The Village NEWS 4 - 17 July 2017

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Village

NEWS NEWS The

Cape Whale Coast

4 - 17 July 2017

THE WRITE ANGLE

WHAT’S COOKING

SANSA ADVENTURE

PAGE 10

PAGE 14

PAGE 21

Book news

Restaurant news

Antarctic team returns

Winter magic Winter is magical time in Hermanus when the furious ocean and the crisp light quality, especially at sunrise and sunset, make for great photo opportunities. This spectacular image, captured at the New Harbour by Wilco den Otter, is titled Monster Golven. Wilco hails from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and opened Dunya Cake Delights in Hermanus last year. Although he is perhaps better known for his cakes and confectionary, he is also an avid photographer. On P 9 we share some of the reasons why we love winter in Hermanus.

PHOTO: Wilco den Otter

Baboon problem continues to escalate De Waal Steyn

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ontinued incursions by baboons in suburbs across Hermanus have left residents at their wit’s end.

To further murky the troubled waters both the Municipality and CapeNature maintain that the management of baboons does not form part of their

mandate, leaving the field wide open for the baboons to roam on their own free will.

According to Stephen Müller, Director of Infrastructure and Planning at the Municipality, Schedule 4 of the Constitution clearly states that the management and conservation of wild animals is the mandate of the Provincial Government. “We have tried

to fulfil the management role in the past but a lack of funds as well as legislation prohibit us from continuing with these efforts.

administration will be held personally responsible for paying back the money. We simply cannot do that,” says Stephen.

“Should the Municipality spend any money on the management of baboons in terms of legislation it will be marked as an irregular expense by the Auditor General and members of the

But, according to Marietjie Engelbrecht, Senior Manager: Communication Services of CapeNature, this matter was clarified on 26 May 2016 in the Western Cape Division of the High Court in a case involving

the City of Cape Town and CapeNature. “The court found that the local Municipality is responsible for the physical management of baboons or baboon conflict within its municipal boundaries.

“The primary responsibility of CapeNature with regard to the management of baboon conflict is the administration of the Nature Conservation

Ordinance, Ordinance 19 of 1974. This includes compliance management as well as an advisory service. CapeNature aims to fulfil this duty with regard to the management of baboons in the Hermanus area and will continue to provide compliance management and advice to the Municipality.”

More on P 3

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4 - 17 July 2017

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The Team 6 Royal Street Hermanus

028 050 1319

THE

NEWS

OPINION Matters

Robust debate needed on issues affecting towns Publishing Editor dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Content Editor

Hedda Mittner 083 645 3928 hedda@thevillagenews.co.za

Design and Layout

Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickey@thevillagenews.co.za

The Cape Whale Coast has become world famous for its natural beauty and is fast becoming a favourite destination of both adventure and eco tourists.

and development, especially in towns. A case in point is the current debate around the proposed bypass and the management of the baboons in our region.

Our region can lay claim to exceptional conservation management under the auspices of Whale Coast Conservation, the Municipality and many other environmental bodies and associations.

We boast a Hope Spot in the Walker Bay Conservancy, while the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary is the only one of its kind in the world.

There will be as many differing points of view on these issues as there are people taking part in the debate. This is good news for all of us as residents. History has shown that through robust debate solutions to the most difficult of problems can be found.

Over and above that we offer nature lovers unique experiences in whale watching and shark cage diving. At any given time there are a number of scientists working around the clock to not only study our natural heritage but also assist in finding new and better ways of managing and conserving it.

As has been the case for decades there will always be an uneasy relationship between conserving nature

Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Manager

Rina de Wet 083 604 0808 rina@thevillagenews.co.za

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he team at Phillipskop Mountain Reserve, Stanford, have recently discovered a Cape Rock Elephant-Shrew, Elephantulus edwardii, up amongst the rocky crags on the steep slopes of Phillipskop.

As a public platform, we as The Village NEWS encourage our readers to take part in these discussions and make their voices heard.

Through this process all of us get a better understand-ing of the issues we face. The bypass road and the baboons are issues that affect all of us and we need to be aware of the facts in order to make informed decisions. Although solutions will not be found overnight we urge our residents to follow and take part in the debates.

This is the first confirmed record of the species occurring in the Klein River Mountains. It was spotted scuttling around some boulders by 12-year-old Joshua, the son of Phillipskop’s owners, Chris and Anna Whitehouse. With the help of his father, they were able to photograph the small animal and get its identity confirmed on iSpot.

This is the GOOD news – Ed

An elephant-shrew is a perfect

WHERE TO FIND US

Office Administrator

Rare ‘Little Elephant’ found

The Village NEWS is published fortnightly and the next edition will be available on 18 July. The NEWS can be found at over 100 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Kleinmond to Gansbaai.

Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 050 1319 or 083 700 3319 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

Ombudsman The press exists to serve society. Its freedom provides for independent scrutiny, and is essential to ensuring demo-cracy. It enables citizens to make informed judgments, a role that is recognised by the Constitution. The Village NEWS subscribes to the South African Press Code and thus to the South African Press Council and the South African Press Ombudsman. Should you feel our reporting is not fair, free or unbiased and without prejudice, or that serious errors have been made, you are welcome to lay a complaint with the Ombudsman.

Reach him on 011 484 3612/8, e-mail pressombudsman.org.za or visit www.ombudsman.org.za

example of an oxymoron mammal name. The name fuses the largest living land mammal with one of the smallest to refer to a completely unrelated animal.

The Cape Rock Elephant-Shrew, Elephantulus edwardii, is shrewlike in general appearance, but like all elephant-shrews, it has the exceptionally long nose (or “trunk”) that has given them their common name.

Elephant-shrews are certainly not elephants but neither are they shrews. In fact, they are more closely related to elephants than shrews (Elephantulus means ‘little elephant’). They belong to the Afrotheria, which include dassies, aardvarks

and elephants.

There are 19 species of ElephantShrews, Macroscelidae, and all are native to Africa. In the Southwestern Cape Mountains, only one species is found: Cape Rock Elephant-Shrew.

Elephant-shrews are insectivores but will often supplement their diet with seeds and other plant matter, even nectar. The Cape Rock Elephant-Shrew is restricted to rocky habitats mainly in the fynbos biome of the Cape Mountains. It is known from the Kogelberg and Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve near De Hoop Nature Reserve, but this is the first confirmed record from the Klein River Mountains.

– Chris Whitehouse

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Residents prisoners in their homes Continued from P 1 Marietjie says it is important to differentiate between physical control of wild animals causing damage in local authority areas and the legislative responsibilities of CapeNature. The operational management of baboon conflict is the responsibility of the municipal authority. CapeNature can issue various permits to facilitate baboon management by the Municipality in the Hermanus area.

This comes after the introduction of the virtual fence in Voëlklip succeeded in driving the Fernkloof troop temporarily into the mountain. But this left a gap for the Vogelgat troop to start raiding gardens and garbage bins in the suburb from the eastern side of town.

Baboons are protected under the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974. It is illegal to feed or hunt baboons without a permit.

Anyone caught feeding baboons could face a year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to R5 000 or both.

Shooting at baboons with paintball guns or any other weapon without a permit could result in two year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to R10 000, or both.

Kari Brice, Ward 3 Councillor, says after discussions with Dr Phil Richardson of Human Wildlife Solutions, the company who installed the virtual fence, it is clear that once the Fernkloof troop are pushed back into the mountains, the Vogelgat troop will take the gap and move further into Voëlklip on a regular basis, thus defeating the object.

“Funding must be sourced to collar at least one of the Vogelgat troop and more equipment procured to extend the virtual fence to keep both troops out of the residential suburbs. It must be noted that this is not a mandate of the Municipality, so the success of this project is completely dependent on the on-going support and generosity of the residents,” says Kari. At least another R100 000 will be needed to extend the project.

The baboon problems however are no longer restricted to the eastern side of town. Residents in Vermont, Onrus, Berghof and Chanteclaire have been noting regular visits by the Hemel-en-Aarde troop. In at least two instances the fences of retirement villages in the area were scaled.

Vermont resident and conservation expert Duncan Heard says the troop frequents the open areas in the western suburbs. “They come to forage and are mostly well behaved. The fire on this side of the

The goal of management is zero spatial overlap between baboons and humans as both parties stand to lose when they share space. If baboons manage to raid regularly it lowers their welfare and conservation status while also posing a risk to human health and property.

Every effort will be made to try and prevent baboons from becoming habitual raiders and only when this fails will such baboons be euthanised after due consideration of all the relevant facts.

mountain has destroyed large parts of their natural habitat and therefore there is less food.”

Voëlklip resident Angus McFadzean says it seems as if the behaviour of the Fernkloof troop has become more aggressive since they returned after being scared off into the mountain.

“We have never seen anything like it. All of a sudden flower pots are being pulled over and smashed, shrubs and small plants are pulled out and general mayhem ensues when they get into a garden. This is a daily occurrence that has left residents frightened and with substantial damage to their

gardens and homes. They even try and pry open the manhole covers.

“In the midst of this we have been left with no other option but to become prisoners in our own homes while the baboons enjoy their freedom. They are worse than criminals.”

Several residents in the area said that they are in favour of culling the rogue baboons, while conservation experts have stated that creating baboon ‘restaurants’ in the mountains should also be considered. It has been found that the mountain fynbos does not meet the nutritional

requirements of the baboons and hunger is one of the forces driving them into the residential areas.

Donations for the virtual fence project can be made into the following bank account: Baboon Op Standard Bank Acc: 242748619 Ref: A04394 For more information, contact Kari Brice on 083 650 4206

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Waste management key to cleaning up oceans

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he shocking impact of plastic pollution in our oceans is far-reaching, with serious consequences for marine habitats, biodiversity, human health and the global economy.

MY NEWS Environment THE

Overstrand Municipality’s Environmental Department, in collaboration with Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot (CWCHS) and Sustainable Seas Trust (SST), is immensely honoured to have one of the foremost authorities on global waste and its causes in Hermanus as a distinguished guest speaker.

Dr Jenna Jambeck, an Associate Professor at the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia, will present a talk on reducing the amount of plastic that finds its way into the sea on Monday, 17 July at 18:00 in the Civic Auditorium in Hermanus.

Dr Jambeck has been conducting research on solid waste issues for 20 years with related projects on marine debris since 2001. She also specialises in global waste management issues and plastic contamination.

Her work on plastic waste inputs into the ocean has been widely recognised by the global community and translated into

NO TO SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS Johan van Taak, Manager: Overstrand Municipality Waste Management, has undertaken to do a presentation at all the offices to motivate municipal workers to stop using single use plastic bags. All the workers who attended the presentation received one of these branded re-usable bags. On the right are Willem Germishuys and Babalwa Mangeala from the Gansbaai Administration. These bags are also for sale from the Hermanus Tourism Bureau.

LEARNERS ASSIST IN CLEAN-UP Antonio da Silva-Swart, our town’s intrepid coastal clean-up activist, was joined by 26 learners from Hermanus High School on one of his regular clean-up initiatives along our coastline on Saturday. Starting on the rocks below the Windsor Hotel, the group filled more than a dozen bags with mainly plastic waste as they proceeded along the Cliff Path to Roman Rock, where they enjoyed a boerwors braai sponsored by Checkers Hermanus just before sunset. “The group included 16 members of the school’s student council, among them the head girl, vice head girl, vice head boy and the Junior Mayor, and they all did awesome by clearing around 3,8 km of the coastal path of plastic bottles, straws, cigarette butts, beer bottles and the like, which had been discarded by people who clearly do not care for the environment,” said Antonio. #CoastalCleanupConservation in partnership with Whale Coast Conservation handed out a certificate to each learner for community work done.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner Waste management expert, Dr Jenna Jambeck will present a talk on reducing the amount of plastic that finds its way into our oceans. policy dis-cussions by the Global Ocean Commission, in testimony to the US Congress, G7, G20, and the United Nations’ Environment programme.

Removing the trash that is in the oceans without addressing the waste management practices that put it there is “like mopping the floor when your bathtub is overflowing and the tap’s still on,” says Dr Jambeck. Her work in waste management is an

attempt to turn off the tap.

There will be no entrance fee for the talk but bookings are essential. Contact Liezl de Villiers or Heloise Fortune on 028 316 3724.

■ The majority of plastic is used once and thrown away.

So let’s change our habits: say no to single-use plastic bags, beverage bottles and bottle tops, food wrappers and straws - and make sure you bin your cigarette butts!

Celebrate 60 years at Hermanus Flower Festival Be sure to diarise the Hermanus Flower Festival from 22 – 25 September when the 60th anniversary of Fernkloof Nature Reserve will be celebrated. This four day event will showcase the endemic fynbos coming into full spring bloom in the unspoilt Cape Floral Kingdom.

The Festival offers family-friendly entertainment for all ages. Enjoy the floral displays, environmental exhibits and labelled specimens of up to 400 fynbos species indigenous to the area. Enticing products will be for sale in the marquee, all with a botanical or nature theme, including books, cards, artworks, needlework, gardening pots and stepping stones, etc.

Bunches of fresh blooms will be for sale, and the nursery will offer a wide variety of spectacular indigenous plants. Linger longer and enjoy something to eat and drink at the Fynbos Café in the gardens.

Hermanus Botanical Society will be launching a special book to be sold at the Festival entitled Fernkloof Nature Reserve. It contains information about all that Fernkloof can offer the visitor, with beautiful photographs of its flora and fauna, in a handy A5 soft cover to serve as a hikers’ guide.

Many fun activities will amuse and inform adults and children alike, including: • Citizen Science Walks • Find the endangered Drewes’ Moss Frog • Land Art Workshops • Design a fairy garden

• • • • • • • • •

Schools programme Slithering Fynbos Snake handling demo Alpacas and their products Student Art Competition exhibition Botanical Society stand in the marquee selling a variety of products Bugz Train through the gardens Mini designed gardens Raffle with lots of great prizes Exhibits by environmental organisations

Raffle prizes and sponsors are urgently needed, and ample recognition will be given to those kind enough to donate. The Flower Festival Steering Committee can be approached via Alta Pretorius, who is assisting with the organising of the event. Send an e-mail to altapretoriushermanus@gmail.com.

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The pro’s and cons of bypassing Hermanus The recent publication of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the proposed bypass in Hermanus has elicited much public debate with one online petition opposing the bypass garnering more than 7 500 signatures.

De Waal Steyn looked at what the objections against and reasons for the bypass are.

The Municipality Stephen Müller, Director of Infrastructure and Planning at the Municipality, says: Even if the bypass is built 20 years from now it is essential that the planning be done now. The servitude for a bypass needs to be promulgated as soon as possible. If it is not done Hermanus will continue to grow without proper future planning in terms of traffic congestion.

If Hermanus neglects to plan for future developments we will end up in a situation similar to that of Knysna where there was no alternative to build the road through the centre of town, much to the frustration of residents and tourists alike.

Hermanus is a destination and already in peak season traffic congestion in town is frustrating motorists. We need to lighten the congestion in town by offering those people who do not wish to go to the CBD an alternative route. Similarly, if we remove 1 out of every 3 cars out of the CBD it will already make a huge difference, especially in peak season.

If the bypass is built Main Road will become

The Botanical Society a municipal road and it can be made pedestrian friendly by extending the sidewalks and discouraging motorists to drive through the CBD. This will add to the allure of town as a tourist destination. The opening of the mall will change the character of the CBD from a daily shopping destination to more tourist friendly shops and attractions.

Public transport is not an economically feasible prospect. Five years ago a study showed that apart from the infrastructure cost operating a fully-fledged public transport system will cost R100 million per year. Apart from in major metropolitan areas public transport in South Africa does not work.

Innovative transport sharing options like Uber might help alleviate some of the congestion.

The Municipality is in favour of the bypass connecting with Fairways Avenue rather than cutting in between the cricket oval and Generations School. This will create an enclosed sports and school precinct. This option will add more circles to the route that will slow traffic down.

The Ratepayer’s Association The bypass proposal is not compliant with transport legislation. It also makes the incorrect assumption of no monetary value of Fernkloof Nature Reserve land.

proposed bypass will be of no value whatsoever to 60 – 70% of the population of greater Hermanus who are not car owners.

The proposed bypass does not address the highest traffic need on the R43. The report excludes the key variable of car ownership, which indicates that the

The forecast noise levels along Mountain Drive, next to Bosko, Generations School, Innesbrook Village and Fairways Avenue are way above acceptable levels.

The HBS believes the botanical assessment of the area within the Fernkloof Nature Reserve (FNR) is severely flawed.

taken into account. Post-fire sampling found 28 red data species above Mountain Drive, somewhat more than the 14 reported in the EIA.

The loss of critically endangered Overberg Sandstone Fynbos within the FNR is not given the seriousness it deserves. According to the EIA the impact of the bypass will be low in this critically endangered area.

FNR has 1300 plant species in total with 154 red data species and not the total of 65 as reported in the EIA. Red data species will be lost if there is a bypass through FNR.

The botanical assessment within the proposed bypass area was conducted over three days in one week of the year. This is hardly sufficient to give a true reflection of the extent of plant diversity.

Post-fire data of plants sampled regularly for 5 years after the 2008 fire above Northcliff was not

The most biodiverse area of the FNR is its most westerly section where the proposed bypass would start. Up to 10 plants could be completely lost to the FNR as they only occur in this area.

The suggestion that fynbos may be reconstituted after destruction by roadworks is incorrect.

Once fynbos is destroyed, it is lost forever.

Whale Coast Conservation WCC opposes the bypass road proposal because both alternatives require the de-proclamation of a portion of Fernkloof Nature Reserve. WCC believes that the need for and desirability of the proposed bypass has not been established and contends that to initiate this project will result in irrational and wasteful use of scarce public resources.

saving travel time of between 1,8 and 2,8 minutes to drive around the CBD on the proposed bypass compared with using the existing roads through the CBD justifies the cost. The bypass would lead to the loss of at least 3,8 ha of critically endangered Overberg Sandstone Fynbos (estimates of this could be as high as 10 ha).

WCC contends that the Minister of Transport and Public Works has not applied his mind to the clear conflict between the proposed bypass and the Democratic Alliance’s Environmental Policy document.

The bypass will lead to the destruction of the rural scenic appeal of the mountain backdrop should the proposed hard retaining walls be built as needed, resulting in large, high unsightly cuttings.

WCC objects to the scanty, superficial and glib treatment afforded to the very many comments made by concerned members of the public during the public participation phase of the project. (More than 200 comments were received – Ed)

There would be increased noise pollution to the town by reflecting traffic noise off the retaining walls high above the town.

WCC does not believe that the claimed benefit of

There would be light pollution in critically endangered habitats. Ecological corridors to remnant parts of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve such as Hoy’s Koppie would be cut off.

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THE

NEWS

Let’s Talk

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Westcliff Drive a danger zone Mr van Zyl's letter (Speeding on Westcliff Drive is ruining the area) published in the 6 June edition of The Village NEWS calls for support in order to activate the Municipality into taking action to reduce speeding on Westcliff Road.

In 2013/14, at the urging of a number of householders in Westcliff, I entered into correspondence with the Municipality about the problem. I requested that traffic calming measures be introduced and I detailed four accidents that had occurred near the bend where Marine Drive joins Westcliff Road.

Two of the accidents occurred when a vehicle travelling from town lost control and collided with my garden wall, causing considerable damage (on the second occasion the cost of repairs was R11 000, which I was unable to recover from the culprit). In another such accident a vehicle collided with the garden wall of a house adjoining mine and in the fourth accident a vehicle went through the garden wall two houses east of mine. Also, the house opposite me last year had a vehicle collide with its wall and a nearby telephone pole, resulting in the loss of internet in the area for a week.

Then there was the recent collision on 7 April at the guest house at 1 Marine Drive where, but for a shower of rain that forced guests indoors, the guests would have been sitting alongside the glass panels into which the vehicle crashed.

There have also been several animals killed on the road. Two pets have been killed by

speeding vehicles at my front gate and one seriously injured.

Despite the Municipality being aware of such matters and especially in the light of the fact that no traffic stops exist for the whole length of Westcliff Road (thus encouraging traffic, notably taxis, to prefer using this route into town, as it allows for faster driving), the Municipality has failed to introduce any changes to the road in order to improve safety.

In 2014 the Municipality, in reply to my letters, wrote advising that it considered there was no need for it to make any changes to conditions existing in Westcliff Road. A few days later, a taxi, driving into town at speed, lost control and collided with the boundary wall at 29 Westcliff Road, killing three of its occupants and seriously injuring others. Despite this tragedy the Municipality took no steps to introduce safety improvements to the road.

Westcliff Road has in excess of ten establishments accommodating tourists. By allowing the dangers of the road to continue, there would seem to be an absence of concern for the town's tourist trade.

The Municipality may be exposing itself legally by its inaction. Legal opinion is that should a death or serious injury occur as a result of a further traffic accident, similar to those that have taken place in Westcliff Road, the Municipality could be held legally liable, and possibly certain of its employees held

responsible in their personal capacities. One trusts that this should be an inducement for prompt action to be finally taken, thereby conforming to the favourable standards of an otherwise well administered town.

Alec Dawson Westcliff Road Municipal Manager, Coenie Groenewald replies: The Westcliff frustration with speeding is shared by many communities across Overstrand. The item remains on the agenda of various ward committees, including Ward 4, and feedback is given there on a regular basis.

A Road Traffic engineering consulting firm was appointed at the end of May 2017 to conduct an investigation into traffic calming measures in the Greater Hermanus area. It is deemed not advisable to construct calming measures on an ad hoc basis as this approach has other ramifications but rather to wait for the final report.

The first draft of the study by the consulting firm was presented to the Municipality on 21 June 2017. Further refinements to the report were requested which means that the final report could possibly be submitted at the end of June.

Thereafter, the report will have to be studied and costing applied to each of the measures recommended on the respective identified stretches of roads of which Westcliff Drive is one.

Once the estimated costs have been calculated, funding will have to be sought to implement the measures.

Input on bypass should be taken seriously Re Dr Parsons’ Alternative Suggestions to the Bypass (The Village NEWS, 20 June 2017): At last, suggestions that tick all the boxes!

Objections to other suggestions, such as expenditure, environmental

concerns etc. all fall away.

I hope that the input given here by Dr Parsons will not only be taken seriously, but will be followed by our powers that be. His experience having been involved with the

Knysna Bypass and Wilderness Road Infrastructure shows in his suggestions.

Let's see what evolves from this...

Adrian Dommisse, Voëlklip

Testing for learner drivers should be more stringent I fully concur with the writer of Learner drivers disrupt traffic in town (The Village NEWS, 6 June 2017) with regard to the frustration these learner drivers cause, and especially early mornings when traffic is at a peak.

What also bothers me, however, is the following: How is it that so many of these learner drivers are all getting their training in long wheelbase delivery vehicles?

Do they pass their driver’s test in these vehicles, and are they then restricted to driving only these vehicles (at a maximum speed of 80 km/h) , or do they

pass the driving test in a small much faster car and are then let loose on the roads?

There is a great difference between driving at 20 km/h in a delivery vehicle during training and going 80 to 100+ km/h in a car on the open road with very little experience. I suspect that these new drivers are not well equipped to travel at higher speeds in a car that requires more concentration, especially in difficult situations such as avoiding sudden emergencies or passing other vehicles at speed.

I personally know of incidents where these drivers who, with their "new found freedom", have had scary close shaves and very bad accidents shortly after their final tests.

Maybe I'm ignorant on the legalities with regard to the licensing of new drivers but, given the terrible carnage on or roads, shouldn't the testing and training criteria be much more stringent than it is today? I'm not at all suggesting that the Traffic Department is not doing an excellent job... just wondering!

‘Hurry up and train more!’

In support of the status quo According to the letter by Eduard van Zyl Speeding on Westcliff Road is ruining the area (The Village NEWS, 6 June 2017). I live on Westcliff Road and that’s a bit of an exaggeration. For most of the day, and at weekends, Westcliff Road has very little traffic.

During the early morning and evening this naturally increases with commuters travelling back and forth to

work. Driving at high speed is the exception - not the routine as stated - and is probably no worse a problem than in other suburbs. It certainly doesn’t justify the installation of speed bumps, if that’s what’s meant by traffic calming measures.

need should apply to the municipality to have a speed bump installed outside their property. I don’t want one outside mine. The number of applications would also be a useful indication of how many residents actually believe there is a legitimate concern.

Speed bumps are an inconvenience to all road users, and create far more noise than passing traffic.

Those who think there is a

I do support the need for better provisions for pedestrians and cyclists.

David L Worrall, Westcliff Rd

DA unite against bypass I am utterly astounded by the possibility that the DA is prepared to sacrifice political control over the Overstrand Municipality, and even the Western Cape Province, by forcing upon the Hermanus residents an

unnecessary “bypass”.

This is a DA Provincial Administration motivated project.

The Overstrand Municipality has little, or no, influence over it. In the present politically volatile environment I am sure

the ANC would welcome any opportunity to destabilise the DA. Upgrading the R43 from Hermanus to Stanford is urgent and far more logical. DA voters unite!

Arne Pitlo

Friendly and prompt service to renew licence I have been meaning for some time to share my experience at the Traffic Department and, with all the recent licence complaints, now is the time.

I do believe that every issue has two sides and in all fairness have to point out the following: I went to the Licencing Office on Tuesday 9 May and arrived there at 08:35 having all relevant papers ready in order to comply with

their request to Fica. Before leaving, I said that I would be coming in again as my licence expires at the end of June, only to be told that it could be done immediately. What a surprise, and with a great big smile and a thank you, I left the office at 08:55, a mere twenty minutes later.

But then I must also explain that when I went there, I had no qualms about not being

treated friendly or promptly, especially after having been told a few stories of what had befallen some other people. I went with the attitude of conducting a fair encounter which is exactly what transpired.

Just thought it should be shared with some fellow citizens.

J A Kalas

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LET’S TALK

4 - 17 July 2017

The reasoning behind bypass does not add up The Hermanus Bypass EIA states a number of objectives of the proposed Bypass Road, all of which are dependent on rerouting the through-traffic currently traveling on the R43 through the CBD onto the Bypass Road.

Two traffic counts and a traffic model were used to determine whether the 2035 predicted traffic justified the construction of the Bypass Road. The traffic model which was used to predict the 2035 traffic flows, did not take the effect that the Whale Coast Mall would have on the traffic into account.

The first traffic count was done on 21 December 2011 which among other results, determined the volume of through-traffic. The first problem with this count was that it was done at the peak of the holiday season which is not an indication of the traffic flow during the remaining 11 months of the year.

The second problem is that it only measured the throughtraffic at the Voëlklip Circle (18% of the total traffic measured at the R43/Mountain Drive intersection) and at the caravan park (7%). No count was done at the Fairways Avenue/R43 intersection.

As this count is required to give

an indication of the traffic that would use the Bypass Road, an arbitrary assumption of 28% was made in the EIA. A more reasonable assumption should be 23%.

The EIA has incorrectly assumed that all this throughtraffic is carried on the R43 through the CDB. However the 2011 count indicates 4% currently use Mountain Drive/Fairways Avenue. The remainder of the throughtraffic use either the R43 (Main Road) or CBD Relief Road (Royal/Lord Roberts).

Another incorrect assumption is that none of the throughtraffic would stop in the CBD although it is obvious that some through-traffic (delivery vehicles and tourists) would stop in and access the CBD before proceeding on.

A further incorrect assumption is that all the through-traffic would be rerouted onto the bypass road. However even if the Bypass Road was built, some through-traffic would still drive through the CBD. A more realistic deduction that should be made from the 2011 count is that at the peak of the holiday season, 23% of the total traffic measured at the R43/Mountain Drive intersection pass the R43/

“

What is obvious is that the Bypass Road would result in a limited reduction of the CBD traffic but with a significant increase in the traffic passing through the residential suburbs.

”

Fairways Avenue intersection, of which 6% use the Mountain Drive/Fairway Avenue and the remaining 17% use either the R43 or the CBD Relief Road.

The second traffic count was done in October 2013. No through-traffic count was done. This count was com-

pared with the 2011 count to get an indication of the through-traffic flow in the offseason months (normal traffic for 11 months of the year).

The count indicated that the traffic flow at the R43/Mountain Drive intersection remains constant throughout the year but the traffic flow at the R43/Fairways Avenue intersection reduces to 50% of the December traffic for the remainder of the year.

One could thus reasonably assume that the throughtraffic during the year will also be 50% of that measured in December. From the above a more realistic deduction from both traffic counts is that the current through-traffic flow during the year at the R43/ Fairways Avenue is 11% of the total traffic measured at the R43/ Mountain Drive intersection, of which 8% use either the R43 or the Relief Road through the CBD and 3% would use Mountain Drive/Fairways Avenue.

Should the Bypass Road be built, 10% of the traffic entering Hermanus could be assumed to use the bypass while the remaining throughtraffic (1%) would continue to travel through the CBD. If one takes the local traffic on

Mountain Road and Fairways Avenue into account, the effect of the Bypass Road would be: ■ The traffic flow in the CBD will reduce by 9%.

■ The traffic flow on Mountain Drive at the R43/Mountain intersection (one end of the proposed bypass) will increase by 39%.

■ The traffic flow on Fairways Avenue at the R43/Fairways intersection (the other end of the bypass) will increase by 240% .

The EIA contains the results of the traffic modelling. The capacity analysis of the future road network, using the predicted 2035 traffic and without the bypass road, indicates that unacceptable volumes of traffic will occur on the incoming lane of Main Road towards the circle at the NG Church and on both lanes of Royal Road towards the same circle.

However this analysis indicates that these volumes will only reduce by 10% if the bypass road is built. These reductions could equally be achieved by upgrading the NG Church circle.

The effect of the Whale Coast Mall will also be to reduce this traffic. The Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) which forms part of the EIA states: “The estimated 2035 total two-way link volumes along Royal Street (Relief Road) and along Main Road east of Royal Street are such that with a 1,5% annual traffic growth a two lane road would still suffice but with a 2,0% annual growth rate the total twoway link volumes are reaching a point where a dual carriageway should be considered.”

Bear in mind that the input data is based on incomplete traffic counts and questionable assumptions and that an assumption of 1,5% p.a. growth was made. Even so their own traffic model indicated that the Relief Road will still be adequate in 2035.

The EIA does not predict a 2035 traffic flow that could justify the construction of the Bypass Road. What is obvious is that the Bypass Road would result in a limited reduction of the CBD traffic but with a significant increase in the traffic passing through the residential suburbs, noise and sound pollution, degradation of the environment and destruction of our village atmosphere, all at a substantial financial cost.

Gerry Henny

From Fred Flintstone to Freddy Mercury When aspiring cavemen eventually found caves to live in, they unintentionally started an art form which still resonates today. Yes, their rock paintings caught on quick, but they also created what we now call music.

Wit’s End Murray Stewart

Most caves had those mites and tites, which ‘stalac’ either up or down. One way or another, when struck with a discarded thighbone or skull, a definite bong would reverberate throughout the cave network as if by magic.

tones and rhythms – ‘dinner’s ready’ or ‘Fred’s a vegan’. They had unknowingly planted the seeds of the Facebook Bush (Lat: communicum maximus).

It didn’t take long before some of the more ‘audio astute’ got together, and to the rhythmic drip, drip, drip of water from the cave roof, they started busking – leaving gaps – so the echo bounced around creating a wave-rhythm for another banger to bong with.

Folks loved it and eventually everyone got involved, either by foot-stomping, high-fiving, grunting or singing. This developed into various grooves and genres, which would later inspire the likes of Beethoven, Mozart and The Sex Pistols.

Pretty soon folks were hooked.

Families and friends would communicate through complex

When the caves got full, people had to move onto the plains. There were no mites or

tites out here, so they had to improvise. A hollow calabash with some stretched sinews, a sheep’s tooth for a plectrum, and bingo! – a forerunner to the guitar was born. Unable to munch grass any more, the sheep got thin and undernourished, so they dropped the plectrum and developed the finger-picking style used later by Flamenco guitarists and autistic hillbillies in movies.

Wind instruments were soon developed, and while some creations are too rude to discuss graphically, rhythmic

belching, hissing and armpit burps caught on quick with the kids. A shinbone with a few holes in the right spots, and the woodwind section of the orchestra took root. Sheep horns (unattached) were the genesis of today’s trombones, trumpets and vuvuzelas, while the bladders inspired the concertina, the accordion and the most fearful sound yet invented – the bagpipe.

gigs, thousands of West African troubadours were shipped to the Americas, only to find they were forced to work in the textile industry.

Resolute and undeterred, they painstakingly introduced the local gentry to the haunting sounds of their origins. They lapped it up. Sadly, warped by time and chemicals, off-shoots of this eventuated in Thrash Metal and Slam Rap.

As we humans evolved, these different instruments became more refined. Small groups of enthusiasts – called troubadours – would gather on a field somewhere to interact tonally and rhythmically, and soon larger groups would arrive to listen.

Like at Woodstock.

Thankfully it took many years to deteriorate to that level, but seeds planted along the journey bore fruits still savoured today. Funerals kicked off the jazz movement, which developed into the blues and in turn inspired rock ’n roll and the vastrap, which spread across the globe as far as Brakpan. Another embarrassing off-shoot Country and Western involved lonesome cowboys sitting around campfires singing love songs to their horses, so we’ll leave it at that.

The different cultures grew and spread across continents, and they carried with them their musical identities, their troubadours. Now, under the pretext of getting plenty of

People without horses also enjoy it.

Soon clever folks started writing passages for the different instruments to play, and before long orchestras and ‘big bands’ dominated the audioscape.

Musicians were now recognised as professionals in their field, and composers and instrumentalists, who’d spent years honing their skills, had a rosy future – or so they thought.

Some bright spark invented electricity, which led to the creation of amplifiers, electric guitars, synthesizers, recording devices and eventually ‘creative self-correcting’ music computers, which cut out everyone except an operator who doesn’t have to be musical anyway.

Which reminds me – free tickets for the ‘Julius Malema/Steve Hofmeyr Karaoki Duets’ in the Old Harbour available through the editor.

8

4 - 17 July 2017

THE

NEWS

Good Guide

Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 July ■ Kleinmond Book Festival: Kleinmond Library, in collaboration with ATKV, Bargain Books and others, is hosting a four-day book festival that will include literary workshops, book launches, readings, discussions, exhibitions, markets, children’s activities and much more. Come and meet a host of interesting guest speakers as well as local authors, poets and publishers (both Afrikaans and English), including Frazer Barry, Kerneels Breytenbach, Petrovna Metelerkamp, Lien Botha and Marguerite van der Merwe. The festival will conclude with a three-course feast at a Long Table hosted by local cookbook author Dine van Zyl, at R250 pp. For more information and bookings, contact Petro on 079 807 9726 or Wilna on 028 271 8485.

Thursday 6 July

■ Hermanus Bird Club Outing: Take a walk in the fynbos and woodland at Grootbos Nature Reserve with an experienced guide who is knowledgeable about the local birds. Meet at Kraal Rock Car Park in Eastcliff at 07:30 to consolidate transport to be at Grootbos at approximately 08:15. The duration of the walk is between 1 and 2 hours and is complimentary courtesy of the Grootbos Management. Visitors welcome. For enquiries, contact John Saunders on 028 316 2302 or Mariette Pitlo on 028 312 1369.

steaming coffee and hot chocolate. Meet at the Stanford Tourism Courtyard, at 17:30. This event is weather dependent; call 028 341 0340 to confirm.

is hosting a special #StanfordDoesBastille weekend which includes fun events ranging from a 1950s fashion show, makeovers and photo shoots, to French inspired dinners at Graze and La Trattoria. The festival will showcase local art galleries, antique shops, vintage fashion, music, wine, cuisine and all things beautiful that have been flavoured with a French influence over the decades. 1950s originals from Romantiques and 50s recreations from Retrospective Fashion will be on sale at LACE Boutique off the hotel verandah, and a museum display will be open to the public from 15 July. Get all the details on P 15.

Saturday 15 July

Monday 17 July

Friday 7 July ■ Bhuki Booktiques Roadshow: Bring your precious old books for a valuation by The Book Collector, Benade Kruger. Two books and 30 minutes for each discussion, on a first come, first served basis. R20 donation to Friends of Hermanus Library (free for members). From 09:00 – 11:30 at the Bhuki Café, Hermanus Library.

■ Palmiet River Rafting Adventure: Join Gravity Adventures for a fun-filled day on the Palmiet River in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve near Kleinmond. No previous experience needed and wetsuits will be provided. Minimum age: 12 years. Bring a picnic lunch to be enjoyed after your thrilling white water rafting experience in two-person inflatable ‘crocodiles’. From 09:00 – 13:00.

The cost is R785 pp and booking is essential.

Contact iain@awakening-intuition.com

■ The shocking impact of Plastic Pollution on our Oceans: Overstrand Municipality’s Environmental Department will host guest speaker, Dr Jenna Jambeck, one of the foremost authorities on global waste and its causes. Her talk will focus on plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 18:00. Entry is free, but booking is essential; call 028 316 3724.

■ Full Moon Walk: Join Stanford Tourism for their monthly Full Moon Walk for charity, which this month will raise funds for Hermanus Child Welfare.

R30 for adults and R10 for kids, with complimentary

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

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 - 11.30.

Tuesday 18 July ■ Windows on Biodiversity: Landscape designer David Davidson will be the guest speaker at Whale Coast Conservation’s presentation on South Africa’s award-winning fynbos exhibition at the Chelsea Flower Show.

At the Green House on the R43, Vermont, at 17:30. R20 donation only. Contact Anina on 083 242 3295 / anina.wcc@gmail.com

Every Saturday

Wednesday 19 July

■ Monthly Hermanus Bird Club Meeting: Mike Ford will present a talk entitled Birding with the Big Cats, a fascinating presentation of his bird ringing experience in Ethiopia. Meet at Fernkloof Hall at 17:30 for pre-meeting drinks; the presentation will commence at 18:00 (new winter starting times). Visitors are welcome.

Contact John Saunders on 028 316 2302 or Mariette Pitlo on 028 312 1369.

■ I did Everest so you don’t have to: The title of

a talk presented by renowned broadcaster and author Patricia Glyn about her Mount Everest adventures. This event is a fund-raiser for Lord’s Taverners South Africa. The cost of R150 pp includes a complimentary glass of wine on arrival.

To book, call David Ralph on 083 455 7555.

■ Fernkloof Holistic Faire: You are invited to

Monday 10 July

■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00.

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

■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00. Free timed 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Sunday 9 July spend a lovely day at the Fernkloof Botanical Gardens. Meet an array of holistic therapists and artists while enjoying a variety of crafts and tasty foods. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 10:00 – 15:00. For further details, contact Lucia on 028 316 5312.

Every Thursday

■ ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Everyone in the area is invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Onrus Care Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

■ Book Launch: Meet Gerhard Tötemeyer at the launch of his autobiography A Rebel for Change in Apartheid South Africa and Colonial Namibia, at The Book Cottage, at 17:00. The author will be in conversation with John de Gruchy. RSVP: bookcottage@whalemail.co.za or 028 313 0834.

■ Classic Monday Bridge Club: Duplicate Bridge, every Monday at 13:00, at Fernkloof Hall.

To join the club, contact Riekie on 072 230 9179.

Every Friday

Friday 14 – Sunday 16 July

■ Stanford does Bastille: The Stanford Hotel

Every Monday

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

■ The Hermanus Country Market: A favourite among the locals, young and old. Fresh local produce, wholesome goodies, and home-made crafts. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

■ Market in the Garden: Set among the trees in the heart of town, at St Peter’s Church in Main Road, from 09:00-13:00.

Every Sunday

Thursday 20 July

■ Hops at the Hills: It’s time once again for the

annual Stanford Hills Craft Beer Festival, Hops at the Hills. Tickets are R80 pp. Live music with The Rivertones and Gareth James, fun activities for the kids, crafted beer, quality wine and artisanal food will keep the whole family entertained all afternoon, from 12:00 – 17:00. At The Tasting Room, on Stanford Hills Wine Estate. For more information call 072 639 6135.

■ Nuwejaars Wetland: Whale Coast Conservation will present a guided tour and wildlife safari in the Nuwejaars Wetland Special Management Area, from 08:30 – 13:00.

Bordering the Agulhas National Park and close to the historical town of Elim, the area is home to many threatened bird species and other wildlife.

R200 pp for adults and R120 for children over 10 years. Booking is essential; contact Anina on 083 242 3295 / anina.wcc@gmail.com

■ Lemm’s Corner Sunday Market: This popular market has closed for the winter and will re-open in August.

Village

EXPLORER EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ART

Why we love winter in Hermanus waiting to be discovered. Several of these specialty shops, restaurants and coffee shops are situated in original fisherman’s cottages that have mercifully escaped the developers’ bulldozers. These include Aberdeen Street, High Street and Harbour Road where you will find delightful eateries and coffee shops, antique stores, second-hand bookshops and even a vintage cinema. Chilli Pepper, Romantiques and Hemingways are all well worth a visit and will take you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to a bygone era.

Whale watching: While coastal living in this part of the world may slow down during the winter months, our oceans come alive with the arrival of the southern right whales that migrate to our shores from the Antarctic to mate and calve in our secluded bays. The overwhelming sense of awe and joy that these majestic mammals inspire in humans has turned whale-watching into one of our region’s top tourist attractions. If you are a local and you haven’t done it, put it on your bucket list!

Now that the winter school holiday has started, here is an insider’s guide to the many attractions that can be enjoyed during winter in Hermanus.

Coffee time: If you need shelter from a winter storm or are looking for a cosy venue to meet up with a friend, nip into one of the many coffee shops and bistros in town for a dose of caffeine and cake or a comforting meal. Just Pure Bistro on Marine Drive, Oskars at Market Square, Café 4 Twenty in Harbour Road, CanD’s Kitchen in High Street, Betty Blue in Main Road, Tulip Coffee on the corner of Hope and Dirkie Uys Street, and The Barefoot Cook in Aberdeen Street all offer warm hospitality and great coffee, home-made meals and treats.

Shark-cage diving: Now is also the best time of year for shark-cage diving as the underwater visibility is higher than during the summer months. According to the brave souls who have observed these awe-inspiring creatures of the deep, it is an unforgettable experience. The Dyer Island ecosystem off the coast of Gansbaai is one of the most exciting areas not only for boat-based shark tours but also whalewatching and pelagic birding trips. It is unique in the world as one of the only places where you can observe the Marine Big 5 in one spot.

BROWSING

WINE TASTING

Hedda Mittner

A

seaside town that is popular among summer holidaymakers takes on a whole new persona during the quiet winter months. While the fierce winds and stormy seas may seem inhospitable to visitors, the locals know that winter brings its own magic to our landscape.

There are many reasons why we as locals love the winter season in Hermanus. As much as we appreciate our visitors and the economic benefits that tourism brings, it is rather pleasant to feel that we have the town to ourselves for at least a few weeks every year. It’s as though everything slows down – and when the holiday rush and congestion of the peak seasons subside, we can enjoy everything our region has to offer at leisure.

Hermanus is ideal for browsing – because the centre of town is so small, you never have to walk far.

Museums: Start at Market Square above the Old Harbour where the many traders are selling their colourful ware and pop into the Whale Museum and the De Wetshuis Photo Museum. As locals we often assume these are only for tourists but if you are appreciative of the charm and natural beauty of Hermanus, both museums are well worth a visit. It is also a fun activity for children and a way for them to appreciate the history of our town and the wonders of our marine life.

Art Galleries: Dotted across town you will find more than a dozen art galleries, many of which double as artists’ studios, where you can not only enjoy the wonderful selection of artworks, fine crafts, sculptures and ceramics on display but also engage on a personal level with the individual artists and gallery owners.

Specialty shops: Tucked away in side streets and alleyways there are many hidden gems just

Nothing warms the belly quite as well as a glass of full-bodied red wine, and there is plenty of that going around in our neck of the woods.

Winter is a great time to visit the wineries in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, where many of the tasting rooms offer wine tastings, platters, meals, and food and wine pairings to be enjoyed next to a blazing fire.

Hermanuspietersfontein’s Wine & Food Market on Saturday mornings is already legendary, but you can now also pop into their tasting room any day of the week to enjoy a hearty winter soup and delicious sourdough bread along with your wine.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Bouchard Finlayson and Sumaridge are well worth a visit, while La Vierge, Newton Johnson and Spookfontein all have great restaurants with views to die for. Creation on Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge has become a sought-after destination with their innovative food and wine pairings, platters and light meals to be enjoyed in tandem with their premium wines.

MARINE LIFE

GETTING ACTIVE Hiking: There is no reason to stay cooped up indoors during winter – especially in a place like Hermanus which is surrounded by scenic natural beauty, fauna and flora. Take a walk along the Cliff Path and see if you can spot some whales, or take a hike in the Fernkloof Reserve, comprising nearly 2 000 hectares of indigenous fynbos and wildlife. There are various routes to choose from and you will be well rewarded with spectacular views.

Cycling: If you really want to get your heart pumping, the Hermanus MTB Trails offer a wonderful opportunity to do just that while also enjoying the breath-taking scenery of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The trails start and finish at Euodia Cycles in The Village. The different routes, which run through private properties, wine farms and along the Onrus River, range from 6 km to 33 km and there is a route for everyone – from families with youngsters to the most experienced riders. Day permits and annual permits can be purchased at Euodia Cycles or the Wine Village next door.

10

BOOKS & REVIEWS

4 - 17 July 2017

Tötemeyer - a rebel with a warm heart De Waal Steyn

A

rebel is someone who believes in the rule of law and who is not afraid to stand up when politicians break the rules. And I firmly believe a rebel can also be a bridge-builder between enemies, says author Gerhard Tötemeyer.

Native Namibian and resident of Hermanus, Gerhard Tötemeyer made a name as a rebel and at the same time as a bridge-builder in both South Africa and Namibia. Gerhard and his wife, Andree-Jeanne, will soon leave their Voëlklip home to retire to Swakopmund in Namibia.

“It is my firm belief that reform, be it political or social, can happen from inside. You do not have to be an agitator from the outside; sometimes changing a system is better done from the inside,” says Gerhard, whose autobiography A Rebel for Change will be launched on Thursday 6 July at The Book Cottage.

In this book he successfully integrates his own experiences within a precise analysis of politic and societal

THE

NEWS

After independence in 1990, Gerhard was a member of the first Delimitation Commission of Namibia. He was Director of Elections between 1992 and 1998, became a Member of Parliament in 2000 and was appointed Deputy Minister of Local and Regional Government and Housing.

The WRITE Angle

developments not only in Namibia but also in South Africa.

“Living within a system where oppressive racism and subordination was the order of the day you either had to support the system or change it, but the one thing you could not do was nothing. It reminds me of a story my father told. In 1927 he was a missionary in Keetmanshoop. An old Junker aeroplane flew overhead and my father asked an elder if he would like to fly in a plane. No, the man replied. I either want to be in heaven or on earth but not in between.”

Gerhard was born in Gibeon, and spent the first four years of his life in Keetmanshoop.

When World War II broke out in September 1939, his family was on vacation in Germany, where they remained until 1950. At that time Gerhard spoke neither English nor Afrikaans, the official

languages of South West Africa. He did not continue school owing to his language difficulties; instead he took up vocational training as a merchant at his uncle's general dealership and caught up with school after hours.

“I still vividly remember working in the store when a man came up to the counter and asked for the bestuurder (manager). I did not know what bestuurder meant but I immediately assumed it was a brand of cigarettes and started searching through the shelves for a packet of bestuurders. Not finding it I turned to the tobacco and diligently continued my search, to the amusement of the client and my co-workers.”

When he completed his training in 1953, Gerhard entered Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, and matriculated in 1955. He then studied History at the

University of Stellenbosch on a stipend awarded by the Administration of South West Africa. He graduated with a B Hons in 1959 and acquired the Secondary School teacher's diploma in 1960.

Apart from launching the Afrikaans German Student Association, Gerhard drove the sport bus on weekends for extra money and was also appointed as Arts Editor of the student newspaper Die Matie.

Gerhard returned to South West Africa and taught at

Windhoek High School in 1961 and 1962, after which he took up a research post at Freiburg, Germany. In 1974 he obtained a D Phil from the University of Stellenbosch.

Before entering politics, he held several academic and administrative positions at the universities of Stellenbosch, Transkei, and Cape Town. In 1987, shortly before Namibian Independence, he moved to Windhoek and became Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Science at the University of Namibia.

Illustrating each period of his life and his actions for both change and bridge-building, Gerhard’s autobiography is as much about writing it as it is about reflecting on life and his drive to facilitate tolerance in a complex society marked by cultural, language and racial differences. It sheds light on the important struggle for the liberation of Namibia against the ever increasing autocratic politics of South Africa under John Vorster and PW Botha.

His vivid accounts bring back to life the United Nations Security Council Resolution 435 that was adopted on 29 September 1978, and which ultimately led to the independence of Namibia.

Gerhard’s book is both a highly entertaining anecdotal read and an important contribution to a better understanding of apartheid South Africa and colonial Namibia.

11

BOOKS & REVIEWS

4 - 17 July 2017

The Friday pancakes flew

F

Get your signed copy of Meat Manifesto Corinne Hendry of bookmark recently hosted the Overberg launch of ethicalmeat activist Andy Fenner's book Meat Manifesto, published by Quivertree.

The book showcases his work as the owner of Cape Town’s ethical butchery, Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants, and the philosophy behind rearing and eating quality meat.

stage, a member of the public erupted from the library and burst into splendid tenor voice. His version of – Lerner and Loewe? It was a great morning, The Friday Pancakes Flew.

Library staff, despite their present shortage of extra hands, raced around with boxes of orders, always with a smile, and men suitably pancake'dout drifted meaningfully back to their duties. If one can drift meaningfully . . . and at one

We have so many supporters, volunteers and donors of pancake batter to thank.

Without them there would be fewer new books on the shelves and some seriously deprived connoisseurs of the celebrated and comforting

pancake. And next time, perhaps, we'll be treated to further apres-pancake operetta in the lobby.

– Jac Dowling, FOHL

E

F RIENDS

From ticket sales vantage point, opposite the library entrance, I witnessed a quite amazing rush of activity. Pancakes flew up and down stairs, through the streets of Hermanus, across the road to various offices and finally into The Bhuki Café. All in addition to our tea ticket sales – our amazing supporters kept on coming.

IEND

Then the Mayor and colleagues arrived to a warm welcome. Ald Rudolph Smith was caught on camera with the Bhuki Boys helping to dry cups and saucers – he has been invited back! In thanking The Friends of Hermanus Library, he mentioned how valuable the voluntary work of seniors is in the general scheme of things, and the library is no exception.

The Bhuki Café received as visit from Overstrand Mayor Rudolph Smith on Friday for the Friends of Hermanus Library’s pancake day and he even helped with the washing up and drying.

VR

riday 30 June saw the Bhuki kitchen on fire . . . well, not literally, because the Fire Chief had paid his regular visit to ensure our stoves were all safe and sound.

A pile of pancake order containers teetered on tabletops, enthusiastic mixers, bakers, runners and rollers all ready to go. And go they did.

Everyone knowing his/her place in the order of things, production commenced at 08:30 and by 10:30 all 400 pancakes, plus the last drops of batter, had been rolled, sold and delivered.

received a copy of Meat Manifesto.”

Previously voted as one of Mail & Guardian’s top 300 Young South Africans, Andy Fenner has been featured in, and contributed for, TASTE Magazine, Men’s Health, House & Leisure, GQ, Garden and Home, Sunday Times, Cape Times, Gourmet Traveller and the inflight titles for

“Andy was impressed by the wide range of questions and the depth of knowledge of the audience which included local butchers, restaurateurs and chefs. A lucky draw was held and three people each

Wednesday 5 July ■ Youth Book mini-panel discussion Spookasem en Stories with Troula Goosen.

R20 pp. In the activity hall of Kleinmond Library, from 14:00 – 16:00.

■ ■

■

■

■ Book discussion of Elders, presented by authors Erns Grundling and Kerneels Breytenbach who will talk about their experience of the Camino. R50 pp. In The Shed, from 13:00 – 15:00.

Thursday 6 July ■ Poetry Workshop with Louis Esterhuizen.

Booking essential; only 10 aspiring poets can be accommodated. R40 pp. In the activity hall of Kleinmond Library, from 09:30 – 12:00.

■ Robert Milne presents How to write and publish short stories. In the boardroom of Kleinmond Library, from 10:00 – 11:00.

■ Panel discussion on publishing with Theresa Papenfus, Trisa Hugo and Petrovna Meterlerkamp. In the boardroom of Kleinmond Library, from 11:30 – 12:45 .

■ Adoons-hulle, a tribute to T O Honiball and his work. With local storytellers and an

Meat Manifesto is Andy’s second book and there are still a few signed copies available from bookmark in Main Road, Hermanus.

The event was held at Soul Café where the guests were treated to bubbly from Hermanuspietersfontein with Andy providing the yummy hot dogs. “His display of different cuts of meat proved an excellent basis for a lively discussion,” says Corinne.

Kleinmond is hosting a four-day Book Festival this week, presented by Kleinmond Library in collaboration with the ATKV, Bargain Books, Stoep Café, Overberg Picnic Co, and Kleinmond Linx. Apart from a second-hand book market daily from 09:00 – 17:00 in The Shed; a Bargain Books market with new titles daily from 09:00 – 17:00 in the Town Hall; a daily Book Café at both halls with delicious eats and coffee; and gratis story telling for children, the four-day festival will be jam-packed with literary events in both Afrikaans and English that include the following: Tuesday 4 July ■ Workshop presented by Frazer Barry on The rhythmic art of lyrics and poetry. In the Kleinmond town hall, from 09:00 – 15:00.

■ Book reading for children from Die Avonture van Lulu Lerulu. Gratis. In the activity hall of Kleinmond Library, from 09:30 – 11:00.

■ How do e-books work? Presented by Trisa Hugo. Gratis. In the boardroom of Kleinmond Library, from 12:30 – 14:00.

■ The Festival Opening entitled Aangenaam! will comprise an introduction to local authors and their work. Gratis. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, at 17:00.

■ Ken jy die see, Meneer? An open mic event where all are invited to read their love letters to the sea. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 18:00 – 20:30.

Kulula, Mango, SAA and British Airways. He has been a judge for Eat Out magazine for two consecutive years and has worked as a brand consultant for various wine farms, chefs and restaurants.

exhibition. R80 pp includes soup and bread.

In Kleinmond Town Hall, from 18:00 – 20:00.

■ Dine van Zyl will talk about Boerekos, potjiekos and jolly occasions, and the joys and challenges of writing cookbooks.

R30 pp. In the boardroom of Kleinmond Library, from 15:00 – 16:30.

Friday 7 July ■ Niki Daly will present a workshop on Writing a Children’s Book. Limited space available and booking is essential. R100 pp includes a light lunch. In the activity hall of Kleinmond Library, from 09:30 – 14:30.

■ Nog ‘n Koppie presented by Ilna Grobler.

R30 pp, including Barista coffee. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 09:00 – 10:00.

■ Warhorses, a presentation by Peter Greef on horses in the Boer War and history. In The Shed, from 11:00 – 12:30.

■ Marie-Louise Steyn presents Vind jou

Skryfstem. R20 pp. In The Shed, from 13:00 – 14:00.

Lien Botha presents Blitsfiksie: Karakters vir ‘n nuwe boek. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 14:30 – 16:00.

Marguerite van der Merwe pays homage to our nature poets with an Environmental Poetry Reading. R20 pp. In The Shed, from 15:00 – 16:00.

A panel discussion on Music and Poetry, with Danie Marais, Andries Bezuidenhout, Frazer Barry and Princess Petro. R20 pp. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 17:00 – 18:30.

Adam Small – We salute you. Concert with Frazer and Deniel Barry. R100 pp includes Breyani. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 19:00 – 21:00.

Saturday 8 July ■ Book launch of Stofvinger by Klaas Welkom.

R30 pp. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 11:00 – 12:30.

■ Book reading and activities for children 6 – 9 years, presented by Niki Daly. R20 pp. In the activity hall of Kleinmond Library, from 11:00 – 12:30.

■ All about crime writing, presented by Mike Nicol. R30 pp. In the Kleinmond Town Hall, from 13:00 – 14:30.

■ Niel van Deventer, Charlene Brouwer and Toast Coetzer present Oorsee: Reisgedigte. In The Shed, from 14:00 – 16:00.

■ The festival concludes with a Langtafel and a three-course feast hosted by Dine van Zyl. R250 pp. In The Shed, from 18:00 until late.

For more information and bookings, contact Petro on 079 807 9726 or Wilna on 028 271 8485.

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FOOD, WINE, ART

4 - 17 July 2017

New additions to the Hermanus food scene

H

ermanus has certainly come a long way since the days when a cappuccino consisted of a mediocre brew topped with a thin layer of iffy foam that evaporated before you’d even taken your first sip. There is now good coffee to be had at several establishments (though sadly, still not all of them) including the new kid on the block, Tulip Coffee Bar. Its youthful owner is Justin Dods and yes, he is one of the Dodses that seem to be all over Hermanus, including mom Carole who is the owner of the Jol Emporium in Long Street, and brother Stuart who is a member of the talented local band Retrodizzy and whose artworks are often on display at Rossouw Modern.

Justin was six years old when the family relocated to Hermanus, where his grandparents had retired. He matriculated from Hermanus High School in 2009 and apart from studying photography in Cape Town and spending some time in France working on yachts, coffee has pretty much been his thing since then.

Having learnt all about roasting, blending, grinding and brewing coffee from Mike and Elaine Bauer at The Eatery and The Beanery, he decided to strike out on his own and took over Retrobilia, the collectable furniture and décor shop on the corner of Hope and Dirkie Uys Street, at the end of last year.

Since then Justin has systematically gotten rid of retrobilia’s stock (“I was more interested in the building than the business,” he says) and redone the open-concept interior to include several cosy lounge areas and a communal table where customers can relax over a cup of killer coffee

week, to be enjoyed next to a cosy fireplace. At R45 a bowl, served with freshly baked bread, it’s a great lunch option for locals who work nearby. Add a glass of wine to the equation and you’ll still only be R60 out of pocket, although you might be more tempted to have a siesta than return to work afterwards.

What’s Cooking Hedda Mittner

and a slice of freshly baked cake.

Justin is also busy remodelling the kitchen and the adjacent room will house the bakery – bread-making being his next project. A new fireplace was on its way when I visited and in time he would also like to serve breakfast and light lunches. But for now he’s concentrating on coffee, cake and bread, with a blackboard where customers can place their orders for sourdough ciabatta fresh from the oven.

“I want this to be a place where people feel at home and can come to chill out,” he says. “I like the whole coffee culture and enjoy being around people, conversing and sharing.” And that’s Tulip Coffee Bar in a nutshell – a happy, homey place with a relaxed, down-to-earth vibe.

The only thing that’s serious is the quality of the coffee.

Find Tulip Coffee Bar at 14 Hope Street or call 083 605 5298.

Another fresh young face can be found a little further away, at Rivendell Wine Estate just before the R44 turn-off to Kleinmond. Chef Marco van Rooyen joined the restaurant in November last year and has breathed new life into this charming establishment.

Originally from George, where he matriculated from

Outeniqua High School before enrolling at our very own Warwick’s Chef School, Marcus has returned to Hermanus after two years at the highly acclaimed Babilonstoren near Paarl. Since joining Rivendell he has revamped the menu and initiated a number of special gastronomic events that have been enthusiastically supported by local diners. His Winter Culinary Affair on Friday evenings comprise themed three-course meals such as a Scandanavian Feast, Culinary Youthfulness, and Foraging for Fun. Next up is Everything Ocean on Friday 7 July – be sure not to miss out. Check the Rivendell Estate Facebook page for regular updates on the Winter Culinary Affair which runs until 25 August. To make a booking, contact Rivendell Restaurant on 028 284 9025.

Another new chef is to be found at Hermanuspietersfontein and this one has an Irish accent and a charming smile. Brian Ahearn is married to a South African and the couple recently settled in Hermanus from the UK with their two young boys. He has introduced a new winter menu at Hermanuspietersfontein’s tasting room that consists of 16 different soups.

There will be a choice of two soups daily on a rotational basis, available six days a

Chill out at Tulip Coffee Bar where Justin Dods will serve you a mean cup of coffee.

Charlise Elske with her delightful pop-up food truck, Priscilla’s Pancakes.

A hearty bowl of soup can now be enjoyed alongside Hermanuspietersfontein wines at their tasting room.

Join Rivendell’s Winter Culinary Affair presented by Chef Marco van Rooyen.

Regulars at the Hermanus Country Market have probably noticed a novel new addition – not another food stall but a food truck named Priscilla’s Pancakes. Priscilla is a 1973 Ford Transit Camper Van which owners Geoff and Charlise Elske have lovingly restored and remodelled into a food truck from where Charlise bakes her “flipping good pancakes” as well as other yummy goodies.

It turns out she’s an old hand at this, having owned one of the first food trucks in South Africa back in 1994, when her father, the sculptor Charles Gotthard restored a vintage 1929 Chevrolet truck for her. It became a familiar sight in Knysna, where she was living and selling pancakes at the time. Her passion for food grew from there and she eventually became the executive chef at Oakfield Farm Wedding & Function Venue before moving to Hermanus with her husband Geoff to start up Mountain View Manor Guesthouse.

“With the guest house running smoothly my itch to get back into the kitchen started again and I was ready for a new venture,” she says. “I searched the internet for weeks looking for just the right food truck and was on the verge of giving up when I found Priscilla. I instantly knew she was perfect.”

Priscilla is at the Hermanus Country Market every Saturday morning and, weather permitting, at Onrus beach on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. She’s been known to pop up all over the place, so if you’d like to track her down, keep an eye on the Facebook page, Priscilla’s Pancakes, for regular updates or call Charlise on 081 784 9699.

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Celebrate the flirty fifties with French flair

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he village of Stanford will host another #StanfordDoesBastille weekend from 14 – 16 July and this year the celebrations will include the official opening of The Stanford Hotel Museum.

Last year, The Stanford Hotel and Romantiques from Hermanus collaborated by putting on a beautiful display of vintage wedding dresses that spanned over 100 years.

The event created so much interest that the organisers decided to have a semipermanent display at The Stanford Hotel by opening a museum. “It will be like a living museum where the historical period will change in decades every six months,” says Penny van den Berg, owner of The Stanford Hotel.

The front pub at this historical hotel was originally a general dealer store in the late 1890s.

The Museum of the Stanford Hotel will be a recreation of that original store and will include the history of the hotel, its former owners, guests and the Stanford Village community it served.

The museum will officially open on Saturday morning, 15 July at 09:00. Access to the museum is from Reception at The Stanford

Hotel. The spotlight will be on the 1950s as the first historical period displayed in the museum, and will set the theme for the whole ‘retro’ weekend in this charming historical village.

The team from Retrospecitve Fashion in Long Street, Cape Town, will offer 1950s makeovers for all the ladies wishing to dazzle the night away at the two special French evenings at both Graze Café and La Trattoria in Stanford, where the dress code will be romantic 1950s.

On Saturday morning, 1950s outfits – both originals from Romantiques and recreations from Retrospective Fashion – will be on sale in the LACE boutique off the hotel veranda.

After the make-overs, John de Garis, acclaimed local photographer, will offer a special 1950s pin-up photo shoot at his new studio in Queen Victoria Street.

On Saturday at 18:00, The Stanford Hotel will host a fashion show featuring both original and reproduced vintage garments over cocktails, after which both Graze and La Trattoria will speak and cook only French!

The #StanfordDoesBastille Weekend will highlight all the local antiques shops and art galleries and will promote the idea of an Overberg Antique Route. To kick off, the route will include Romantiques in Hermanus, Stanford’s New Junk Shop, TAT, Stanford Trading Store, LACE, Sir Robert Stanford Home of Antiques and Napier Antiques.

For more information or to make a booking for the Make-over with Restrospective Fashion; the Photoshoot with John de Garis; the Fashion Show; or the Saturday Night Dinner at Graze Café or La Trattoria, contact Penny on 082 781 1704 or reservations @stanfordvillage.co.za

The Stanford Bastille Festival from 14 – 16 July will coincide with the opening of the museum at the Stanford Hotel.

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WORDS OF WISDOM Local author, educator and motivational speaker Anthea van der Pluym launched her latest book Authenticity at La Vierge on 29 June. It was an inspirational evening accompanied by fine wines and a delectable dinner courtesy of Chef Bruce Henderson and his team. As the evening came to an end, all the attendees took home Anthea’s inspiring words: “Be authentic, be vulnerable, be kind and most of all, be fully involved.” From left are Angie and Theo Krynauw, Anthea van der Pluym and MC Janet Marshall.

CRIME THRILLER LAUNCH The celebrated Afrikaans crime fiction writer, Rudie van Rensburg from Welgemoed, launched his latest blockbuster, Kamikaze, at Hermanus Library last week.

Lorraine van Oudenhove (right) from Fisherhaven won a copy of Kamikaze in a lucky draw at the launch and had it signed by Rudie. The event, attended by more than sixty enthusiastic fans, was hosted

by Ronel Tutt, manager of Bargain Books in Hermanus, in collaboration with NB Publishers and the Hermanus Library.

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4 - 17 July 2017

Kindness has nothing to do with skin colour Hedda Mittner

A

ll children come into the world bearing gifts,” says Dr Sindiwe Magona. “It is up to us to nurture them so that these gifts may come to fruition.”

THE

NEWS

“I was only 23 years old and I felt like my life was over,” she recalls. “I realised that I was going to have to take ownership of my situation – no-one else was going to do it for me.”

HELPING Hand Sponsored by Hermanus

Sindiwe’s teaching skills eventually enabled her to find another teaching post which marked the beginning of her slow climb out of destitution.

Her determination to further her education and better her and her children’s lives strengthened her resolve to study by candlelight in her township shack. She achieved first her high school diploma, then a General Certificate of Education with the University of London, followed by a bachelor’s degree through UNISA. Apart from jobs with the Bantu Administration office and as a welfare worker for Cape Town City Council, she also taught at UNISA, the South African Committee for Higher Education and Herschel School for Girls.

I have met up with Sindiwe, one of South Africa’s most beloved storytellers, at the Amana Conference Centre in Vermont where she is facilitating a Sparklekids Weekend Workshop for a group of 50 Grade 6 learners from Zwelihle Primary.

She is a pint-sized woman, now in her seventies, but she is feisty and frank, and exudes the warmhearted kindness and selfconfidence of someone who has lived through it all and seen it all.

Recognised internationally for her activism in women’s issues, the plight of children and the fight against segregation and racism, Sindiwe is also an award-winning novelist, poet, playwright, actress and motivational speaker who uses her creative talents to inform, challenge and inspire. This is the fourth weekend workshop she has done with the same group of learners, impressing on each one of them that they are unique and here for a special reason – to make the world a better place.

Theo and Angie Krynauw of Sparklekids are overjoyed to be working with Sindiwe. “To have someone of Sindiwe’s stature on board is a dream come true for us,” says Theo. “Our aim is to equip these children with life skills that will empower them to handle all the challenges life throws at them and to face the future with more confidence. It has taken many days and nights of preparation by Angie and her team of eleven mentors to organise these workshops with the aid of the Abagold Development Fund, which is sponsoring the accommodation for the workshops for the rest of the year. We are truly blessed and deeply thankful for all the support we’ve received.”

The Sparklekids Weekend

Dr Sindiwe Magona with some of the Grade 6 Zwelihle Primary learners who attended the recent Sparklekids Weekend Workshop in Vermont. From left are Zanele, Yolanda, Sindiwe, Ayema and Lilitha.

Workshops are all about broadening the children’s horizons, says Sindiwe. “You know, dreams are like madness – you can’t dream something you’ve never seen.

That is why we must change the things that these children see – they have to know that there is more to life than tin shacks, dirty streets and violence. I want to show them the possibilities so that they can start dreaming of a better life, and I want to give them the tools to achieve their goals.”

Sindiwe bases her approach on three basic premises: respect for yourself; respect for others; and respect for your environment. “If we can achieve these three simple things, all will be well with the world,” she says. “We have to roll up our sleeves to help today’s children because they are our future and they must be able to partake in democracy in a meaningful way.”

Having grown up in an impoverished community during the apartheid regime, Sindiwe is no stranger to adversity. “People should not be cemented into poverty,” she says. “I want to teach them to hate poverty and to get out of it. Being born poor does not mean that you have to be poor forever.”

St Matthew’s Teachers’ Training College, Sindiwe was contracted as a primary school teacher at Hlengisa Primary in Nyanga, where she experienced first-hand the overcrowded, underresourced township schools administered under the inadequate Bantu Education system.

Sindiwe’s own life – one she says “she never dreamed of” – had an unpromising start.

Born in 1943 in a rural village in the Eastern Cape (formerly Transkei), she was the eldest of eight children. When she was still very young, her family relocated to the squashed confines of a tin shack in the township of Gugulethu on the Cape Flats.

Despite her proud achievement of becoming a teacher, Sindiwe’s life started a downward spiral when she learned she was pregnant.

The shame and stigma attached to an unmarried pregnancy lost her the teaching post, and the reputation of her family. A hasty, minimised lobola was arranged, and Sindiwe began an impoverished life with her uneducated, migrant labourer husband. Domestic work was her only option. Poverty and despair were compounded when her husband abandoned her while pregnant with their third child.

Although her parents had minimal education and eked out a meagre existence at menial jobs, they advocated education as the path to financial and social freedom.

After graduating from

During this time, South Africa was at a critical stage in the anti-apartheid struggle and Sindiwe played an active role in groups such as Christian Women Concerned and the Women’s Peace Movement.

With life becoming increasingly difficult, the opportunity to study for her Master’s degree in Social Work on a scholarship from Columbia University in New York in 1981 also presented Sindiwe with an opportunity to escape the racial and gender constrictions of the apartheid regime.

While studying, she worked part-time as a Xhosa interpreter at the United Nations, and after graduating she was offered a post with the United Nations’ Media Department. She spent the next 20 years working for the UN in New York City, until her retirement in 2003. After loving her country from a distance, Sindiwe decided to return because “I felt I could be of more service here”. She made a new life in Cape Town where today, even at the age of 74 years, she continues to

“

We must all fight the same fight.

What is wrong is wrong – and racism is wrong and ugly.

”

write prolifically, lead workshops and deliver key addresses at universities and conferences nationally and internationally.

Sindiwe’s literary career began with small articles for Raven Press in the late ‘70s and blossomed into her first autobiography for David Philips Publishers titled To My Children’s Children (1990), followed by the sequel Forced to Grow (1992). In 1991 she published the highly acclaimed short story collection Living, Loving, and Lying Awake at Night which was voted one of the 20th century’s 100 Best Books from the African Continent. Push-Push and Other Stories, a second collection of short stories, was published in 1996. Mother to Mother, a fictionalized account of the murder of Fulbright scholar Amy Biehl as narrated by the murderer’s mother, appeared in 1998. She also adapted this novel to a play, which was performed at the Baxter Theatre in late 2009.

Sindiwe is the author of Teach yourself Xhosa and several other educational children’s books, including The Best Meal Ever! and Life is a hard but beautiful thing, which have been translated into several languages. Other works include the internationally acclaimed novel Beauty’s Gift (2008) which was shortlisted for the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa) as well as the Sunday Times Literary Award.

– Additional source: www.sahistory.org.za

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4 - 17 July 2017

The essence of pampering body and soul

any of my customers at the Provenance shop love essential oils but haven't a clue how to use them. It's understandable as the subject seems so complicated and using these volatile oils can be tricky due to their varying strengths and intensities. What amounts are safe to use in a products? What are the various benefits and uses? Can you inhale them or ingest them? These are just some of the questions that arise.

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NEWS

relatively low yields. (On our farm we used 100 kg herbage to extract, on average, 100 ml of oil.) So, if you find essential oils at a cheap price, there's a good chance that the quality of the oil is poor.

MY Health

Over the years that I've studied and worked with essential oils, my fascination for them has resulted in the accumulation of a huge amount of information regarding their skin care benefits, practical uses and medicinal and aromatherapeutic benefits.

It all started eight years ago when my husband Peter and I were growing and propagating plants on our farm in the Karoo for their essential oils, including Pelargonium cv. Rosé (Rose Geranium), Pelargonium Tomentosom (Peppermint Chocolate Geranium), Lavenula Grosso (Lavandin) and Lavendula Mailette (Lavender).

Being surrounded in such abundance by these oils it was inevitable that I would become spellbound by the intoxicating world of lotions, soaps and

other aromatic creations.

Essential oils are not really oils as they don't contain fatty acids, although they are oil soluble and don't mix with water. The characteristic fragrance is the essence of or better still, the soul of the plant and the oil is extracted by distillation either with

steam, cold pressing or solvents, each using completely different machines and contraptions to draw out the precious oils to varying degrees of fragrance intensity and yield.

The quality of the oil is strongly affected by the 'terroir', the place where it is

grown, as well as the climate, the soil quality, how it was processed etc. and much like wine, an oil can change in quality from one field to another, even if it's grown on the same farm. Generally essential oils are fairly pricy due to the labour intense processes and huge amounts of herbage needed to produce

There are of course many uses for these wonderful oils but there are caveats attached to using them that should be carefully observed: ■ Essential oils (hereafter referred to as EOs) are highly volatile and should be diluted in a carrier oil to account for 1% to 3% of the total finished product. A rule of thumb is that 20 drops of EO is equivalent to approximately 1 ml. Therefore, to 100 ml of carrier oil, add between 20 to 60 drops of EO. This will facilitate the spreading of the EO over a larger area of the skin and guard against possible sensitivity. Be sure to do a skin allergy test before applying any natural materials.

■ Unless you are prepared to do some serious research beforehand, don't use EOs during pregnancy or on babies and children under the age of 24 months. Among the few exceptions is using a weak dilution of lavender oil in a carrier oil (0,25% or 2 drops lavender in 2 tsp carrier oil) to massage the feet of babies to help them sleep, or in balms

to help with eczema and nappy rash (see recipe below). For young children between 2 and 4 years only use the EOs occasionally as their skins and respiratory tracts are very sensitive. Dilute the EOs to around 3 – 4 drops per 2 tsp carrier oil, and introduce only the safest oils such as lavender, ylang-ylang and chamomile. To be absolutely sure, always do a skin test first.

■ However small the amount, swallowing EOs is seldom a good idea in adults and an absolute no-no for babies and children. A single drop of essential oil is an extremely concentrated combination of multiple chemical constituents, and I prefer to drink tea made from the dried plants from which the oils are derived, as this is the most gentle and beneficial method to profit from these properties.

■ When you add undiluted EO to the bath water, it will separate and float in little globules on the surface. Always mix them first in a carrier oil, or better still, in a water soluble carrier such as honey or vegetable glycerine, which will help to emulsify the oil into the water. Use about 5 – 10 drops of EO for a bath full of water.

Hopefully these cautionary notes have not discouraged you from using these wonderful gifts of nature because the

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4 - 17 July 2017

practical uses for them are many and varied and way outweigh their negative attributes.

Here is a short list of just a few of the many simple ways you can use the oils safely at home, combining them with materials that are readily available: ■ Bath Salts – Combine a mixture of 40 drops essential oil in 4 g almond oil (eg. lavender for sleep, orange and lemon for energy), then mix well into 50 g salt and 50 g Epsom salts to create a detoxifying soak for your bath.

■ Room Spritzer – Add 30 drops fragrant essential oil to 100 ml distilled water (or boil the water for 20 minutes, then cool) for a simple way to freshen up a room. Shake well before each use.

■ Room Diffusers – Add 40 drops fragrant essential oil to 30 ml grapeseed oil, 30 ml

Vodka and 38 ml water. Shake well and pour into a small glass bottle with diffuser sticks. Stir and turn the sticks daily.

■ Baby Bum Balm – To 100 ml of melted Shea Butter (available in the Provenance shop), add 5 drops of lavender or chamomile oil and mix well.

Allow to cool and firm up, then use as a natural and soothing barrier cream for nappy rash and balm for mild eczema.

■ Bug Spray – ½ cup Witch Hazel, ½ cup distilled water (or water boiled for 20 minutes then cooled,) ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar or spirit vinegar, 1 teaspoon glycerine, 10 drops

Rosemary, 15 drops Rose Geranium, 10 drops Lemon oils, 10 drops lavender. Shake before each use. Use sparingly and only on clothing when spraying on young children.

■ Hair care – Add 10 to 20 drops of either rosemary, lemongrass, lemon or lavender to 100 ml shampoo and conditioner to strengthen the hair follicles which will in turn prevent hair loss and add thickness and body to your hair. It will minimize itchiness and flakiness and prevent split ends.

– Eve Wilson Provenance Body and Skin Care Products, 4 Mitchell Street, Hermanus 083 292 3359

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE The Onrus Manor Open Day on Saturday 1 July was attended by representatives from the medical field and interested families exploring the options of independent living with healthcare benefits. “We offer a carefree lifestyle with security, gardening, cleaning, clubhouse, scheduled fun activities inhouse and outings on a regular basis. The objective of our open day presentations are to proudly showcase our facilities, and to inform the public that you don’t have to live in Onrus Manor to make use of our Health Care Centre, which provides professional care in a modern environment,” said Sr Karin Lourens, Onrus Manor Manager. The services offered by Onrus Manor include Sub-Acute care and Rehabilitation, Respite care, Long-term care and Palliative care.

For more information and a tour of the facilities, contact Sr Karin Lourens on 028 316 5001. Above: From left are Michelle Bosch (Client Liaison Officer), Marijke Scroombie (Case Manager), Sr Karin Lourens (Unit Manager), Charné Willemse (Group Case Manager), main presenter of the open day Sr Lee Boorman, Nursing Director WC (left) and Charleen Pretorius (Health Care Admin).

PHOTOS: Alan Clarkson

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4 - 17 July 2017

BIG THANK YOU Petrus Swarts and Bakheni (right) of Petrus & Partner Painters took on the job of applying a fresh coat of paint to the in and outside of The Village NEWS office. The two gentlemen did a sterling job.

Albert Streicher and his team at Hermanus Hardware kindly sponsored the paint to spruce up the office.

Nzuzo Nicholas Matshoba (below) has been part of the Hermanus Hardware team since 1996. He is friendly and a knowledgeable paint advisor and master mixer.

4 - 17 July 2017

E

SANSA team returns from Antarctica

very year, SANSA sends two teams, an overwintering team and takeover team, to South Africa’s permanent research base in Antarctica, the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE IV).

The overwintering team spends 14 months at the base during the perpetual night period, when the sun doesn’t come up over the Antarctic continent at all. The takeover team works at the base for six weeks during the summer, when the sun doesn’t go down, to assist the new overwintering team to take over from the departing team.

The 2016/17 overwintering team recently returned home.

One of the team members, Paddy Riley, shared some of their experiences on the ice.

“I was one of the electrical engineers in the team and our main priority was to monitor and maintain the space weather monitoring equipment at the base. During our stay, the uptime for the SuperDARN radar was the best in six years.

“One of my more unusual tasks was to hang from a rope off the edge of a 150 m cliff to chop away ice that blocked our waste water pipe.”

Before departure at the

beginning of December 2015, team members underwent training in fire-fighting, firstaid, rope work, cooking and crane operation, and had the opportunity to meet and interact. “The training prepared us, physically and mentally, to spend 14 months living and working as a team in an isolated, often harsh environment,” said Paddy.

Antarctica is often referred to as a ‘Window into Geospace’.

The Earth’s magnetic field lines converge at the poles and create a funnel-like effect where space plasma moves into the Earth’s atmosphere.

This ‘Window into Geospace’ makes Antarctica an ideal location to monitor space from Earth.

“Antarctica is not only an ideal location for space science research, it also offers unique experiences, such as viewing the spectacular aurora, the absolute silence when the wind dies down, exposure to the unmerciful cruelty of mother nature and the sunrises and sunsets that last most of the day.

“Everything also takes longer than you expect it to, so I had to learn to have a great deal of patience and also how to get along with people from different

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backgrounds and work together as a strong team.”

According to Paddy, a typical day consisted of checking equipment and the radar stayropes, downloading data for daily graph plotting, shovelling ice into a smelter (smelly duty) for fresh water and assisting team members with evening chef duties.

Relaxation included time in the gym, watching movies and playing board games and poker.

“We also had a medical emergency during which I experienced the helplessness of being trapped by the ice and wind. We had to drive a very sick team member to the German base for an operation and got stuck in the field for three days, without a door to close against the elements or electricity for a heater. I thought I was going to die.”

For the first time, the overwintering team took along paints and canvases, sponsored by the Rossouw Modern Gallery in Hermanus, to bring some colour to the vast whiteness of Antarctica.

“Many of the paintings were a team effort, created during birthday and other celebrations, like Spring Day.” The painting sessions

stimulated amazing feats of creativity and as a fun activity created greater cohesiveness within the team. There were also enough canvases for some personal paintings. “The completed paintings are now with the Rossouw Modern Gallery in Hermanus. We also left the paints and a canvas with the new team at the base because the experience was so helpful to us as a team.

“The untouched, unspoiled landscape of Antarctica is the most beautiful thing. Not only did the experience leave me with remarkable memories but being separated, for 14 months, from all the negative things going on in the world was an amazingly liberating feeling.”

The SANAE 55 expedition team, from left: P Riley, M Phillips, V Rademeyer, P Bohra, A Baton, M Makhanya, D Malan, B Mbeki, T Tawane and M White.

SANSA Engineer, Paddy Riley, working off the edge of a 150 m cliff to chop away ice that was blocking the waste water pipe at the SA Antarctic base.

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SCHOOL NEWS

4 - 17 July 2017

ROUGH AND TOUGH Learners from Hermanus High took part in the Spur MTB League on Saturday 24 June at the Southey Vines Cycle Park in Somerset West. The Spur Schools Mountain Bike League is about introducing more learners to bikes and encouraging South African schools to adopt mountain biking as an official sport. With these simple aims the Spur Schools Mountain Bike League has built a strong cross-country racing format, with four events taking place in each

province between May and September. Schools are encouraged to enter as many riders as possible in order to rack up points which are awarded to riders’ finishing positions in each race. A High School Inter-schools final wraps up each season in October. Approximately 400 riders representing 60 schools from different regions are able to compete at the Final in Magaliesburg.

Representing Hermanus were from left Juan Erasmus, Adriaan Duminy and Daniel Carr.

RUGBY HEROES Hermanus High boasts 8 Boland rugby players this year. They are (back from left): Niel du Toit (forwards coach of the U18 Craven Week Team), Lloyd April, JW Human, Michael-John Otto. In the middle are Jacques Mangiagalli (U19A assistant coach), Lionel April, J'hanco Botha and Graham Bellingan (U19A head coach). Front: Thys van der Merwe, Aphelele Madaka and Dehan Scheepers. The Boland teams will take part in the Craven Week at St Stithian’s in Johannesburg from 17 to 22 July.

GAME ON The U16 rugby team from Hermanus High had their hands full over the weekend when they played a practice match against the Boland U18 girls rugby team. The boys say although they took the lead easily it was not easy playing against the girls as they did not know how to tackle them. The girls team will take part in the SARU Girls U18 Rugby Tournament in Welkom in the Free State under the guidance of coach Thomas Chowles.

PHOTO: Lynette van Tonder

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SPORT NEWS

4 - 17 July 2017

Local players to compete in World Team Walkerbay Xtreme a huge boost for town

A

long weekend of adventure sport activities outside of the bumper Hermanus tourist season has brought an estimated R1,2-million economic injection into the town. And if local business feedback is anything to go by, the HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme contributed to similar financial turnovers than the usually busy Easter Weekend.

This is according to an impact study that was independently conducted on behalf of the Walkerbay Xtreme, after the event came to a close on 1 May. It was the second time the event took place, and the first time that the economic impact of the event on the town has been calculated.

“Almost 85% of participants came from outside Hermanus, and most of these athletes travelled here with friends and family who were able to experience the best that our town has to offer,” says Rick Oosthuyzen, who heads up the HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme organising team.

“Attracting this kind of tourism influx and economic injection into the town outside of our traditional tourist season is vital to the town and greater region’s sustainability.”

Oosthuyzen echoes the stance taken by Tim Harris, CEO of

Wesgro – the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape – who reiterated Wesgro’s efforts to support events that stimulate tourism during the traditional winter season.

According to Harris, Wesgro ’s promotional efforts supported 34 leisure events between April and September 2016 that created 1 600 temporary jobs, drove 150 000 visitors into the regions, and resulted in an estimated economic impact of R260-million.

“We are therefore incredibly proud to be supported by Wesgro, and believe that this event will continue to make an even greater impact on Hermanus and surrounds in years to come,” adds Oosthuyzen.

Close to 1 000 athletes and their supporters flocked to the event this year, turning the iconic cliff path, spectacular mountain range and cool Atlantic into their playground.

While professional athletes and weekend warriors tested their physical and mental endurance in a range of sporting disciplines, including triathlon, trail running and urban cycling, it was the breathtakingly scenic 2.5km Open Water Xtreme swim that caught the eye of international media.

The open water swim was at the centre of a CNN International news feature about South Africa’s love affair with adventure, and open water swimming in particular.

The feature also focused on the feats of Walkerbay Xtreme participant and open water swimmer Arafat Gatabazi, who learnt to swim and fell in love with the ocean after arriving in the country as a refugee from the DRC. “This is exactly the kind of exposure we need to put the Walkerbay Xtreme on the global map. The event is still in its infancy, but it is our vision to position it as an international bucket list event, and attract athletes from across the world,” says Oosthuyzen.

“People have embraced the #FindYourXtreme slogan, and have shown that one doesn’t have to be the best, fittest or fastest super-human to participate in an event like this; we offer individuals from all walks of life and fitness levels the opportunity to perform at their own best and push their personal boundaries.”

The organising team have already gone back to the drawing board to refine the event offering for next year.

The 2018 Walkerbay Xtreme is scheduled to take place between 28 and 30 April.

Francois Barnard and Stephen Hansen will represent South Africa in the 55-60 year age group at the Senior World Team Championships to be held in Miami, USA at the end of October.

Francois' stepmother, Margie (neé Hunt) represented South Africa and won many SA titles, also reaching the semi-finals of the mixed doubles at Wimbledon, partnered by Frew McMillan.

Each age group team consists of four players and it is a worthy achievement that two of the four men hail from our town. The event is organised under the auspices of the International Tennis Federation and open to entries from countries throughout the world.

Stephen is a practicing accountant in Hermanus, residing on Barton Vineyards near Botrivier. Stephen is a former Town Treasurer of Kleinmond and when the municipalities amalgamated, he held the position of Manager of Accounting Services at the Overstrand Municipality.

Stephen will be embarking on his third appearance at the Senior World Championships, having competed in this event in 2014 when it was held in the USA and in 2015 in France.

Francois is a well-known businessman and restauranteur in Hermanus and a doyen of our local tennis club.

He was introduced to tennis from an early age, having grown up in a family steeped in tennis achievements. His father, Johan was a highly respected President of the South African Tennis Union.

Francois Barnard

Stephen Hansen

Good luck to Francois and Stephen and may the serves, returns, lobs, volleys and smashes be well tuned at the tournament!

Table Cricket comes to Hermanus The Lord’s Taverners, a nonprofit organisation based in the UK, dates back more than 60 years to when a generous group of like-minded cricket nuts, and regular drinking friends at the Lords Tavern at Lords Cricket Ground, decided to form a charitable group.

The purpose was simple: to raise money for disabled and also disadvantaged children and create opportunities for them to engage in sport and recreational activities.

Offering hope and a chance to shine, their motto is ‘Giving Young People a Sporting Chance’.

A local chapter of the Lord’s Taverners, which is committed to the same aims as in the UK

but with a South African element, was launched in 2016, with CEO David Ralph driving the mission of Lord’s Taverners South Africa. Since his arrival in South Africa in 1975, David has held senior management positions in the fields of retail, marketing and advertising, and now resides in Hermanus.

Table cricket is the focal point of Lord’s Taverners South Africa. This unique sport, which was developed in the UK with the aim of providing children with disabilities the opportunity to become part of a team as well as greatly improving their hand/eye motor coordination skills, has been rolled out at various schools throughout the country over the last year.

David says they are currently looking at ways to expand to Hermanus, with a fund-raising event being held at the Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday 19 July at 18:00.

The presentation will feature renowned author and broadcaster Patricia Glyn, who will give a talk on her Mount Everest adventure.

Table Cricket Ambassador Nicholas Lambie (elder brother of Sharks player Patrick) will be assisting in promoting table cricket in South Africa and getting it into as many schools as possible. In the UK it has been enormously successful, with a national competition held every year. Read more at www.lordstaverners.org

24

4 - 17 July 2017

THE

NEWS

MY Sport

Gearing up for the Tour de France

T

he topic of arduous sporting events is frequently debated by sports enthusiasts. Contenders for the most gruelling of these include the World Iron Man Championships, Atlantic Rowing Race, 15-round World Heavyweight Boxing bout or a five-set epic battle on the clay of Roland Garros, to name a few.

However, the one that often tops the list is the 3 500 km Tour de France which started on Saturday 1 July and ends on 23 July.

Offside Tony O’Hagan

thereafter at St John's College in Johannesburg where he matriculated.

The number of teams normally varies between 20 and 22, with nine riders in each team. The riders’ times are compounded with their previous stage times. The rider with the lowest aggregate time is the leader of the race and gets to don the coveted yellow jersey.

While studying economics at the University of Johannesburg, Chris started his participation in road cycling. He turned professional while riding for the South African team, Konica Minolta, after being introduced to the team by South African cyclist, Robbie Hunter. In 2008, he joined the British based, South African sponsored, cycling team Barloworld, riding for the team in his first Tour de France.

Four riders have won the race on five occasions, namely Jacques Anquetil of France (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964), Eddy Merckx of Belgium (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 & 1974), Bernard Hinault of France (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 & 1985), and Miguel Indurain of Spain who triumphed five years in a row (1991 – 1995). The current title holder is Chris Froome from Great Britain who is already a three time winner.

The Tour was first organised in 1903 but was curtailed during the two World Wars. It was originally exclusively held in France but as it grew in prominence and popularity it was extended to include nearby countries. The Tour de France, the Giro d' Italia and Vuella a Espana make up what is known as the Grand Tours. The Tour de France is the oldest and generally considered the most prestigious by fans and riders alike.

The Tour is a multi-stage cycling race with the route changing each year. The modern editions consist of 21 day-long stages over a 23 day period. The tour passes through the Pyrenean

and Alpine mountain ranges and finishes on the ChampsElysées in Paris.

Three-time winner Chris Froome in action during the 2015 Tour de France.

Thirty-two-year-old Chris Froome hails from the African continent and has firm roots in South Africa. Born in Kenya, he moved to South Africa with his family at the age of 14. He attended school at St Andrews in Bloemfontein and

Froome is today a British citizen riding for Team Sky under whose banner he won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

At this year’s Tour de France, South Africa's hopes lie with Team Dimension Data for Quebeka. The name reflects Dimension Data as the sponsor and organised by the Quebeka Foundation, the World Bicycle Relief's charity programme in South Africa. One of the team's riders is the well-known Mark Cavendish. The team was the first African-based entry in the Tour de France, competing initially in 2015.