The Village NEWS 12 May - 20 May 2020

13 MAY 2020

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The Hermanus Waterfront is slowly but surely getting back to normal with several shops now open and operating. Be sure to visit the heart of the Hermanus CBD on your next trip to town for your essential needs.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

WC in midst of Covid-storm

Writer De Waal Steyn

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ith more than 50% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa reported in the Western Cape, all eyes are fixed on the province and how it will deal with the challenges of the pandemic.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said on Monday 11 May that his cabinet has approved the Whole of Government COVID-19 Hotspot Strategy for the City of Cape Town. This strategy sets out how the Western Cape Government will utilise and coordinate its various government departments together with the City of Cape Town in one unified response to COVID-19 hotspots within the city.

“The Western Cape understands that a blunt, one-size-fit-all approach for the entire province, when some regions have few cases and others have high transmission rates, is neither sustainable nor effective. We need to be more flexible and innovative,” Winde said.

deaths from the virus in the province stood at 106, while a total of 66 806 tests had been conducted.

Winde explained that as part of the new strategy, they are differentiating between hotspots and clusters.

According to the premier, the strategy is an evidence-based, data-led approach to the pandemic response, which drills down below sub-district level, to understand the transmission of the virus within particular geographical areas.

“Hotspots are areas where there is a high number of cases, and where community transmission is well entrenched and accelerating. A hotspot is where people live. A cluster is where the outbreak originated, which is a place of gathering, such as a supermarket or retail store.”

On 11 May the Western Cape had 3 911 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 5 813 confirmed cases and 1 796 recoveries. The total number of

Earlier he said his government had done an in-depth analysis of the deaths due to COVID-19 in the province, starting from the period

when South Africa had 64 deaths. It revealed that significant numbers of people who had died had one or more comorbidities such as tuberculosis, HIV, or diabetes.

ill, or even die, as has been the case in rare circumstances.”

“It was found that only 6% of known COVID-19 deaths in the Western Cape had no comorbidities. Over 65% of patients who died had more than two comorbidities,” said Winde.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize said over the weekend that all positive cases must be isolated. Those who test positive for COVID-19 and are not able to self-isolate at home, will be placed in specific isolation facilities which the Western Cape Government has been using up until now.

“I do, however, want to make an important point here: while the above facts indicate that vulnerable groups are most at risk, this does not mean that those who are younger, or those in good health, should not worry. Not only could you help spread the virus, and infect someone who is vulnerable, but you could also get seriously

“These facilities are not medical or health-care facilities but allow for people to complete their 14-day isolation period safely. We are also currently exploring additional facilities to expand our isolation and quarantine options, in order to cater for increased demand when we reach the peak of infections,” said Winde.

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13 May 2020

Smokers left ashen-faced over black-market prices Writer De Waal Steyn

known to mankind,” he says.

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Many smokers have commented on the low quality of the cough-inducing illicit cigarettes that have flooded the market.

“I have a wife and two children. And while I consciously took the decision to become a ‘criminal’ by buying illicit cigarettes, I can never justify paying R160 for 20 cigarettes. If I do that, I will not be able to buy food for the rest of the month.

A Vermont resident says she was hard-hit by the ban on cigarettes. “I did not have the money to stock up before the lockdown started. But during the first few weeks, when there was still uncertainty as to whether it was legal or not, most shops still sold cigarettes. I thought this was great as I could buy daily and regulate my cashflow as per normal.

“I understand that the government wants to protect us from the Coronavirus but taking away our basic rights like this leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth (no pun intended). Now, after three days of not smoking I feel irritated and disgusted in our government. I no longer want to support the lockdown. I want my life and my business back, even if I have to face the virus head-on.”

“I am a single mother and have two children. I do not work, but I am fortunate enough to still receive a UIF-payment, so we do have money for necessities, but no luxuries. After the shops stopped selling cigarettes, I decided this is it, I am quitting. After the first day of not smoking I started contemplating just buying one packet via a neighbour who had access to illicit cigarettes. But my conscience would not let me, and I decided to hold out.

Over the weekend it was reported that a pack of 20 cigarettes is now selling for R220.

ne WhatsApp message and a few minutes later you find yourself part of an underground network to rival those of any Chinese triad or even the Italian mafia.

The only difference is this network consists of people you know – upstanding and law-abiding ooms and tannies who live just around the corner and under normal circumstances fill the church pews on a Sunday morning.

But ever since government’s sudden about-turn on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products, more and more ordinary people are finding themselves on the wrong side of the law and running the risk of a criminal record, simply for satisfying their craving for nicotine.

Apparently it is pretty easy to gain access to a network of people who know people who know someone who is selling illicit cigarettes, or who can give you the name of someone who is. At one stage a smuggler in Hermanus even had a WhatsApp group where you could order, and within a matter of hours he delivered to your doorstep.

“I was well prepared for the initial 21-day lockdown,” relates a middle-aged smoker from Sandbaai. “I stocked up on a number of cigarette cartons beforehand and thought that would be that. When President Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown, I immediately looked at my stash and realised I needed to smoke a little bit less if I were to make it through another 14 days, which I did. Then, when the president said cigarette sales would be allowed under Level 4, I happily went back to my old smoking routine, because I knew that I would be able to buy again in a few days’ time.”

But, with the sudden about-face on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco-related products announced by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, smokers needed to turn to the black-market to ease their cravings.

A friend of a friend recounts: “All of a sudden, smokers started panicking and where you paid anything between R25 and R35 for a packet by the end of April, the price suddenly shot up to R45. And where you could still buy your normal brand of cigarettes during April, from the beginning of May the market was flooded with unknown brands like Peterman, F1, Rich Man and Caesar. Names I have never heard of and most probably the worst-tasting cigarettes

“By the end of the second day, my teenage son asked if he could talk to me. It was strange that he has such a serious look on his face, but I soon realised why. He handed me two packets of cigarettes that he’d procured via a school mate. He wanted me to start smoking again as, according to him, I had become a tyrant. I knew I was not myself, but had not realised how badly it was affecting my children. I now buy one pack a week and only smoke three cigarettes a day,” she says.

Her story is basically the same as that of a man in Northcliff who also decided to quit, but was not able to do so. Eventually he, too, turned to the black market and bought from various sources.

“The one day I bought six packs and not one of them was the same brand. The one pack featured black filters with embossed golden stars on them. At first I was freaked out and felt like I was smoking a prop from a Bollywood movie set, but I soon became used to it.

“Now, after having had access to more than enough cigarettes over the last few weeks, the supply seems to have suddenly dried up. I desperately called all my contacts and visited all the shops I used to buy from, but nothing – not a smoke in sight. Eventually one contact called back and said I could buy from him, but the price now was R95 a packet! I bluntly refused, but as the cravings got worse and worse, I eventually decided to buy one packet. However, when I phoned the next day, I was unceremoniously told the price has now shot up to R160 a packet and that they are only sold as cartons at R1 600.

But, according to the government, there is "nothing sinister" behind the state's decision to renew the ban on the sale of tobacco products under Level 4 of the lockdown.

Last week, Minister Dlamini-Zuma deposited an affidavit ahead of a looming court case between the state and the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA). The association, whose members include cigarette makers Carnilinx and Gold Leaf Tobacco, wants to challenge the state's decision to retain the ban on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products.

The minister said the decision to promulgate the regulation was taken after careful consideration, not only of the submissions received, but also the relevant medical literature. It was also a decision that was endorsed by the National Coronavirus Command Council and Cabinet before the regulations were promulgated.

FITA chairperson Sinenhlanhla Mnguni said there is no basis to contend that the prohibition of cigarettes and tobacco products is related to combating the Coronavirus.

In his affidavit to the court Mnguni stressed that the public comments on the "ills of smoking" have not been "adequately linked" to the fight against COVID-19. "If health was truly a factor, why was there not a prohibition on such non-essential and unhealthy goods such as junk food, chocolates, fizzy drinks and sweets. Many illnesses or conditions are associated with consumption of these items, yet dealing with them has not been prohibited," he said. It is uncertain when the court case will proceed. * The names of those quoted in the article have been withheld to protect the not-so-innocent

Some of the cigarette brands being sold on the black market.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

13 May 2020

Marine economy flounders in troubled waters

rine environment and its objective is to maintain sustainable interventions.

The four coastal provinces (Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal) were identified as key areas within which the provincial authorities organise inter-departmental operations to address crimes related to the marine environment.

In doing so, all departments function in an integrated manner and not in silos.

Writer & Photographer Elaine Davie

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owns like Hermanus and its neighbours, Kleinmond and Gansbaai, owe their existence to the small-scale fishing industry.

Over the decades, as larger-scale operations began to dominate the fishing environment and to some extent, deplete the oceans, only die-hard families continued to live off the sea, as they had done for generations, selling their catches to the big factories in Cape Town and to local restaurants and fishmongers.

They were catching not only fish, but crayfish and abalone on permit and generally, this was enough to ensure their survival on a subsistence basis.

In more recent times this section of the Southern Cape coast became victim to hundreds of abalone and crayfish poachers, who seemed to ply their trade with impunity on behalf of criminal cartels, mostly based in China and other Far-Eastern countries. Wild populations were seriously depleted, and the fishers’ quotas drastically curtailed, so that it became increasingly difficult to make a viable livelihood.

The other side of the coin was the emergence of a new industry in the region in the 1980s – the farming of abalone (Haliotis midae). Not only did it not remove animals from the wild, but it began to employ a significant workforce and, since the product was mostly exported to the Far East, China in particular, it earned a significant amount of foreign revenue for South Africa. Despite two major plagues of red tide during the past decade, which had a serious effect on the profitability of the industry, it was able to pick itself up and revitalise its operations.

And then came COVID-19 and with one fell swoop dealt a death blow to both the small crayfish fishers and the abalone export industry, as China slammed its import door in their faces. Although the Department of the Environment, Forests and Fisheries (DEFF) agreed to extend the crayfish season by two months, the fishermen

The deserted Kleinmond harbour. Although fishing boats are still going out, they are finding it difficult to sell their catch. had no one to sell their catch to, since all the local restaurants and hotels had been forced to close down. What had been a sustainable livelihood, instantly tumbled hundreds of fishermen and their families into poverty.

Hopelessness in his voice, one of them said, “The sea is all we know, what can we do now?”

Ironically, the abalone poachers were not nearly as deeply affected. Despite a step-up in the policing of this illegal activity since September last year, the poachers have continued to harvest wild abalone. Their catch is simply transported to illegal processing houses, where it is dried for sale once the market re-opens.

In an exclusive engagement with Minister Barbara Creecy of DEFF, The Village NEWS raised some of these issues and the devastating effect they are having on the marine economy of the region and its people. We wanted to know whether the government is putting plans in place to alleviate the situation and offer hope to those drowning in a sea of despair.

According to Minister Creecy: “Currently, there is no specific financial relief package designated for small-scale fishers by the Department. However, it is working closely with the fishing industry, including fishing communities, on various interventions to support the sector in reducing the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include, amongst others, amendment of the existing fisheries legislation and business processes to facilitate and enable fishing activities whilst adhering to the provisions of the Disaster Management Acts and Regulations.”

The dramatic drop in exports to China since the Coronavirus outbreak resulted in the West Coast Rock Lobster (WCRL) sector enduring economic loss from the decline in the export price. The small-scale fishers and the commercial sector petitioned the Department and it was agreed to extend WCRL nearshore fishing in the Western Cape until June, and the offshore and Northern Cape fishing until September. The WCRL sector will also be allowed to fish over weekends until the end of the WCRL fishing season.

Holders of Permits and/or Authorizations that have been issued in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998) and will be expiring, or have expired, have been granted an exemption to continue to operate with those Permit and/or Authorizations for a period of sixty (60) days or until 23 June 2020.

The Department has issued Annexure C, Form 1, Permit to Perform Essential Services, Regulation 11 B (3) to all small-scale fishing cooperatives in the four coastal provinces.

This dispensation has been granted in compliance with the Disaster Management Acts and amended Regulations to allow the fishers to be able to catch snoek throughout its migration, as it is the mainstay and a key economic contributor to the line-fish sector.

The DEFF has also facilitated engagements with other relevant government departments, as well as other fishing sectors. For example, these include: • Fish Processing Establishments (FPE) – Licensed FPEs were

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engaged and encouraged to buy fish directly from the small-scale and traditional line fishers when they land their catch during the lockdown period.

Municipalities – Relevant municipalities were engaged to speedily issue trading permits to fishers, langanas and vlekkers.

Law Enforcement Agencies – Have been engaged to assist the Department both en route to and within the fishing harbours, where there are increased activities as a result of the snoek run, to ensure that that all right holders comply with the Disaster Management Acts and amended Regulations.

Access to International Market – Together with the Rock Lobster Industry Associations, The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) were engaged to explore the possibility of exporting the available consignment of fish.

“In partnership with the commercial fishing sector,” says Minister Creecy, “a total of 800 food parcels have already been sourced and distributed in fishing communities around the Overberg region. An additional 4 000 food parcels will be provided and distribution expanded to other small-scale fishing communities in the Western Cape.”

In the meantime, plans to curtail illegal activities and specifically to combat abalone poaching involve the implementation of Initiative 5, The Enhanced Coordinated Enforcement Programme in terms of Operation Phakisa. This plan aims to address all the security aspects within the ma-

This plan is currently being implemented with the intention of keeping the abalone at sea. Proactive strategies aim to prevent illegal harvesting and Reactive strategies follow up with arrests and prosecutions.

Engagements include strategies to address the problem of poachers relocating to other areas to plunder.

Although the three Phakisa operations in the Overberg from September last year to March 2020 have resulted in substantial arrests and fines, as well as wide-spread confiscation of abalone, together with a variety of equipment, local fishers believe that until continuous boat patrols take place along the coast, the poachers will continue to flourish between these operations.

When it comes to the abalone farming industry, Minister Creecy emphasises that the DEFF is working closely with the industry through the Abalone Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA) to support the sector during this time, which includes diversifying markets and assisting with the freight logistics of getting products to market, as indications are that the Chinese market is starting to open up. Other government COVID-19 funding support interventions that apply to all businesses are being explored.

The Department is also investigating other means of reducing operational costs such as deferred payment on leases and rentals where feasible.

The point is made that the ban in China of the trade and consumption of wildlife pertains to terrestrial animals and excludes aquatic wildlife. It is unlikely that the reduction of trade in aquatic resources will decline as a result of the ban, but more probably as a result of the unavailability of transport to access markets.

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13 May 2020

Reading is ‘essential’ during lockdown A

warehouses begin to open again. “Now, more than ever before, our town’s local businesses, and in particular the independent bookstores, need all the support we can get,” said John.

Notwithstanding this frustrating lack of clarity and hair-splitting, both John and bookmark’s owner, Amanda de Vos are very happy to get back to business and are looking forward to receiving all the latest titles as the publishers’

I asked both him and Amanda what they’d been reading during the hard lockdown.

“One of the things that people often ask is whether I’ve read such-and-such a book – well, like everyone else, I usually only get to read at the end of the day, so often my answer is, sadly, ‘not yet’. Therefore the initial lockdown came as a welcome break (I hadn’t had a holiday in nearly four years!) to read what I want, in my own time, and purely for pleasure!

Nothing ‘light and humorous’

What took place in Germany between 1933 and 1945 is not a subject that lacks historical study. But if there is one element of that era that has been relatively neglected, it is, for obvious reasons, the suffering of the German people. In recent years there has been a movement among some German historians to redress the balance and, if not exactly portray the Germans as victims, show the scale of immiseration they endured in the final stages of the war.

In Promise Me You’ll Shoot Yourself, Florian Huber tells the story of the mass suicides that broke out, particularly in eastern Germany, as the Soviet forces pushed towards Berlin.

“The epidemic,” writes Huber, “was an extreme expression of the meaninglessness and pain people felt in the face of defeat, humiliation, loss, shame, personal suffering and rape.”

– theguardian.com

The 19th century in Europe was a time of unprecedented artistic achievement. It was also the first age of cultural globalisation – an epoch when mass communications and high-speed rail travel brought Europe together, overcoming the barriers of nationalism and facilitating the development of a truly European canon of artistic, musical, and literary works. Drawing from a wealth of documents, letters, and other archival materials, acclaimed historian Orlando Figes examines the interplay of money and art that made this unification possible. At the centre of the book is a poignant love triangle: the Russian writer Ivan Turgenev; the Spanish prima donna Pauline Viardot, with whom Turgenev had an intimate relationship; and her husband Louis Viardot, an art critic, theatre manager, and republican activist.

– amazon.com

Writer Hedda Mittner fter some initial doubt as to whether they would be allowed to trade during the Level 4 lockdown, which permits the sale of stationery and ‘educational books’, both The Book Cottage and bookmark have reopened to the public. “After all, aren’t all books educational?” asked John Morris, owner of The Book Cottage.

mind you – I prefer to get my teeth stuck into something serious!” said John.

History being his favourite subject, he took several books home with him on relatively unknown aspects of World War II, such as Promise Me You’ll Shoot Yourself about the experiences of ordinary Germans during the last terrifying moments of the fall of Berlin in April 1945. “I also read a biography of Von Stauffenberg (the German aristocrat who led the 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler), and a book on the Allies’ bombing of Dresden in 1943.”

John especially enjoyed re-reading The Europeans by Orlando Figes, which will be

For readers of Circe and The Handmaid’s Tale, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Mercies is a story about a love that could prove as dangerous as it is powerful. Winter, 1617. The sea around the remote Norwegian island of Vardø is thrown into a reckless storm. A young woman, Maren, watches as the men of the island, out fishing, perish in an instant. Vardø is now a place of women. Eighteen months later, a sinister figure arrives. Summoned from Scotland to take control of a place at the edge of the civilised world, Absalom Cornet knows what he needs to do to bring the women of the island to heel. With him travels his young wife, Ursa. In her new home, and in Maren, Ursa finds something she has never seen before: independent women.

But Absalom sees only a place flooded with a terrible evil, one he must root out at all costs… - panmacmillan.com

out in paperback soon. “This sweeping tour de force takes readers on a glorious ride through 19th century Europe, just as the railways opened up the continent, and describes how art, literature and music flourished as a result. Describing the Spa towns, the explosion of book publishing and music, and in particular the growth of Grand Opera, The Europeans is a fascinating exploration of European culture in that remarkable time. I also really enjoyed The Mercies

by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, which is based on a real-life event in the early 17th century when a storm leaves a group of women alone on an island off the coast of Norway.”

nearly as much time for reading as she would have liked to, as she used the time during lockdown to catch up on admin and finances.

Still, she said “a day is not complete if I haven’t read at least a couple of chapters, and there are always books stacked on the bedside table, inviting me to spend more time with them”.

Amanda said she didn’t get

“I did finally get around to reading the charming Meet me at the Museum by Anne Youngson, followed by A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Neither are brand-new books but came highly recommended, and they were exactly what I needed. Next up will be A Long Petal of the Sea, City

Published in 2018 and shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, Anne Youngson's Meet Me at the Museum is a celebration of long letters, kindred spirits, and the possibility of writing a new story for yourself, at any stage of life. Tina and Kristian, each on the other side of 60, have lost a best friend and a wife, the ambitions of their youth, their hopes for a fresh start.

Yearning for connection, they strike up a yearlong correspondence, brought together by a shared fascination with the Tollund Man, subject of Seamus Heaney's famous poem. In letters full of insight, humour and candour, they open up to one another about their lives – daily routines, travel, nature, beauty, work, family – and along the way these two strangers become friends and then, perhaps, something more.

– bookbrowse.com

William Blake famously wrote, To see a world in a grain of sand, /And heaven in a wild flower, /Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, /and eternity in an hour. This will become Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov's daily challenge and his lifelong campaign, to see the whole world as defined by the confines of a small cramped room in the attic of the glorious and historic Hotel Metropol in Moscow, living out his days under house arrest. A gentleman in the truest sense of the world, his misfortune was to have penned a poem in the tumultuous times after the Bolshevik Revolution, leading to charges of sedition and a lifelong sentence. A gentleman in Moscow is an absolute jewel of a book and in Count Rostov, Amor Towles has created a captivating character of supreme intelligence and wit, a man of integrity and honour.

– explorebooksellers.com

of Jasmine and Dear Edward. I asked Ronel (bookmark’s manager) what she’d read and she said she’d just finished Into the Fire, the fifth Orphan X novel

by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz, which she described as ‘an excellent, fast-paced escapist read with loads of action’.”

The Book Cottage (028 313 0834) is open Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, Saturday 09:00–13:00 & Sunday 10:00–14:00. bookmark (028 312 2000) is open from Monday to Saturday 09:30–13:30 (closed on Sunday).

Below are some of the great reads recommended by The Book Cottage and bookmark:

The New York Times bestselling Orphan X returns – facing his own uncertain future and undertaking one last mission.

Taken from a group home, Evan Smoak was trained as an off-the-books government assassin: Orphan X. After breaking with the Program, he reinvented himself as The Nowhere Man, a figure shrouded in shadows who helps the truly desperate. But the government didn’t let go of him easily and sent their best to hunt him down and eliminate him. All of them failed. With his deadliest enemies behind him, Evan is contacted by Max Merriweather, whose highly successful cousin has been murdered. The Nowhere Man takes on the case and soon finds himself enmeshed in one of the most challenging missions of his life. This time he can’t survive alone and needs help as he once more heads…

Into the Fire. – goodreads.com

13 May 2020

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Rossouw Modern celebrates 25 years Writer Hedda Mittner

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he Rossouw Modern Art Galleries have become a landmark in Hermanus since an energetic entrepreneur with a penchant for style and beauty, for good art and chic clothes opened the doors of a traditional fisherman’s 1 cottage in Harbour Road in 1995. At the time it was the only art gallery in Hermanus – and this month the gallery’s owner, Jozua Rossouw, is celebrating Rossouw Modern’s 25th birthday.

For any business in Hermanus to survive this long is extraordinary, let alone for an art gallery specialising in contemporary artworks with a cutting-edge quality. And were it not for the COVID-19 lockdown, Jozua would have been celebrating this momentous milestone with his usual flair, in the company of his wide circle of friends, artists and art patrons.

But Jozua is not someone to let anything keep him from a good party, so he’s taken it online and invites everyone to join him in celebrating this silver anniversary over the next two months on Rossouw Modern’s website and Facebook and Instagram pages, where he’ll be posting regular stories, reminiscences and photos of what he calls “the highlights of this quarter of a century long adventure”. If you’ve been a part of Rossouw Modern’s journey, Jozua would love to hear your stories as well, so please get in touch via Facebook or email (info@rossouwmodern.com).

Getting back to the cottage in Harbour Road, it is here that Jozua opened The Fisherman’s Gallery on 8 May 1995 to exhibit his own paintings alongside works by his favourite artist, Sheena Ridley and other local artists. Apparently there was a roaring party that night that was long remembered in the then sleepy village.

“Enduring friendships and connections were made that night,” he says.

About two years later, when the florist next door moved out, Jozua took over that half of the building and created one big space for the renamed Rossouw Modern Art Gallery. A few years ago he also acquired additional premises just across the road down Warrington Place, which afford

him the extra space he needs for large works and special exhibitions.

Jozua and his galleries have become such an integral part of the community that it’s impossible to imagine not only the art scene but the whole town without his vibrant presence. He can often be found hosting lunch on what his friend, Talita Engelbrecht calls Rossouw Modern’s “infamous stoep”, and any passing visitors are likely to find themselves invited into the gallery for a friendly chat and a glass of local wine.

Amid the many fond memories being shared on Rossouw Modern’s website and social media platforms, a backward glance at the journey that brought him to our shores is perhaps appropriate as we celebrate this milestone with him.

Jozua grew up in the northern suburbs of Cape Town and spent most of his high school years as a resident learner at Dirkie Uys High School in Moorreesburg. While this sounds like a most unlikely place for a sophisticated teen with artistic leanings, Jozua says he was very happy in Moorreesburg where “they fully embraced this weird kid from the Cape”!

After matriculating he had his heart set on swotting drama but ended up doing law at Stellenbosch University, where he soon realised that his talents were more of a creative than academic nature. He dropped out and started working in a restaurant in Sea Point while selling his own artworks at various markets, before being conscripted into the army for military training, which in those days was still compulsory. Once again Jozua’s positive attitude carried him through this challenging time.

“The army was a good experience,” he says. “I was thrown together with guys from all walks of life and that generates a sense of camaraderie. It also showed me just how strong I am.” After training as a medic, Jozua was stationed in Nyanga, where his entrepreneurial instinct soon recognised a business opportunity – selling second-hand clothing and household goods in the township.

After the army, Jozua settled in his family’s holiday home in Betty’s Bay. During this time he expanded his business to include

artworks, which he sold at more than a dozen markets all over the Western Cape. Among them was Lemm’s Corner in Hermanus, where he sold his own multi-media artworks and those he’d purchased from his artist friends. “I struck up a friendship with several artists,” says Jozua.

“One of them was local artist Hugo Maritz, who remains one of my oldest clients.

After taking a few of his paintings I sold five in one week!”

Once Jozua had found his niche as an art dealer, curator and gallery owner, there was no looking back. He has been instrumental in advancing the careers of dozens of artists, and says he finds it specifically rewarding to give young artists a chance.

“I started with nothing and many of my current established artists were unknown back then,” he says, adding that he also enjoys working with artists who’ve had no formal training; whose work is original and dramatic.

“To me an artwork is not just a picture – while technical aspects such as composition are important, it has to have a storyline and elicit a diversity of emotional responses. The clients I work with were born to be artists – they could never be anything else. Even if they are penniless, it is something they simply have to continue doing.”

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And perhaps the same thing can be said of Jozua. The Village NEWS certainly hopes he will overcome the current challenges and continue to do what he does so well, bringing joy, colour and beauty to our town and sharing his generosity and compassion with the whole community.

Happy birthday, Rossouw Modern!

1. Jozua with long-time friend and art collector, Talita Engelbrecht.

2. As art dealer, curator and gallery owner, Jozua Rossouw has become an integral part of the art scene in Hermanus and an enthusiastic ambas4 sador for our town.

3. Jozua with his right-hand man, Mario Louskitt.

4. Lunch on Rossouw Modern’s infamous stoep with local artist and close friend, Jenny Jackson.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

13 May 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Preparing for the new normal The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 20 May 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.

028 312 2234

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

De Waal Steyn

PUBLISHING EDITOR dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Hedda Mittner

Being able to see the future and already start taking steps to fully embrace it is a huge advantage.

Luckily for us, we have exactly this opportunity.

blue skies, numerous hiking trails, champagne air and kilometre after kilometre of beaches provide ample room for residents and tourists to safely stay out of each other’s way.

As countries around the world begin to lower their restrictions, we are offered a window seat to what they are doing to protect and reignite their economies.

Some towns and cities are using it to their advantage. Seattle, an American city surrounded by water, mountains and forests, has permanently closed over 30 km of streets to through-traffic to create corridors for people to safely exercise and cycle. Is there an opportunity like this for our towns to become even more inviting to visitors?

Already three themes are shaping this “new normal” – and we should take note.

The first is space. Thankfully, this is something that the Overberg is abundantly blessed with. The big

CONTENT EDITOR

Raphael da Silva

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

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

Alta Pretorius MARKETING MANAGER alta@thevillagenews.co.za

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

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Traceability will become even more important, not just for the actual product, but more importantly, to know who has been in contact with the product.

While we have always known that Local is Lekker, the future is going to expect us not only to be shopping in smaller locally-owned shops or online, but also expect these same retailers to be sourcing their prod-

ucts from within the geographic area, particularly food products. As the “breadbasket” of the Cape, the Overberg is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this trend.

A third is cleanliness. While we have now all gotten used to sanitising our hands frequently, the word “clean” is going to take on even greater significance. People will not only want to know that their environment is hygienic, but they are going to want to see cleanliness in action.

Here, too, we can build on the Cleanest Town of the Year awards we have won in the past.

This is the good NEWS - Ed

Tomfoolery, Famous Phrases and the Beer War

hedda@thevillagenews.co.za

ONLINE EDITOR

A second is localism – the preference for one’s own area or region.

More and more, consumers and visitors will want to know exactly where a product has come from, with a guarantee that the supplier has put in place all the necessary health and hygiene protocols.

By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com

S

ome facts that we have accepted as real, are not entirely trustworthy. Other facts that are inconveniently true are usually smothered under a shroud of national security/hearsay/conspiracy. The following though, is the whole truth, and nothing but. Scout’s Honour.

Naughty Tommy Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father of the USA, helped write the Constitution, was the 3rd President around 1800, and seemed a pretty decent sort of bloke all round. Or was he?

Many are unaware that he decided to edit the Bible. It was completed – though unpublished – in1820. Using a razor and glue he literally cut and pasted passages of the standard King James version to make the life and teachings of Jesus more accessible – mainly to enlighten the native Indians and those less educated, he claimed.

His mission was to separate Jesus’ actual teachings and moral lessons, like the Sermon on the Mount, from

the ‘supernatural’ occurrences like the virgin birth, water to wine, healing the sick and other miracles. So, to avoid confusion, he casually removed all mention of passages at variance with the laws of physical nature.

mistress. Nothing quite like keeping it in the family. Today hundreds of multi-coloured Americans in various walks of life, have a direct bloodline to President Tom, whether they like it or not.

“If a moral lesson was embedded in a miracle,” he wrote, “the moral survived but not the miracle.” So he sliced out verses from the Apostles and arranged them in chronological order to create a single narrative of Jesus’ moral teachings – in His own words.

Phrases from Fables 1. The Catherine wheel is often a centrepiece at fireworks displays. It is named after St Catherine, whose symbol was a spiked wheel. Legend has it that she was martyred by being tied (hopefully dead already) to a large wheel and rolled down a hill to rapturous applause. Exactly who thought of it is uncertain, but as a marketing ploy it survived the test of time.

His aim was to portray Jesus as a great moral teacher, not as a shaman or wizard, so some passages were oddly truncated, even in mid-verse.

It didn’t really catch on though. It’s a bit like staging an extravagant Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera and cutting out all the songs.

Now, apart from his misguided flirtations with the spiritual, his physical flirtations resulted in an affair and illegitimate offspring with Sally Hemmings, one of his ‘slaves’. She, in turn, was the illegitimate daughter of his father-in-law’s own ‘slave’

2. White elephants were extremely rare, so the King of Siam decreed that the owners of these albinos take extra special, extra expensive care of them, or else! If a courtier crossed his path, the King would announce that he was planning to gift him a white elephant. The bloke now had to choose: accept the gift and face financial ruin pampering the beast, or quietly disappear into the sunset. Most preferred not to accept the burden of an expensive, useless gift.

3. Touch-and-go is one of many common expressions that came from the seafaring tradition. Often a ship would touch the bottom in shallow passages and get stuck. So with clenched teeth and buns, the crew would have to wait and only go again when the tide floated them off – a narrow escape from a possible disaster.

Beer today – gone tomorrow Beer has been making people drunk since the Flintstones era.

In Central America, ancient tribes used corn, until the Europeans arrived and introduced the barley/ hops method, created and perfected mainly around today’s Germany, and quaffed throughout Northern Europe.

Over the centuries, the industry flourished and established an identity of its own. Mexican beer is vastly different in colour and taste, and as a fashion statement is quaffed directly from the bottle, with a wedge of lemon/ lime shoved down its neck. One highly successful, extensively marketed brand went viral, but through no fault of their own, sales have plummeted and it’s avoided these days like the plague. It’s called Corona.

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13 May 2020

LET'S TALK

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

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.

Joggers should wear Don’t miss out on your masks I have been feeling uncomfortable while walking along the Cliff Path (Westcliff section) during the early morning exercise time slot. Most walkers are considerate and friendly – making the experience doubly enjoyable.

My gripe is with some of the joggers and runners. Far too many of them are not wearing the requisite masks. I would let that slide if they were running in wide open spaces.

The trouble is that they pass us on a nar-

favourite talks

row path, huffing and puffing and blowing out vast clouds of vapour-laden breath.

Need I say more!

Both Whale Coast Conservation and U3A Overberg are offering their lectures and presentations via Zoom and have a line-up of interesting guest speakers who will be talking on various topics.

It would be good to hear that the municipality is taking action against this. If not, is it possible to get some law enforcement or police presence on the Cliff Path – if only to scare these rather selfish people into following what is, in this case, a sensible law?

• WCC is pleased to announce this week’s talk on Zoom, titled Early Warning: COVID-19 in Waste Water by Dr Anthony Turton on Thursday 14 May at 12:00: South Africa’s main challenge in the time of COVID-19 is that the number of people affected by the virus (as communicated in the media) is not an accurate reflection of the real number of infections as they do not include the number of asymptomatic people. The good news is that we can use sew-

Dr Shirley Kokot Mariner's Village, Westcliff

Moving permitted until 7 June Those who are moving to a new home or business premises are now allowed to do so between 7 May and 7 June 2020.

But remember, travel across provincial, metropolitan, or district boundaries will require a permit from the police.

These regulations were published and gazetted by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The amendments of the ‘Directions on the once-off movement of persons and the transportation of goods for purposes of relocation’ that commenced on 7 May allow individuals and businesses to move premises within, and across provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries during the Level 4 lockdown period.

Citizens who were not able to move due to the lockdown, are permitted during

this 30-day period to change their place of residence, including the transport of all household goods, within the Republic.

This pertains to instances where new lease agreements were entered into before or during the lockdown period, or where property transfers occurred before the lockdown period.

Anyone who wishes to take advantage of this period to move within or across provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries, must obtain a permit from the station commander of a police station (or a person designated by him or her).

All removals must be performed in compliance with the COVID-19 regulations and the relevant Directions issued by the Minister of Transport. A copy of the gazetted directions can be accessed at the following link: https://bit.ly/3ceioip

age to track viral spread, as the (dead) virus is found in human stools in our waste water. So how can sewage be used to detect the virus and what information will it give us? How will such an early warning assist us in coping with this virus? Dr Turton is professor at the University of the Free State and an expert in water systems. Please book for this talk by sending an email to anina. wcc@gmail.com. The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to you prior to the talk. Everyone can be accommodated, so please spread the word.

• U3A Overberg’s next presentation on Zoom is titled Vladimir Tretchikoff and Hermanus

by Dr Robin Lee of the Hermanus History Society on Monday

18 May at 12:00: A vital part of the history of Hermanus involves holidays spent in the town by people who were already famous or became famous later in life. One of them is Vladimir Tretchikoff (1913–2006), the painter who became famous (or notorious) during the second half of the 20th century. With his wife and daughter he spent at least two Christmas holidays at The Marine Hotel and left an unusual memento. The presentation will provide the background to Tretchikoff and Hermanus at the times he visited and explain the souvenir he left. Please register with Gert Claassen gc2441@gmail.com if you wish to participate in the session. The log-in codes will be forwarded to you on Friday evening 15 May.

Traffic Dept. still in lockdown All traffic departments will remain closed until June, the Overstrand Municipality has said in a statement after queries from residents about the renewal of driver’s and vehicle licences. “Rest assured that driver’s licences and car discs that expire during this time will remain valid until the end of the lockdown, with a grace period of renewal within 30 days from the end of the lockdown,” the municipality said.

According to National Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, licensing and testing centres will open during June 2020, but the exact date has not yet been announced. “Once open, safety measures

and protocols governing the observation of social distancing, sanitation and wearing of masks will be observed. Driver’s licensing tests and learner driver’s licensing tests that would have taken place during the lock-down period are postponed to the first available testing opportunities after the lockdown.

The new dates will be communicated to the relevant applicants after the lockdown.”

The municipality requests the public to establish the correct amount payable by phoning them after lockdown before making an EFT payment as transactions that reflect the wrong amount cannot be processed.

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13 May 2020

MY WELLNESS

Working remotely – a whole new ball game Writer Hedda Mittner

PHOTO: sydney.edu.au

Then there’s also what Schäferhoff describes as “the hair-pulling frustration of a person who isn’t clear about what they want, then often meets emails requesting clarification with total silence”. The solution, he suggests, is to try and be perfectly clear when communicating your needs, and to be persistent in getting the answers and clarity you require. Because the intended tone of a message can easily be misconstrued, it’s best to avoid jokes or sarcasm. Keep your communication friendly and polite, and if you’re familiar with your contacts and co-workers, including an emoji can help to convey your mood and what you are feeling.

W

hile several local businesses have been able to reopen as they are now allowed to trade under the current lockdown Level 4 regulations, working remotely from home is still the name of the game for many of us. While this scenario comes with its own set of challenges, I have to keep reminding myself how fortunate I am to still have a job that can be done remotely (albeit with some difficulty), and that being in a workplace and trying to operate within the confines of the many prescriptive measures (not to mention being more exposed to the possibility of infection) might be a whole lot more stressful.

There simply don’t seem to be any easy solutions to the challenges we are facing in these unprecedented times, except to share our experiences and in so doing, support one another in the knowledge that none of our hardships are unique. There will always be people who are better or worse off than you, but it is safe to say that no one has been unaffected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains almost surreal to wrap one’s head around the way in which this disease, which just a few months ago no one had even heard of, has so drastically upended our lives. It is something we are all grappling with.

For those of us working from home, it might have seemed like a great idea at the beginning. I can still remember how I rejoiced at the thought of spending more time at home, not having to dress and groom myself for work every morning, and being able to work at hours that suit me – in the middle of the night, say. I had been living alone for years since my grownup children flew the coup and being alone did not faze me in the least.

It all felt a bit like going on an adventure. Things like time-management, self-motivation, taking care of my physical and mental health, and communicating effectively with my colleagues from a distance were not on my mind at all. But, as the lockdown seems to drag on and on, I’ve learned a few hard lessons along the way.

I recently came across an online article by Nick Schäferhoff (torquemag.io) titled 5 Challenges of working remotely (and how to overcome them), which provides some valuable insight.

The five ‘Remote Working Challenges’ that he identifies are: 1. Self-motivation 2. Time-management issues 3. Communication 4. Loneliness 5. Personal health While I don’t usually find articles of this nature very helpful, this time I could instantly relate.

Oh, my goodness, he’s talking about me, I thought! So let’s take a look at these issues – and maybe you’ll recognise yourself, too.

Self-motivation “When you’ve never had to set your own hours or entirely motivate yourself before, relying on your own self-control will often end in disaster.

What a structured office environment has going for it is that it’s very helpful for keeping focus,” writes Schäferhoff.

This is something I had, perhaps naively, not anticipated. Because I actually enjoy my job, it’s not something I had ever struggled with before.

So why should it suddenly feel as though I have

the wrong group.

to force myself to sit down and get some work done? I mean, it’s not as though I have anywhere else to be or anything else to do. Which got me thinking that that might be precisely the problem.

Going out, meeting people, talking to them over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, attending functions and celebrations – those interactions have always been part of my job, and it’s what kept me connected to my community.

Conducting interviews over the phone or via email is just not the same thing. Being able to report back and bounce my ideas off my colleagues also provided me with the focus and inspiration I needed to get back to my computer and write up my stories.

Without these interactions, I find my mind wandering all over the place. If I need to google some or other information I soon find myself veering completely off track as I end up reading countless articles on the spread of the Coronavirus, having completely forgotten what information it was I needed in the first place.

Or I pick up my phone to make an important call but before I do, I see that I have a dozen WhatsApp messages and I quickly read them first, but then have to answer queries or open a link that had been forwarded to me… Sometimes I only remember hours later who it was I had needed to call!

Schäferhoff ’s advice in coping with this foggy disorganised state of mind – or what I call ‘lockdown brain syndrome’ – is to, well, get organised. Emulate the structured and distraction-free office environment by creating an effective workspace away from the rest of the home. (So no more working on my laptop outside when it’s a lovely sunny day, or on the couch in the evenings, or worse still, in my bed!) I also find a calendar and a daily planner useful for reminders of what I actually need to accomplish every day, and for writing down ideas before they fly right out of my head again.

I also make a list of the things that need to be discussed before video-calling my colleagues.

And yes, I’m being more vigilant and focused whenever I have to use the internet.

Time-management issues According to Schäferhoff, “When distraction kicks in, struggles with time management quickly follow. Working in a disruptive environment full of traps that could easily side-track you, you’re likely to overestimate how much time you have (or just not think about it until the deadline is suddenly on the horizon).”

For parents with young children working from home, it becomes even more of a juggling

act as you have to carve out time to focus on your job without constant interruptions, while also factoring in the need to shop for essentials and perform household chores such as cooking, cleaning and washing. Not to mention spending quality time with your offspring and supervising schoolwork. The combination of all these tasks are not only daunting but can soon feel like an overwhelming and impossible challenge.

Schäferhoff suggests following a strict schedule to pair with the structured work environment you’ve created. Just because you’re not going into the office any more, doesn’t mean that you should not start and stop work at consistent times, with regular breaks in between. “Remote work offers a degree of flexibility, but you still need to be consistent. If it’s more comfortable for you to wake up later than usual, do so, but get up and go to bed at the same time every day.”

This made me realise how inconsistent my habits had become – often working until the early hours when under the pressure of deadline, only to wake up in the morning feeling exhausted before the day had even begun.

There were days when I had to function on very little sleep and others when I would make up for it by sleeping the whole morning and watching Netflix all night. I had totally underestimated the importance of maintaining some kind of predictable routine, and before I knew it I’d allowed my internal clock to go completely haywire.

Communication “Overall, communicating online is a very messy affair, and there’s going to be an adjustment period for everyone involved,” writes Schäferhoff.

Indeed – especially if you are used to working under one roof with your colleagues, where it’s easy to just pop into someone’s office to get some information or to clear up a query, or to discuss a problem over a cup of tea. We also had regular meetings every week to discuss ideas, plans and both short- and long-term goals and strategies. All that flew out the window the day we closed the office.

Attending to literally hundreds of emails and WhatsApp messages every day is exhausting, not only because it takes longer to explain something in a text that could have instantly been accomplished by a face-to-face verbal exchange, but because I’m now part of several WhatsApp groups and have to keep up with multiple messages involving different departments of the business. Not only is my phone constantly pinging, but it’s also much easier to miss a vital message or send a query or info to

Schäferhoff also suggests that “when possible, try to schedule a face-to-face meeting, even if it’s just over online video or voice chat. Make the most of these meetings to ask about anything you’re struggling with. This should make communication a lot smoother.”

Loneliness Working remotely automatically implies that you are no longer in daily, physical contact with your colleagues. Social visits have also been curtailed by the lockdown regulations, which has left us cut off from our friends, co-workers and, for those living alone, from family members. Unsurprisingly, loneliness is an inevitable consequence.

As Schäferhoff says: “You may not notice that you’re starting to feel worse at first, but even introverts need social interaction of some form.

Isolating yourself might not seem like such a big deal, but eventually, you’re going to feel the effects. Staying in your house all day, never seeing anyone, can get lonely pretty fast. Let enough time pass like this, and you’re sure to crash from lack of any interaction.”

This is where technology can be put to good use. Don’t just use video or voice chats to communicate about work, but also to catch up regularly with family and friends. Skype is great for one-on-one conversations, while Zoom parties have become a popular way of getting together virtually with a whole group of friends. For techno-morons like myself this is all new but it’s worth figuring out, as it really does help to keep us all connected. You will feel much better, and less isolated, after spending time laughing and chatting with your loved ones.

For those who are missing their usual dose of intellectual or cultural entertainment, you can livestream music concerts on YouTube or participate in talks and lectures offered by U3A and Whale Coast Conservation via Zoom. Avid gamers (or those looking for a new hobby) are also making use of something called Discord for Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) gaming as well as text, voice or video chats. (For once, I am grateful to be living in the technological age!)

Personal health “Exercising, eating well, getting enough sleep, and absorbing adequate amounts of sunlight are all incredibly important,” says Schäferhoff.

It all comes down to being kind to yourself and taking good care of yourself. Try to maintain a balance between work and leisure time and remember not to overwork yourself as it will quickly lead to stress and you may end up with burn-out. “Stick strictly to your schedule. When it’s time to stop, put the laptop away and take some time to unwind. Even if you’re a little behind, tomorrow is the time to reassess your time management strategy and get back on track.”

13 May 2020

9

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Look after your mental health Writer Hedda Mittner

T

he Coronavirus pandemic has suddenly turned the world into a place that feels uncertain and unsafe. Because we find ourselves in a situation that we cannot control and also cannot walk away from, it is easy to feel stuck in a very uncomfortable spot. Worst of all, we don’t know how long it is going to last or if our lives will ever get back to ‘normal’ again. All these unknowns are taking a toll on our mental health, especially those already living with pre-existing conditions such as depression, anxiety and OCD. We are all worried about what would happen if we, or one of our loved ones, were to contract the virus. Being threatened by an invisible ‘enemy’ is particularly menacing as it is impossible to know where it’s lurking and the sense of danger feels all-pervasive. These concerns are compounded by the financial strain caused by lay-offs, salary cuts and businesses either struggling to survive or not being able to trade at all.

With all these pressures, it’s no wonder we lie awake at night, obsessing about catastrophic outcomes. We all have a lot to deal with right now.

So what can we do to protect our mental health?

The first step is to approach our health holistically and to realise that physical, mental and spiritual health are all connected. Mental stress

will take a toll on your physical and spiritual health, and vice versa. The next step is to focus on that which we can control.

Avoid obsessing over news coverage While the constant news coverage of the pandemic can feel relentless and overwhelming, it’s important to stay informed. That doesn’t mean that you have to read or listen to everything that’s broadcasted on television, websites and social media. There is a lot of misinformation and conspiracy theories swirling around at the moment. Don’t get sucked into the swamp of fake news and do block that friend (we all have one!) who insists on bombarding you with messages and links to dubious ‘experts’ spewing forth nonsense. Rather decide on a specific time of day to check in with the latest news from a few credible sources of information, take note of what is happening, and then get on with doing what you can do to make your life easier and more manageable.

Establish a routine Stick to your normal routine as much as possible. Small rituals such as having dinner at the same time every day as before the lockdown, and taking out the trash or doing the laundry on the same day of the week as before will all help to make your life feel more ‘normal’. Wake up and go to bed around the same time, keep up with your household chores, stick to your personal hygiene regime and don’t spend all day in your pyjamas. While it could be tempting to fall into more lethargic habits, life will feel even more chaotic if you let the small things spiral out of control.

Maintain a healthy diet A crucial part of self-care is making sure that you are eating regular meals that are rich in nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc and Omega-3. If you are less active during the lockdown than before, eat smaller meals or substitute one meal a day for a healthy snack that pairs protein with produce, for example cheese and apple, yoghurt and berries, nuts and dried fruit, or hummus and carrots. Remember to stay hydrated by drinking enough water and herbal teas. Limit your caffeine intake to a minimum, especially from mid-afternoon so it doesn’t affect your sleep.

Spend time in the sun Because routine is the most important factor in getting a good night’s sleep and your lockdown life does not have the same structure as before, it’s unsurprising that the hashtag #cantsleep has been trending all over the world. The problem is exacerbated if you are spending long hours indoors, as our bodies need exposure to outdoor light to maintain healthy levels of the hormone, melatonin, which regulates our sleep and wake pattern. Sun exposure is also the best source of Vitamin D, and a deficiency can lead to bone problems, illness, fatigue, or depression. So make sure you get out of the house and spend some time outdoors in the sun, preferably at the same time every day.

Keep exercising We all know that exercise releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that improve your mood, so do make use of the three-hour window we now have every morning to take a

ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WELLNESS

IMAGE: CNN walk, cycle or jog. If there are too many people out and about and it’s making you feel anxious, try heading off in a different direction where it’s less crowded. You could also find a no-equipment work-out or yoga routine online that suits your fitness level and set the same time aside every day to do it.

Get enough sleep While it’s normal to feel worried, try and avoid taking those worries to bed with you. Don’t check up on local and global COVID-19 statis-tics or comb through your bank statements in the evening. In fact, you should avoid any screens for at least two hours before bedtime; rather indulge in a relaxing bath, read a book or listen to music as part of your winding-down ritual. Tell yourself that you’ve done all you can for the day and that you will pick up again in the morning after a good night’s rest. Some people find it helpful to meditate and there are many tips available online to guide you. Don’t use your bed during the day (and no, don’t take naps) or even go near it until it is time to go to sleep.

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13 May 2020

MY HOME

By LB Vorster

How to limit delays in the transfer process

I

n any property transaction the purchaser, to a large extent, holds the key to a swift completion of the entire transfer process. Unfortunately, should it be the intention, a purchaser is well positioned to delay the process if a deed of sale does not prevent, or at least limit, potential delaying tactics.

Fortunately the majority of purchasers are keen to co-operate and contribute towards the speedy completion of the transfer. It does not take more than a couple of minutes for the purchaser to perform the required actions, such as scanning and emailing a couple of pages in order to comply with FICA, paying the agreed deposit, reading and signing standard transfer documents (or bond documents) or paying the relevant transfer costs (or bond registration costs).

The obvious solution to avoid delays is of course to comprehensively describe the various obligations of the purchaser in the deed of sale and to ensure that it adequately empowers the seller to enforce strict compliance with each obligation within a specified time frame, i.e. the shortest possible time whilst at the same time still being reasonable in order to be legally enforceable.

Amongst others, it will be expected of a purchaser to take the following 6 steps during the approximate 10-week process: 1. Provide FICA documentation Despite the important prescriptions of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 38 of 2001 (FICA), a number of pre-printed offers to purchase currently in use still do not make pro-

vision for compliance with the Act. Perhaps the seller should insist on a clause being inserted in the deed of sale that provides for the required FICA documentation to be supplied by the purchaser within 3 – 5 days from the date of having been requested by the transferring attorney.

2. Pay deposit A seller should really insist on payment of a deposit by the purchaser, even if it is less than the usual 10%. Provide for payment thereof to the nominated transferring attorney within 3 days from date of last signature of the deed of sale (acceptance of the ‘offer to purchase’), even if a mortgage bond still has to be obtained. In the event that the application for a mortgage bond is declined, the deposit with interest, if any, can be repaid to the purchaser by the transferring attorney.

It can of course be stipulated that the deed of sale is subject to payment of a deposit. In such an event the deed of sale will then only come into operation once the deposit has been paid, i.e. the suspensive condition has been complied with. A purchaser’s failure to pay the deposit in time will immediately and without further notice render the deed of sale null and void.

– 21 days. Ideally the deed of sale should not provide for an automatic extension of the time period within which the purchaser is to acquire a mortgage bond once the initial 14 to 21-day period has expired.

It should rather be left to the discretion of the seller whether to extend that time period or to enter into a fresh deed of sale with the purchaser containing reconsidered and appropriately adjusted time frames.

4. Sign transfer documents and pay transfer costs Irrespective of whether a purchaser has to call at the transferring attorney’s office for signature of the transfer documents and simultaneous payment of the transfer costs or whether the documents and statement of account are couriered or emailed to a purchaser, there is no reason why the latter cannot attend thereto within 5 days. Why not stipulate it accordingly?

This will most probably not be a suspensive condition favoured by the majority of estate agents, but it is worth considering as it might ensure a quick resale of the property to an alternative buyer from which both the seller (and possibly the agent) will benefit.

5. Sign bond documents and pay bond registration costs The mere fact that in the majority of cases registration of the mortgage bond obtained by a purchaser is being attended to by a different attorney, does not preclude the seller from providing in the deed of sale that signature of the bond documents and payment of the bond registration costs should be attended to within 5 days from date of it being requested or within a specific number of days from date of issue of the final grant to the purchaser.

3. Obtain mortgage bond The final grant in respect of an application for a mortgage bond can be acquired within 14

6. Pay (balance of) purchase price or furnish guarantee For this, a period of 7 – 14 days can be allowed

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as it will not adversely affect the process if it is requested in time by the transferring attorney.

Notice in event of breach Provision should be made, where possible, for transmission by email of notices to the purchaser to remedy any breach, as in both instances proof of delivery can be obtained electronically. Delivery can be deemed by the parties to have taken place on commencement of the first business day following the day of transmission of the said notice by email. Such a notice should not allow the purchaser more than another 5 – 7 days within which to remedy the breach.

It is important that the purchaser should be made aware of, and should actually agree to, the fact that notices in terms of the deed of sale will be delivered by email. However, provision should still be made for a domicilium (physical) address where summons can effectively be served in the (hopefully) unlikely event that it ultimately becomes necessary.

Penalty interest Serious consideration should be given to inserting a clause in the deed of sale that provides for payment of penalty interest by the purchaser, for the duration of any delay in the transfer process caused by the latter’s failure to abide by the conditions of the deed of sale.

That would be fair, considering the fact that the seller has to maintain interest payments on his existing bond, and/or is deprived of earning interest on the investment of the proceeds of the sale, until date of registration of transfer.

13 May 2020

www.thevillagenews.co.za

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1

L2L raises record amount for The Butterfly Centre T

he Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse (L2L) ladies completed their annual fourday, 100 km walk from 12 – 15 March this year.

The walkers started looking for sponsors and donations towards the end of 2019 already and, despite worries about raising funds due to the poor economic situation in South Africa, managed to raise yet another record amount for the main beneficiary, which was The Butterfly Centre.

"This year's walk was very blessed," says L2L Chairperson Ronelle van Zyl. "Not only did we have the founder of our main beneficiary, Jami Kastner, join us for the first time this year, but we were also so close to not being able to have the walk at all, due to the Coronavirus outbreak in South Africa."

Gatherings of more than 100 people were banned shortly after the ladies got back

from the walk, and not long after that, South Africans went into lockdown.

The L2L Awards Evening, where the total amount raised is usually announced, also had to be rethought. After some deliberation, the L2L committee decided to announce the figure on video call with Jami and her husband, Peter, which was recorded and later posted to the L2L Facebook page for the rest of the walkers to see.

The announcement was emotional for both the Kastners and the L2L committee, as the stress and anxious anticipation of recent weeks came bubbling to the surface. But the tears that were shed when Carien Gooding, in charge of finances on the committee, announced the long-awaited figure were happy tears, as the amount raised to help The Butterfly Centre finish building its new school at Stanford Hills was... R800 000!

The top five fundraisers together raised more than 20% of the total amount. They were: Jami Kastner (R63 550), Les Clark (R26 940), Shireen Beck (R25 000), Laurie Troake (R24 408) and Kayang Gagiano (R22 000).

The final amount raised for the runner-up beneficiary, which was Overstrand Hospice this year, was also announced in a video call and this, too, was a record amount – R100 000! R34 600 of the total amount was raised

by Hospice and the money will be used to buy two new cars so that their staff can reach more patients.

Other projects L2L has helped to finance from their reserve fund this year are: • BARC Cattery (R20 642.57) • Food4Love Soup Kitchen (R40 000) • SANTA Shoebox Project (R3 397.74) • Huis Lettie Theron (R1 823.62)

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1. The L2L committee members and the Kastners’ reaction on the video call after hearing that the amount raised for The Butterfly Centre was R800 000. From left are Simone Heunis (Media and Marketing), Marlinda Wright (Charity Liaison), Ronelle van Zyl (Chairperson), Elaine Bayer (Accommodation) and Rebecca Matthysen (Catering), Elna de Villiers (Events Organiser), and Peter and Jami Kastner (The Butterfly Centre).

2. Carien Gooding (L2L Committee: Finance) with the cheque for The Butterfly Centre.

12

www.thevillagenews.co.za

13 May 2020

The single Indian businessman in Hermanus Writer Dr Robin Lee

A

s far as I can tell from my research, there was only one businessperson of colour who is mentioned in the various historical accounts. SJ du Toit mentions him twice, but both references are records of memories of old residents of the town.

The first memory comes from Philip Reginald van Dyk, born 1919, who was the son of the famous 'Skipper' van Dyk, one of the generation of expert 'captains' of fishing boats in the early 20th century. Philip was also known as 'Skipper', although he worked all his life as a hairdresser.

In the interview with SJ du Toit, he recalls simply: I remember old Dhia, the Indian hawker, who sold vegetables and fruit in a little, two-wheel cart with a canopy.

The second mention is by Lukas Groenewald, born 1916, whose family lived in what is now the Fisherman's Cottage restaurant. He indicates that at one stage 'Dhia' had formal premises: In the Main Street in front of (their house), my father let a room to an old Indian, who was a greengrocer. Previously, he sold vegetables on the Market Square in a small two-wheel cart.

These references were where the case rested until a few years ago when three Indian men (two younger and one very old) spoke to Marinda Wilmans, who was working in the Photographic Museum of the Old Harbour Trust. They claimed to be descendants of the Doolabh family and were in Hermanus to see where

their ancestor, referred to as Goopal Doolabh, had lived and worked. They provided Mrs Wilmans with a written account by Goopal’s son, Arthur Doolabh, of his father's journey to Hermanus from Bombay and his ups and downs of business here.

Subsequently, Mrs Wilmans investigated the history of the site Doolabh claimed to own and verified that Goopal Doolabh did buy the property from the Groenewald family and that the property was registered in his name from 1924 to 1928. In that year the property was purchased from Doolabh's Estate by Omar Ebrahim.

Now, there was sufficient information to give credence to other accounts in the document the visitors gave to Mrs Wilmans.

In 2017, I researched High Street indepth and had several contacts with Mrs Magda Odendaal, whose family lived in High Street in the 1950s.

Without any prompting from me, she identified a space between High and Mitchell Streets, where Broad Street is now, as belonging to "Diya – Malay fruit vendor, wheeled a fruit barrow.

He had a double plot".

I believe that there is sufficient evidence to show that a person of Indian birth did run a small business in Hermanus in the early 20th century.

Also, the written document the three visiting family members left with Mrs Wilmans can be accepted as an account of the life of Goopal Doolabh, aka Diya / Dhia. It was written in Afrikaans and has been translated by Mrs Wilmans and lightly edited by myself.

Here is his story: I was born in 1854, in Bombay, India. My first employment

BOTTOM LEFT: The well-known Fisherman’s Cottage Restaurant in Hermanus. Goopal Doolabh owned the property from 1924 – 1928. ABOVE LEFT: Pagel’s Circus was a national institution in South Africa during the early 1900s, often visiting towns, including Hermanus. ABOVE RIGHT:The Princess Dock in Bombay, India, circa 1870. Goopal Doolabh travelled from here by ship to Cape Town in 1876. was in the Bombay Docks, where I worked from 1872 to 1874. That same year I travelled to Mauritius by ship and worked on the Mauritius Docks from 1874 to 1876.

In 1876, we travelled by ship to Cape Town along with friends. During the voyage, a storm broke out, and the captain decided to nail us below deck. The ship rolled as if the storm had thrown it. We were anxious because we were nailed in. After the storm, the captain decided to release us. We were shocked and pleased.

We arrived in Cape Town. My friends kept insisting that we should all remain in the Cape to start businesses, but I and one of my friends, Mr Baggas, decided to go and look for another place to start. We travelled by train to Sir Lowry's Pass Village, where we found a place. Mr Baggas opened a shop, but I wanted to look further and went on to find out about Hermanuspietersfontein.

I got a place in Hawston and met a friendly white man who transported vegetables and fruit from Cape Town, for two cafés. He also took my fruit.

Later, I got a place in Hermanus, in High Street. I made myself a carrying pole with two large baskets, and with it, I carried my fruit and vegetables from home to home.

Opposite The Marine Hotel was a large

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store. The owner, Mr Boucher, and I became good friends. He had a small space available, and I asked him if I could use it. He said any time. But his white business friends were going to be dissatisfied, and he must first find out from the Municipality if it was legally possible. Three weeks later he told me I could have the space.

I then organised my space properly and packed in my fruit and vegetables.

It was the start of the holiday season when I opened my business there. A circus pitched its tents on an open piece of the field a short distance from my shop.

Then I made a lot of money. I couldn't keep up with my supplies of fruit, vegetables and sweets. The circus departed, and then a merry-go-round set up in the same place and stayed until the holiday was finished. The farmers went back to their farms and then it was back to normal, but I kept on.

Then Mr Boucher called me to say that he was sorry, but he had received bad news. The Municipality had decided that I, as an Indian (Moor), could not keep a store because the other shops and cafés were dissatisfied. I nearly fell to the ground. He said that he was terribly sorry, but I must know the nationalists were upset.

I had to go back and live in Hawston, but, not long after, I saw there was a place for sale in High Street. I bought the place and was running a good busi-

ness there, but I could not read or write.

A white man was keeping my books. He ripped me off, and I became bankrupt.

I bought a truck and a horse-drawn cart. I had nobody I could trust in the store. I was mostly travelling about on the horse-drawn cart with my fruit and vegetables, while two girls of Hawston served people in the store. White children came to buy sweets, a 'tiekie' (2,5 cents) of the expensive sweets, but the girls just gave them a handful. When I caught them doing this, I fired the girls.

All my children were born in that shop: three sons and a daughter. When the agents come to me to take stock, I said to Johnny, my bookkeeper, to take the truck and say that it is his. Later, when everything was finished, I asked Johnny where my truck is, and he asked what truck and said it was his truck, and he took the truck. Then I had nothing.

We then had to go back to Hawston, and I worked as a fisherman on the fishing boats. After a long time, I found a house in Hermanus and went back to stay there.

We can follow Doolabh’s family for another generation. Goopal Doolabh died in 1928. His son, Arthur, died in 1947, at which time the family was once again living in Hawston. In the 1950s the family returned to Sir Lowry's Pass Village and passed out of Hermanus history.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

13 May 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT

PHOTO: Ariane Mueller

Our blood is blue "On beaches all along the Delaware Bay, the mating ritual of horseshoe crabs has played out for millions of years during the annual breeding season."

– Delaware Beach Life magazine

1

By Anina Lee

N

o, I have not switched allegiance to the rugby team north of the Jukskei River. I’m talking about an animal that has hardly changed in half a billion years – the Horseshoe crab. These primitive animals were around long before the dinosaurs and survived ice ages and asteroids. So well are they adapted to their particular ecological niche that there has been little evolutionary pressure on them to change.

Many years ago, when I was young, Horseshoe crab specimens were imported from the USA for zoology students at a local university to study as an example of a very early primitive animal. It certainly looked very strange and ancient. In those days, before we learned about biological extinctions, we had no concerns for the possible destruction of a species that can be regarded as a ‘living fossil’.

Horseshoe crabs are in fact today classified as ‘threatened’. Their

greatest threat is the fact that they have commercial value – around half a billion dollars per year. But before I elaborate on that, let’s look more closely at the animal.

centre. The spines are movable and help protect the Horseshoe crab. On the underside of the abdomen are muscles, used for movement, and gills for breathing.

Horseshoe crabs resemble semi-circular armoured tanks and are an appropriate army-green to brown colour. Despite their name, they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions (arachnids) than crabs. Of the four species of Horseshoe crabs around today, Limulus polyphemus is found along North America's eastern coast from Maine to Mexico.

The other three species are found in South-east Asia.

The third section, the Horseshoe crab’s tail, is called the telson. It's long and pointed, and although it looks intimidating, it is not dangerous, poisonous, or used to sting.

Horseshoe crabs use the telson to flip themselves over if they happen to be pushed onto their backs.

The first section is the prosoma, or head. The name ‘Horseshoe crab’ originates from the rounded shape of the head. It's the largest part of the body and contains much of the nervous system and biological organs. The head has the brain, heart, mouth, nervous system, and glands – all protected by a large plate. The head also protects the largest set of eyes. Horseshoe crabs have nine eyes scattered throughout the body and several more light receptors near the tail.

The middle section of the body is the abdomen. It looks like a triangle with spines on the sides and a ridge in the

Horseshoe crabs live in shallow seas or mud flats, where they snuffle in the sand or mud for anything edible, such as snails, clams, worms or carrion.

Females are a third bigger than males and can weigh twice as much – around 4.5 kilograms. It takes about 10 years for a Horseshoe crab to grow to adult size. When it’s time to spawn, a male will cling onto a female’s back.

In fact, she will not spawn until there is a male hanger-on.

The female digs a hollow in the sand beneath her and lays a cluster of several thousand eggs, which are fertilised by the male clinging to her back. She repeats the process several times per night and may spawn for several nights. All told, each breeding

female can lay up to 100 000 eggs a season.

So why are such profligate animals threatened with extinction?

Firstly, the eggs are heavily predated by birds. Millions of birds flock to the nesting sites to gorge on Horseshoe crab eggs. But decades of overharvesting crabs has decimated their populations and turned the egg feast into near famine. Hundreds of thousands of crabs are taken every year for bait.

Then there's the effect of shoreline development and habitat loss. Beaches, inter-tidal flats and deep-bay waters are all necessary for crab survival and reproduction, but are increasingly encroached upon by construction and poisoned by fertiliser run-off.

However, the biggest threat to the Horseshoe crab’s survival is their blue blood. Instead of red blood cells (with iron-containing haemoglobin), their blood cells contain copper, making it blue. Horseshoes' copper-based blue blood contains a clotting agent called Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL).

LAL detects toxins (poisons) released by bacteria and causes immediate clotting of the blood.

1. The body of the Horseshoe crab has three sections, namely the head, abdomen and tail. Females can weigh up to 4.5kg.

PHOTO: Brian Harkin, New York Times 2. The Horseshoe crab has been around long before the dinosaurs but is now classified as ‘threatened’.

PHOTO: HowStuffWorks

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3. The blue blood of the Horseshoe crab is intensively harvested by biomedical companies.

PHOTO: horseshoecrab.org

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LAL is thus extremely valuable to humans. It is used by biomedical companies to test drugs, vaccines and medical devices for any bacterial contamination. The smallest contamination will make the LAL clot.

LAL is therefore one of the most valuable fluids on earth, at a price of about R280 000 a litre. This has led to intensive ‘bloodletting’ of Horseshoes.

In American laboratories workers stick a needle straight into the animal’s heart and draw off 30% of its blood. They are required to release the animals back into the wild, with a mortality rate estimated to be 30%.

But there is no evidence of how many actually survive the ordeal, or whether they subsequently breed successfully. In the Far East, Horseshoes are bled to death with no attempt at harvesting blood sustainably.

In 2018, the global pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly and Company announced it would phase out LAL by 90% in the next few years and phase in synthetic LAL. Good news indeed.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

13 May 2020

MY SPORT

Test your knowledge of sporting trivia to whet your sporting appetite, here is a fun sports quiz to alleviate the boredom and tease those lockdown brain cells.

By Tony O'Hagan

I

n normal circumstances, at this time of the year, sporting enthusiasts would be swapping stories and opinions on the latest Super Rugby and Absa Premier football results.

Runners would be gearing up for the Comrades Marathon and we would be licking our lips in anticipation of the French Open, Wimbledon, British Open golf and the next Formula 1 race.

The English Premiership League and FA Cup would be holding us in suspense and local athletes would be hard at training for the Olympic Games, originally scheduled for July/August this year in Japan.

Unfortunately, these events have been either cancelled or suspended, leaving sports fans without their usual dose of entertainment. So,

7.

Give yourself one point for every correct answer and where two answers are required, a half point each. A score of 20 is a full house.

(The answers are provided at the bottom of this page): 1. Who is the most test-capped Springbok rugby player of all time?

2. Three Springboks have been voted World Rugby Player of the Year. In 2019, it was Pieter-Steph du Toit. Who were the other two? (½ point each.)

3. The Springboks have won the World Cup on 3 occasions. No second place, but how many times have they ended in third place?

4. John Smit captained the Springboks a record 87 times. Who is next on the list in terms of tests as captain?

5. Who has scored the most test centuries for the Proteas?

6. South Africa played the first international

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

one-day cricket match, after readmission, against India in 1991. Who was the South African captain?

Which Protea cricketer has the nickname ‘The Phalaborwa Express’?

Who holds the South African record for the highest score in a test innings and against whom did he achieve this record? (½ point each.)

A South African soccer player who played for Ajax Cape Town went on to have a successful career with English Premier League club, Everton, from 2007 to 2010. Who is he?

Who was captain of Bafana Bafana when our national soccer team won the African Cup of Nations in 1996?

Which player scored the opening goal at the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa, playing against whom? (½ point each.)

Which South African tennis player reached the men’s singles final at Wimbledon in 1985? Who was his opponent in the final? (½ point each.)

A South African tennis player won the Australian Open men’s singles title in 1981 and

1982. Who is he?

14. How many times did Bruce Fordyce win the Comrades Marathon?

15. Which South African swimmer was voted FINA World Swimmer of the year in 2018?

16. A South African athlete broke the 400m world record. Who is he and at which event did he achieve this feat? (½ point each.)

17. Who became South Africa’s first professional world heavyweight boxing champion?

18. How many Golf Major Championships has Ernie Els won? Which Major was the last he won? (½ point each.)

19. Who was voted South Africa’s greatest sportsman of the 20th century?

20. Which South African hockey player holds the world record for goals scored in international matches by a female player?

Points rating: 18 – 20: Gold Medal – you’re a sports guru!

15 –17: Silver Medal – you know your sport 12 – 14: Bronze Medal – fair knowledge Below 12: I suggest you stick to bridge and jigsaws...

Answers: 1. Victor Matfield (127) / 2. Schalk Burger (2004), Bryan Habana (2007) / 3. Twice (In 1999 they were beaten by the All Blacks and in 2015 by Argentina) / 4. Jean de Villiers (37, one ahead of Gary Teichman) / 5. Jacques Kallis (45, followed

by Hashim Amla, 27) / 6. Clive Rice / 7. Dale Steyn / 8. Hashim Amla, against England / 9. Steven Pienaar / 10. Neil Tovey / 11. Siphiwe Tsabalala, against Mexico / 12. Kevin Curren, against Boris Becker / 13. Johan Kriek / 14. Nine times / 15. Chad le Clos / 16. Wayde van Niekerk, at the Rio Olympics, 2016 / 17. Gerrie Coetzee / 18. Four (the last one was the British Open) / 19. Gary Player / 20. Pietie Coetzee (287)

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Hermanus Office 16 Hope Street, Cnr Dirkie Uys, Hermanus, 7200 +27 (0)21 205 7135 hermanus@fineandcountry.com

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