The Village NEWS 04 Mar - 11 Mar 2020

4 MARCH 2020

www.thevillagenews.co.za

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Despite Friday’s windy weather, many people visited Grotto Beach to watch a stunning, golden sunset. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

BotSoc lease not renewed Writer De Waal Steyn

S

ixty years after being founded and established in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve (FNR), the Hermanus Botanical Society (HBS) has been informed by the municipality that it needs to vacate its buildings in the FNR

by July, as the lease will not be extended.

According to municipal Director of Infrastructure and Planning, Stephen Müller, the municipality has a shortage of office space and therefore the buildings in the FNR will be used to house the staff members of the Environmental Department.

“The Environmental Department will be housed in the existing buildings, while they take over

the day-to-day running of the reserve and the nursery. The hall will still be used for public gatherings, as before,” said Müller.

He said this did not mean that HBS would no longer have a role to play in FNR. “What we are aiming for is to create a partnership between the municipality and HBS. We cannot take over all their functions and will create a space for them to be housed.

“It is important for us that HBS continues with its work, such as the upkeep of the herbarium and the seedbank, the weekly displays of plants and flowers that are put in the visitors’ centre, the organisation and hosting of the annual Flower Festival and the establishment of a fully-fledged botanical garden,” Müller said.

He said it was proposed that the municipality take over the running of the indigenous nursery. “The nursery plays an important role in ensuring the survival of our indigenous plants.

As the biggest client of the nursery, it makes sense that the municipality should appoint its botanist to run the nursery on its behalf.”

According to him, HBS has been asked in a meeting to ascertain how much space it will need and to come up with suggestions as to how a partnership agreement can be reached.

“By these means we will be able to lift the burden of continuous fundraising by HBS in order to pay for the lease and the general upkeep of the FNR.” Di Marais, HBS Chair, said the society had received a letter out of the blue from the mu-

nicipality informing them that their lease would not be extended. “This came as quite a shock as we had not been expecting it at all. HBS has been planning the creation of an internationally-accredited botanical garden for several years now and we are well on our way to make this a reality. However, for HBS to establish this garden we need to show tenure. Should we be forced to move, it will jeopardise the establishment of the botanical garden.”

According to Marais they have obtained legal opinion on the issue and after a special meeting resolved not to accept the proposal. “We do not think that this is the best option for the FNR, and we will persist with our request to negotiate a 45-year lease agreement with the municipality. We have already informed the municipality of this.

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VEG COMBO

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4 March 2020

New app launched by The Village NEWS Writer Raphael da Silva

services they may need.

A

The My VILLAGE app has a geo-positioning facility so it will show users the businesses that are closest to them, first. Each listing will also allow users to “like'' and make comments about a particular business providing valuable recommendations to other users.

fter almost a year of hard work The Village NEWS has launched My VILLAGE, a news, information and tourism application (app) for Overberg residents and visitors that can be easily downloaded from Google Play Store or Apple iTunes directly to a smartphone or tablet.

Apart from providing news and information from the Overberg, My VILLAGE will offer a breaking news service that will send push notifications about important events such as fires, flooding and road closures to users.

By keeping our communities informed of the latest news and delivering updated reports on unfolding stories, we foresee that the app will become an invaluable tool for residents.

In addition, the My VILLAGE app can be used as a handy directory to find businesses in the Overberg.

For R50 a month, companies will be able to list their businesses on the app and users will be able to make a direct booking, for a restaurant or tourist activity for example, or email an enquiry to an electrician or plumber, or make contact with businesses whose products or

“We are really excited about connecting Overberg businesses with both visitors to the area and the existing community at the touch of a button. To have all this information about a specific area in a condensed space is really something special and we're proud to be the vehicle that achieves this,” says Dylan Verhave, a Director at PeppaComm, the company that has partnered with The NEWS to launch My VILLAGE. “For example, I've been a resident in Hermanus for a year now and, up to two weeks ago, I didn't even know who to speak to in order to get my laptop repaired. Now, with this info readily available in the business listings, things will become simpler and ensure that local businesses are supported,” says Dylan.

“On a personal note, I'm really excited about

staying up to date with events and upcoming concerts in and around the area, something I could never previously do. With the app, these events can be synced into my calendar and I can receive timely reminders,” adds Dylan.

The My VILLAGE app follows the successful launch of The Village NEWS website, www. thevillagenews.co.za, last January. In its first year the website attracted over 135 000 users from 198 different countries and territories.

“This year, we are hoping to add readers from North Korea, Tajikistan, Yemen, Turkmenistan and Vatican City,” jokes TVN digital team member, Mitch Scholtz, as an indication of the global reach of the website.

“We are hopeful that the My VILLAGE app will be just as successful as the website,” adds Mitch pointing out that the number of website users this year has nearly doubled compared to the same period last year.

“Interestingly,” points out TVN publisher, De Waal Steyn, “50% of the website users live either in Cape Town or Gauteng, a very clear indica-

tion of the interest that these very important markets have in our region. We expect My VILLAGE to appeal to Overstrand residents and visitors first and, over time, to Overberg residents and visitors.”

While My Village will be a valuable information tool for residents and visitors, there are some challenges.

“Probably the two biggest challenges will be dealing with the data intensity of the app and keeping up with the frequent changes,” says Eugene Rousseau, Head of Development at PeppaComm.

“As the app grows and as more users join, the amount of data available in terms of content will grow, and the increasing number of users will consume more data. Dealing with data is tricky. Only so much data can be stored on the device and still be relevant, while on the other hand, using a network connection to sync up with a cloud-based data source brings with it another set of challenges. You want to use this effectively but still ensure that you are not using too much of a user's data. Also, you need to deal with factors that are not always under your control, such as the loss or speed of network connectivity on the user's side,” says Eugene.

PeppaComm partners with TVN Originally developed to service smaller communities, PeppaComm is partnering with The Village NEWS to expose the My VILLAGE app to a broader unlimited national and international audience, in a way that was not envisioned before.

“My VILLAGE is an excellent opportunity for PeppaComm to test itself in a large community environment where downloads of the app are by choice rather than by directive or necessity,” says Dylan Verhave, a Director at PeppaComm and a Hermanus resident.

“My VILLAGE opens up the PeppaComm platform to a public forum which allows us to test its capabilities on a much larger scale as well as tap into an industry segment we have not yet played in. This could escalate our growth by exposing our platform to potential customers,” says Managing Director, Donald Baillie.

“PeppaComm was founded on the basis of eliminating WhatsApp groups in residential estates and small communities like churches which wanted to share more than the odd text message and re-

port issues and faults in a more orderly and controlled manner. It then mushroomed into more than just a platform to deliver a message, it became a complete communication and community hub for all things happening and relevant to a specific group, in this case, the residents of the Overberg,” says Dylan “WhatsApp Groups cause too much noise and people use them to discuss personal nonsense in a public forum. Emails are simply being ignored due to the large number people receive on a daily basis and insights into the community's needs, likes, wants, issues and grievances are often missed as there are simply too many digital platforms for them to communicate on,” adds Donald.

“PeppaComm was born from the need to address these issues in any community by creating a single digital platform that could address just about every communication and engagement requirement that a community may have through our feature-rich offering,” says Donald.

“We'd like to see PeppaComm become the

leading small-community connector in South Africa and then repeat this model abroad. We feel that we have the tools, team and product for the job and are constantly innovating and listening to what our clients and their ‘people’ want”, says Dylan.

PeppaComm offers a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that allows small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), such as The Village NEWS, to create their own application (app) by choosing from a list of available modules, a method that is faster and more cost-effective than trying to develop an app from scratch, a process that can take up to a year and costs millions of Rands. Through the SaaS model, a company can potentially launch their app in two weeks after the delivery and licensing in which the software is accessed online through a subscription, rather than bought and installed on individual computers.

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How to download the My VILLAGE app: • If you have an android smartphone go to Google Play Store. For Apple phones, use iTunes.

Make sure you are on the South African versions of these app stores. Type in My VILLAGE. • Look for the My Village icon and install the app.

An app is the same thing as a software programme and is most often used to describe programmes for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

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4 March 2020

Botanical Society part and parcel of FNR From P 1 “HBS celebrates its 60th anniversary on 8 March and has become synonymous with the FNR over the years. All the buildings and facilities, including the nursery and the hall, were funded and built by HBS over the years with money that was raised by us. I think it is unfair that we are treated in this way and we will fight this plan. The FNR is too important not to put up a fight. We do not think that the municipality is capable of running the FNR on a day-to-day basis and it will

not be able to do so without the HBS,” said Marais.

The HBS has had a major influence on the establishment of the FNR as a top tourist attraction. Paths were laid out throughout the FNR and alien vegetation cleared by its members.

The Indigenous Plant Nursery began informally during the 1960’s. It is now a popular commercial nursery, financed and administered by the HBS, exclusively selling indigenous

plants, and has played an important part in the education of the public as regards the value of their local plants.

The visitors’ centre was built by the HBS in 1972 to display a sample of the flowering plants which visitors could encounter as they walked in the FNR. HBS members still renew and name the collection of flowers every week. For the past 48 years an HBS member has been on duty every Sunday to offer info to visitors on the FNR and its flora and fauna.

The Botanical Society Hall was built by the HBS in 1980 after saving for twenty years for enough money to build this multi-purpose meeting place. The Hermanus Herbarium was built by the HBS in 1983. It houses over 4 000 pressed specimens of local plants. The collection was digitised to the BRAHMS programme in 2016 and appears on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data base.

The Research Centre houses the ex-

tensive botanical library built up from HBS funds and from generous donations of books from many sources.

HBS recently purchased microscopes, the most powerful of which allows the design of the smallest of fynbos flowers to be revealed. Also housed in the Research Centre is the plant material collected by members as the HBS’s ongoing contribution to the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP). The Seed Bank Partnership is the largest conservation initiative in the world.

Fine music for four villages Writer Elaine Davie

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usic lovers in Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooiels have something to look forward to. Eight locals recently got their heads together and decided that if they wanted to have regular access to world-class classical music, they should do something about it. Although they appreciate the excellent music programme offered

by OAK (Overstrand Arts/Kunste) in Hermanus, it is a long way for some of the villagers, especially the elderly, to travel.

The organisers, some of whom are musicians and music teachers themselves, are confident that they will be able to organise monthly performances by top quality local and international musicians and that they will receive strong support from

residents of the four villages, as well as visitors.

The first concert will take place on Sunday 8 March at 16:30 for 17:00 at Bistro 365. It will feature a trio of Stellenbosch musicians: Zoë Coetzee (violin), Estelle Kemp (cello) and Alexandra Beaven (piano). Tickets at R150 can be reserved by calling the restaurant at 028 273 8931. As the venue can accommodate only about 60 concert-goers, snoozers could lose.

Please also diarise the next concert on Sunday 29 March, featuring Austrian cellist, Erich Oskar Huetter and local musician, Barbara Kennedy, together with two surprise guest performers.

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Without further ado, they formed a steering committee to launch the Fine

Music Initiative and are already organising their first concert at Bistro 365, Pringle Bay. Guests will be welcomed with a complimentary glass of wine to set the tone, followed by a 40-minute concert and ending with a light supper. The soirée has been a popular vehicle for sharing a love of music for centuries, giving the audience the opportunity to enjoy the music and then have a pleasant evening comparing notes and socialising.

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Members of the Fine Music steering committee: From right Dr Mike Burns, Morné Lloyd of Bistro 365, cellist Barbara Kennedy, and André and Sybil Reyneke.

PHOTO: Elaine Davie

4 March 2020

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Single solution for baboons Writer Sarah Taylor

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single, focussed, unified and driven approach to the Overberg’s baboon problem is what is needed, according to Kari Brice, Overstrand DA councillor for Ward 3.

Kari was speaking at a municipality-convened meeting at Fernkloof Nature Reserve last week to share information about its current baboon control programme, which was recently resuscitated in a new form after a lapse of five years, and to discuss the way forward. She was appointed to a Council-Appointed Group (CAG) on baboons to coordinate groups of concerned community members with the municipality.

“We are looking for the names of relevant people who could sit on an advisory board with regard to the baboon problem,” she said. “This will be a special, focussed group of people who have Hermanus's interests at heart and for whom this area is of the utmost importance. They must represent the community but also the cause (baboons).” This proposed municipal advisory group will hold quarterly meetings, or more often if necessary, and its members will identify workable projects.

Overstrand’s Environmental Manager, Tarron Dry, agreed, saying: “To find a solution that works for us all, baboons included, we need to all speak with one voice: this includes the Municipality, community groups and Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS).”

Currently, there are at least seven neighbourhood WhatsApp groups between the Hermanus suburbs of Voëlklip and Eastcliff and some of these groups are specifically focused on baboons and providing alerts to residents. There are also specific sub-groups for the Special Ratings Area and the Hermanus Ratepayers’ Association (HRA).

In 2019, the Hermanus Baboon Hotline was established as a platform for residents to report specific incidents. Information received this way is used to populate a database of the troop’s movements.

Also, in the last year, a public-private partnership with the Overstrand Municipality was formed called the Hermanus Baboon Action Group (HBAG) to educate people about dealing with baboons in urban areas (ensuring the correct use of baboon-proof refuse bins, not planting fruit trees, not feeding baboons, not physically harming baboons, etc.) by using social media platforms, a website, as well as a leaflet.

Pat Redford, spokesperson for HBAG, said how frustrating it was to try to educate residents

about not leaving their rubbish accessible to baboons. “We really need the help of law enforcement,” she implored the municipality.

“We can’t do it ourselves.”

Frequenting the Voëlklip-to-Eastcliff area and making sometimes daily raids in suburbia, are two baboon troops – the so-called Fernkloof troop (30 members strong), and the more easterly-roaming Vogelgat troop (14). In the Greater Hermanus area, there is the large Hamilton Russell troop from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (60 members) and another troop of unknown size above Onrus.

Humans and wild "animals cannot live

together and should remain in their separate habitats, with as little interaction as possible

"

While the municipality has limited funds and physical resources to police transgressions, Dry said that in Cape Town, residents had started publicly shaming their neighbours on social media, not by name, but by street, and that this had a major impact and led to improved behaviour.

Dry said social media groups tend to develop into social and sensationalised ‘chat’ groups.

“They should rather stick to the facts and function as Early Warning Systems (EWS) to alert fellow neighbours to a troop’s movement and a potential home or garden invasion,” he said.

What was clear from the meeting was that the various groups or organisations involved do not all have the same agenda and this is complicating attempts to form a strong and unified position from which to work and educate people, in the interests of the safety of the baboons, as well as their human neighbours and their property.

The meeting also included an eye-opening presentation by Esmé Beamish from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT) of her PhD thesis, entitled Threatened to Thriving: Conservation of Cape Peninsula Baboons 2006-2019. Her studies show how the management of the Cape Peninsula troops was underpinned by a considerable amount of research (three PhD theses and four Masters), all of which point strongly to the hypothesis that humans and wild animals cannot live together and should remain in their separate habitats, with as little interaction as possible.

“The consequences of such a spatial overlap is conflict and may lead to human-induced injury of baboons, such as shooting, poisoning or being injured by a speeding car, or even the injury of a human or a pet,” said Esmé.

Her research shows how capturing and tagging two dominant adults in a troop (one male, one female) has been effective in tracking and managing the baboons by using the Virtual Fence, which is still to be fully implemented in Hermanus. In the meantime, rangers with paintball guns have managed to keep the troop together here for longer periods than has been the norm in the past five years.

The virtual fence is made up of a sophisticated radio transmitter system that relays the movements of a troop to a cellular phone. If a troop moves too close to a residential area an alert is sent out and baboon monitors deploy sound boxes that emit the sounds of predators roaring, animals dying and other frightening sound effects, including bear bangers that make a loud banging noise. The baboons are tracked via collars attached to the troop leaders.

Two dominant adults from the Fernkloof troop have been collared and tagged in a joint project between the Overstrand Municipality and HWS as the first step to managing them with the Virtual Fence. However, none of the Vogelgat troop members are collared and thus are not being monitored or managed and make almost daily incursions into Voëlklip.

A presentation at the meeting by HWS’s Dr Phil Richardson dramatically showed how the Fernkloof baboons have been reacting to the presence of the monitors and have been less frequent visitors to town.

Phil said the cost of an electronic collar, the veterinary costs for darting a baboon and then fitting the collar onto it is about R15 000 per baboon. Attendees at the meeting agreed it would be a great idea to find sufficient funding to collar two alpha adults each in the Vogelgat and Hemel-en-Aarde troops as a matter of urgency. It was pointed out, however, that the municipality has limited resources to manage, effectively, more than one troop at this point.

Important baboon contacts: Hermanus Baboon Hotline: 071 588 6540 Hermanus Baboon Action Group: www. hermanusbaboons.co.za or Facebook @ Hermanus Baboons • Baboon-proof bins and Overstrand Municipality refuse removal issues: 028 313 8092 • Law enforcement and by-law transgressions/complaints: 028 313 898

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FROM THE EDITOR

Co-governance needs rules of engagement News about the non-renewal after 60 years of the Hermanus Botanical Society’s (HBS) lease at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve (FNR) has spread like wildfire over the last few days.

The FNR and its management have been hot topics of debate ever since the municipality made public its Integrated Management Plan (IMP) in 2017. This plan came under heavy fire from conservationist lobby groups and resulted in the redraft-

ing of the plan, which is yet to be officially approved.

The latest news has added fuel to the fire that the decision not to renew the lease is a further move by the municipality to forge ahead with its proposed development plans in the reserve. These plans included, amongst others, a zipline facility, a coffee shop, tourism offices and an education centre. Mention was even made of a cableway to the top of the mountain.

4 March 2020

The FNR is one of our top-attractions and the work done over the past 60 years by the HBS has made the reserve world famous.

It is regrettable that the decision not to renew the lease was seemingly taken without consultation with the HBS. According to the municipality, it wants to change its relationship with HBS from a landlord/tenant relationship to a partnership. Over the next few months the municipality and HBS will probably draw up a Memorandum of Agreement to define this new partnership.

While public-private partnerships and cooperation between civic organisations and government become increasingly important in an era of co-governance, it seems much work still needs to be done

in establishing the rules of engagement.

An environment of distrust and a lack of transparent communication will continuously lead to public outcries and public spats. Such a state of affairs is not in the interests of either the municipality or the public.

Time has come for open and transparent communication and the establishment of mechanisms where the public and civic organisations can play integral roles in day-today planning for the future of our region. The current dispensation of an Integrated Development Plan and Ward Committees seems to fall short of expectations.

This is the good NEWS – Ed.

Pantoffels, misquoted lines and Dollar signs By Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com Occasionally there’s a lull in the chit-chat at the monthly Book Club, and all eyes turn to you to contribute at least something to the gathering.

What better way than to furnish them with a flourish of facts that’ll astound and amaze them for ever?

Cinderella Most of us know the children’s fairy tale about Cindy’s missing glass slipper. Well, in case you feel moved to tell it to your kids, grand-kids or your mom, it’s wise to have a grasp of the background – in case they ask.

Perhaps the first version of the tale was written around the year nought by a Greek bloke called Strabo who called her Rhodopis, a Greek slave who lost a leather slip-slop and ended up marrying the King of Egypt.

A Chinese variation popped up in 860 CE and the version we’re familiar with was a French rendition from 1697 which the Grimm Broers re-sculpted in 1812.

Anyway, her Anglicised name is Cin-

derella because, among other chores as a maid, she was to sweep up the cinders from last night’s fire. Then there’s a theory that the French for ‘fur slipper’ – pantoufle de vair – was mistranslated later into pantoufle de verre, meaning ‘glass slipper’, which we happily accept today for some barmy reason. I certainly wouldn’t consider slipping into a pair of glass Crocs around the home, never mind going clubbing in them.

There’s also disagreement regarding the curfew and exactly when the carriage turned back from mineral to vegetable. Some argue 11pm, others reckon midnight. And what about the claim that she alone could fit into the petite slipper because she was born with only four toes? (But don’t even mention this to the kids, it’s unverified.)

Who said what?

The tic-toc of time has the tendency to twist the truth occasionally.

"Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well,” is a distortion of Hamlet’s words to Horatio while holding Yorick’s skull.

Shakespeare wrote, “Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him, Horatio.” Nobody said “well”, although let’s face it, Yorick certainly wasn’t at the time.

Marie Antoinette apparently suggested that if the peasants were hungry and had no bread, “Let them eat cake”. Well, it’s been claimed she said “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” – with brioche being a superior type of bread/cake available only to the upper classes.

It was also the only bread she knew, so in the spirit of sharing, the suggestion was meant magnanimously.

There’s no real evidence that she even said it, but they beheaded her anyway – in case.

“Elementary, my dear Watson,” is supposedly attributed to Sherlock Holmes by author Arthur Conan Doyle. Turns out he never said it at all. The line was embellished by subsequent movie scriptwriters for dramatic effect. Originally, when Holmes correctly deduced Watson’s recent travel arrangements, Watson said “Excellent.” Holmes replied with only one word, “Elementary”.

Although this well-known catchphrase is associated with the toughguy screen image of Humphrey Bogart, he never said, “Play it again, Sam”. In the movie Casablanca, it was the heroine, Ingrid Bergman, who

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When these agents tried to impose harsh levies on the impoverished tenants, all hell broke loose. Farmers were urged to ignore and isolate the greedy officials – like lepers. Boycott, being the first agent/landlord to be targeted, became the defiled poster-boy and the name stuck.

Clue: In Greek legend, by unravelling a ball of string, Theseus found his way back out of the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur. The medieval English word for a ball of thread was ‘clew’, and it became associated with a clue/guide to solving problems.

Dollar sign: In the 1700s, Phillip V of Spain designed a symbol incorporating a ribbon winding between the two Pillars of Hercules at Gibraltar. It was ‘adopted’ by America in 1792 to signify one $.

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Words words words Boycott: Back in the 1880s in Ireland, Captain Charles Boycott was the Crown’s agent for vast areas farmed

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4 March 2020

CANSA Shavathon

LET'S TALK Healthy and robust debate are crucial for democracy. The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Letters may be shortened and/or edited for clarity and style. Enjoy our paper. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.

The gem of Hermanus Lucky Hermanus! You have everything to offer the tourist.

There are the whales that choose to give birth to their young in the blue and green waters of the bay. The rocks are a myriad of subtle colours, textures and shapes. Amongst them scuttle the funny little ‘dassies’ (Cape Rock Hyrax) which enthral us with their agility and social behaviour.

Another unique experience is a walk along the milkwood-lined cliff path.

Letting the waves lap against one’s legs along Grotto Beach with its several kilometres of fine white sand is a must for any visitor.

However, the gem of your lovely town is the stunning Fernkloof

Nature Reserve. How many towns can boast an area of such unspoiled beauty?

and watching the birdlife is talked about by friends from various parts of the world.

Nature is protected with sensitivity and love for the natural fauna and flora. I congratulate the people and municipality of Hermanus for having the foresight to protect your heritage.

You have not been enticed to turn it into a so-called ‘events area’ where mountain bikes, four by fours, zip lines and quad bikes destroy the sensitive and rare vegetation.

We have also had the privilege of being with a group led by an expert botanist, a local resident who showed us many of the amazing species of plant life. I understand there are also experts on insect life and fauna. We are looking forward to learning more from them.

We are from Germany and have been visiting Hermanus annually for the past five years. Each time we invite friends to visit us in Hermanus. A highlight is a picnic in the lovely garden at Fernkloof. The peace and quiet

You have many rare and endangered species in your nature reserve. How lucky your children are! Congratulations Hermanus, on your wisdom and dedication in preserving Fernkloof for future generations.

Charmian Kaiser Bad Wörishofen, Germany

The 17th annual CANSA Shavathon took place on Saturday in shopping centres countrywide. Our very own Whale Coast Mall was one of the shopping centres to participate and gave CANSA their full support for the event.

decided to show their support by having their hair done made a R50 donation and children U12, R25.

All funds received went straight to CANSA’s care and support programmes for parents, caregivers and loved ones.

CANSA's theme for the Shavathons this year was ‘Hope 2020’ which was apt as participants showed their solidarity and gave hope to cancer survivors and their loved ones by stencilling, spraying, shaving or donating their hair. Adults who

Pictured above are Maryna from CANSA (left) who is spraying fiveyear-old Alyssa's hair. With them are volunteers Heli (back row, in pink) and Klokkies (right in yellow vest) and brothers Heinrich (middle) and Christiaan (right).

Green fingers help Open letter to the Municipality beautify cemetery I just want to thank the ladies of the Hermanus Garden Club for the privilege of visiting them to tell them more about the Hermanus Cemetery upgrade project.

After my visit they sprang into action to help plant ‘Vygies’ in the retaining walls of the cemetery.

Most of all, I thank them for their

big donation towards the project to erect crosses on the unmarked graves.

Thanks for spreading the word to the wider Hermanus community and helping us to turn the cemetery into a garden that is pleasing to the eye.

Melanie Moore

The existence of Arts in Zwelihle goes back many years and even today it still stands strong. It has managed to produce many artists of whom we are proud. Some of our artists, like opera singers, have even achieved international acclaim. Excellence of arts in this township endures despite there being no performing spaces and/or facilities for development or to promote work to our young, potentially gifted artists.

It's a privilege to even be able to participate in some of the arts development programmes coming from outside our community. But it seems that the municipality is turning a blind eye in promoting the development of our arts. The most important things we need from the municipality are: a performing arts space to create and develop our art; support in promoting our work; contributions towards transport to explore other talent in big

theatres.

If the above-mentioned priorities could be delivered, I believe our municipality will have a better relationship with Zwelihle and Overstrand artists as a whole. With these words I say to the municipality: acknowledge, respect and deliver.

Spiwo Mlanjana, Zwelihle Arts Space Letter edited - Ed

The Overstrand Hospice 600 Club Draw was done on Tuesday 17 February by The Hermanus Cancer Fund. These ladies have been raising money for over 20 years, to provide financial support to those who are diagnosed with life-threatening cancer in the wider Hermanus area. They work with palliative care organisations such as Hospice. They also provide regular food parcels in the community where they see the need. From left are Fansil Kotze (OH social worker), Carol Groenewald, Lynn Sillifant from Don Adams Auditors, Helen Gardiner and Debbie BrookeSumner. The winners were: 1st Chloe; 2nd Linda Zaaiman; 3rd Nakkie van Rensburg. For only R50 a month you can join the 600 Club, and support Overstrand Hospice in the work that they do in the community. There are monthly cash prizes up for grabs every month. For more information, contact Norma Scott-Tomlin on 028 312 4679 or 600admin@overstrandhospice. org.za or visit the Hospice offices at 10 Hope Street, Hermanus.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

4 March 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT

The lives of jellyfish

By Dr Anina Lee

S

trollers on Hermanus beaches recently noticed a large number of little jellyfish washed up on the sand. Regular swimmers in The Marine pool thought better of it and did not venture into the water. What were these jellyfish and what caused their sudden appearance?

My motto is: If in doubt, do the research. And in the case of things marine-related, your best bet is the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. So by great coincidence a team from the Aquarium came to Hermanus last week on their turtle rescue road trip. One of the team members is Krish Lewis, the ‘jelly guy’ and I was able to learn a bit about jellies from him.

These jellyfish that are washing up in their thousands, Krish explained, are called ‘nightlight’ jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca). They commonly occur in large blooms in deeper waters off the Western Cape coast. Strong winds and swells carry them in-shore and this is not a cause for concern.

However, the would-be swimmers in The Marine pool were wise not to venture into the water. Night-light jellies can sting humans, and although it is not likely to be serious, they are best avoided. Contact with their long tentacles triggers stinging cells with spiny filaments wound up like springs. These filaments inject toxins into the skin, causing nasty reactions. If you should get stung by a jellyfish, bluebottle or insect, rub the juice of a sour fig leaf (Carpobrotus sp.) on it for instant relief.

Pelagia noctiluca are pinkish-purple jellyfish, also known as ‘mauve stingers’. They are about

1

10cm in diameter and glow at night in the waves. Their name comes from the Greek pelagos, for open sea; nocti, for night; and luca, for light. If you are in an area where they are washing up, keep an eye on the waterline at night. Some populations are able to bioluminesce when struck by waves and you may be lucky enough to see this phenomenon.

Life cycle of a jellyfish Jellyfish have a fascinating life cycle. When you think of a jellyfish, you are probably picturing a translucent, bell-shaped animal with long flowing tentacles. While iconic, that's only a short stage of a jelly's life – the final ‘medusa’ phase before it dies. Jellyfish live far longer, more interesting lives than you may have imagined!

The life story of a jellyfish begins at dusk or dawn, when adult jellies, known as ‘medusae’, gather in large numbers to spawn. They release huge quantities of sperm and eggs into the ocean around them. These spawning events are triggered by their proximity to other jellies, abundant light and enough food. The fertilised eggs usually drift freely in the ocean currents.

Some eggs survive to enter the next phase of their lives.

The egg grows into a small larva called a ‘planula’. Each planula can swim freely and resembles a microscopic flatworm, covered in tiny hairs called cilia. The cilia beat rhythmically and allow the planula to swim about. When it has grown sufficiently large it finds a suitable hard surface and attaches itself to it.

The planula then develops into its next life stage – the polyp. This jellyfish polyp very closely resembles other marine animals like anemones and corals. The difference is that a jellyfish will develop into new stages beyond the polyp, while an animal like an anemone will essentially become an ‘adult polyp’.

When conditions are ideal, the jellyfish polyp begins to reproduce asexually, by cloning itself.

The polyp elongates and forms segments which will eventually bud off to form independent

animals. The tiny, newly-budded segments of polyp become free-living organisms known as ‘ephyra’. As the ephyra grows, its bell takes on the characteristic shape and its tentacles and oral arms will grow into the adult forms unique to its species.

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The twist in the tale But there is always a twist in the tale – the exception to the rule. The night-light jellies that we now see on our beaches do not go through this elaborate life cycle. When a large number of them are swept or blown together and bump into each other, they are stimulated to spawn.

Hundreds of thousands of eggs and sperm are released and the eggs, once fertilised, hatch out within three days into tiny forms of the adult jellies. The resultant ‘bloom’ of jellies was blown out onto our beaches by the on-shore winds.

They will disappear again in a few days, feasted on by birds, plough snails and crabs.

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For a brilliant visualisation of the jellyfish lifecycle go to YouTube and search Plankton Chronicles- Pelagia (by Sharif Mirshak).

1. Some night-light jellyfish are able to bioluminesce in the waves at night.

PHOTO: Hakai Magazine 2. Night-light jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) are pinkish-purple jellyfish, also known as ‘mauve stingers’.

PHOTO: Shaun Matthew Yeo 3. Night-light jellyfish have been washing up on the shores of Hermanus beaches. PHOTO: Gerda Marais Bücker

4. The life cycle of a night-light jelly from Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

THE VILLAGE

EXPLORER ART | FOOD & WINE | EVENTS

Joburg Ballet returns to Hermanus Writer Hedda Mittner

T

he Joburg Ballet Company will be returning to Hermanus for the fourth year running to present three performances in aid of Just Care Aftercare. This much-anticipated event will take place during the school holidays, with the Gala evening performance on Friday 27 March, followed by two performances on Saturday 28 March – a matinee at 15:00 and an evening performance at 19:30.

This year’s programme will include highlights from various well-known and much-loved classical works such as La Bayadère, Swan Lake, and the spectacular Walpurgisnacht pas de deux. There will also be some entertaining jazzy numbers and a selection of dances from the company’s latest production of Don Quixote, which they’ll be performing at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town.

Joburg Ballet is a professional ballet company headquartered in the Johannesburg Theatre complex, where they have two specially-designed ballet studios and employ full-time professional dancers and staff. The company came into existence (originally as the ‘South African Ballet Theatre’) in 2001 under the direction of six ex-dancers from PACT (Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal), which had been disbanded the year before.

Artistic Director, Iain MacDonald, one of the founders of Joburg Ballet, was approached by local resident and former ballet dancer, Cheryl van Niekerk, to bring the company to Hermanus and the first event took place in 2017, in aid of SANTA. Since then it has become an annual highlight, both for Overstrand residents and for Joburg Ballet. “It is rewarding for our dancers to perform for new audiences, and our experience has shown that the welcome we receive in smaller cities and towns is always warm and enthusiastic,” said MacDonald.

Because Hermanus does not have a suitably large stage for these professional dancers, this year’s performance will again make use of the unique ‘in the round’ format. This allows the audience to sit in a circular arrangement around the floor space where the dancers will perform, with two or three rows of elevated seating around the stage.

“It’s a specialised way of presenting ballet and the advantage is that it opens up more space, allowing up to 12 dancers to perform together. Last year’s audiences were enthralled not only by the excellent programme, but also by the close proximity of the dancers, something that cannot be experienced at a regular stage performance,” said Cheryl.

The Opening of this year’s performance was specially choreographed

by Ruan Galdino, who is one of the soloists. Among the other dancers who will be in Hermanus this season are principal dancer, Shannon Glover, senior soloist, Monike Cristina, Shana Dewey, Ivan Domiciano, Revel Yon, Cristina Nakos and many more.

This is the second year in a row that the event has been organised by Just Care Aftercare, which is also the beneficiary. Founded in 2015, Just Care provides both a safe haven and a stimulating environment for approximately 130 primary school children under the watchful eye of founder and trustee Jacquie Rathfelder, with the support of her staff and several volunteers. The Joburg Ballet performance will raise much-needed funds for the centre and Overstranders are encouraged to support this exciting event in aid of a very worthy cause.

The venue for this year’s Joburg Ballet performance is the Grobbelaar Hall in Marine Drive, Hermanus. Tickets are available from the Hermanus Tourism Bureau (Tel: 028 312 2629) or online at www.webtickets.co.za.

Joburg Ballet dancers Ruan Galdino and Shannon Glover performing scenes from Don Quixote.

Getting to know senior soloist Monike Cristina Why did you take up dancing?

I started dancing classical ballet at the age of six, but my whole family on my mother’s side is involved in art in some way or another. My grandmother was a classical singer, my uncle is a jazz dancer, my aunt danced jazz and ballet and my mother did ballet and afro-dance. When I was a baby my grandfather played classical music for me to go to sleep so I believe classical dancing was a natural path for me to follow.

interpret inspire me a lot. I work hard to show this to the audience.

What makes you keep pushing yourself?

I have always had a great passion for ballet so with everything I do, I always try to put my heart and soul into it. Besides the movements and the music, the stories we have to

What has been your favourite role/production with Joburg Ballet?

Choosing only one production or role is difficult because I have filled a lot of roles in the many ballets that we have performed. However, perform-

Do you have a routine to prepare yourself for a performance?

I try to sleep well the night before by going to bed earlier than usual. I eat a meal that is heavy with carbohydrates, then have something much lighter on the day of the performance. The main aim is to relax from when I wake up until I have to go on stage.

ing the title role in Veronica Paeper’s Carmen left a huge mark on me. It was my first production in Joburg Ballet’s repertoire and it was truly memorable.

What advice would you give to someone who aspires to join a company like Joburg Ballet?

Work hard on your technique, but always remember that ballet is not just about the steps. It is an art that involves love, passion and movement. A good dancer is one who manages to combine her technique with artistry.

WHAT’S ON

5 – 11 MARCH 2020

OVERBERG 5

www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson gloves and appropriate tools if you have them. A reasonable fitness level is required. There will be no charge for entry to the reserve for alien-clearing volunteers. RSVP: Anna on 073 016 8406. For directions and to find out more about the reserve, visit www.phillipskop.co.za.

Meet at Phillipskop reception | 08:30 (1st Saturday of the month until June)

Thursday

Hermanus Bird Club outing Join the club for a day trip to Rooisand Nature Reserve. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring your own snacks and refreshments. For any enquiries, contact Ronnie Hazell on 082 372 4979.

Meet at the Onrus Trading Post | 07:30 First Thursday Let’s Talk Overstrand Municipality’s First Thursday sessions give residents the opportunity to engage with the Mayor and his Mayoral Committee Members, as well as the Municipal Manager and his Directors. The purpose of First Thursdays is to give direct access to the public for dialogue on how the municipality can improve its services and grow our economy. No appointments are required as the talks are conducted on a first come, first served basis.

Whale House Museum, Market Square, Hermanus | 17:00 – 19:00 (every first Thursday of the month) U3A Annual General Meeting The guest speaker at U3A Overberg’s AGM is John Matisonn, who will present a talk entitled Cyril’s Choices: What real job creation should look like.

Matisonn began political reporting at the Rand Daily Mail in 1974, and after stints on several South African newspapers, he was appointed National Public Radio’s correspondent in South Africa from 1986 to 1991. In the Mandela Administration he held a four-year presidential appointment as a Councillor on the Independent Broadcasting Authority. He is the author of two best-selling books – Gods, Lies, and Spies: finding South Africa’s future through its past (2015) and Cyril’s Choices: Lessons from 25 years of freedom in South Africa (2019).

Sandbaai Hall | 17:30 Whalers Athletic Club Join the Whalers for their weekly time trials, every Thursday afternoon.

Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. Choose between a 3 km, 5 km or 8 km route.

Meet at Hermanus Sports Club | 18:00 Whale Coast Wiz Quiz This popular annual quiz tournament will kick off next week and teams of six brainy friends, family members or colleagues are invited to sign up and join in the fun of trying to outwit their opponents. The participation fee is only R30 pp per evening, payable for the four-week duration of the tournament in advance when booking your team`s table. A quiz menu and specials on drinks will be available for participants. For more information

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

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

and to book, contact stargazer4promotions@gmail.com or Janet on 082 456 8091 / Pieter 083 457 8235.

The Brewery, Hemel-en-Aarde Village | 18:30 (every Thursday evening in March) SA vs France Wine Evening Enjoy a special wine evening at Creation where guests will have the opportunity to compare South African wines with French wines, hosted by international wine expert Remington Norman. The cost of the tasting is R500 pp and you can also pre-book a three-course dinner for R275 pp. To book, contact reservations@creationwines.com or 028 212 1107.

Creation Wines | 18:30 Rotary Club of Hermanus Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings, every Thursday. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm your attendance.

Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus | 19:00

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Friday

Hermanus Hacking Group All volunteers are welcome to join in the clearing of invasive vegetation.

Meet every Friday morning at the beginning of Rotary Way. For more information contact Charlyn on 082 558 8731 or charlynvosloo@gmail.com Rotary Way | 06:15 for 06:30 – 08:30 Bhuki Café Everyone is welcome at Friends of the Library's Bhuki Cafe where a cup of tea or coffee and delicious eats will cost only R25, every Friday. Each cup helps to raise funds for new books.

Hermanus Library | 09:00 – 11:30

Kolwyntjie Teetuin Enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre, every Friday morning.

Onrus Dutch Reformed Church | 09:30 – 11:30 Women’s World Day of Prayer The Women’s Fellowship of the United Church invites the community to join them in this World Day of Prayer, which is observed around the globe as women link together and unite in prayer for love, peace and reconciliation. A different theme is chosen every year, and in 2020 the focus is on the country of Zimbabwe. This special day is an opportunity to pray and worship together with women of different ethnicities and cultures; to become aware that we are all connected to each other in the Lord and part of a worldwide community of Christians; to become aware of the burdens many people have to carry; and to challenge us to use our gifts and talents in the service of our community.

United Church, Hermanus | from 09:30 The Purpose and Aesthetics of Art This lecture by Distinguished Professor Keith Dietrich forms part of U3A Overberg’s new art course. Prof Dietrich studied Fine Arts at Stellenbosch University, the Nationale Hoger Instituut voor Schone Kunsten in Belgium and UNISA, where he completed a Masters in Fine Arts (cum laude). He started his academic career at the University of Pretoria, and later as lecturer and Associate Professor at UNISA, where he was awarded a DLitt et Phil in History of Art. He has

been Professor of the Department of Visual Arts at Stellenbosch University since 2010 and is the recipient of several awards, prizes and grants. He has had 27 solo and duo exhibitions, and numerous group exhibitions nationally as well as internationally; and his work can be seen in many public, academic and corporate exhibitions.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00 Hermanus First Fridays Browse the 20 art galleries in the centre of town, meet the artists and gallery owners and mingle with fellow art lovers while marvelling at the inspiring array of art, fine craft, jewellery and photography on display. (See the HFF map on P 12.)

Hermanus CBD | 17:00 – 20:00

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Saturday

Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km timed walk or run, come rain or shine. Run for your own enjoyment at your own pace. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. There are also parkruns in Betty’s Bay (Harold Porter Botanical Garden) and Groeneweide (near Franskraal). Register online at www.parkrun.co.za Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00 Phillipskop alien clearing Join the owners of the Phillipskop Mountain Reserve near Stanford in caring for creation. On this fun and worthwhile morning together you’ll hike to the Hidden Valley on the reserve (approx. 1hr), to clear the area of hakea. Wear outdoor clothing and walking shoes, and bring a hat and sunscreen, water and snacks, garden

Die Markie Looking for koek? Vetkoek, pannekoek, soet koekies, sout koekies, lewer koekies? A peaceful place to while away Saturday mornings, glass of wine in hand, with Woefie lying at your feet? Olives, freshly shucked oysters and other nibbles made by real people? Served on real porcelain, using real cutlery, sipping wine from a real wine glass? Then you’ll want to hotfoot it across to Die Markie at Hermanuspietersfontein. Here safe parking is a doddle and life is easy.

Hermanuspietersfontein Wine Cellar | 09:00 – 13:00 Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden.

St Peter’s Church, Main Road, Hermanus | 09:00 – 13:00 Stanford Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats’ cheeses to cured meats, farm-fresh vegetables and deli delights to tantalise your taste buds!

Stanford Hotel Stoep | 09:00 – 12:00 Gansbaai Farmers Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, local wines and craft beers, and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging; only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries, contact

028 384 1439 or doulene@gansbaaitourism.co.za Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00 Elgin Railway Market This bustling steampunk station market, where Art deco meets Victorian, is unlike any other in South Africa.

With more than 30 different stalls providing local wine, craft beer, arts & crafts and artisanal foods. Visitors can greet the steam train on the platform or view its arrival from the upstairs viewing deck. There’s live music throughout the weekend, and plenty of activities to keep children entertained, such as a jungle gym, roundabout, and even indoor and outdoor climbing walls. The market is open Saturdays and Sundays, and the coffee shop with free workspace is open during the week from 09:00 – 17:00.

Oak Avenue, Elgin | 09:00 – 17:00 (Sat & Sun) Wild Woman Within Workshop This monthly multimedia and creative writing workshop encourages self-reflection and individual expression, and a chance to empower yourself from the inside out. The cost of R300 pp includes all materials, tea and snacks. All you need to bring is your work apron. For more information or to book, contact 076 181 2964 or gil-

lianhahn14@gmail.com or visit www. gillianhahn.com.

Gillian Hahn Art Studio on Southern Right Wine Farm, Hemel-enAarde Valley | 10:00 – 13:00 Winemaker’s Lunch Enhance your insights into winemaking and viticulture with award-winning winemaker Johann Fourie, whilst enjoying a fabulous three-course lunch paired with premium Benguela Cove wines. The cost is R350 pp and bookings can be made by contacting 087 357 0637 or info@benguelacove. co.za.

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate | 12:00 - 15:00 Genevieve Post-Harvest Proe Party Join bubbly-maker Melissa Nelsen for a festive harvest celebration, featuring a tasting of top-notch Cap Classique wines and a delicious sitdown harvest table feast. To book at R450 pp, send an email to melissa@ genevievemcc.co.za The Home of Genevieve MCC, Klein Botrivier Farm | 12:30 – 15:00 Wilde Als The popular blues/folk rock band, Wilde Als, will be performing live in Kleinmond. Tickets at R100 pp can be booked with Helma on 082 443 2292.

The Yard, Harbour Rd, Kleinmond | 19:00

8

Sunday

Bel Fiore Trio concert The Fine Music Initiative presents its opening concert, featuring the Bel Fiore Trio from Stellenbosch. Consisting of young musicians Zoë Coetzee (violin), Estelle Kemp (cello) and Alexandra Beaven (piano), the Trio will present a programme of pieces

by Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms and Camille Saint-Saëns. Guests can look forward to a complimentary glass of wine on arrival, followed by the concert and a light supper.

Tickets at R150 each can be reserved by calling Bistro 365, on 028 273 8931.

Bistro 365, Pringle Bay | 16:30 for 17:00

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Monday

U3A Afrikaans lecture series Hugo Pienaar, Hoofekonoom by die BEO (Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek) Universiteit Stellenbosch bied ‘n lesing aan oor Swak Groei met lae Inflasie.

Mnr Pienaar het die graad MComm (Ekonomie) behaal aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en as hoof ekonomiese verslaggewer gewerk vir Die Burger, Beeld en Volksblad. Daarna het hy gewerk as ekonoom by NKC Independent Economists en by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch

se BEO, waar hy sedert 2018 die posisie as hoofekonoom beklee.

Hy lei die BEO-span wat Reuters se Ekonoom van die Jaar-toekenning in 2010 ontvang het. Verder doen hy voorleggings aan kliënte van prima organisasies (‘blue chip corporates’) tot regeringsdepartemente en doen navorsing oor die wêreld- en SA ekonomie.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00 Astrophotography Join the Hermanus Astronomy Centre for a presentation on image processing and a discussion of hardware and software compatibility. For enquiries, contact deonk@telkomsa.net.

Deon Krige’s house | 19:00

10

unflinching courage.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

11

Wednesday

SAARP Annual General Meeting The South African Association of Retired Persons (SAARP) Hermanus will be holding their AGM, which will include a talk by Dr Vic Hamilton Attwell on the intriguing topic, Light in the Marine Environment. For enquiries contact Sheila Craul on 072 324 7894.

Sandbaai Hall | 09:30 for 10:00

Tuesday

The Vietnam War U3A Overberg continues its 10-part documentary series on The Vietnam War, of which the first five episodes were shown during 2019. Episode 7: The Veneer of Civilisation focuses on the period June 1968 to May 1969. Public support for the war declines and the police battle with demonstrators on the streets of Chicago.

Richard Nixon wins the Presidency, promising law and order at home and peace overseas. In Vietnam, the war goes on and soldiers on all sides witness terrible savagery and

CASINO, HOTEL, SPA AND ENTERTAINMENT

12 | ART

4 March 2020

From left are Titia Ballot, Angela Miles, Joshua Miles and FynArts Festival Director, Mary Faure.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

Fascinating exhibition of block prints

A

n exhibition of works by Joshua Miles entitled A Retrospective of the Overberg was opened at the FynArts Gallery on Thursday by another well-known local artist, Titia Ballot. In her opening address, Titia focused on WHO the artist is, WHAT his work is all about, HOW he produces his work and, finally, WHY he chooses to work in the medium of reduction block printing.

Joshua, who uses this complicated, labour-intensive and time-consuming technique to create his awe-inspiring landscapes, lived in Baardskeerdersbos for many years before relocating to Prince Albert and will soon be leaving for Scotland with his family. This retrospective show of

rare Artist’s Proofs is one of three that will be held this year, with the second one in Prince Albert focusing on scenes from the Karoo and the third in Cape Town depicting scenes from the Mother City.

The most striking aspect of this collection of scenes from the Overberg is the way in which Joshua manages to capture the exquisite play of light on the landscape, which brings out the in-between tones and greys that most would miss. It is a fascinating exhibition that should not be missed.

You’ll find the FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard (behind The Wine Glass) off Harbour Road. The exhibition will run until 6 April.

Local artist Jaco Sieberhagen with his wife Seugnet and Peter van Niekerk.

FOOD & WINE | 13

4 March 2020

Coffee impacting lives from Nicaragua to Stanford Writer Taylum Meyer

T

he butterfly effect is the idea that one small incident can have a major impact on the future. So, what does this have to do with drinking a cup of coffee?

Well, this coffee is very special. Not only are there just five, 60 kg bags available in the world, but this coffee has impacted many people’s lives.

The coffee beans come from a sustainable coffee farm in Nicaragua, RAJUANSE Estates, and the coffee is named ‘Lady Carol’ after Carol Corlett (manager at Sevenoaks Trading in South Africa), who is a big supporter of RAJUANSE and the work that they do.

RAJUANSE Estates began a programme four years ago called ‘EDUCAFE’, which provides tools and non-traditional skills to the local community. The final goal of this programme is for community members to be able to generate an income during non-harvest time. Weekly workshops are run at the farm at no cost to the participants and a day-care centre has been built for children whilst their parents are working during harvest season.

These five bags of Lady Carol are filled with a honey-processed Marsellesa variety bean from Nicaragua. The beans scored 85 out of a possible 100 on the SCA (Specialised

Coffee Association) cupping score system.

Notes of candy sweetness, exotic fruits, and almonds can be detected in this full-bodied and buttery coffee with medium citrus acidity. This versatile coffee can be brewed in the traditional espresso machine or used at home as a filter coffee, pour over, Chemex or moka pot.

From RAJUANSE, the coffee was shipped to Sevenoaks Trading and then on to Arabikaz Coffee Roasters (aka The Beanery) in Hermanus, where the beans were roasted.

Arabikaz has two decades of trading history with Sevenoaks. Arabikaz supplies a large part of the Overberg with roasted coffee and is involved in several projects throughout the year which have a positive impact on our community.

When The Beanery’s owners, Michael and Elaine Bayer (with the help of Johann van der Merwe), heard about the coffee, they knew it was special and decided to create a bit of hype around it by launching a fundraiser. This is where Stanford comes in.

Arabikaz is now supplying Stanford Hills, the new home of The Butterfly Centre, with this special Lady Carol coffee.

The Butterfly Centre is a non-profit initiative that was created by Jami Kastner for children like her oldest son Jack, who do not fit into the mainstream education system. The Centre opened its doors in

Experience Benguela W ine tasting, gourmet dining, vineyard safaris, cellar tours, art, events and fun things to do for visitors of all ages are all part of the Benguela Cove experience. This month an array of new events has been added to the busy Benguela Cove calendar, and in April this lagoon wine estate on the edge of the Bot River Estuary will also host a one-of-a-kind event – South Africa’s first Malbec Wine Festival.

Meet the Winemaker Lunch Among the highlights in March is a Winemaker’s Lunch, when guests will have the opportunity to enhance their insights into winemaking and viticulture with award-winning winemaker Johann Fourie, whilst enjoying a fabulous three-course lunch paired with premium Benguela Cove wines. Booking is essential. Contact 087 357 0637 or info@ benguelacove.co.za. The cost is R350 pp and The Winemaker’s Lunch will take place on Saturday 7 March, and again on Saturday 4 April, from 12:00 - 15:00.

place on Saturday 21 March from 11:00 –15:00.

Salsa Sundays Add some rhythm to your Sundays with live salsa music, delicious wine and tasty cheese and charcuterie boards. Being entertained by the Elritmo salsa jazz band is the perfect way to end your weekends feeling refreshed and ready for the new week ahead. No booking is required, just arrive and join in the fun. Salsa Sundays are hosted at the Benguela Cove Tasting Room from 13:00 – 16:00, every Sunday until the end of March.

Benguela Cove Malbec Festival 2020 Benguela Cove Wine Estate will be hosting the first Malbec festival in South Africa, with leading red wine producers from all over the Winelands participating, including Doolhof, Neethlingshof, Paul Wallace, Druk-My-Niet, Nuiba, Blake’s, Anura, Bizoe, Ormonde, South Hill, Bellevue, Idiom, Hillcrest and Benguela Cove, to showcase their Malbec to the public.

The soulful sounds of a Spanish guitar will set the mood as Malbec lovers are entertained

by Duende – a Flamenco & Rhumba duo consisting of the two talented guitarists, Yazeed Adams and Nizaam Moses. Guests will enjoy a variety of Malbec wine tastings, while Argentinian-inspired food stands will ensure that no one goes hungry. There will be braai platters, Chorizo sausage rolls, lamb shawarmas and sweet treats that include irresistible and traditional Dulce de Lechefilled cookies. Tickets at R200 pp are available online via Webtickets or in-store at Pick n Pay and the Benguela Cove gift shop. Join in and be part of the Malbec movement on Saturday 18 April from 12:00 – 17:00.

Olive Oil Lunch Experience Join olive oil expert and master blender Linda Costa for a tasty lunch inspired by olive oil and great wine. The event will start with a tasting of Benguela Cove’s coastal wines, followed by an informative talk by Linda Costa, who will take you on an educational journey through the art of olive oil blending, its properties and trends, with the tasting of delicious olive oils. Guests will then indulge in a tasty four-course lunch menu carefully crafted by Executive Chef Annie Badenhorst, while enjoying a complimentary glass of Benguela Cove’s award-winning Sauvignon Blanc. Booking is essential. Contact 087 357 0637 or info@benguelacove.co.za. The cost of For more details, contact 087 357 0637 or this unique lunch experience, inspired by a email info@benguelacove.co.za or visit combination of love for olive oils, tasty food www.benguelacove.co.za. and winemaking, is R350 pp and will take

2014 and since then the Kastners, especially Jami, have worked tirelessly to make The Butterfly Centre what it is today. They have just recently moved the learners from their original premises in Stanford to a new building on the Stanford Hills farm. The centre was selected last year as the beneficiary of the 2020 Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Walk which will take place from 12 – 15 March.

Every time you order a cup of Lady Carol coffee at Stanford Hills, R5.00 will be donated straight to The Butterfly Centre.

The coffee is also available in 1 kg bags at The Beanery in Hermanus for R280, R60 of which goes to Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse.

The Butterfly Centre will in turn receive all the funds raised by the Lighthouse walkers and the coffee bag sales at the awards evening on 22 April. You can email johann@ arabikaz.co.za to order a bag (delivery or a courier can be arranged).

TOP RIGHT: Michael Bayer and Johann van der Merwe discussing the roasting of the Lady Carol beans in their roasting room in Hermanus Industria.

PHOTO: Carmen Visser Photography RIGHT: The five bags of Lady Carol coffee from the Buena Esperanza Farm at RAJUANSE Estates.

PHOTO: RAJUANSE ESTATES

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4 March 2020

WINE & DINE

Stanford Hills shiraz harvest celebration S tanford Hills invited sixty of their supporters and friends to join them for their inaugural harvest celebration which took place on Saturday morning on the farm and lasted until late in the afternoon. Upon arrival at the historic Manor House (built in 1855), one could hear music and laughter emanating from a large tent set up on the sprawling lawn.

The guests enjoyed gin, beer and Stanford Hills MCC as they lounged around on the blankets and pillows that had been laid out, while a DJ played some relaxing music.

"We love having a good time and celebrating at the farm with our friends and supporters, and we wanted to do some kind of event in February, so we decided to have a harvest celebration," said Leighann van Dyk, Hospitality Manager at Stanford Hills, "Sometimes we work so hard we forget to have fun!"

the guests, all dressed in white. The pressed juice was later taken down to the cellar to become part of the 2020 Stanford Hills Shiraz.

After the grape-stomping, the group cleaned off as best they could and went up to the Manor House courtyard to enjoy a delicious harvest table under the open sky, laden with Klein River cheeses, crackers, breads, cold meats, vegetables, grapes and more. Winemaker at Stanford Hills, Mark Stephens, also treated guests to some of the brand-new 2020 Stanford Hills Sauvignon Blanc as well as a selection of older vintages.

The rest of the afternoon was spent dancing away under the wisteria in the courtyard and the guests left just as the sun began to set.

Along with a bar, large vats and crates of Stanford Hills' shiraz grapes (they grow pinotage, shiraz, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay) had been set up beneath the tent. The numerous children opened the proceedings with some very enthusiastic stomping before being joined by owners Jami and Peter Kastner and

Brenda Outhet and Tracey Anderson thoroughly enjoyed the grape-stomping and didn’t mind their white outfits turning a little purple!

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

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4 March 2020

MY HOME

Two months into 20plenty

By Stephen de Stadler Managing Director Fine & Country Hermanus, Arabella and Kleinmond

PHOTO: Wikimedia

M

y last column started with the happy and unexpected event surprise of a 25 basis point reduction in the repo rate.

This month’s column begins with another pleasing announcement, and that is the raising of the transfer fee threshold to R1 000 000. These surprises are likely to have a positive effect on the residential property market in the short to medium term.

Both the reduction in rates and the increase in the transfer fee threshold make it less expensive to finance and buy a home. I use the term ‘likely’, simply because nothing is moving as predicted at this time.

Whether the property market is your profession or your passion, whether you are a buyer or a seller, whether you are experienced or otherwise, I challenge anyone to accurately predict the future of this market. In the absence of a crystal ball, we must go back to pure economic facts, and trust that the future is based at least in part on what has happened in the past.

In the Overberg, we experienced a generally tough market throughout 2019. This resulted in previously-expected annual increases in the capital value of our homes. It meant that sellers had to reduce their anticipated selling prices in order to get a sale.

The root causes of this situation included a significant decline in economic activity in the country as a whole, caused in part by an epidemic which has become known as state capture. When money that should be spent on infrastructure development and economic upliftment is being utilised instead to secure the financial futures of a select few, the economy suffers.

Thankfully, the main perpetrators behind state capture appear to have been identified (albeit not prosecuted), which at the very least, means

that they are not able to continue along their well-worn path. Hopefully, current and future leaders will have taken copious notes regarding what went wrong, so that a repeat of this particular scourge is never repeated.

The fact is that when you starve the goose, it cannot lay eggs, it cannot reproduce and eventually it dies.

We as the collective South Africans have pulled this goose from the depths of state capture and are now feeding it up to, hopefully, see the laying of eggs in the not too distant future.

The second cause of the reduction in property sales on a local level was land invasion, coupled with the apparent inability of the government to do anything about it. While the invasion of someone else’s property can never be acceptable, the really

negative effect was caused by the violent demonstrations and the closure of national roads after the government decided to forcibly evict the invaders.

Imagine you are watching television and see the “Hermanus Riots” headline in wonderful technicolour. Your thoughts of relocation to this idyllic part of our country evaporate as quickly as an ice cream left in the sun.

Coupled with the invasions was the constant reminder of the government’s future policy on expropriation of land without compensation. Many queries were received from especially the foreign element of the buyers’ market regarding the relative safety of any investment in this country.

I don’t pretend to be a legal authority, but all the explanations that I seen clearly indicate that only the courts can ultimately decide whether land may be expropriated without payment being offered. Our judicial system is globally acknowledged as robust and independent.

I cannot perceive any circumstances under which a competent legal authority will allow a residential home of any nature to be handed over to someone else without compensation.

And so to the future. The current year is likely to show an improvement in sales volumes, but not necessarily an increase in capital values. With the economy growing at less than 1%, we cannot expect to see capital growth in property at anything beyond this level. This trend (of limited growth) is likely to continue into 2021.

If you are a serious seller, wishing to sell within the next year, the best advice that can be given at the moment is to adjust your selling price to current market expectation. If you can wait for up to two years, you may be better advised to remove your property from the market at this time.

The repo rate reduction and the threshold increase for transfer duty will encourage more buyers, but properties that are not presented at current market expectations will still not be sold.

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4 March 2020

MY WELLNESS

Ten out of ten for SOFCA Writer & Photographer Elaine Davie

A

well-deserved accolade came the way of the Hermanus Frail Care Centre (known as SOFCA) last week, in the form of a Gold Certificate of Compliance with a rare 10/10 ranking, from NGO-Advisor. This organisation, endorsed by the Department of Social Development (DSD), provides ‘a unique marketing platform for the NGO Sector to be seen by donors’.

In the current economic climate where the sourcing of sufficient funding to carry on their work is becoming ever more difficult for the thousands of Non-Profit organisations in this country, this in itself is worth gold.

For the past 35 years SOFCA has been providing a dignified place of care for Hermanus residents who are living with dementia or Alzheimer’s, or who are so physically frail that they are no longer able to fend for themselves. This includes those with no form of financial support other than a state pension. These are the people that society tries to forget. Many of them find it difficult to communicate, are not pretty to look at and require constant high-level care.

But for the people of Hermanus Frail Care, some of whom have been working there for a decade or more, to offer them love, care and protection to the end, is a calling. Providing high-quality, high-intensity care for 55 elderly and infirm people 24/7 does not come cheap, though, and because the building itself is no longer young, there is a constant need for maintenance and refurbishment.

Unfortunately, in the competitive world of fundraising, this kind of service often finds itself at the end of the queue. Many corporate donors prefer featuring in photo opportunities with lively, smiling children than with confused old people in wheelchairs or confined to their beds.

According to 2018 DSD figures, there are over 226 950 NGOs in South Africa, all competing for a piece of the pie, many no doubt filling a serious societal need, and how does a donor with limited resources decide which to support?

Well, one way is to look at the governance of the project, its compliance with legislative norms and standards and the quality and relevance of the service it provides. According to the same DSD figures, of all those thousands of NGOs, just 17% are indeed compliant. Now SOFCA has passed all the tests and received 10/10 across a wide array of categories.

According to a proud Gayle Smith, General Manager of SOFCA, it took three weeks of hard labour to compile a fat file of the paperwork required by NGO-Advisor for its rigorous assessment process. “You can’t believe how thrilled we all are at the outcome,” she says. “It’s truly been worth all the blood, sweat and tears.

I just know it’s going to make a huge difference to our fundraising success rate, especially as one of the roles NGO- Advisor plays is to link up potential beneficiaries and donors with one another.”

However, Gayle also emphasises how grateful she and her Board are for the ongoing support they continue to receive from the people of Hermanus. “Whenever we have a fundraising event like our recent Valentine’s breakfast or our Christmas in July dinner, the tickets go like hot cakes. Apart from the financial benefits, it means so much to us to be taken to the hearts of the people of Hermanus like this.”

In fact, she reports that last year’s SOFCA Christmas fundraising drive brought in R38 900 (see list of donors alongside), which enabled them to buy two brand-new hospital bed sets (each consisting of a bed with side rails, a bedside pedestal and a mattress, costing R15 000), as well as five commodes and a hoist for lifting

some of the heavier patients out of or into bed or a wheelchair.

“We still need about 50 more hospital beds,” admits Gayle. “Residents used to supply their own furniture, but we have two major problems.

The one is that we must have beds on wheels in case of a fire. It would be complete chaos trying to manhandle infirm and confused elderly people, some of them very heavy, out of a burning building; it just could not be done.

“The other issue is that our beds must have rails and cot sides to prevent our residents from either falling out of bed or trying to climb out by themselves. Many of them are very restless sleepers and we dare not take that chance.”

The new beds were allocated to the residents with the greatest need, but there is an urgency about obtaining more. Gayle is hoping they may be able to negotiate with Mediclinic to take over some of their beds, next time there is an upgrade.

A proud Gayle Smith, General Manager of the Hermanus Frail Care Centre beside the new Gold Certificate of Compliance awarded

by NGO-Advisor.

In the meantime, she mentions that although their indigent patients are fully-funded by the state, they currently have seven partially-subsidised spaces available and would be happy to consider applications from the public. Contact Jennie Vorster on 028 313 3236 or jennievorster@gmail.com.

Sister Hester Janeke with one of the new hospital beds purchased by SOFCA. The Board and Management of the Hermanus Frail Care Centre would like to express their sincere gratitude to the generous donors listed below who supported their Christmas 2019 fundraising project to buy much-needed additional equipment for the centre.

A total amount of R38 900 was raised: Paul and Lorna Eglin, Irene Saunders, Mag@Hermanus, M Eksteen, Carl and Nikki, Ogston and Swart Families, Pauline Cupido, Rusty Demmer, Verona Drinkwater, Dr Watermeyer, Elizabeth Watson, CB Freeze, Patrick Chapman and four anonymous donors.

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In the lead up to the L2L Ladies Walk from 12 –15 March, we would like to thank Spar Western Cape and all of our local sponsors for their continuous support.

We also want to wish all of our ladies doing the walk this year the best of luck. We look forward to walking for our beneficiary for 2020, The Butterfly Centre, with you!

Final practice walk for L2L in aid of Hospice

High-end fashion in Mitchell Street Those who attended the first Street Fashion Show in Mitchell Street on Saturday 29 February were wowed by the four ranges of clothing created by mother and daughter team Belinda and Sinead de Haast (My Tailor), Rita Louw (Mooi Mooi Boutique) and Ayanda Qonya (Ayanda Qonya Clothing).

Sinead, a young and upcoming designer, presented a stylish collection reflecting the moods and natural beauty of Hermanus. Her collection started with a sexy, beach-sand-coloured dress and ended with a beautiful black gown with gold sequins intended to mirror the starry nights of Hermanus.

Rita brought out a collection of dresses and casual-wear that offered as she had promised: "eclectic comfort and vibrant colours" and something everyone could wear. She teamed her selection with funky accessories all handpicked and made in South Africa.

Then it was Ayanda's turn. His traditional African and funky designs brought bright and

daring to the green runway. His designs combined urban chic with style, allowing the wearer to dress it up or down, according to what event they were attending.

Belinda closed off the show and certainly did not disappoint. Flowing lines and floral prints were a keynote of her range, along with understated elegance. There was also a beautiful blue, sequined dress that she and her daughter, Sinead, collaborated on. The dress, along with several others, was auctioned off at the end of the evening.

The event raised R12 850 which will be donated to Learn to Earn, which offers sewing courses.

The organisers would like to thank Artificial Grass Southern Africa Hermanus, Coastal Tool Hire, The Styling Chair by Karla, Melony Hair Studio, The Grapevine for Hair, Wonderland Nursery and Play Park, Puzzles Bar & Grill, Kim “Sharklady” Maclean, Jaco Tosen (musician) and The VIllage NEWS for their support; without them this event could not have happened.

– Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

Several members of Overstrand Hospice with some of the walkers at the official practice walk on Saturday. With them (front row, middle) was Overstrand Deputy Mayor, Elnora Gillian.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

T

he Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Ladies (L2L) had their last practice walk before the official walk (which takes place from 12 – 15 March) on Saturday 29 February.

This was the ‘official’ practice walk and all the proceeds from the entry fees and other sales will go to L2L’s runner-up beneficiary, Overstrand Hospice, which was voted for by Lighthouse walkers for 2020.

The Butterfly Centre in Stanford is this year’s main beneficiary and they will receive the proceeds from the main walk.

All members of the community were invited to join in and met at Grotto Beach in the gusting, cold wind between 05:45am and 06:45am to register and get onto the bus which took them to the start of the walk in De Kelders.

The route took walkers from De Kelders back to Grotto Beach (18 km) and the walkers had a few welcome rest stops along the way. The cold wind and whipping sand made for an un-

pleasant start to the walk, but the view made the discomfort well worth it.

A second group of walkers started at Grotto Beach at 09:30 and met the 18 km route walkers at Sopie’s Klip, 6 km down the beach.

After a brief rest the entire group walked back to Dutchies at Grotto Beach together. The proceeds from this shorter walk will also go towards Hospice.

The actual L2L walk takes place over four days and 100 km to raise money for the main beneficiary.

This event has been around for over a decade now and has become popular with many women all over South Africa and even overseas, who want to show their support for the Overstrand community.

We wish you luck on your walk ladies!

– Taylum Meyer

Designer: Ayanda Qonya.

Designer: Sinead de Haast.

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MY SPORT

Curro's second Lion's Festival a hit C urro Hermanus held their second annual Lion's Festival at the school sports grounds on Friday.

Runners negotiated a small obstacle course whilst the Grade 7 student council threw coloured powder at them.

The event started off at 15h00 with Boeresport (tug-of-war, sack races, etc.) and the Mr and Miss Curro pageant.

The festival ended off with the official opening of Curro's new state-of-the-art AstroTurf at 18h15, after which learners, teachers and parents got the opportunity to play a few hockey games on it.

There were also face-painting, food stalls, Go-Carts and jumping castles to keep the visitors busy until the much-anticipated Colour Run which began at 17h00.

Everyone was thrilled with the AstroTurf and thoroughly enjoyed the day.

On the Greens

By Willem Lindeque, Operations Manager, Hermanus Golf Club Hello Golfers, last week we hosted the Boland Senior Open at Hermanus Golf Club, with 94 of the top senior players from all over the country participating.

The competition was won by one of our local club members, Adrian Kuiper, with a score of 2 under par. I would like to thank all the golfers who participated in our Club Champs two weekends ago and also to make special mention of the winners of the Harold Wood trophy, which was played last Wednesday.

to ask golfers, members and visitors alike to please remember to repair their pitch marks on the greens. This has become a growing concern, so I plead with all golfers to assist us in trying to keep our greens in the best possible condition.

This trophy, first played for in 1954, goes to the best Betterball Stableford pairing of the day. Congratulations to the winners of the 66th championship, Izak Krige and Peter Gray, who achieved a score of 48 points.

Well done, gentlemen! In closing, I want

Boland Senior Open champion, Adrian Kuiper.

Golf results The Colour Run was a huge hit wit both children and adults.

The principal of Curro Hermanus Primary, Mr Vermeulen, officially opened the school's new state-of-the-art AstroTurf at the Curro Lion's Festival on Friday. He was covered in powder from the Colour Run.

4 March 2020

Go-Karts riding was one of the fun activities on offer at the festival.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

• Saturday 22 February Club Competition - Alliance Stableford; East Course Winners – 1st: Albert Streicher, Jorrie Jordaan, Charl van Zijl, Louis Bester - 89 pts, 2nd: Jason Smith, Crispin Ingles, Robin Smith, Audie v Noordwyk - 86 pts; South Course Winners – 1st: Ray Calitz, Jan Swanepoel, Andre du Plessis, Kruger vd Walt - 95 pts, 2nd: Pippa Adams, Kym Davies.

Miriam Squires, Pauline Metcalfe - 89 pts; North Course Winners – 1st: André Gouws, John Clifford, Jacky Clifford, Roelof Kuiper - 89 pts, 2nd: Willie Theron, Daan Docker, Gavin Levick, Trevor Schouw - 88 pts • Tuesday 25 February Ladies Competition – 4BBB Stableford; Silver Division Winners – 1st: Cheryl Richardson - 39 pts, 2nd: Liz Wride -37 pts; Bronze Division Winners – 1st: Fran Thomas - 40 pts, 2nd: Zenith Meiring - 36 pts C/I • Wednesday 26 February Men’s Competition – 4BBB Stableford; East Course Winners – 1st: Jeremy Sechiari & Johan Koekemoer - 45 pts, 2nd: Gerrie Du Plooy & Marius Kleynhans - 44 pts; South Course Winners – 1st: Izak Krige & Peter Gray - 48 pts, 2nd: Richard Franck & Herold Barker - 47pts North Course Winners – 1st: Roelof Kuiper & Tony Squires - 45 C/I, 2nd: Willie Theron & Herold Snelson - 45 C/O

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4 March 2020

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Overstrand Munisipaliteit is ‘n werkgewer met ‘n beleid van gelyke geleenthede wat daarna streef om ‘n dinamiese en effektiewe diens aan sy gemeenskap te lewer. Die Munisipaliteit sluit die Hangklip/Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford en Gansbaai gebiede in. Bevoegde en selfgemotiveerde persone wat uitdagings geniet asook persone uit die aangewese groepe, word genooi om deel van die topspan te word en vir die volgende pos aansoek te doen:

Overstrand Municipality, an equal opportunity employer, strives to render a dynamic and effective service to the community. The Municipality includes the areas of Hangklip/Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford and Gansbaai. Competent and self-motivated people and people from the designated groups who enjoy challenges are invited to join our leading team and to apply for the following vacancy:

MUNISIPALE BESTUURDER

MUNICIPAL MANAGER

(WC0320208)

(WC0320208)

(PRESTASIE-GEBASEERDE OOREENKOMS VANAF 1 NOVEMBER 2020 TOT EEN JAAR NÁ DIE DATUM VAN DIE 2021 PLAASLIKE REGERINGSVERKIESING)

(PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACT FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2020 UNTIL ONE YEAR AFTER THE DATE OF THE 2021 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION)

TOTALE VERGOEDINGSPAKKET: SOOS VAN TOEPASSING OP ‘N GRAAD 4 MUNISIPALITEIT WELKE ONDERHANDELBAAR IS OOREENKOMSTIG DIE BEDINGE EN VOORWAARDES SOOS VERVAT IN DIE KENNISGEWINGS INGEVOLGE DIE “PLAASLIKE REGERING: TOTALE VERGOEDINGSPAKKETTE BETAALBAAR AAN MUNISIPALE BESTUURDERS EN BESTUURDERS WAT REGSTREEKS AAN DIE MUNISIPALE BESTUURDER VERANTWOORDBAAR IS”.

TOTAL REMUNERATION PACKAGE: AS APPLICABLE TO A GRADE 4 MUNICIPALITY WHICH IS NEGOTIABLE WITHIN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS ARE PROVIDED FOR IN THE NOTICES IN TERMS OF THE “LOCAL GOVERNMENT: TOTAL REMUNERATION PACKAGES PAYABLE TO MUNICIPAL MANAGERS AND MANAGERS DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE MUNICIPAL MANAGERS”

WERKPLEK: KORPORATIEWE HOOFKANTOOR – HERMANUS

PLACE OF WORK: CORPORATE HEAD OFFICE - HERMANUS

Die Munisipale Bestuurder, as Rekenpligtige Beampte en Hoof van Administrasie, is verantwoordelik vir die algehele prestasie en die bestuur van die munisipaliteit ten einde te verseker dat die doelstellings van die munisipaliteit bereik word.

The Municipal Manager, as Accounting Officer and Head of Administration, is responsible for the overall performance and the management of the municipality to ensure that the objectives of the municipality are achieved.

Kernfunksies van die pos: Soos voorgeskryf, maar nie beperk nie, in die bepalings van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Nr. 32 van 2000, die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Finansiële Bestuur, Nr 56 van 2003, en die Munisipaliteit se Artikel 53 Roluitklaringsbeleid.

Core functions of the post: As are provided for, but not limited to, in the provisions of The Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No 32 of 2000, The Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, No 56 of 2003, and the Municipality’s Section 53 Role Clarification Policy.

Minimum kwalifikasies, werkverwante ervaring en kennis- en vaardigheidsraamwerk: Soos voorgeskryf in die Plaaslike Regering: Regulasies vir Aanstelling en Diensvoorwaardes van Senior Bestuurders (GK 21 in Staatskoerant 37245 gedateer 13 Januarie 2014) en die Munisipale Regulasies vir Minimum Bevoegdheidsvlakke (GK 493 in Staatskoerant 29967 gedateer 15 Junie 2007), soos van tyd tot tyd gewysig.

Minimum qualifications, work-related experience and knowledge and competency framework: As are provided for in the Local Government: Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment of Senior Managers (Government Notice 21 in Government Gazette 37245 dated 13 January 2014) and the Municipal Regulations on Minimum Competency Levels (Government Notice 493 in Government Gazette 29967 dated 15 June 2007) as amended from time to time.

Navrae/Aansoeke: D Arrison (Me) Tel: 028 313 8001 of darrison@overstrand.gov.za Posbus 20, HERMANUS 7200 Sluitingsdatum: Vrydag, 27 Maart 2020 om 12:00 KENNISGEWING AAN AANSOEKERS • Dankie vir u belangstelling om by ons aansoek te doen om ‘n betrekking.

• SLEGS AANSOEKE OP DIE AMPTELIKE AANSOEKVORM EN VERGESEL MET ‘N CV WAT U AKADEMIESE KWALIFIKASIES, BEWESE ERVARING EN VAARDIGHEDE,ASOOK BESONDERHEDE VAN REFERENTE MET WIE IN VERBINDING GETREE KAN WORD, DUIDELIK AANDUI, SAL VOOR OF OP DIE SLUITINGSDATUM AANVAAR WORD (sien www.overstrand.gov.za onder vakatures).

• Ten einde die voorwaardes van die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming, Nr 55 van 1998 en die Munisipaliteit se Gelyke Indiensnemingsbeleid te implimenteer, word kandidate aangemoedig om ras, geslag en gestremdheid (indien enige) aan te dui.

• Alle aanstellings sal onderhewig wees aan die nagaan van verwysings van vorige en huidige werkgewers, die verifiëring van kwalifikasies, krediet- asook kriminele rekord.

• Daar sal van die kandidaat verwag word om alle finansiële belange te verklaar.

• Aanstelling is onderhewig aan die ondertekening van ‘n dienskontrak en prestasieooreenkoms ingevolge Artikel 57 van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Stelsels, Nr 32 van 2000.

• Gunswerwing van Raadslede of enige ander besluitnemer is nie toelaatbaar nie, en bewys daarvan sal tot diskwalifisering lei.

• Verdere kommunikasie sal tot kortlyskandidate beperk word. Indien u nie binne twee (2) maande na die sluitingsdatum terugvoering ontvang nie, beskou asseblief u aansoek as onsuksesvol.

• Die Raad behou die reg voor om nie ‘n aanstelling te maak nie en die vakature te heradverteer. www.thecandocompany.co.za

138930 VILLAGE NEWS

Enquiries/Applications: D Arrison (Ms) Tel: 028 313 8001 or darrison@overstrand.gov.za PO Box 20, HERMANUS 7200 Closing Date: Friday, 27 March 2020 at 12:00 NOTES TO APPLICANTS • Thank you for your interest in seeking employment with us.

• ONLY APPLICATIONS ON THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORM ACCOMPANIED BY A CV THAT DISCLOSES THE ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS, PROVEN EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES AS WELL AS DETAILS OF CONTACTABLE REFERENCES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE (see www. overstrand.gov.za under vacancies).

• For the implementation of the provisions of the Employment Equity Act, No 55 of 1998 and the Municipality’s Employment Equity Policy candidates are encouraged to indicate their race, gender and disability (if any).

• All appointments are subject to reference checks from previous and current employer(s), verification of qualifications, credit record and criminal record check.

• The candidate will be required to disclose all financial interests.

• Appointment is subject to the signing of an employment contract and performance agreement in terms of Section 57 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No 32 of 2000.

• Favouring Councilors or any other decision-maker is not permitted, and proof thereof will result in disqualification.

• Further communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates. If you have not received a response within 2 (two) months of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

• The Council holds the right to make no appointment and to re-advertise the vacancy.

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MY SCHOOL

Hermanus’s own Shining Star needs YOU Writer Elaine Davie

A

ll kinds of disparaging remarks are constantly being aimed at the youth of this country. On the contrary, my interviews with young people across the Overstrand have left me deeply inspired by their level of talent, energy, creativity and commitment, as well as their determination to give something back to their own communities and the country as a whole. In their hands, South Africa cannot fail to prosper.

A shining example is Inga Mfundisi, a Grade 12 learner and Prefect at Hermanus High School.

Without in any way neglecting her school work, as confirmed by the above-average results she achieves, she has committed herself to a mind-boggling array of extra-mural activities.

She confesses to being very disciplined about how she divides up her time.

She tells me she has a mantra which guides all her endeavours, a quote from Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

It was this sentiment which led her in 2016 to found the Zwelihle Chess Club, which she still runs with the help and support of her dad and which has grown to 45 members, mostly youngsters, but some adults from her community as well. A South African Junior Chess Champion herself, she wanted to introduce

other children in her community to the skills and pleasure she has derived from the sport.

She is super-excited that an 11-year-old from the club who has only been playing the game for a year and a half, has been selected to represent South Africa at the World Junior Games in South America this year.

In addition to this, she is an Ambassador for the Children’s Book Network (CBN) run by Lesley Beake in Stanford to encourage children to develop a love of books and storytelling, and participates in the regular reading workshops they run. Last year, for Mandela Day, she initiated a project to collect children’s books through her school. Over a thousand flooded in and were distributed to various disadvantaged schools in the area as well as the Just Care aftercare centre.

“I have grown so much as a person through these projects,” she says. “My passion is to make a difference, not only in my community and country, but in the world. I want to add value, you know, and I want to inspire others to do the same.

It’s all about passion, not about being forced to do something.”

activities, she is a motivational speaker and was a gold medallist in a national poetry and public speaking competition last year. Selected to attend an International competition in New York, she was unable to go because of financial constraints.

Now she has a new project: competing in South Africa’s Miss Teenager Competition. Already chosen to represent the Western Cape in the Finals in Johannesburg from 19 – 21 June, where she will be competing against about 270 other teenage girls from around the country, she emphasises that this is not just a beauty pageant, the competitors must also demonstrate a commitment to community service and be able to give expression to their personalities.

Part of the process is having to market themselves. Although there will be official judges for the various categories, there is also a participatory element in which the public is asked to vote for the candidate of their choice. Voting by SMS will open on 20 March and it will be up to each girl to use all her ingenuity and marketing skills to raise her profile to the maximum. Inga has already started working on her strategy and nearer the voting date will be putting up posters around town as well as posts across all social media. Look out for them.

She hasn’t decided what she wants to study after matriculating, but she does know she doesn’t want to give up chess and would like to qualify as an arbiter, or coach. “I want to create a platform for other South African children to excel at chess on a world stage and to become future leaders,” she says.

This is where YOU, the citizens of Hermanus come in: by flooding the judges with votes for Inga, we may soon have our very own Zozibini Tunzi to brag about. She is also in serious need of sponsorship for her flight to Johannesburg, as well as to cover the cost of a knock-downgorgeous evening gown (rose gold is her favourite colour), and a chic smart-casual outfit.

She will also be required to model a cultural garment and has already found a designer to help her with this.

Articulate, self-confident, beautiful and warm, this girl is on the move. To add to all her other

Inga never loses an opportunity to talk about how much she owes to her parents (mom is

ABOVE: Inga in a beautiful, forest-green, jewelled evening gown with her Miss Teenager South Africa Finalist sash.

CIRCLE: Inga is extremely proud of her school, Hermanus High, which has supported her in all her projects.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer a teacher at Lukhanyo Primary School), her community and her school (especially Principal Hassenkamp) for all the support they have given to all her projects. Now is the time for the whole of the Overstrand to chip in. The theme of the Miss Teenager Finals is Naledi – Shining Star – and this is our opportunity to do it for someone who is already a shining star in her community, Queen Inga!

For any offers of help, Inga can be contacted on zwelihlechess@gmail.com or cell 067 025 3435.