The Village NEWS 17 April - 23 April

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17 - 23 April 2018

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The ever-curious residents of Hermanus were all over social media when a huge crane appeared on the mountaintop along Rotary Drive on Sunday 15 April.

Although the area was closely guarded, The Village NEWS team was able to establish that it was an MTV crew busy filming for an upcoming reality TV show. There was much concern regarding the welfare of the fynbos, but upon further inspection and discussion with the environmental manager on set, it was determined that all precautions had been taken to prevent any damage to the fynbos.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Joy and frustration in aftermath of protests De Waal Steyn

T

here were mixed emotions in the Hermanus Magistrate’s court on Friday during the bail application of 11 people who were charged with public violence after the land related protests that rocked Hermanus at the end of March.

On the one hand there were tears of joy after seven of the accused were released on bail of R300 each and four were released on a warning, while on the other hand business owners said

they were still reeling from the economic impact that forced many businesses to close with a resultant loss of millions of rand’s worth of business.

According to community leader Sicelo Gxamesi the residents of Zwelihle are jubilant about the court’s verdict. “This is good news and we now await the bail hearing of the rest of the people who were arrested,” he said in a social media post. In total 69 people were arrested, of whom two were released after a quick court appearance. The remaining 67 have been divided into

three groups – the 11 people who were in court on Friday, a second group of 27 accused who are to appear in court on 18 April, and a third group of 29 accused who are to appear in court on 19 April.

Hamish Hofmeyr, representing the Hermanus Business Chamber testified in court on Friday that the economic impact of the protest is still being felt by business owners. “Not only were many businesses forced to close during the protests due to a shortage of staff, but several others sustained losses due to damage.

“Several businesses in the industrial area had to close their doors for safety reasons, while Walker Bay Recycling was set alight, Nissan’s showroom windows were destroyed, and Build it had to close for two days. Many employees were prevented from going to work, resulting in understaffed businesses that could not function properly. The protests also affected the delivery of stock to businesses,” he said.

According to Hamish the hospitality industry, which is the backbone of the local economy, suffered heavy losses

because of the inability to trade and the fact that some visitors cancelled their Easter holiday plans to Hermanus.

Cape Whale Coast Tourism Manager Frieda Lloyd said trade during the Easter weekend and the school holiday was marginally affected. “Some restaurants referred to the Easter trade as a second Christmas, while others reported their best Easter weekend figures yet,” she said.

In contrast some businesses in the CBD have indicated that trade over the last few weeks

have dropped by as much as 40% compared to last year and some of them are concerned about their financial viability during the winter season.

“There were plenty of feet but simply fewer sales. The impact of the lost trading days and visitors cancelling their plans have a direct impact on the tourism related businesses first. The diminished income results in less spending by these businesses and their employees and that in turn affects us,” said a trader in town.

Read more on P 3

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17 - 23 April 2018

E WS

The Team

THE

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

NEWS

028 312 2234

OPINION Matters

The time has come for our communities to start talking Publishing Editor De Waal Steyn 083 700 3319 dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

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

There has been much talk the last few weeks amongst all the communities in the Overstrand about the need for housing.

The land related protests and the resulting violence has had two definite impacts on our communities.

Design and Layout Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickey@thevillagenews.co.za

Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing René Hartslief 083 648 8700 ads@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Leijla Steyn 083 625 6667 ads@thevillagenews.co.za

Photography & Social Media Taylum Meyer 084 564 0779 taylum@thevillagenews.co.za

Firstly, it put the issue of housing and the shortage of land onto the front burner. The sad reality, however, is that the inability of residents to own a house in our region is not only confined to the townships.

Property prices have increased to such an extent that the middle class from all

communities has been all but excluded from owning property. Together with this comes an increase in rentals that have also become unaffordable for many.

There needs to be a conscious effort to create not only low-cost housing but also affordable housing for the middle class. This can only be done through cooperation between the Municipality and the private sector. The time has come for innovative solutions, including using alternative building materials such as containers. The Overstrand Municipality is

branded as a Centre of Excellence. Now is the time for this to be put into action.

Secondly, it has created the perfect opportunity for the communities to take hands and create a better sense of understanding between our various cultures. A resident of Zwelihle remarked recently that many social media posts condemn the protesters for their actions. ‘How can we be condemned by people who know nothing of where we come from?’ he rightfully asked.

Judging by the comments on

social media that invariably turn into an us versus them scenario, there is need for greater understanding between our communities. Several calls have been made by various people for more interaction, but that cannot be achieved without more integration between our neighbourhoods. For this to happen there needs to be a level playing field where all voices are heard.

Maybe the time has come for the revival of old-time townhall meetings attended by all communities.

This is the good NEWS - Ed

WHERE TO FIND US The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 24 April. The NEWS can be found at over 100 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai.

Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

This lovely picture by Cathy Bruce entitled Dusk on Walker Bay was awarded a gold certificate at the monthly meeting of the Hermanus Photographic Society. The society is affiliated to the Photographic Society of South Africa and hosts monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month. The next meeting will be Wednesday 2 May at 19:00 in the Hermann Swart Hall at Dutch Reformed Church in town.

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17 - 23 April 2018

Burning issues after protests still need to be resolved

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he impact of the protests last month in Hermanus and those last year in Kleinmond has left residents with several contentious issues that have created a flurry of activity on especially social media.

These issues include the punishment for those arrested on charges of public violence, the loss of income for businesses, the loss in wages for employees, conservation versus the need for housing and the divisive question of the prevalence of racism in our area.

It is of interest to note that community leaders in Zwelihle have made it clear that protest action was related to land issues and not in any way politically motivated. Leader Gcobani Ndzongana said the question of land in the Overstrand surpasses the role of political parties in the area. “We simply want land. It is not a complicated issue. We are as much residents of the Overstrand as anyone else and for many years our cries for help have been ignored. We took a stand to say enough is enough and we got the attention of the authorities, who are now working together with us to create solutions to the problems we face,” he said.

This follows the Economic Freedom Fighters last week distancing themselves from the events. A resident of Zwelihle who opted to remain anonymous said if you looked at the protesters the absence of political party T-shirts was conspicuous. “We are not interested in the politicians, they are full of empty promises. What we want is land not promises, we cannot erect houses on promises.”

Gcobani said in an interview that they are happy with the current progress made to identify land for backyard dwellers. “All residents of Hermanus can be assured that there will be no more protests as long as we get our land.”

But while community leaders in Zwelihle have indicated that they are

happy with the current developments regarding the provision of land for backyard dwellers, several conservation lobbyists have said that the possible destruction of Milkwood trees is problematic.

This follows the proposal by the Municipality of using land in Schulphoek next to Zwelihle for the establishment of housing as well as a sports centre.

“We have sympathy for the people who are landless, but it is our job to protect the environment and therefore we will closely follow the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study and comment on it. We understand that it might not be possible to save all of the Milkwoods at Schulphoek, but we will ensure that any development has as little impact as possible on our natural resources,” said Whale Coast Conservation Communication Manager, Anina Lee. Leslie Viljoen of Cavcor Property Group, who owns the Schulphoek site, said they are poised to start with the development of a luxury housing estate next to the ocean.

Part of the sale agreement is that the developer will be responsible for the construction of a road linking Church Street with Schulphoek Road. The realignment of this road will create the necessary space for the development of more housing in Zwelihle.

Viljoen said the group has been in

negotiations with regards to the sale of the land, but no transaction has been concluded. “When construction on the development starts the construction of the road will also start,” he said.

Municipal Director of Infrastructure and Planning, Stephen Müller said at a presentation last week that an EIA and public participation process will need to be completed before any work can start. “Should it be necessary to remove any Milkwood trees, we need to receive a permit for each one that will be removed. There is no blanket permit from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that allows for the removal of protected species,” he said.

Social media pages have also been abuzz with posts regarding racism in Hermanus, in many instances forcing administrators to delete posts or restrict comments due to their derogatory nature.

Resident Barbara Hayn wrote: “I have thought long and hard about whether to post this but also think that without dialogue and truth there can be no progress. I want to help, I want to be involved but do I really understand what that means? Over the last week or so I have received friend requests and have become increasingly uneasy.

Yesterday I received a friend request from someone who has a profile picture of a burning car,

another from a person who talks of the EFF in their posts and then I felt it... fear. The fear that divides us.

The fear because I want to understand but I truly don't, the fear created because I am naive. I want to stand hand-in-hand with the people that ask for land, but I hesitate because I fear being exposed to a riot. At every turn I realise that I am afraid of what I don't know. The person who sent me the friend request with the profile picture of the burning car... I don't know how to be your friend.

Will this mean I support riots? What does your profile picture mean? Is this politics?

“So here I am, this naive white woman afraid of which direction to go in because of the actions of a few. I heard the singing as the protests were happening at the court. How beautiful the sound, what incredible unity, you have my respect. I am faced with the division amongst my own race too.

The whites that still don't try to understand. I debate with them, argue with them but cannot reason with them and then feel ashamed as I realise that my fear still creates the division with other cultures. I humble myself and ask you, how do we heal?”

In response Gcobani Ndzongana said: “Once upon a time I had an opportunity to be invited to a racism dialogue in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, it was organised by the Overstrand Training Institute and it involved Hemel-en-Aarde Valley farmers. My point was that, racism is a sickness, it is caused by fear of unknown. I suggested that racists do not just need condemnation but psychological assistance because inferiority complex is a contributing factor to racism. The racist sometimes feels small and intimidated, the racist thinks intimidating others is a solution and they sometimes use racism for confidence.”

Continues on P 7

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17 - 23 April 2018

Bringing Hermanus’ cinematic history into focus As a form of entertainment, film came very early to Hermanus, with the first cinema opening in town just seven years after South Africa’s first cinema opened in Johannesburg in 1909. Although the early theatres are fondly remembered by generations of Hermanus residents, the last cinemas in town closed in the early 2000s. With the arrival of the new theatre at the Whale Coast Mall, Dr ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society wonders if it will find a regular audience and bring commercial cinema back to Hermanus.

T

he first purpose-built cinema in Hermanus was the de Luxe Cinema, later renamed the Adelphi, which was opened by Simon Allen in 1916.

However, films were available to the public in Hermanus even before 1916. Several writers record that Jacob Oblowitz showed films in a large room above his general dealer's store at the corner of Main and Harbour Roads. The building later became known as Lemm’s Corner.

Jacob was often seen stopping passers-by in the street and urging them to come in and watch a performance. The small amount charged represented a much-needed addition to his income. A descendent of the Oblowitz family, Leonard Oblowitz recalls times when the films were projected upside down for a few moments, before being stopped and corrected.

Even before 1916, Jacob Oblowitz showed films in a large room above his general dealer's store at the corner of Main and Harbour Roads (now known as Lemm’s Corner).

The Adelphi was quite different.

The exterior of the building in Main Road was an art deco design and there was comfortable upholstered seating inside.

The foyer was tiled in a mustard colour and the interior was partly wood-panelled. The screen was behind maroon velvet curtains.

The de Lux Cinema, later renamed the Adelphi, opened in Hermanus in 1916.

PHOTO: Old Harbour Museum

Usherettes were employed for every show. Patrons could not go to their seats unless shown by an usherette. Seats could be booked and families that returned to Hermanus regularly were allocated the same seating during holiday seasons.

‘non-whites’ could no longer be admitted to the cinema at any time. However, a local resident, Mr. George Eastland immediately started film shows for ‘non-white’ audiences in the Moffatt Hall in Mount Pleasant.

Professional projectionists were employed, one of whom was Edward Smalberger, who lived with his family in a house in High Street, where Rossi’s is now.

Simon Allen drove to Cape Town to choose the films for the month. Making a selection was no small task, as the programme changed every two days, meaning a minimum of 12 programmes. The films themselves were sent by rail to Bot River and then by railway bus to the Hermanus ‘station’ in Mitchell Street, now the Tourism Office.

For many years coloured patrons attended the same screenings as white patrons, but they had to buy tickets at a separate ticket office and go in through a separate entrance.

Part of the upstairs seating was allocated to them. One writer recalls that he preferred to sit in the ‘coloured’ section, as comments by the audience were so amusing and pertinent.

In August 1968 politics caught up with the Adelphi. Allen was informed by the Department of Community Development that

After a fire destroyed the Adelphi in 1981, Hermanus was without film entertainment for some years. In the 1990s, when Harry Viljoen constructed The Village Square, two small cinemas were included. They were not particularly profitable and were closed in the early 2000s.

Simon Allen, the owner of the Adelphi, with Basil and Minette Allen outside the cinema in 1961.

In Gateway Centre in the late 1990s, two cinemas were included, under the name The Stardust. Attendances were patchy and the venture was not financially viable. This remained the case, even when U3A joined forces with the proprietors and publicised the offerings to its members.

In quite a different situation, Romantiques, a shop specialising in Bygones and Collectables in an original fisherman’s cottage in Aberdeen Street, has created a vintage cinema seating about 20 people. They screen nostalgic films via an old reel-to-reel projector on Saturdays and during the FynArts Festival. This boutique cinema still operates, while the Whale Coast Theatre screens new commercial releases on a daily basis.

The author welcomes any comments or additional information.

He can be contacted at robinlee@hermanus.co.za

Two films of international standing have been partially or entirely made in Hermanus. In 1952, a film version of the Afrikaans novel Hans die Skipper was shot in the town. It featured André Huguenot, Gert van den Bergh and Wena Naudé.

The storyline follows a drama between generations. Hans is the ‘skipper’ of a fishing boat operating from the Old Harbour, who is set in traditional ways and wishes his sons to follow him. One of the sons, however, has aspirations to a modern life and to city ways.

The conflict results in a break-up of the family.

However, when the son hears that his father is terminally ill he returns to the village and there is a deathbed reconciliation. The black and white film was hugely popular in its time.

The same is true of the other film of which certain parts were made in Hermanus in 2005.

Monsieur N is an historical drama centred on the circumstances of the death of Napoleon on St. Helena. All scenes in the harbour at St. Helena were shot in the Old Harbour in Hermanus (photo above) and some other scenes were filmed in rural settings near the town. The film is still popular and is given a 70% positive vote in current ratings.

I remember that an elaborate wooden set was constructed at the Harbour and a day later was torn to pieces by a storm. I was looking at the wreckage and fell into conversation with a cameraman. He, however, was not cast down.

He told me that they had been able to film some really authentic storm scenes for use later in the film, which had more impact than any special effects.

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Get your gear on as the Xtreme returns

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he HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme (WBX), a four-day adventure sports festival situated in the heart of Hermanus, will return to the Whale Capital for a third time between 27 and 30 April 2018.

“We are thrilled to welcome athletes from across the country back to Hermanus at the end of April,” says Rick Oosthuyzen, one of the organisers of the HITEC Walkerbay Xtreme.

“We received fantastic feedback after the 2017 event and have made some exciting changes to the event line-up.”

Hylton Gibson (23), a Stellenbosch University student and Hermanus resident, has been selected as one of five ambassadors for the event. It will be his first time at the WBX and he will compete in the trail run and off-road triathlon.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to went on about how enjoyable the event was and they’ve all entered again so I thought that I had to get involved as well. I’m really excited for my two events.

“As a student studying the human body I love pushing myself and testing the limits of my body in different activities.

I’m also excited about supporting an event in my home town and seeing all the locals come out and enjoy the atmosphere.”

He thinks everybody should enter at least one of the events.

“There’s an event for everyone to just go out and have fun with friends and family which is so beneficial for one’s health. It’s all about having fun and meeting new people from all over and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone out there doing their thing.”

With 14 events to choose from, participants will be spoilt for choice. In addition to the old favourites - the Big 6 Xtreme, triathlon, MTB Criterium, open water swim, surfski and SUP events, as well as the popular Swim-RunJump Challenge - the organisers have added a street mile sprint, off-road triathlon, junior triathlon, shorter open water swim and mountain

bike challenge to the 2018 event mix.

R100 000 in prizes split across a number of events.

New challenges The mountain bike challenge offers three exciting routes to choose from. Some of the trails will take you where riders in the Absa Cape Epic have gone before.

The Big 6 Xtreme – which is entered as a separate event and sees athletes competing in the street mile, 27km MTB Challenge, Swim-Run-Jump Challenge, sprint triathlon, open water swim, and a beautiful 17km trail run – will be held over the course of four days and participants will share a R30 000 prize purse.

“Hermanus has some of the most beautiful MTB trails in the Western Cape and we believe the Valley Xtreme MTB Challenge will add great value to the HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme,” says Paul du Toit, manager of the MTB challenge.

The junior triathlon, for youth aged 8-13 years, will consist of a 150m swim, 5km cycle and 2km run.

The Marine Mile, a first for both the HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme (WBX) and Hermanus, will offer runners an exciting sprint along Marine Drive.

Big Prize Money An added drawcard to the 2018 Walkerbay Xtreme is the prize money on offer -

Other events with prize money include: • Walkerbay Triathlons: R14 000 prize purse • Marine Mile (street mile): R11 000 prize purse • Cliffpath Fun Run: R10 000 prize purse • Open Water Xtreme: R15 000 prize purse • R20 000 prize total for athletes participating in both the Valley MTB Challenge and the Urban MTB Criterium Online entries are open. For more information, visit walkerbayxtreme.com or email entries@walkerbay xtreme.com

Show your colours in the Marine Mile The Marine Mile, a first for both the HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme (WBX) and Hermanus, will offer runners an exciting sprint along Marine Drive. Prize money of R11000 is up for grabs, with categories for male and female runners younger than 13, runners aged 14 to 18, and runners aged 19 years and older. This makes the Marine Mile the perfect event to enter as a family.

But don’t despair if you are tortoise rather than a hare.

Businesses and schools in the Overstrand area still stand a chance to be featured in The Village NEWS if they compete in the 1.6km race along Marine Drive. Run in your school colours or get your colleagues (and their friends and family) to join you.

Send an e-mail about your business’ intention to participate and the number of entries to admin@thevillagenews.co.za. If you have the most representatives in company colours, will we snap your picture at the finish line and do a short write-up in our next business edition.

Enter on www.walkerbayxtreme.com

Programme 27-30 April: Big 6 Xtreme (street mile, 27km MTB Challenge, Swim-Run-Jump Challenge, sprint triathlon, open water swim and 17km trail run); Entry fee: R1200 27 April: Marine Mile – 18:00; Entry fee: R100

Win FREE tickets In the mood for a trail run along the Klein River Mountains, a fun run along the Hermanus coastline or some MTB action in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley?

We have six entries to give away: 2 x Cliffpath run tickets (either 12.6km or 18.1km – please state your preference) 2 x MTB Challenge tickets (15km, 27km or 55km – please state your preference) 2 x Blue Mountain trail run tickets (either 10km or 17km – please state your preference) All you have to do is send an e-mail to admin@thevillagenews.co.za with your name and contact details and a sentence or two about why you want to compete in the specific event.

28 April: • Valley Xtreme MTB Challenge – 07:00; Entry fees: R200 – R350 • Cliffpath Xtreme Run – 08:30; Entry fees: R75 – R200 • Sea & Sand Xtreme Swim-Run-Jump Challenge – 13:00; Entry fee: R250 • Blue Water Xtreme SUP Challenge – 15:00; Entry fees: R100 – R150 • Urban Xtreme MTB Criterium – 16:00; Entry fee: R250 29 April • Walkerbay Xtreme Sprint Triathlon – 08:00; Entry fee: R400 • Open Water Xtreme Swim Challenge – 13:00; Entry fees: R200 – R300 • Walkerbay Xtreme Off-road Triathlon – 16:00; Entry fee: R500 30 April • Blue Mountain Xtreme Trail Runs – 08:00; Entry fees: R200 – R250 • Walkerbay Xtreme Junior Triathlon – 08:00; Entry fee: R300 • HI-TEC Walk-A-Bay Treasure Hunt – 08:30; Entry fee: R50 per child u10 • Harbour Xtreme Surfski Challenge – 10:00; Entry fees: R150 – R350

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17 - 23 April 2018

THE

NEWS

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

Hermanus needs a multi-racial middle class The NEWS’s coverage of the protests was excellent, balanced, and gave a broad perspective. Seeing things from the other side makes all the difference... Perception is everything!

After working in Zwelihle Township now for seven years and helping nearly a hundred young people go on towards Tertiary education and seeing many graduating has really changed my perception.

Nearly all of them would say that they don't want to come back to Hermanus after their studies. Why would they want to come back to a town where the prosperity belongs to only a select few?

I know how I would feel if I studied hard to graduate into a profession and work daily in a place knowing I can never

own any part of it. More than half of the teachers of one school for example go over the mountain every weekend to their families. During the week they live in the Township. How can that be good?

Then we still expect them to vote for Hermanus being the 'best' town in South Africa.

How dumb are we… yoh.

We should have started many years ago to establish entry level and affordable housing to welcome, by all and any means, the middle class to bridge this incredible divide between those who have and those who have not, instead of chasing them over the mountain. I am yet to see anywhere in the world where a visible middle class of all races burn and plunder and destroy. Only people who

feel hopeless and unheard do that.

Poverty is the real enemy. It is what causes people in all communities to do horrible things, even to each other.

I see this daily.

And another thing. As a white person in South Africa I am very aware that within a few short years, out of every hundred people in South Africa only one will be white.

South Africa will go on, with or without me. It is for me to find common middle ground with the other ninety nine.

Based on mutual values, and all of us having a vested interest in this wonderful Country… Seeing a bright and better future together, for ALL of us.

Theo and Angie Sparklekids

Professionalism lacking in Hermanus Last week's front page article Journey to Service Excellence refers.

Since moving to Hermanus three years ago, I've been amazed at the poor level of professionalism – mainly among the small business services.

Without generalising, tradesmen and technicians are the least reliable. Electricians pitch up days late, corners are cut by builders, and plumbers /painters etc. arrive whenever they finish the more lucrative job they've just taken on.

Phone calls are rare.

There is an air of complacency about their approach to business. They don't care if you never call them again somebody else will, and they won't miss you at all.

I've had the same treatment from estate agents, lawyers and architects – all going as professionals, but displaying little of it.

The hospitality industry does a lot better. They seem to be monitored and trained more effectively. But it's good to read that Tourism Manager

Frieda Lloyd and the Economic Development brainstrust are fine-tuning an integrated strategy towards improved services across the board. We have a wealth of highly skilled, semi-retired professionals in the private sector, so let's hope their input is also recognised.

We're not a sleepy little coastal resort anymore, and the sooner we stop clinging to that fantasy and become more professional the better.

Voorspoed.

I’d just like to add that the ratepayers adjacent to this garden contribute most generously, specifically for the maintenance of all the lawns – a vital aspect of any garden. Grasshopper

A few players from Vivo United Football Club and their coach Falcon Sauvage (back row fourth from right) and assistant coach Earl Maree (back row fourth from left) with Johann Grobbelaar (back row third from right) from Hyuandai. Vivo has approximately 40 players ranging from 10 to 21 years from all the Hermanus communities with a huge passion for the sport. They have however been struggling to find a field to play on in Hermanus and as such have had to cancel their practice sessions until one could be found. Hyundai Hermanus invited the team to come and join them for a photo to officially launch their latest competition in which you can win a trip to attend a match at the FIFA World Cup in Russia this year. There are also on the spot prizes up for grabs. The main step to entering this competition is to test drive the Hyundai Tucson.

Call Hyundai on 028 312 3355 for more information on how to enter. The competition ends 23 April.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Another old Hermanus story I have lived in Hermanus since 1 August 1950 when my late husband Piet (Matras) van Zyl was transferred from Paarl to Hermanus Post Office telephone exchange.

We soon adapted to Hermanus and often went to picnic or ‘braai’ at what we called Botrivier Vlei (now Fisherhaven). I think there were only three or four houses in the area at that time.

During World War II there was an Air Force base with the Catalina Bombers, patrolling our coastline, landing on the ‘vlei’. The cement slabs of the barracks were then still there amongst the bushes.

After the war ended, two of the RAF officers returned to Hermanus when they were demobilised in England, to marry their wartime sweethearts. They were Ray Hodgson and Peter Allen.

Ray was employed at JJ du Toit’s hardware store in Harbour Road and Peter joined his brother-in-law, Stan Williams in establishing the grocery shop ‘Allen & Williams’ in Mitchell Street.

Stan’s parent’s house was between the shop and Sterling Motors.

Unfortunately I don’t know if more of the Airforce personnel returned to Hermanus.

Dorothy van Zyl

Be watchful of animals on R320 I am a driver who works in the Hemel-enAarde Valley. Along the R320 Hemel-enAarde Road sights like these (photo above) have become so common that I wish to highlight the incidence of road kill and raise awareness among my fellow drivers that this stretch of road runs through farms.

This means that we can expect to come across animals such as birds, snakes, hares and baboons. From my own experience, it takes very little effort to try and save the lives of these animals – just lifting your foot from the accelerator and slowing down or a little tap on your brake pedal could save a lot of these animals. Remem-ber, this valley is their home and they also have the right to enjoy life. Accidents do happen, but let’s save them when we can.

Kenneth

„Leserbrief“ from Germany

Ray Swart

Many hands make light work Thank you so much to both Hedda and Elaine for the delightful article about the Joy Diemont Memorial garden (The NEWS, 10 – 16 April) – hopefully it may inspire others to do likewise.

Score with Hyundai

Garden Service have done us proud for many years cutting the lawns and Jean Rawden is enthusiastically "hands on" for which I am most grateful!

Margaret de Villiers

As a tourist who regularly visits South Africa and in particular Hermanus, I have found that The Village NEWS did a tremendous job in the last weeks keeping us in Europe abreast of the unrest in Zwelihle and the resultant impact thereof on the communities.

Being able to read the news-

paper online anywhere in the world is a boost for the image of the town and important for everyone who has a link to it.

I learned more from De Waal Steyn‘s articles about the unrest in Zwelihle than from the entire internet.

Different perspectives, accurate facts, balanced

commentary – that´s journalism.

Alfred Weinzierl, Deputy-editor-in-chief, DER SPIEGEL, Hamburg * Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of 750 000.

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17 - 23 April 2018

‘There is a difference between racism and exclusion’ From P 3 “I maintain, it is politicians who are failing to deal with racism.

The sentence of (Vicki) Momberg is not a remedy to curb racism. A remedy is to understand why Momberg behaved in the manner she behaved.

What is the contributing factor to her behaviour? I personally believe racism is a mental sickness and it needs mental health intervention.”

Gcobani said in an interview that he does not view Hermanus as a racist place. “Racism is rife in the Free State, but in Hermanus there is very little racism. People need to understand that there is a difference between racism and exclusion.

Black people in Hermanus are

being excluded and that is why we had to make our voice heard.

economical barriers in the short term without burning down a beautiful town?”

“I am positive about the future of the Overstrand, but we need to start understanding one another. There needs to be dialogue and compassion.

People can differ from each other, but they need to understand where the other is coming from,” he said.

Fikiswa Gxams posted in response: “This is what's on my mind when I woke up thinking about what really happened few days ago. As we were walking back to our house from Zwelihle during the riots many cars stopped, offering to help and it was white people.

Some were offering us places to stay or sleep. When they found out that we are safe they asked if there are people who needed help. They offered to pick those people up somewhere and give them places to sleep. The moral of this story is the message I got that in all races you meet good and bad people.

Facebook user Annemarie Kotze asked what can we practically do to eradicate the barrier between rich and poor, privileged and underprivileged? “I do not suggest that I necessarily have the answers. I would just like to know what can practically be done to eradicate socio-

“Those people didn't even introduce themselves, so it showed they were doing it from the bottom of their heart. People nowadays do things to benefit attention and for photos. It was different cars that stopped at different times and days. That alone shows humanity. The colour of your skin means nothing.

“Can we start or continue appreciating one another day by day? Can we be like our kids at school who are happy when they see each other and start hugging before they disappear to play? It's good to know the history but better to live the present. Remember love is important.”

Although there were fewer visitors to Hermanus during Easter, this was the Cape Whale Coast Easter weekend in numbers: • •

•

• • •

•

• – De Waal Steyn

1 000 tickets were sold for the Watershed performance at Stanford Hills on Easter Sunday.

613 tickets were sold for the Cape Town Philharmonic Choir’s performance of Händel’s Messiah at the Onrus Dutch Reformed Church on Easter Sunday.

A record number of 521 registered parkrunners participated in the Hermanus run in Hemel-en-Aarde.

106 people were first timers and 14 different clubs were represented.

367 registered parkrunners participated in the third Betty’s Bay parkrun in Harold Porter.

Approximately 550 tickets were sold for the Passion Play held in Hermanus Old Harbour.

Traffic count of vehicles entering Hermanus as measured between 08:00 – 18:00: Friday 30 March incoming – 6 487, outgoing – 3 486.

These figures compare well with our highest influx measured on 29 December 2017 at 6 772. Exit figures show many people remained after the weekend – presumably for the school holidays.

At Rooiels Boat Club between 10 and 12 boats were launched every day for the 4 days with an average crew of 4 each. These numbers are the same last year, said Piet Uys of the club.

510 participants in the Great White MTB & Trail Run at Lomond, Gansbaai. +/-250 entered on the day.

Life - the long and the short of it At some stage in life, many people embark on a journey of ‘self-discovery’ in one form or another. The objective? To discover methods to improve and develop their physical or emotional wellbeing.

This may sound a bit ‘hey-shoo’ and pretentious, but being complacent is to just accept life’s slow deterioration. Oneply loo paper alone is no way to stay in touch with your inner self. Fortunately, guidelines to assist in these emotional journeys of improvement are available at a price along the different routes. Depending on your desired destination, the path forks into either ‘body’ or ‘soul’.

The ‘body’ path, although ancient (martial arts etc.) became an eight-lane highway around fifty years ago when Jane Fonda got moms – and pretty soon dads – making fools of them-

Wit’s End Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

selves in front of the telly, the kids, and breakfast every morning.

Aerobics went viral and soon glitzy gyms crammed full of ingenious machines designed to fine-tune the body sprung up like weeds. Similar contraptions were created for homeusers too lazy to go to the gym. Exercise videos, books and personal trainers in the finer arts of yoga, pilates and pole-dancing – among others – became the rage.

People became more aware of the necessity to keep fit, exercise, eat fresh, don’t smoke/

drink etc. in the pursuit of health and longevity. Anyway, that’s a quick dash down the ‘flesh’ path.

Now the ‘soul’ path, is much more complex. It kaleidoscopes into diverse mind training disciplines like Access Consciousness, self-hypnosis, meditation, reiki etc. They train the brain muscles, which in turn help the body stay trim.

The purpose of these rituals is to prolong our lives as – as healthily as possible. For existentialist devotees it could require a trip to India. Here, to

the tinkling of bells and heady wafts of medicinal herbs, both soul and body are purged of toxins through mental discipline and Delhi Belly (Latin: squirtus maximus).

These holistic self-improvement journeys though, are to be admired and encouraged.

We all wish for a long and healthy life, and they’re designed to help us achieve this goal. All of us it would seem, except for Jeanne Louise Calment, who couldn’t give a fig about those disciplines, even if they were fashionable back then.

Jeanne, born in Arles, France had – back then – the longest verified human lifespan of 122 years and 164 days. She was a teenager when the Eiffel Tower was built, and a few years later met Vincent van Gogh.

“He was dirty, scruffy and thoroughly disagreeable,” she claimed in an interview in 1988. At 85 she took up fencing, not to keep fit, but because she enjoyed it as a sport. And at 100 she was still riding her bike, but that was because the authorities declined to renew her driver’s license.

90, single, and heirless. She owned a very desirable apartment and her lawyer – a 47year-old called Andre Raffray – signed a deal to inherit it when she passed on. He would pay all monthly expenses till she obliged. She was 90, for goodness sake.

Turns out Raffray not only paid Jeanne’s overheads for 30 years, but snuffed it at the age of 77, long before she did. To add ketchup to the koeksister, his widow was legally obliged to continue paying Madame Jeanne until she also died.

At 114, she starred in a movie about her life story. A year later she underwent a hip operation – not movie related – and at 117 gave up smoking, having started aged 21 just before the Boer War in 1896.

She didn’t quit for health reasons though – she just didn’t like bothering people to light her fags once her eyesight deteriorated.

One can only wonder how long she would have lived had she embraced some of those selfimprovement disciplines we touched on earlier.

Rewind to1965: The Beatles and Stones broke through the sound barrier and Jeanne was

“I’ve only got one wrinkle,” she joked as a second-time teenager, “and I’m sitting on it.”

8

17 - 23 April 2018

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Wednesday 25 April

Good Guide

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Wednesday 18 April

Platinum Industry. Presented by Dr John Bristow, this lecture will examine the current status of SA’s platinum industry. To maintain our position as a world leader in platinum group metals, South Africa needs to introduce enabling minerals development policy, a political climate that is favourable to new international investment in the local minerals and mining industry, a more stable labour dynamic, and radically enhanced education to increase productivity. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ Hermanus Bird Club: The guest speaker at the club’s monthly meeting is Ross Wanless, who will talk about Saving Seabirds from Extinction – the SA BirdLife way. For a donation, wine will be available after the talk. At Fernkloof Hall, at 18:00.

Thursday 19 April ■ Service Excellence Project Launch: You are cordially invited by the Hermanus Business Chamber to the launch of the Journey to Service Excellence – a project of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development & Tourism, in association with Overstrand Municipality and Tourism, The Village NEWS and Whale Coast FM. The aim is to encourage a culture of Service Excellence in Hermanus, and reward Service Heroes who go the extra mile to offer an excellent service in their field. Cash prizes will be handed over to the winners during a Gala Awards Ceremony later this year by DEDAT Minister Alan Winde. The cost to attend the presentation and enjoy a delicious brunch is R150 for Chamber members and R170 for nonmembers. Booking is essential as space is limited. Contact Alta Pretorius at 028-3151619, or email ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za. At The Marine, from 11:00 – 13:00.

Friday 20 April ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: All volunteers are welcome to join the hacking group in the clearing of invasive vegetation. Contact Charlyn Vosloo on mcvosloo@mweb.co.za or 082 558 8731 or . Meet every Friday at the bottom end of Rotary Drive, at 06:45 for 07:00.

■ Bhuki Café: Join the Friends of Hermanus Library for tea, coffee and eats for only R20 and help to raise funds for the library. Every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30, at Hermanus Library.

■ Kolwyntjie Teetuin: Everyone in the area is welcome to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum). At the Onrus Dutch Reformed Church, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

■ RSA’s Platinum Industry: The second part of U3A Overberg’s new course on renowned geologist Hans Merensky and the South African

■ Hermanus Botanical Society Monthly Talk: BotSoc’s gusest speaker at this month’s meeting is Dr Johann du Preez, who will talk on the topic of Bird Pollination Strategies, highlighting the strategies applied by birds and plants in order to ensure survival. Dr du Preez is an emeritus professor who is now a full-time environmental consultant. He is a leading plant ecologist, a member of BirdLifeSA and the Hermanus Botanical Society. All are welcome to attend.

At Fernkloof Hall, at 17:30.

Saturday 21 April ■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Set off from the Hermanus Forest on Camphill Road in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 08:00.

■ Hermanus Country Market: A favourite among the locals, old and young. Four-legged family members are also welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find “real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people”. A great way to meet the whole family of HPF wines. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Market in the Garden: Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden in the heart of town. Arts and crafts, bric-a-brac, delicious eats and much more. At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ World Penguin Day: Join Whale Coast Conservation for a visit to the Stony Point African Penguin colony in Betty’s Bay in celebration of World Penguin Day. R200 for adults and R50 for children includes entry, educational talk and refreshments. Booking is essential; contact Anina on 083 242 3295 or anina.wcc@gmail.com. At Stony Point, Betty’s Bay, 09:30 – 11:00.

■ Bird Talk: Join avid birder Carin Malan as she takes her audience on a photographic armchair journey through the beautiful Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Southern Namibia. The cost is R100 pp and proceeds are in aid of Kleinmond Child Welfare. Contact Theresa on 072 494 1310 or Cherry on 082 453 5638. In the Kleinmond Library Hall, at 14:30.

■ Stargazing: Join the Southern Cape Astronomy Club for an evening of stargazing at Pearly Beach. Dress warmly, bring a picnic basket, blanket or chair and don't forget your binoculars. Up for the evening will be galaxies, globular and open clusters, a planet or two and the first quarter Moon. For more information contact Kos Coronaios on 079 148 4934 or elephantcastle@lantic.net. Meet at Pearly Beach Village Green (Herbarium), weather permitting, at 19:30.

Sunday 22 April ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market offers exclusive fine arts and crafts, locally manufactured clothing, accessories, home décor, skincare and body products, as well as speciality foods, coffee, cakes, craft beers, a wine bar and live music.

On the corner of Main & Harbour Roads, from 10:00 – 15:00.

Monday 23 April ■ U3A Overberg presents the second part of their course on Kondratieff Waves, presented by guest speaker Dave Hardman. Founded by Nikolai D. Kondratieff, a Communist Russia era economist, this theory is based on cycle-like phenomena in the modern world economy that range from 40 – 60 years. Today we are faced with the end of another Kondratieff cycle when the world anticipates economic expansion but also a clash of civilisations.

In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ Classic Bridge Club: The club gets together weekly for Duplicate Bridge. To join, contact Riekie on 072 230 9179. At Fernkloof Hall, every Monday at 13:00.

Tuesday 24 April ■ Focus on our neighbours in Hawston: U3A Overberg presents the third part of a photographic documentary series compiled

by Monika von Oppell, who walked through the suburbs of Zwelihle, Mount Pleasant and Hawston, and met with various members of the communities to find out where and how they live. We interface daily with our neighbours; now get to know more about the history and culture of Hawston, and about current feelings and perspectives. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ Neuroplasticity: Join Dr Arien van der Merwe for a talk on the brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout our lives and how you can train your brain to overcome illness and addiction and realise your full potential. R100 pp. Make your booking by contacting info@drarien.co.za or calling Refine Clinic on 028 316 4122. At Refine Clinic in Hemel-en-Aarde Village, from 18:00 – 19:00.

Friday 27 – Sunday 29 April ■ Pringle Bay Festival: A celebration of our environmental achievements, promoting conservation under and above the ocean. Enjoy lots of fun, great food and drink, exciting stalls, local arts and crafts, kids’ fairground and entertainment in the heart of Pringle Bay village.

Live music will be provided by a line-up of top artists, including a performance by Die Heuwels Fantasties on the Friday night and Watershed on the Saturday night. The Pringle Bay United Church Food Fair will take place from 09:00 – 14:00 on Saturday, as well as a car boot sale. Vendors welcome to apply. Get all the details at www.pringlebayfestival.com or contact Shirley on 083 787 2211.

Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 April

■ Elgin Cool Wine & Country Food Festival: Indulge in the best cool climate wines, delicious food, live music, art exhibitions, children’s entertainment, a plethora of outdoor activities and the spectacular natural beauty of the Elgin Valley. Each of the participating wineries will offer a unique programme, allowing guests to tailor-make their experience. Visit for the day – or stay for the weekend! Tickets are R150 pp and include free wine tasting at participating wineries; pick up your armband and wine tasting glass at the Elgin Railway Market. The golden tickets at R200 pp give visitors access to special tastings at participating wineries, such as vertical tastings and older vintages. Visit ecwcf.winesofelgin.co.za for more details.

Village

The

EXPLORER

NATURE • BOOKS • ART • FOOD • WINE

Spend the winter school holidays at De Hoop

T

he De Hoop Collection opened in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Overberg region in 2007 under the creative and entrepreneurial hands of Carl Trieloff and William Stephens, renowned for their successful Madikwe Game reserve developments.

In a spectacular setting, with conservation aspects of the 34 000 hectare reserve managed by Cape Nature, De Hoop offers a wide range of accommodation types designed to suit all budgets.

The Reserve is a haven for nature lovers and a favourite destination for hikers, cyclists, and bird and whale watchers.

As a World Heritage Site, the neighbouring marine reserve extends 5 km out to sea and is one of the largest marine protected areas in Africa. It conserves a vast and fascinating variety of marine life and is the playground of the Southern Right Whale, which migrates to these shores from the Antarctic to mate and calve during the winter months.

Visitors to the De Hoop Collection enjoy unparalleled peace and tranquillity in what must be one of the Cape’s last unspoiled gems. And what better time to plan your visit than during the winter school holidays; the time of year when your kids drive you crazy – and you drive them crazy!

What you all need is a holiday at De Hoop Nature Reserve – the ultimate family getaway, where you and your kids can enjoy all the usual home comforts, plus a myriad of entertainment alternatives and amazing activities that are tailor-made to enjoy as a family. If you’re a particularly active family bring along your bikes and enjoy quality family time amongst the Eland, Bontebok and Cape Mountain Zebras while taking advantage of De Hoop’s winter special offers.

Guests of all ages and tastes will find something to do at De Hoop. Aside from the wonderful birding opportunities and customised once-off events, nature lovers will enjoy the interpretive rock pool and fynbos walks, while the more adventurous can experience the extensive hiking and mountain biking trails or the 25 km running trail – and, of course, winter is whale season at De Hoop.

friends or a family gathering, of the nine Village units at the Special Winter rate of R1 800 per six-sleeper cottage and one of the following activities will be included for free: a group guided morning Vlei Walk with complimentary tea / coffee / croissant stop or the two-hour long interpretive Marine Walk or a Mountain Bike / Trail Run Challenge, either running or cycling through the Fynbos.

During the winter school holidays daily activities for young and old alike will be on offer.

Here are some of the options: • Get a group of 4 – 12 people together for a guided morning Vlei Walk with complimentary tea/coffee/croissant stop at R200 per person (half price for kids 12 years and under).

• What about a Mountain Bike / Trail Run Challenge? If your group is an active bunch De Hoop can set up an outdoor challenge for you – run or cycle through the Fynbos where you will be met with drinks and snacks before making your way back on a circular route to Tierhoek, at R300 per person (minimum 10 people, with kids 12 years and under paying half price).

• Take a Family Boat Cruise, during which you’ll explore the Vlei and enjoy bird, game, otter and even porcupine sightings, at R350 per person (kids 12 years and under half price or less 20% if you book for 10) from May – July.

• Family Marine Walks that include a beautiful kids marine activity book, at 200 per person. Ask at reception if you would like to order a picnic bag to spend time on the dunes.

• Fireside Tales and Scorpion Hunt, followed by a fireside stories around the campfire with complimentary S’mores and Hot Chocolate (minimum six people).

And don’t forget if mom and dad want some time away from the kids and escape the everyday stresses, take yourselves to the Spa@De Hoop for some indulgent pampering downtime.

With a variety of revitalising Beauty and Body treatments to choose from, the Spa offers the ultimate escape, an exercise in understated luxury, situated in the beautiful surrounds overlooking the Vlei.

Make a block booking for a group of

All activities need to be booked at reception and picnic bags can be ordered the day before. Please note that all activities are subject to weather conditions and that the kiddies activities will only take place with a minimum of six kids booked per activity. An added bonus is that for the younger members of the family there are baby-sitting services available.

Bring your family and come and enjoy a bumper winter holiday at De Hoop Collection Nature Reserve. Few other reserves offer as complete an outdoor experience as De Hoop – from the sea, the sand dunes, the vlei, and the display of rare fynbos, to the diverse antelope and not forgetting the 260 species of birds if you’re a twitcher at heart. De Hoop is definitely the ideal location to spend your winter school holidays.

Booking is essential. Phone 021 422 4522 or res@dehoopcollection.co.za www.dehoopcollection.co.za/com

10

BOOKS

17 - 23 April 2018

Harper Collins

Penguin

Doubleday

Bloomsbury

Pan MacMillan

Orbis

What’s new in review - compiled by Hedda Mittner

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, the 2017 debut novel of Gail Honeyman and winner of the 2018 Costa Debut Novel Award, is now out in paperback. If you haven’t met Eleanor, now is your chance: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. In her carefully timetabled life, weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Ray-mond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. – goodreads.com

If you think the world is falling apart, think again. In this elegant assessment of the human condition in the third millennium, cognitive scientist and public intellectual Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and realise that people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives. And while our problems are formidable, Enlightenment Now emphasises the gifts of reason and science in enhancing human flourishing. However, enlightenment is under threat from political and religious ideologies, as well as human nature. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation. The best-selling author makes his case with intellectual depth and literary flair.

– penguinrandomhouse.com

Every year, Robert's family come together at a rambling old house to celebrate his birthday. Aunts, uncles, distant cousins – it has been a milestone in their lives for decades. But this year the recently widowed Robert is turning 80 and doesn't want to be reminded of what has happened since they last met – and neither, for quite different reasons, does his granddaughter Kate. Neither of them is sure they can face the party. But for both Robert and Kate, it may become the most important gathering of all. This brilliant new novel from the young author of the awardwinning Five Rivers met on a Wooded Plain is a compelling, emotional story of family, human frailty, and the marks that love leaves on us. – penguin.co.uk

This deliciously effervescent new novel from Celia Imrie, beloved character actress and author of Not Quite Nice, follows the exploits of two women on a cruise ship. Suzy Marshall is an actress over 60 whose phone hasn’t rung in months. So when her agent offers her a plum role in a play to be staged in Zurich, it seems like a godsend. Until, that is, the play is abruptly cancelled under suspi-cious circumstances and Suzy is forced to take a job on a cruise ship to get home. On board she meets Amanda Herbert and the two women set sail on a thrilling new adventure. Sail Away is at once a hilarious romp filled with questionable characters and strange dealings – and a vivid evo-cation of the old-world glamour of a cruise ship. – amazon.co.uk

Adam Kay was a junior doctor from 2004 until 2010, before a devastating experience on a ward caused him to reconsider his future (he is now a comedian and scriptwriter). Realising that there’s a lot they don’t teach you in medical school, he kept a diary throughout his training, scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends. The result is a noholds-barred account of his time on the NHS front line. Hilarious, horrifying and heart-breaking by turns, these diaries are everything you wanted to know – and more than a few things you didn't – about life on and off the hospital ward. This is going to hurt is also a love letter to those who might at any moment be holding our lives in their hands. goodreads.com

Richard Rohr, OFM, is a Franciscan priest, the director of the Center for Contemplation and Action in Albuquerque, New Mexico and one of the most popular spiritual writers today. This collection introduces many of the teachings for which he has become known, all organised around the central theme of Love. Interwoven with a probing personal interview, the writings gathered here illuminate a lifelong journey -- his own and that of anyone open and willing – of growing in love: how we love God by loving others, how we learn to love ourselves, and how we ultimately seek and find love in everything. Experiences from Rohr's life, both joyful and sorrowful, illustrate how the path has unfolded for him and how we each might come to know love more intimately. – amazon.com

11

BOOKS

17 - 23 April 2018

Richard Peirce launches new book

FROM PAGE TO SCREEN

W

ildlife conservationist and author Richard Peirce’s latest book, Cuddle Me, Kill Me is a searing in-depth exposé of South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry. The book is published by Penguin Random House (Struik Nature) and will be launched at The Book Cottage next month, on the evening of Thursday, 17 May.

Hemingway at Cinema Café I suppose sooner or later in the life of everyone comes a moment of trial. We all of us have our particular devil who rides us and torments us, and we must give battle in the end.

- Rebecca Daphne du Maurier, Britain’s leading romantic novelist at the time, took her demons to the page in an isolated rustic cabin overlooking the hauntingly beautiful Cornish coastline.

Here, in the grounds of the grand Menabilly House estate at Fowey, the author who referred to herself as ‘a boy in a box’ did most of her writing. Rebecca, her most successful novel, was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock into a classic film that won the Best Picture Oscar for 1940. Jamaica Inn (1939), and Frenchman’s Creek (1944) were also adapted into movies. In addition, she wrote non-fiction books as well as three plays. Du Maurier was made a Dame Commander of the Order of Britain in 1969.

DAPHNE – the secret love life of Daphne du Maurier is an engrossing literary drama based on letters she wrote revealing her tempestuous relationship with Ellen

Doubleday, the socialite wife of the American publishing magnate, and her liaison with actress, Gertrude Lawrence. The role of Daphne is played by Geraldine Somerville (Lily Potter in the Harry Potter films, Gosford Park) and Academy Award nominees, Janet McTeer (Sense & Sensibility), as Gertrude Lawrence and Elizabeth McGovern (Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey) who portrays Ellen Doubleday.

True to the flawless character of a BBC production, the setting and authenticity in attention to detail makes a movie like this a work of art and one which stands in a class of its own.

Richard Peirce is best known as a shark conservationist and is chairman of the Shark Conservation Society and the Shark Trust. He has authored several books, including The Poacher’s Moon – an exposé of rhino-poaching; Giant Steps – the true story of two orphaned African elephants; and Nicole – the block-buster story of a Great White Shark’s journey into history.

Richard and his wife Jacqui are confirmed nomads who spend half the year in Hermanus; their love of wildlife takes them to the bush at every opportunity.

The Hermanus launch of Cuddle Me, Kill Me will be co-hosted by the NGO Panthera Africa, a big cat sanctuary located near Stanford. Among the rescued big cats at Panthera Africa are two magnificent lions called Obi and Oliver.

Their stories form part of Cuddle Me, Kill Me and lead into the investigative journey undertaken

by Richard and Jacqui Peirce when they visited dozens of establishments offering cub petting and walking with lions, and others engaged in canned hunting and the mass breeding of this African icon.

Meet Gavin Younge at FynArts Gallery

A beautifully crafted drama – Mail on Sunday.

Find Hemingways Bookshop in Harbour Road or call 028 312 2739. For DVD rentals, visit Cinema Café at the Station Centre or call 084 849 9897.

You can also book your movie online at www.cinemacafe.co.za

Hemingways Bookshop est. 1995 Gavin Younge is Emeritus Professor at the University of Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Fine Art and works internationally as a sculptor, writer, curator and academic. Gavin was one of the participating artists in the FynArts exhibition, Sculpture on the Cliffs, in 2016. Three of his works are currently on exhibition in the recently opened FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard, No 2 Harbour Road, where Gavin will talk about his works on Monday, 23 April, at 10:00. One of these works was included in his project using vellum that was shown in Paris and at Salses as part of the Monuments et Animaux cycle of exhibitions sponsored by the French Monuments Council.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

14

17 - 23 April 2018

Local businesses show their potjie skills

T

he United Church’s annual Corporate Potjie Competition in aid of charity was enthusiastically supported by both local businesses and the public. Held on the church grounds on Saturday, 14 April, the corporate teams cooked up a storm at their designated stalls while promoting their business offering with branded flags, brochures and other marketing material.

The chosen charity for this year’s event was the Hermanus Christian Academy, a registered NPO that is heavily dependent on donations and sponsorship.

Entry tickets sold briskly and entitled guests to one potjiekos meal of their choice (or two half portions for those who couldn’t decide which potjie looked

more irresistible), plus a koeksister and coffee to round off their meal.

While the cooks were completing their potjies, there were cooldrinks, coffee and boerie rolls to keep the hunger pains at bay and live music throughout the afternoon kept the teams’ spirits up while adding to the laid-back vibe. Every team had to prepare enough food for at least 15 people, and once the potjies were ready to be served, the guests could pick and choose from an array of tempting, aromatic potjies.

The judging started at 16:00, with Stefan Otto and Tullisha le Roux from the Hermanus Golf Club doing the rounds to taste the various potjies and

chat to the cooks. It was no easy task to select the winners, but at the end of the day it was the Maher family of the D’lish Café team who stole the show with their Seafood Chowder potjie. In second place was team HAOV (Hemelen-Aarde Ontwikkelingsvereniging) with their Chinese pork pot, while Harcourts came third with their chicken potjie.

The Harcourts team also won the prize for the best stand, while Hermanus Pharmacies won for the team with the best spirit. The prize for the most unusual potjie went to the Cliff Cottage team of Wessels van Vuuren and Craig van Rensburg for their Moussaka pot.

– Hedda Mittner

Brenda Kotzé of Hermanus Pharmacies dishes up a portion of her team’s delicious seafood potjie for Frank Halforty. The Pharmacies team won for best spirit.

Judges Stefan Otto and Tullisha le Roux from Hermanus Golf Club tasting the Talisman Hire team’s chicken potjie.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

The aromatic moussaka pot of Craig van Rensburg and Wessels van Vuuren of team Cliff Cottage won for the most unusual potjie.

The potjie champs – Pierre Jr with his parents, Marilee and Pierre Maher of team D’lish Café, whose seafood chowder pot came out tops.

The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley farm workers, represented by HAOV, demonstrated their potjie skills by creating a Chinese pork pot that impressed the judges enough to earn them second place in the competition. From left are Marthinus, Monica, Jacoba, Joanie, Jean, Roslin, Dennis, Samuel and Marthinus Jr.

The Harcourts team came third in the potjie competition and their enthusiasm also earned them the prize for best stand. From left are Herby, Tarryn-Lee, Igno, Charmaine, Johnny, Sandy, Jeanette, Zunette, André, Willem, Minét and Jana.

15

17 - 23 April 2018

Gutsy gal demonstrates a fearless spirit

“

Olivia Schaffer

Tired of the gender discrimination I’d borne all my working life, I spontaneously packed my bags and took off for the little fishing village of Hermanus, some 30 years ago.

I

f enthusiasm and determination are the secret to longevity then octogenarian Yvonne van den Dool, of Sandbaai, has many years ahead of her. Her bright eyes – as blue as the ocean – sparkle as her keen mind relives memories of a woman, decidedly ahead of her time, in far-reaching detail.

Born in an era when women were either teachers, secretaries, nurses – or barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen – Yvonne has experienced many roadblocks on her exceptional journey through life but nothing could hold back her unwavering perseverance.

Abby the tabby is more interested in Yvonne van den Dool’s book, From Aprons to Aeroplanes, than the stories the intrepid grandmother tells.

As South Africa’s first woman to hold a Senior Commercial Pilot’s Licence, Yvonne broke into ‘a man’s world’ and proved she could juggle her career and, as a single mother, her devotion to two daughters, who have reaped the benefit of having a zealous role model.

Yvonne discovered her deep appreciation of aircraft when her parents took her on an outing to Deneysville in the Free State. “Here I came across a most beautiful sight that was to change my life forever,” she recalls.

It was a Sunderland Flying Boat that mesmerised the 15-yearold to such a degree that she dived into the Vaal Dam to get closer to that which had seized her attention. Met by a puzzled, rosy-cheeked young man who helped her on board, this was a turning point in Yvonne’s life. She found herself set on becoming an aircraft designer.

There, however, was no faculty for aeronautical engineering in South Africa, and studies abroad either became impossible or were unaffordable. This was one of many disappointments along Yvonne’s chosen career path. To help make ends meet she resorted to secretarial work, “but that was definitely not my idea of fun”. Undeterred, she kept her focus, and when offered the position of apprentice aircraft mechanic

her call) and navigated the treacherous Drakensberg peaks.

”

Last year Yvonne was offered a flip. She took control of the joystick, performed loops and relived days gone by. She remembers many exhilarating experiences in her flying career – top of the list was aerobatics in a Tiger Moth, and she admits to having “the daylights scared out of me” many times. “Have respect for the weather – and don’t ever enter thunderstorms,” she warns.

You can’t keep a good woman down… Yvonne van den Dool, in 2017, takes off in a “very manoeuvrable” Extra LP (Red Bull uses such aircraft for extreme sports). for a maintenance firm at Baragwanath Airfield, she jumped at the opportunity.

“This was the nearest I could get to my dream – a far cry from becoming a designer of aircraft,” she muses.

when you’re in control of a Tiger Moth,” says Yvonne, who considers it imperative that all would-be pilots should learn on a Tiger. “They need to perform aerobatics and fly the aircraft to its limits.”

A Rhenia Slabbert bursary resulted in Yvonne achieving an ‘A’ pilot’s licence and her decision to study for a commercial licence. “I hadn’t bargained for the tremendous prejudice from three of the instructors,” Yvonne recollects.

“I was told to take up sewing.”

They, however, submitted because “her money is as good as anyone’s” and, after rigorous training sessions of endless spins, she went solo – and achieved her goal. About 3 500 official flying hours followed.

Yvonne has lived her life to the limits, encouraging her two daughters – Ingrid (now van Ginkel) and Karen (now Rudnick) – to do likewise. At 16 and 14 years old, Yvonne got them to pack their bags and “on the smell of an oil rag” the happy trio took off on a ‘hike’ from Pietersburg (now Polokwane, in Limpopo) all the way via Amsterdam and Oslo to the Russian border.

“You know you are flying

“I had to take the children out of school for three of our sixweek adventure,” explains Yvonne. “The headmaster wasn’t impressed but my dad’s

words rang louder than his – ‘never let schooling get in the way of education’, he would say.” Doors opened all along the route and, with very few rands in their pockets, mother and daughters gained valuable life lessons. “And the girls learnt to trust a gut feel,” adds Yvonne.

When asked whether an excursion to a fun fair would be boring, Yvonne sits up very straight. “I’d be terrified,” she says. “Do you think I’m suicidal?” Amusing coming from a woman who has flown at tree-top level spraying tsetse flies at Kariba Dam, established altitude records, represented South Africa as the first governor of the Ninety-Nines (an international organisation of licensed women pilots, started by Amelia Earhart in 1929 – 99 women answered

Her advice to learners is to get a good education. “Whatever career path you choose, don’t let maths and science scare you, they are not as difficult as you may think; and be responsible.”

“Yvonne would have been a highly capable airline captain, but she did enjoy huge success as a commercial and charter pilot,” said her dear friend Captain Bill Teague.

Back in the 1940s women were banned from flying in the air force and that’s the reason Yvonne settled for working as a commercial pilot.

That jogged her memory – and her ire.

“Tired of the gender discrimination I’d borne all my working life – and of the office job I had in Johannesburg – I spontaneously packed my bags and took off for the little fishing village of Hermanus, some 30 years ago.”

By chance there was a crop spraying job advertised; Yvonne applied and was told the position was not for a woman.

“That sealed it for me,” she recalls. “I gave up the fight to fly, and I got a job in a hotel.” It didn’t take long for Yvonne’s two daughters and granddaughters – Debbie (van Ginkel), Chantal (now le Roux) and Tarryn (now Cawood) – to join her. “We were known as the ‘Six Pack’,” she shares, still amused at the title this formidable collection of women was given.

After a spell in China, Ingrid is now a teacher at Dulwich College in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Burma), and Karen lives in Sandbaai. Ingrid’s girls – Debbie a Nia instructress, and Chantal a consultant for autism – also spent time in China, and are now in Siem Reap, Cambodia and Cape Town, respectively.

Chantal has added another girl to the clan which makes Yvonne a great-grandmother. Karen’s daughter, Tarryn, is a soughtafter geologist, has been decorated with numerous awards, and after a period of working in the Swiss Alps – among other remote places – she is currently in Los Angeles, USA with her sights set on a PhD. All three grandchildren gained first class matrics at Hermanus High School where, in 2007, Tarryn was Top Achiever and third in the Western Cape.

Hermanus is very different from the peaceful, quiet community Yvonne moved to, but she has grown with it and last year she settled happily in Sandbaai.

This is a mere slice of a thrilling tale. For more on her colourful account, From Aprons to Aeroplanes provides an exhilarating read about a woman’s journey through the world of aviation.

To secure a copy of Yvonne’s self-published book, visit The Book Collector in the Royal Centre, Main Road, Hermanus. Contact Benadé Kruger on 078 120 0120 or Chris Steyn on 083 653 9957 or send an email to yvonne.vandendool@ gmail.com

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17 - 23 April 2018

The intricate art of flower power Elaine Davie

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hen it comes to Botanical Art, Vicki Thomas of Betty’s Bay is counted as a player in the international Big Leagues. Her work has been included in numerous international exhibitions and projects and 12 of her paintings are featured in the prestigious Shirley Sherwood Collection of Botanical Art, housed in its own magnificent modern gallery in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in the UK. Every word that Vicki speaks and every brushstroke she makes tells of her passionate commitment to this form of artistic expression. She is, undoubtedly, a serious artist with a strong sense of responsibility towards the accurate representation of her subject, yet there is an overriding sense of joy about her work. On the page, the plants seem to glow with life, as if they were still living free in their own natural environment.

Unusually, her entry into the genre of botanical art came by chance and through the scientific portal, rather than the artistic. Her mother-in-law was a horticulturist and for many years the Chair of the Indigenous Bulb-Growers Association, based at Kirstenbosch. Every year she would organise an annual competition and in 1987 asked Vicki (who had been interested in art since she was a child), to do a small watercolour painting of a plant on each of the prize-winners’ certificates.

That did it for her. Working with a variety of eminent botanists, she learnt her trade as she went along. There was no formal training available, so it was largely a process of trial and error with occasional tips from existing botanical artists. She admits she made many mistakes at the beginning, but to this day values the scientific discipline requiring the strict attention to detail and accuracy which this experience offered her.

“What the botanists needed

“

was an ability to communicate visually with other scientists,” she points out, “so all aspects of the plant had to be accurately portrayed. A botanist would bring me a pot with a plant in it and ask me to paint it. The first thing I had to do was to make a diagnosis of what was special about the plant and then indicate how it differed from other similar plants. This often involved showing a cross-section of the reproductive parts, using the plant’s natural architecture and then making adjustments to highlight all its natural features.”

It was only later that she started developing a freer, more artistic style, incorporating her own personality in the paintings. “Every painting must, in effect, be a selfportrait, depicting your own interpretation and perception of the subject,” she explains.

This is the philosophy that has guided the extensive teaching programme she has presented for the past 10 years or more, at the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. “Teaching has been a huge challenge to me,” she says, “but incredibly fulfilling. It involves analysing what each student is ready for, communicating with and guiding them, but above all, not interfering with each one’s unique style. Looking at a cross-section of my past students’ work, no one would be able to tell that I taught them – they are all completely different, from me and one another.”

Vicki’s work has been widely published both locally and internationally. However, two of the projects she is proudest to have been associated with are the Highgrove (Prince Charles’ home) garden and Transylvania Florilegium (a florilegium is a collection of paintings depicting the total collection of plants in a particular place).

“To be invited to contribute to these two projects was an enormous honour,” says Vicki.

“The Transylvania project was particularly interesting because the Rumanian country-

Every painting must, in effect, be a self-portrait, depicting your own interpretation and perception of the subject.

” Botanical artist Vicki Thomas in her Betty’s Bay studio. side had remained relatively unspoilt over a lengthy timespan, with the result that a wide variety of its native flora has remained intact.”

Vicki always draws from life.

She finds that the camera distorts the image and doesn’t give a true representation of colour. She often does a quick on-site sketch, accurately capturing the colours and then working on it in her studio.

Similarly, the composition of the painting is always taken from nature. Her preparation beforehand is meticulous and can take between 3 months and a year, but the painting itself is usually relatively quick, between two and three weeks.

Recently, she has been working on paintings for two particularly exciting projects: Botanical Art Worldwide, and The Journey of Plants, organised by the Museum De Buitenplaats in the Netherlands.

The first of these events is being organised by the Botanical Artists’ Association of South Africa, as the South African arm of a US-initiated project in which 25 countries are able to showcase their indigenous plants in paintings by local botanical artists. All the exhibitions around the

globe will open on the same day, starting with Japan and progressing through the various time zones. They will be linked by video, so that they can all be viewed by anyone anywhere in the world.

The South African leg of the project, curated by Gill Condy and Karen Kemmey, opens on 17 May at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg, where it will remain on show for the next three weeks.

Approximately 60 artists are participating, each contributing three to four paintings.

Vicki’s three are the Marsh Rose, Protea aristata and Haemanthus coccineus.

The Journey of Plants exhibition will open in Eelde in Holland in September and will tour around the world until January 2019. Each participating artist is asked to submit 10 paintings, three of them depicting plants that were introduced to their country and became incorporated into its floral culture and seven depicting plants that had been successfully exported to other countries. To accompany the first three, it was necessary to research and write the story that led to the presence of the plants in their adopted country.

PHOTO: Elaine Davie Vicki has chosen the nasturtium, which found its way into the Company’s gardens in the early years of the Dutch occupation of the Cape; the Jacaranda tree from Brazil, which was chosen to populate the streets of Pretoria and Johannesburg on a massive scale, turning them into a lavender spectacle in Spring each year; and the Bougainvillea from South America. She particularly loves this story.

It concerns a French maritime expedition in the 18th century which was launched to collect exotic plants from around the world. One of the botanists on the voyage smuggled his mistress and fellow-botanist, Jeanne Barré, on board disguised as a man. Sadly, he became ill and died on the journey and it was she, indeed, who discovered the plant and named it after French Admiral, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, the leader of the expedition. In undertaking this remarkable journey of discovery, this intrepid explorer also became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.

It is not hard to see why a collector of flora and breaker of boundaries should so greatly appeal to Vicki Thomas. In her own way, she is

The 18th century botanist Jeanne Barré disguised herself as a man called Jean Baret in order to join Admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville's expedition on the ships La Boudeuse and Étoile from 1766 to 1769. Among the exotic plants found during their voyage was the Bougainvillea, named after the admiral. By joining this expedition, Barre became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. constantly seeking new ways to hold the mirror up to the beauty and miraculous life of plants and share them with the world.

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17 - 23 April 2018

Local fisherman hooks record 81kg ray Sarah Taylor

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ocal sports fisherman and businessman Brian McFarlane hooked a new Boland award last month when he landed an 81kg duckbill ray (Aetomylaeus bovinus, also known as the Bull ray), a species of large sting ray from the Struisbaai shore.

The largest duckbill ray ever caught off the South African coast, as recorded by the South African Shore Angling Association, weighed 93kg and was caught by Henry Lourens of the Southern Cape in 2009.

McFarlane’s record catch on March 10 happened during one of the eight competitions held by the 60-year-old Boland Shore Angling Association each year for its six clubs. It was McFarlane and his wife Sandy’s eldest son’s wedding that same day in Stanford, 100km from Struisbaai, and he only just managed to get there in time after battling for almost two hours to bring in the ray.

“The ray, caught using an octopus tentacle as bait, ran out at least 400m of line. It was a great fight in the end, over one-andthree-quarter hours, after

which I was able to pull it in, measure it and record it before releasing it safely back into the water,” said McFarlane, noting that the record was especially exciting because it was “a relatively rare fish to catch”.

McFarlane, owner of Great White Shark Tours and a member of the Hermanus Angling Club, turns 70 on April 20 and he is clearly on a roll.

He was one of five South Africans selected to participate in the first Master World Championship Shore Angling Competition in Peñiscola, Spain in October 2017 and was also a member of the South African team which took on Namibia in December last year in Henties Bay, thrashing the home side in all categories (U16, U21, seniors, masters and ladies).

While South Africa did not fare well in the Spanish competition, McFarlane said it was the “experience of a lifetime meeting people from all walks of life and talking the same language as them”. Trials for the second Master World Championship Shore Angling Competition, which will be held in Albufeira, Portugal in November 2018, have been concluded and Brian has been

Local fisherman Brian McFarlane hooked a new Boland award last month when he landed an 81kg duckbill ray from the Struisbaai shore.

chosen for the South African team.

competition South African has ever hosted.

SA to host World Games But what is most exciting for McFarlane now is that South Africa will host the Fourth Sport Fishing World Games for the first time, from February 11 – 17, with events taking place at nine venues along the coast, from Langebaan to Richards Bay, as well as inland.

“It is also a great honour for me to be chosen to be in the senior’s category at the age of 70, when most seniors are aged between 20 and 40. In the Spanish and Portuguese events, we are out of our league, but in this World Championship, we will have home advantage and we should do well,” said McFarlane, and added that the shore angling component of the competition will be held in Langebaan.

This event, expected to attract 3 500 anglers from 23 countries, is held once every four years and in 2015 it was held in Italy.

Because McFarlane, who has been awarded Springbok colours seven times for his fishing prowess, has performed so well in the trials for this international event, he has been honoured by being chosen to be part of the South African senior shore angling pair’s category, for men 20 years and older, but usually not more than 40 years old, rather than the masters category, which is for people over the age of 55.

It was a much smaller ‘kettle of fish’ in the Master World Championship Shore Angling Competition held in Spain last year.

“It is such a privilege for South Africa to host this event. The Minister of Sport and Recreation has given us his blessing for this, the biggest fishing

“It’s a great opportunity for South Africa to showcase the country in the different fields.

This is a massive event for us.”

The event will include the following sea fishing categories: sea shore angling for seniors, ladies, team and masters; casting with sea weights, deep sea for big game, deep sea from the anchor (light tackle).

The freshwater categories include: carp fishing, feeder fishing, match fishing (ladies and masters), carnivores from boat fishing and black bass fishing. These world championships will also include the fly fishing for master category.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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17 - 23 April 2018

Overcoming the winter blues

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o winter is coming. We can feel it in the air and we can see it in the way the sun is rising later and setting earlier. We are hoping for loads of rain that is so desperately needed to fill the dams to ensure that we as the Overberg and Western Cape will be able to welcome back our tourists come summer.

With winter comes all the yummy stews, soups and wonderful hearty meals that make all the cold days worth it. On the negative side it does seem to be the season when our immune system takes a bit of a knock and we are more susceptible to colds, flu and other little bugs.

So how do we take control of our health?

Well, firstly let us look at our immune system and see what makes it tick and what it needs in order to be effective. Your immune cells are truly the little soldiers of the body, ready to fight off any invader that it comes across. New immune cells are generated every 48 –

centrate on all these functions but can rather direct its attention to the damaged cells within the body, thereby kicking off a process called autophagy.

Amanda Hofmeyr 72 hours, so if you have a compromised immune system due to a previous infection, then know that brand-new cells are never more than three days away.

In fact there is a theory which has been thoroughly documented, suggesting that doing a water-fast for three

days will completely reset the immune system. The thinking behind this is that digestion takes up a lot of energy and also requires a lot of enzyme and hormone production within the body in order to break down the food, regulate the insulin and so forth. When you go on a water-fast the body does not have to con-

Autophagy is your body recognising these damaged cells and recycling them into useful cells, thereby cleaning out the body of infection. The theory behind this is that starving the body kick starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells that fight off infection.

system than with a wonderful wholefood diet. Winter is the one season whereby even the die-hard non-veggie eater can be misled with some hidden vegetables inside a stew or curry. As an added bonus the herbs and spices that are going into the dishes such as turmeric, cumin, garlic and ginger all have their own individual infection-fighting components that make them an absolute must have on the plate.

If this sounds too extreme for you and you want to know what you could be doing to boost your immune system in anticipation of winter, then here are a couple of things you could keep in mind:

2. Vitamin C It is the absolute hero of all vitamins when it comes to boosting the immune system.

This crucial winter vitamin is full of anti-oxidant properties and assists the body on numerous different levels in fighting infection.

1. A varied diet The nice thing about winter is the food. It brings nostalgic memories of stews and soups and wonderful fragrant curries to the fore and what better way to boost the immune

3. Sleep Adequate sleep is probably the easiest thing that we can do to help our body recover and recoup in order to put us in the best possible position to fight off infections. Now

that there are no balmy, hot summer evenings or mosquitoes buzzing around our ears, getting the required 7 – 8 hours per night might be a little more achievable than it seemed a couple of months ago. It is also vitally important to our health as lack of sleep triggers a stress hormone release which in turn puts the immune system in a compromising position and more susceptible to infections.

4. Natural remedies If at all possible, see if you can avoid going the antibiotic route as they in turn attack the good bacteria in your gut. This sets in motion a chain reaction as a lack of good bacterial flora makes the body more susceptible to bad bacteria and compromises the immune system. So if you manage to strengthen your immune system ahead of the winter months you might just be able to get away with minor infections that could be doctored with natural remedies such as Echinacea, Elderberry, Ginger and Zinc.

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17 - 23 April 2018

How neuroplasticity can help you heal Neuroplasticity is all about the incredible ability of our brains to adapt to situations. We tend to think of our brains as static and unchangeable, but nothing could be further from the truth, writes Dr ARIEN VAN DER MERWE. Your brain is malleable like clay and the most exercise-able body part you have – far easier to develop than calf muscles! You can learn to retrain and rewire your brain to serve you rather than hold you back – teaching an ‘old dog’ new tricks, so to speak, and realising all of your potential.

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ur brain never ever stops learning, developing and changing because it constantly optimises itself, reorganising itself by transferring cognitive abilities from one lobe to the other, particularly as you age. Ultimately, you and your mind are the architect of your brain. When you change your beliefs, learn something new or become mindful of your habitual reactions to unpleasant emotions, you actually alter the neurochemistry and the structure of your brain.

Rediscovering the brain’s natural ability According to Old Thought, brain neurons were believed to be unique because they, of all cells in the human body, lacked the ability to regenerate. “In adult centres the nerve paths are something fixed, ended, immutable. Everything may die, nothing may be regenerated,” wrote Prof Santiago Cajal in his 1928 publication Degeneration and Regeneration in the Nervous System.

However, New Thought indicates that neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) does indeed occur in humans, as published in a report by the journal Nature Medicine already in 1998. As Sharon Begley wrote in her book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, “...the discovery overturned generations of conventional wisdom in neuroscience. The human brain is not limited to the neurons it is born with, or even the neurons that fill in after the explosion of brain development in early childhood.”

Within each of our brains there is a population of neural stem cells which are continually replenished and able to differentiate into different brain neurons. We can all do our own brain stem cell renewal and regrowth therapy every moment of our lives, by opening up to new learning,

new experiences, exploring new horizons, possibilities, or elsewhere of thought!

We lead busy lives, often on autopilot, therefore we almost never pay any attention to the fact that we can retrain our brains at any given stage. In medical terms, this ability of our brains to adapt as needed and to form new patterns and shapes by creating new neural pathways, is called neuroplasticity.

overcome autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and other brain challenges, heal depression and addictions and reverse obsessive compulsive patterns.

Neuroplasticity defined Neuroplasticity is the brain's inherent ability to form new neural connections throughout life, allowing the nerve cells in the brain and body to compensate for injury and disease while adjusting their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment, leading to changes in behaviour, thinking and emotions.

Use it or lose it Similar to resistance training and physical exercise building muscles, nerve cells in the brain are growing and cross linking with other neurons for better communication, through mental exercise and continuous learning. For new manifestations, new beliefs and attitudes – not rehashing old, often negative memories and traumatic experiences from the past and projecting these into the future – we have to retrain and refire our brains, change out of our comfort zones of neural networks stuck in old grooves (those that can still remember LP’s) to create a new physical reality for ourselves and to evolve into all we’re meant to be.

Neuroplasticity makes your brain extremely resilient and is the process by which all permanent learning takes place, such as learning to walk, drive, playing a musical instrument or mastering a different language.

Neuroplasticity also enables people to recover from stroke, injury and birth abnormalities,

There’s also such a thing as negative neuroplasticity (neurorigidity), where you keep on doing what you’ve always done, with the results you’ve always been getting… not the ones you actually want! A Course in Miracles says we are far too tolerant of our mind wanderings, and Einstein said

that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and always expecting a different result. If we want to experience positive neuroplasticity, the first step is a willingness to change, and that’s easier said than done, for human beings love things to stay the same, even if old behaviour patterns are not working, at least they’re familiar!

Mind training The key to mind training is willingness to change. If you’re content to remain stuck in a rigid pattern, resisting change and insisting things stay the same, or saying to yourself that you’re too old to learn new things or develop new abilities, then neuroplasticity mind training is not for you. But by softening your mind and at least considering the possibility, a whole new world opens up to you!

Once the willingness is there, the next step is focused attention to become aware of old behaviour based on past memories with their accompanying emotional load. Then comes determination and diligence to change the old patterns and maintain overall brain health, remembering the 3P’s (practice, patience and perseverance) and the 1GNF

(good-natured flexibility). Keep on practising, day after day, stumbling and falling and getting up until you find longer periods of peace, joy and happiness – the key ingredients for a brain to remain malleable.

Cells that fire together, wire together: the more something is practiced, the more connections are changed and made to include all elements of the experience (sensory information, movement, cognitive patterns).

You can think of it as a new software program being formed for that particular behaviour, which allows it to be performed with remarkable facility and reliability over time.

Remember when you started to drive and having to remember every-thing, then after a while it became completely automatic and easy? You practised and finally it became a known and automatic software program.

Problem is we do the same thing with programs that don’t serve us any longer, and the challenge then is to change the old programming and relearn new programming. This takes determination and practice, and a willingness to keep exploring and challenging yourself.

Whole brain function Brain training will allow both left and right sides of the brain to work together. Learning and practising activities that get us out of our comfort zones and force us to use both hemispheres, will help us to become more proficient at whole brain thinking, and from there to a mind that extends much wider that the physical brain. This will have a pay-it-forward effect on our bodies and the rest of our lives, while also inspiring others around us.

NEUROPLASTICITY TALK To find out more about the brain training tools and techniques available to you to support and enhance your neuroplasticity, book now for Dr Arien’s Introductory Talk on Neuroplasticity at Refine Clinic on Wednesday 25 April, from 18:00 – 19:00.

This talk will be followed by a Workshop to further explore Neuroplasticity applied to Practical Stress Management on Saturday 2 June, also at Refine Clinic.

For more information visit www.drarien.co.za or contact info@drarien.co.za or 028 316 4122.

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17 - 23 April 2018

Buy smaller and buy sooner

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irst-time buyers typically need to save for at least three years to afford the deposit on a home, and the VAT and fuel price increases announced in this year’s Budget are going to make it even more difficult for them to reach that goal.

“And as home prices continue to rise, they may feel like they are never going to get there, especially since they will also need cash to pay for bond registration, legal and transfer fees,” says Rudi Botha, CEO of BetterBond, SA’s biggest bond originator.

“However, it is never a good idea to try to buy a home without a deposit, and there is another way for prospective buyers to shorten the saving process.”

The BetterBond statistics show that the average home price currently being paid by firsttime buyers is R797 000, with the average deposit being R91 000 – or about 11,4% of the purchase price.

In addition, he says, the most

THE

NEWS

It remains business as usual for the Hermanus property market despite the protests, according to Paul Kruger, Licensee for Seeff in the area.

MY Home

recent BankservAfrica figures show that the average takehome pay in South Africa is now R14 000 a month, so even a couple who is able to save 10% of their total earnings every month (R2 800) will need almost three years (32,5 months) to save up the R91 000.

“Most will of course need longer than that even if their salaries increase in the interim, because their rent will probably also go up, along with the cost of food, transport, utilities and healthcare, and then there are always those emergencies that disrupt the plans of even

Hermanus property market not affected by protests

While condemning the violence and reckless damage to property, Kruger said that there is nothing unusual about protests. They are a part of any democracy and certainly not unique to South Africa or Hermanus. A heightening of protest action is also expected in light of the lead up to the 2019 General Elections.

the most diligent savers.”

But the answer, notes Botha, is not to give up on the idea of paying a sizable deposit, because this will not only improve their chances of being approved for a bond but could also mean that they qualify for a lower interest rate. And a lower interest rate means more affordable monthly repayments plus big savings on the total cost of a home over the lifetime of the bond.

“The real answer for those who are really keen to get into the property market is to reset their sights and buy a

less expensive home as a starting point. By doing this they will lower the amount they need as a deposit and quickly be able to replace their monthly rent payment with a bond repayment on an asset that is increasing in value.

“They should then also be able to divert what they were saving for a deposit into their home loan account and build up extra equity in the property that can be used, in a just a few years’ time, to help them ‘trade-up’ to a bigger and better home without having to stress about raising a big enough deposit.”

Land and service delivery have become hot political topics being used by political parties. There is also a tendency to sensationalise these in the media. The ANC government and President Cyril Ramaphosa have reiterated on a number of occasions recently that land grabs and criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in terms of the law.

Over the last two years, there have been a number of protests in the surrounding areas, including Kleinmond, and the property market was not adversely affected. In fact, Seeff Hermanus has achieved record sales for the first quarter of this year with turnover up by 100% compared to the same period last year, said Kruger.

Buyers, sellers and investors should not be deterred by the events or media reports, he said. Hermanus is one of the most sought-after coastal areas in the country and has a very healthy property market. “We continue to see strong demand in property and smart buyers and investors are putting a lot of money into the market, paying excellent prices with topend areas beginning to comfortably breach the R10M to R20M price range” It is a great time to invest in Hermanus property, especially given that values are set to rise as the economy begins its recovery. Kruger also recommended that sellers, buyers and other property market stakeholders rather obtain information and insight from property agents.

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17 - 23 April 2018

Hermanus Pharmacies open day bowls tournament Hermanus Pharmacies held an Open Day at the Hermanus Bowling Club on Thursday 5 April, sponsored by Phillip-Ben Kotze of Hermanus Pharmacy and Arnold Nepgen of Alex Grant Pharmacy. A total of 22 teams participated and the winners were the team of Joggie Mentz from Worcester. The teams that came second and third were both from Hermanus. Second: Brian Higgo, Dave Buckley, Ann Higgo and Koos Hugo. Third: Ian Herbst, Rosa Cloete, P Kotze, Alet Jerling and Janes le Grange.

THE WINNING TEAM From left are Joggie and Barbara Mentz from Worcester, Phillip-Ben Kotze from Hermanus Pharmacy, Anneke Thorpe from Hermanus and Riana Volschenk from Caledon.

Elsabe van der Westhuizen anxiously checks the trajectory of her bowl.

Peter Schumer and Servaas de Wet in action.

PHOTOS: Magriet Hugo

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17 - 23 April 2018

SPONSORSHIP On Wednesday 11 April, the Hermanus High School 1st Team Netball girls met with one of Gateway Spar’s owners, Morkel van Niekerk, to receive their new kit for the season.

Morkel together with his two brothers, Bern and De Wet, have been sponsors of Hermanus High School sport for the past few years. Each player received a backpack, match kit and practice kit with Spar branding on it. Back row, left to right: Hannah Sturm, Janeke Viljoen, Tayla van den Bergh and Amor Plaatjies. Front: Maxene Valentine, DonnĂŠ van Schoor, Zulene van Niekerk (captain), Greg Hassenkamp (principal), Maryke Henn (head of netball), Marichen Muller (coach), Morkel van Niekerk (sponsor), Jaiden Dickson (vice-captain), Kimberlin Beyers and Mari Carstens.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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17 - 23 April 2018

Sevens – making rugby a cosmopolitan game

T

he idea of sevens rugby was initially conceived in 1883 by Ned Haig and David Sanderson who were butchers from Melrose in Scotland. The first ever sevens match was played as a fundraising event at The Greenyards, the Melrose ground.

Offside Tony O’Hagan

This tournament was held as an example to the 15 man format as it provided a level of cosmopolitan competition which tended not to exist in the longer form of the game, prior to the first Rugby World Cup held in 1987 in New Zealand. The participation and skills shown in Hong Kong by the likes of South Korea, Japan, Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa were an eye opener to the traditional rugby union countries.

Despite the popularity of sevens on the Scottish Border towns, it did not catch on elsewhere until the 1920s. The first event outside Scotland, the Percy Park Sevens, was held at North Shields in England. Because it was near the code's birthplace, it attracted teams from the Scottish Borders and the final of that event was contested between Selkirk (who won) and Melrose.

Sevens gained prominence in England and in 1926, the Middlesex Sevens was founded to raise funds for the King Edward VII Hospital.

The first officially sanctioned tournament for national teams was the 1973 International Seven-A-Side event held at Murrayfield, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union Centenary celebrations.

The interest in sevens was raised to a new height when the Hong Kong Sevens was launched in 1976. The Scottish connection was evident in the establishment of this event as it was largely founded by expats.

The Blitzbokke missed out on a podium finish at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia but as the leaders in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series they are now setting their sights on winning that coveted trophy. The Rugby World Cup Sevens will also be held in July and the team is on target to perform well at that event.

The marketing, sponsorship and spectator enthusiasm for this format provided the benchmark for the longer format to follow. The Hong Kong Sevens also provided the platform for the traditional rugby unions to intermingle with emerging countries, thus increasing the interest in rugby per se.

Today, the World Rugby Sevens Series is contested on the global stage and the interest and excitement in this format of rugby was further enhanced when sevens became an Olympic sport at Rio in 2016. This also provided a knock-on effect for the longer format.

The worldwide impetus of sevens has resulted in tournament participation by countries that a few years back didn’t know how to spell the word rugby, let alone play it.

These include nations like Spain, Portugal, Germany and Poland, exponents of the round ball.

In the North American zone, newcomers include most of the islands in the Caribbean and Mexico. In the East, countries not associated with rugby and now playing the game include Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Some years back, these nations playing rugby would have been a pipe dream.

Sevens has been the catalyst in growing rugby into a cosmopolitan sporting code with over 100 countries part of the oval ball fraternity.

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17 - 23 April 2018

MY Sport

Hermanus High School excels at sport events On Saturday 14 April, the Hermanus High School A-team netball girls went to Cape Town to play in the Bellville Sportsday. Several schools participated and the games were tough but Hermanus once again showed its skill in netball. All the teams did extremely well and Hermanus won most of their matches against the opposing teams. The U16 and U19 rugby boys also had a successful Saturday against Swartberg Secondary School from Caledon, where players were selected for the South Boland teams. These names will be announced during the week.

On Thursday 12 April, Hermanus High School’s U16A and U19A netball girls played at home against Epworth School from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. All the matches proved to be challenging but Hermanus High did extremely well with both teams winning their matches.

The first team netball girls were ecstatic to break in their new Spar-sponsored kit and did the school proud by winning 27-17 against Epworth. Above is Amor Plaaitjies (U19A wing defense) passing to goal attack after managing to steal the ball from Epworth.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography

Overberg schools competed for South Boland titles at Hermanus High School on Saturday 14 April.

PHOTO: Lynette van Tonder

Hermanus Hockey Club played a friendly match against Hermanus High School’s First Team Hockey boys on Wednesday 11 April. The club’s coach, Frank Single, is also the coach for the first team at the high school. His son Dylan Single is the club’s vice captain and also coaches hockey at Hermanus High. These friendly games between the school and the club allow the first team to play with experienced hockey players which gives them an extra edge over opposing teams. The Hermanus Hockey Club’s next home game is on Saturday 21 April at 15:00 at the astro turf behind the Hermanus Cricket Club. Here James Stanley from Hermanus High takes on Nichol Parr from Hermanus Hockey Club as he runs the ball up.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography