s favourite iced tea in the fridge should mean you don’t have to keep buying juice.

The good news is that once you’ve made up a jug of iced tea, you don’t have to repeat the performance every evening as cold rooibos can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks.

By pouring some iced tea into popsicle containers or icecube trays and freezing it, you can also make fun, refreshing, healthy after-school or sports treats which kids will love.

Xkukv"yyy0uctqqkdqu0qti0|c"hqt" oqtg"kphqtocvkqp0 Sarah Pearce

Landscaping is not just about plants

ANDSCAPING your garden involves much more than simply digging a few beds and filling them with plants.

There are many other factors to consider.

Firstly, ensure that you create a design to complement the style of your house - a minimalist garden with straight lines and hard features may not exactly suit a cute thatch cottage.

Also important is to decide what you would like to get out of your garden – will it be used mostly for entertainment purposes, as a quiet refuge to relax and meditate, or do you envisage a garden where birds, bees and butterflies flourish in abundance.

Now it is time to choose the

correct plants for the different areas of your garden.

Spend time in it to see where there is the most sunshine and shade, while also checking the condition of your soil - is it sandy or clay?

Finally, you will have to decide whether you want to add hard scapes like patios, arbours or gazebos, beautiful water features or pots. Remember that the use of natural elements like water, crushed stone, rock, pebbles and wood create an interesting contrast in any garden.

Contact us for advice, design, and installation – and do enjoy your garden!

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ISSUE 357

13

14

CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za

January 30 - 2013

Classifieds

On the Soapbox

January 30 - 2013

Letters to the Editor

CXPRESS

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

Open letter to Plett Ratepayers Association Kindly remove my personal details from your membership list. Since becoming a member, I have not received one notification of a ratepayers meeting, only notices in the local press.

The last AGM was advertised and then cancelled and a new date set.

Your statements received in the post reflect outstanding payments for 2012 and 2013.

An amount of R240 is charged for 2013 - has membership doubled? I cannot justify paying membership fees to an association that doesn’t know the left arm from the right.

There seems to be no updates or progress reports on the way forward regarding rates, and where the money is being spent.

Mayor Memory Booysen keeps

repeating his strategy, but there is very little visible progress other than stepped up police vigilance over the season.

This commissioned police force was doing nothing to patrol our beaches in uniforms, only sitting on the benches in the heat to create a false awareness. Are our rates covering this in the municipal budget?

The car guards are an irritation and perceived as just another form of begging. They do not add value to our town in their dirty attire and unfriendly manner.

There should be an ongoing project to train them and a standard must be maintained to incentivise and make it worth their while. Business sponsors could play a role here rather

than during open days on our golf courses.

The main entrances to the town were cleaned just before all the visitors came, but this should be an ongoing service.

Weeds in the traffic islands are not controlled and the garden beds in front of FNB are an eyesore of note.

Surely if some local students were given a task to clean up and were rewarded for their efforts, this would enhance the overall attraction of our town centre? In the old days, Scouts did ‘bob-a-job’ to earn pocket money for the week.

Only certain roads were patched with tar, yet there are more serious potholes in the suburbs which need attention.

The creepers covering the walls

down Odlands are about to fall off the walls - one cannot even walk on the pavement. Is someone aware of this?

Our refuse/recycling tip is still a disgrace and not moving forward – two years ago this was on the agenda, and the problem rolls over from year to year. No action has been taken to clean up or advise users of the actual deadline for closure of the municipal tip.

The squatters have just relocated next door and the problem has not gone away. When is the Mossel Bay plan going to happen? Nobody knows and it seems nobody cares. Come on guys, put our money where your mouth is!

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Cyclists responsible for Whatever you do, don’t or no regard for licensed, own safety little forget to buy local! toll-paying road users.

Burry Stander’s premature death has touched many, and my condolences go to his family and friends. I do hope, though, that something positive comes out of this tragedy, in that the bicycle fraternity wakes up and takes responsibility for their actions.

The lesson learned will have to be that a bicycle is no match for any motorised vehicle. The inevitable outcome of a head-on collision with a car or truck and a bicycle is a no-brainer.

Alas, I doubt that the majority of these pedal-power kamikaze pilots - arrogant, self-important, egotistical, and brimming with delusions of grandeur - would actually take heed.

The mind boggles that more cyclists are not killed on our roads, the way they conduct themselves, riding three, four, sometimes five abreast with

I already hear the moaning: ‘We have as much right on the roads… blah-blah-blah!’ Drivers, don’t you dare hoot or take evasive action, putting your own life at risk while trying to avoid these two-wheeled selfpowered Christmas trees.

You can rant as much as you like, but you are only harming yourself with this behaviour.

Get off the tar! There are more than enough off-road, safe places to practise your sport.

Mind you, if you ride in the bush, no one will be able to appreciate how much you’ve spent on your bike and that ridiculous day-glow spandex attire.

The law clearly states that cyclists must ride in single file unless on a cycle path (the yellow line is not a cycle path), and that bicycles are not allowed on national roads.

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We’ve been living off solar power backed by up by a generator of which, over the last 15 years, various brands have been bought from different suppliers.

One of the more recent purchases was from one of the big retailers in Knysna, with a great two-year guarantee.

The problem comes when something goes wrong, which invariably it does, and one wants to make use of this great guarantee.

Firstly, you have to get it back to the supplier, which is a schlep when you live in a neighbouring town. Then it takes a month, easily, before you get any response, during which time you need to either rent or buy another genie.

Imagine my surprise when walking into our local Build It in Plett Industria and, for ba-

sically the same price, finding a similar unit on their floor.

I bought it without blinking and had great use of it. Of course, as luck would have it, the genie’s first little hiccup happened mid-season with a house full of guests.

I took it in and explained my situation to Marvin, the sales consultant. He then referred me to one of the owners, Stan.

I impressed on Stan that I couldn’t really do without the generator during this busy time.

To my great delight, I was phoned within 24 hours to come and collect my brandnew unit at no cost – proof again that it pays to buy local.

I thank the Plett Build It staff and owners for great service when I needed it most.

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Let’s make it a happy new year, not just say it Happy New Year! This is a greeting we exchange with one another for the first couple of weeks of every new year - but do we really mean it? How can we, when we act in such irresponsible ways?

For the ±1’400 people killed on our roads, which this year included Olympian cyclist Burry Sander, it certainly won’t be a happy new year.

What is it with the South African mentality that we disregard rules and laws? Is it really cool to break them? Is it clever to boast about what you have got away with? Is it glamorous to be a criminal? I must be missing something.

As far as I can see, irresponsible, careless behaviour results in wasted lives, traumatised communities and a fertile breeding ground for the blameculture to flourish.

Perhaps we’re ignorant of the law, but as they say, ‘ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law’. Perhaps we are arrogant

enough to think that laws do not apply to us, the police will never catch us and we can buy our way out of trouble. Or perhaps we believe we are above the law.

Laws are put in place to protect everybody, not just the rich and famous, not just the previously disadvantaged but all of us, so please can we start abiding by them?

Surely it’s not that difficult to be a considerate motorist and watch out for cyclists and pedestrians.

What about becoming a responsible parent? Use a seatbelt on your small child in the front seat, and get off your cell phone when driving.

Why do we seem to need the threat of law enforcement to do the right thing - are we really that unintelligent?

Perhaps it’s all about showing off to our peers - how selfish and stupid is that when it boils down to playing Russian roulette with the lives of your own

Crags vet clinic wows Dear reader, I want you to know that Auntie Laura is a very special vet. I am a cross Jack Russell/Fox Terrier and my name is Teddy ErridgeThompson.

Three weeks ago, just before my first birthday, I bravely killed my second adult male boomslang. He got me on the ear and I became a very sick puppy!

Auntie Laura quickly gave me a blood transfusion from Duke - Auntie Vicky’s Labrador. So now I’m part Labrador... I think?!

Then Auntie Laura conference-called other clever people because boomslang bites are rare, but deadly. She got the anti-venom from far away and quickly gave it to me – and slowly, I started getting better.

Tumi, my nurse, was so good to me. She fed me treats and gave me love. These three people are my very special friends, and so is Duke. Thank you, and all my love.

PS: Mommy, Daddy and Granny thank you, too!

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loved ones?

Forty daily deaths on the roads and 50 murders a day is no way to celebrate the festive season.

Accidents don’t just happen, they are a result of individuals not paying due care when dealing with their own lives and the lives of others.

On New Year’s Day, a lady in Plett’s main street highlighted the fact to a male owner of a 4x4 that driving in traffic with a young child on his lap while talking on the cell phone was highly dangerous. She got nothing but a mouthful of abuse for her trouble.

While on the subject, be a

considerate dog owner and don’t blame the lack of notices on public beaches for allowing your dog(s) off the leash to terrorise others and foul the area.

Fishermen and other beach users, take your rubbish with you when leaving the beach.

Riders, don’t even think about taking horses onto the beach unless you have a permit.

Life is not cheap and the more we live in harmony and respect each other, the better life is.

Let’s make 2013 the year when, as South Africans, we show we really appreciate these simple facts.

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Nothing confusing about harm caused by smoking The letter ‘Shift focus from smoke to road rules’ in CXPRESS of January 16 refers (visit www.cxpress.co.za and click on the Letters page of issue 356).

‘Not Confused’ is obviously one of the pariahs of civilised society - you must be a smoker to get on your high horse and vent your embarrassment at being a smoker on someone who criticises your revolting habit.

You are only given one body in this life with one pair of lungs, so why would any sane person purposely inhale smoke from a cigarette knowing that it coats lungs with tar and other impurities, eventually impairing breathing and finally causing death?

Get a life and give up your disgusting habit.

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One thumb up, two thumbs down Thumbs up to Les Andrews and his team from Bitou Municipality for the quick response when they were called to clean the vacant stand next to my property in New Horizons.

Thumbs down, however, to the workers for not finishing the job when a boomslang was discovered. The snake went over the fence onto my property.

Ditto to the snake specialist phoned to remove the snake, who responded as follows: “Leave the snake. If it is not bothering you, don’t bother it.” We were asked to monitor the snake for the next hour and phone back.

The outcome? The snake was killed to protect us.

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ISSUE 357

15

Read CXPRESS online @ www.cxpress.co.za

16

CXPRESS

ISSUE 357

Sport & Adventure

January 30 - 2013

Ikeys choose Plett as training hub for Varsity season

T

HE FNB Ikey Tigers spent the week of January 14-20 in Plettenberg Bay, courtesy of Bitou Rugby Club, to prepare for the FNB Varsity Cup 2013,

this year again presented by Steinhoff International.

The 2011 champions had a disappointing 2012 campaign, which saw them forced to play

in the end-of-season promotion/ relegation game against FNB CUT, but Ikeys coach Kevin Foote is confident ahead of this year.

In an interview posted on the Ikeys website, Foote explains: “We thought we would change things up a bit and head off to Plett. Now we’re here training at Plett Rugby Club.

“We phoned them up and asked if we could make use of their facilities. In return we will be doing some coaching clinics and also be donating some kit to

those in need.”

According to Foote the players did some “fun activities” during the week, as well as rugby-specific training and a few sessions with mental coach Tom Dawson-Squibb.

“All the coaches have been working hard, Paul (Day), Shimmie (Hanyani Shimange), JJ (Gagiano), and Mike (van Rheede) - not to mention conditioning coach Tiaan (Campher) - and everyone will have a chance to work with the players during the camp.

“I was happy with how the guys came back from their holidays,” added Foote, the players having done fitness testing a few days before they left for camp on Sunday.

“They all tested well and the guys are fit and strong ahead of the season.”

Foote’s team wrapped up the week’s training with a friendly against the SWD Eagles on January 19 – which concluded with a 23-21 score in their favour – before heading back to Cape Town the following day.

Planning of Otter 2013 has begun H TRAINING TRIO: The CXPRESS camera managed to sneak a quick pic of Ikeys coaches, from left, Kevin Foote, Hanyani Shimange and JJ Gagiano midway through the friendly against SWD Eagles at Plett Rugby Club – more pics on the Social pages of this edition

AVING in the past attracted many of the world’s leading trail athletes, this year’s Otter African Trail Run is again set to lift the benchmark for SA’s Grail of Trail.

The September event - timed to coincide with the favourable tides that allow for safe passage at the infamous Bloukrans River crossing - has already proven its huge popularity with local and international athletes, when entries for the 2013 race were sold out within minutes of opening.

For Garden Route-based organisers Magnetic South, planning for this year’s Otter has started with a SANParks-sanctioned safety scout.

The scouters included members of the 2012/13 Magnetic South field team, who were honoured to be joined by volunteers from the MCSA Mountain Rescue and Survival Training squad, which plays a vital role in the overall safety of both staff working along the Otter trail as well as the 400 athletes who take on this formidable challenge.

Preparation for the 2012 event fell into a league of its own with the introduction of a survival course for all key field team members, representing both

Magnetic South and SANParks staff stationed along the spectacular route.

And Survival Training SA will again present the 2013 Otter team with a survival challenge in order to maintain a standard not yet seen at any other trailrunning event.

“As part of our due diligence, Magnetic South carries out specially sanctioned scouting runs of the trail in as many varied conditions as possible to gain first-hand experience of what effect adverse weather or terrain will have on the athletes themselves,” said Otter course director Chris Crewdson.

He added that sharing these experiences with MCSA volunteers and Survival Training SA members afforded them

the chance to stay ahead of the curve while at the same time independently reporting back to SANParks management on the conditions of the trail and huts.

“The run has now captured the imagination of several flying instructors from 43 Air School in Port Alfred, thus enabling Magnetic South to assemble a team that is fit enough to run the Otter Trail while being capable of thinking on its feet and performing at a level required when conditions turn rapidly for the worse.”

Those wishing to enter the 2013 Otter Africa Trail Run can add their names to the waiting list, thus standing a chance to replace entrants who may pick up injuries before the event visit www.theotter.co.za.

SCOUT MASTERS: From left are Pierre Jordaan, Ross Michaux, Tim Fey, Charlotte and Anthony Rodger, and Otter course director Chris Crewdson

Marathon Masters from around South Africa converge in Oudtshoorn

A

THLETICS South Africa (ASA) and SA Masters Athletics (SAMA) have joined forces to combine their national marathon championships this year atw an event in Oudtshoorn on February 3.

“This is a long-overdue development, with Athletics SA and SAMA joining forces to host a championship,” said ASA president James Evans.

“It can only be to the benefit of athletics in the country, as

most road runners in South Africa are over the age of 30 and should be eligible to compete at SAMA events. We anticipate that this will be the start of a closer relationship between Athletics SA and SAMA.” All participating athletes had to meet the following qualifying standards at a road race between January 1 last year and January 13 this year (Masters athletes compete in five-year age categories):

• Open Men 02:40, Open Women 03:40 • Men 40-49 03:00, Women 40-49 04:00 • Men 50-59 03:30, Women 50-59 04:00 • Men 60+ 04:00 Women 60+ 04:00 The race will start at 5:30am on February 3, with the victory ceremony taking place at the SA Infantry School at 10am.

For more information contact Athletics SA on 011 880 5800.

Young Plett cricketer selected for Bangalore

Although only 11 years old, Plett Primary cricket star Keegan Mountjoy was recently selected for the U14 Western Cape Schools team to tour India from March 27 to April 9. The team comprises players from all the districts in the province - including SWD, Boland, Western Province, etc. - and the Imtiaz Ahmed Cricket Academy (IACA) tournament will see Keegan and his team mates competing against schools from England, Pakistan, India, Sri-Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Tournament organiser and former international cricketer Imtiaz Ahmed, who heads up the Academy in Bangalore, formally invited W-Cape Schools Cricket to participate in this annual tournament – which is seen as an ideal platform and opportunity to expose and prepare young players for the high demands of modernday cricket. The tournament will offer excellent facilities and conditions for young cricketers to showcase their talents and aspirations in sub-continent conditions. The event forms part of a worldwide cricket development initiative that gives talented young players a chance to display their skills on an international stage, and prepares them for potential higher honours in years to come. Keegan will require sponsorship for airfares, clothing, accommodation, meals and transportation, amounting to a total of R18’500. If you would like to help this budding local sportsman, please make your deposit into the Worcester Sportskool Absa account (branch code 632005), acc nr 4072367894 – most importantly, use the reference ‘Keegan Luke Mountjoy, India U14’. For any further information, contact the general secretary of W-Cape Schools Cricket at shafiekjacobs@yahoo.com or on 083 490 9362.