The Village NEWS 16 Jan - 23 Jan 2019

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Fire and Fynbos

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Lost in the mail

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The Sand Man found

Rising from the ashes Writer De Waal Steyn

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hree wildfires driven by galeforce winds left a trail of destruction in their wake as they raged across the Overstrand this past weekend. Most of the active fire lines have been extinguished but a number of hotspots remain. It is expected that mopping-up operations will continue for the rest of the week.

While clouds of dark, smothering smoke filled the air in Betty’s Bay, Hermanus and Franskraal, residents and volunteers from all over the Western Cape jumped in to assist the various firefighting crews in supressing the blazes.

Helicopters fitted with Bambi bags bombarded the licking flames with water under the guidance of specialised spotter planes, while ground crews fought heroically to prevent the flames from reaching residential areas.

Bev Joubert was one of the hundreds of residents who jumped in to help save homes from catching fire in Hermanus Heights on Friday.

PHOTO: Mike Joubert

In all three regions members of the public, covered in soot and eyes watering, held back the flames with buckets, hoses, spades and even branches. Neighbourhood watches and other volunteer organisations sprang into action to help direct traffic and guide residents and tourists out of the suburbs that had to be evacuated.

Winds in excess of 90 km/h on Friday drove the blaze at lightning speed,

catching many residents off-guard.

“I was walking in town when I saw the flames breaching the top of the mountain in Hermanus. The next moment the flames came cascading down towards Generation Schools Hermanus and Bosko Church like a waterfall,” relates resident Marius van Wyk. “It was like I was caught in a movie. I could not move as my eyes were fixed on the flames. The next moment it was right next to the schools and the houses in Hermanus Heights.”

With the flames dangerously close to the schools and the surrounding suburbs, the decision was made to evacuate everyone from the area.

Learners and teachers hurriedly kept the flames at bay to save the Astro turf fields and the Hermanus Country Market.

In the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley a similar scenario unfolded where several farms, houses and other structures lay in the path of the oncoming flames. Lady Luck was on the side of Hermanus as only two houses and one shed were gutted in the fire.

Residents in neighbouring Betty’s Bay were not so fortunate, as the fire spread rapidly down the mountain before jumping over the R43 and spreading between the houses nestled in the fynbos.

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16 January 2019

Suspect remains in custody From P 1 Betty's Bay suffered the most damage, with 41 houses destroyed and 28 partially damaged. As the drama unfolded, residents shared pictures on social media of cars burning in driveways and houses being reduced to ashes in the inferno.

Frightening scenes of an elderly couple desperately trying to flee but unable to move due to the gusting winds, were captured on video by well-known fire photographer Justin Sullivan.

The scene could have ended in tragedy if Justin did not happen to drive past and stop to pick up the couple and drive them to safety, while their burning car was abandoned in the road.

On Saturday homeowners could be seen sifting through the rubble to find anything that was salvageable. At the site of one of the wooden houses that was completely destroyed, neighbours were found assisting the owners who live in Portugal to find the remains of their safe in which a revolver had been left. After hours of searching the scarred safe was found with the burned revolver still inside. Across the road it was ironic to see the scarred remains of a house where only the fireplace and chimney had been left standing.

In Franskraal some streets were empty and desolate after the residents were forced to evacuate. An eerie silence broken only by the clack-clack of the helicopters accompanied the apocalyptic landscape. The empty and charred shells of dozens of tortoises and snakes that had tried to flee, littered the roads. Scores of residents congregated near the beach to watch in awe as two helicopters flying in tandem filled their Bambi buckets with water from the ocean.

Residents of several thatched homes desperately tried to keep their roofs wet with hoses and buckets of water as the ash and soot descended, raising the temperature considerably. A total of four houses were destroyed and another two partially damaged.

By Monday afternoon more than 14 300 ha of fynbos had been destroyed – an area equiv-

alent to 143 million square metres or 14 290 rugby fields. In total 47 houses were completely gutted, together with one shed, while 30 houses were damaged. The final number of structures that were either destroyed or damaged will only be available after all the fires have been extinguished.

According to Fire Chief, Lester Smith, it is difficult to accurately determine the destruction caused by the fires as flare-ups continue. “The fact that no smoke is visible does not mean that a fire is completely extinguished. Many times, smouldering debris can flare up without any notice, especially when there is a strong wind.”

It is suspected that the fire which started in Betty’s Bay early on New Year’s Day, was caused by a flare that was allegedly discharged by a Mooiuitsig resident. Shelton April, who was arrested a few days after the fire started, appeared in the Caledon Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged with one count of contravening the National Environmental Management Act. The case was transferred to the Regional Court where April will appear on 23 January for a formal bail application. He will remain in custody.

The Hermanus fire originally stared on Christmas Day in Karwyderskraal and was brought under control before flaring up again on Friday, 11 January. It is still unclear what caused the Hermanus and Franskraal fires.

Although rain brought welcome relief on Friday evening, several flare-ups at all three sites were reported on Saturday. In the Hemelen-Aarde Valley helicopters and ground crews battled the blaze while cricket legend Jacques Kallis married Charlene Engels at the Bona Dea Estate on Saturday afternoon.

The wedding, attended by several well-known local and international sporting guests, went off without a hitch even after the décor, brought all the way from Johannesburg, caught fire and was destroyed on Friday evening. Bona Dea owner, Robert Johnson said they met with the couple on Friday evening and the decision was taken to go ahead with

the wedding as planned. “We offered them all the décor we had in stock and the wedding planner, together with our dedicated staff, worked long hours to ensure that everything was perfect,” says Robert.

“The venue where the wedding was held was not damaged and the ceremony went ahead successfully. The only real issues that affected the guests were the smoke and wind which nobody could do anything about. As you can imagine there were numerous challenges to overcome at short notice.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to the officials and public representatives of the Overstrand Municipality for the assistance we received, especially from the Directorate of Management Services who supplied us with emergency water (we had none) and the Directorate of Protection Services as well as Law Enforcement and Security who made it possible for the guests to actually get to the wedding through the ‘burning bushes’ and be assured of their safety.”

Children saved in the nick of time “It felt as if I was going to lose my mind. I was beside myself with worry and felt more helpless than I have ever felt in my life,” recounts resident Christine Grobbelaar after her twin sons and their nanny were trapped on Friday by the raging fire shortly before in their house at the top of Rotary Way burned down.

Maria Marthinus had the presence of mind to grab the children and put them in the swimming pool with wet rags covering their heads.

“I did not jump in the water as my priority was to ensure the safety of the children. I tried to keep them as calm as possible and told them everything would be fine,” relates Maria.

Standing in the ruins of their house trying to find anything that was still salvageable, Christine and husband, Francois, say both of them tried to drive through the raging flames to get to their children.

As the fire was closing in on the house, a local beekeeper in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley saw that the fire was close to the house and rushed up the gravel road on the farm side of the Hamilton Russell Estate in his bakkie to rescue the panicked children and Maria.

“The flames were simply too high and the smoke too thick to drive the last 100 metres to the house. It was awful because the house was so near, yet so far and there was nothing we could do to help our children, who were surrounded by flames on all sides,” says Francois.

Luckily the brave and level-headed nanny

Christine says they will for ever be in the beekeeper's debt. “He was a true hero. As he arrived at the house, the fire was rapidly closing in and shortly after they raced to safety, the house caught fire. We lost basically everything. The only piece of the house that was not destroyed was the garage – the

ABOVE: Christine Grobbelaar in front of the burnt-out shell of their home on the Hamilton-Russell Estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

RIGHT: Maria Marthinus, the Grobbelaar children's nanny, next to the swimming pool where they were trying to hide from the encroaching fire. They were rescued minutes before the whole property went up in flames.

PHOTOS: Leijla Steyn

place where one normally stores all your junk.”

The Grobbelaars say they are thankful that everyone escaped unharmed. “If you think of what could have happened, the loss of furniture and belongings pale into insignificance.”

– De Waal Steyn

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16 January 2019

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#fireiseveryonesfight

The Village NEWS has taken great care in crediting pictures where possible. Some images were sourced from social media and are therefore in the public domain. -Ed

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PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

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PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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PHOTO: Anena Burger

HERMANUS 1. Smoke from the Hemel-en-Aarde fire engulfed the Hermanus CBD on Friday afternoon.

2. The fire spread quickly past Hermanus Cemetery towards Mountain Drive.

3. Michael Bayer and Watson Ndao from The Beanery were among the 30-odd volunteers who helped to keep the fire at bay behind the AstroTurf.

4. A Bumblebee helicopter stops to refuel.

5. The flames near Mountain Drive towered above the telephone polls in some places.

6. A devastated forest in Karwyderskraal after the fires raged through it.

7. Other volunteers behind the AstroTurf included (from left) Pierre van Heerden, Frank Single, Greg Hassenkamp and Christiaan DeWet. 8. CornĂŠ Uys and Vion Wium released their rescued tortoises into the Fernkloof Nature Reserve gardens.

Municipalities and agencies that assisted were: Garden Route District Municipality (George), City of Cape Town, West Coast District Municipality, Stellenbosch Municipality, Cape Winelands District Municipality, Overberg District Municipality, Hessequa Municipality (Riversdale), GOFPA (Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association), FMU (Farm Management Units) landowners and neighbouring farms, Cape Nature, Overstrand Traffic Services, Overstrand Law Enforcement officials & Special Task Team, Provincial Traffic and SAPS.

PHOTO: Raphael da Silva

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PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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PHOTO: Niels Bastiaensen

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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PHOTO: Hugo Uys

16 January 2019

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The relationship between fynbos and fire With the Overstrand devastated by fires over the past two weeks, we turned to Whale Coast Conservation to find out what the impact will be on our fynbos, which is the most biodiverse in the world in terms of species density. It depends, writes WCC Communications Manager, DR ANINA LEE. Fire and fynbos are a paradox; the impact could be good or bad.

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on seeds for germination. A great example of a rapid re-sprouter is Erica cerinthoides (fire heath). Look out also for the spectacular fire lily (Cyrtanthus ventricosus).

e all know that fynbos burns. In fact, it is the frequent fires in the Western Cape that has led to the great variety of species. Fire, hot dry summers, wind and poor soil quality have all put evolutionary pressure on plants to survive. As a result, the slightest variation in the genome gave certain plants a tiny advantage over others in a particular niche habitat, leading to speciation.

Protea nitida (‘waboom’) starts to sprout from buds under its thick protective bark.

Within a month Wild Asparagus (‘katstert’) will re-grow from its roots to more than a metre high and in full bloom.

Fynbos is both adapted and dependent Paradoxically, fynbos is not just adapted to survive fire, but it also depends on fire to continue to exist.

After six weeks or so, the bright red flowers of Haemanthus (paintbrush flower) and Brunsvigia (candelabra flower) will appear all over the landscape. Prior to the fire, many of these plants will have been smothered by old, dense fynbos and now will be their first flowering appearance in many years.

The soils on which fynbos grows are extremely poor in nutrients. Some species survive by forming symbiotic relationships with fungi or bacteria in the soil to access nutrients. However, after growing for 15 to 20 years, the plants have pretty much absorbed all the nutrients in the soil around them. They lose vigour and will eventually die. This is the time that fire has a critical role.

A fynbos fire stimulates new beginnings. The nutrients that were locked up in the plants are returned to the soil in the form of ash. The heat and smoke of the fire stimulates many different seeds to germinate in the nutrient-rich ashes of the parent plants. Other plants re-sprout from roots or stems that have evolved to withstand fire. A plethora of bulbous plants will only flower abundantly when the veld has been cleared of other vegetation.

Of course it’s not as simple as that. The timing and frequency of fires is crucial. Many species such as Proteas need at least 10 years between fires to build up a sufficient seed bank to reseed. The ideal interval between fynbos fires is about 15 years. The time of year of the fire and the rainfall pattern during the first year after fire are critical to the survival of many small seedlings and newly-sprouted plants. The fires this last week, in the middle of the hot dry summer, came at the wrong time.

When were the last fires?

What do we know about the areas that have burned recently? Kogelberg burned about eight years ago. The fynbos there will probably recover, but it’s not ideal. Some species may be lost, while others may thrive.

Rooi Els burned less than two years ago. Its

Look out for the spectacular Pillansia templemannii, a member of the iris family. Other bulb species like Watsonias will also be spectacular in the first spring after the fire. Orchids will flower in profusion from September/October.

biodiversity will probably suffer, especially the Proteas.

The western ‘leg’ of Fernkloof Nature Reserve burned exactly 11 years ago. After that last fire, the Hermanus Botanical Society monitored and documented everything that re-appeared.

This will now be repeated, providing valuable information about fynbos regeneration in the reserve.

Will the fynbos be the same as before?

No, it will not. Differences in fire intensity and frequency, rainfall patterns in the ensuing year and many other factors will influence what species survive. But fynbos will survive – maybe in a slightly different form.

What should we look out for?

Within weeks of the fire, life will almost miraculously appear from the scorched earth.

Re-sprouting plants have a major advantage after fire in comparison with plants that rely

Fires also present a great opportunity Everyone who walks our mountains can contribute to the data about fynbos after fire.

Record what you see – either by name or photograph with the date and place. At the end of each year, please send your observations to the Hermanus Botanical Society at botsochermanus@telkomsa.net.

It is commonly known that invasive alien species are the greatest threat to the survival of fynbos. There is now an opportunity that cannot be missed to make a dent in the numbers of aliens. This must be done within two years after a fire when the alien seedlings that come up can still be hand-pulled. It is by far the easiest and cheapest way to get rid of aliens. All it needs is commitment and manpower.

When the time is right, Whale Coast Conservation will ask for volunteers to #lend-a-hand together with other role players like the Hermanus Botanical Society and the Hermanus Hacking Group to fight for our fynbos.

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16 January 2019

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PHOTO: Sullivan Photography

PHOTO: Leijla Steyn

FRANSKRAAL

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Alida Olivier wets her sister's garden to prevent the flames from jumping to her house.

An enormous smoke cloud hangs over the small holiday town of Franskraal on Friday.

Many tortoises, snakes and other wildlife tried to flee the burning fynbos but not all were successful.

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PHOTO: Philip du Plessis

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A firefighter beats down flames in Betty's Bay. One of the many homes and vehicles that were destroyed by the Betty's Bay fire.

This small Grysbokkie (nicknamed ‘Bambi’) was taken to the Country Animal Clinic in Somerset West on Saturday after firefighters rescued it. He was delivered to the clinic

by ER24 paramedics in their ambulance. Dr Adri Rossouw continues to give him round-the-clock care in her home.

One of the few recognisable items left in this home.

Fires continued to burn throughout the area, despite the rain on Friday evening.

A Bumblebee helicopter carries water to the heart of the fire.

Approximate area destroyed: Betty’s Bay 12 080 ha, Hermanus 1 280 ha, Franskraal 940 ha.

All of the Overstrand's manpower and vehicles were pulled in to do active firefighting on all three fires.

Working on Fire (WOF) ground teams assisted, working 12hour shifts, with fresh crew deployed morning and evening.

Other ground teams that assisted are NCC Environmental Services, Limitless, Envirowildfire Services, Barry Stander, Stem in die Bos, Volunteer Wildfire Services.

At one stage, 52 firefighting vehicles were operational together with 226 firefighters.

At times eight helicopters were actively firefighting with assistance from eight helitec teams. These choppers were from WOF as well as an Oryx from the SANDF. Choppers were used interchangeably between Betty's Bay, Hermanus and Franskraal.

At this stage it is not possible to determine the estimated cost of the fires in the area as it has not yet been declared safe.

Two patients were hospitalised due to injuries sustained on scene.

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PHOTO: Jenny Parsons

PHOTO: Country Animal Clinic

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PHOTO: Dirk Theron

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PHOTO: Jan Lill

16 January 2019

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Pig farmers given three months to evacuate Writer Raphael da Silva

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t a closed meeting last Friday, pig farmers from Hawston and Zwelihle were given a three-month temporary lease by the Overstrand Municipality, after which time they must leave the premises that they have been “temporarily” occupying on municipal land in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley for the past two years.

This follows an open meeting on Wednesday, 9 January at the municipal offices in Hermanus attended by the farmers and representatives of the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), animal rights activists and organisations, Hermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) and municipal officials from the legal department, Local Economic Development (LED), and Infrastructure and Planning.

At this open meeting, the farmers presented an open letter signed by 15 of them that began, “We write this letter amidst utmost bitterness and anger among the farmers at (the) manner in which, in recent times, critics of Hermanus have been tirelessly attempting to get rid of the pig project started from humble beginnings three years ago.”

The letter rejected the suggestion that the farmers sell their pigs to a commercial farmer as either an interim or permanent solution, arguing that they already had markets for their products. The farmers said they would

buy a pellet gun to slaughter the pigs on the property, “as in that way, pain and suffering unleashed to these animals is minimised to a great extent”.

The farmers also argued that the Overstrand was the only municipality that was trying to stop farmers. “(In) all municipalities in South Africa except Hermanus, pig farmers are tremendously contributing to food security as well as creating jobs in the vendor sector without being distributed at all.” They also rejected the idea of switching to hydroponic farming of vegetables.

The letter concluded with the following statement: “Hands-off the farmers and their animals.

We will raise our pigs at the current plot until a better alternative in terms of suitable land is found for these farmers. This right is enshrined in the South African Constitution unfortunately. Let us bring solutions and not criticisms.”

The municipality pointed out that it was not their responsibility to find private land for the farmers. They had nevertheless looked at all municipal land but could not find anything suitable. They also said that they were only supposed to provide a temporary solution for 3 months up to a maximum of 12 months and that, originally, there were only four farmers but that the number had since increased.

The NSPCA also pointed out that regardless of

No explanation for delays in mail delivery Writer Jeremy Ryall For months, disgruntled Hermanus residents have been complaining about delays in both sending and receiving mail and, as a result, have not only volunteered to help sort the mail at the Post Office but also deliver it.

Officially, the Hermanus Post Office has not given any reasons for these delays except to say that the Overstrand is a vast area and they do not have the capacity to ensure regular mail delivery.

“We have personal experience of mail from Scotland taking 8 months to reach us. Several locals have made a group offer to go into the Hermanus sorting office as volunteer sorters to alleviate the backlog,” says Hermanus resident Lynn Hardbattle.

Fiona Matthes, who has been living in Westcliff for the past five years, says she has not had a positive experience with sending mail. “I actually have a lot of trouble with the occasional mail going out. I sent registered forms to the UK and they just disappeared altogether. I was tracing the forms as far as OR Tambo and then suddenly they were just gone. I repeated the process, with the same result.”

Unofficially, Matthes was informed by an employee at the Hermanus Post Office that there are containers of mail that are still waiting to be sorted through. This, coupled with the fact that no volunteers are permitted to sort the mail, has resulted in the backlog of mail deliveries.

“I was led to understand that our offer to ease

the current accumulation of undelivered mail was not acceptable, possibly due to Post Office procedures,” says Lynn. “I am unsure of the precise reasons although, surely, if the backlog is in sorting the mail then we won’t be able to deliver the massive amounts that have not been sorted.”

A manager at the Hermanus Post Office told The Village NEWS that although volunteer help would be appreciated, the appropriate authorities have not yet given the go-ahead. What this means is that they cannot allow any citizen to sort the mail who has not been given official clearance, due to confidentiality reasons.

However, the manager did ask that, for now, if any Overstrand resident has a complaint or enquiry, they can contact customer care on 0860 111502 or go to the post office to see the mail manager.

The Village NEWS attempted on three occasions to get official comment and clarity on the situation from the Hermanus Post Office.

Several attempts, both by email and telephone, were also made to speak with the Post Office media spokesperson at the head office.

The Village NEWS wanted to know if the Post Office taking over South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) payments was partly to blame for the apparent shortage of staff and the delays in mail delivery. However, all attempts to date have been unsuccessful.

the land issue, the fact was that the pigs were not being properly taken care of and the structures were also not suitable.

The Village NEWS was first alerted to the plight of the pigs by a concerned resident in December last year. When we visited the piggery project, located on municipal property in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the pigs were found in a bad condition, suffering from a lack of food, water, shade, dry land and, in some cases, adequate space.

The site was originally intended to provide temporary housing for about 70 pigs from Zwelihle and Hawston, but, over two years

later, it is still operating. Since the conditions at the site became known last month, several members of the public and animal welfare organisations have volunteered to assist the more than 200 pigs by providing food, water and bales of hay.

A local vet who treated the sick animals submitted a report to the NSPCA, which led to the current investigation and the steps that are being taken in an attempt to resolve the issue.

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LET’S TALK

Healthy and robust debate are crucial for democracy. The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Enjoy our paper. - The Editorial Team

T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial

GAS DELIVERIES

Beware of credit card scam As The NEWS is a local community newspaper in Hermanus I would very much appreciate it if you could warn all residents – particularly the elderly – in our community about a credit card scam that is hitting us.

This is what happened to me on Tuesday last week: I received a call from a well-spoken lady saying she was from my bank and would I like to "upgrade" my credit card. I was not concerned about this as I had often received this type of call from my bank previously.

I said no thank you, to which she replied: “Did to know that you have earned over a thousand Rand in bonus points on your present credit card BUT if you upgrade now you will double that amount in this year."

I again answered, "No thanks, I am quite happy with what I have," and put the phone down.

Within minutes she called again.

"Please don’t put the phone down,” she said. “I want to transfer your bonus into your credit card but just have to check a couple of details."

She then verbally spelled out my full

been blocked – which it had been – and to tell them about the scam.

name, full address and cellphone number correctly. But then she gave my email address incorrectly and it raised a red flag for me, so I just said “OK” and hung up.

It was then that I got a real shock because the gentleman in the bank to whom I was speaking just gasped and said: "Oh no, I don’t believe it!

You are the third person who has come in this morning to report this credit card scam. One client had been scammed for just over R5 000 and the other over R10 000. This was early in the morning and I do not know if any more people have reported this scam or if it was only at this one bank.

Within minutes I received an sms from my bank saying that R7 901 had been spent on my credit card at Takealot and if I was concerned about it to phone a specific number.

On my credit card it is normal for the bank to sms me like this if I have spent over R500 at any one time. But R7901 at Takealot? No, no no! I have never bought anything from Takealot.

So I phoned the emergency number immediately and the card was blocked – but unfortunately too late, as the transaction had already been processed.

I have now contacted the SAPS and laid a charge of fraud against this as yet unknown person(s). The police have been outstandingly supportive and a subpoena against Takealot is in the process of being issued. It may take a couple of days, but then Takealot will have no choice but to reveal who used my credit card to pay for their order and the delivery address. I am hoping that I will get justice!

I immediately contacted three different departments at Takealot online and told them about the credit card scam and asked them to stop the delivery of the order that had been paid for. However, I received no reply.

I hope my experience will serve as a warning to your readers.

The next morning I went to my bank to confirm that my credit card had

AMcG

Constructive information and criticism needed I want to congratulate you on your newspaper and also ask you please to persevere with constructive information and criticism because this is what is needed in RSA today.

folk who were in responsible positions in JHB and elsewhere who want to support their new homes, and want to try and remain positive.

There are too many people with negative attitudes whose views are aired ad nauseum when the issue is that all folks of SA need assistance to find work which will help to move the country forwards into the future.

So things like Zuma's story (not your paper) for example should be buried, by putting all the news about him on the back pages – his story is not new and no different to the stories of other leaders in the world that are repeated daily in international news.

As an example, there are many retired

As an example, it was good to read

Reckless driving poses risk I would like to start off by complimenting Hermanus on being a great destination for a holiday – lovely clean beaches, great restaurants, safe coastal cliff paths (patrolled by an ever-present security presence) and of course beautiful views.

The only blemish on a great getaway was the speeding and reckless driving we experienced on Westcliff Road. As you know the road is quite long, which means that vehicles can accelerate to quite a speed, and many do. In addition to the speeding, we witnessed on numerous occasions dangerous overtaking

I wish you well.

Padmaker

I hope that some measure can be put in place to prevent the speeding and reckless driving on Westcliff Road before someone is hurt or killed.

Gary Brown

Can the centre of our town hold?

I’m reminded of these lines from the well-known poem by WB Yeats: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

The town is changing rapidly, we all know that. But surely the centre can hold. We can live in a safe, prosperous, inclusive town.

Pete Oxford's thoughts on the Betty's Bay salmon farm but as an expert in his field I would suggest that it would also help if he could be more constructive and offer valuable advice on how the farm could perhaps move forward, for it really is extremely important that work be found for the unemployed people of SA wherever it is possible.

manoeuvres at high speed. Twice we witnessed this occurring at the pedestrian crossing (which has islands and is very narrow), in a zone that prohibits overtaking, if I am not mistaken. This poses the greatest risk to runners and cyclists. Runners are especially vulnerable in this case as they do not have sight of the overtaking vehicle coming up behind them.

Over many years, community members have been lamenting speeding and reckless driving behaviour, along with the lack of pedestrian-friendly walkways, on Westcliff Road, a prime tourism and community asset. And it is getting worse. Much worse.

Over the festive season, it really did feel like 'mere anarchy' and both visitors and residents commented on how dangerous this road is to pedestrians and cyclists. Often it

WEEKLY WEATHER & DE BOS DAM LEVELS

feels like a scene from Mad Max: Fury Road! Near misses are not only commonplace, but almost a daily occurrence.

There have been deaths and there will be more if this continues. In contrast, Mbeki Road - another prime asset - is safe and orderly. What a contrast.

To the Municipal Manager: Sir, please accept the challenge of positioning this prime asset for the future. An asset that is safe and accessible to the whole community.

How this is done is up to you – you and your team have the expertise.

But make it effective, please. None of the half measures we have seen in the past.

Eduard van Zyl Westcliff resident

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16 January 2019

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OPINION MATTERS GET IN TOUCH

When it rains, it pours When it rains, it pours.

Five words that, for most people, mean that when something bad happens, other bad things usually happen at the same time. But, for residents of the Overstrand, these five words vividly came to life last Friday, reflecting rather their original positive meaning as an omen for good as well.

Use whatever phrase you wish – we dodged a bullet, the Gods were

A Far Kraai

De Waal Steyn

smiling upon us; our prayers were answered, as luck would have it – but for residents, fire fighters, volunteers, in fact for everyone, when the heavens opened up on Friday evening, it didn’t just rain. It poured.

animals have died or are now without shelter or food. It is all so terrible.

But it could have been much worse.

Thank goodness that it didn’t just rain.

It poured.

It is all too easy to fall into the trap of focusing on just how challenging the start of 2019 has been after a difficult 2018 for residents.

Yes. Many homes were destroyed.

Many lives will forever be indelibly scarred and scorched. Land areas too vast to even contemplate are charred.

Large areas of vegetation and forests have been reduced to cinder. Many

attitude to this saying.

Or we could look at this phrase from its original intention and say that the spirit of community, the willingness to do a little bit of good, has continued not just to “reign” with us in 2019. It has poured out. So let us be thankful that it doesn’t just rain in our community. It pours! #JustBeStrong This is the good NEWS - Ed

Yes, we could say, when it rains, it pours, and adopt the conventional

What’s in a name? A rose by any other name ain’t foolin’ nobody, sang Juliet (Bette Midler) to Romeo (Chuck Norris) on the American leg of the Shakespearean hit musical, ‘The Rose’.

And so, while sharing a yummy bowl of rhubarb broth at the Duck ’n Fiddle, the subject of strange names bubbled up from the cauldron of curiosity. This got the elves ferreting through the annals in The Explanation of Everything to expose the roots of some family names still used today.

Surnames often indicate where our ancestors came from, or what type of work they did. Sometimes they signified a faith, or sometimes the bloodline. Often, a prefix was added before the name, like mac, van, bin, de and du, or son/sen as a suffix. These were passed proudly down through generations, and some descendants with embarrassingly inappropriate names are still stuck with them today – like it or not.

Dominee Niek van Niekerk for example, doesn’t. And both dietician guru Poppy Olifant, and proctologist Dr Ernest Delvers are gatvol of the snide

innuendos.

Many names though, are blatantly obvious. The Esterhuizens and the van der Westhuizens lived on opposite sides of towns, but the centuries old ‘snobs versus yobs’ feud still rages on today. Which family came from the wrong side of the tracks?

So, to safeguard wedding guests, if there’s an unlikely union between Ester and Wessels, armed police dogs, electrified razor wire and bagpipers are on standby to separate the families. As a long-standing guideline for avoiding excessive bloodshed, it’s been agreed that confetti and verbal abuse may be hurled freely, but nothing solid like koeksisters, handbags, hymnbooks or empty Klipdrift bottles.

Anyway, the slightly rude medieval English name of Bottom originated near Yorkshire. To the south lived the Longbottoms, where seamstresses had their work cut out lowering crotches and raising waist heights to accommodate the elongated buns.

Hipsters were considered indecent.

Nearby lived the Sidebottoms who, as you can imagine, had a different problem altogether. With the fly being on the hip, slow-dancing was

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awkward, and often led to brawls, but thankfully they’ve managed to put it all behind them since then.

The Ramsbottoms were regarded as uncouth country bumkins who ‘watched their flocks by night’, whatever that means, so let’s just leave it at that.

My surname, Stewart, was originally two words. Stige or stig referred to a barn/shed for cattle, sheep or pigs, and that’s where sty comes from.

Weard is olde English for warden, so a steward (sty-ward) was in charge of the laird’s animals and eventually the entire estate.

Spellings varied over time, but one way or another my ancestors – barbaric ginger brutes wearing blue paint and mini-skirts but no underpants – graduated from the pigsty to the palace, resulting in Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. Being a lady, she did wear underpants, and was delighted to wear the crown as well, till her English cousin Betty beheaded her and it fell off, but that’s another story.

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Elaine Davie

Tania Hamman

the Brandts were originally renegade arsonists and the Jordaans were religious river-dwellers. The Bosmans preferred to interbreed quietly in the forests, and avoided towns because they frightened the children, and the dogs howled hysterically at them.

These names are all self-explanatory but others have murkier roots. Some of the de Koks for example, originally from a well-established international male-escort agency, sashayed from parlour to pantry and many became chefs to escape their unpalatable past.

It’s also gratifying to know that Roy Fitzpatrick, Patrick Fitzgerald and Gerald Fitzroy were happy to mix ’n match willy-nilly, once they all came out of the closet together.

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However, the Kitshoffs, current owners of the notorious chain of sleazy strip-clubs have a lot of explaining to do – never mind the Trollopes, the Husseys and the Alcocks! Shameful!

And do the Lipshitz by any other name smell just as sweet?

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Kathy Mulock-Bentley

Charé van der Walt

As we’ve learned over the years, a Cooper/Kuiper made wine barrels; Butchers murdered animals; the Bekkers couldn’t stop talking; and the Kotze family was renowned for throwing up randomly. We further discovered

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Raphael da Silva

Taylum Meyer

Family names: Embarrassing origins exposed By Murray Stewart (old photo)

Hedda Mittner

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6 Royal Street, Hermanus

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16 January 2019

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OPINION MATTERS On My Mind

TRENDING TOPICS #justbestrong

Baboons in post-fire fynbos

#bettysbayfire #hermanusfire #franskraalfire

Writer & Photographer Joselyn Mormile

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aboons are incredibly opportunistic, adaptable and intelligent.

These characteristics make them very successful animals. After fynbos fires, baboons do exceptionally well with naturally available food.

Fynbos is a fire-adapted vegetation which requires occasional burning for genetic survival. Despite the stark appearance of the landscape, several species of fynbos plants release seeds which then become readily available to baboons and other wildlife.

Because the roots of fynbos do not run deep, as is the case with forests where underground roots continue to burn long after the fires have been extinguished, wildlife can begin foraging in the burnt fynbos areas just hours after the flames have died.

Baboons play a pivotal ecological role in seed-dispersal and potential seed-germination of fynbos, particularly after fires.

The consumption of seeds post-fire is instinctive for local wildlife. In both the March 2017 and this recent fire, the Rooiels baboons were seen in the newly-burnt areas immediately following the fires, preferring the abundantly available high-protein seeds over visiting residential properties in the village for more mature fynbos.

After the initial seeds dwindle in numbers (approximately one month from fire, dependent on rain and wind), baboons consume many plant species at every stage of regrowth.

Additionally, the act of foraging and digging for bulbs and shoots by baboons creates micro-environments for dispersed seeds.

Survival despite extent of fires There is some difficultly in predicting the longer-term availability of food for the baboon troops whose entire home ranges may have been burnt and where all the vegetation in the area will undergo the same stage of

regrowth simultaneously. Unfortunately, we do not have information on the home ranges of most of the local baboon troops, so we cannot determine whether there are in fact local troops that are likely to face this challenge.

Importantly, baboons are not territorial and as such are able to shift their home ranges during times of need.

I remain confident in the extreme adaptability and ecological and behavioral flexibility of baboons to survive even in times of lower food availability.

Baboons in towns Smoke inhalation and burns can pose a threat to wildlife. Baboons may seek refuge in urban areas during active fires. In the mayhem baboons may end up separated from their troops, so spotting baboons alone or in small groups can occur. These baboons may appear distressed as they vocalize to find their troop. However, baboons are instinctively driven to reunite with their troop members and are adept at doing so. In particularly stressful cases such as wildfires, it is possible that this may take a few days before it is achieved.

Natural food is available to baboons immediately following a fynbos burn. Despite its availability however, finding seeds still requires extensive foraging time by baboons. We know that baboons will always take the opportunity to forage for human foods over their natural food sources as these human foods offer higher calorie rewards for less effort.

This is not unique to fire situations and exists in all baboon troops living on urban and suburban edges. The presence of baboons in villages immediately after fynbos fires does not mean that the baboons do not have food, but rather that they are in search of easier human food opportunities.

Feeding baboons after fynbos fires It is easy to empathize with the human desire to assist wildlife after fires. Afterall, the landscape does look frighteningly barren to the human eye. However, I strongly advise against the feeding of baboons after fynbos fires.

Provisioning of baboons in villages perpetuates potential conflict with residents, dogs and motor vehicles and for this reason is prohibited by law. Offering human foods which are inherently more substantial, require less foraging time, are lower in fibre and higher in calories than natural foods and are thus more attractive to baboons, deflects from the ecological purpose of baboons to facilitate the regrowth of our exceptionally rare and special fynbos.

How you can help?

In an effort to prevent potential conflicts, I strongly recommend that residents remain vigilant to the presence of baboons in the villages. Please stay active in preventing baboons from exploiting human food from homes and bins through baboon-proofing and keeping windows and doors closed when not in the immediate vicinity.

Concerned residents can supply clean drinking water in gardens for wildlife, as this has little negative impact on the ecological balance and is unlikely to serve as a strong attractant for baboons to visit properties.

In the coming months as our communities rebuild, it is advisable that residents exclusively plant indigenous species in gardens. Planting local species aids in the recovery of the existing fynbos by increasing local genetic plant diversity, replaces recovering areas with naturally occurring plant species as opposed to exotic, invasive plants which threaten the survival of the fynbos biome, offers ecologically-appropriate food sources for surviving wildlife and is fire-wise compared to non-indigenous plants. * Joselyn Mormile is a resident of Rooiels, primatologist and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Cape Town & Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild)

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I also ask that residents please practise tolerance for the possible increased presence of baboons within the villages during the coming months, as the mature natural vegetation on properties and road verges may offer important supplemental foods during this time. Please prevent interactions with pet dogs by not leaving dog food outside and bringing dogs indoors if baboons are heard or seen in the area. Injuries to baboons or other wildlife should be reported to CapeNature.

Due to the recent fires CapeNature is requesting that communities living adjacent to the burnt areas support the recovery of wildlife by monitoring the condition of species and reporting any injured animals to CapeNature as soon as possible.

It would be very helpful if the following information could be provided to CapeNature when an injured animal is found: • Exact locality of where the injured animal has been found/spotted (GPS position if possible).

• Correct species identification (as far as possible).

• Brief description of the injuries to the animal.

• If possible photographic evidence or video footage should be taken so that the correct information is made available to the official for

the most appropriate treatment.

Do not approach an injured animal or put yourself in any danger, rather contact Corlie Hugo at Kogelberg Nature Reserve (087 288 0499 / 082 380 9071) or Andre Marais at Walkerbay Nature Reserve (028 314 0062 / 066 233 4493) to report any wild animals found. No feeding of wild animals.

Wild animals will naturally move to an alternative habitat; by feeding wild animals you are firstly keeping them from a natural evacuation of the area and secondly making them dependent on feeding stations. As soon as the habitat assessment is completed, the situation will be reassessed.

Help by assessing and reporting – not feeding! We should support wildlife by facilitating corridors

in order to allow them to move freely; driving carefully along public roads, and ensuring that our pets do not get the opportunity to chase wild animals that graze/browse close to residential areas.

Please drive carefully; road verges also provide food for wildlife such as small antelope and primate species as these areas are often intact and are good for grazing/browsing.

Please stay out of natural areas – no hiking.

We ask that the public refrain from accessing any natural areas in the region where there are still active or smouldering fire lines. These areas continue to constitute a high fire risk so please help us keep everyone safe.

THE VILLAGE

EXPLORER FOOD | ART | WINE | NATURE

Ecology: A natural treasure of biodiversity PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

ABOVE: Mohseen Moosa and Daphne Neethling presenting their PaardenKloof and Ecology wines during the annual Bot River Spring Festival.

PHOTO: Supplied Writer Hedda Mittner

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f you haven’t been to Ecology Lifestyle Farm, you’ve almost certainly driven past it. Located on the R43, a few kilometres from the Bot River turn-off, you’ll do well to include a visit the next time you head over the mountain – or on your way back.

At this unique destination, Daphne Neethling and Mohseen Moosa are developing the farm according to their passionate vision. Although they only purchased the Ecology farm in 2015, they are not newcomers to the area, having bought a large fruit farm on Swartrivier Road in 2001.

This 1 430 ha farm named PaardenKloof, which means ‘Valley of the horses’ is a historic site where Voortrekkers herded their horses in the 1800s and the Khoisan before them herded their Nguni cattle.

In 2002 they decided to shift their focus from fruit to wine and established 23 ha of remote mountainous vineyards at PaardenKloof, which borders

the Babilonstoring Nature Reserve.

Grape varieties were specifically sourced for their suitability to the terroir and the grapes are used to hand craft limited edition, single-vineyard varietals of premium matured Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Besides their limited release wines, which represent the estate’s pivotal passion, they also farm organically reared Dormer sheep, fynbos honey, cut flowers and a stud herd of indigenous Nguni cattle. More than 1 000 ha is conserved as natural fynbos in an area where leopard, buck and lynx still roam freely. A botanical survey has identified more than 180 indigenous species, including 24 Proteaceae and 28 Erica species.

As passionate conservationists, Daphne and Mohseen consider these treasures as gifts from nature that have been entrusted to their care for future generations. The Ecology Lifestyle Farm now forms part of this biodiversity family and was designed

to make the farm’s products more accessible to the public. Here you will find a spacious restaurant, tasting room, gift shop, fynbos nursery and play area for children with farmyard animals. Natural building materials such as wood and stone were used, creating a rustic and relaxed country lifestyle ambience.

PHOTO: Supplied

The restaurant, which is open all day for breakfast, lunch or simply a coffee break, has large stack doors that open up to the beautiful surroundings.

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MIDDLE RIGHT: The entrance to Ecology Lifestyle Farm on the R43 near Bot River.

RIGHT: The restaurant at Ecology is open daily and available for functions, weddings and conferences.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

STERLING

RENAULT

R255 900 5 Mitchell Street, Hermanus, 7200 Tel. 028 312 1143 sterling@sterlingrenault.co.za www.sterlinghermanus.co.za

WHAT’S ON

OVERBERG

Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats cheeses to cured meats, farm-fresh vegetables and deli delights to tantalise your taste buds!

Stanford Hotel | 09:00 – 12:00

GOT AN EVENT? Send us an email to event@thevillagenews.co.za or send us a WhatsApp to 074 125 5854.

FREE for community & non-profit organisations R 100 for everyone else R 150 to include a photo A Night with Mr Browne Join Tony Browne and the Rewind Band for a performance of all the Ed Sheeran greats. Call 028 313 2137 to book.

Soul Café | 20:00

Thursday

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Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, homemade crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music.

Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00

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Sunday

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Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse This L2L Practise Walk will be 20+km, to prepare for the real walk in March.

It starts at Sumaridge wine estate and takes you on a circular route along the foot of the mountains, with your backpack and supplies. Remember to bring enough water for the entire walk, which will take about 6 hours.

Find out more at info@lighthouse2lighthouse.co.za Sumaridge Estate Wines | 07:00 Music in the Courtyard Enjoy Summer Tunes in The Courtyard while feasting on oysters and bubbly, local wines, craft beer and tapas-style plates. For more info or to reserve a table, call 028 312 2553.

The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Road | 12:00

Wednesday

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Fresh Food Market Shop weekly for your fresh micro-greens, organic veggies, fruit and herbs, as well as home-processed and baked goodies. Contact Lani on 082 679 7819 or visit www.afdaksrivier.co.za.

Café Tango & Afdaksrivier Nursery | 09:30 – 12:30

Friday

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Stanford Sunset Market

Music under the Milkwoods

Join Whale Coast Conservation for their first eco-adventure of the new year, which will take the form of an educational walk through the magical Milkwood forest at Piet se Bos near Grotto Beach. The highlight will be a display of fairy lights and music in the forest and there will even be some fairies and angels for the little ones to discover. Gather on the lawns behind Dutchies Restaurant from 19:30 and bring your own picnic to enjoy while waiting for the sun to set and the walk to start at 20:00. Booking is essential at R120 for adults and R60 for children, with all proceeds going towards environmental education. Contact Anina on 083 242 3295 anina.wcc@gmail.com.

Piet se Bos | 19:30

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Hermanus Hacking Group The HHG will resume its activities this week. Volunteers welcome. For more information contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 or charlynvosloo@gmail.com.

Rotary Way | 06:15 – 08:30 Hermanus Botanical Society AGM BotSoc’s AGM will include a talk by Emeritus Professor Brian Huntley entitled The potential for creating a Hermanus Botanical Garden: Lessons from Kirstenbosch. Huntley is a former CEO of the South African National Biodiversity Institute, where he was instrumental in initiating and directing the Kirstenbosch development campaign in the early 1990s, making Kirstenbosch what it is today, amongst the top ten botanical gardens in the world.

Fernkloof Hall | 18:00 Critical Mass Bike Ride Everyone, young and old, is invited to join this social bike ride to celebrate cycling as a healthy and safe mode of transport. For more info contact Carel Kushke on 074 849 5936. Meet at the Whale Garden.

Market Square | 19:00

This much-loved, local and lekker outdoor market brings friends and family, good food and wine, live music, gifts, crafts, books and charities together on the Market Square. Vendors who fly the eco-banner high are given preference and every effort is made to keep waste and non-recyclable rubbish to a minimum. We'll keep your toes tapping while your children run and play on the unspoilt Heritage Square. Plenty of seating and parking.

Stanford Market Square | 18:00 – 20:00

Silver Jester Enjoy a live performance by this alternative rock band from Cape Town. For bookings, contact 028 312 4665.

Gecko Bar, New Harbour | 20:30

Saturday

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BirdLife Overberg outing Travel to the famous Rooiels birding site and the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens to look for brilliant special birds such as the Cape Rock-jumper, Ground Woodpecker, Sentinel Rockthrush, Victorin’s Warbler, Verreaux’s Eagle and many more. Transport will be arranged from Onrus or you can meet up in Rooiels. Bring a sun hat and picnic basket. RSVP: Anton at birding@overberg.co.za or sms at 082 550 3347.

Onrus Trading Post | 07:00 Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00

Die Markie Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people.

Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00 – 13:00 Market in the Garden

Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden.

St Peter’s Church | 09:00 – 13:00 Gansbaai Farmer’s Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, local wines and craft beers. Only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries, contact info@gansbaaitourism.co.za.

Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism 09:00 – 14:00

Monday

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BirdLife Overberg Talk This illustrated presentation by Anton Odendal will highlight the plight of the Secretary bird as the BirdLife South Africa Bird of the Year. The talk will include interesting information on this iconic bird’s diet, breeding and habitat preferences. It will also look at some of the many threats facing this vulnerable species and what we can do to protect it. Catering at R100 per head or R30 to attend the talk only. Bring your own drinks and glasses. RSVP: Elaine at mwjasser@mweb.co.za or sms or WhatsApp at 082 455 8402.

Mollergren Park | 18:30

Pinot Noir Celebration The cool-climate Hemel-en-Aarde is world renowned for its Pinot Noir and every year the producers join forces to celebrate their passion for this highly revered cultivar. This year exciting vineyard safaris, delectable celebrity chef cuisine and a social atmosphere will be the order of the day. Join in the festivities, hang out with the winemakers, and embark on an adventure that will set your senses soaring. Tickets are available from pinotnoircelebration.co.za.

Nidderdale Farm, Hemel-en-Aarde | 10:00 - late

Saturday

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Pinot Noir Celebration See 25 January for more information.

Wielie Walie Trail Run

Hermanus Astronomy Centre

Join HAC for their monthly meeting where Prof. Amanda Sikafoose will present Recent Results from the Outer Solar System. Contact petermh@hermanus.co.za.

Catholic Church Hall | 19:00

Choose between a 6 km (R80) or 10 km (R100) route through picturesque fynbos and vineyards at this trail run event in aid of the Wielie Walie Playschool. Walkers are most welcome.

Enter online at www.entryninja.com.

There will be plenty of food and drink stalls as well as entertainment for the kids and those who fancy a wine tasting can make themselves comfortable in the cellar. A Lucky Draw will be held with loads of great prizes!

Raka Wine Estate, R326 near Stanford | 07:30

Saturday

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Hermanus Big Ocean Cleanup You're invited to join a coordinated shoreline and ocean clean-up along the Cliff Path, followed by a braai. This event is part of The Shark Company, together with the South African Shark Conservancy’s four-year ongoing marine debris survey. Participants will be divided into groups, each with an organising safety marshall, and after the clean-up all trash will be sorted and documented. This will be followed by a braai and prize giving.

Old Harbour | 08:30 – 13:00 Urban Farmer’s Workshop The first in a series of hands-on Urban Farmer’s Workshops that will focus on how to set up your own successful urban vegetable garden or build on your existing one. Be prepared to get your hands dirty, connect with like-minded people and have fun.

The cost of R400 pp includes course material and refreshments. Booking is essential and payment secures your place. Bank details: Ability Garden, FNB Acc. 625 7578 0450, Branch code 200412. Email name and surname as reference to nikki.swanepoel@gmail. com or call 072 436 1497.

Ability House, Church Street, Hawston | 09:00 – 13:00

Connecting to your Creative Core

Local artist Gillian Hahn will lead this multimedia workshop to help you get out of your comfort zone and express yourself freely. No art experience is needed as it is about more than just art and is designed to awaken your inner creativity and ability to express yourself with confidence in all spheres of everyday life. The cost of R300 pp includes art materials.

Contact 076 181 2964 or gillianhahn14@gmail.com for more details or to book.

Gillian Hahn Studio, Southern Right wine estate | 10:00 – 13:00 Jake Gunn & Devin Smith Join blues rock musician Jake Gunn for a live performance as he teams up with fellow-guitarist Devin Smith. Call 028 313 2137 to book.

Soul Café | 20:00

Invited...

You are

We would love to have you join us at our LONG WHITE SUPPER TABLE under the stars in the Hermanus Fernkloof Nature Reserve Date: Thursday 31 January 2019 Time: 18.00 – 21.00 Tickets: R250pp Drinks: Bring your own. (wine glasses available)

Dress: All white from top to toe please This is a fundraiser in aid of Camphill Farm’s fire damage Please send confirmation of your EFT payment to: annwright@telkomsa.net with the names of the guests by Friday 25 January.

BANKING DETAILS: BANK: STANDARD BRANCH CODE: 050312 [hermanus] ACC NO: 082 261 385 ACC TYPE: CURRENT REFERENCE: SUPPER+SURNAME

14 | FOOD

www.thevillagenews.co.za

16 January 2019 | WINE

& DINE WINE

LISTINGS

PHOTO: Supplied

From P 11 Products from the farm, including organic lamb, beef and raw honey, are used in the restaurant, which focuses on traditional, South African dishes such as potjiekos, braaivleis and their famous family-secret mutton curry and vegan recipes! The venue can accommodate up to 120 guests and is ideal for weddings, functions and conferences.

In the tasting room visitors can sit around the wooden tables in front of a roaring fire or relax on comfy leather couches on the shaded stoep while indulging in PaardenKloof’s exceptional wines. Viticulturist Kevin Watt, who has been with PaardenKloof since 2006, takes care of the vines alongside Mohseen, while award-winning Bot River winemaker Kobie Viljoen is contracted to make their wines, which are matured and bottled at PaardenKloof’s dry cellar.

Two ranges are produced – the premium, matured PaardenKloof range of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz; and the ‘easy-drinking’ Ecology range, first released in 2016, which represents the younger vintages.

This year will also see the launch of their first Pinot Noir wines, and new plantings of Chenin

RIGHT: PaardenKloof Estate has created a series of wines that pay tribute to their premium Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc varietals and the black South African artist, Peter Edward Clarke, who sought refuge in the Overberg in the 1950s. The PaardenKloof Sauvignon Blanc 2013 is titled ‘Bend in the Road’ after an oil painting by Clarke that hangs in the Iziko gallery in Cape Town and is depicted on the back label.

BELOW: The Ecology logo depicts the ancient Khoisan symbols of earth, wind and water, brought together in the shape of a seed pod.

ADVERTISE WITH US! ads@thevillagenews.co.za

FIND OUT MORE

CALL US: 084 688 5885

GAS SU P P LIES

T: 028 312 2020

Blanc, Chardonnay and more Pinot Noir are also on the cards for 2019.

Besides food and wine, Ecology Lifestyle Farm showcases the fabulous fynbos found at PaardenKloof. Daphne is planning on converting a large shed into a fresh flower market alongside their existing Protea décor service at Ecology, which specialises in wedding and events flowers. An additional 5 ha of different Protea species, including the ever-popular White and Pink King Protea, will be planted at PaardenKloof this year.

Daphne and Mohseen are keen to share their natural treasures with visitors, which is why they are currently renovating five cottages on the farm, perfect for idyllic weekend getaways and as a base for fynbos hikes on the farm.

This year’s Cape Epic will be traversing PaardenKloof Estate, with riders following the Land Rover technical section called ‘The Machine’ over the mountain from Hemel-en-Aarde during Stage 2 of the race.

Ecology Lifestyle Farm can be contacted on 028 284 9809. They are open daily from 08:30 – 17:00.

16 January 2019

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

9 Mitchell Streeet Hermanus 086 188 8987 janet@sterlingwealth.co.za www.sterlingprivatewealth.co.za

Attractive yields, safety and MY SCHOOL access to your money

Financial Matters

By Janet Hugo Sterling Wealth

A

s the new year starts, there are lots of investors worrying about recently down markets and whether they will get their usual dividend or interest yield that they will live on in 2019. In this article we comment on some attractive looking interest yield promises out there and why you need to be circumspect about them.

After recent market cycles, cash and bonds have been the better performing asset classes, delivering stable investment returns and not suffering from equity market setbacks. History suggests that interest earned on cash or near-cash, will usually be 1% above inflation, while investment bonds as an asset class are likely to deliver 2% above inflation on average.

What’s attractive about cash and bonds in worrying times, is that the investment returns tend to be more predictable, even though they don’t have much upside. Interest-yielding investments tend to be in the camp of lowest risk available. Yet if you are offered an interest rate that is higher than “normal,” be careful. Always assess the underlying investment for safety and yield prospects. The devil is often in the detail.

For many of us, earning an extra percentage point each year can make an attractive difference to

monthly income. At this time, when confidence is low and there is lots of desire to earn more, some products out there look more appealing, but may not actually be where you need to invest. One of these products from ABSA advertises a 5-year fixed term investment, advertising interest rates of 13% per annum. That looks good, compared to typical savings investments producing 6% per annum.

Firstly, the true rate of return assumes that you stay invested for the full 5 years, but neglects to mention that you are not earning 13% p.a. interest, but in reality, only 10% p.a. The additional 3% would come from your interest yield being reinvested and compounding. It feels a bit manipulative when you realise that the interest paid is much lower than the expected 13% return.

What happens if you need the money before the 5 years are up? Read the small print on costs and what happens to your returns. Only the total interest “profit” divided by 5 would deliver the 13% yield promise.

Finbond promotes a similar product at 15.5%. Again, the investment actually delivers an annualised interest yield of only 11.5%, before reinvestment. “Now, who can we trust?” I hear you ask – and I must agree with you.

This kind of manipulation of the truth

by not being clear on the calculations, adds to distrust of investments and advisors. Remember the context that a three-month fixed deposit with one of the big four banks is currently offering 6.6% per year. So how on earth can ABSA afford to give you more interest?

This brings me to the second and third parts of the problem: that you are giving them your money for the next 5 years – and that you would lock in your interest rate for that period. Economists and many informed investors are expecting that interest rates are going to increase in coming years. A bank like ABSA or a company like Finbond need your money on its balance sheet – and are willing to pay you for that.

While I don’t doubt ABSA’s stability, other companies may not be as solid.

Let’s not forget BoE, Cape Investment Bank, Alpha Bank, African Bank, VBS and Saambou. You as investor need to be certain of the return of your capital.

I spoke to Rowan Williams-Short who manages the MiPlan enhanced income fund which returned 9.6% last year. Rowan had never heard of Finbond and commented that “considering the Masterbond debacle – what an unfortunate name for their business.”

Diversification is still the best solution, arguably the only free lunch available to investors. A well-managed income fund unit trust is invested in many different instruments that pay interest. This spreads the risk after detailed research by the fund manager, while enabling investors to achieve higher investment returns.

The key factor is that the fund must be highly liquid and able to handle all weather. Another plus is that investors can access their money within three days, which is very appealing compared to the ABSA or Finbond offers, which lock you in for 5 years.

If you are thinking of investing in a higher interest rate yielding investment, it is important to understand that you are taking more risk, or you are locking your money up. This holds true everywhere in the world.

In tough times you may well need access to your money.

In worrying times, you or your advisor may well hear of people trying to get their precious retirement money back. A company called Loxfin I am told, offered to pay 14% p.a. interest and now investors are uncertain whether they will get their capital back. The company takes investor money and lends it at a higher interest rate.

Your financial advisor should not be your friend, or your golfing buddy.

You want a highly-qualified and experienced professional, with relevant post-graduate qualifications.

I suspect a little digging will show that the people who borrow from Loxfin must do so at higher interest rates, because conventional banks are not willing to lend money to them. Hear the high-risk warning bells ringing loudly! An 11.5%, 13% or even 15% p.a. interest rate means nothing – if you don’t get your money back.

Sadly, these types of investments are usually sold by charming, “nice” and often charismatic people. In fact, the Loxfin story I heard this morning, involved a 75- year old investor being convinced to invest with these “nice people” by a friend of the family.

You want a relevant diversified investment strategy with detail about the risks associated with each investment. The advisor should be a member of a governing professional body that adheres to high ethical standards, with a disciplinary process and a well-monitored continuing education programme.

After all, you wouldn’t go for a brain operation, unless the surgeon has had his 14 years of training.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

16 January 2019

Hermanus schools bursting at the seams Writer Hedda Mittner

I

t was back to school a little earlier this year for the Overstrand’s learners, on Wednesday 9 January. At the primary schools there was much excitement as the little Grade 1s started their first year of “big school”. Those who were a bit overwhelmed and reluctant to let go of mom or dad, soon dried their tears as their teachers helped them to settle in.

The Grade 8s embarking on the last, and crucial, stretch of their school careers at the various Overstrand high schools, were given a crash course on the schools’ rules and traditions by the matrics during their orientation. At Hermanus High, this orientation period will culminate on Saturday, 19 January with a concert and a sleep-over camp at the school.

Schools across the Overstrand are filled to capacity and many were unable to take in all the learners in need of placement. While there is a growing number of Grade R and Grade 1 learners on the schools’ waiting lists, the most urgent shortage is experienced in the area’s high schools.

children timeously, which would have given the schools an earlier indication of the extent of the problem and enabled them to make provision for the increased demand.

Emergency meetings between representatives of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the principals of schools in the Overberg District took place in Hermanus on Monday.

Grade R teacher Leandré April with her cheerful charges outside the classroom during first break on Wednesday at Mount Pleasant Primary School.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

Amid claims of racism in some schools in Hermanus, Bronagh Hammond, WCED Communications Director, confirmed that the department had received a list of names of learners who were not accepted and the reasons why they could not be accommodated. “The schools are full, and therefore, some learners would not have been accepted due to this reason. However, the department will investigate whether the processes were fair,” she said.

Hammond added that requests for additional mobile classrooms and educators to accommodate the growth are being considered by the WCED.

Despite Qhayiya Secondary School in Zwelihle’s new and larger premises, more than 300 Grade 8 learners could not be accommodated this year. Hermanus High School currently has 72 learners on its waiting list.

“There is a high demand for placement in Zwelihle. Four additional mobiles will be placed at Qhayiya Secondary School and an application for additional educators has also been received.”

The main reasons for this dire situation is the huge influx of new residents in Hermanus and the fact that parents did not register their

The protest action that had been planned by Zwelihle Renewal for Monday did not take place and schooling continued as normal.

Mount Pleasant Primary School teacher, Helen Steneveld, with her Grade 1 class getting to know one another on Wednesday morning.

ABOVE: Lee-Ann Plaatjies and Samuel Stevens getting down to work on their first day in Grade 1 at Mount Pleasant Primary.

RIGHT: Shantel Prince is one of the students in the new English Grade 1 class of Ms. Kyla Quince at Mount Pleasant Primary.

Xhotyana Khuselo and Molweni Ayabonga, who were eager to start their first day in Grade 1 at Lukhanyo Primary, with their teacher, Ms. Nombulelo Pikoko.

16 January 2019

Proud parents Minet and Igno Vivier with their son Zion on his first day of school at Hermanus Primary School.

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Nomfumaneko Nhamo with her daughter Luniko getting ready to say goodbye before the start of her first day in Grade 1 at Hermanus Primary School.

LEFT: While some learners were settling in on their first day in Grade 1, others were looking forward to starting their last year of primary school. From left are Catherine Yorke, Arien Sebastian, Kai Johnson, Rahim Kombe and Leigh Palmer with their teacher Ms. Austin on their first day of grade 7 at Hermanus Primary School.

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ABOVE: John McLachlan with his daughter Kyra were all smiles on her first day of Grade 1 at Hermanus Primary School.

RIGHT: Chanel van Wyk helped her daughter Janieke to settle in at Hermanus Primary School on Wednesday morning.

PHOTOS: Leijla Steyn

The Grade 1 class of Curro Hermanus was enthusiastic about starting their first day with their new teachers on Wednesday.

PHOTO: Supplied ABOVE: Magdalene Gardener dropped off her daughter, Inge and friends Anthea, EJ and Simone for their first day back at Hawston Primary School on Wednesday morning.

LEFT: Emke Salie (front left) was escorted by her father, Emile and her little brother, EJ on her first day back to school at Hawston Primary.

PHOTOS: Jeremy Ryall

Grade 1 teacher, Ms. Denise Coert with three of her new learners at Waldorf School: Asthandile Nuse, Evance Gora and Belsha Tangwena.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

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16 January 2019

www.thevillagenews.co.za

OPINION MATTERS

• You have high standards • You don’t like to delegate • You’ve been giving others emotional support for a long time • You feel guilty when you spend time and money on yourself

Are you suffering from burn-out?

Youthful Living By Dr Arien

duced symptoms such as high blood pressure, eczema, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoarthritis, high blood sugar and insomnia also flare up during this period.

T

his is the first of a regular monthly column with Youthful Living, at any age, as a continuous theme. After many consultations with patients this early in the new year, it is clear that burn-out is a prevalent challenge to our sense of wellbeing, leading to renegade inflammation that is the root cause of all our chronic lifestyle dis-eases (meaning a body that is not at ease).

Burn-out is a real threat to your longevity, health and happiness What? Burn-out at this time of year?

Yes, it’s true! We often feel tired, pressured and even exhausted after a longed-for holiday spent with family and friends. Many of us feel that we simply don’t have the energy to go back to work and tackle the challenges of yet another year.

Burn-out is in the mid-range on a scale that starts with feeling overwhelmed and ends in despondency, depression and even disease.

After a year of managing crises, yearend beckoned like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Having neglected to facilitate work-life balance throughout the year, there was the opportunity for a total rebalance, rejuvenation, rest and recovery period at last! Why then do we not feel on the top of the world after a wonderful holiday?

In my experience there are more requests for stress-management workshops and consultations between January and March than at any other time of the year. Stress-in-

There are various stress factors that can contribute to these symptoms: the holiday that you’d been looking forward to for so long didn’t meet your expectations, all your expenses still need to be paid, and unresolved family and other relationship problems reared their ugly heads again.

At work all your administrative duties, including hundreds of e-mails greet you, your freedom is curtailed, and your co-workers’ irritating habits are worse than ever.

Manifestations of excess or poorly-managed stress can vary widely.

Distress induces headaches and leads to disturbed sleep, feelings of anxiety or tension, irrational and inappropriate bursts of anger and aggression, as well as concentration problems, depression and increased or decreased appetite. In severe cases overwhelming stress can lead to so-called burnout, with extreme fatigue and loss of interest in normal activities.

Since research has shown that high levels of stress are known to exert a negative influence on our immune system, stressed-out individuals can experience frequent colds or other infections and illnesses. Intense, excessive and prolonged stress can affect your health, your job performance, your enjoyment of life.

Genetic screening (specifically the wellness test) can actually help identify your risk for overactive stress genes, linked to an imbalance in the breakdown and recovery of fight-orflight chemicals such as dopamine,

adrenalin and serotonin. The good news is that balance can be restored through relaxation techniques, the right type of exercise, specific food choices and other lifestyle adaptations.

Signs of a stress crisis • Feeling down or depressed most of the time • Feeling irritable and on edge, ready to explode at the slightest provocation • Being too strict with your kids • Feeling as though family and friends are letting you down and disappointing you • Drinking alcohol or using tranquillizers more often than usual • Feeling or behaving out of control when you drink • Feeling overwhelmed, helpless, hopeless, unable to cope • Telling lies about what you’re doing Know your risks for burn-out You get burnt out when the continuous stress of dealing with a difficult relationship, job or personal situation becomes too much for you. The most likely candidates for burn-out are driven, responsible and highly-committed people who take on too many tasks or try to do too many things, perfectly.

You’re at risk for burn-out if the following are true for you: • You’ve been trying to achieve too much • You are unable to turn down additional work, commitments or responsibilities • You’ve been under intense stress and pressure for a long time – such as punishing deadlines, too many projects to complete and financial targets to meet, etc.

1st Floor, Arundel Medical Place C/o Church and Arundel Street, Hermanus olivia@hermanushearing.co.za

Battling with

The symptoms of burn-out Burn-out doesn’t happen overnight.

It is a process that slowly builds up over a long period, starting with feeling stressed out, then feeling overwhelmed, followed by burn-out and finally, despondency, depression or disease. Symptoms include: • Feelings of lack of control • Loss of purpose • Loss of motivation • Detachment from relationships • Feeling tired and lethargic • Feeling that you’re not coping and are under-achieving • Increased tendency to think negatively Tips to avoid burn-out • Be aware when your thoughts, emotions and behaviour threaten to run out of control. If you’re unsure, ask your partner, friends or family for an honest opinion.

• Listen to your body: skin eruptions; short, fast, shallow breathing; backache; indigestion; racing heart beat; disturbed sleep; physical exhaustion; and food cravings are some of your body’s distress signals, so stop and listen!

• Make sure that you’re still enjoying what you’re doing • Repeat to yourself often: I have a right to fun, pleasure and relaxation • Get plenty of restful sleep, relaxation and recreation • Learn and practise stress management skills • Learn to say ‘no’ • Constantly re-evaluate your goals and decide what’s important and essential to your enjoyment and appreciation of life • Cut down on your commitments • Learn to delegate • If others drain your energy, step back and avoid them for a while • Eat healthy food with plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, smoothies, fresh water and calming, soothing herbal teas.

• Use the three basic food supple-

ments to support your body and mind • Exercise moderately, but regularly, and choose something you enjoy, to calm rather than overexcite your nervous system, such as yoga, swimming, dancing or walking.

• Take time out (even 10 minutes a day) for introspection and being alone. Do short relaxation exercises that will allow you to become calm inside, and turn your attention away from outside things, people and situations that upset you.

• Keep a dream diary next to your bed and write down any remembered fragments of dreams. Write about distressing feelings. Something magical happens between the brain and writing hand to release pent-up emotions. Alone time, especially in nature, provides time out and a chance to focus on the here and now with appreciation. Enjoy nature using all your senses.

• Take these moments to write down your values, beliefs, goals and priorities and find out what is important to you.

• At the end of a hectic day, treat yourself to a warm bath with aromatherapy oils, such as lavender, sandalwood, ylang-ylang or neroli, or go for a relaxing massage every two weeks.

And finally, should you need some assistance in overcoming or managing distress, consider attending beginner meditation classes at my office, or individual consultations and group sessions, to learn how to relax and unwind.

Dr Arien van der Merwe is a medical doctor, author, holistic health counsellor and stress management consultant, specialist corporate health & wellness service provider and author of the books Stress Solutions and Health & Happiness, and a relaxation CD, Relax & Unwind.

Address: Arundel Medical Rooms & Training Centre, 1st Floor, c/o Church & Arundel St (opposite Mediclinic), Westcliff, Hermanus.

Tel. 067 116 6111.

Email: Hermanus@DrArien.co.za.

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Meet the ‘Sand man’ of Voëlklip Beach Writer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

A

fter several readers sent The Village NEWS photos of the impressive sand sculptures that mysteriously appeared on Voëlklip Beach over the past few weeks, I happened to chance upon the artist himself.

He turns out to be 34-year-old Michael Myekwa, who lives near Fish Hoek and is unemployed. But while he may lack an income, he certainly is not lacking in artistic talent.

His latest showstopper was a sand sculpture of a sleeping baby, while some of his previous sculptures included a collection of wild animals, marine creatures, a unicorn, a mother with children and even a human skeleton.

Michael, who has gained renown as the “Sand Man”, has been creating sand sculptures since 2016 and is well known on local beaches – but not without a little controversy. Last year he was working on the beach at Fish Hoek when law enforcement officers asked him to leave, the reason being that he did not have a busking per-

mit, and what he was doing was seen as soliciting for tips.

Michael says he had not been aware that he needed a permit. However, the local community rallied to help him and a positive outcome was achieved when, in August 2017, he was officially granted a licence to create and display his sand sculptures.

Up until then Michael says he had worked on many beaches, including Port Elizabeth, East London, Knysna and Hout Bay without ever being asked for a permit. The response from beachgoers has always been positive and they have always spontaneously given him tips, he says.

He started creating sculptures from clay as a child growing up in the rural Eastern Cape, because not only could his family not afford to buy toys but there were few shops in the area, so he had to entertain himself. He loves sculpting and considers his talent a gift.

Michael is currently living in Masiphumelele between Fish Hoek and Kommetjie. He leaves home at 04:00 to catch a train to Bellville, from where he gets a taxi to Hermanus. It costs him R13 for the train and R120

for the taxi. The taxi will only leave when it is full, which can be as late as midday. Last week he lost a few days due to road closures as a result of the Overstrand fires.

Once at the beach Michael starts on the day’s creation, armed with simple tools such as a spade and plastic cutlery to add details. He says the sleeping baby sculpture took him four hours to complete. First he builds a pile of sand and then lugs buckets of water from the sea to wet the sand until it is the correct consistency for modelling. To keep the sand damp while he works, he uses a homemade spray (a cooldrink bottle with holes).

There is of course no guarantee of an income for the day, but until he can get permanent employment it keeps the wolf from the door and brings pleasure not only to Michael but all who see his work.

PHOTO: Facebook ABOVE: Michael Myekwa, the sand artist from Fish Hoek, who is creating artistic sand sculptures on Voëlklip Beach.

BELOW: Michael’s latest showstopper was a sculpture of a sleeping baby.

PHOTO: Hein Human

Although he is not a regular Facebook user, Michael’s fans have set up a page for him (‘Fans of Michael Myekwa’) to help him link him up with any potential employer. You can also watch a shot documentary on youtube entitled 'Sand Man' – A Documentary about Michael Myekwa.

PHOTO: Hester Anderson

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16 January 2019

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MY HOME T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial

GAS IN STALLATIO N S

Tech upgrades are a smart choice

M

any homeowners use the summer months to maintain their properties and make improvements they hope will increase the value – and some of the best choices they can make at the moment are smart tech upgrades, according to Rudi Botha, CEO of BetterBond, one of South Africa’s leading bond originators.

“Making your home more tech-savvy will definitely boost its value – and your equity – while also improving your security and comfort and having the potential to lower your water and electricity bills next year,” he says.

“Making use of Smart technologies is also relatively inexpensive. For example, many homeowners are now replacing all of their existing light bulbs with various types of Smart bulbs that can be remotely controlled via an app on a Smart phone or tablet and programmed to give off more or less light, to turn on and off in various parts of your home to simulate occupancy while you’re away, and to turn outside lights on at sunset and off at sunrise.”

Doing this will improve the energy efficiency of your home as well as security and can be a valuable cost saver after the initial investment. A starter kit for this type of installation

costs around R5 000, and additional bulbs can be added at prices from about R800 to R1 500.

Other “cool” and trendy upgrades to your home that are definitely worth exploring, Botha says, are: • Digital assistants such as Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa. These are essentially voice-controlled “helpers” that use wi-fi to enable you to turn on music or stream it, and control your Smart TV, lighting, plug points, door locks and temperature devices like fans and air-con units, without getting off the couch. Outdoors, you can also control a garden watering or irrigation system.

• Smart fridges that do so much more than keep food cold and make ice – like allow you to view what’s on the shelves via your Smart phone so you can plan what to buy and what to make for dinner or send you an alarm when the power goes off.

Some models will also “learn” what food items you regularly consume and produce a weekly shopping list of only things that need replacing.

You save money by not buying what you don’t need and by not having food spoil in the fridge.

• Wireless Smart door bells. You can now obtain rechargeable battery-powered models that use wi-fi and an HD camera to send a chime

and a video of who’s at your door or security gate to your Smart phone.

• Digital door locks. These are also great for security because they enable you to control access to your house via your Smart phone or digital assistant. You don’t have to worry about losing keys, forgetting to lock up or leaving a key somewhere for a guest, pet sitter or repair person.

• Smart watering systems that enable you to set garden watering or irrigation schedules and control them remotely, and also respond automatically to cooler or rainy weather by watering less. These can also be big cost-savers, especially in areas where local authorities have imposed water restrictions and fines for over-use.

“These are the type of improvements that really appeal to modern buyers,” he notes, “along with high-demand ‘green’ upgrades like solar geysers, heat pumps, gas stoves and rainwater storage tanks, and will generally give you a very good return on your investment if you decide to sell your property.”

However, Botha says, it is much better to finance your home improvements by re-using some of the equity you have built up in your home for a few years than by taking out a high-interest personal loan, for example, or using your credit card.

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Top home safety tips for active seniors An increasing number of people in their sixties and seventies are opting to stay on in their own homes these days or to live with family instead of moving to retirement villages or assisted-living units that have been specifically designed for senior citizens.

However, even the most active and healthy of them should prepare for at least some loss of mobility and dexterity as they get older, and take precautions to avoid household accidents and age-related injuries.

Families who have grandparents living with them may also want to go through their homes to identify and address potential problems, says Gerhard Kotzé, MD of the RealNet estate agency group.

“The place to start is the bathroom, which is usually the most dangerous room in the house for seniors. Slippery floors, hard objects and sharp corners are not the best combination for those whose balance is in question. The minimum suggested safety precautions to avoid falls and

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In the kitchen, he says, hot stove plates and sharp utensils are the usual injury culprits, but it also helps if all taps, electrical sockets and appliance controls are within easy reach. In addition, nothing flammable should be kept near the stove and counter tops and cupboards should be at a convenient height for the seniors in the household.

“Other safety aspects to consider include ensuring that passages and walkways are unobstructed; that windows and doors are easy to open and close securely, and that any loose rugs and mats have non-slip backing strips.”

Kotzé also says that furniture should be of a comfortable height to allow seniors to rise easily; electrical leads and cords should be tucked or tacked safely out of the way; and all stairways should have sturdy banisters or grab rails.

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Great excitement at Mahala draw Writer John Floyd, Floyd on Cars

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in the showroom, which resulted in ten lucky ticket holders each receiving a key, possibly the one that would unlock and start the NP200.

The dealership was a veritable hive of activity and while new vehicles from the Nissan and Datsun stable filled the parking spots outside, in the showroom the red NP200 1.6 litre prize, worth R190 500, took centre stage.

The time arrived for the draw and tensions were running high. The first key holder approached the vehicle and tentatively tried the key in the lock... a click and the door was open.

Within seconds the engine came to life and a jubilant Pieter de Vries exited his brand-new Nissan with an expression of disbelief and joy on his face as he raised his cap to the cheering crowd and was embraced by his wife.

n Saturday the Hermanus Nissan dealership in Swartdam Road saw more than 200 customers, holding their breath, crossing their fingers, and some even their toes, as the big day arrived for choosing the winner of a brand-new NP200 bakkie in the Mahala Competition.

Entry to the competition was open to all Nissan owners, their family and friends, if they purchased a new or used vehicle, serviced their vehicles, bought parts or supplied a possible sales lead.

The eager contestants crammed into the showroom and forecourt in anticipation of the draw, following the welcome speech by Wikus Niemand, co-owner of Nissan Hermanus.

Randomly generated ticket numbers appeared on the large display screens

“This will be a Saturday morning I will never forget, and this will not be the last Mahala Competition,” said Wikus.

“This is our way of thanking our loyal customers who have supported us since we took over the dealership a year ago.”

Why Mahala? Well, according to Nissan Hermanus it is a Hawaiian word that means thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards or respect – and that was the perfect expression of the company’s gratitude to all.

ABOVE: More than 200 people joined in the festivities at the lucky draw which was the culmination of the Mahala Competition run

by Nissan Hermanus. Here Pieter and his wife are congratulated by co-owners of the dealership, Tank Coetzee (left) and Adré and Wikus Niemand.

RIGHT: Pieter de Vries could not believe his luck and smiled from ear to ear.

PHOTOS: Mitch Scholtz

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16 January 2019

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MY SPORT

Tradition reigns at annual Graaff Day By Tony O'Hagan

T

he traditional Graaff Day cricket event that has been held annually in Hermanus since 1955, was hosted at the Cricket Club on Sunday, 6 January.

The fixture is one of the highlights on the club's cricket calendar and is contested by the President’s XI against the Captain’s XI. Each team fields 12 players and the match is decided by each team bowling 35 overs.

The President's team won the latest edition by 5 wickets.

Johann Graaff is the current Club President while the Captain's team was led by Simon O’Sullivan. The standout batsmen were Alistair Gray who made 58 runs for the President’s XI and Jarred Wilson who compiled 64 runs for the Captain’s team.

The Graaff Day is a social occasion

and an opportunity for the club to thank the sponsors and those who have supported the club in various ways.

The history of this special event was documented in Div Looks Back, the memoir of Sir De Villiers Graaff, former leader of the opposition United Party. "I arranged for the Parliamentary eleven to travel to Hermanus, which was then in my constituency, to play against the Hermanus Cricket Club and to celebrate the opening of its pavilion," reads an excerpt. He adds that ''… the Hermanus club promptly elected me President."

From that date in 1955, a President's team has come to Hermanus every year, to play a match against the club's Captain's side. When Sir De Villiers Graaff vacated the position

of President, this was passed down to his son, Sir David Graaff. Today his grandson, Johann is the Club President and this wonderful tradition continues.

These days the game is played on a more social basis but in the past the matches were fiercely contested with many well-known cricketers taking part. These include Springbok cricketers, Jack Siedle (1930s), "Tuppy" Owen Smith, Clive van Ryneveld, Peter van der Merwe and Jack Plimsoll, to name a few.

Local teen on the road to recovery “His skull is fractured in two places, his dura mater is torn in three places and he is experiencing massive bleeding on the brain.” This was the diagnosis given to 19-year-old Nathan Aldridge’s family on the first day of 2019 after he’d taken a fall while skateboarding down a hill near Onrus beach.

Nathan, who matriculated from Hermanus High School in 2017 and completed his first year of studying tourism at Stellenbosch University last year, was alone at the time of the accident and there were no eye witnesses. His friends and family describe him as an extremely active, healthy and fun-loving young man who is well-loved in his community and church. Apart from skateboarding, he enjoys other outdoor activities such as running, surfing and soccer.

The President's XI and the Captain's XI teams who played in the annual Graaff Day cricket event in Hermanus on Sunday, 6 January.

PHOTO: Dieter Lauff

ith more than nine ears e perience in elderl care, e stri e to o er the hi hest qualit , personalised care to each indi idual resident. ur lu urious facili es o er da care, short term o er ni ht and lon term perma nent a ode in either a full frail care or assisted li in en ironment.

Nathan was still on holiday in Hermanus and visiting his family when the accident happened on New Year’s Day. He was taken to a local hospital and immediately transferred to Vergelegen Mediclinic in Somerset West where he underwent emergency surgery to alleviate the bleeding on his brain. Following his operation, Nathan remained in a coma for 10 days, by which time his medical bills had reached over R300 000, deplet-

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The recent Graaff Day was enjoyed by all and the occasion enabled the Club to thank all supporters, sponsors and players for their contribution.

A unique tradition and long may it last.

Nathan with his dad, Keith Aldridge (Senior).

Repairs | Software | OS Training | Servicing | Updates T: 082 454 8329 E: rbradshaw@vodamail.co.za A: 24 Green Mountain Estate, Sandbaai

ing the family’s savings.

On 11 January, his loved ones were overjoyed when Nathan finally awoke from his coma as the swelling on his brain began to dissipate. It has not been all good news though, as he is now fighting a lung infection caused by the ventilator he was on.

While Nathan was still in a coma, his family began a GoFundMe page in order to raise the funds needed for his medical care and treatment. So far, with the help of the GoFundMe page and the AGS Church, the family have managed to raise approximately R144 000. Nathan still has a long road to full recovery ahead, but his family and friends are ecstatic that he is awake and talking. Ongoing treatment will be needed to rehabilitate his speech, hand-eye coordination and balance.

The Aldridge family have expressed their thanks to all those who have been praying for Nathan’s recovery and who have supported the family both emotionally and financially during this difficult time.

If you would like to make a donation to help the family pay for Nathan’s medical fees, visit www. gofundme.com/keepnathanalive.

16 January 2019

Putting Pirate

23

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Looking forward to a great 2019 Scores at a glance

By Julian Shaw

G

reetings and a happy 2019 to you all. I hope you had a super Christmas and New Year and managed to play plenty of golf. Here at Hermanus Golf Club, we have survived another crushing season and have come out the other side, a little tired but all in one piece.

We had a late start to the season which was a little worrying considering that we had invested heavily in stock but I am glad to say it picked up very well.

Our official round count, which gives us all a guide as to how we are doing compared to the previous year, was down by about 300 rounds to about 7 500 eighteen-hole rounds in December.

This was acceptable based on the later start and shorter school holidays, which have a significant influence on the amount of time people spend here on holiday. It also created a few more opportunities for members to utilise the course.

Tyron Davidowitz

Lowest score of the season One of the highlights of the season each year is welcoming a few big names to our course. Ernie Els, who normally visits Hermanus in December, wasn’t here this year but Richard Sterne came along and played with a prominent fourball.

He played from the yellows, right from the tips, turned in 31 and shot

ALL TOGETHER SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER - 5 JANUARY 2019 4BBB Stableford 152 players South Course (Green) 10 – 27 1. Brian Taylor and Baldy Baldwin 47 points 2. Roydon Pybus and Rowen Pybus 44 points C/I; North Course (Blue) 1 – 9 and 19 - 27 1. Willie Theron and Gavin Levick 47 points 2. Johan Perold and Gawie Erasmus 45 points C/I

East Course (Red) 1 - 18 1. Albert Streicher and Nicola Streicher 46 points 2. Kruger van der Walt and Gavin Benjamin 44 points 4 x two clubs Best Gross: Andrew Philip 74 and Nicola Streicher 74 The weekly draw was sponsored by Sterling Renault (fellow member Gerrie du Plooy) and was won by Peter Bennett.

66… easy game! Apparently he drove the ball straighter than I can point and sank everything in sight, and yes, collected a few shekels for his trouble!

that came up time and time again for, amongst other things, the best gross, week in and week out, Club Champion, and SA Provincial player.

That was Tyron Davidowitz, a young player at Hermanus Golf Club who has taken his golf seriously and has really improved, so much so that he has been offered a full scholarship to Fort Worth Golf College in Texas in

Farewell, Tyron Davidowitz If you have been following my articles over the months you would have noticed that there was one name

LADIES’ TUESDAY Fourball Alliance 55 players Winners: Cheryl Richardson, Cathy

Bruyns, Petro Streicher and Linda van Zyl 78 points Runners-up: Karin Wales, Lyndsay Henderson, Emma Heyter and Lynne Behagg 76 points C/I MEN’S WEDNESDAY Individual Stableford 152 players Winners: East course - Joe Terblanche 38 points North course - Peter Gray 41 points South course - Ian Ross 39 points Ball pool pays to 36 Best gross was Tyron Davidowitz

the USA! As I was chatting to him last week he said this would be his first trip out of South Africa! We wish Tyron all the very best – don’t forget us and we are looking forward to your return and the tales that will undoubtably accompany you.

Cheers, Julz and the crew

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24

16 January 2019

www.thevillagenews.co.za

MY SPORT

Amazing Race to local knowledge Writer & photographer Taylum Meyer

G

eneration Schools Hermanus held their annual Amazing Race on Friday morning 11 January in blustery conditions, which developed into the gale-force winds that later in the day fuelled the outbreak of fires in the Overstrand.

With no hint yet of what was to come, nine teams set off, each consisting of seven to nine students from the 12 to 15-year-old class. The race focuses on teambuilding, tourism and history. Furthermore, it allows new students at the school to mingle with fellow-students and

make new friends.

The teams started off from the school at 08:45, completing a number of tasks throughout the Hermanus CBD, on the cliff path and at the Marine Pool, where they braved the cold water.

The last leg of the race was the trip back to school, where students reviewed what they had learnt during the course of the outing.

Sadly, this was cut short as the school was evacuated shortly after, due to the fires.

'Barry Hilton’s 'Nou gaan ons braai' market stall was one of the stops on Generation Schools Hermanus' Amazing Race on Friday. The teams were each required to have a photo taken with the local celebrity. From left are Holly Vermaak, Tamryn Kirby, Leigh Taylor, Barry Hilton, Oscar Knight, Dominique Cave and Nikas Engelbrecht. In front is Aviv Sebbag.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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Hermanus High School held their Dux function in the school hall on Monday morning. The 19 Dux learners for 2018, here with Elsa Nel (back left) and Principal Greg Hassenkamp (back right) all achieved A-aggregates. They are: Yzané Oelofsen, Maria Louw, Simoné du Randt, Yanna Stergianos, Anette van Wyk, Inge Kuchar, Janeke Viljoen, Donné van Schoor, Grace Page, Jude Victor, Jana Bergh, David Steere, Wilmarie Coetzee, Chanté Okkers, Eva Cunningham, Mariëtte Nel, Tayla Gordon, Zulene van Niekerk and Kate van Zyl. PHOTO: Leijla Steyn

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