The Village NEWS 10 June - 17 June 2020

10 JUNE 2020

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Be prepared for spike in infections Writer De Waal Steyn

D

on’t be alarmed. Be Prepared.” Those were the words of President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday as the country, and especially the Western Cape, braced itself for the predicted wave of new Coronavirus infections.

“More than half of all cases since the start of the outbreak were recorded in the last two weeks.

During this week, we can expect the total number of cases to pass the 50 000 mark. Sadly, we are also likely to record the 1 000th death from this devastating disease,” Ramaphosa said in his weekly letter to the nation.

“While these numbers are broadly in line with what the various models had projected, there is a big difference between looking at a graph on a piece of paper and seeing real people becoming infected, some getting ill and some dying.

“We can draw some comfort from the knowledge that the nationwide lockdown, in achieving the objective we had of delaying the spread of the virus, gave us time to prepare our health facilities and interventions for the expected spike in infections,” he said.

The president added that he’d spent last Friday in Cape Town to get a better sense of the work that was being done to manage the disease in the province that accounts for around twothirds of all confirmed cases.

“I am impressed with preparations, but even with the preparations that have been made, they will need more bed capacity as the disease reaches its peak. They need help from outside the province, including additional funding and health personnel,” Ramaphosa wrote in his letter.

On Monday the province had 32 048 confirmed cases. In the Overberg the number of infections stood at 262 and the Overstrand at 109. The Overberg also recorded its fifth COVID-19-related death.

Last week Premier Alan Winde announced that because of the testing backlog and short supply of test kits, the province would be changing tack in its testing approach by prioritising people at high risk of contracting the virus, those in hospital or seriously ill, those over 55 years old with COVID-19 symptoms, and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

Victoria Young-Pugh of Victoria’s Pantry has moved from her premises in Long Street Arcade to Tulip Coffee Bar on the c/o Hope and Dirkie Uys Streets, where she now forms part of the Hope Street Market, along with Justin Dods and Megan McEwan of Tulip Coffee Roasters and Rickey Broekhoven of Maillard & Co. (Read more about these young entrepreneurs on P10) PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

The expected spike in infections mirror that of global trends that have seen new cases rising faster than ever worldwide, clocking up more than 100 000 a day over a seven-day average.

Authorities in 214 countries and territories have reported about 6.6 million cases and 391 000 deaths since China reported its first cases to the WHO in December.

Monday also saw the Hospital of Hope at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) admitting its first COVID-19 patients, exactly one month after work on the site first began. According to Winde, a total of 10 patients were admitted. “As the hospital is a new facility, additional beds will be activated in a phased manner until the entire hospital is fully operational. The temporary hospital is the biggest COVID-19 field hospital in Africa and will be staffed by over 900 people when all phases are operational.”

The Western Cape Government is also exploring the potential for a second 800-bed hospital at CTICC 2 to meet the bed numbers that its updated models anticipate will be required at the peak of infections.

Support Local Businesses

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10 June 2020

Will Hermanus CBD survive Covid-19?

Writer Hedda Mittner

A

s the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners are finding themselves in the trenches fighting another war: keeping their doors open.

“Many of us are teetering on our last legs,” says Noel Hunt of Hemingways in Harbour Road, one of the most iconic shops in Hermanus. “Our market is international clients from all over the world, and until our borders reopen, we are in a cleft stick. Without weekenders, visitors or tourists, who knows how many businesses will be able to survive.”

Ian Macdonald of Lembu Gallery, also in Harbour Road, says the variety of speciality shops, galleries, restaurants and wine bars in town are a huge drawcard for visitors. “They are what make Hermanus so appealing,” he says. “The whales and fynbos are not enough – visitors also need to have a good time when it comes to shopping and dining out in town.”

While more shops have been able to reopen under the Level 3 lockdown regulations that kicked in on 1 June, Ian and his partner Ed Bredenkamp, have taken the difficult decision to permanently close the doors of Lembu, as well as Forty X 40 Gallery.

They have retained their workshop premises and are in the process of launching an online version of their

galleries. “We had no other choice but to adapt to the new reality we face,” says Ian. “Most of us in Harbour Road are dependent on tourists. The lockdown was a huge blow and at the beginning we thought, OK it’s going to be a tough winter, but it will all be over by spring. But now we know it’s going to take much longer and we’ve lost confidence in the future of Hermanus as a tourism town.

“If the most iconic businesses start closing down, what is going to replace them? Many of these shops like Hemingways have been in Hermanus for decades and are irreplaceable.

If uninspiring generic shops start taking their place, it will permanently change the character of the town.”

According to Ian, the main obstacle for local businesses is the rental on their premises. With no income for over two months, he feels that many landlords are not acknowledging their tenants’ predicament. “Some have told their tenants to pay what they can and agreed to carry the outstanding rent forward, while others have reduced the rent for April, May and June – but that is no solution for businesses that have had zero income since the end of March and are struggling to get back on their feet.”

Ian agrees with Louis Saaiman, the owner of Fleurs, that in the absence of tourists it is up to the locals to

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

support one another. “We are all in this together and we have to work together to survive,” says Louis, who reopened Fleurs on 8 June. “Before spending money with a national retailer, people should please consider supporting our town’s local independent businesses.”

The impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality industry has been particularly devastating, with chefs and restaurant owners having to rely on the local market to keep going. “We are battling,” says Petri Hendriksz, owner of Char’d and Pear Tree restaurants at the Hermanus Waterfront, “but we have to stay positive and think out of the box.”

Being permitted to provide meals for delivery since lockdown Level 4 (as well as a pick-up service since Level 3) was an opportunity embraced by several local restaurants, although Petri says this only generates about 10% of the sales they made before the lockdown started. Other initiatives by this well-known entrepreneur have included selling coffee to those who used the Level 4 morning exercise slot, a concept he’ll now be expanding to include aerobics classes and health shakes. “It creates a vibe and offers people an opportunity to have some fun,” he says.

Apart from his special take-out menu and braai packs, Petri has now added wine, gin and beer to his offering, all of which can be ordered online via an app. Another project that he is in the process of launching is called ‘Save our Chefs’, which will be a collaboration with other local chefs such as Wander Bester of Char’d, Anton Verhoogt from Fisherman’s Cottage, and others, who will create a unique dining experience that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Each one will create his own chef’s box that provides a two-course meal for four people, with all the ingredients (right up to condiments such as salt and pepper) and a step-by-step recipe for easy cooking at home. This community project will see the chefs receive a portion of the profits of every chef’s box sold at R550.

Elizma Stemmet is another business owner who realised that now was

the time to explore different ways of doing business. Her popular clothing shop, One Love, had been trading in Royal Lane for 10 years before she closed her doors in favour of a home studio on 1 May. “I knew I had to adapt and try something new,” says Elizma. “I was in a position where I could not afford to pay more than 10% of my rent in the CBD for at least four to five months, but my landlady would not agree to that so I knew I had to make a plan. If you have staff members who are single mothers, you can’t just tell them, ‘Sorry, I can no longer employ you’.”

Elizma is now continuing to trade from her home studio with her assistant, Bianca, where customers can shop in a safe and tranquil setting, even after hours, and enjoy a cup of tea. She also runs an online shop, which she launched two years ago.

“I think it’s imperative for businesses to cut down on their overheads at this time,” says Elizma. “Without the visitors and tourists, all I can do now is try and stay on my feet until the situation improves. I can always open another shop again, but for now I am saving not only on rent but also insurance, security, telephone etc.”

Online shopping seems to have become key to the survival of several businesses in town during this difficult time. One of them is Provenance in Main Road, where owner Eve Wilson says she’s done good trading throughout the lockdown.

“As an essential services provider, I’ve continued to take online orders since 27 March,” she says, adding that if it had not been for her online shop her business would have been in much worse shape. “Online shopping is a very competitive environment and you have to really work at it, but for me it has definitely been worthwhile.”

Having loyal clients who are “hooked” on her products certainly helps and Eve says the support from locals has been “fantastic”.

Now that the shop has reopened, she says she has fewer feet. “We don’t have as many people coming in just to browse, but my regular clients who know exactly what they want are still coming in. May and June are usually difficult months anyway, but my figures are only slightly down from this period last year.”

Another business owner who is optimistic about the future is Brennan Davis of The Wine Glass, who says he and his partners are determined to “weather this storm” and have been using the lockdown as a period to explore options and formulate plans.

Their main concern has been their staff. “We have tried to assist them as far as we can but they need their jobs and we are looking forward to seeing them all back at work again soon.”

Brennan adds, “In many instances the landlords are being vilified but one has to realise that their rental income has also taken a hard knock. I think most are being as accommodating as possible, given the circumstances.”

One thing is for sure: With domestic travel only likely to recover by the end of the year, while international travel may not resume before 2021, we as a community have to do everything we can to support local businesses if we want to preserve the landscape and character of our town. The last thing we want is for returning visitors to find a town they no longer recognise. That would not only be to the detriment of our tourism industry, but to every one of us living here.

<RXU DOO LQ RQH VKRSSLQJ GHVWLQDWLRQ Whale Coast Mall is a convenience shopping centre in the heart of Hermanus. With over 80 tenants, it is a diverse shopping hub comprising all your favourite stores. Ample parking space, at no charge, adds to its attraction. What makes the mall special, apart from its award-winning design, is the people who frequent and do business here. Whale Coast Mall has become a small community of people who share their daily struggles and celebrate their triumphs. In a time fraught with uncertainty, Whale Coast Mall has implemented a number of measures to ensure that our valued customers (often our best allies and friends) can do their shopping in a safe and convenient environment. With this in mind, we would like to assure our customers that we take their well-being to heart at all times. If they have any suggestions, queries or compliments, we would like to invite them to send them to gconradie @broll.com or call us on 021 476 0994. We have an open-door policy, so we would love to hear from you!

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10 June 2020

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

Community service at the rock face Writer Elaine Davie

W

hen the chips are down in a crisis, needy communities look to the NPOs (Non-profit organisations) on the ground for help. These are the service providers at grassroots level who work with them through good times and bad; they understand the communities’ unique circumstances and they have a human face.

Yet the crucial role these organisations play, often with very few resources and at great personal sacrifice is seldom recognised by society as a whole. It is frequently only in times of disaster that the spotlight falls on them.

The Overstrand has been richly endowed with NPOs, both large and small, and to an extent they form the backbone of community life.

Many of them rely on volunteers to carry out their mandate and they all acknowledge their enormous debt of gratitude to the citizens of this region for their sustained support.

Characteristically, NPO workers are agile, adaptable, innovative and resilient, which has been amply demonstrated during the current pandemic. The Village NEWS spoke to only five of the hundred-plus organisations active in our region to find out how the Coronavirus had affected these selfless social entrepreneurs.

Kleinmond Child Welfare Director, Theresa Els says in many ways they had to rethink their entire modus operandi during lockdown. “The 26 children from 3 – 12 years of age in our Children’s Home went into total lockdown and their carers moved in with them to avoid infection,” she explains. “Although the children have coped remarkably well, keeping them busy and entertained all this time has been very stressful for the staff, as you can imagine.

“The ECD and after-school centres we manage had to close down, of course, but our teachers were worried about the welfare of the children, so since the beginning of May they have all been running soup kitchens and the teachers have been able to check on their children and give them activities to do at home.

“Many of the families don’t have computers, so we’ve been downloading schoolwork for the children at the after-school centre, photocopying it and letting them have it when they come to the soup kitchen. One of our biggest problems, though, is that most of the parents have stopped paying their fees, which leaves us in a serious financial crunch.”

They have had to suspend the regular educational sessions they run at the schools, but the social workers have been going into the communities to speak to families about how to manage the restrictions and keep healthy and safe. Fortunately, there have been few reports of child abuse since the start of lockdown; that is, until the ban on alcohol was lifted, when there were four within the first week.

“The most difficult thing for me, personally,” says Theresa, “is the uncertainty. Trying to plan ahead is very difficult, but we are making use of the opportunity to streamline our management systems and rethink our approach to some of our child-centred programmes.”

Overstrand Hospice According to Manager, Fran Tong, at any one time, Hospice provides palliative care to between 60 and 70 home-based patients.

Contrary to popular perception, not all of them are cancer patients; they work with the whole spectrum of life-threatening diseases. They have a good relationship with both hospitals in Hermanus, but Fran says during lockdown, they have had fewer referrals from them than usual, possibly because Covid-19 demands their full attention at the moment.

“Illness, especially if it is terminal, is very isolating for patients,” points out Fran, “and the double isolation of lockdown is making it even more difficult. Unfortunately, just when their need for regular visits from our nursing staff is greatest, they and their families tend to be very nervous about infection, despite the extensive protocols we have in place. This means that most of our current contact is telephonic, which is not ideal. The personal relationship we like to build up with patients and their families is a very important component of their care.”

Fran mentions that the free service they offer means that the need for funding is always top of their agenda. She is very relieved that their charity shop has been able to re-open at last, as this is a major source of income. As she says, “running an NGO is not for the faint-hearted in this tough economic climate, but I do want to express my deep appreciation to the citizens of Hermanus for their ongoing and generous support.”

The Butterfly Centre for children with special needs Fifteen mainly autistic children had only just moved into their beautiful new school on the Stanford Hills Wine Estate, when it had to be closed for the lockdown. Jamie Kastner, Founder of the Butterfly Foundation says some of the children have found it difficult to understand why they have to stay at home and can’t play with their friends, but their teachers are in constant contact with them by WhatsApp and phone.

“They have kept them supplied with printed worksheets and projects they can do at home,” says Jamie. The children have even been given physical exercises to do, because it’s important to keep them active. Where the parents are able to facilitate the learning process, they do, but if they get stuck they know they always have access to the teachers.

“We don’t yet know when the children will be able to return to school, probably in about three months’ time, but it will have to be a phased process, starting with the older children. Those who are immuno-compromised will probably come back last. In the meantime, we are so grateful to the Grootbos Foundation for sponsoring all the PPE we’ll need for both teachers and children, so we’re preparing everything and as soon as we get the green light from government, we’ll be good to go.”

Red Cross A branch of this humanitarian organisation was established in Hermanus in 1957, making it one of the oldest NPOs in the region.

Worldwide, one of its primary functions is to facilitate disaster relief. During this period it has, therefore, been fully involved in helping to fund and participate in the Disaster Management programme to supply food to needy community members.

It’s vitally important that projects of this kind be properly coordinated and so other voluntary organisations like Food4Love, Relief Life, Rotary and some of the churches are also fully integrated into the provision of food parcels, as well

as food for soup kitchens (about 26 in Zwelihle and Mount Pleasant alone).

“I’m happy to say,” says Red Cross Chairperson, Angela Heslop, “that everything is being meticulously documented and monitored and once the project comes to an end, the data will be captured and we will be able to do a thorough analysis of all aspects of the programme – what worked and what didn’t. One of our problems has for instance been the logistics of food delivery; while the municipality made a car available for the purpose, it didn’t provide fuel.”

When this crisis has run its course, she is also keen to continue discussions with the municipality regarding the establishment in each suburb of a disaster management group which Red Cross will train in relevant skills like burns treatment, safety first, fire drills, etc. “I feel very strongly that we’ve passed the stage of charity handouts; it’s got to be about empowering people to be proactive in acquiring new skills and taking the initiative to implement them. But that is for later. For now, we take it one week at a time.”

The Youth Café and RDP Centre, Zwelihle William Ntebe is a co-founder of this multi-faceted project. One of these, pre-lockdown, was the distribution of food to about 100 indigent people in Zwelihle. During lockdown, after many more people had lost their jobs or had their wages cut, they are now delivering food

packs to 1 800 people and in addition running a soup kitchen providing one cooked meal a day for 1 250 people.

“It has been the most incredible learning experience for me,” says William. “So many volunteers have come together from all communities to fill the gap (25 each day from Zwelihle alone). Yes, there have been mistakes, but we have learnt from them. The most important thing is simply ‘being the light in the darkness’.

Everyone, rich and poor has had something to contribute. Being social animals, we also felt the need to lift people’s spirits when they visit the centre, so from time to time, we see that they get a treat, especially the seniors. We’ve handed out yoghurt, fruit juices, Coke; we have even had a singer to entertain them.”

Another way they have been able to contribute has been to print out TERS application forms, helping 3 000 applicants to fill them in and then hand-delivering them to the Department of Labour’s offices in Somerset West.

“My greatest hope is that we will be able to carry this sense of togetherness forward after Covid-19,” continues William. “If we are to survive as a country, this spirit of unity (us/we) is what is needed. Everything is easier if we can pool our resources, ideas, energy and hope for the future. Speaking for myself, I feel incredibly privileged to have had this opportunity to be involved.”

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

10 June 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Remember that you are not alone Sometimes the news around the Covid-19 pandemic can lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness that can bring one to a point of utter Coronavirus fatigue. It seems at times as if one piece of bad news is just waiting to be replaced by something equally horrifying the very next minute.

The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 17 June 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.

028 312 2234

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

De Waal Steyn

Looking at the statistics and reading the predictions of what is about to happen make these feelings of despondency legitimate, and we as a community need to acknowledge that. Although we are not all in the

PUBLISHING EDITOR dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Hedda Mittner

hedda@thevillagenews.co.za

ONLINE EDITOR

raphael@thevillagenews.co.za

Elaine Davie SUB-EDITOR & JOURNALIST elaine@thevillagenews.co.za

Taylum Meyer PHOTOGRAPHER & PRODUCTION MANAGER taylum@thevillagenews.co.za

Alta Pretorius MARKETING MANAGER alta@thevillagenews.co.za

Charé van der Walt MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE chare@thevillagenews.co.za

Nickey Jackson

DTP DESIGNER nickey@thevillagenews.co.za

It is in the knowledge that we are not alone that we now need to draw the strength and courage to face the battles that are coming our way.

As Winston Churchill said: “One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never

run away from anything. Never!”

It is a certainty without question that our community is not turning its back on the danger. While we are faced with many challenges, ranging from not catching the virus to keeping our businesses afloat, we have shown over the last months that we are not only doing our best, but we are doing what is necessary to succeed.

with grit and determination look not only at the hurdles we are facing, but also with a stern eye at the promise of a new dawn.

We all know the words: “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: ‘This was their finest hour’.”

This is our defining moment in history. Let this be our finest hour.

This is the good NEWS – Ed

For that we need to congratulate and encourage ourselves. We need to pat ourselves on the back and

If music be the food of laugh, play it again Sam

CONTENT EDITOR

Raphael da Silva

same boat, we are all facing the same storm, but we need to know that we are not alone.

By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com

popular arias. Her name was Florence Foster Jenkins.

I

f you have access to YouTube, I suggest you check out the performances mentioned below. Music lovers in general, and musicians in particular will cherish the memories forever – albeit for a different reason.

Flaunting with Florence Like colour-blindness, some folks are tone-deaf. They can hear everything perfectly but seldom achieve hitting the right notes in a song. We witness this whenever the camera tracks down the line of sportsmen singing the pre-match national anthems.

With some, the adrenalin and enthusiasm override any conscious observance of the actual tune, which to them is just a rough guideline to go up or down on certain words, and they sail through life happily unaware that they’re melodically challenged.

Well, one lady who was similarly oblivious to her tone-deafness, created a stir in the press and arty-farty cultural circles. She started staging recitals at luncheons, soirées and cocktail functions, where she’d enthusiastically belt out renditions of

Born in 1876 into a wealthy Pennsylvania family, Flo inherited a shed-load of money when her parents died.

She flung herself into becoming a professional socialite, fundraiser and philanthropist, and generously sponsored all forms of the arts. But her real passion was music. She was determined to become recognised as a famous soprano, and money was no problem.

By creating various social clubs and appointing herself “chairman of music”, she would organise lavish fundraising productions for the upper-crust elite, and unashamedly cast herself as the lead diva.

ics yelling for more. To our oblivious Flo, this unbridled applause was ample reason to continue enthralling her followers by attempting, quite shamelessly, even more challenging roles throughout the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s.

At the age of 76, Florence reached two significant milestones. The first was her life-long dream – performing at the 2 800-seater Carnegie Hall.

Another 2 000 people were turned away at the door. Her well-intended, though ludicrous renditions had the audience rolling in the aisles, and created such pandemonium that one famous actress had to be carried out of her box because she got so hysterical she fainted.

The second milestone for our Flo occurred a month later. She died. But fear not, dear reader, her performances are immortalised on YouTube forever.

People flocked to these performances because, as one critic wrote, “Jenkins was exquisitely bad. So bad that it added up to a good evening of theatre, more though, as comic relief than music appreciation.” Another wrote: “No one, before or since, has succeeded in liberating themselves quite so completely from the shackles of the musical notation.” (i.e. the tune.)

Musical Hall of Infamy?

In a similar vein, we have the Portsmouth Sinfonia, started in 1970 for a lark at the Portsmouth School of Art/ Music. Everyone was invited to join, as long as you owned an instrument and weren’t a professional musician.

Audiences whistled, cheered/jeered and nearly wet themselves in hyster-

It developed into a rag-tag impromptu orchestra made up of music

enthusiasts – regular art students, dentists, plumbers, estate agents or office workers, who played their instruments purely for enjoyment, as a hobby. Although most couldn’t read music properly, they all dreamed of one day performing in a full orchestral setting.

Well, their aspirations were realised when, after only one rehearsal, they played to a packed Royal Albert Hall in London. Each had their own sheets of music scores indicating when and what to play or to rest, which proved rather challenging to most.

Some had only recently acquired their instruments, but they took things seriously, and all scratched, banged or blew as best they could while striving to follow the music charts before them. Others, if they knew the tune, would just play along by ear, watch the others, and rely on instinct.

The audience consisted almost entirely of professional musicians out for a laugh. They’d come to witness the chaotic butchering of famous classics like the William Tell Overture, Beethoven’s 5th, The Blue Danube and Also Sprach Zarathustra among others. It was a huge success. There wasn’t a dry seat in the house.

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10 June 2020

LET'S TALK

Support local business to recover from closure I sobella Volschenk, a gracious and soft-spoken widow in her mid-70s, has been the owner-manager of Gateway Laundromat for 14 years.

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown regulations, Gateway Laundromat, employing two long-term faithful staff members and catering to a community of young and retired people, who do not have their own laundry facilities in their homes, was deemed a non-essential service and had to close.

Isobella had no option but to comply with the regulations. But imagine her disbelief then, when she saw advertised in a local newspaper another laundromat under the heading

‘Essential Services Operating’, in the same town! She made several attempts during the next six weeks to get an answer from the authorities as to how this situation could happen, where one laundromat was allowed to be open and another was closed down. Her efforts were met with apathy and her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Desperately, she sought help from the Municipality and spoke to the correct authority there who was as perplexed as she was as to why she had been closed down. She opened her business again on 4 May. She calculated that if she’d waited two weeks longer, she would have been bankrupt. Immediately Law Enforcement paid her a visit. She provided

them with covering documents that she had since been given, and they mercifully left her alone. To date, she remains open.

Isobella and her staff suffered completely unnecessarily, in terms of both emotional and financial stress, while her clients have suffered, too. If the authorities had taken a little time to investigate the situation, a huge injustice could have been avoided.

It would be a wonderful gesture if the community could rally around as only South Africans know how to, and support her business while she and her staff try to get back on their feet again.

Colleen Wood

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.

PSA tests for men Celebrate the men in your life by encouraging them to safeguard against cancer. During its Men’s Health campaign this year, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) aims to remind men of the importance of investing in their health and reducing their risk for cancer. South African men have a 1 in 8 chance of developing cancer during their lifetime.

dangers of cancer but also to educate themselves about other cancer risks for men, such as lung, colorectal, skin, testicular and penis cancer.

The most prevalent cancers among South African men are prostate, Kaposi sarcoma (a type of skin cancer), lung and colorectal cancer.

CANSA wants to encourage you to go for a screening test that will assist you in determining your risk of developing cancer. The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that will indicate any abnormalities in the prostate gland. PathCare will be conducting PSA tests in June and July at a special tariff of R125, payable in cash to the doctor.

Most men know that prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, with a risk factor of 1 in 27.

We aim to encourage men to not only be aware of the most common

These tests will be available at PathCare in Hermanus, Kleinmond and Gansbaai. No appointments are necessary. For more information, contact CANSA in Onrus on 073 699 9722.

Mediclinic ready to support Join virtual piano community with urgent concert featuring care Nina Schumann Mediclinic understands that many people are avoiding hospital Emergency Centres. We recognise that we have been told to stay home to reduce the risk during the lockdown period. We are also aware of the concern that individuals may have of catching the virus by coming to a hospital.

We want to assure you that during the lockdown period, Mediclinic continued to implement several measures to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and doctors. These measures are all aimed at lowering the risk of infection for all stakeholders,” says Gerhard Joubert, Hospital General Manager of Mediclinic Hermanus.

It is important to note that going to hospital is no less safe than going to the shops to buy groceries – as long as you take the necessary precautions – and Mediclinic is striving to

make our facilities as safe as possible for our community.

We have implemented screening for patients, staff and other individuals coming to the hospital. We have separate COVID and non-COVID related treatment areas to further reduce your risk. Our staff have all been equipped with the necessary PPE to ensure that we are able to care for all our patients, whatever their medical needs. Each patient is issued with a cloth mask for the period of admission, unless a surgical mask is appropriate, to further reduce the risk of transmission.

While you continue to adhere to lockdown measures, we want you to know that if you require urgent medical care – Mediclinic is here for you. We also understand that by delaying chronic or urgent medical care, you may be placing your health at further risk.

If you are ill or in pain, and if you would normally have visited one of our Emergency Centres because of these symptoms before the pandemic, then you should continue to seek medical care to ensure that your health is not placed further at risk.

This especially applies if you have chest pain, signs of a stroke, other severe pain, problems with your diabetes, or any other medical condition that you are concerned about.

Your risk of infection with the Coronavirus while at hospital is extremely low, while your risk of long-term health complications, if you delay seeking urgent medical care, is much higher.

To this end, Mediclinic is here for you.

Expertise that you can trust.

Gerhard Joubert, Hospital General Manager, Mediclinic Hermanus

BR Concerts is proud to present Concerts Connect, a series of concerts which will be streamed to audiences in support of local music societies and concert series. With a strong focus on connectivity, Concerts Connect is a unique streaming concert platform that aims to connect music societies, audiences, and artists in these times of great disconnect.

Concerts Connect is proud to present the second concert in a

premier series of three concerts will be presented on Sunday 14 June at 15:30. Streamed from Casa Labia in Muizenberg, Nina Schumann will present a solo piano recital featuring an eclectic programme of works by Bach, Haydn, Debussy and Rachmaninoff. Concerts Connect has partnered with Overstrand Arts/Kunste (OAK), Cape Town Concert Series, Montagu Music Society, Fish Hoek Friends of Music, Hessequa Harmonie and kayTee Soireés in presenting this concert.

Tickets are available on Quicket and we would like to ask everyone to please select OAK when you purchase your ticket.

The third concert in this series will be presented by TwoPianists and will take place on 5 July at 15:30.

For more information, visit www. brconcerts.com, or contact Brent Reynolds at brent@brconcerts.com or 082 415 0228.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

10 June 2020

The legacy of segregation in Hermanus Like all South African human settlements, Hermanus has been shaped in many ways by apartheid. Through his research into how the Group Areas Act led to the segregation of residential areas and amenities, DR ROBIN LEE presents a picture of what was happening in Hermanus during the 1950s and 1960s. Next week’s follow-up article will deal with ‘beach apartheid’, a very high-profile issue during this period, all along our coastline.

I

n 1950, the South African Parliament passed three Acts that together became known as the Group Areas Acts (GAAs). These provided the legal framework within which various levels of government were handed the task and given the powers to establish segregated neighbourhoods within their jurisdictions.

ston is… an entity of Hermanus. The population is growing, and we should aim as a council at helping maintain Hawston as a coloured community.

PHOTO: Wikimedia

Among other responsibilities, local authorities were obliged to register with the Group Areas Board and submit a plan setting out how segregation of ‘population groups’ would be achieved in their area. The segregated areas would effectively be administered by ‘administration boards’, which were given many powers previously exercised by the municipalities.

Much segregation of residential areas and community amenities had taken place before these Acts were passed.

Still, the concerted, high-profile move of the National Party government was unprecedented, and opposition started at once. There was extensive newspaper coverage across the country, not least in the two local newspapers, the Overberg Venster and the Hermanus News.

A survey of this coverage has been conducted for the Hermanus History Society by Elizabeth and Blaise Jones.

Over 100 articles were identified in a period from the 1930s to 2000 and press coverage of the following legislation was examined: Population Registration Act (1950); Race Classification Act (1950); Group Areas Act (1950); Native Urban Areas Act (1952); and the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act (1953).

At first, these Acts used three terms to refer to the groups to be segregated. These were White, Coloured, and Native. After some years, the term ‘Bantu’ was legally created to replace ‘Native’. Later, Indian/Asiatic areas were declared, and the most significant urban ‘Native areas’ were further subdivided by tribal origin.

The story of the GAA cannot be told without using some of the terms that were introduced by the legislation.

I will use these terms as they were used at the time but want to make it clear that I did not accept the terms then and do not now.

A bureaucratic oversight Hermanus was quickly out of the starting blocks. As early as October 1951, the Town Council approved an application to establish Group Areas in Hermanus. However, fate took a hand, as the municipal officials failed

to send the Council’s request to the Group Areas Board. The Council itself seemed to suffer from collective amnesia and failed to follow-up despite a delay of 12 years before sending another application.

The strange situation resulted in Hermanus implementing many measures as a Municipality, rather than through the Group Areas Board in the 1950s.

Formal steps under the Group Areas legislation came on stream only from 1963.

On 29 November 1963, the Times of Hermanus (the only Hermanus newspaper at the time) reported that the Town Council had been informed that the application to the Group Areas Board in 1951 had not been sent.

As far as the Group Areas Board was concerned, no request had ever been made. The following was published in the Overberg Venster: The matter (Group Areas registration) having been investigated by the new (Hermanus) Town Council and a new Town Clerk… was discussed at a Council meeting last week and it was unanimously decided the former resolution be re-affirmed and that the necessary application be submitted to the Group Areas Board immediately.

As a result, the GAAs were only implemented officially in Hermanus between 1963 and 1966. But, in 1951, the Town Council did not wait for a reply to its letter.

First Group Areas Presumably, the Council believed it was acting under the GAA. In the

1950s it declared specific applications of the Acts. Hermanus was immediately declared a ‘White’ Group Area.

Forced removals took place soon, affecting coloured individuals living at De Mond, coloured families residing in the central business district, and some, presumably coloured, persons employed as ‘live-in domestic staff’ in the suburbs of Westcliff, Eastcliff and Voëlklip.

Those affected were moved either to Mount Pleasant or to Hawston. Some housing was available in Hawston but was generally agreed to be inadequate. The proposed ‘Native’ group area was identified to the west of the town centre, but no accommodation was available there at the time.

‘Coloured’ access to the ocean was limited to the Hawston beach, and ‘Native’ access to the sea was limited to a stretch of coast at Schulphoek, not precisely defined. The same area was the subject of conflict in 2017 and 2018, showing how many current problems originated from the group areas legislation.

On 6 May 1950, the Council determined that Hawston would become a coloured residential area. They took this decision in the same meeting in which the Overberg Venster reported that the Council ‘deplored’ the living conditions in the suburb. It did not seem to strike the Council that they were simultaneously removing residents to a new group area while deploring the living conditions in the same area.

The mayor (J R Barnard) stated: Haw-

Mount Pleasant was also identified as a potential coloured area. The press reports do not mention ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ Mount Pleasant. Other sources report that the Council evolved a complicated plan to move coloured residents from upper Mount Pleasant (above the present R43) to Hawston.

They would temporarily move natives from various ‘blackspots’ to upper Mount Pleasant and then move them again to Zwelihle once accommodation was available there. I cannot find any evidence that this proposal was implemented.

At the same meeting (6 May 1950), the Council announced that 20 ‘new houses’ had been built in Mount Pleasant and emphasised that these are exactly the same as those (provided) for Europeans… Bath and stove are provided, but water is not laid on.

There is, however, a pipeline with taps on every street. Rental for these houses is from £1 to £1 10s monthly.

Central Business District An interesting light is thrown on local attitudes regarding segregation in the town by an article in the Hermanus News of 28 September 1957.

Under the headline New Café for Non-Europeans the report reads: What was for years a dilapidated old house situated at the corner of High and Dirkie Uys Streets, has just been renovated and improved, and was last week opened as a café for non-Europeans by Mrs I. B. Groenewald. The

Municipality has also improved the surroundings by gravelling the sidewalks and laying better drainage.

A long-felt want it seems has been supplied, as hitherto the non-European community have had no café in the central part of Hermanus catering solely for their needs, where they can sit down in comfort and enjoy a cup of tea, coffee, a cold drink, or have a square meal, at a reasonable cost, with their own people.

Judging by the rush experienced last weekend, it appears that Mrs Groenewald’s enterprise in opening the High Street Café will be well justified.

Zwelihle On 14 June 1958, the Hermanus News reported that: A site for a new Native Location was adopted at the last meeting of the Hermanus Town Council. It is situated just beyond Westcliff, on the western side of the New Harbour, and includes nearly 7000 feet of coastline, now undeveloped, and under bush.

This is the first reference to the site that became Zwelihle. At the time it was claimed that the location would provide “hygienic housing” for 500 – 600 Natives, “including their families”.

Also, a new road will be constructed so that when the Natives are settled there, they will not find it necessary to pass through the European area of Westcliff to go to their employment in the town.

What general impression can be formed from the press coverage of the implementation of these Acts in Hermanus? I get the sense that the Council was a reluctant participant in the formal imposition of segregation in the town – this may explain why no one complained about the delay after the first application to the Group Areas Board.

Popular opinion seems to have favoured formal separation, but the Council responded slowly. Compromises were sought along the way.

However, in the longer run, the segregation took place and determines the pattern of settlement to this day.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

10 June 2020

Animal in the eye of the storm Writer Elaine Davie

T

his is a story about a storyteller telling a story about a strange little mammal very few people are ever likely to see, an animal on the edge of extinction. It is the story of the epic journey of two filmmakers into some of the wildest places remaining in Africa today in search of the four species of African pangolin still hanging on to survival by a thread.

It is the story of Director and Producer, Bruce Young, who, together with Director of Photography, Johan Vermeulen, produced a documentary in 2019 called Eye of the Pangolin.

Before Covid-19 most people had probably never heard of the pangolin, but now, with its suspected involvement in the transmission of the Coronavirus to humans in a grisly wet market in Wuhan, it has become a hot topic. In fulfilment of the notion that it’s an ill wind that blows no one any good, the glare of the global spotlight might just be the pangolin’s saving grace.

The most trafficked mammal in the world, far more so than the elephant for its ivory, the rhino for its horns or lions and tigers for their bones, its scales are used in Chinese medicine and its flesh is considered a delicacy in the East. Illegal traders will pay almost anything for these secretive, mostly nocturnal animals and this incentive could be the difference between starvation and life for rural tribesmen in the countries where they are to be found.

Bruce and Johan had worked together on the award-winning documentary, A Kalahari Tail a couple of years earlier and when Johan asked if he would like to be involved in making a documentary about the African pangolin, Bruce knew almost nothing about the animal. Nevertheless, he was sufficiently intrigued to accept the invitation. And, he says, the journey has changed his life.

“All I can say is that I am just incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. A whole new world opened up for me. I am a storyteller and through

the telling of this powerful story, I am hoping it might change people’s perspectives in a meaningful way, change their relationship with wild spaces and wild creatures.”

Growing up in KwaZulu Natal on the edge of a nature reserve, with a desire as a little boy to look after the wild animals, his life seemed to take a 3600 turn in the opposite direction when he became an actor, first in this country and then in the US where he achieved success in a number of feature films and TV series, eventually moving on to script writing and directing. After 11 years in the States, he returned to South Africa and continued working in the Film and TV arena. More recently, his life seems to have turned full circle to focus once again on wildlife concerns.

ABOVE: Poster for the film ‘Eye of the Pangolin’.

TOP LEFT: Directors Johan Vermeulen (left) and Bruce Young in a small village which straddles the border between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire near Ghana’s Bia National Forest.

BOTTOM LEFT: Director and Producer Bruce Young (right) and a member of the Ba’aka tribe with a Black-Bellied Pangolin in Central African Republic.

PHOTOS: Eye of the Pangolin film

“We get to understand ourselves and our world through stories, and my single objective with my work in film is to find the most compelling narrative in any material and use it to engage viewers in a way that leaves them enlightened and moved. I ask 'why' a lot,” says Bruce.

In Blood Lions, a documentary which preceded Eye of the Pangolin, he lifts the veil on the dark, but legal, practice of canned lion hunting in South Africa, with its ethical questions about the exploitation of wild creatures. And ‘why’ is also the question he will be asking in Scales, the sequel to the Eye of the Pangolin, which he is currently making.

“I want to know why the pangolin is so important to Chinese medicine that they will drive the animal to extinction in pursuit of its scales. This investigation is not intended to be judgemental, but simply to understand. To find some answers, we will be following the trail to both China and Vietnam.”

Environmentalists tell us that in the past 10 years, approximately one million pangolins have been illegally trafficked from the wild in various parts of Africa and that in order to harvest one ton of scales, 1 900 pangolins have to be killed. Known as the World’s Great Gardeners, the vital role these animals play within the complex web of nature is to keep

to see. And for my part, looking into the eye of a pangolin was an indescribable privilege. If the eyes are indeed the windows of the soul, I could see a sentient being there, capable of emotions and perception.

the numbers of ants and termites in check. The great tragedy is that although they have walked the earth for approximately 80 million years, they may become extinct in our lifetime.

Bruce is convinced that Eye of the Pangolin wanted to be made. The extreme adventure they embarked upon started in the Kruger Park and the freezing Kalahari, and their next destination was Ghana, followed by the Central African Republic and the steaming rain forests of Gabon.

With the help of magnificent people on the ground, they were able to film Temminck’s Ground Pangolin in Southern Africa, the White-bellied Tree Pangolin in Ghana and the tiny, agile Black-bellied Tree Pangolin in the CAR, just across the river from Cameroon, one of the trafficking

hotspots of Africa.

Despite the best efforts of the local game guards, Gabon’s Giant Ground Pangolin was the only one to elude them. However, hacking their way through the dense jungle in the black of night, they did almost walk smack bang into one of the secretive forest elephants of Gabon, known for their aggressive behaviour. To their great relief, it was obviously in a mellow mood that night and allowed them to make a hasty retreat.

“One of the things that stands out for me in the making of this film,” comments Bruce, “is the incredible commitment of the scientists, trackers and game guards who study and watch over these creatures. There is a very real connection between them and the animals, which is wonderful

“I’m hoping people who see the documentary will be sufficiently moved to begin to ask themselves about their relationship with the natural world, to question how they interact with the animals and plants around them. I am convinced that the unlimited intelligence of nature is trying to send us a message: the clock is running down; there is an urgent need to reset the delicate balance between humans and nature. Maybe saving the pangolin represents an intentional first step towards restoring that balance. That’s why I want people to watch the film, share it; knowledge is a powerful instrument for change.”

Thanks to Whale Coast Conservation for setting up a zoom conversation with Bruce Young. Eye of the Pangolin, which should be prescribed viewing for everyone, can be watched free of charge on YouTube.

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MEMBER BENEFITS* In the event of retrenchment, the policy premium payer receives a six-month premium holiday

PLUS FREE funeral benefits* provided by AVBOB Funeral Service

You get ALL this on top of your full policy pay-out – it’s all 100% FREE* to AVBOB members.

Contact AVBOB Hermanus on 028 312 1156. *Terms and conditions apply. Free funeral benefits only apply if AVBOB Funeral Service conducts the funeral.

AVBOB is an authorised financial services provider. AVBOB is a level 2 B-BBEE contributor. FSP 20656. www.AVBOB.co.za Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.

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10 June 2020

WHAT'S COOKING

Local NEWS, global reach Over the past three years, The Village NEWS has grown from being a newspaper that served the Overstrand community, to now also reaching readers in over 200 countries and territories with our E-editions and website. Our readers have one thing in common: They love the Overberg and The Village NEWS is their #1 source of information.

% of Readers Across The Village NEWS Platforms Print

Digital

Website

Qtr 1 2018

12%

86%

18%

Qtr 1 2020

I

’m sure I’m not the only one who misses dashing out of the office to meet a friend for a coffee or a quick lunch, or enjoying a solitary sundowner at the waterfront after work, or a leisurely meal in our valley with fine wine. I still marvel at how I used to take those treats for granted – and how long ago and far away it all seems now.

Huge was my relief when restaurants were permitted to deliver food again, and I placed my orders with the added pleasure of knowing that I’m supporting a few local businesses, albeit in a very small way. The enthusiasm with which chefs and restauranteurs prepared and delivered the food – more often than not in person – was truly heart-warming. And when they started supplying alcohol, too, well, what more could a woman want? No standing in liquor store queues for me, thank you very much.

Qtr 1 2019

5%

By Hedda Mittner

Having grown accustomed to a pristine kitchen (because I used it so seldom), it was quite an adjustment to have my grownup (but still studying) children living with me again during the lockdown. Suddenly there were meals to be prepared every day and even though the burden was split three-ways, the kitchen seemed to be in a permanent state of total devastation.

100%

2%

Proud to be a local

77%

8%

Projected 49% Qtr 2 2020 43%

Find us on PressReader, Magzter and ISSUU.

083 700 3319 theagency@thevillagenews.co.za

One experience that I simply have to mention is the Creation Cocoon Menu, which offers delectable options such as Bouillabaisse with crayfish and abalone served with crispy olive ciabatta; Honey-glazed Pork Belly with mustard mash, apple and pickled onions; Confit Duck with burnt sage gnocchi and roasted winter root vegetables; and a Compressed Apple dessert with caramelised white chocolate and almond cream. Honestly, it was fine dining at its best – in the comfort of your own home (except that there were still dirty dishes at the end of it all!). But the quality of the food and the attention to detail was simply mind-blowing.

So if you are longing to have a really special dining experience during this time of noeating-out, do yourself a favour and check out the Creation Cocoon menu on their website, or go straight to shop.creationwines.com to order both your meal and wine. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

And for those who are missing the Hermanus Country Market on a Saturday morning, why not pop into the new Hope Street Market at Tulip Coffee Bar? You’ll find many of your favourite market items right there on the corner of Hope and Dirkie Uys Streets. Here Justin Dods, the owner of Tulip Coffee Roasters, has teamed up with Victoria Young-Pugh of Victoria’s Pantry and chef Rickey Broekhoven of Maillard & Co to bring together the best coffee, freshly-baked bread, cakes and rusks, cooked take-home meals, fresh produce and farm eggs, dry goods, jams and sauces, olive oil, honey, dried fruits, nuts and chocolates… you name it!

“It just made sense for us to pool our talents and resources and do this together,” says Justin. “It also means we can share costs instead of all paying our own rent and overheads.” With this initiative Justin is also sustaining 15 informal businesses who can no longer peddle their goods at the market but have found a new home at the Hope Street Market. So among the many edible delights on offer, you’ll also find clothing, bags, leather products, jewellery, fresh flowers and bird feeders. This group of young, energetic entrepreneurs are so worthy of local support – make sure you pay them a visit the next time you’re in town.

TOP: Megan McEwan and Justin Dods of Tulip Coffee Roasters, Rickey Broekhoven of Maillard & Co and Victoria Young-Pugh of Victoria’s Pantry have joined forces to create the Hope Street Market.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer Two of the most impressive dishes on the Creation Cocoon Menu: the Confit Duck (middle) and Compressed Apple dessert (above).

PHOTOS: Creation Wines

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10 June 2020

Smoking hot – getting high on herbarettes Writer Raphael da Silva

W

hile South African smokers have had to scheme and hustle to find ways to satisfy their nicotine cravings during the lockdown, an entrepreneurial family in Worcester has spotted an opportunity and launched their own range of herbal cigarettes, aka herbarettes.

“My mom made and sold herbal mixes for her range, SupHerb, about 20 years ago. And now with the lockdown, she was motivated to create a product that would help people to quit or cut down on smoking cigarettes,” says Christel Allen, who along with her mom, Karen Allen and sister, Tamarin Shaw, have launched PlantED. Apart from their range of herbarettes, this all-women business also sells organically grown seeds, herbs and plants, and home-grown health products made with medicinal herbs.

“My sister, Tam, researched different smoking mixes and she and my mom came up with the six flavours we sell, with information about the medicinal properties of the herbs. I

designed the logo, came up with the brand name, launched the Facebook page and we all started the business together,” says Christel.

With an exciting range of products with names such as Dream On, Space Out, Cheer Up, Uplift, Fresh Chill and Tranquil, all the blends are organic, even the filters, and sourced locally from Worcester. “The two main base plants we use are Mulberry and Raspberry,” says Tamarin. “The reason we chose them is because they are high in antioxidants and also neutral in flavour, so they carry the other flavours well and, importantly, we can get them in large quantities from our area.”

Unlike tobacco cigarettes, herbarettes don’t contain nicotine.

Each herbal blend has a medicinal quality and unique flavour. As an example, Cheer Up has St John’s wort, a flowering plant from the family, Hypericaceae, which is known for its antidepressant qualities. Chamomile, traditionally used for herbal tea that reduces stress and anxiety, is also added.

“An interesting fact is that the effects

of smoking can cross the blood-brain barrier in approximately 10 seconds.

So, for example, while you might only feel the calming effects of Chamomile in 40 minutes if you drink it as a tea but when you smoke it, you will feel it in 10 seconds,” points out Karen.

One can purchase herbarettes in two forms: either in a pouch or as rollies.

PlantED even sells a mix of rollies so that customers can choose which flavour to smoke throughout the day, based on their mood. Since launching during the lockdown, PlantED has been receiving consistent orders daily from across the country.

The biggest opportunity that the PlantED team sees is in helping smokers to wean themselves off tobacco. Chamomile, for example, is an excellent tobacco substitute, which Christel says can be used to alleviate tension and anxiety, and to reduce the craving for nicotine until it vanishes entirely.

For those smokers who are still using tobacco during the lockdown, it can also be mixed with one of PlantED’s ranges to stretch their supply or to help them quit altogether, by gradu-

ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN

ABOVE: The all-women team of PlantED: Sisters Christel Allen and Tamarin Shaw with their mom, Karen Allen.

RIGHT: The herbarettes can be purchased in a pouch or as rollies.

Photos: PlantED ally reducing the amount of tobacco that is mixed with the herbs.

“My mom has done a lot of research and we continue to look into recent studies about smoking different herbs. All the herbarettes are non-toxic and we don't add any herbs that are harmful to smoke. Of course, smoking is a health con-

cern in general, and the aim of our product is to help people become non-smokers,” says Christel.

For more information, prices and orders, PlantED can be contacted at planted.info@gmail.com or 079 612 4148. You can also find further information on their range of products on their Facebook page, PlantED.

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10 June 2020

MY WELLNESS Youthful Living

Natural immune support for winter

By Dr Arien van der Merwe

T

he science is in: people with underlying health conditions like heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes are more vulnerable to viral illnesses such as the destructive COVID-19. The good news is that there are many natural remedies that will support our body’s natural inclination to return to optimal health, while supporting our immune and respiratory systems when we do get sick. Our choices have a direct impact on our resistance to disease, viruses, chronic illness and mental health problems.

Nature’s own pharmacy Well-researched plant medicine to prevent and treat symptoms of infections and help you cope with stress include herbs such as Echinacea purpurea, Astragalus, Ashwagandha, garlic, chickweed, licorice root and golden seal, which are all excellent immune system boosters.

Ginseng improves general immunity against infections and as an adaptogen, also supports the body during stressful times. Double-blind placebo controlled studies suggest that Echinacea purpurea not only shortens the duration

of infections, but also reduces the severity and can actually stop a cold that is just starting. It is effective against viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi. Artemisia afra (African wormwood), is a South African indigenous healing plant. This well-known, effective herbal remedy is currently being researched in Madagascar for efficacy against the Coronavirus.

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses at all!

Use spices like ginger, turmeric and cinnamon (a pinch each dry, or 2ml fresh) with some raw honey to taste, to prepare your own hot toddy (taken 3 – 4 times a day) for inflammation, fever, thickened mucous, or sore muscles.

• Ginger: has anti-viral properties for the effective treatment of symptoms of colds and flu, to reduce inflammation, aid digestion, improve blood flow, prevent nausea and strengthen the immune system.

• Turmeric: anti-fungal, anti-viral, natural painkiller, blood sugar control, anti-inflammatory and immune booster.

• Cinnamon: anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, eases flu symptoms, blood sugar control.

• Eucalyptus or peppermint oil: add a few drops to boiling water in a bowl, put a towel over your head and inhale the steam. This will loosen the phlegm and hydrate the mucosal lining of the airways, while disinfecting the

environment. Other aromatherapy oils to try are lavender, grapefruit, rosemary and tea tree oil (put a few drops in a burner, or in the bath, or use in a carrier oil for a soothing back and shoulder massage).

• Wild cherry bark: often used to treat an irritating, persistent cough that keeps you awake at night. It is also good for people who suffer from chronic bronchitis and for whooping cough. One of its ingredients is prunasin, a light cough suppressant and antispasmodic.

• Pineapple extract: contains the enzyme bromelain, a potent anti-inflammatory with mucolytic (to break down mucus) and antibacterial properties. It also improves the efficacy of prescription antibiotics and reduces infection of the sinuses and bronchial tubes.

• Quercetin: one of the bioflavonoids, it accelerates the recovery of the mucosa after infection. It also has an anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, decongestant and antiviral effect.

• Zinc lozenges: to soothe a sore throat (and zinc nasal spray for a runny nose). Another remedy is to make tea with fresh or dried sage leaves and add a teaspoon of honey. The sage tea will soothe a sore throat and you can also gargle with it.

Managing stress Stress is one of the leading causes of all illness and disease. A calm nervous system supports a strong immune system. Your body is resilient and has wonderful self-healing abilities.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN

I teach patients to manage their stress levels with a daily relaxation practice, where you deliberately detach from fear, worry and panic.

These emotions have the worst effect on immune system health! We can learn to stop or slow down highly contagious fear by reducing contact with our biggest enemy – our own thoughts.

One of the most beneficial supports for our immune systems is to be outside, near trees and water, grounding with bare feet in sand or grass. Singing, dancing and laughter are also therapeutic – after all, your body’s natural state is to be healthy and happy!

Look after your heart Not only are heart-healthy food choices, effective well-researched herbal remedies and heart-specific natural supplements, exercise and stress management beneficial for the heart, but also emotions of love and gratefulness, and peace from deep relaxation.

Just behind the heart lies the thymus gland, where T-cells (an important part of immune system health) mature. Studies show that practising heart-focused meditation can lead to improved immunity, better sleep, more energy, and so on. Heart disease was already the world’s no 1 killer, and in the time of COVID-19, it’s become even more significant. Along with other chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, heart disease puts patients at higher risk for viral infections.

The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to keep your heart in good shape. One of them is by simply connecting with positive emotions such as loving kindness, forgiveness, compassion, peace and deep inner joy. You might need some practice, but it can be done. Cardiovascular disease is a preventable and even reversible condition!

I know there are many challenges during this stressful time – mentally, emotionally and physically – and that mood swings are par for the course right now. However, there is much we can do, from deliberately learning to relax and destress, to using nature’s bountiful medicine, to support our health and wellbeing.

Dr Arien van der Merwe is a medical doctor and author, specialising in natural and mindbody medicine, plant medicine (herbal remedies), stress management, workplace wellness and holistic health counselling. Address: The Green Healing Space, 16 Hope St, Hermanus.

Tel: 067 1166 111. Email: Hermanus@DrArien. co.za. Website: www.DrArien.co.za

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10 June 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT

Sensational new SA seahorse discovered

By Anina Lee

R

ecently I have written about amazing tiny animals that delight us when we see them close up through macro-photography. There were brilliantly patterned nudibranchs (sea slugs) and the tiny dancing peacock spiders.

Now we have another – this time a tiny fish. Just recently a brand-new species of pygmy seahorse was discovered in Sodwana Bay on the north-eastern coast of South Africa.

What was so remarkable about this discovery is that pygmy seahorses were thought to be confined to Indonesian waters, living on coral reefs.

They had never before been found in the Indian Ocean, and certainly not 3 000 km away in South Africa.

But before I describe this remarkable little critter, let’s look at seahorses in general.

Seahorses (Hippocampus species) are fish that can be recognised by their horse-like head that is right angled to the body and a muscular tail that they use as an anchor.

Sea horses are well camouflaged and

are generally found holding onto sea grass stems, coral heads or artificial reefs where they sit and ambush their prey.

An unusual feature of the seahorse is that it has a very rudimentary stomach and therefore has to graze constantly because food moves through their digestive system quickly.

They need to eat up to 3 000 small copepods (tiny crustaceans) a day to satisfy their energy requirements.

Like most fish they have gills, a swim bladder and fins. Their eyes can move independently of each other, and they can change colour, rather like a chameleon.

Knysna Seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) The Knysna seahorse is endemic to South Africa and is the only seahorse species known to exclusively inhabit estuaries. It is perhaps well known for the wrong reason – it is highly endangered. Knysna seahorses have the dubious distinction of being the first seahorse species to be classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Knysna seahorse is a medium-sized seahorse (8 – 12cm) with a characteristic short snout and the males have a slight keel above their brood pouch. They are typically mottled brown, but can range in colour from white, yellow, orange, green and beige to brown and black.

A unique and unusual characteristic of seahorses is that the males carry the babies in a true pregnancy, with up to 200 babies hatching after a gestation period of 14 – 45 days.

PHOTO: Reddit

Knysna seahorses have the smallest geographical range of any seahorse and can be found in only three estuaries – Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms. Before 2002 they could also be found in the Klein Brak Estuary.

Like most seahorses they are monogamous. A unique and unusual characteristic of seahorses is that the males carry the babies in a true pregnancy, with both internal fertilisation and the pouch tissues having capillaries that supply the embryos with oxygen and nutrients.

The female lays her eggs straight into the brood pouch of the male, where he fertilises them. Up to 200 babies can hatch after a gestation period of 14 – 45 days (depending on the water temperature). The babies are tiny, measuring only 0.8 – 1.6cm in length, but they have to fend for themselves in the big world.

All over the world seahorse populations are threatened by degradation of their habitat. They are also accidently captured in fishing gear, and overexploited for use in traditional medicines and the aquarium trade.

Pygmy seahorses Pygmy seahorses are a group of miniature syngnathids (technical name for seahorses and pipefish) – fish that live mainly in the Coral Triangle region of south-east Asia. They range in length from 1.4 – 2.7 cm between the tip of the tail to the end of the snout – that’s about the size of your thumb nail.

that a pygmy had never been recorded from the Indian Ocean before.

He described it as the equivalent of finding a kangaroo in Norway!

He immediately began planning a trip and a few months later, he and Louw were in Sodwana Bay and ready to go hunting. They joined up with Savannah, who had been watching these tiny fish for some time and was vital in the process.

They managed to find several of the

small fishes, hidden amongst tiny algal fronds. They found a breeding pair of adults and even managed to find a tiny baby, just one centimetre long!

Dr Smith and colleagues from around the world named this new species as the Sodwana Pygmy Seahorse or South African Pygmy Seahorse – Hippocampus nalu. The name is in recognition of Savannah Olivier, who first brought this amazing fish to the world’s attention.

RIGHT: Bargibant’s pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) blends in with the coral on which it lives.

BELOW: The highly-endangered Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) is endemic to South Africa and is the only seahorse species known to exclusively inhabit estuaries.

BOTTOM: The new species of pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus nalu) that was recently discovered in Sodwana Bay.

PHOTO: Richard Smith, Ocean Realm Images

PHOTO: Wikipedia

South African pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus nalu) In April 2020 Dr Richard Smith described the events that led to the discovery of the South African pygmy seahorse. In 2018 he and a South African seahorse specialist, Dr Louw Claassens, from the IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon Specialist Group, visited Sodwana Bay in search of a possible new species. A local diver, Savannah Nalu Olivier, had found the tiny creature which she did not recognise, but took a photograph and showed it to Dr Claassens, who in turn contacted Dr Smith.

He immediately recognised the image as a pygmy seahorse, but knew

PHOTO: Richard Smith, Ocean Realm Images

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

10 June 2020

MY HOME

By LB Vorster

The seller’s right to nominate the transferring attorney

O

nce a property owner has accepted an offer for the purchase of his/her property whereby a deed of sale has come into operation (provided the transaction is not subject to fulfillment of a suspensive condition), the agent will ask the owner (now referred to as the seller) to nominate the transferring attorney.

It is important to note that it is the prerogative of the seller to nominate the transferring attorney despite the fact that the purchaser is liable for payment of the transfer costs, which include the fee of the transferring attorney. Sellers are often requested to allow the purchaser’s attorney to attend to the registration of transfer.

However, as will be seen later on in this article, to accede to such a request may ultimately be regretted.

If a seller does not regularly engage the services of an attorney and he/she is therefore referred to one, for example, by the estate agent who had procured the sale, care should be taken that the deed of sale clearly states that the appointed attorney will be attending to the transfer on behalf of the seller.

To this end it needs to be stated that there are quite a number of well-established law firms in Hermanus comprising reputable attorneys, many of whom with many years of extensive experience in property transfers and related

matters. Therefore, when an estate agent recommends a transferring attorney from, say, Cape Town or surrounds instead of one from a local law firm, it might be prudent to enquire as to the reason for that.

More often than not, it would appear that such an agent may be acting under strict instructions from his/her principal to “support” attorneys from elsewhere, which in many cases may entail sellers being encouraged, influenced and/or persuaded to nominate such attorneys, in direct conflict with the current Code of Conduct of the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB). Before simply accepting an estate agent’s recommendation of an attorney 100 or more kilometres away, a seller should perhaps enquire as to such agent’s reason/s for deliberately overlooking equally (if not better) equipped local attorneys.

Considering the number of continuous calls that transferring attorneys generally receive from concerned parties (very seldom from purchasers, though) regarding the progress with registering a transfer, it is clear that a swiftly concluded transfer is of the utmost importance.

This is particularly true as far as the seller and the estate agent are concerned, as both of them have considerable financial interests in a speedy conclusion of the transaction. The seller is obviously eager to acquire the proceeds from the sale of his/her property and the estate agent is equally anxious to be remunerated for

his/her efforts in finding a suitable buyer for the property.

A deed of sale should at all times comprehensively describe a purchaser’s obligations towards the seller and clearly state the sanctions for non-compliance. Strict compliance by a purchaser of his/her obligations in terms of the deed of sale is the only way to ensure a swift transaction (to the extent that a 6 to 10-week process can be considered “swift”).

The obvious person equipped to enforce the seller’s rights in terms of the deed of sale is a transferring attorney of the seller’s choice and who at all times acts in the best interest of the latter.

It is therefore probably not advisable to name the transferring attorney in the deed of sale but rather to stipulate that the “seller’s attorney” is to effect transfer. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that a seller becomes disillusioned with the service rendered by the transferring attorney, nothing will prevent him/her from terminating the attorney’s mandate and appointing a different attorney to attend to the transfer in order to protect the seller’s interests. If the transferring attorney’s name is inserted in the deed of sale, it becomes part of the agreement with the purchaser, rendering it incapable of being deviated from unless agreed to in writing by the purchaser.

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In the unfortunate event that the purchaser’s attorney is appointed to register the transfer and the purchaser fails to fulfill his/her obligations in terms of the deed of sale, who will enforce the seller’s rights? Most certainly not the purchaser’s attorney!

The purchaser may fail to, for example:

• • • • • •

pay the deposit; furnish the transferring attorney with the required FICA documentation; sign the transfer or bond documents and/or pay the transfer or bond costs; secure or pay the purchase price / furnish guarantees for payment thereof; pay occupational interest; comply with any other obligation in terms of the deed of sale.

The seller then has to instruct his/her attorney, who in the first place should have been instructed to attend to the transfer, to enforce the seller’s rights as contained in the deed of sale.

(This article is merely a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability is accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information contained herein. Always contact your legal advisor for specific detailed advice or contact us for further assistance.)

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10 June 2020

Hermanus Siyakha continues to support small informal businesses H

ow have small informal businesses responded to the lockdown? The information coming from Hermanus Siyakha, the non-profit organisation that provides mentoring and interest-free loans, provides some insight into the current situation.

“Of the 31 businesses that received loans in the 12 months ended March 2020, all have been unable to trade under the stringent lockdown conditions, and the majority took advantage of the loan repayment moratorium that was offered,” says Nigel Thatcher, a director of Hermanus Siyakha.

“A small number, however, managed to continue with loan repayments,

either using their savings or income from other sources. One business owner whose coffee shop and peanut butter manufacturing operation could not continue, in true entrepreneurial spirit successfully switched to cooking and delivering pizzas.”

Due to the prohibition on movement, Nigel says the more than 20 Hermanus Siyakha mentors have maintained contact with business owners via cellphone or WhatsApp in order to encourage and support them in this difficult time. Zelda Malunda, who sells clothes, shoes, cosmetics as well as bedding and linen, says: “My business came to a stand-still under lockdown and Jo Carruthers is my mentor, my motivator, she is my

everything. She is always so positive and that helps me…”

able grants or rolled over for new loans.

“Emergency financial assistance has been made available by Hermanus Siyakha to those in greatest humanitarian need and small interest-free loans will be offered to selected business owners now that Level 3 has commenced,” says Nigel.

In addition, the majority of mentors have indicated that they are able to continue and there are several new mentors waiting in the wings. The post- lockdown mentoring model will adhere to strict health and requirements. Expenses have been dramatically reduced and the Hermanus Siyakha committee is actively planning for the time when new loan applications can be considered.

Although it is envisaged that Hermanus Siyakha will not be able to process new loan applications until much later in the year, the organisation is positioning itself for the ‘new normal’. According to Nigel, the organisation is currently in a sound financial position, with many lenders having indicated that their loans could be considered as non-refund-

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“We want to thank all our financial supporters, our mentors and volunteers who continue to help run the organisation in these very challenging times. The need for mentoring support and access to interest-free

loans for small informal businesses is going to increase in the future, and we want to ensure that Hermanus Siyakha is positioned to continue offering this support,” says Nigel.

Anyone interested in the work of Hermanus Siyakha can keep abreast of developments via the website www.HermanusSiyakha.org.za

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10 June 2020

MY SCHOOL

Writer Hedda Mittner

T

here is no doubt that the lives of families with young children have been turned upside down since the closure of schools almost three months ago. And now that most parents are able to return to work under the Level 3 regulations, ECD Centres countrywide remain closed until 6 July, leaving parents with the additional burden of arranging supervision for their little ones.

“Young children, especially those between three and six years, not only need to be in a safe environment but also a stimulating one – and the lockdown has deprived many children of just that,” says Amber Daamen, head of the newly opened Walkerbay Montessori Schools (WMS) in Onrus, catering for children between the ages of three to six years.

Governed by a board of volunteer directors, WMS is a non-profit organisation that offers a calm and nurturing,

home-based environment dedicated to the Montessori pedagogy. “The Montessori method is more than just an internationally renowned educational system – it is also a way of life,” says Amber, who was born in Suriname in South America and moved to West Africa with her family during childhood, living in remote countries such as Togo, Sao Tome and Mali.

“Due to all the moving and lack of quality education available, I homeschooled myself between the ages of 12 and 17 and completed my A levels (Cambridge curriculum) in Botswana.

Teaching is in my blood and while studying to qualify as a Montessori directress, I worked at a preschool in Gabarone and also volunteered at a centre for abandoned babies and toddlers.”

Amber clearly has a passion for little people and says early childhood education is recognised as the most important phase of a child’s growth and development. The Montessori method, she says, is not just about

‘teaching’ a child, but more about creating a stimulating environment where the child takes centre stage and the educator is in the background, guiding, observing and assessing. “In a world dominated by adults, children discover their independence in a Montessori environment, because everything is child-sized and filled with a myriad of activities and self-learning materials.”

At the heart of the Montessori method is the self-didactic material that allows the child to explore the concrete (the material itself ) and discover the abstract (concepts that require cognitive thinking) with the directress as the custodian of this prepared environment. The Montessori equipment is aesthetically pleasing and simple to use, guiding the child through the Montessori curriculum as it increases in complexity. This clear sequence provides the child with a logical pathway to learning that stimulates the gradual accumulation of knowledge to establish foundational learning.

PHOTO: Raphael da Silva

New Montessori preschool opens in Onrus Directress and head of Walkerbay Montessori Schools in Onrus, Amber Daamen, surrounded by some of the Montessori learning materials that stimulate self-teaching and foster the child’s innate need to be independent.

Children between the ages of three and six can enrol with WMS for half days (08:00 to 13:00, excluding lunch) or full days from 08:00 until 17:00, including lunch (regular or vegetarian). A home schooling programme is also offered, with prepared weekly class plans for parents, term and year assessment by WMS, and a Grade 1 readiness assessment. Home schoolers will also have access to the

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Online and in-centre tutoring from the 1st of June, Grade 1 - 12!

Maths * English * Afrikaans ENROL NOW www.m-n-r.co.za

Call us on 028 313 0209 to discuss your child’s needs! #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocal #itaddsup #mnr

equipment library (up to 4 materials can be checked out per week).

WMS has implemented stringent Health and Safety COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures to ensure your child’s safety. For more information, visit www.walkerbaymontessorischools.co.za or contact amber at 082 458 0833 or info@walkerbaymontessorischools.co.za

WE ARE PUTTING

YOUR SAFETY FIRST R E A D O U R C OV I D - 1 9 H E A LT H & S A F E T Y M E A S U R E S

As we move closer to the opening of our total economy, and the announcement that the real estate industry can operate fully, we believe the most important thing is to ensure that we do not increase the risk of a second wave of the virus and a further lockdown.

Fine & Country will continue to do all we can to safeguard everyone we work with and for. This will ultimately mean changes to our processes and how our teams operate.

Please scan the QR code for a full report on the health and safety measures our offices will be implementing nationally.

Contact us for more details: Fine & Country Office +27 (0)21 205 7135 hermanus@fineandcountry.com