The Village News 12 to 25 September 2016

Village

The

NEWS NEWS

12 - 25 September 2017

Cape Whale Coast

FREE COPY

SNAKE CATCHER

FLOWER FESTIVAL

STANFORD

Fearless 16-year-old

Fernkloof’s birthday

160th anniversary

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Major proposal for New Harbour

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R140 million development proposal for the New Harbour could transform the existing underutilised and often dilapidated facilities in the harbour into a vibrant hub for the local tourism, entrepreneurial and fishing industries.

The development proposal, a joint venture initiative between CSM Consulting Services and Neptune’s Divers & Cruises, is one of several proposals that followed on the decision of the government to develop and unlock the value of some harbours in the Western Cape.

The design of CSM/Neptune’s

proposal for the New Harbour development takes the form of multi-deck ocean liner named after Malton, the British snow sailing vessel which sunk in Walker Bay in 1841.

Named The Malton II, it will be sited against the cliff below the Harbour Rock Restaurant. It will, amongst others, initially provide for an 80-bed boutique hotel, conference facilities, more than 100 market stalls, tenant space for small commercial and subsistence fishermen and other small to medium enterprises, boutiques shops, two restaurants and a coffee

shop/cocktail bar, a marine shop, sports and commercial diving schools and tourist related activity stalls with ample parking facilities.

This proposal follows a consultative process between the National Department of Public Works (NDPW), the Overstrand Municipality, the Department of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (DAFF), current tenants in and users of the New Harbour, potential investors and other interested parties to discuss the issues and potential solutions for the development of the New Harbour.

Dolf Möhr, Managing Director

of CSM and part owner of Neptune’s Divers and Cruises says they are pleased with the outcome of the consultative processes that led to their Malton II proposal.

“The constructive discussions between all the parties concerned auger well for the development and future of the New Harbour and Hermanus. We believe that our Malton II development proposal will satisfy the needs of all these stakeholders and those of the Hermanus public and tourists.

Our proposal reflects the history of Hermanus which relates closely with the sea

and tourism,” says Dolf.

been completed,” he says.

“We focused our concept and design on a number of core principles which include the promotion of a safe and healthy harbour, improving the social, economic, and natural environments of Hermanus through a diverse, balanced and animated waterfront, and celebrating the harbour’s heritage through excellence in design.

The New Harbour is one of 12 proclaimed fishing harbours (PFH) located in the Western Cape. These harbours were initially established to service the needs of both commercial and subsistence fishing. Over the decades the harbours have developed into serving much more than just small-scale fishing needs and offer large potential for tourism and entrepreneurial development.

“An estimated 600 temporary employment opportunities will be created during construction, with an estimated 848 new full-time employment opportunities once the construction has

The infrastructure and management of the harbours did, however, not develop in line to explore and benefit fully from this potential.

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12 - 25 September 2017

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The Team 6 Royal Street Hermanus

028 050 1319

THE

NEWS

OPINION Matters

Celebrate business excellence with us Publishing Editor dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Content Editor

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

Design and Layout

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

With summer just around the corner the Cape Whale Coast is preening its feathers and preparing for another busy season.

With this in mind The Village NEWS, in partnership with the Hermanus Business Chamber, Cape Whale Coast Tourism, Business Gym, and Cape Overberg Skills Development and Training, are proud to host the first Whale Coast My Business Expo and the launch of the Cape Whale Coast Service Excellence Awards on 3 October at the Municipal Auditorium.

The aim of the Expo is to assist all businesses that trade in the Overstrand with the necessary exposure, skills, and education to help them grow their business.

During the Expo businesses will be given the opportunity to market themselves to the public and to network with other businesses. Space is limited but we invite all businesses in the Overstrand to take part. The cost is only R500 and to book your space simply send an e-mail to

admin@thevillagenews.co.za During the Expo there will also be a full programme of skills development and training sessions open to all business owners free of charge. Topics ranging from marketing to accounting and human resource management will be covered. Each session will be an hour long and attendees can decide which of these they want to attend.

The Cape Whale Coast Service Excellence Awards is aimed at recognising businesses, their owners, NGOs, entrepreneurs and leaders who offer invaluable services that help stimulate our economy. The idea is to celebrate businesses who offer service excellence, promote ethical business practices and social investment.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and familiarise themselves with the wide array of businesses in our area.

This is the Good NEWS – Ed

WHERE TO FIND US

Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Manager

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

The Village NEWS is published fortnightly and the next edition will be available on 26 September. The NEWS can be found at over 100 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Kleinmond to Gansbaai.

Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call Murray on 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

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

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

Dr Doug Smith, Yellowstone Wolf Biologist, poses with a tranquilized wolf that was collared before release.

PHOTO: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

No man is an island “No man is an island” wrote poet John Donne. In fact nothing in nature is an island – even an island. All parts of nature are interconnected in an endless rhythm of cause and effect. Interactions between living organisms can range from the obvious to the extremely complex.

Possibly the most famous example of this connectedness is the reintroduction of wolves into the Yellowstone National Park in the USA. Wolves had been purposefully eradicated in the park by the 1920s. By the time they were reintroduced in 1995, deer numbers were out of control and they had grazed everything down to the ground. Twenty years later something remarkable had happened. The landscape itself had been transformed. How was this possible?

The wolves killed some young deer, yes, but predation wasn’t the main effect. In fact the wolves radically changed the behaviour of deer, which started to avoid valleys where they were easy prey. Then trees started to grow along river banks, stabilising the banks and

reducing erosion. Birds returned, but more importantly, beavers returned because there were trees to cut down to build beaver dams.

This in turn provided habitats for otters, muskrats, fish, and amphibians. Wolves also predated coyotes so that there were more rabbits and mice.

Birds of prey came in to hunt these and so did foxes and weasels.

The combined impact of trees on river banks and beaver dams actually changed the course of rivers, leading to better flood control. It became obvious that removing a single species had resulted in degradation of the entire habitat. In a mere 20 years a small number of wolves had transformed not just the eco-system but also the physical geography of the landscape for the better.

If we as humans interfere with the biology or ecology of any one species, we will almost certainly impact on many more species, however inadvertently.

The guest speaker at the Whale Coast Conservation Annual General Meeting is Professor

Johann du Preez who will explain in more detail how “interactions make a community more than the sum of its parts”.

“Ecology is not an easy science”, says Professor du Preez. “It must deal explicitly with three levels of the biological hierarchy – the organisms, the populations of organisms, and the communities of populations. Ecology refers to interactions of organisms with the environment as well as with one another. No organism can survive or function in isolation.”

Not only do we share the same DNA with the entire spectrum of past and present life, but we are also dependent on, and interact and compete with other organisms. These interactions extend from the extremes of predation of one species on another, to the mutual dependence of symbionts on each other for survival.

Members of the public are cordially invited to hear Professor du Preez speaking at the Whale Coast Conservation AGM on Tuesday 19 September at 17h30 at the Green House in Vermont.

– Anina Lee

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12 - 25 September 2017

An artist’s impression of the new proposed development at the New Harbour showing the hotel and shopping lane.

A new take on harbour development In 2015 the NDPW, with the DAFF and the National Treasury, announced plans to unlock the social and economic benefits of the harbours through Spatial and Economic Development Frameworks (SEDFs) for each of the PFHs.

case of the New Harbour, nonmarket related rentals, the existing system of inconsistent lease agreements with the NDPW and DAFF, and impractical space allocations for tenants and users were, among others, pinpointed as particular crucial areas that need to be addressed.

This was further addressed in 2016 and 2017 by the parties and various general constraints to the optimum development and use of the harbours were identified. In the

In 2016 the tender for the basic infrastructural upgrading of several the PFHs was awarded to CSM Consulting. At a property marketing event for the New

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Harbour in Hermanus in August 2017 the NDPW called for the renewal of leases, application for new leases and investment proposals to be submitted before the end of September 2017.

target date for completion of this phase of the New Harbour development is the end of 2019 but it depends entirely on the finalisation and approval date of the project by the parties concerned.

Following this call, CSM/Neptune’s property lease application and development proposal were submitted to the NDPW early in September. The proposal is in line with the approved SEDF for the New Harbour. The Government’s

In its call for proposals at its meeting in August, the NDPW indicated that the outcome of such proposals will be considered by the NDPW no later than the end of February 2018.

Car guards to return to CBD this week

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he Hermanus CBD will see the return of car guards this week after an absence of more than two months following the expiry in June of the previous tender for parking management.

“The 35 guards will be issued with an official bib and identification card and will issue handwritten receipts to motorists. This will be an interim measure to manage parking flow in the CBD until the new tender has been awarded. We expect the new tender process to be completed within the next three months,” says Solly Madikane, Local Economic Development and Tourism Director at the Municipality.

Residents and business owners have complained about the

parking situation for the last few months as there has been very little flow of parked vehicles in the CBD. Business owners say they have seen a drop in revenue because parking for shoppers was at a premium. “The problem is that since the car guards left people working in the CBD took advantage of the fact that they could park anywhere for the whole day at no cost. This meant that there was less parking for shoppers. Businesses need a constant supply of available parking for our shoppers,” according to one business man.

Madikane says the parking tariffs will be the same as previously.

“The tariffs will be printed on the ID cards of the guards so that motorists can ensure that they

pay the correct amount. We are aware that the handwritten receipt system will be slower than the previous electronic system and we want to urge motorists to please be patient with the guards.

It is, however, important for motorists to insist on a receipt as this will be the only way in which we can effectively audit the money collected.”

As per the previous system payment for parking will be upfront and monthly parking permits will once again be available from the Traffic Department.

Law enforcement officers will also be on-hand in the CBD to ensure that the informal car guards who have been collecting money from

motorists will halt their activities.

Informal guarding of cars is only allowed after business hours.

According to Madikane the parking management system will return to normal once the tender process has been completed. “It is a long and difficult process that requires management companies to, amongst others, deliver a plan on the use of technology to ease the system, and to show a breakdown in the business plan as to what percentage of their income will be paid to the Municipality, what percentage will be paid to the guards and what percentage will be spent on the technology they are using. The main aims of the system are to create employment and to ensure a constant flow of available parking.

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12 - 25 September 2017

At 16 Corné is an expert snake catcher Most common snakes in the area:

Sarah Taylor

T

en years ago, when he was only six years old, Corné Uys began to develop a deep love and respect for snakes.

“That’s when we moved from Cape Town to Hermanus and I started catching common, nonvenomous snakes like slug eaters in the bushes around town,” says the dynamic 16-year-old Hermanus High pupil and YouTube broadcaster (Corné Uys Outdoors).

Fast-forward a decade and Corné has made a name for himself in local snake-catching circles as the youngster who safely caught and handled a Cape cobra, one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

“My biggest inspiration has been Steve Irwin and I have all his old videos, which I still watch. I have learnt so much from him. He free-handled some of the most venomous snakes in the world.

He wanted to show people that if you are calm, a snake will pick up on that and remain calm. I use this approach in my handling of snakes and it really works,” he says.

When Corné came across the cobra on a friend’s farm outside Stanford, he was with his good friend and part-time cameraman Dean Möller (15), who admits he is also “sort of affected by the snake-catching bug”.

“It was in a small gap under a water trough. I happened to have my snake-catching equipment with me – a snake hook and snake tongs,” explains Corné. “I had never handled a venomous snake before and at that stage I had only done some informal training with know-ledgeable snake man Chris Barnes in Baardskeerdersbos and we had focused on non-venomous snakes. It took about an hour to get the cobra. I had to be careful not to upset it or squash it. It was my first venomous snake encounter but I felt I had enough

Corné Uys with a puff adder he caught in a garden. This 16year old feels at ease handling these creatures. experience to handle it.”

Corné managed to pull the cobra out by its tail without it showing any signs of aggression. “It was just over two metres long, the biggest I have ever seen, and had beautiful golden scales. Dean, who had set up the camera on a tripod, threw the snake hook over to me and I hooked the snake in the middle of his body. It hissed once or twice but never struck at me. I moved it into the open to photograph it and then I walked it to a rocky area and released it. The snake looked at us and then slithered away.”

After this, Corné’s dad said it was time he had some formal training and in June this year

he attended an introductory venomous snake course at Butterfly World near Paarl, conducted by world-renowned expert Johan Marais, who manages the African Snakebite Institute.

■ Puff adder: Short fat body, rough scaled body, chevron markings. Venomous.

■ Common slug-eater: Brown line down its back and has a habit of rolling into a spiral when threatened. NonVenomous.

■ Boomslang: Large eyes, a small head, inflates neck when threatened, has wide array of colour variations.

Venomous ■ Cape cobra: Wide colour variation from golden yellow to an almost black. Most easily identified by its particularly aggressive defensive posture which it adopts at the slightest provocation. This snake is also noted for being highly active and very fast moving.

Venomous ■ Mole snake: Uniform brown, grey or black colour.

Non-venomous but can be very aggressive and inflict a painful bite.

■ Brown house snake: Uniform brown colour with two light coloured stripes extending down the length of the head. Non-venomous.

■ Rhombic egg-eater: Can be identified by its rhombic (diamond shaped) markings, Vshaped markings on the neck, a black tongue, a black mouth.

Non-venomous.

■ Red-lipped or herald snake: Olive green or grey body, multiple white speckles, distinctive black head and red, yellow, white or black upper lip. Venomous but venom has only minor effects.

“When I met Johan, he said to me: ‘Oh, so you are that little kid who catches big-assed Cape cobras without any training?’

We handled a Cape cobra in the training and I was the only one to ‘tail’ it (hold it by its tail). I felt pretty special.”

handle the non-venomous ones, like my corn snake, Snow.

My mom used to be very afraid of snakes but she’s totally over that now. Most snakes are harmless and it’s actual quite rare to see them. I dream of having my own wildlife show one day, just like my mentor Steve Irwin.”

Corné is committed to teaching people that snakes are not so bad. “I want to change people’s perceptions of snakes. Even my girlfriend, who had no experience with snakes, can now

• If you would like Corné to remove a snake from your property, call him on 076 075 8004. Call-outs cost between R50 and R100.

Working together to save our coastlines and oceans It’s just days away from this year’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) on Saturday, 16 September. Numerous organisations and volunteer groups will be coming together to lend their support, at various cleanup points around the Overstrand.

One of our local heroes is Antonio “Beach Sheriff” Da Silva-Swart, whose volunteer group, Coastal Cleanup Conservation, was launched on ICC day last year. Since then, the group has done 24 coastal cleanups. This year, Antonio is coordinating no less than six cleanups along the Whale Coast – from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai – as well as five cleanups along the east coast from Infanta to Mossel Bay. Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) is a longstanding player in the anti-waste movement in our region and often collaborates with and supports groups that promote participation and awareness in waste-reduction action. At WCC’s base at the Green House in Vermont, WCC sorts and tallies much of the debris that Antonio collects in the area.

“We have also connected Antonio to the schools we work at and he has done presentations and cleanups with them,” says Sheraine van Wyk, WCC’s Manager of Environmental Awareness.

This year WCC will again be involved in several cleanups in Hermanus on 16 September. WCC’s Dr Anina Lee will be coordinating the Sandbaai cleanup, which runs from 10:00 to 12:00. “Kids from Zwelihle Recycle Swop Shop will be joining us and we are hoping for a good turnout from the Zwelihle primary schools too,” she says. Meet Anina at the end of Schulphoek Road in Sandbaai.

Dyer Island Conservation Trust will be among the groups taking part at the Gansbaai cleanup. Other Overberg cleanup areas include: Grotto Beach; Hangklip Lighthouse; Die Plaat, De Kelders; Hawston Beach; and Kleinmond Harbour. Visit Coastal Cleanup Conservation’s Facebook page for details on times and meetup points, as well as fun add-on events.

Sheraine says the annual ICC initiative is a mammoth collective effort. “WCC has been participating, in collaboration with Plastics SA and Oceans Conservancy, the national and international coordinators of International Coastal Cleanup, annually since 2009. So have a number of other organisations in the Overstrand – from the Municipality, the Working for the Coast Expanded Public Works Programme, to various NGOs, schools, community groups like churches, and businesses, particularly the shark cage diving businesses.”

Frieda Lloyd, Cape Whale Coast Tourism Manager, says: “We are encouraged by the involvement of so many individuals and organisations in the conservation of our beautiful landscape and hugely appreciate efforts of the Overstrand community to keep the coastline looking pristine. The collaborative energy of many will add greatly to the success of the cleanup and we will enjoy the benefits.”

With the support of Plastics SA, this year’s impressive cleanup network of organisations and volunteer groups, including worldwide “waste awareness” movement Let’s Do It!, will cover about 1 500 kilometres of South African coastline.

For more information on cleanups in the Overstrand region, call Antonio on 072 462 4271, or Sheraine on 083 484 0202. For the Sandbaai cleanup, contact Anina on 083 242 3295.

– Leigh-Anne Hunter

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12 - 25 September 2017

Hermanus Flower Festival celebrates special anniversary

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he Fernkloof Nature Reserve, which forms part of the Cape Floristic Region, is the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world. However, it boasts the highest concentration of indigenous plants per square metre and extraordinarily high fynbos diversity – more than 1 300 plant species have been recorded in its 1 800 hectares.

Everyone is invited to come and celebrate this botanical gem in our midst at this year’s Hermanus Flower Festival from 22 - 25 September, which also marks the Fernkloof Nature Reserve’s 60th anniversary.

The festival is organised by the Hermanus Botanical Society which has a mandate to protect the flora and fauna and is passionate about educating the public on the need for conservation of the Reserve.

The main sponsors of the

festival are the Overstrand Municipality, Wesgro and CapeNature. There are plenty of activities and special events on the programme for the whole family to enjoy, including: Every day • Floral display in the Hall and exhibit of named specimens in flower • Mini landscaped gardens in the ampihitheatre • Marquee with interesting environmental exhibits and variety of gifts to buy • Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery: 300 indigenous plants to choose from for your garden • Tea and coffee with cake and light lunches with wine in the Fynbos Café • Iced tea Tricycle around Marquee Tent • Fernkloof Book for sale in main hall and marquee • Special Fernkloof gift wrapping paper available in tent

• Raffle with great prizes • Rolling presentation: DVDs on Fernkloof & Cliff Path Friday 22 September • Pensioners Day: pensioners tickets for R10 • 09:00 – 13:00: Visit by local primary schools • 11:00 – 13:00: Land Art workshop – no tools or prior experience needed • 11:00 – 15:00: Children can make their own Fairy Garden to take away • 13:00 – 14:00: Snake demo

by Francois from Slithering Fynbos • 15:00 – 16:00: Fernkloof Gardens Brain Teaser: enter at WCC stand in marquee Saturday 23 September • 10:00 – 12:00: Finding Moses the Drewes Moss Frog; guided walk with WCC on Red Route • 10:00 – 12:00: Visit by ECD practitioners • 11:00 – 13:00: Land Art

workshop – no tools or prior experience needed • 11:00 – 15:00: Children can make their own Fairy Garden to take away • 13:00 – 14:00: Snake demo

by Francois from Slithering Fynbos • 15:00 – 16:00: Fernkloof Gardens Brain Teaser: enter at WCC stand in marquee Sunday 24 September • 09:00 – all day: Finding Moses the Drewes Moss Frog: guided walk with WCC to Galpin Hut • 10:00 – 14:00: Bugz train • 11:00 – 13:00: Land Art workshop – no tools or prior experience needed • 11:00 – 15:00: Children can make their own Fairy Garden to take away • 13:00 – 14:00: Slithering Fynbos • 14:00 – 15:00: Learn how to make your own food garden: adults and children • 15:00 – 16:00: Fernkloof

A very special Fernkloof frog Whale Coast Conservation calls all keen hikers and/or frog enthusiasts to join them on a Citizen Science Walk on three days during the Hermanus Flower Festival to find ‘Moses’ the Moss Frog. You will have an opportunity to hike into the Fernkloof Nature Reserve to help with their survey of the endemic Drewes’ Moss Frog.

Drewes’ Moss Frog (Arthroleptella drewesii) is a small, extremely well-camouflaged frog and, as the name implies, it hides under moss and other dense vegetation. The adult is only 18 mm in size and the colouring varies from blotchy brown to black. It’s a rare privilege to catch a glimpse of one.

In fact, so seldom are they seen that Louis du Preez and Vincent Carruthers in their book Frogs of Southern Africa (2009) describe

the conservation status of the Drewes’ Moss Frog as “Data deficient” and the distribution range as “uncertain.”

So not surprisingly, frog enthusiasts were thrilled to hear these frogs calling in Fernkloof Nature Reserve and in May 2016 Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) decided to undertake a survey, with the financial support of the Hermanus Botanical Society, to find out more about the exact locations and the numbers of this species in the Reserve.

Sheraine van Wyk devised the survey method and supervised the two field workers who traversed more than 28 km of hiking trails in Fernkloof. A very healthy population of several hundred were found, and although a

concentration of one species in such a small area makes them vulnerable to any catastrophe, Fernkloof is a well-managed reserve. Our very special little Drewes’ Moss Frog is well protected.

However, they have no defence against climate change with drier, hotter summers and less rain in winter. Early indications in 2017 are that there are far fewer frogs calling this winter.

Are they just waiting for more rain or did they not survive the summer? We need everyone to help us to find out.

During the Hermanus Flower Festival there will be three conducted hikes with WCC during which you can help with a count of the (male) frogs calling on that day. Your

survey results will be added to the data collected in July 2016.

1. Saturday 23 September from 10:00-12:00: Red Route for any hikers, including children.

2. Sunday 24 September from 10:00 – late: Galpin Peak for serious hikers.

3. Monday 25 September from 10:00 – 12:00: Three Dams route for moderately fit hikers, including children.

Booking is essential for these citizen-science hikes as numbers are limited by the terrain. There is no extra charge – just your R25 entry to Fernkloof. Email anina.wcc@gmail.com or book at the WCC exhibit in the marquee at the Festival where you can also find out more about this project.

Gardens Brain Teaser: enter at WCC stand in marquee Monday 25 September • 10:00 – 12:00: Finding Moses the Drewes Moss Frog: guided walk with WCC on 3 dams route • 10:00 – 14:00: Bugz train • 11:00 – 13:00: Land Art workshop – no tools or prior experience needed • 11:00 – 15:00: Children can make their own Fairy Garden to take away • 13:00 – 14:00: Slithering Fynbos • 15:00 – 16:00: Fernkloof Gardens Brain Teaser: enter at WCC stand in marquee • 16:00: Plant sales from mini gardens (Can be booked in advance) • 16:00: Sale of flower arrangements from the hall (Can be booked in advance) For more information, contact Alta Pretorius on 073 538 3685.

To celebrate Fernkloof Nature Reserve’s 60-year anniversary, a group of dedicated Hermanus Botanical Society members have combined their expertise in their various fields of interest to create a book on this botanical gem.

The book will be launched at the Hermanus Flower Festival in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve from 22 – 25 September.

Visit Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery Discover the joys of growing indigenous plants during this year’s Flower Festival by visiting the Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery. The Nursery is an aspect of the Hermanus Botanical Society, a Non-Profit Organisation, and will stay open from Friday 22 September up to and including Monday 25 September.

The Nursery offers more than 300 Indigenous plant species, from proteas, ericas, and restios, to gazanias, agapanthus, pelargoniums, buchus, feature plants and much more, at very competitive prices.

Lovingly propagated by Jack Bold, the Nursery Manager

for the past 17 years, you will receive a warm welcome and expert advice on all aspects of your garden needs.

“Indigenous gardening is growing in popularity as people become informed and concerned about the environment,” says Jack. “We are passionate about what we do. There are endless possibilities creating an indigenous garden.”

Visit this magical Nursery and be inspired. Jack and his team look forward to welcoming you! For more information, contact 028 312 2985 or visit them on Facebook: Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery

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12 - 25 September 2017

THE

NEWS

Let’s Talk Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Mother earth is fighting for survival Mother earth is really pulling out all the stops now in her fight for survival. She is using all the resources in her power to reduce the number of her worst enemy, homo sapiens.

Droughts, earth quakes, tsunamis, tornados, hurricanes, floods, mudslides, rockfalls, sinkholes, raging fires, erupting volcanos and plagues like AIDS, Ebola, TB, Malaria etc.

But she is fighting a losing battle because humanity is just going to keep on multiplying indiscriminately and the

mountains of filth and garbage will expand accordingly.

Sewage disposal is a nightmare straight from hell and as the numbers keep on increasing it will become even worse.

Our oceans are being polluted, our rivers and the earth itself poisoned and the ozone layer is already ruptured beyond repair.

Perhaps learned scientists can predict what is going to happen when we, the human race, have forced our planet, our only habitat, to reach

saturation point by sheer overwhelming numbers.

We are now told a third world war is looming on the horizon.

If that happens, millions of people will be exterminated, but our earth will also be scourged and devastated by the same horrific weapons the nations are testing and stockpiling.

We can only pray and beg and hope for a miracle to change humanity’s attitude.

Dorothy van Zyl

Call to save Fernkloof’s hiking trails I read with interest the frontpage article Big Plans for Fernkloof (The Village NEWS 29 August 2017) Towards the end of the article, which I enjoyed reading, you also refer to the 65 km of hiking trails which were built in the reserve many years ago.

I know for a fact that these were extremely well contoured and over time many of us have enjoyed walking these paths.

However, they are now in a bad state of repair and in dire need of being upgraded.

I trust that this will be one of the first things that the Municipality attends to as they are at present extremely dangerous in parts. Adder's Ladder comes to mind immediately as it was badly damaged by the fire when the hand rails were totally burnt out. Many of the steps are also worn away.

There are also many lose rocks and the growth along the paths need trimming.

This applies to almost all the paths.

To have this magnificent asset

in our town is such a joy particularly with the biodiversity of over 1 250 plant species, including many rare ones. These will not be readily accessed if the paths in Fernkloof are not attended to and regularly maintained.

I appreciate that a management plan needs to be put in place but would suggest that upgrading of the trails takes priority over anything else that is envisaged in the future.

Carol Groenewald

What, no movies?

As the single parent of two teenagers I was immensely disappointed to read LeighAnne Hunter’s article on the Sandbaai mall (It’s mall or nothing as opening approaches, The Village NEWS 15 – 29 August 2017) and the fact that neither SterKinekor nor Nu Metro are interested in operating the mall cinema.

the mall will have clothing shops!).

How can they possibly be “of the opinion that the Hermanus market is not big enough to sustain the cinemas for their business model”? As residents, both young and old, that was the one thing we were looking forward to the most! And especially the teenagers in this town (of which there are many!) who are always nagging us to take them “over the mountain” to go to the movies.

I don’t think Ster-Kinekor or Nu Metro took into consideration that people from all over the Overberg (Caledon, Stanford, Bot River, Hawston, Fisherhaven, Kleinmond…) would support a cinema at the Sandbaai mall – it is still much closer than driving all the way to Somerset West. Not everyone enjoys watching Netflix or DVDs – going to the movies is a sociable outing and a way for people to have a good time together. We live in Sandbaai and my daughters would have been able to walk to the cinema themselves and meet up with their friends. Now all they can do there is shop – and it’s not like we have a shortage of shops and restaurants in town.

It costs us parents an arm and a leg, what with the cost of petrol these days, and not to mention the time which we don’t always have. Like many other parents I also work on Saturdays, which leaves me with one precious day off, when I have to undertake the trip to Somerset Mall for the movies or clothes shopping (at least

The new (last-ditch?) plan to have a “buffet” venue has left me wondering: Would a cinema multiplex not stand a better chance of being successful than a “multipurpose centre” where the odd artist can perform or shows for the Kalfiefees or FynArts can be staged? I would think that the last place where people who

come to these festivals would want to attend a show is in a mall! Surely there are many other attractive venues in and around Hermanus to host festival events.

To me, this proposal by the developers sounds a lot like a venue we had a few years ago called Die Skuur and as far as I can remember they went bellyup because there weren’t enough events to keep them going. Although the article quotes the developer as saying their main focus will be movies, including new releases, I’m sceptical about that. Everyone wants to watch the new movies, but how will the mall get new releases without Ster-Kinekor or Nu Metro on board? Me thinks not.

My daughters says no one ever thinks of the teenagers, for whom there is very little entertainment in Hermanus, and that everyone seems to think this is a town for “old people”. For once I couldn’t agree with them more and I sympathise with all the youngsters who were excited about having a cinema in Hermanus. We grownups are disappointed too!

Can’t believe it!

Passing the buck has become a joke The Municipal Manager recently confirmed that the management of the baboons is the responsibility of CapeNature. It is therefore the Municipality’s responsibility to force CapeNature to execute its legal mandate and responsibility. According

to Chapter 3 of the Constitution, this is legally possible.

The Municipality must follow a specific process before it should take legal action. I have requested that they consult with the council’s legal

advisor and inform me if he disagrees with my viewpoint.

Passing the buck with regard to the baboon problem has become a joke. I am awaiting a reply from the Municipality after consultation.

Abel Erasmus

7

12 - 25 September 2017

Local brewery wins gold for Old Harbour Beer as a magazine stylist for top publications such as Fair Lady.

But in 2010 they made the lifechanging decision to relocate to Hermanus. While Di opened a little home décor & gift shop called Shuk, James was gearing up to start the first micro-brewery in Hermanus.

Hedda Mittner

I

t’s one thing to harbour a dream – and quite another to turn it into a reality. But for James and Di Rattle, founders of the Hermanus Brewing Company, the reality exceeded even their wildest dreams when they recently achieved a gold medal at the South African National Beer Trophy Awards for their classic South African lager, Old Harbour Beer.

Brewed at their micro-brewery in the Industrial Area from Overberg barley and Southern hops, this easy-drinker was a local hit right off the bat, but to show that they can also hold their own nationally against “the big boys” is a proud achievement indeed.

This year’s competition saw a huge increase in the number of craft beers on offer, a testament to a thriving industry that has seen the number of craft breweries in South Africa increasing at an exponential rate. The 2017 event saw more than double the entries over the previous year, with 199 commercial beers from 64 breweries entering the competition.

A total of 22 gold medals were awarded in different categories,

He enrolled at the World Brewing Academy in Chicago and on his return he teamed up with Richard Hammond, who was previously the master brewer at Napier Brewery. Using concise German-based brewing technology and the considerable knowledge and experience of Richard, who is ably assisted by Jay Ndike, the Hermanus Brewing Company was born.

The founders of the Hermanus Brewing Company, James and Di Rattle, with brew master Richard Hammond. The team recently won a gold medal at the South African National Beer Trophy Awards for their Old Harbour Lager. with Old Harbour Beer taking top honours in the lager category.

“We decided right from the start that we were not going to try and reinvent the wheel,” says James. “We wanted to make one beer only – a classic South African lager – and focus on perfecting it rather than producing a whole range of different beers.”

“The idea was to produce a

great, drinkable, session beer,” adds Di. “We don’t want people to have only one – they should finish it and immediately order another!”

She gives a big laugh.

The Rattles make it all sound pretty straight-forward, but beer experts will tell you that lagers are notoriously hard to make well. So how did they do it?

“I’d longed to start my own brewery for many years,” says

James, who was inspired by a trip along the Oregon and Californian coast in 2003. "I was fascinated that every town had its own style of beer, and I started home brewing the moment we returned."

“Home” at that time was Cape Town for James and Di, who have been together for 30 years and have three children.

James had forged a successful career in the construction industry and Di was working

Since their first release of Old Harbour Lager in January 2015, the team hit the ground running and could hardly keep up with the demand.

“When we started out some people thought we were crazy,” chuckles James, “but after the first year we had to double the size of our brewery.” Di sold her little shop to become involved full-time and prides herself on delivering a personalised hands-on service to all their clients while handling the sales, deliveries and marketing side of the business.

The Old Harbour team are a modest and amiable bunch and clearly love what they are doing. “The time was right and the place was right for this venture,” says James. “We love living here and doing business with the wonderful people of Hermanus,” adds Di. “This is our Paradise.”

Apart from being available from most Hermanus establishments, Old Harbour Lager is stocked by the whole Overberg region and selected outlets in the Cape Town area.

If you have not experienced the pleasure of quenching your thirst with a bottle of Old Harbour, this description of “the romantically named Old Harbour Lager, a clear, yellowrose easy-drinker” by Nick Mulgrew that appeared in a Sunday Times Food supplement review might just whet your appetite: “Its modest but dense white head gives off a floral nose of guava, orange blossom, sherbet, sulphur and sweet grass... a clean, grassy, pleasingly metallic palate finishes long with no off-notes, and very little bitterness.”

Visit the Hermanus Brewing Company for a tasting at 11 Mimosa Street, Hermanus Industria.

Contact 073 184 6076.

Romancing the Boon – the inside story The cave smelled like a zoo.

The thirty-odd baboons crammed inside didn’t mind though, they quite enjoyed the intimacy. It was a chance to rub shoulders and things with members of other troupes, and catch the latest skinner from across the valleys.

Held annually in spring, each troupe leader would arrive with a clutch of wives (finely tarted up), who relished the prospect of getting lucky with some boon other than their husboons, who in turn kept a lecherous eye open for any fresh relish on offer.

These meetings though, were ostensibly held to discuss any new skyscrapers in the Manhattan of their emotional or real skylines. New developments were springing up everywhere, and the boons were increasingly being denied access to their old scavenge patches.

Wit’s End

at all. Win-win.

Murray Stewart

The most chuffed troupe though, live high above Fernkloof, because from the top, they have choices left and right. Down to the left in Heaven’s Valley, the doublebarreled wine farms are easy pickings, and below to the right, rows of double-storied decadence, boast multiple dustbins and TV rooms.

thevillagemuze@gmail.com

The encroachment of suburbs on the one hand was a good thing though. More houses meant more dustbins, which meant more fast-food takeaways. And most of the new homeowners weren’t yet boon-savvy, so open kitchen windows were child’s play.

Another advantage was the access to more TVs. Youngsters from the ‘Hoek vannie Berg’ troupe above Vermont and Hawston, started the trend of identifying houses with DSTV dishes, TVs constantly on, and open lounge curtains. Bingo! Free entertainment.

The trend went viral. The ‘Houwhoeksters’ troupe, after watching soapies in Botrivier in Afrikaans, would often scamper down to Arabella for world updates via CNN in American.

To the east, the ‘Prawn-flatters’ and ‘De Monders’ have only the Yacht Club and a few stragglers as choices, but eagerly await the new lagoon mouth development, with the proposed cableway up to a restaurant on top of the mountain. Yay! Free delivery. With a TV at the top station, boons wouldn’t have to move from up there

With this exposure to the fast lane, they were accepted as the most up-to-date, worldlywise troupe in the Overstrand, and were held in high esteem.

As a result the annual spring meetings (overlooking the golf course) were held high up in the troupe’s cave – headquarters of the ‘Fernkloof Oversight Council Of Baboons’ (FOCOB).

Aba Boon, the wise old alphaboon of FOCOB stood up, and

the cave fell silent. He wore his battle scars like medals – testimony to his many encounters with farmers, dogs, electric fences and pretentious usurpers.

“Fellow Boons,” he bellowed.

“Welcome to all of you and thank you for attending our annual boonberaad. Now, we all know that the conventional methods of keeping us away are easily bypassed. Even that stupid ‘paint the leader white’ concept has been exposed.”

He recounted how years ago he’d been caught by Druiwe du Toit near the Duck ’n Fiddle, who together with his farm manager Sipho, had painted Aba Boon white from input to outlet.

“Took five weeks to wear off, and four months before my wives would let me back,” he lamented. “So we live and

learn. Like scaling electric fences, distracting dogs or rummaging quietly. But the current deterrents are frankly insulting and not worth discussing.” Suppressed sniggers and snorts rippled through the murk and stench.

“But,” he said somberly, “what I saw on TV last night is a real threat. It’s called LRAD. Long Range Audio Device. It can disperse riot crowds with inaudible subsonic soundwaves which stun you mal, and make you want to puke, so you get the hell out of there. They’ve already used it on the Americans working in Cuba.”

(Gasps from the stenchers.)

“Hope the locals don’t catch on or we’re in serious trouble. Uh… I’ll let you all know of any developments, but in the mean time let’s break for an hour. Isidingo starts in ten minutes. Can’t miss that. Meeting adjourned.”

8

12 - 25 September 2017

THE

NEWS

Good Guide News you can use

Wednesday 13 September ■ Hermanus Bird Club Monthly Meeting: The meeting will start at 17:30, followed by Ronnie Hazell’s presentation, A Winter Traverse, at 18:00.

At Fernkloof Botanical Society Hall. Visitors welcome. For enquiries, contact Craig Holmes on 083 227 9003.

Wednesday 13 – Friday 15 September ■ Timeless Moments: Join Curro Hermanus for a musical trip back in time, revisiting beloved movies with music and dance. There will be four shows: a Matinee on Wednesday 13 September at 11:00 (R20 pp); an evening show on Wednesday and Thursday at 19:00 (R80 pp); and the Gala Evening on Friday 15 September at 19:00 (R120 pp). At the Hennie Mentz Hall, Curro Hermanus, Sandbaai.

Tickets are available from the Curro admin office; contact 028 316 4911 or hermanus.admin@curro.co.za

Thursday 14 September ■ U3A Open Meeting: Guest speaker Dr Monika von Oppell will talk about Middle East Politics. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 17:30.

Friday 15 September ■ Camphill Concert: Join Camphill School Hermanus in celebrating their 65th anniversary with a special birthday concert presented by the children. In the Mercury Hall, Camphill, at 10:00.

Refreshments will be served. Contact Genevieve on 028 312 4949 or 086 522 1749 or send an email to school@camphill-hermanus.org.za.

Saturday 16 September ■ L2L Practice Walk: Join the Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse ladies on their first practice walk for the 2018 event. Meet at The Beanery at Gateway Centre at 07:15 for a beautiful 22 km walk along Rotary Way, through Fernkloof Reserve to Grotto Beach and back to The Beanery along the Cliff Path.

Duration: 6 – 7 hours.

■ Vintage Spring Fair: Enjoy a family outing with a touch of yesteryear to raise funds for the Hermanus Catholic Church. There will be vintage arts and crafts, books, kitchenware, jewellery, toys, fresh organic veggies, herbs and plants, delicious eats and bakes, fish & chips, an old-fashioned tea room, retro children’s games, 50s & 60s music, and lots more fun for everyone! At the Catholic Church,

Lord Roberts Rd, Hermanus, from 10:00 – 15:00. For more info contact Kathy on 082 568 4024.

Monday 18 September

reclusive artists and view exhibitions in their homes and studios. For all the details, go to www.baardskeerdersbosartroute.co.za

■ Whale Coast Conservation: Join WCC for their AGM and a talk on the Interactions of Life and the Environment by guest speaker Prof Johann du Preez. At the Green House on the R43, Vermont at 17:30. Contact Anina on 083 242 3295 or anina.wcc@gmail.com

■ Funky Fynbos Festival: Enjoy a fun-filled family weekend with loads of activities among the fynbos in the Walkerbay Conservancy near Gansbaai. Enter one of the mountain bike races (50 km, 27 km, 17 km or 10 km park ride); the Ironman & Ironwoman Duo Challenge; or the Fynbos Trail Run (30 km, 12 km or 6 km). Lucky draws and great cash prizes to be won. There will be fynbos and coastal garden displays at Groeneweide Farm, along with food, wine and beer, and a farmer’s market with local produce, eats, crafts, music and children’s activities. Anglers are invited to take part in the Bass Challenge at the dam on Lomond Wine Estate where the whole family can relax and enjoy great food and wine. Get the full programme of events at www.funkyfynbos.co.za

Friday 22 September

Sunday 24 September

■ Hermanus Astronomy Centre Monthly Meeting: Join HAC for a presentation by Dr Michelle Cluver on the Discovery of Space in a Reluctant Universe. At the Catholic Church hall, at 19:00. Contact Peter on 081 212 9481 or hermanus.astronomy@gmail.com

Tuesday 19 September

■ Monet Magic Paint and Sip: This is the second event of its kind organised by local artist Maureen Tomaino in aid of the Sofca Frail Care Centre. Try your hand at painting a little Monet “masterpiece” as Maureen guides you step by step. All easels and art materials will be provided. There will be light snacks and sherry, and a wine tasting by Spookfontein Wines Estate. At the Catholic Church hall, at 19:00. The cost is R300 pp. To make your booking, contact 082 836 8975 or 082 890 3494 / sofca@telkomsa.net or jennievorster@gmail.com

Friday 22 – Monday 25 September ■ Hermanus Flower Festival: Join the Hermanus Botanical Society in celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve at the annual Flower Festival. There are plenty of activities and special events for the whole family to enjoy and you’ll find the full programme on P 5.

Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 September ■ Spring Art Route: The quirky hamlet of Baardskeerdersbos, nestled in a valley between Gansbaai and Elim, is the peaceful setting of a biannual Art Route. Experience the unique local hospitality at this year’s Spring Art Route and celebrate the many creative people who live here and work in the mediums of painting, printmaking, illustrating, sculpting, photography, jewellery, functional art, craft, land-art, ceramics, textile art and more. The Art Route is a special opportunity for art lovers, buyers and collectors to visit normally

■ Meditation Services: Join Jill Fisher on the last Sunday of every month in Fisherhaven at 10:00 for a meditation session – for Peace, for Healing, for Everyone. For more details, contact Jill on 028 315 2993 or 072 455 5120.

■ Heritage Day Old Cape Farm Food Lunch: Join winemaker Bartho Eksteen and his wife Suné for a feast of premium wines and a traditional farm lunch with a twist that will include oysters, waterblommetjie cappuccino, snoek & sweet potato cakes, mutton sirloin with a red wine sauce, a cheese board and lemon curd tart, all paired with a range of award-winning Bartho Eksteen wines. All the produce for the menu is either grown on Wijnskool Farm or sourced from neighbouring farms and producers. In the Voorhuis on Wijnskool Farm, R320, Hemel-enAarde Valley, at 12:30. R850 pp all inclusive. Only 16 seats available. Contact Suné on 072 323 5060 or sune@hermanus.co.za ■ OAK Concert: Overstrand Arts/Kunste will host the Avanti Duo of Sally Minter (flautist) and Coila-Leah Enderstein (piano), who were both finalists in a recent SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition. The programme will include Sonata in E minor of JS Bach, Fantasie of Fauré, Jealousy Tango Variations of Gade, Sonata for Flute and Piano of Martinu and Sonata of Poulenc. Tickets are R140 pp (R60 for students). Contact the Hermanus Tourism Bureau on 028 312 1895 to book. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 15:30. Ring OAK secretary René du Plooy on 082 940 4238 for further enquiries.

REGULARS Every Saturday ■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00.

Free timed 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine.

The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

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

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

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

Every Sunday ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market offers exclusive fine arts and crafts, locally manufactured clothing, accessories and home décor, as well as delicious specialty foods, craft beers and a wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Road, Hermanus, from 10:00 – 15:00.

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

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

Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday ■ Walker Bay Walkers: Join this group of about 30 walkers who meet 3 times a week and do 3 different routes of 6 – 9 km. Meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 07:30 at the Hermanus Bowling Club. For more information call Lynn on 082 471 3637 or Angela on 082 445 8376.

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

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

Every Friday ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the green reservoir off Mountain Drive, close to the Gateway intersection, at 07:15 for 07:30 until 09:30 every Friday. All volunteers welcome.

Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 or mcvosloo@mweb.co.za ■ ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Everyone in the area is invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Onrus Care Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 11:30.

Village

The

EXPLORER EXPLORER

FOOD • WINE • ART

Heritage High Jinx at Gabriëlskloof

Spring Weekend

T

he Overberg region is blessed with no less than five wine routes – Elgin, Bot River, Hermanus, Stanford and Elim.

Although the Hermanus Wine Route in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley draws many visitors to their scenic wineries and tends to garner most of the attention with their highly acclaimed wines, our neighbouring wine routes each offer their own brand of hospitality and top-notch wines.

Over the weekend of 1 – 3 September it was the turn of the Bot River Wine Valley to strut their stuff as they rolled out a rainbowcoloured carpet to welcome visitors to their annual Spring Weekend Celebrations. The programme was jam-packed with a kaleidoscope of exciting wine and food and an explosion of country-style fun. The participating wineries included Arcangeli Family Vineyards, Barton Vineyards, Villion Wines, Luddite Wines, Genevieve MCC, Beaumont Family Wines, Gabriëlskloof Wine Estate, Rivendell Estate & Vineyards, and Paardenkloof Estate.

The family farm of Compagnesdrift, home to Beaumont Wines, was a popular destination during the Bot River Spring Weekend from 1 – 3 September.

Winemaker Sebastian Beaumont was on duty in the historic tasting room at Beaumont Wines.

The owners of Paardenkloof Estate, Mohseen V Moosa and Daphne Neethling, welcomed visitors to the Garden Restaurant on their Ecology Lifestyle Farm.

Penny Verburg of Luddite Wines with wine enthusiast and tourism manager of the Cape Whale Coast, Frieda Lloyd.

Leon Engelke and Melissa Nelsen are back in the Bot River Valley, just in time to show off the new home of Genevieve MCC to visitors.

Kobie and Elnette Viljoen presented their Villion Wines at Afdaksrivier Nursery, where a Spit & Skoffel Dinner Dance was hosted on the Saturday evening.

At Gabriëlskloof the fun did not end with the weekend and everyone is invited to savour the Ubuntu spirit of the Overberg at this popular wine and olive estate with its month-long offering of proudly South African treats. During the whole month of September, the Gabriëlskloof Tasting Lounge will showcase home-grown flavours with a unique Mzansi Tapas Taster featuring familiar snack bites with a local twist, paired with four estate wines. The Mzansi Tapas Taster will also be available as small plate starters or sides to a main meal at their restaurant during Heritage Month.

The month-long food and wine celebration will culminate in a memorable Long-table Braai Feast on Heritage Day, 24 September, when a single, continuous table of unity will line the shaded veranda that surrounds the lush courtyard.

Here, the family-friendly Heritage Braai Feast will put Chef Frans Groenewald centre stage as he applies his gourmet touch to the grill. Expect braai heaven as seasonal fare is served up with genuine Gabriëlskloof hospitality – meat on the spit, snoek and mussels on the coals, garlic rolls, roosterkoek, pap-en-sous and of course, all the tasty trimmings that go with a good old South African braai. And, as tradition demands, such a fantastic meal would be incomplete without a delectable sweet note brought by South African all-stars such as melktert and malva pudding.

Add to the occasion the foot-stomping tunes of local muso Gian Groen who will perform live at the event, and any reason to stay away simply goes up in smoke. Booking is essential. The cost of the Mzansi Tapas Tasters and Wine Pairing is R250 per couple. Call 028 284 9865 or email info@gabrielskloof.co.za. The cost of the Long-table Heritage Braai Feast is R350 per adult and R100 per child. Call 028 284 9865 or email restaurant@gabrielskloof.co.za

10

THE

NEWS

12 - 25 September 2017

The Write Angle

What’s new on the bookshelves

S

pring is definitely in the air at The Book Cottage, where a large book sale kicks off this week.

RIGHT: The owner of The Book Cottage, John Morris, with authors Martin Steyn and Chanette Paul, and Janest Marshal, who led the discussion at the book launch.

Hundreds of books have been marked down – those with a red dot are going for R150, the purple dots for R100, the orange dots for R75 and the blue dots for R50. There’s never been a better opportunity to stock up on new reading matter by your favourite authors!

This Spring Sale follows on a busy start to the month for The Book Cottage, which hosted two book launch events that drew large groups of book lovers to this iconic shop to meet the authors.

On Monday 4 September Dr Allan Boesak made an appearance to discuss his latest book Pharaohs on both sides of the blood-red waters with Prof John de Gruchy of Volmoed, whom John Morris refers to as “our very own authority on all things poli-

Prof John de Gruchy in conversation with Dr Allan Boesak at the launch of his new book, Pharaohs on both sides of the blood-red waters. tical and theological”. A Q&A ses-sion followed the riveting con-versation, which touched on the global issues of faith and strug-gles for justice in postapartheid and civil-rights societies.

The following day it was the turn of two other home-grown writing talents, care of LAPA Publishers, to introduce their latest works. Prolific, award-

winning author Chanette Paul, who lives in Stanford and has written more than 40 books, talked about her crime novel Sacrificed (translated from the Afrikaans Offerlam), while Martin Steyn discussed Dark Traces, the English translation of his first suspense novel Donker Spoor, which won the 2015 ATKV Prize for Suspense Fiction.

Both authors were in conversation with Janet Marshall and signed copies of their books after the discussion. Packed with intrigue and violence, mystery and romance, both these crime novels are bound to keep you glued to every word. Available from The Book Cottage at 17 Long Street.

11

12 - 25 September 2017

Artwalk celebrates arrival of spring

We all know summer is around the corner when the Hermanus First Fridays Artwalk returns.

Art lovers took to the streets and galleries in town in droves on the warm spring evening of 1 September. Meeting up at Lembu Gallery in Harbour Road were John Morris, Raphael da Silva, Charmaine Beukes, Andrew Russell and Marion da Silva.

Greeting visitors at The Art Gallery were artists Christine Henderson, Jeandré Marinier and Lize van der Walt, whose works are also currently on display at Sumaridge Wine Estate.

Regular artwalkers Val Fletcher and Sandra Boshoff at Pure South Gallery in Main Road.

Artwalkers admiring works by Tertius van Dyk at Walkerbay Modern Art Gallery.

In keeping with the Spring Fever theme of this month’s HFF, artwalkers at Terry Kobus’ (centre) Originals Gallery were decked out in flowers.

Gallery owner Jozua Rossouw with artist Frans Mulder, whose exhibition at Rossouw Modern SPACE Gallery opened on 1 September and will run until 18 September.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

12

12 - 25 September 2017

Restaurants gear up for the summer season

R

estaurants all over Hermanus are preening their feathers and getting into gear for the upcoming season. Three establishments recently reopened under new ownership and with a new look, while two more are due to open within the next few weeks.

Anton Verhoogt of Fisherman’s Cottage is hard at work at the premises of The Barefoot Cook, which he’s taken over from Mariclaire Day, while Petri Hendriksz of Pear Tree is transforming the previous location of Oskars at the Village Square into a new restaurant.

But more about these two in our next issue.

Groves Café At Bite2Eat, next door to Fusion, the new owners Henri Grové and his son-in-law Lyall Wiggill, who took over both establishments from Petrus and Estelle Hendriksz at the end of June, have given this little eatery a complete revamp and a touch of French flair along with its new name – Groves Café.

The welcoming interior spills over to the piazza just above the Old Harbour, where customers can enjoy the stunning views across Walker Bay. You’ll find the same friendly service from manager Heidi Poole and her team, while the menu offers a variety of new options. Along with a selection of breakfasts ranging from toasted croissants to French toast to a traditional full breakfast and a breakfast board, the irresistible aroma of freshly brewed coffee and homebaked breads, pastries and cakes fills the air. Light lunch options include tapas (build your own board), gourmet sandwiches and salads.

What’s Cooking RESTAURANT NEWS Hedda Mittner

The co-owner of Fusion and Groves Café Lyall Wiggill with manager Heidi Poole.

Mother-and-daughter team Lizanne Olivier and Sanmarie Swanepoel at Oskars Café & Bakery.

Find Groves Café at the Village Square above the Old Harbour.

Open daily from 09:00 – 17:00.

Call 028 312 4277.

Oskars Café & Bakery Another restaurant that has undergone a spring revamp is Oskars Café & Bakery, which relocated from the Village Square to The Carriages Centre (where ELL 269 used to be). Also

Restauranteur Maurice Dourée at Brasserie South, the former Savannah Café.

focusing on day-time trade, this light sun-splashed space has been decked out in a fresh new look of white, yellow and blue. Their bakery now takes centre stage, with a mouthwatering selection of breads, cakes, pastries and pies. Apart from delicious coffees and breakfasts, they offer a variety of ciabatta roll sandwiches and a daily harvest table of one main and three salads for lunch.

It’s an informal, help-yourself set-up run by the experienced and talented mother-anddaughter team of Sanmarie Swanepoel and Lizanne Olivier. Since opening on 1 September, they have been doing a brisk trade and will undoubtedly be as successful in their new premises as they’d been before in Harbour Road and the Village Square.

Open Monday to Saturday from 07:30 – 17:00. Contact 066 174 8263.

Brasserie South Right across the road from Oskars, veteran restauranteur Maurice Dourée and his partner Irma Bezuidenhout have taken over Savannah Café and renamed it Brasserie South. Maurice hails from Belgium and has owned several restaurants in Hermanus over the years, including Momo, Eden Café, Fisherman’s Cottage and Paradiso. He has introduced a continental flavour to Brasserie South, with refining touches to both the interior design and the menu.

Typical French/Belgian dishes that now feature on the menu include Croque Monsieur and Madam, Moules frites, Bouillabaisse and the weekly Plats du Jour, which entails a choice of three dishes, all under R100. The restaurant offers a selection of breakfast and lunch options, as well as pancakes, croissants, cakes and Vienoisserie. They are open daily from 08:00 – 18:00.

Find Brasserie South at the end of High Street opposite Woolworths. Call 028 312 4259.

Norah’s on the move Leigh-Anne Hunter You could say Ziggy is the luckiest pig on earth. Outside a Westcliff fisherman’s cottage, the content pig rolls over as her owner, foodie Norah Hudson, gives her a tummy tickle. “She loves tickles, can count, and has an uncanny ability to suss people out,” says Norah, who rescued Ziggy from a breeder.

It was Ziggy who inspired Norah’s vegan passion project, ELL269 Plant Based Foods & Compassionate Chef Services, which she started with her daughter, Kendra. “It’s never been just about making delicious plant-based food, but also making people aware that farm animals are intelligent, sentient beings that deserve a full life,” says Norah.

It’s this philosophy that has been the constant on Norah’s ever-changing food journey, which, as previously reported, has seen her taking her vegan restaurant, ELL269, which closed in June, to the road.

As a regular client of ELL on Wheels myself, I look forward to Norah arriving at my door every week with homemade vegan meals. Even my meatmad hubbie, who said he’d

sooner eat a tyre because it’d probably be tastier than that chickpea malarkey, has admitted that yes, vegan food can be yummy.

Clients can choose from a medley of new concoctions and old favourites previously on Norah’s menu. Think Chili Non Carne and Chickless Pie… Not only is Norah very busy filling orders for the Overberg area, you’ll also find her delivering meals to Grabouw and Cape Town, and selling from her stall at the monthly Vegan Goods Market in Plumstead, Cape Town. She also offers vegan cooking and lifestyle training to restaurants and private individuals. Talk about being on the move! But wait, there’s more… Norah’s popular food and wine evenings will return to Hermanus in the summer months so watch this space…

Rather than viewing the end of her vegan restaurant as a closed door, the unstoppable Norah has created many fresh opportunities. “We are experiencing life on the move, exploring new locations. All this has re-energised us!”

Ziggy snorts in agreement.

Contact Norah on 079 176 9033.

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12 - 25 September 2017

Benguela Cove wins big at SA Young Wine Show

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enguela Cove Wine Estate has won gold and silver medals for all 16 of its wines entered for the South African Young Wine Show. This is one of the oldest wine shows in the world and annually showcases the best wines of the country’s new vintage.

Success continued in the SA Young Wine Show’s national competition: in a ceremony at Goudini Spa on 25 August, two Benguela Cove wines were crowned with SA Champion status in their categories – winning the Frank Myburgh Trophy for the best Semillon and the SBW Trophy for the best White Blend.

Submissions for the awards are not the final bottled wines, but from tanks and barrels. The event gives winemakers the opportunity to measure their various wines, experimental styles and new varieties against their peers in the industry.

“This is the first vintage from our new winemaker Johann Fourie and follows major investment in the farm and a new winery,” says Penny Streeter, owner of

Benguela Cove Wine Estate.

“We now have full quality control at every step of the winemaking and production. The 16 awards are a huge accolade for our team. Benguela Cove is building a reputation for superb wine in South Africa, and increasingly in the UK and other export markets.”

The annual event started in 1833 and has more entries than any other wine competition in South Africa, say the organisers.

There were 1 783 prospective stars of the 2017 vintage competing in the SA Young Wine Show, held at the Nederburg Auction Complex in Paarl from 24 – 28 July, with some 120 judges on the various panels.

Benguela Cove won gold medals in five categories: for White blend (Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc), Chardonnay, Semillon, Petit Verdot and Shiraz.

The 200 hectare vineyard is noted for its position in the Walker Bay region, at the very edge of the Bot River Lagoon and Atlantic Ocean. According to winemaker Johann Fourie,

the special maritime conditions at the edge of the Bot River Lagoon ensure that the terroir of the 200 hectare vineyard produces grapes of outstanding quality. The warm southeasterly sea breeze is chilled by the Benguela Current flowing up from Antarctica, which cools the grapes at night, irrigated by above-average rainfall.

“Winning five Gold Medals which also included the Frank Myburgh Trophy for the South African Champion Semillon plus the SBW Trophy for South African Champion White Blend in our maiden vintage is an outstanding achievement,” says Johann. “Given our state of the art winery facility and the estate’s amazing fruit source I always knew the property is capable of producing outstanding wine and we are very pleased that this has been recognised.

“We are very proud of the success we have achieved, especially considering that this was our maiden vintage in our newly built cellar. It was touch and go at times but the entire team has worked very hard.”

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12 - 25 September 2017

Join in Stanford's Anniversary Celebrations

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he heritage village of Stanford was founded in 1857 and this year marks its 160th anniversary.

To celebrate this milestone, the Heritage Committee of the Stanford Conservation Trust, in partnership with local businesses, volunteers, and with the support of the Overstrand Municipality, has put together a celebratory programme which highlights the history and heritage of Stanford – from the archaeological traces of its earliest inhabitants, through its shaping under colonialism and then the disruption of its social fabric during Apartheid, right up until the present day.

The programme honours the personal stories of locals who are the very ones who have kept Stanford's heritage alive.

The weekend is jam packed with activities, many of which carry on all day. Apart from the special events listed, there will be boat trips on the Klein River every day between 08:00 and 16:00, departing every two hours from the end of King Street (book with Ernie Blommaert on 083 310 0952); an exhibition of photographic competition entries to

Church Street, at 18:00.

celebrate Stanford's 160th anniversary as well as selected historic Stanford photographs at the Okkie Smuts School Hall; and an exhibition of Stanford photographs and books at the Stanford Hotel.

designer Fabio Todeschini about townscape and streetscape heritage and the issue of authenticity in the context of development in Stanford’s Conservation Area. At Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 16:15.

Friday 22 September

Stanford Revitalisation Plan: A talk by landscape architect Bernard Oberholzer on this heritage-sympathetic development proposal for the village, as adopted by the Overstrand Municipality in 2013. At the Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 17:00.

Stanford Archaeology: A talk by archaeologist Katie Smuts, who has worked in heritage management for over 15 years, on the magnificent archaeological sites in the Overstrand area that have contributed to our understanding of the evolution of modern humans.

At Okkie Smuts School Hall at 15:30.

Marrying Heritage & Architecture: A talk by architect, town planner and urban

Sir Robert Stanford’s History: A lively presentation by Irene Tomlinson, with wine and cheese, on the life of Sir Robert Stanford, after whom the village was named. At the historic De Kleine Rivers Valey House in

Flute & Piano Concert: An evening of light music, including Bach, Mozart and Debussy by Micaela Loubser on flute and Cassia Mildner on piano. Tea and coffee will be served afterwards. Contact Fiona Loubser on 073 580 6573 or Micaela Loubser on 072 337 4257. At the Dutch Reformed Church, at 19:00.

Saturday 23 September Phillipskop Rock Art: Take a guided walk to the Khoe-San rock art site on Phillipskop Mountain Reserve. It is a 1,5 km moderately steep climb on rough terrain; wear appropriate shoes. Bookings at R80 per adult and R40 per child are compulsory. A shuttle service at R50 pp/return is available, departing from the Tourism Office from 08:00. Pre-book at 028 341 0340.

Stanford Village Guided Walk: Take a gentle stroll through Stanford’s core heritage area with Henry Gibson and Bea Whittaker and find out why the village is so unique that it’s a proclaimed heritage area.

R20 pp. Depart from the Tourism Office, at 09:00.

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12 - 25 September 2017 Children’s Book Network: Workshops for children 9 – 12 years that include activities such as song-writing, dancing, puppets, painting and crafts to complement the reading experience. Register with Lesley Beake on 082 646 4420. At the Butterfly Centre, from 10:00 – 12:30.

‘Hat’terday Morning: Don your most colourful and inventive headgear and stroll down the main road. Buy delicious goodies from the Food Heroes Market or find that treasure you’ve been looking for at the Junktique Market. Queen Victoria Street, from 10:00 – 13:00.

Incredible Colours Exhibition: A fundraising exhibition of completed colouring-in pictures in support of Funimfundo PreSchool. At Through the Looking Glass Gallery, from 10:00 – 13:00.

Wall Graffiti: One-hour workshops of mural painting for children under the guidance of local artist Marian BinderWilliams, at R50 per square. Paint, brushes and protective clothing provided. At the Tourism Office, from 11:00 – 15:00.

Stanford Archaeology: A repeat of Katie Smuts’ talk on Friday. At Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 11:00.

Shipwrecks along the Overberg Coastline: A talk by maritime archaeologist John Gribble on the many local shipwrecks that are part of the Overberg’s history – the Birkenhead being the most famous of all. At Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 12:00.

Stanford Reflections: There will be two screenings of this brand-new documentary of local residents reminiscing about life in Stanford, compiled

by Annalize Mouton. DVDs will be on sale at R50 each. At Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 14:00 and 15:30.

Heritage Quiz: Make up your own table of 8 or join a table and make new friends at this fun quiz evening. R120 pp includes a pizza meal. Cash bar.

Book with Mary Knight on 083 270 7448 or the Tourism Office on 028 341 0340. At Coffee Corner, at 19:00.

Sunday 24 September Stanford Bird Ramble: Join in a 3 km (2 – 3 hours) walk along the Stanford Wandelpad and through the leafy residential areas of Stanford. Your guide will be Mark Longridge from the Stanford Bird Club. Bring binoculars and bird reference book or phone app. Bird

checklists for Stanford and surrounds available at R20.

Departing from Bird Hide on the corner of De Bruyn & Longmarket St at 08:30 and ending at the Ou Meul Bakery.

Heritage on a Plate: Stanford Food Heroes mini-market on the Village Green, with music and children’s entertainment.

Bring your picnic basket, chairs, blankets, drinks etc. Braais will be available. At Market Square, from 12:00 – 16:00.

Stanford Reflections: There will be two screenings of this brand-new documentary of local residents reminiscing about life in Stanford, compiled

by Annalize Mouton. DVDs will be on sale at R50 each. At Okkie Smuts School Hall, at 12:00 and 14:00.

Monday 25 September Nose to Tail Trail: Walk your dog on a leash around scenic Stanford and along the river to raise funds for Stanford Animal Welfare Society. Water bowls along the way and lucky ticket draws at the end of the walk.

Starting on the corner of Sillery and Sannie Badenhorst Street at 10:00. Tickets at R30 per dog are available from Stanford Vet Clinic (028 341 0547) or Annie Ranger on 028 341 0984.

KIWINET SPRING OPEN DAY Owner Robyn Lavender with her sister Martine Lavender, and Vanessa Theron and Sally Barnard of Beach House Interiors.

Spring has sprung and Kiwinets are hung!

Clients and friends of Kiwinet enjoyed a beautiful spring day touring the showroom and workshop of this proudly home-grown business in Stanford. Having started as a small home industry in 1994, Kiwinet has grown into a highly renowned manufacturer and exporter of top quality mosquito nets.

Visitors to the Kiwinet Open Day were served fantastic fare

‘al fresco’ accompanied by a decadent gin selection and exotic mixers. It was a truly ‘Out of Africa’ experience, with Kiwinets of all hues gently billowing in the breeze.

All operations, including the entire handcrafted production, are housed in this location at 36 Daneel Street. Owned by Robyn Lavender, Kiwinet is the home of a unique range of elegant yet functional

mosquito nets made by a vibrant local team in Stanford.

Their unique and original designs can be found in private homes and luxury lodges in Southern and East Africa, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean islands – a truly proud ‘Made in South Africa’ success story in the heart of the village.

– Rina de Wet

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12 - 25 September 2017

Block-buster story of a great white shark’s journey into history

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icole – The true story of a White Shark’s journey, written by Richard Peirce and published by Penguin Random House, was recently launched by Marine Dynamics at The Great White House in Kleinbaai.

The book tells the story of the iconic great white shark which was tagged near Dyer Island and subsequently swam 22 000 km from South Africa to Australia and back in less than nine months. The book also lifts the lid on the shocking details of the trade in shark fins, and raises awareness of the plight of sharks in the 21st century.

Richard Peirce is a committed wildlife conservationist who is based in the UK but spends several months of the year living in Hermanus. He is involved in various projects and expeditions that either contribute to the conservation of a specific species or improve the effectiveness of global wildlife conservation. He has a passion for sharks in particular, which have fascinated him all his life, and has headed up the Shark Conservation Society in

Dickie Chivell with author and wildlife conservationist Richard Peirce, at the launch of his book, Nicole – The true story of a White Shark’s journey. the UK for many years.

Ably supported by his wife Jacqui, who takes many of the images found in Richard’s books, he travels widely and has experienced first-hand the impact that humans are having on the environment and the species we share this planet with. This drives the stories he films and writes about, including Nicole which is a true story that incorpo-

rates a blend of science, actual events and real people, along with conjecture as to what might have happened on Nicole’s momentous migratory journey.

Richard always sponsors nonprofit organisations through his books and passed on a third of the sales at the launch of Nicole to the Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) for white shark research. DICT has

been operational since 2006, when it was founded by Wilfred Chivell to drive research, conservation and education initiatives with a special focus on white sharks and the endangered African penguins. Through book sales, a fun raffle and the auction of various items, R27 810 was raised towards the charity. The evening was enhanced by wine tasting courtesy of Lomond Wines, while Richard signed copies of his books for all the shark enthusiasts.

Richard also introduced his upcoming book Cuddle Me, Kill Me, a harrowing story of the lion trade that will be released in 2018.

Wilfred Chivell expressed his gratitude on behalf of DICT to Richard Peirce, Penguin Random House and all the guests who attended the launch, as well as the companies that donated auction items – Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Marine Dynamics, Dyer Island Cruises, Struik Nature, Chris Fallows, and Lomond Wines.

– Brenda du Toit

Overstrand Municipality not only welcomed spring on 1 September but also celebrated Arbour Week from 1 – 7 September. Councillors and community organisations once again participated in the community greening events by lending a helping hand with the planting of some 80 indigenous trees kindly donated by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

Buli Plaatjies-Mbane, Manager: Hermanus Administration (left) and Cllr Andrew Komani handed over one of the trees together with a card explaining how to take care of the tree to homeowner Heloise May. In keeping with the green theme, the Municipality, together with the community and NGOs, will be cleaning the Paddavlei wetland in Hawston on 19 September from 14:15 to 16:00 as part of Coastal Clean-up and Recycling Week. Those wanting to take part must meet in Vlei Street (off Church Street opposite Hawston Primary). Bring along hats, sunscreen, water boots and comfortable clothes. Contact 028 316 3724, 028 084 313 7002 or 072 394 9841 for more information.

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12 - 25 September 2017

Sponsors needed for the Village Ball

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he inaugural Hermanus Village Ball in September 2016 was a huge success and the organisers would like to make it even better this year.

The event will take place at the Sandbaai hall on Saturday 30 September, on the evening after Hermanus High School’s matric dance.

The matric dance is fully paid for by the 2017 matric class and the decorations will remain in place for the Village Ball dinnerdance. The catering equipment required for the school event, as well as the sound equipment and staging will all be put to good use for the Village Ball.

This heart-warming initiative is about honouring our town’s large number of senior folk, and fostering inter-generational relationships in the community.

“What we’d like to do is provide an opportunity for our town’s senior citizens, many of whom are isolated from family and society, to get out, socialise and make new friends. It also provides an ideal occasion for our youth to spend time with people who have experience, wisdom and stories to share,” says Janet Hugo, director of Sterling Private Clients in Hermanus and chair of the event’s organising committee.

R125 000 and a detailed budget is available to anyone interested in further information.

PHOTO: Keith-Imaging Last year’s inaugural Village Ball was a resounding success and the organisers are looking for sponsorship to make it even better this year.

“The Village Ball will not only be a night to remember, but also a golden opportunity for the community to work together in making something special happen in our town. Our event honours our seniors, in line with the United Nations International Day of Older Persons (1 October) which draws attention to and challenges negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and ageing. Such discrimination shapes how the elderly are treated and perceived by their

societies, including in medical and work settings, creating environments that limit older persons’ potential and impact their health and well-being.

Ageism undermines older persons’ rights and hinders their contribution to social, economic, cultural and political life.”

Hermanus will be able to work together as a community to honour their senior citizens by inviting them to the beautifully decorated hall for a magnificent three course

dinner (prepared by a top local chef ), stirring music and fun dancing – with each other or with the younger generation.

The organisers are calling for sponsorship in order to include as many people as possible from our diverse community for this year’s event. Your sponsorship will enable them to also include previously and currently disadvantaged senior citizens.

According to Janet, they have budgeted expenses of

“Sterling Private Wealth has already sponsored R20 000 of the costs. The rest of the expenses will be covered through the sale (or sponsorship) of 180 dance tickets for the seniors at R350 per head. Any shortfalls in ticket sales could have an impact on the final number of dance attendees, and to ensure a strong turnout we are doing the necessary fundraising to supply complimentary tickets to the senior citizen attendees. A high profile brand sponsorship of R100 000 would secure the financing and success of this event. Alternately, a number of smaller co-sponsors would also ensure the same outcome.”

The Village Ball is simply a kindhearted community initiative and as such, it falls squarely into the realm of Corporate Social Investment. Furthermore, it offers many of the benefits of a traditional public relations brand supporting event. “For event sponsors, this context is significant. A brand will attach its name to a new and unique South African initiative,” says Janet.

For more information, contact Marietjie Haman on 0861 888 987 or 028 312 1735 or send an email to Marietjie@SterlingWealth.co.za For funding and sponsorship contact Gerhard van der Merwe on 082 881 0050 or go.vdm@telkomsa.net; or Organising Committee Chair Janet Hugo on 082 780 2743 or Janet@SterlingWealth.co.za

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12 - 25 September 2017

Brushing up on your pet’s health

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or many pet owners grooming a dog or cat might seem like a bit of a chore, especially if the animal resists the experience, but few people realise that grooming is more about health than aesthetics and that a healthy fur coat could ultimately save on vet’s bills.

Keeping your dog or cat clean minimises shedding in moulting season, reduces the incidence of skin ailments and diminishes the spread of germs in your home.

Most importantly, grooming also affords you the opportunity to properly examine your pet for cancerous lumps, abscesses, ticks and fleas, and infection or inflammation of the nails, teeth, ears and eyes. If detected early, these problems can be treated before they become serious, and expensive.

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the eyes before bath time with a moist cotton ball.

Tilt the head down when rinsing to avoid water getting into the ears.

MY Pet Dr Hilldidge Beer

1. Start them young. Begin grooming a puppy or kitten the moment you bring him/her home for the first time. Start with a short, gentle brushing session to get them used to the sensation. Speak softly as you brush and praise when you are done.

You want your pet to know you’re in charge but don’t frighten them or grooming will become something they hate. Cats generally take care of their own grooming needs but some long-haired breeds, and aged cats, may need assistance.

2. Brush regularly. Regular brushing keeps a pet’s coat free from tangles and dirt and stimulates the circulation.

3. Ensure they get their vitamins. Vetsbrands’ Shine & Shed Oil is a food supplement high in Omega 6 that adds shine to fur and prevents excess shedding.

4. Test the water. When bathing your dog, the water should be lukewarm, never hot or cold. Test the temperature on your forearm.

5. Use a handheld shower.

It’s the simplest way to clean a dog but if the sound and the pressure frightens your dog, let the water hit the back of your hand first and then drizzle over him/her.

6. Use pet, never human, shampoo. A pet’s skin has a different pH balance to ours and even mild baby shampoo can dry out their skin. The Purl range of pet shampoos includes a detangling formula that works brilliantly on breeds with fur that tangles easily (like Yorkshire terriers) and a foam shampoo that’s gentler on dogs bathed weekly. EberVet Vetshops stock a wide range of pet shampoos for dogs and cats.

7. Clean between toes and paw pads. These trap sweat and odour.

8. Clean faces with a cotton ball or washcloth. Avoid getting shampoo near the eyes. Clean the corners of

9. Clip nails a little at a time and don’t forget the teeth. Most owners are apprehensive about nail clipping but start when they’re young and ask your vet to show you how.

Allowing your dog’s nails to grow too long can cause the toes to spread, putting stress on the ankle joints. Teeth brushing is as important for pets as for

humans; dental decay can lead to life-threatening ailments. Only ever use pet toothpaste and brushes.

10. Arm yourself with the right equipment. The right tools make every job easier. Ask EberVet Vetshop staff to assist you in compiling your petfriendly grooming kit.

Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group and EberVet Vetshops. www.ebervet.com

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12 - 25 September 2017

Don’t just sit there!

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or most people sitting all day in a workplace environment is just par for the course, but how is it really affecting our bodies and why do we have all these niggles and pains after sitting for many hours?

The adverse health impact of sedentary workplace behaviours are making major headlines worldwide currently, and so they should.

What’s wrong with sitting? The effects of spending too much time in a chair are manifold.

Electrical activity in leg muscles can slow and shut down. On a neuro-muscular level, specifically your Sciatic nerve, can take the most strain impeding nerve communication; your body effectively slows down the natural process of calorie burning, enzymes that break down fat drop their natural workload by up to 90%, HDL cholesterol production can drop by 20 percent; and the risk of diabetes increases by up to 24%.

If that’s not enough to get you out of the chair you may also consider that the lymphatic system (your body’s natural waste management system), which also has a major impact on your immunity, has no active pump and relies on movement to create flow from the lymphatic vessels to the lymph

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ducts. Without which you can feel bloated and in extreme cases lead to oedema (swelling), and the build-up of toxins in your body.

The bottom line is that the human body was not designed to constantly sit at a desk and strict office hours can have many negative effects.

Inactivity is the major culprit.

With this knowledge, which has most likely been in the back of our minds for some time, what are your options if you face a traditional desk and hinge office chair? There are actually quite a few… and the best part is you get to be creative.

■ Get moving! Great. That sounds simple enough, but how? With the advances in Exercise Sport Science, Pilates, Yoga, stretching techniques, movement therapy and the ‘Free movement’ philosophy pioneered by the likes of Ido Portal, there are many options to use your body creatively and

with results in a confined space.

The best way to do this is to find the stretches and exercises that work for you. Or better yet visit your nearest Bio-kiniticist or personal trainer to have your own bespoke programme set up which will work in conjunction with any imbalances in your body to correct, strengthen and stretch out…

■ Stand whenever you can.

If you’re not typing at your computer, work standing up.

You can stand to take phone calls, strategize or even bounce ideas off your colleagues – they will benefit from the standbreak as much as you. The opposite goes for those who stand all day, make time to sit and even go prone to stretch out.

■ Organise an active office get-together. Make it adventure and movement based. Be it from zip-lining through the local forest to a simple picnic at the nearest park. Not only do you get to be

outdoors and pump some lymph but you also receive credit for the best office outing ever!

■ Hold walking and standing meetings. Yeah, why not? It is believed that standing up meetings can reduce meeting time by 34%. Who does not like that? Walking during a meeting gives all parties a shared purpose to get things done, at the same time burning off that heavy lunch.

Start these meetings in moderation and be considerate to those who may need to sit – it’s not a competition, it’s an opportunity.

■ Get bouncing. Due to the fact that an exercise ball is not stable, when you sit and work on it your body is constantly trying to balance itself, your deep core muscles and a myriad of other finite postural and corrective muscles kick into gear and start engaging in varying degrees. The perfect spinal posture is coincidently

the easiest to balance with.

Thus, your body will automatically try to align itself into the proper posture. This helps improve your spinal health, and decrease back pain. Again everything in moderation. Start by just sitting on the ball for the first hour of your day, and increase the time as you get more comfortable and your body responds posi-tively to the change. Aim for a 50/50 balance with half your day on the ball and half the day on your chair, with numerous standing and moving breaks at least every 90 minutes.

■ The right throne. OK, you have to sit at some point, right?

And I know you’re holding onto that office chair where the wheels have stopped moving and it only has one position.

Consider making a change, because it actually really is as good as a holiday. There are many viewpoints and articles on this. The only advice I have to give is choose a chair with

back support that fits the natural shape of your spine. Overextension in either direction is never a good thing.

■ Get connected. Make a bold move and approach your employer or HR for a wireless laptop standing workspace. If you can swing one for the whole office not only will your body thank you, but your colleagues will too.

Most companies will acquiesce as they see the potential for better performance results.

■ Find relief. Research in your area for an experienced remedial sports massage therapist with a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. The benefits of remedial massage are manifold for office workers and executives who have similar strain and tension as high performance athletes.

– Christian Pinkerton, Massage Specialist & Advanced Reflexologist www.miraclemassage.co.za

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12 - 25 September 2017

Hermanus Waldorf School Open Day

Camphill School celebrates 65 years

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or the past 65 years Camphill School has grown from a small farm house to a thriving independent school which focuses on a Holistic Education Curriculum (looking at the whole child) but primarily follows the South African Education Departments’ Curriculum adapted for Special Needs Education.

Catering for both day and residential learners aged between 5 and 20 years, not only do the learners, many with multiple disabilities, receive high quality, individualised education, care and support, but they also have access to a wide range of therapies.

The Class 5 pupils of Hermanus Waldorf School recently entertained a delighted audience with their marimba performance outside the Burgundy Restaurant and at the Gateway Spar. Applications for 2018 are now open and prospective parents, friends and other interested parties are invited to attend an Open Day at the school on Saturday 16 September from 10:00 to 12:00. This is an opportunity to see the school in action and to enrol children on the day. Spaces are available in the Kindergarten and in some of the classes. The Hermanus Waldorf School provides a secure and nurturing environment for children, and strives to honour and protect the wonder of childhood. The Waldorf curriculum encourages the use of head, heart and hands to educate children. Extra-curricular activities at the school include cycling, soccer, netball and chess. Visitors to the school all comment on the happy children they encounter, and on the beautiful school grounds. For applications and further information, contact Jeanne at 028 316 2938, or send an email to info@hermanuswaldorf.co.za

In line with the founding principles of the Camphill movement, the School maintains the ethos of loving respect for the dignity of the child and a desire to develop his/her unique potential.

The school was established in 1952 thanks to Mrs May Redman, the remarkable mother of an intellectuallychallenged son, Robert, and with the assistance of Dr Karl König, founder of the worldwide Camphill Movement.

Herewith an extract from an article published in the Evening Post dated February 17, 1959: Mrs Redman founded the school

at Hermanus eight years ago.

She told me yesterday of some of the “teething” difficulties. First there was the struggle to raise sufficient money to buy the farm Dawn at Hermanus. “We raised it by a seeming miracle, but that was only the beginning of the struggle. The first winter was a hard one, the roof leaked, the water seeped through the walls and there were only oil lamps.

The little stream next to the farm became a roaring torrent and at times we were completely marooned.”

“These past few years have brought consolidation and growth. Without sustained support from our Hermanus community, friends and donors, none of this would have been possible. We have been able to achieve many of the goals we set ourselves and have strengthened our capacity for future growth,” says Genevieve Linney, Camphill PR and Fundraiser.

With May Redman’s determination and vision, Camphill School has evolved into a thriving community, a safe haven created for generations

“It is a joy to all of us to see how happy and self-confident our learners are as they grow and develop, physically and intellectually, in a caring and affirming

of special children.

environment. Our School is recognised not only in the greater Overberg Region but worldwide and has become a beacon of hope and a place of love.”

Camphill School Hermanus will be celebrating their 65th Anniversary on Friday 15 September in the Mercury Hall at 10:00 with a small concert performed by their learners.

Everyone is welcome to join in this special celebration. Confirm attendance by contacting the school on 028 312 4949 or school@camphillhermanus.org.za by no later than Wednesday 13 September for catering purposes.

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12 - 25 September 2017

Rentals unaffordable for many in Hermanus

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ermanus is not only the 7th fastest growing town in the country, it is also the 3rd fastest growing in the Western Cape, contributing to the growth of the Overstrand’s population to almost 95 000 people.

“In particular,” says Dean Meijer, owner of the Chas Everitt Whale Coast franchise, “there has been an influx of buyers from Gauteng and other upcountry provinces, as well as buyers from overseas who have all decided to make Hermanus their home.

Local soccer club Vivo United hosted a fun day and raffle draw on Saturday 9 September at the cricket club to raise funds for their kit. Coach Falcon Sauvage did the draw and entrants won a wide array of prizes from the sponsors: Shark Lady Adventures, Southern Right Charters, Dave de Beer, La Pentola, Pear Tree, and Stug and Teressa Cloete.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography

“Many have told us that they are eager to get away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and come here for the village atmosphere. Even though Hermanus is not really a small town anymore, it still has a strong community spirit, as well as an excellent climate and a laid-back, luxury coastal lifestyle.”

But, says Jacqui Jackson of Whale Rentals, the boom in the property market has brought with it its own set of

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problems for those looking to rent a property.

“Truth to be told, the rental market has tightened to a degree where prices have skyrocketed almost overnight and affordable rental homes have become extremely scarce.

“Rental properties, both houses and flats, in the lower price bracket (R5 000 – R7 000 per month) are almost nonexistent. Most potential tenants are looking for homes in the R7 000 – R10 000 bracket, but these too are few and far between. On average rental properties in new developments go for between R12 500 and 15 500 for a 3-bedroom house, while in the more up-market suburbs you will pay anything ranging from R16 000 to R18 000

and more,” says Jacqui.

According to her the average income in Hermanus, especially among younger people, is not sufficient to cover rental costs. “Many young people are forced to either rent a garden cottage or share a house as they simply cannot afford the rent. In the last 24 months rentals have escalated to a point where some people feel they have been pushed beyond reasonable boundaries.

“Property owners argue that rentals are determined through supply and demand, but as a rental agent I believe there should be a fixed formula that can be used to provide agents with a fair price for a specific home to assist them in determining a market-related monthly

rental. This formula must take into account the average income of residents, especially younger people who are economically active and drawn here because of job opportunities created by the continuous development of our town.

“We work closely with homeowners and tenants to determine fair rentals in return for paying on time and taking care of properties. Escalations in rentals also become crippling when a contract expires. Normally an escalation of 10% is expected, but it is to the benefit of both the tenant and the homeowner if the escalation can be kept as close as possible to the Consumer Price Index of close on 7%.

“Lower escalations and more reasonable rentals benefit everyone,” says Jacqui.

MY SPORT

22

12 - 25 September 2017

Hermanus boxers ready to deliver knockout blows Tony O’Hagan

B

oxers from the Overstrand Whale Boxing Club are set to add to their previous success at the South African Nationals later this year. In the last few years boxers from the club have won gold, silver and bronze medals at the nationals.

The club was founded in 2007

by Mzikayise (Mzi) Damesi and is based in Zwelihle. Mzi is organizing a boxing extravaganza, together with traditional dancers and a marimba band, at the Grobbe-laar Hall on 23 September. The purpose of the event is to raise funds to send a number of boxers to the SA Nationals.

Mzi grew up in the township of Ilinge near Queenstown and came to Hermanus in 2000. He started boxing at the age of 12 and in the ensuing years he

gained a great deal of experience in the boxing arena.

Today, he is responsible for the coaching and training of 32 members of the club. In 2011, the club was registered as a Non-Profit Organization.

The club's success has been achieved despite the basic facilities available. Three containers are used as a boxing gymnasium and there are no training aids such as punch bags etc. Sparring with other club members is the main form of training.

Despite limited resources and only the bare necessities available, the club boxers have won numerous medals at the South African Championships.

Boxers who have excelled include Phumlani Damesi (silver medal) and Khule Mgogi (silver), the latter selected for Team SA and captain of the national team in 2014. Other winners are Tanner Metodes (gold medal

in 2016), Akhule Mgogi (bronze), Sanele Tasazibana (bronze), Siyayaknolwa Nxanti (bronze) and Atang Matubatsi Sikiti (gold).

Tickets to the boxing tournament in the Grobbelaar Hall on 23 September are available at R80 (floor stand), R100 (grand stand) and VIP passes at R120, from The Jol Emporium in Long Street. The owner Carol Dods can be contacted on 028 313 2769. For further information call Mzi on 082 621 5906.

We wish the club a successful fundraiser to enable our promising boxers to compete at the upcoming nationals.

Mzikayise Damesi with Atang Matubatsi Sikiti, who won a gold medal at the South African Championships.

23

12 - 25 September 2017

Dust off the cobwebs and get golfing!

G

reetings to one and all!

This time the putting pirate has jumped ship and is now firmly anchored at The Village NEWS. It's all quite exciting and I promise to be the bearer of all things golf and fun – after all, golf is supposed to be fun, although if you have ever seen me or some of my golfing friends partake of the “fore” lettered game you may doubt that!

Life at Hermanus Golf Club has been rather in hibernation mode for the past few months, but now September has dawned, and we are dusting off the cobwebs and getting ready for our influx of returning members and visiting golfers.

Our clubhouse was renovated last year and we have continued in the same industrious spirit by finishing off painting the stoep and surrounds, renovating the kitchen and replacing the dingy floor in my shop. All we need now are golfers!

Events on the immediate skyline are the Hermanus Open (in our next issue I will have full details for you), then we are getting ready for the Club’s premier tournament week, The Walker Bay Classic in November.

This really is a fantastic week of golf and for the first time will feature a ladies day on the Thursday, which is well overdue and promises to be absolutely brilliant!

This last week's golf saw the pirate relegated to the side lines to join the spectators, due to working far too much.

Hopefully I will rejoin the

The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw

playing ranks next week.

Special moments this week saw a proliferation of Burger’s, Eddie and sons from Build It, together with the vice-captain Albert Streicher storming through a strong field on Wednesday to finish second, and then on Saturday our best gross was taken by a lady!

Lynne the magnificent (more about her just now) kicked all the guys into submission with a very credible 76 gross – well done.

Then a golfing story to cringe at: Saturday saw a strong fourball of John Atkinson with Bill McGeachy playing with Glyn Davies and Tony Behagg.

When playing a better ball format 26 points is unbelievably good to make on a nine, and this was achieved by Bill and John, only to be beaten unreservedly by Glyn and Tony on 27 points for that same nine. Little wonder they all featured on the podium!

I feel I really must mention two ladies who are in the news at the moment and wish them the very best of golfing fortunes. Lynne Behagg and Nadia van der Westhuizen have been selected to play in the ladies interprovincial tournament from the 25th of this month at Mossel Bay Golf

Club. Nadia is still at school and Lynne is our current ladies club champion. In fact this year’s ladies club championships turned out to be a two horse race between these two gladiators. With Lynne finally edging out Nadia by a couple of shots, I really can’t help thinking that the ladies’ mantle is going to be passed soon. Anyway, all the best ladies, and especially to Lynne who will be captaining the side.

Lastly, the pirate is well known for liking a good laugh and a tipple or two, so I thought I would share this one with you.

After having a recent bout of wine flu, I decided I must consult my Japanese doctor friend: Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: Oh, no. Wine made from fruit. Fruit very good. Brandy distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Grain good too. Bottom up!

I must say I like the Japanese life philosophy.

Anyway, from a very happy putting pirate: anchors away and get golfing!

Nadia van der Westhuizen (left) and Lynne Behagg (right) have been selected to play in the ladies interprovincial tournament from the 25th of this month at Mossel Bay Golf Club.

Scores at a glance Tuesday ladies day Sorry the weather huffed and puffed and blew everyone away!

Wednesday men's day, 66 players Alliance stableford 1. Dave Bunn, C B Thompson, Andre Gouws, Lieb Louw - 95 points 2. Eddie Burger, C Burger, C Burger, Albert Streicher - 93 points 3. Tony Behagg, Peter Sulley, Glyn Davies, Bill McGeachy - 91 points Ball pool pays to 91 Two 2 clubs

Saturday, all together 123 players Four ball better ball stableford 1. Tony Behagg, Glyn Davies - 49 points counted in 2. Andre du Toit, Johan Krog - 49 points counted out 3. John Atkinson, Bill McGeachy - 47 points counted in Ball pool paid to 46 points Best gross: Lynne Behagg - 76 4 two clubs Attendance draw sponsored by Sterling Auto was won by Peter Cawdry.

24

12 - 25 September 2017

THE

NEWS

MY Sport

Hermanus power lifters head for Commonwealth Games

T

wo local residents, Johan Kruger and Michelle Hamman, have been selected to represent South Africa in the Masters division of the power lifting discipline at the Commonwealth Games on 16 and 17 September in Potchefstroom.

Offside Tony O’Hagan

Some 18 months ago, Johan and Michelle entered the strongman/woman contest in the Walker Bay Xtreme sports competition. They both came out tops in their respective divisions. From this beginning, they took an interest in power lifting, soon gaining Western Province colours in this discipline.

They met the qualification standards to compete in the South African Championships where Johan won gold and Michelle silver in their respective Masters divisions. At this event, they met the higher qualification standards necessary to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games.

Michelle will take part in the 63-72 kg and Johan in the 120

kg division, competing in bench press, squat and dead lift.

Their success resulted from many hours of training and a strict diet. They owe much of their achievement to Mathew Browne at the Pro Active Gym who allowed Johan and Michelle to train after hours at the gym. They also express their gratitude to the companies and friends who made contributions to enable them to undertake the trip to Potchefstroom.

On his return from the Commonwealth Games, Johan will commence classes to those interested in strongman and power lifting. For further enquiries Johan can be contacted on 073 166 3489.

Johan Kruger and Michelle Hamman will represent South Africa in the Masters division of the power lifting discipline at the Commonwealth Games on 16 and 17 September in Potchefstroom.

GUY KRIGE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT The Hermanus Bowling Club recently held their first Guy Krige Memorial Men’s Trips Tournament. The club hosted 36 teams on a magnificent warm day. In true Hermanus Bowing Club style there were wonderful prizes up for grabs on their wheel – and on this occasion, they had four half-lamb packs! The lucky winners of the lamb packs were Peter Schumer, Danie Kruger, Andrew Buttle and Koos Hugo. The Ultimate results of the bowls were: 1st place – Roly Maggot and his team from Durbanville; 2nd place – Iekraam Samaai and his team from SAPS; 3rd place – Clive Rix and his team from Pinelands; 4th place – Kassie Carstens and his team from Hermanus. Pictured is the winning team being presented their trophy by Thelma Krige.

SPORT NEWS? Share your sport news, results or photos with us! It has never been easier. Just send the information or image to sport@thevillagenews.co.za and we will gladly consider it. Competition results, a friendly rivalry, a funny anecdote, a once-off feat or a major improvement – all news is welcome. We would like to feature our community’s major sport stars as well as its unsung sport heroes – just let us know.

We look forward to hearing from you.