The Village NEWS 14 February 2017

Village

NEWS NEWS The

Cape Whale Coast

14 February 2017

DOGS ON LEASHES

ALEX GRANT

By-law to serve soon

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GLOBAL GOLF

The proud legacy

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Meet the teams The GLOBAL Challenge

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HE AIN’T HEAVY

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

Locals participated in various events during the past week at Dutchies to highlight the plight of those living with disabilities. Among the events was an Awareness Walk that saw teams competing on Grotto Beach while being blind folded and having their legs and arms tied together. Here two teams from Abagold and Dutchies try to outrun each other in the three-armed race. The funds that were raised during the Awareness Week will be donated to the Overstrand Association for People with Disabilities.

Read more on P 22

Overstrand works wisely with water De Waal Steyn

D

espite the Overstrand being one of the most rapidly growing areas in the country, we have been able to reduce our potable water demand by 21% since 2008,” says Stephen Müller,Director of Infrastructure & Planning at the Overstrand Municipality.

The current drought in the

Western Cape has forced several municipalities to put various water-usage regulations in place to ensure that there is enough water for essential needs.

“Though the rainfall for 2016 was below the long-term average, we have not yet implemented water restrictions in our area. It is, however, important to remind residents that, according to the Water Services by-law, no

irrigation may take place between 09:00 and 17:00,”says Müller.

According to Hanré Blignaut, Deputy Director: Engineering Planning, there are various reasons why our area has been able to reduce water demand by 21%. “First off, the municipality has invested heavily in replacing old, leaking pipes and water meters; we also apply pressure management in certain areas and we

continuously remind the public to use water sparingly.

“The cooperation from the public has made a huge contribution and we would like to thank our residents for being so considerate. It is with exception that we catch people contravening the rules,” says Blignaut.

According to him, Hermanus consumes some 14 million litres of water daily, which

comes from both the 8 operational boreholes and the De Bos Dam. Currently the dam is 78,6% full, compared to 80,6% this time last year and 91% in 2015. The Buffels River, Pearly Beach and Kraaibosch Dams are still at satisfactory levels.

During 2016 some 526 mm rain fell in the Overstrand, equating to 85% of the average annual rainfall of 620 mm measured during the past

45 years. In 2015 the average rainfall was 510 mm and in 2014 it was 754 mm.

The Western Cape has five areas that have been declared disaster drought areas and the rest of the province remains very dry, including the City of Cape Town, Prince Albert and the Winelands.Dams in the province are on average - 37% full and various municipalities have since implemented water restrictions.

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14 February 2017

Green is the colour of our future The Overstrand is well known for its pioneering work in the field of conservation. Not only do we boast a well-supported and active conservation trust, we are also home to vast tracts of conserved fynbos, part of the Kogelberg Biosphere falls within our borders, we have the only penguin and seabird sanctuary in the world and we are fortunate enough to have a Hope Spot in Walker Bay. For those not in the know, a Hope Spot is a special conservation area that is critical to the health of our planet’s oceans.

Editorial Comment

By De Waal Steyn And this is only part of the truly impressive conservation track record of the area. The love and respect we show towards mother nature can be seen in the seemingly small things we do every day. While our neighbouring areas are in the throes of a drought, we have been able to reduce

demand of potable water by 21% - despite the fact that the number of both residents and visitors increase year-on-year.

For this, both the Municipality and residents should be lauded.

So too, the kind-heartedness of two school children in ensuring the safety of two birds nesting in the municipal parking lot, is testament to our dedication of looking after our fauna and flora (read more on P3).

In the same way is it important

Letters and opinions Please clean up after dogs As an overseas visitor to your beautiful town I have been somewhat dismayed to see the amount of dog droppings that are widely deposited both on the cliff/ coastal paths and green spaces around the town and surrounding areas.

While I was visiting the popup bar on Grotto beach the other evening there were several dogs wandering around off leash and openly defecating without any concern from their owners sitting close by. Small children were playing in the same areas.

In a nearby resort I saw a sign which stated “We love our children, please drive safely!"

Surely the same should apply “We love our children, please clean up after your dog!”

I am on holiday in Hermanus and want to congratulate the municipality. Your town is very clean, the best in the country.

Dogs are often running loose on beaches and paths where notices stating they should be on leashes are disregarded.

Col Nosisela said he is willing to cooperate with any organisastion who treats the fight against crime as a

There is honestly not even a piece of paper lying around.

Even on our visit to the township it was noteworthy to see that people are picking up litter and keeping their pavements clean. I am from

Klerksdorp in Northwest and I was dumbfounded to see your clean town.

I wish you could see what our city, its parks and CBD look like. Hermanus, you can be proud of your town, visitors notice it immediately.

Johann Barnard, via Facebook

There are many important social issues in our region that need our attention, but by reducing our water usage, limiting the amount of trash we generate, looking after our animals and declaring war on litter we can already make a huge impact. We look forward to the day that the whole of the Overberg is recognised as an eco-friendly tourist destination.

This is the Good NEWS. – Ed

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Partnerships important in fight against crime

Dog excrement can contain worm larvae that if ingested by children can lead to blindness in the most severe case and sickness in its mildest form.

Congratulations, Hermanus

But there is much more that needs to be done. A little more than a year ago the Municipality indicated its intention to make the Overstrand a single-use plastic bag-free area. This is indeed encouraging and with campaigners such as Whale Coast Conservation and Fiona Matthes taking a stand against especially single-use

plastics we can go a long way in reducing our waste footprint (read more on P4 and P7).

Send your letter to news@thehermanusnews.co.za

AfriForum recently handed a copy of the cooperation framework signed by AfriForum and the acting police commissioner to the commander of the Hermanus SAPS Col Luthando Nosisela.

If dog owners cannot be responsible enough to police their pets’ activities maybe the Municipality should take action to preserve its Blue Flag beaches and their surroundings.

to take note of the historic easement that was signed to conserve our critically endangered Renosterveld (read more on P5).

priority. He also mentioned that partnerships is one of the four pillars on which the SAPS crime prevention philosophy is built.

AfriForum realises that no organisation can work in isolation and we encourage partnerships with other roleplayers in the community.

AfriForum Overstrand’s neighbourhood watches unconditionally make themselves available to assist the SAPS in its fight against crime.

Crime will only be curbed if a holistic approach is followed.

Elmarie van Dalen, Chairperson: AfriForum Overstrand

Village news travels a long way Finding the Walker of Walker Bay, published in The Village NEWS of 20 December 2016, has received an interesting response.

Bay was named after Admiral Walker and not a relatively junior surveyor in the Royal Navy, as reported by earlier historians.

some corrections to the text of the article as well as additional information that will be included in a re-draft of the article.

As the author of the article, I received an email from Richard Wake-Walker, the great-great-grandson of Admiral Sir Baldwin Wake Walker, who was the subject of the article. Mr. Wake-Walker lives in Wimbledon, London and had read the online version of The Village NEWS.

In the email, Richard described himself as ‘the family historian’ and indicated that he searched the internet on a regular basis for references to its history. He subsequently read the longer version of the article on the website of the Hermanus History Society.

It is amazing to receive a response like this as it confirms my view that the history of Hermanus is linked to world history in many ways.

Historically we have a much more important footprint than most South African towns of our size.

The article argued that Walker

Richard Wake-Walker supplied

Dr Robin Lee Hermanus History Society

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14 January 2017

By-law on dogs before council soon

he proposed amendments to the by-law on the keeping of dogs and cats will serve before council during March this year, says Roderick Williams, Director: Community Services.

The amendments that were made available for public comment in February last year included, amongst others, a proposal that instead of it being compulsory for dogs in public places to be on a leash at all times, they be allowed off their leash, but under the control of their owners, in all public places after 18:00 in the evening and before 08:00 in the morning – except on specified swimming beaches, where they will never be allowed at any time whether on or off a leash.

“In the interim the status quo remains to the extent that section 6(2) in its 2008 form still apply,” says Williams. “The current by-law clearly stipulates that no dog is allowed in a public place unless it is kept on a leash. A public place is any beach, road, street, thoroughfare, bridge, overhead bridge, subway,

foot pavement, footpath, sidewalk, lane, square, open space, garden, park, bus or taxi rank, servitude or enclosed space vested in the council and includes any road, place or thoroughfare which is in the undisturbed use of the public or which the public have the right to use.

“The by-law further states that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this by-law is guilty of an offense.”

Pet owners are also requested not to bury dog poop in the sand or throw it out to sea. They are required to clean up after their dogs and to dispose of poop bags in the correct bins.

The proposed changes stipulate that any dog must remain under the control of its owner and that the owner shall take full responsibility for liability that might

arise. There will also be no exceptions to the rules. Dogs however will not be allowed on specified swimming beaches at any given time, on or off their leads.

The specified swimming beaches, where no dog may set a paw on or come within a 50 metre buffer zone thereof, are: Grotto Blue Flag Beach, Voëlklip Beach, Kammabaai, Fick’s Pool, Langbaai, Sandbaai, Onrus River, Hawston Blue Flag beach, Pearly Beach (entrance Beach Road), Pearly Beach (Castle Beach), Buffeljachtsbaai, Pearly Beach (Caravan Park), Uilenkraalsmond, Gansbaai (Tidal pool), Stanfordsbaai, Kleinbaai (tidal pool), Blompark beach (Romansbaai), Palmiet, Kleinmond Blue Flag beach, Betty’s Bay (Silversands), Pringle Bay (Main beach) and Rooi Els. Any contravention of the by-law can be reported to the complaints number for law enforcement at 028 313 8980.

Municipalily improves lines of communication All residents are urged to take note and save the various numbers for service delivery enquiries and emergency services.

can request a customer complaint number in order to follow up on the progress of a specific complaint.

Overstrand Municipality offers the following Customer Care & Helpdesks for municipal related services during office hours (07:45 – 16:30) for the different administrations: Kleinmond 028 271 8465 Hermanus 028 313 8196 Stanford 028 341 8516 Gansbaai 028 384 8328 Overstrand Switchboard (all hours) 028 313 8000

We encourage residents to ask for a reference number and to quote it in all correspondence or telephone discussions relating to that particular request, as it provides call traceability for both parties.

After-hours (Municipal services) After-hours services have been centralised and all above numbers will still work but will be diverted to the Overstrand Switchboard.

TRUE LOVE: It’s February – the time of year when we focus on the loved ones in our lives, be it family, friends, teachers, colleagues, our employees or animals. After hearing about the dikkoppies that built a nest in the parking area outside the Municipal Court, two Gr 4 learners of the Generation School decided to adopt the nest as part of a school initiative for Valentine’s Day as an act of kindness. A special sign was designed and sponsored by Thersa-Bella Boothway and Charlott Westerhout with the wording “Parking Bay Reserved for Mr & Mrs Dikkop”. Mayor Rudolph Smith commended these two girls on their initiative and encourages them to keep walking gently on our earth.

The Overstrand Municipality has had a 24-hour Emergency Control Room (028 313 8000 / 8111) in operation for more than six years. The centre deals with general enquiries and complaints after hours, on public holidays and over weekends.

When receiving complaints or general enquiries from the public, the call centre operator electronically logs the caller’s details as well as the nature of the query or complaint on the customer care computer system.

The relevant department is then informed. Members of the public

Emergencies In the event of an emergency the last thing one needs is to worry about a call failure or to try and remember the correct telephone number. Saving Overstrand Municipality’s emergency service number on your phone means you are prepared for any situation.

Fire and Rescue Emergencies’ number is 028 312 2400. In case of floods and accidents within the Overstrand area the same number applies as the Municipality’s 24-hour emergency only number. The Sea Rescue Emergency number is 112.

For day to day law enforcement complaints, call 028 313 8980.

For switchboard and general enquiries, call the Overstrand’s control room on 028 313 8000 / 8111 (at all hours, including emergencies).

• EMERGENCY telephone numbers are for exactly that - emergencies - so please do not clog up these vital lines with general or nonemergency calls.

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14 February 2017

The lighter side of modern air travel Over thousands of years, the travel industry has grown from the humble donkey to flips into outer space, and while travelling abroad may seem expensive, you do get a free trip around the sun every year. The rapid expansion of road, rail, boat and air travel leaves us spoiled for choice, and fortunately the following characters had no influence on how we move around today.

“Rail travel at high speed is not possible,” claimed a certain Dr Dionysius Lardner in1830.

“Passengers, unable to breathe would die of asphyxia.” And back in 1864, Kaiser William I of Prussia scoffed at the financial implications of train travel. “No one will pay good money to go from Berlin to Potsdam in one hour, when he can ride his horse there in one day – for free.” How much though, did a horse cost compared to a ticket, Your Majesty?

Wit’s End

Murray Stewart

“The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a fad – a novelty,” said the President of the Michigan Savings Bank to Henry Ford’s lawyer in 1903, advising him not to invest.

What do you call a novelty with longevity?

Napoleon Bonaparte himself was skeptical of Robert Fulton’s concept of a steamship. “How sir, would you make a ship sail against wind and current by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you, excuse me, I have not time to listen to such nonsense.” He could well have sunk the concept of cruise liners and paddle steamers, and we’d have never heard of Proud Mary or Credence Clearwater Revival.

“There will never be a bigger plane built,” boasted Boeing’s head engineer after the inaugural flight of the 247, a twin-engine plane which “comfortably held ten people”.

Air travel today, though, has us wishing there were only ten people on board. You’d have enough space for a boudoir, a lounge and adjoining office, all with unobstructed views – mainly down – which got me

thinking. If those ‘black boxes’ are made of such indestructible materials, why not the whole plane?

And talking of planes... a true story, only in America: Our cheerful ground hostess at the check-in counter nearly got fired over her reaction to the answer of a standard question she’s required to ask. “… and how many passengers are you travelling with sir?” she queried.

“Well, I don’t really know,” said this first-time flyer innocently, looking at the queue behind.

“Depends how full the plane is.”

At this she burst into hysterics and repeated the exchange to her side-kicks left and right, who also fell about laughing and passed it on. Soon all

the check-in ladies were cracking up in a contagious fit of hilarity, and everything ground to a halt for a while.

The supervisor eventually regained control, but some people at the back of the queues nearly missed their connecting flights. The instigator was severely reprimanded for having a sense of humour, and told to apologise to the passenger.

“No problem, my dear,” said the bewildered chap. “But I’ll know next time to phone and check beforehand…”

She cracked up again, but her reaction to his next query earned her a month in isolation making those routine inaudible announcements over the PA. It’s astounding how millions are spent on everything else in airports except the audio

equipment, ideally designed to communicate important information. But let’s face it – it’s a horror show, and even the ding-ding-dings sound distorted. Recognising a language is virtually impossible, and the terminal crews often place bets on whether an arrival or departure is being announced, and maybe even which airline it is, for bonus points.

Anyway, our bewildered traveller wasn’t out of the woods yet. “But how do I know which plane to get onto?” he asked the hopelessly hysterical attendant. “Flight… 3…26… sir,” she managed between frantic gulps of air.

“Yes, I know that!” he hissed tweezer lipped, “but the planes don’t have numbers on them!”

The supervisor had to carry her out.

Building the homeless shelter together

by Richard Beardsall, bringing HNSA chairperson Les Abbott’s dream of building a shelter for the homeless people of Hermanus one step closer to reality.

Hedda Mittner The kitty of the Hermanus Night Shelter Association (HNSA) has received a welcome boost following the recent visit from the Harley Owners Group, aka the HOGs, from Cape Town, to hand over a cheque of R33 000.

“Under those black riding leathers are hearts of gold and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude,” says Jack Trevena of the HNSA. This follows on the Cape Seal Rally when the HOGs roared into town in December on their annual charity rally, the proceeds of which were donated to the HNSA. “At the time, they also presented two brand-new Harley Davidson motorbikes to the Hermanus Traffic Department,” says Jack Trevena of the HNSA. “As if that wasn’t enough, they set about fundraising for the

At the recent handover of the HOG’s donation to the Hermanus Night Shelter Association were Birgitta Weaving of the Windsor Hotel (left) with representatives of HOG. From the right are Kari Brice, Ward 3 Councillor, Richard Beardsall of Rotary Hermanus, Les Abbott, chair of the HNSA, Ray Hartmann, HNSA fundraiser and Malvin Meyer, director of Harley Davidson, Cape Town Chapter. homeless of Hermanus on the advice of our mayor, Rudolph Smith, who has earned our sincere gratitude.”

The cheque was presented to

the HNSA on behalf of the HOGs by Malvin Meyer, director of Harley Davidson, across the road from the Windsor Hotel on Sunday 29 January. It was their way of giving back to

Hermanus, said Malvin, as our town always welcomes the Cape Seal Rally with open arms.

Their donation was increased through the generosity of Rotary Hermanus, represented

“The shelter is now in planning and the HNSA has agreed that construction will proceed in four phases so as to ensure at least some of our homeless have a roof over their heads this winter,” says Jack. “This is not ideal but the economic climate calls for a pragmatic approach to the construction. The erf in Mount Pleasant is in the process of being transferred to the HNSA and securing the site and building phase 1 will hopefully begin in about two months.”

This first phase of the building process of the night shelter will entail levelling of the erf, the erection of the boundary fence and construction of one

section of the building that will be able to house 12 people. The estimated cost of phase 1 is R800 000 and approximately R500 000 has been raised to date. A total of R2,1 million is needed to complete the shelter.

The HNSA’s Buy-a-Brick campaign is now in full swing and any individual, business or organisation can purchase Buya-Brick vouchers (R30) or books (R300) at the Badisa offices, 1 Marine Drive or via www.hermanusshelter.co.za – use the ‘donate now’ button and then EFT your donation directly to the HNSA bank account. The vouchers symbolise the task of building the shelter brick by brick,” says Jack.

For significant donations, the HNSA is a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO 930-045-608) approved for donations under Section 18A of the Income Tax Act.

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14 February 2017

First conservation easement for Renosterveld

he first conservation easement focused specifically on protecting Renosterveld has been signed in South Africa.

Dr Odette Curtis, Director of the ORCT, said that this signing is the first of hopefully many conservation easements. “Most farmers want to do the right thing with regards to the natural vegetation on their farm. They know that the Renosterveld patches on their properties are where the wildlife is found – giving life to their properties – but they don’t always know how to commit to protecting these patches. We hope that other farmers will be inspired by this positive commitment that Lötter has made.

Renosterveld is one of the most endangered types of habitat, with only about 5% remaining, mostly on private land, which makes conservation particularly challenging.

WWF-South Africa signed the agreement with Caledon landowner MG Lötter on 8 February. The Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT) will manage the easement and provide management support to Lötter and landowners who sign up in future.

Through this innovative form of conservation on private land, part of the largest area of Western Rûens Shale Renosterveld left in the world (370 hectares) will be protected in perpetuity.

Conservation easements or

Keir Lynch of the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT), Dr Odette Curtis, Director of ORCT, MG Lötter, landowner and Jan Coetzee, WWF-SA Manager: land programme.

PHOTO: Wessel Wessels servitudes are a fairly new concept in South Africa, although they have been used internationally. A servitude is attached to the title deed, which is binding on the successor in title. A management plan is attached to the servitude, providing support

to landowners and identifying priority management interventions. The ORCT then assists with the implementation of these interventions.

Conservation easements offer landowners an easy and accessible opportunity to

conserve their land. The servitude is placed over the entire farm, with areas demarcated for conservation and agriculture. The land does not need to be rezoned, as is the case with many other protected-area proclamations.

ensure our conservation approaches meet the requirements of a landowner managing his land in 2017.

Easements meet those requirements.”

Odette said the ORCT is working with a range of willing and eager landowners across the Overberg. The aim is to start with protecting the largest remaining areas where the four types of Renosterveld still occur.

“Through conservation easements, it is now so much easier to commit to protecting your land. We’re thrilled to be part of this innovative approach with wonderful partners.”

The signing was celebrated at Lötter’s farm Klipfontein. The event was attended by landowners, LandCare (Department of Agriculture, Western Cape), the ORCT, WWFSouth Africa, and the BreedeGouritz Catchment Management Agency. Funding support has been provided by the Table Mountain Fund and WWF-SA.

According to Jan Coetzee, WWF-SA’s Manager: Land Programme, most of South Africa’s biodiversity rests in the hands of private landowners. “For us, it’s vital to

See The Good Guide on P8 for details of Dr Odette Curtis’s talk on Renosterveld conservation hosted by Whale Coast Conservation on 21 February.

Environmental watchdog declares war on litter

W

e all know the slogans: “Don’t throw stuff away – there is no ‘away’, ” and “There is no Planet B”.

These truths have not changed.

In fact Planet A is at great risk of being unable to support life as we know it. It is estimated that in 30 years there will be more plastic than fish mass in the sea.

We may have to change the popular saying to “There’s plenty of trash in the sea”.

With these concerns in mind, Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) is running an anti-litter campaign, inspired by White Shark Projects: ’21 Days for Change’ during March 2017.

“In this time we wish to inspire Whale Coast people to help bring about a healthy environment, free of litter,” says Anina Lee of WCC. “We aim to write a new story of stuff, a

story in which we are less obsessed with stuff, acquire less stuff and ultimately discard less stuff. This story is not just about the environment, but also about the people of the Whale Coast.

It directly affects the economy of the Overstrand as a ‘green’ tourist destination, the cost of waste disposal to our local authority and hence our own pockets, and our own property values.”

WCC will launch the

campaign with an Expo at the Municipal banqueting hall on Wednesday 1 March, from 09:00 to 16:00.

Entrance is free and the Expo will have exhibits on how litter affects our environment and what we can do to reduce the amount of litter that either goes into the environment or ends up in landfills.

The exhibits will include: 1. Cigarette butts: In Hermanus smokers throw down about 28 million

butts every year.

Cigarette filters do not biodegrade; they are in fact toxic waste and an environmental health threat. The chemicals trapped in the filters leach out into water where the poisons collect in the bodies of marine and freshwater animals, while we in turn eat those animals.

2. Marine litter: Everything we discard on land or at sea ends up in the ocean.

Plastic litter does not disappear over time – it accumulates in gyres in the world’s oceans. Soon there will be a greater mass of plastic than fish in the sea.

3. Recycling: We can prevent plastic and other waste from ending up as litter by recycling plastic to make other plastic items. However, it’s

expensive to recycle and it uses a lot of energy and water – resources we cannot afford to waste. So the answer is to use less and discard less.

4. The throw-away society: What happens to the stuff we throw away?

Remember there is no ‘away’ - everything we discard has to go somewhere. This exhibit will look at how long it takes for things to ‘go away’, if ever.

5. Local policy: Waste disposal comes at a huge cost to both the local authority (our rates) and to the environment. We look at what it costs to build and maintain a landfill site; to transport our waste; and how much water and electricity is used to reprocess paper and plastic.

6. Changing habits: There

are easy ways to adapt our lifestyles to reduce the amount of litter entering the environment. Taking bottled water as an example: It takes 3.5 litres of water to make a 1 litre plastic bottle. Besides the high energy cost, the cost to the environment is immeasurable.

7. Treasure from Trash: Fabulous artefacts made from discarded materials.

8. Marine litter: The litter on our beautiful beaches is not only an eyesore that impacts on tourism, but does untold harm to sea life.

Everything we discard carelessly on land or sea ends up in the ocean. Join the Coastal Cleanup Conservation initiative to make a difference in our area.

The anti-litter campaign is funded by the National Lotteries Commission.

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14 February 2017

Princely toads pinpoint Stanford’s eco health Nelly Roodt

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he health of the wetland system in the urban area of Stanford is far from optimal. Results from a Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) Western Leopard Toad monitoring project in 2016 suggest that the Willem Appel Dam and the Mill Stream in the village are polluted.

WCC launched the citizen science frog monitoring project a year earlier with Education Manager Sheraine van Wyk (right) at the helm.

It is part of a larger education project aimed at connecting adults and children to nature by instilling knowledge, skills and motivation for better coexistence between people and other species. Various stakeholders, such as the Overstrand Municipality, researchers from Stellenbosch University, Stanford Conservation Trust and the Stanford Bird Club are involved.

For the past two years Sheraine and Grade 2 to 3 learners from Die Bron primary school in Stanford have gathered at the Willem Appel Dam – the toads’ breeding site – at the crack of dawn to chaperone leopard toadlets across streets when they start migrating.

During August 2015 it was confirmed that the toads were breeding. At the end of October, the resultant baby toadlets emerged from the dam and stream and started moving away to look for suitable forage. The young eco-patrollers saved 735 toadlets but found 2 055 dead during the 12-day monitoring period.

Last year, however, painted a perplexing picture: Although toadlets were present in the urban area, the patrollers found no toadlets on the road when they were expected during Oct/Nov 2016.

“It is possible that we missed the migration or the toadlets did not move in the same direction. It is also possible that we started scouting for the toadlets too late. But there is reason for concern as we also know that toadlets could have been the victims of pollution, particularly of a chemical nature. This all goes to show that toads are excellent bio-indicators of environmental health and we therefore should treat them like royalty,” says Sheraine.

Naas Terblanche (right) of the farm Vaalvlei outside Stanford, supports Sheraine and WCC in educating communities about the indispensability of indigenous creatures in their environments.

As a retired animal science researcher he respects frogs for their invaluable contribution to maintaining

balance in nature. The Vaalvlei winery logo tells it all: It depicts a Western Leopard Toad.

Naas is currently busy with a population survey of all frog species in the Overstrand under the auspices of the Department of Invasive Biology at Stellenbosch University.

“When we moved to Vaalvlei I was overwhelmed by the numerous frog calls. There are 13 species and I now know them all,” he says.

Naas gives lectures and publishes articles on the environment. The Western Leopard Toad is arguably his favourite topic.

“Leopard toads have distinct features. They mostly have irregular orange patches lined with black. The most important is the dark patch immediately behind the eyes that is split lengthwise. This distinguishes them from raucous toads – their patch is unbroken,” he explains.

“Urbanisation, agriculture and climate change are diminishing the leopard toad’s habitat. In Kleinmond, for example, there are none to be found. Protect them and appreciate their beauty,” he pleads.

Tips for residents: • Consider fences as opposed to solid walls to give access.

Even making holes in walls will help.

• Avoid use of poison in the garden.

• Install ‘toad-savers’ in pools, ponds and water bowls.

These could be rock piles or a piece of shade cloth or netting attached to the side of the water source to help toads jump or climb out.

They drown easily.

• Provide safe shelters, such as compost heaps, shady areas and log piles.

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14 February 2017

Join Fiona on her journey to zero waste

By Hedda Mittner

Helping Hand

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’ve been sailing since I was 24,” says Fiona Matthes, known to many locals as the face behind the ‘Rethink single use plastics’ initiative in Hermanus. “While it’s opened doors for me and allowed me to see the world, sailing has also allowed me to experience first-hand the devastating impact of plastic debris on our oceans and marine life.”

Fiona Matthes hails from the UK but has been living in South Africa for 40 years. Her interest in environmental issues dates back to the 1970s when she became involved with ‘Friends of the Earth’ in England. Since relocating to Hermanus from Cape Town three years ago, she’s made it her mission to inform, educate and create awareness of the dire consequences of plastic pollution for our planet, and to encourage people to support her vision of a plasticfree environment.

“Attending the screening of a film called Trashed narrated

by Jeremy Irons at U3A a few years ago really brought it home to me that while I think recycling is commendable, it doesn’t stop the continual flow of new trash into the environment and it’s far more important to cut down and steadily eliminate single-use plastics from our daily lives,” she says. “And while I regularly participate in coastal cleanups, I’d also much rather see people refrain from using – and littering – single use plastics in the first place.”

Fiona emphasises that every little bit helps and that we can avoid feeling overwhelmed by making small changes. “No matter how young or old you are, we can all be an influence for change in our homes, schools, communities and in the workplace. A good place to start would be to say no to single use plastic bags and get into the habit of shopping with re-usable bags, and to

coastline are free from plastic trash.”

Sponsored by Talisman Hire Hermanus

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Avoid feeling overwhelmed by making small changes

”

avoid bottled water by using a re-usable water bottle. Other items that contribute to the vast problem of plastic pollution, and which we could easily avoid, include takeaway Polystyrene cups and containers, plastic straws and sweet wrappers.

“By eliminating just some of these items from daily use you will already make a huge difference. It will be more beneficial to your own health as well as that of the environment if, for example, you were to buy your food fresh and unwrapped from a farmer’s market instead of store-bought processed foods that come in plastic packaging. People just need to be encouraged to explore healthier and more ecofriendly alternatives.”

We all know that old habits die hard, but it might be useful to keep in mind that most plastic trash is likely to end up either

Fiona Matthes is on a mission to motivate residents of the Overstrand to cut down and steadily eliminate single-use plastics from our daily lives. at a landfill site, in a stormwater drain, or in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and the ocean, where they cause untold harm to the environment and especially marine life.

Mammals, fish and birds become entangled in discarded plastic products, and floating plastic debris or particles thereof are often mistaken for food and ingested by marine animals such as turtles, whales and dolphins.

In a town such as Hermanus, which relies heavily on marine eco-tourism, fishing and aquaculture, it goes without saying that preserving the health of our oceans should be a top priority. One of the easiest ways in which we can contribute to the protection of our natural environment is to keep it free of plastic trash. It’s that simple – and yet, as consumers we have become so used to the convenience of everyday plastic products that many of us are struggling to commit to banning them from our lives forever.

“And that includes personal care and household cleaning products that are full of toxic chemicals,” says Fiona. Not only do these products come in plastic containers and

packaging – many of them actually contain miniscule pieces of plastic called microbeads. Few people are aware of the danger because they are so tiny, but microbeads are found in many everyday cleaning and beauty products such as toothpaste and exfoliating face washes and shower gels. Trillions of them go down the plughole of our showers, baths and basins every day, and end up in the sea where they are ingested by fish, shellfish and microorganisms such as plankton, thus entering the food chain. Microbeads end up in humans when we eat seafood that has ingested the particles and the toxins that come with them.

If you still want to exfoliate your skin, you could use products with natural exfoliants such as sea salt, apricot kernels and seeds. In fact, Fiona has found several alternatives to the everyday products we have become so accustomed – and attached – to. These include biodegradable toilet paper; plates, cups and containers made from sugar cane waste; bamboo cutlery; herbal deodorants; natural soaps and cleaning products; and eco-friendly skin

and hair care products.

“We don’t need a different product for everything,” says Fiona. “I’ve been using an allpurpose household cleaning product that is non-toxic and highly effective. The biodegradable cleaning gel is made from orange rind extract and is ideal for all surfaces, for the laundry, dishes, ovens and stains.”

Educating our children so that they can grow up with an ingrained respect for our planet is of crucial importance, says Fiona, who is also a grandmother and is looking forward to doing presentations at pre-schools in the area, starting in March. She has been writing an environmental article once a month for the Overstrand Municipality’s Bulletin, which is published in three languages and distributed to 40 000 households.

“I also use my Facebook page to create awareness by updating it with new developments and initiatives, and the progress being made all over the world. Slowly the word is spreading in the Overstrand that we want to get rid of single-use plastics – we live in a stunning place, let’s make sure our town and

Fiona is very encouraged by the interest that several shops in Hermanus have shown in going plastic bag free in the last year. Her reusable shopping bags, which are made locally from a durable parachute material and conveniently fold up into a small pouch, are also available for purchase at a number of stores and at the Blinkies stand at the Hermanus Country Market.

The bags and biodegradable cleaning products can also be ordered directly from Fiona on 082 373 6607.

Check out her Facebook page: Rethink Single Use Plastics.

Fiona points out some pretty scary statistics: • 50 percent of the plastic we use, we use just once and throw away.

• It takes up to 1000 years for plastic to degrade.

• Swirling convergences of plastic litter in the oceans make up about 40 percent of the world’s ocean surfaces.

• Plastic constitutes approximately 90 % of all trash floating on the ocean’s surface, with 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile.

• 80% of marine debris enters the ocean from the land.

• One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually from plastic in our oceans.

• Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form.

• 300 million tons of plastic is produced annually.

• 85% of all plastic is NOT recycled.

• 35 Billion plastic water bottles are thrown away annually in the USA alone.

• Approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used annually worldwide.

• 8 Billion plastic shopping bags are sold annually in SA and most end up in landfill or the ocean.

14 February 2017

Friday 24 – Sunday 26 February

Tuesday 14 February ■ Outdoor Summer Movie Nights: Enjoy Grease at Beloftebos near Stanford under the tall oak trees and starry skies. Perfect for some quality movie time with friends and family, or a romantic movie date. The movie starts at 20:10. Book online: www.milkywayproductions.co.za/beloftebos.

Thursday 16 February ■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings

every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00. Visitors welcome. Contact Ian Wallace on 082 895 8738 or Metcalf Fick on 082 568 2193.

Friday 17 February ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the bottom of Rotary Way at 06:15 for 06:30 every Friday. All volunteers welcome. Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 for more details.

■ Stanford Saturday Morning Market: The Stanford Hotel, 09:30-12:00. Farmers, crafters and hobbyists bring to you home-made and homebaked goodies.

■ Swallow Park Market: Browse the market at

Swallow Park between 09:00 and 13:00.

■ Beaumont Federweisser Day: At the early stages of every year’s harvest, Beaumont Wines in Bot Rivier celebrates the short but sweet period when their acclaimed Chenin Blanc starts fermenting, resulting in a feathery white, aromatic wine called the Federweisser. Join them in tasting this lightly alcoholic nectar paired with their home-made Flammkuchen, from 10:00 – 14:00.

The cost is R120 for adults and R50 for children.

To book, contact info@beaumont.co.za or 028 284 9194.

■ Hermanus Botanical Society: BotSoc will host

■ Open-air Movie Night: Whalehaven Winery in

The Village will be ending Valentine’s week with the screening of Me Before You. Take your loved one, a friend or even your entire family and enjoy this romantic movie outdoors on the lawn at Whalehaven, at 19:30. Book online at www.milkywayproductions.co.za.

Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 February

a talk by botanist Nicholas Helme, author of the SANBI Red List of South African Plants, at the Fernkloof hall, at 17:30. Entry is free and all are welcome.

today because of the Camphill Sport Challenge (see above) which runners are encouraged to support.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine

Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 09:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

■ The Hermanus Country Market: Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

Fresh local produce, wholesome goodies, and home-made crafts.

■ Market in the Garden: Set among the trees in

the heart of town, at St Peter’s Church in Main Road, from 09:00-13:00.

HAC for their AGM which will include a short presentation by one of the members. At the Scout Hall, at 19:00. Contact Peter on 081 212 9481 or hermanus.astronomy@gmail.com

Tuesday 21 February

Conservation (WCC) presents a talk by Dr Odette Curtis, Director of the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust, who will describe the challenges she faces in conserving the remaining fragments of this critically endangered habitat, of which only about 5% remains. At the Green House on the R43, Vermont, at 17:30. Contact 028 316 2527.

Thursday 23 February ■ Hermanus Ratepayers Association: The

Annual General Meeting of the HRA has been postponed from 19 Dec to 23 Feb, at the Catholic Church hall, at 17:30. For more info, contact 071 507 5893 or ratepayers@hermanus.co.za

every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00.

Visitors welcome. Contact Ian Wallace on 082 895 8738 or Metcalf Fick on 082 568 2193.

■ Camphill Sports Challenge: MTB rides (35 km

■ Hermanus parkrun: There will be no parkrun

■ Hermanus Astronomy Centre AGM: Join

■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings

Saturday 18 February & 12 km), a Trail run (8 km), and Family fun walks (6 km & 2,5 km) in the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, presented by Camphill School Hermanus.

Starting times between 07:30 and 09:00.

Refreshments will be available. For more info and bookings, contact Camphill office on 028 312 4949.

Anniversaries series on Jane Austen to commemorate the 200th anniversary of her death, entitled Celebrating Jane Austen – a beloved author and a national hero. The series is structured around two superb DVDs and the title of this week’s presentation is Bath and the Gothic Novel in Northanger Abbey. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

■ Renosterveld Conservation: Whale Coast

■ ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Senior citizens in the area

on the History of Ancient Egypt: 7. The Rise of the Old Kingdom and 8. Sneferu, the Pyramid Builder. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

■ U3A Overberg: The second part of the Literary

a talk on the Latest developments in Astronomy. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library. New volunteers are welcome and will be much appreciated. At Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 - 11.30.

■ U3A Overberg: The third part of the DVD series

Street, Onrus. The vendor is Alma Schwabe and the speaker is Bettie van Zyl. Call chairperson Olga Kuschke on 082 444 9172.

■ U3A Overberg: Dr Pierre de Villiers will deliver

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only

are invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Service Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

NEWS NEWS

GOOD

8

■ The Global Challenge: This is the first

women's international challenge in which women golfers from the Northern Hemisphere compete with their counterparts from the Southern Hemisphere to score birdies, and raise funds for Learn to Earn. First class golf for a first class charity, in our own backyard. At the Hermanus Golf Club. For more information, go to www.theglobalchallenge.info/

Saturday 25 February ■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest

in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00.

Free timed 5 km walk or run come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine

Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 09:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

■ The Hermanus Country Market: Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

Fresh local produce, wholesome goodies, and home-made crafts.

■ Market in the Garden: Set among the trees in

the heart of town, at St Peter’s Church in Main Road, from 09:00-13:00.

■ Swallow Park Market: Browse the market at Swallow Park between 09:00 and 13:00.

■ Stanford Saturday Morning Market: The

Stanford Hotel, 09:30-12:00. Farmers, crafters and hobbyists bring to you home-made and homebaked goodies.

Sunday 26 February ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: Fabulous fine arts and crafts, gourmet eats, craft beers and wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Roads, every Sunday from 10:00 – 15:00.

Friday 24 February ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the ■ MTB Adventures Race: Stanford Valley Guest

Farm will host this staged race where cyclists get to enjoy magnificent scenery. Registration from 16:00 – 20:00 on 17 February and from 06:00 – 07:30 on 18 February at the venue. The entry fee is R 950 pp (individual entries, not team entries) and includes a cool event T-shirt. Spitbraai and music on Saturday evening at an additional cost; accommodation also available. Start & Finish venue: Stanford Valley Guest Farm. Start times: 07:00 on both days. For more details and to enter online, visit www.mtb-adventures.co.za/mtbevents/stanford-mtb-tour.

■ Benguela Cove Valentine’s Weekend: Enjoy live music by Bandanna while feasting on Benguela Cove’s signature cheese and charcuterie as you sip on a bottle of Matilda’s Secret wine while enjoying the breath-taking views of the Bot River lagoon. At Benguela Cove tasting room, from 10:00 – 17:00 on both days. For more information and bookings, call 087 357 0637.

bottom of Rotary Way at 06:15 for 06:30 every Friday. All volunteers welcome. Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 for more details.

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only

R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library. New volunteers are welcome and will be much appreciated. At Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 - 11.30.

■ ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Senior citizens in the

area are invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Service Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

■ U3A Overberg: The fourth part of the DVD

series on the History of Ancient Egypt: 9. The Great Pyramid of Giza and 10. The End of the Old Kingdom. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Sunday 19 February ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: Fabulous fine arts and crafts, gourmet eats, craft beers and wine bar.

On the corner of Main and Harbour Roads, every Sunday from 10:00 – 15:00.

Monday 20 February ■ Overberg Quilters: The Overberg Quilters'

Guild will meet at 09:00 at the De Wet Hall in Roos

■ Stanford Sunset Market: Meet up with family and friends and enjoy a great outdoor evening on the last Friday of every month with good food, award-winning wine and jivey tunes. Village Green, Stanford from 18:00 – 20:00.

■ Drie van die Bestes: The popular Afrikaans

trio of Mathys Roets, Kevin Leo and Danie Niehaus will perform some of your favourite songs at the Dutch Reformed Church in Hermanus.

Seats are unreserved; doors opens at 17:15 and the show starts at 18:00. Tickets at R220 are on sale at various outlets; call 082 854 6627 or 072 136 4659.

Monday 27 February ■ U3A Overberg: The third part of the Literary

Anniversaries series on Jane Austen to commemorate the 200th anniversary of her death, entitled Celebrating Jane Austen – a beloved author and a national hero. The series is structured around two superb DVDs and the title of this week’s presentation is the issues that preoccupied 19th Century writers. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Tuesday 28 February ■ U3A Overberg: Dr Pierre de Villiers will

deliver the second talk on the Latest developments in Astronomy. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Village

EXPLORER EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ART

Sumaridge floats NSRI’s boat Hedda Mittner

S

imon and Holly BellinghamTurner managed to bring their three passions – the wines of Sumaridge, the game of cricket, and their favourite charitable cause, the NSRI – together in one festive celebration over one weekend.

As the owners of Sumaridge Estate Wines, Holly and Simon are based in Lavenham in the UK but have made Hermanus their second home. Both are avid cricket fans and vice presidents of Lloyd’s Cricket Club, who are currently enjoying a 10 day cricket tour of South Africa.

One of the highlights on their itinerary was a fixture against Hermanus Cricket Club on Sunday 12 February, which unfortunately had to be postponed due to rain. At the time of going to print, the contingency plan was to try and fit the game in on Monday morning prior to the Lloyd’s Cricket Club’s departure for the next leg of their tour.

On the eve of the match, the Lloyd’s team gathered at Sumaridge along with invited guests and members of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) for the official launch of the new rubber duck rescue vessel donated to the NSRI Hermanus Station 17 by the Bellingham-Turners.

The fully equipped 4,2m vessel, fitted with a 50 horsepower engine, was christened ‘Maritimus’ after Sumaridge’s flagship white blend – a fitting name as R1 from every bottle produced is donated to the NSRI. Once the Maritimus had been solemnly blessed by Rev James Gray, Sumaridge winemaker Walter Pretorius ceremoniously performed the art of

sabrage on a bottle of Wayfarer which Holly used to christen the vessel.

“Holly and Simon have been our most generous supporters for the last three years,” said Deon Langenhoven, Hermanus NSRI Station Commander. “As a volunteer organisation, we are extremely grateful for their donations and fundraising efforts, which enable us to continue saving lives in our waters.”

The relationship between the NSRI Station 17 and Sumaridge is based on friendship and appreciation of their members’ selfless dedication, said Holly. “I have the greatest respect for Deon and his crew, including their wives and girlfriends. I genuinely worry about them every time they go out and am always relieved once they are back. They have tremendous courage and are such a lovely bunch of people.”

Although the Maritimus was only christened this weekend, Deon said the vessel has already been in use since December, when it was used on two successful rescue operations, one in Franskraal and one in Kleinmond. “Because the vessel is small and manoeuvrable, it is ideal for rescue operations in the surf area, up to 1 nautical mile from shore,” said Deon. “It allows us to reach bathers caught in rip tides or to drop rescue swimmers off near bathers who are in trouble in the surf area. The vessel will also be used for rescue operations on rivers and lagoons.”

In one of her more poetic moments, brought on, no doubt, by this most heart-warming of occasions, Holly said: “The ocean is responsible for the maritime climate that gives us our extraordinary wines and this is our way of giving back to the ocean.”

Holly Bellingham-Turner of Sumaridge Estate Wines with the members of NSRI Hermanus Station 17, fondly known as “Holly’s boys and girls”.

Among the guests at Sumaridge on Saturday evening were Joslyn Garrett, and Michael and Christa Clark.

The chair of Hermanus Tourism, Quenten Mitchell Simon Turner of Sumaridge (right) treating the Lloyd’s Cricket with his wife, Sally-Anne and Rev James Gray.

Club members to a tour of the winery.

Holly Bellingham-Turner with Deon Langenhoven, Station Commander of NSRI Hermanus, in front of their new rescue vessel ‘Maritimus’ donated by Sumaridge.

After being blessed by Rev Gray, the Maritimus was launched on the Sumaridge dam.

Village Explorer

10

The Write Angle

14 February 2017

What’s new in review

Definitive biography of Trump

By John Morris

P

reviously published in 2015 as Never Enough, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael D’Antonio’s biography of Donald Trump is recognised as the definitive biography of the man behind the US Presidency, and of the psychology behind the man.

D’Antonio points out that Trump’s campaign speeches were delivered entirely without notes or even apparent preparation; that they were devoid of policy details and often resembled free comedy shows to eager fans. His speeches were a “spectacle of distortion”, highly emotive in style and “devoid of the usual laws of political analysis”.

The Book Cottage is offering a 25% discount on all their adult colouring-in books this month.

Willaim Morrow

The definitive book on Trump, this paperback volume has a new 2016 chapter to bring it as up-to-date as possible.

Penguin Random House

Another aspect that seems to

But get this. It is this very phenomena that defines Trump. In this age of selfpromotion on social media where we all get the chance to show off (our holiday destinations, our glamorous lifestyles, and what we’re drinking or having for dinner) in an accepted way to escape our insignificance, and where we get away with the egotistical desire to impose our view of the world without a second thought, Donald Trump is merely one of us, “writ large”, as D’Antonio puts it.

Penguin Random House

This bestseller is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Heart-warming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

extraordinary sequence of events that led to his election.

The therapeutic value of colouring in has been shown to relieve stress, quieten the mind and even lower blood pressure!

Jonathan Ball

PanMacmillan

Turn the clock back a year or so to when this volume was first published, the pundits were laughing off the prospect of a Trump presidency – and the media was giving him a 1% chance of succeeding in what turned out to be the ultimate reality show. And that’s as good as any way of understanding the

PanMacmillan

Join the popular global trend of adult colouring-in as a way of accessing your creativity and an opportunity for selfexpression.

Penguin Random House

The Truth about Trump contains a full history from his early days in the Bronx, through his days building the property, casino and TV empire including, of course, The Apprentice. In the seventies, Trump drove a Cadillac around town (that is, Manhattan) with the personalised plates DJT, dressed in the nattiest of suits and patent leather shoes to match. Here was a dashing young man with “dazzling white teeth” who looked “ever so much like Robert Redford”.

Adult colouring-in books on sale

differentiate Trump from his predecessors is his willingness to air his views on Twitter – often first thing in the morning; the TV news channels eagerly awaiting the latest 140-character outburst from the President. Although it’s true that Obama had successfully used Facebook in his campaigning, this is something new: the President of the world’s most powerful country shooting from the hip, apparently without a thought as to the consequences.

In a museum far from home, a lawyer stumbles onto a painting of a woman for whom he once, long ago, risked everything and who then mysteriously disappeared from his life. Now, he must reconcile his past and present selves; when he evenually locates the woman, he is forced to confront the truth of his love and the reality that his life has been irrevocably changed.

This is the powerful new novel about obsession, creativity, and love from the internationally acclaimed author of The Reader.

The eight exquisitely crafted stories in this acclaimed debut collection take readers from the African coast to the pine forests of Montana to the damp moors of Lapland, charting a vast physical and emotional landscape. Doerr explores the human condition in all its varieties – metamorphosis, grief, fractured relationships, and slowly mending hearts. Yet the different characters are all united by their deference to the vastness and the mysteries of the natural world.

From the time he arrived in South Africa as superintendent of the London Missionary Society in 1819, Philip played a major role in the humanitarian campaigns of the day, fighting for the emancipation of slaves, protecting the Khoi against injustice, and opposing the dispossession of the Xhosa in the Eastern Cape.

While Philip is largely forgotten today, this fascinating book recovers the real man and his noble but doomed struggles for justice against the growing power of white supremacy.

After his father’s violent death, a young man leaves the droughtstricken family farm in the Free State with no plan, and with no way of knowing that his life will soon be changed for ever by two strangers he encounters on his journey south: a mute little girl who bears a striking resemblance to his late niece, and a troubled lawyer who detests the Cape wine estate she’s inherited from a father she despised. This is a powerful story about redemption and recovery, and what it means to carry the past with you.

A lush, dramatic biographical novel of one of the most glamorous and alluring legends of Hollywood’s golden age, Marlene Dietrich. From the genderbending cabarets of Weimar Berlin to the lush film studios of Hollywood, this is a sweeping story of passion, ambition, art, and war from the best-selling author of Mademoiselle Chanel.

An enthralling and insightful book that reveals the inner life of a woman who defied convention, seduced the world, and forged her own path on her own terms.

Village Explorer

14 February 2017

T

Bhuki Café makes a come-back

he jovial atmosphere at the Hermanus Library on Friday 10 February was a clear indication that the Bhuki Café is alive and well.

For those of you who don’t know, the reference section of the library is turned into a bustling café for three hours every Friday, with crafters displaying their handiwork and willing hands dishing out tea and coffee with delicious eats for only R20 or R30, depending on your appetite.

In our 13 December issue of The Village NEWS (Library’s Bhuki Café needs a new chapter), we reported on some of the challenges facing the Friends of Hermanus Library (FOHL) committee, who initiated the Bhuki Café 16 years ago to generate the funds needed to buy new books and library materials. The committee members include four teams of voluntary bakers who also take turns to serve and wash up.

Bhuki Café tea convenor Aletta Horne said last year that because their volunteers are all pensioners who are growing increasingly older and physically weaker, FOHL was finding it difficult to keep up with the workload and increasing costs.

Several members needed to be replaced and new volunteers were sought, but the article elicited an enthusiastic response.

“At the FOHL's recent AGM in January,

11

BOOK DONATIONS

WANTED We urgently need more books for our charity shop!

Good novels, history, classics, war: old and new.

We can collect, or drop at our charity shop at Shop 11A, Astoria Village (next to Land en See) 073 354 4915 or loveisrescue@gmail.com AT YOUR SERVICE From left are Rosemary Michelsen, who has taken over as treasurer of the Friends of Hermanus Library after the retirement of Sue Winder; tea convenor Jenny Pierce; secretary Jacqueline Dowling and chairperson Hettie Roux, who have both agreed to stay on for one more year; and tea convenor Aletta Horne. our Chairperson Hettie Roux thanked the many people who have helped get our Bhuki Café back on what had become somewhat arthritic and weary feet,” says Jacqueline Dowling, secretary of FOHL. “Thanks to great public support, media coverage and a hard-working team of volunteers, we now have seven tea teams, with a requirement of just two more brave souls to take a tea turn every two months. The support of baking volunteers (who will be paid for their produce), book and raffle donors and

the generosity of Candice and Daniel of CanD's Kitchen, who donate a cake every week, is tremendously appreciated, and the good news is that there will be three pancake days this year.”

Jacqueline says they are looking forward to hosting Bhuki events this year and inviting guest authors to the library. “We will also support WCC's anti-litter expo on 1 March in the auditorium by manning (or womaning) the entrance. We believe

in the Shangri-la of a clean world environment, pollution free with paper and unwanted books being recycled into yet more books and magazines.”

Looking forward to the year ahead, Jacqueline says: “So opens a new chapter for the Bhuki, for which a big thank you one and all.”

Membership of FOHL is voluntary and costs only R20 per year. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Aletta Horne on 083 2845774.

CHARITY SHOP

Village Explorer

14

14 February 2017

Provenance brings country goodness to town Hedda Mittner

T

he charming little thatch-roofed heritage cottage in Mitchell Street previously occupied by the Winehoppers has been given a new lease on life by Eve Wilson, the owner of Provenance Oils, which specialises in body-care products made from essential oils.

It was Eve’s husband Peter’s love of the ocean that lured the couple to Hermanus last year from Montagu, where Eve’s previous Provenance shop was situated in a similarly historic old house in the town’s main street. “With its thick walls, old wooden floorboards, low doors and loads of character, this building is a perfect fit for Provenance,” says Eve. The premises also house a workshop from where Eve continues to manufacture their popular range of body-care products which are sold in the shop along with a delightful mix of exclusive gifts, home ware and accessories.

Visitors to Provenance receive a warm welcome from owner Eve Wilson.

Eve and Peter originally hail from the Garden Route, where they owned a 6 ha property on the banks of the Bitou River near Plettenberg Bay for 18 years. Here they raised their two children, now grown up and living in Cape Town, and later developed and operated the Mallard River Lodge. With an abundance of bird and plant life and breath-taking views, Eve says this was “country living at its best.” The property was sold in 2009 and is now known as Emily Moon.

Provenance stocks Eve’s range of body-care products made from essential oils, along with other ‘pretty things’.

Although it was “one of the most beautiful places we have ever lived”, Eve and Peter decided to sell the farm after five years and moved to a new home in the picturesque town of Montagu close to Eve’s shop, which had been thriving for the last three years. Here Eve continued to manufacture their popular range of body-care products from a small factory at the back of their house.

Ready for a complete change, the Wilsons searched for a farm in the Karoo where they could live out their dream of farming plants to distil the essential oils. What they found was a derelict farm in the Koo Valley near Montagu.

“The farm had been badly overgrazed by the previous owner and had no structures on it, except for a leaking dam, a very good borehole and an Eskom connection,” Eve reminisces. “We built a small wooden house with the help of a local builder and, after months of fertilizing, laying of irrigation and back-breaking work, we started farming with 5 hectare of Rose Geranium plants and 3 hectare of Lavender.

Eve says that before moving to the farm, they had discovered in their research that the Pelargonium (the correct name for the type of geranium they grew) was an indigenous species to the Koo Valley and had in fact been discovered in that area during the 1700s by botanists from England and Europe. The plants were taken back to their respective countries and hybrids were propagated from them, resulting in the beautiful and varied plants that we see today in flower boxes and gardens all over the world.

When Belinda Wilkinson (right) recently popped into Provenance, she told Eve that the little cottage had belonged to her father, Wybo van Blommestein, and that she had grown up under its thatched roof.

“The French were particularly interested in the plants for their perfume and the rose-scented Pelargonium was the most successful propagation for this purpose. The ‘Bourbon’ oil from the Rose Geranium or Pelargonium graveolens, comes from the French-owned island of Reunion. We were able to purchase cuttings from these special hybrids from a nursery in Johannesburg and it was these plants that we grew on our farm.

“We called the farm ‘Provenance’, from the French verb provenir, which means ‘to originate or arise from’. Due to the origin of the species of Pelargonium being from that particular area of

the Western Cape, we felt as though the plant had found its way home again and that it was a fitting name for the farm and our products.

After only a year, Provenance farm was a truly beautiful place, with a large dam, fields of plants and a proper house with a lush garden.”

Eve says by 2014 they realised they were not as young as they used to be and that farming was extremely hard work. “Believe me, since our farming experience, we have developed a very high regard and respect for farmers. It is such a dedicated life with extremely long hours and little time off, while success or failure lies to a high degree at the mercy of the weather.”

“But my husband, who has been a surfer his whole life, badly missed the sea and felt he could no longer live away from the ocean,” says Eve. “We decided to relocate to Hermanus because my mother is living at Onrus Manor, it's close to our children in Cape Town, and because it's a lovely town, not too big and not too small, with everything one needs and more. After an extensive search we found the thatched roof heritage cottage at number 4 Mitchell Street which was ideal for the new Provenance store and the workshop.”

Eve says they are extremely grateful for the support they’ve received from the community and have already made many new friends. “The encouragement that we’ve received from the people of Hermanus has been overwhelming, with everyone we've met having already popped into the shop, tried and bought the products and spreading the word to everyone they meet! We are very fortunate to now be living in this unique town.”

14 February 2017

Village Explorer

15

Painting our town orange

T

he Hermanus First Fridays (HFF) Artwalk was once again enthusiastically supported on 3 February when the local art community welcomed visitors to their studios and galleries in the centre of town until 8 pm. Notable among the throngs of local art lovers were several tourists who thoroughly enjoyed the Artwalk, admiring the extraordinary range of art and fine craft on display and mingling with local residents. HFF has become one of our town’s most successful initiatives since it was launched by the Arts portfolio of Hermanus Tourism in September 2014. The galleries also reported good sales on the night, as well as in the following days. Follow the orange on the next HFF Artwalk which takes place on 3 March.

– Hedda Mittner

Renzske Scholtz of Kunskantoor in The Courtyard (left) with Sugnet and Jaco Sieberhagen and their daughter Lujané.

Lizanne and Danie Olivier with their children Daniël and Maria at SPACE Gallery.

UK swallow Pepe Leslie with artist Christine Crowley, whose work is currently on exhibit at Rossouw Modern’s SPACE Gallery until 19 February.

Local artists and sisters Christa Clark and Louise Hennigs, with Artwalkers Anne Krige and Janet Camden.

Jacques-Mario Brummer at The Art Gallery with artist Lize van der Walt.

Artist Malcolm Bowling engaging with Artwalkers at Malcolm Bowling Gallery.

HFF ARTWALK RAFFLE WINNERS: Reinet de Jager of Canvas of Life Gallery handed over the paintings she donated to the last Hermanus First Fridays (HFF) Artwalk to the lucky raffle winners last week. The Artwalker who purchased the golden ticket and received the largest painting was Sandi Wurbach from The Hair Studio (above). The silver and bronze winners, who each received a smaller artwork, were local resident Megan McGregor and UK swallow Kay Robinson (right).

Ortrud Mulder (right) of Abalone Art Gallery with Dr Tineo Vorster and his wife Marie.

Village Explorer

16

14 February 2017

The proud legacy of Alex Grant Pharmacy

B

y the late 1920s Hermanus was enjoying a boom time, with all 13 hotels operating and wealthy visitors demanding services of many kinds. Enterprising residents saw the opportunity and a service sector began to grow to meet the demand.

In the late 19th Century, when people started building homes and settling permanently in Hermanus, various businesses and services were also established to serve the growing community. Among them was the first local pharmacy that survives to this day and has retained its original name. ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society delved into the remarkable past of the founder of Alex Grant Pharmacy

As early as 1857, the Warrington family had arrived with the other first families and built the second permanent house in the village, in Marine Drive, roughly where the Esplanade flats are now.

for the holidays to Hermanus, her romance with Sandy was reignited and soon after they were married.

For the next 45 years the Grants were a feature of every aspect of Hermanus life.

Sandy was soon able to buy the pharmacy from Mr Davies and develop it into a profitable business. Gertrude played a part in virtually every charity in the town, being especially interested in the health service to coloured and black residents, for which a clinic in Zwelihle was named after her.

James Warrington (Jim) was approached by a businessman from Stanford, George Moore, with a proposal to locate a small shop next to the Warrington house. This prospered and the Post Office was established in the same venue. Jim continued the enterprise after Moore’s death and Jim’s son, Christiaan, built the first dedicated grocery shop. Others followed, but one speciality did not arise spontaneously: this was a local pharmacy.

The initiative in this case came from Caledon. The pharmacist there was Mr Idris Davies and in the mid-1920s he decided to open a branch in Hermanus. An assistant was needed.

There was no training institution for pharmacists in South Africa at that time so Davies advertised through South Africa House in London.

The opportunity caught the eye of a young man named Alexander Grant, a Scot from Aberdeen, but working at the time in London.

Sandy (as he was always known) had already gained some experience I am sure he would rather have avoided.

Born in 1899, he was 15 when World War I broke out and, as he confessed in his own memoirs, “I lied about my age” and joined the war.

He was trained as an ambulance man, carrying wounded soldiers from the battlefield. He did this until

Alexander (Sandy) Grant in retirement, clearly still fond of the Scottish Flag.

First Ladies team of Hermanus Golf Club, 1936. Gertrude Grant is second from the right.

1917 without consequences; but then, in the Battle of Menin Road he was severely gassed with mustard gas and spent the next two years in hospital.

He was keen to get away from these memories and in 1928 he sailed aboard the RMS Windsor Castle for Cape Town.

On board he met Gertrude Hartington and they took a great liking to one other.

However, he was going to

“

The Grants were a feature of every aspect of Hermanus life for 45 years

Hermanus and she was going to a teaching post in Grahamstown. The shipboard romance seemed to be over as they left Cape Town.

”

However, by one of those coincidences that seem to occur regularly in Hermanus, it so happened that teaching at Gertrude’s school in Grahamstown was a Miss Jean Luyt, daughter of P John Luyt, owner of the Riviera and Marine hotels. Gertrude came

Sandy was active on the Ratepayers Association and served as a Town Councillor for several terms. Together they had an impact on the Hermanus Golf Club. Sandy was Club Captain in 1947 and 1948 and again in 1951 and 1952. In 1959 he was elected President for the first time and proceeded to hold that position until 1981 – an uninterrupted tenure of 22 years. He must have been doing something right to earn that level of confidence.

Gertrude served as Ladies Captain on five occasions: 1936-1938, 1951 and 1952.

However, World War II was the time that they really came to the fore, in providing food, clothing, entertainment, and even nursing to hundreds of servicemen who found themselves in Hermanus, either on leave prior to going into battle or recovering from it or recuperating from wounds.

Berdine Luyt was also involved (as much as her duties at the Marine Hotel would permit) and she writes

of the Grants in these words: Among the people of Hermanus who did their share of entertaining the troops – and often more than their share – mention must be made of Sandy and Gertrude Grant. Not only was their home always full of servicemen of all types, kinds and degrees, but they would accommodate those who needed special care – the recently blinded and the shell-shocked.

‘Hamewith’ [the Grant’s home, next to the Luyts’ home ‘Schoongezicht’, above Visbaai] was the rendezvous for everyone… and there were few of the overseas men who did not experience the warm hospitality and the loving kindness of the Grant family. Active in all village affairs, untiring in war work of all kinds, nothing was ever too much trouble for Gertrude and Sandy, and no one ever appealed to them for help in vain. Gertrude in fact made one feel that, by accepting a kindness from her, one was actually doing her a favour.

Luckily for the Grants, no other crisis overtook them and their remaining years in Hermanus were filled with business and voluntary contribution to their society. In 1975, Gertrude died (probably of a heart attack) on board a Union Castle liner on which they were taking a holiday trip up the east coast.

Sandy continued to live in Hermanus in their art deco home “Hamewith” (since demolished) and travelled to visit with his children, even the daughter who had moved to Canada.

Sandy delighted in the image of a money-conscious Scot, careful of every penny. But, in the 1980s he told a friend in confidence that he was flying the London-New York leg on his way to Canada in Concorde!

This is the first time this fact has been made public.

Sandy died in 1988 and the house and the business were sold. “Hamewith” was demolished, but Alex Grant Pharmacy continues to serve the Hermanus public from the Gateway Centre.

GOOD

NEWS NEWS Go places with GoBike Hermanus

W

ith the wind in my hair and the sound of morning birdsong I took to the open road with an electric bike. Not having cycled in the past ten years except for the occasional encounter on a stationary bike in the gym I was not well prepared. Yet, I was reassured that the assistance provided by the small battery at the back of the e-bike would work miracles. It did.

My adventure started on meeting the energetic Zunette Mulder of GoBike Hermanus.

Zunette and her partner Dean Gillatt wanted to escape the stress of city life in Cape Town and ventured on a few scouting trips in search of a new home.

As with so many others, it did not take much to convince them that Hermanus was where work and home can be combined successfully. Dean changed the wheels of his previous business and geared down. Almost literally.

An Englishman from Yorkshire who settled in Cape Town in 1990, Dean owned and managed a classic, highpowered motor rental shop, Cape Cobra Hire, in the Mother City. This business paid homage to his days in the motor racing industry when he worked with Eddie Jordan and the Jordan Racing team. When it was time for a change the couple that are

17

14 February 2017

Frieda’s Footprints

Tourism News

by Frieda Lloyd

Above are Emilia Knight and Frieda Lloyd on their ebike outing to the country market. On the right is Zunette Mulder of GoBike Hermanus in front of the shop.

“mad for cycling” chose Hermanus. Hermanus was ready for them and their business.

automatic lock, stand, front basket to carry shopping and some added power when yours runs low.

They opened the doors of GoBike in October 2016 and are pleased by the traffic they’ve had at the shop. Their store (next to Savannah Café and opposite Woolworths) is filled with fat bikes, e-bikes and mountain bikes to rent, for half days or full days, at reasonable rates. It offers a new and interesting way of exploring Hermanus and surrounds. Among the many options, the e-bike is certainly my preferred choice as it comes all-inclusive with an

I headed out from the GoBike store with friend and fellow adventurer Emilia Knight on a recent test ride. As it was Saturday, a trip to Hermanus Country Market was essential and a few nervous peddles later we were on our way. All the attention that our accessories received at the market was incentive to venture further to Dutchies on Grotto Beach. Which also made me think of how cool it would be if our town became as cycle-friendly as Dutch

cities and towns. Not only for visitors and tourists, but also for the locals – just imagine all the traffic and parking problems that could be solved this way!

At a mild level of fitness I not only managed the ride but rather loved the experience. It was easy to work the gears and there was no problem whatsoever in parking or locking the bike. Thanks to the cycling lane down Main Road to Voëlklip, I felt safe and not worried about the passing traffic.

With the Absa Cape Epic happening in Hermanus on

20 & 21 March, I am all for experiencing a glimpse into the adventure of cycling. In anticipation of the riders and spectators joining us soon, why not try a ride out on a GoBike ebike? You might enjoy it so much that you decide to take one home.

GoBike does that too. They sell these beauties from their shop, along with an extensive range that includes fat bikes

and normal city bikes and ebikes imported from Sweden.

They will assist you in finding your cycling match made in heaven.

The rate for a half day electronic city bike rental is R350 per person and for a full day R480.

Find them at 32 Mitchell Street, Hermanus. Tel: 028 312 2548. www.gobikehermanus.com

NEWS NEWS

GOOD

18

14 February 2017

Combining body, mind and movement

T

he home that Nicholas McLean shares with his partner Yasmin Lambat is a haven of peace and calm.

Growing around a central water feature in the courtyard are flowers and herbs, and beyond that a thriving vegetable garden. It forms the perfect background for this gut health yogi who loves growing and sharing food.

A landscaper turned yogi, with a BSc degree in plant biotechnology, Nic’s personal journey with food began with a conscious shift towards eating clean foods for his own wellbeing. He is constantly finding ways of growing nutrient-dense foods in small spaces – from sprouts to shoots to veggie boxes – and then blending them into delicious feel-good smoothies, salads and sauces.

As a food and wellness coach, Nic recognized how moods were the underlying cause of unhealthy food choices and he began to study the biochemistry and psychology of our food choices. “In recent years the gut has emerged as our second brain and has opened up an area of learning that was previously ignored,” he says. “Many food coaches use food to heal the gut. I use food, body movement and wellness coaching to address gut health.”

The latest findings around the gut-brain-microbiome interaction indicate that the gut, brain and emotions are

brain’ reveals new insights into managing mood that were previously the domain of Eastern practices,” says Nic. “Today a whole person approach of looking at the relationship between mood, food and the body is needed for a new mode of intervention. The gut has the highest number of neurons, endocrine and immune cells of the whole body, with 95% of our wellbeing hormone Serotonin being produced in the gut, which makes a sensory or somatic approach even more significant.”

Food and wellness coach Nicholas McLean prepares simple but delicious, nutrient-dense smoothies in his kitchen as part of his regime to address gut health.

A landscaper turned yogi, Nicholas enjoys growing his own foods and using them, in combination with body movement and wellness coaching, to heal the gut.

uniquely interconnected.

Emeran Mayer, author of The Mind-Gut Connection, describes the gut as “the main theatre in which the drama of emotion plays out”. Nic points out that brain-gut disorders contribute towards dramatic affects ranging from aberrant gut reactions (like IBS, constipation, diarrhoea, Crohn’s disease) to hormonal and immune imbalances (auto-immune conditions, inflammation, depression, diabetes, obesity) and neurological diseases like autism, Parkinsons and Alzheimers.

“The gut’s role as ‘the second

Coaching for gut health now takes on a whole new meaning, says Nic. This new research sheds light on: • Why the gut, being the second brain, is important in regulating moods.

• How our way of being is a result of complex integration and coregulation of our neuralendocrine- microbiotalsystems.

• How stable states of gut ecology may be associated with lingering moods and associated ways of being that can be difficult to shift.

• The major role of coaching and body-centred mindfulness to shift moods so that the gut-brain-body can function optimally .

• What embodied wellbeing means when it comes to the gut-brain-microbiome dynamic.

• The effects of stress on the gut-brain-microbiome and

the vicious cycle of negative moods, cravings, leaky gut and inflammation.

• Why high fat diets can be counter-productive and what foods support mood and gut health.

To your gut health

Feel-good berry smoothie Makes around 4 glasses 200g (1punnet) raspberries and/or strawberries 1-2 pears 1 small beetroot 120g soaked almonds or two spoons ful of almond nut butter A little ice Approximately 2-3 cups water, to desired consistency Blend in a blender until smooth. Drink mindfully.

GOOD

NEWS NEWS

19

14 February 2017

Spoil yourself in the month of love

Lizanne Smit enjoys pampering her clients at Serenity Massage and Beauty Salon.

L

izanne Smit may only have been in Hermanus for 16 months, but she brought many years of experience with her.

After initially working at a local 5 star guest house, she can now be found at Serenity which she’s been running since October last year. In this peaceful space Lizanne offers expert treat-ments and enjoys pampering her clients by giving them specialised attention.

“Nothing gives me more pleasure than making my clients feel beautiful and special,” says Lizanne.

This attractive brunette is a wholesome country girl at heart who grew up in Kathu, a small community in the Northern Cape, where she went to school before enrolling at the Tina Scholtz Potchefstroom Academy, which is affiliated with the South African Academy for Hair and Skincare Technology.

After graduating at the end of

2004, Lizanne, like many young people eager to see the world, worked on an ocean cruise liner for a year before heading to Johannesburg.

Here she spent ten years in the beauty industry, gaining valuable experience in all facets from hydrotherapy to aesthetic procedures.

“For the last two years in Johannesburg I worked at a practice that offered the services of a dermatologist, radiologist, nutritionist and aesthetic practitioner, so I have a solid medical background,” says Lizanne.

Her parents had retired to Hermanus in 2014 and the following year Lizanne relocated with the idea of running her own business.

Serenity had been operating from its premises in Hermanus Heights for three years and Lizanne continues to offer a full spectrum of treatments, from facials to Shellac manicures and pedicures, massages to waxing (for both men and women), and

brow and lash tinting.

Lizanne has now been joined

by Valencia, a nail technician, who will be working at Serenity on Mondays and Fridays. Her speciality includes Nelé Naturalé and acrylic nails, nail art and nail extensions.

Lizanne’s favourite treatments are facials, using Vitaderm and Kalahari products, and massages that could be anything from a scalp or foot massage to a full-body treat.

“I specialise in massages as it is such a vital way of relieving stress and restoring a sense of well-being,” she says.

So why not go ahead and spoil yourself at Serenity. During February, the month of love, Lizanne is offering a Hydrointensive facial treatment plus a 15 minute back massage at a special rate.

You’ll find Serenity at 37 Raed na Gael, Hermanus Heights.

Call 071 382 7383 to make your appointment.

Full-time doctors for Mediclinic emergency centre Hermanus Mediclinic now offers a full-time doctor at its emergency centre in Hermanus.

According to Hospital Manager Anne-Marie Nortjé the need for the upgraded service was highlighted by the increase in medical emergencies in the region and the increased demands on emergency medical staff at the hospital. The hospital is the only private facility between Somerset West and Mossel Bay. “From now on the centre will be manned by doctor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Overberg Emergency Care24 doctors are led by Drs Leon Siecker and Charles Henegan, who specialise in emergency medicine and the acute care of patients who present without appointment.

“The doctors are supported by experienced registered nursing staff as well as state of the art technology and they will endeavour to

incorporate the patient’s general practitioner in the further treatment of the patient. Looking to the future, various initiatives and upgrades are planned to ensure that the Emergency Centre continues to provide a reliable and professional service to the people in the Overberg/ Overstrand,” she says.

Dr Siecker studied medicine at Stellenbosch University and after 11 years in private practice assumed the role of emergency doctor for medical assistance companies in the oil and gas and mining industry in Africa and the Middle East.

His first assignment was in Cameroon in 2001, followed by assignments in Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Ghana and Iraq. From 2011 until 2016 he worked as emergency doctor for Aspen Medical USA in Liberia (West Africa) and remained there during the Ebola outbreak of 2014/2015.

On his return to South Africa in 2016, Dr Siecker and his family settled in the Overstrand area.

Dr Henegan graduated from the medical school at the University of Pretoria in 2001.

He developed a keen interested in emergency medicine during his community service year at GF Jooste Hospital in Mannenberg, and thereafter continued to work almost exclusively in emergency medicine for eighteen months.

After relocating to Canada, he joined a family practice in rural Alberta. He worked in combined family and emergency room practice for two years, and since 2010 he worked exclusively in the emergency room of a newly established urgent care unit in Cochrane, Alberta.

When his young daughter started school in 2016, he and his family returned to South Africa. They have subsequently settled in Stanford.

NEWS NEWS

GOOD

20

14 February 2017

A modern-day Groot Trek in reverse

T

he country is experiencing the modern-day equivalent of the Groot Trek, but this time in reverse. And like the first one, which lasted from 1834-1838, the current one is also having a major effect on the country’s demographics, property and jobs market.

The Groot Trek, for those who slept their way through history at school, is a term for the mass movement of mainly Dutchspeaking inhabitants who felt strongly enough about British rule over the Cape colony, that they packed their earthly goods and headed into the northern wilderness in search of land over which they could establish control and destiny.

Indirectly, the Groot Trek led to the discovery of diamonds in the Kimberley area in 1867. And soon thereafter, gold at the Witwatersrand in 1881, which

My Home

kick-started the mining and industrial revolution that was responsible for most of the economic expansion of the 20thcentury.

For most of the 20th century, the great wealth in South Africa was created on the back of the mining boom. If you wanted to become rich in SA during this time, you headed to the golden dumps of Johannesburg to make your fortune in mining, mining finance and the service industry which served this large and booming industry.

In 1970, for instance, South Africa was the top producer of

gold in the world, producing more than 1 000 tons.

Those days also saw the expansion of Cape-based businesses into the thriving mining and commercial headquarters of the country.

Salaries and wages, and property prices were always lower or cheaper in the Cape than in Johannesburg.

That was then and this is now.

How things have changed. In less than 20 years, the wheels of fortune have turned, and turned some more.

What started out as a steady trickle from about the year 2000 of people from Gauteng and other parts of the country moving down south, mostly to retire, has now turned into a full-blown raging torrent of well-to-do and skilled people moving to the Western Cape.

It is indisputable that the municipalities of the Western Cape have been better and more skillfully managed with less corruption and wastage, than towns and cities in other parts of the country.

that within the next ten years, about 75% of all high-networth white people will be living in the Western Cape.

I have tried hard to get a copy of this report but have been unsuccessful thus far.

The time has long gone where people mainly retired and then moved to the Cape. Now an ever-increasing number of young families with schoolgoing children are moving here.

In parts of the Western Cape many developments are selling out almost as soon as they’re launched and many areas come with a natural shortage of more land to develop. Inland the availability of land for development is hampered by very expensive and everscarcer farmland, used mainly in the production of wines and in certain areas wheat.

There are all kinds of numbers being thrown around. I heard from someone (who heard from someone) that about 45 000 families settled in the formal areas of the Western Cape last year. Where these numbers come from, I don’t know – but there is certainly some merit in them.

And then there is the rumoured study that shows

The average house price in the Western Cape is now 40% more expensive than average prices in Gauteng and other parts of the country, and the differential is getting bigger and bigger.

According to the latest FNB residential property survey on home prices, the other eight provinces declined in the fourth quarter of 2016, not only in real terms but also in nominal terms, while prices in the Western Cape were up by more than 10%.

It is also the only province experiencing above-inflation home rental growth, according to Tenant Profile Network.

At some stage, the trend will slow down, purely for statistical reasons. But I think this trend has some legs before it starts tapering off. That’s why the Western Cape residential property market remains the only bright spot for local investors in what is a very gloomy rest of the country.

– Magnus Heystek, source: www.today.moneyweb.co.za

GOOD

NEWS NEWS

Team North

21

14 February 2017

Game on - ready, steady, tee-off !

P

osters are going up all over town and there is a building excitement, as the long anticipated inaugural Global Golf Challenge Charity Invitational is just two weeks away. Ford Hermanus is gearing up to collect the players when they fly in from all around the world, and then deliver them safely to Fairways Holiday apartments where they will be staying for the duration of the event.

Originally announced as the Vice-Captain for the Southern Hemisphere team, Ashleigh Buhai (neé Simon) has subsequently been invited to play in the Australian Open.

Whilst this is a sad loss to the team and the tournament, the organisers could not stand in the way of her great opportunity. Consequently, Ashleigh has now handed over the reigns to Morgana Robbertze who will assist Captain Laurette Mauritz in attempting to lead the ladies

from the South to victory.

Ashleigh Simon is a South African legend. Rising to prominence through the amateur ranks and spotted by Laurette and Global Challenge concept director Tania Fourie as having the scope to go all the way, her leaving this year’s Challenge has opened up an exceptional prospect for the Global Golf Challenge to effect the same “hand-up” to another promising youngster.

However, Laurette and Nora Angehrn had another idea. In consultation with one another and in the spirit of the event, the two captains believe that inviting not one, but two young and promising amateurs in each team would give them a sporting chance to take on the professionals.

“We didn’t need too much time to consider the proposal,” confirmed Tania and Kaz Henderson, spokesperson for

The Global Challenge. “It’s a brilliant suggestion and perfectly complements the ethos of the entire event, which is all about teeing up to give a hand-up.

“In addition to raising muchneeded funds for Learn to Earn and showcasing how physical circumstances do not determine future outcomes, but rather how one rises to the occasion, the ‘North South Corporate Derby’ will become a permanent feature of the tournament going forward.”

Talking of fund-raising, the Global Golf Challenge is entirely geared around generating donations for the Learn to Earn social enterprise. As reported in previous bulletins, the ‘Birdies2Earn’ campaign asks donors to guess the total number of birdies the ladies will make across the entire tournament. Entrance to the

tournament is free of charge, but the organisers do encourage donations on the day or donors may also donate online through the www.learntoearn.org.za website by clicking on the Global Challenge button.

The organisers would like to acknowledge all who have played a part in helping to get the tournament off the ground. “It has not always been an easy road,” stated Tania, “and we have had a few stumbling blocks along the way. But I speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say we are immensely grateful for all those who have believed in what we are trying to achieve – creating an event that can at once profile the excitement of a global women’s golf team event and also assist local communities across the board.”

For further information, see www.theglobalchallenge.co.za

Team South

14 February 2017

NEWS NEWS

GOOD

22

Local businesses show their ability to care

A

s vice chairperson of the Overstrand Association for Persons with Disabilities (OAPD), Joke Gonggrijp of Dutchies on Grotto Beach hosted an awareness campaign from 6 – 12 February. “Our aim was to challenge the assumptions and stereotypes that people and societies at large have regarding people with disabilities,” said Joke. “Beyond the awareness campaign we also wanted to raise funds for the OAPD.” To this end, Dutchies hosted a week-long programme that included a Dinner in the Dark fund-raising event co-hosted by Hermanuspietersfontein. The guest of honour was Hein

Wagner, the popular motivational speaker who has been blind since birth. Guests were blindfolded during the five course dinner to test their senses other than sight and to experience first-hand what it is like to be visually impaired.

Other events included an OAPD Awareness Walk on Saturday and a Mini Paralympics Sport Day for children on Sunday.

The Awareness Walk took the form of a relay race on the beach between several teams from Dutchies, Abagold, Aquawomen and OAPD. Pairs of two team members were, in turn, blindfolded, had their legs tied together, and also their arms. Having to walk/run

with these disabilities brought valuable insight into the challenges that the physically impaired face every day.

The team from Dutchies included owner Just Gonggrijp, manager Brandon Johnson, coowner Joke Gonggrijp and manager Amanda Hofmeyr, with her son Jan (back row), who together with their staff members emerged as the winners.

-

LEFT: Tim Hedges, Managing Director of Abagold (third from left) with the Abagold and Aquawomen teams who enthusiastically supported the Disability Awareness Week.

RIGHT: Two teams from Dutchies storming to victory in the three-legged race.

It was a rather hot day at the beach as the team members gaily partook in this challenge and gave it their all. There was a lot of sweating but fortunately no blood or tears, and all agreed that it was a fun way to create awareness of what it is like to live with a disability. At the end of the day it was the team from Dutchies that triumphed, and manager Amanda Hofmeyr said they were looking forward to hosting and even bigger awareness campaign next year.

- Hedda Mittner

GOOD

23 NEWS NEWS Southern Charter Classic culminates on a high note

T

he final leg of the prestigious Southern Charter Classic took place at the Hermanus Yacht Club over the weekend of 4 – 5 February and drew a large entry of boats from the Western Cape.

14 February 2017

Sport

There were 12 different classes of boats with the largest entries in the Dabchick, Optimist and Sonnet divisions.

Southern Charter Wealth Management has been the title sponsor for the past six years and the sport of sailing is synonymous with the ethos of the company, embracing the necessity of teamwork, consistent performance and risk management. Father and son team Mark and Sebastian Thompson are at the helm of Southern Charter's involvement. Mark is the founder and owner of Southern

By Tony O’Hagan

Charter, while Sebastian has the responsibility for organising and marketing the event via his company Get Outside.

The Hermanus regatta was the finale in a series of three

The Hermanus Yacht Club and Klein River Lagoon provided the perfect setting for the final leg of the prestigious Southern Charter Classic.

PHOTO: Fabrizio Fruet

South African sailor Roger Hudson and his team of Sabata Gayeka (left) and Sibu Sizatu (right) won the Sonnet class.

competitions with the previous events held at Zeekoevlei and Theewaterskloof. At times during the regatta there were over 200 "yachties" plying their trade with fierce competition from the many accomplished

London and Rio Olympics. He is currently ranked 15th in the world for the two person dinghy class by the International Sailing Federation, having attained a previous high ranking of 9th in the world.

sailors. Included in this category was Roger Hudson and his team of Sabata ayeka and Sibu Sizatu, winners of the Sonnet Class.

Roger, along with partner Jim Asenathi represented South Africa at both the

Congratulations to the Hermanus Yacht Club and the many volunteers who ensured the success of the regatta and making our yacht club, a favourite destination for the yachting fraternity.

The team from cashkows.com was crowned the overall winner of the 17th Business League social bowls tournament hosted by the Hermanus Bowling Club from 23 Jan to 3 Feb. A total of 42 teams participated over a period of ten days, of which five days were for practice and five days for competition. Each team had a club member as a team manager, some of whom have built up relationships with their teams over many years. The competition was co-ordinated by Renée Fullard and sponsored by Seeff. Coastal Trusses won the B Section while Haygrove Heaven won the C Section. Pictured on the photo are Dirk Slot, Brunhilde Gerber, Werner Duvenhage and Hano Vermaak from cashkows. With them is Paul Kruger from sponsor Seeff.

Members of Legacy Martial Arts Academy represented the Overberg Kickboxing Association and Overberg Karate Federation at the recent Overberg Sports Awards. Rudi Fraser (volunteer of the year), Jérémie Verdoodt (junior sportsman of the year) and Shihan Ruehan van Romburgh (coach of the year) were named winners of the categories they were nominated in and will now attend the Western Cape Sports Awards later this year. Other nominees were Ruehan van Romburgh (senior sportsman of the year), Zaanru Fraser (junior and senior sportswoman of the year), Mealan Frans (school sportswoman of the year), Ashlee Appel (school sportswoman of the year), Devine January (school sportsman of the year), William Maree (newcomer of the year) and Miguel Boshoff (newcomer of the year).

The Overberg Kickboxing Association was also nominated in the categories for federation of the year and team of the year.

14 February 2017

NEWS NEWS

GOOD

24

Schools

STING LIKE A BEE Curro Hermanus took part in the annual Curro Interschools Athletics Meeting on Monday, 30 January at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. Even though Curro Hermanus is much smaller in numbers than the other schools, the school has definitely been established as a force to be reckoned with!

Hermanus Primary hosts Interschools The voices of hundreds of cheering children could be heard throughout town during the annual Walker Bay Athletics Meeting at Hermanus Primary on Friday 3 February. There was lots of action on the field as 16 schools participated. The day was a huge success enjoyed by the athletes and parents alike. The South Boland Meeting will take place on 18 February in Grabouw.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography.

The Tigers of the Sky were not only noticed for their spirit but definitely also for their athletic prowess.