The Village NEWS 19 Feb - 26 Feb by The Village NEWS

19 FEBRUARY 2020

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THE VILLAGE

NEWS #ALLOVEROVERBERG

The history of angling in Hermanus

Poachers target SA’s succulents

See What's On in the Overberg this week

What's new in review

Bulldogs Kati (left) and Lilli from Betty's Bay are both rescue dogs who love the beach! Lilli has been with her family for just three weeks and her owner, Karin says her tongue is always hanging out and getting in the way – when she gets wet and shakes off, it sometimes hits her in the face, much to Karin’s amusement. PHOTO: Karin Achterbergh

New liquor trading hours Writer Hedda Mittner

proposal for the amendment of the Overstrand Municipality liquor trading hours bylaw 2011 has elicited a flurry of comments on social media. The two-page document contains significant implications for liquor licence holders as well as consumers in terms of when alcohol may be sold. The proposed amendments mean that licenced businesses such as bars, clubs and other waterholes cannot sell liquor after midnight, and that consumers can no longer buy alcohol

on a Sunday from bottle stores, supermarkets or any other outlets that sell alcohol, for off-premises consumption (i.e. to take home). If enacted by Council, the following amendments to the bylaw will apply: • Liquor may only be sold for consumption on licenced premises between 10:00 and 00:00 on any day. • Liquor may only be sold for consumption off licenced premises between 08:00 and 20:00, Mondays to Saturdays only. The proposed liquor trading hours bylaw will be available for perusal

during office hours at the offices of the Area Managers in Gansbaai, Stanford, Hermanus and Kleinmond, in all the public libraries in the Overstrand and the Corporate Head Office of the municipality in Hermanus, as well as the official website at www.overstrand.gov.za. Click on Documents, then click on bylaw and draft bylaw. Overstrand residents have until 23 March to comment on the new proposed liquor trading hours and are urged to do so through the official channels, and to clearly motivate and substantiate their comment, be it for or against the proposal. Comments can be forwarded to the

Municipal Manager (for attention Lionel Wallace), PO Box 20, Hermanus 7200, or fax 028 313 8931, or emailed to lwallace@overstrand. gov.za. According to a statement issued by the municipality, “The proposed changes can be seen as an attempt to clamp down on establishments that sell liquor illegally or without licences, and also an attempt to mitigate liquor abuse, hooliganism, noise pollution and public disturbances.” Residents who are aware of an individual or a business that is not adhering to the liquor laws have the

option of lodging a complaint with the Western Cape Liquor Authority. Complaints could include knowledge about unlicensed liquor outlets in the community; outlets selling liquor to under-aged persons; or an outlet staying open later than its licence allows. Such activities can be reported to the Western Cape Liquor Authority on 021 204 9805 or email: liquor. enquiries@wcla.gov.za. If you are in need of more information, visit www. wcla.gov.za. Complaints may also be directed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and municipal law enforcement.

Proposal for dog zones open for comment I t’s time for one last round for receiving feedback and comments from the public before Overstrand Municipality implements trial dog zones on Kleinmond Main Beach, Grotto Beach in Hermanus and Pearly Beach near Gansbaai.

Gansbaai, Stanford, Hermanus and Kleinmond, in all the public libraries in the Overstrand and the Corporate Head Office of the municipality in Hermanus, as well as the official website at www. overstrand.gov.za. Click on Documents, then click on Strategic Documents and Dog Zoning.

Each of these beaches will have a GREEN (offleash), ORANGE (on-leash) and RED (no dogs) zone.

Kindly note that comments regarding trial dog zones must be specific to the proposed trial areas as specified on the maps. Once the proposed zones allowing dogs to be walked on/off leash have been established, the existing Bylaw for the Keeping of Dogs and Cats will have to be amended accordingly. Proposed amendments to the bylaw will follow a public participation process for comment before being presented to Council for consideration and possible adoption.

It is true that not everyone likes dogs or wants to deal with them on a day out at the beach, especially when they have small children with them. Other than a fear of dogs, there is also the possibility of an overly-excited dog jumping on kids or urinating on sandcastles, which do not make for very happy children. Moreover, beach runners may prefer a beach without dogs, as those with a high prey/chase drive may chase or even attack a runner. But others enjoy seeing dogs running free in nature. With the new dog zones, the needs of our companion animals, wildlife and beachgoers are all taken into account. The Nature's Valley Trust, which is facilitating this proposal, states that “Zoning will help people, dogs and our shorebirds live their best lives”. The proposal is available for perusal during office hours at the offices of the Area Managers in

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19 February 2020

What is this issue of dogs and birds on beaches all about? "My dogs have never chased, caught or killed any bird on the beach." This statement is probably true for most of us. But the reality is that it's not about the direct physical harm your dog can do to a bird. • Your dog is a predator Or at least that is how a bird would perceive it, given that your pup has all the physical characteristics of the type of predator – a four-legged furry mammal – that birds have evolved to fear. • Breeding success In Plettenberg Bay the breeding success of unmanaged local White-fonted Plover populations is less than 10%. Off-leash dogs were identified as the main cause of disturbance. • Shore-breeding birds breed in summer Our warmest season of the year is the time when tourists flock to our beaches. In the summer heat, shorebirds incubate to cool their eggs. So, the more frequently a bird is disturbed off its eggs by people or dogs, the slimmer the chances that those eggs will survive the hatch. That is because the thermal capacity of an egg is 42˚C – above this temperature eggs die. In peak summer it can take an exposed egg only five minutes to reach its thermal capacity. • Intervention With the intervention of extensive public awareness, zoning, signage and rope enclosures, beaches have experienced an increase in breeding success of up to 30%.

Send your feedback or comments on or before Friday, 6 March 2020 to:

• • • •

KLEINMOND 33 5th Avenue Desmond Lakey: dlakey@overstrand.gov.za HERMANUS Magnolia Street Anver Wyngaard: awyngaard@overstrand. gov.za STANFORD 17 Queen Victoria Street Francois Myburgh: fmyburgh@overstrand. gov.za GANSBAAI Main Street Francois Myburgh: fmyburgh@overstrand. gov.za

1 DEC 19 – 31 MARCH 20

New website provides easy access to maps The Overstrand Municipality has recently made basic map data available online through a user-friendly viewer which runs on your own computer, tablet or smart phone. The map viewer contains aerial photography taken in December 2018 as well as the current property data with erf numbers, street names and addresses. The property data is updated on a quarterly basis. You can also look at the zoning of properties and whether a building falls into a heritage category. The viewer can be found on www.overstrand.gov.za by clicking on the map icon. Instructions on how to use the viewer can be found by clicking on the ‘I’ button.

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19 February 2020

Angling and the birth of tourism in Hermanus (1900–1970) 1

In last week’s article (Visbaai – The history of Hermanus as a fishing village) we followed the rise and fall of the fishing economy around Visbaai, resulting in a fishing culture that still lives on. But, Hermanus became equally famous for another kind of fishing, which also had economic consequences, writes DR ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society.

his type of activity could also be called ‘fishing’, but was more accurately referred to as ‘angling.’ Angling involved individual fishermen, not crews, and the participants were usually of upper or middle-class social standing, fishing off the rocks or from a hired boat, with a single rod, catching large fish for personal use. Angling was the recreational activity offered by Hermanus to busy diplomats, bureaucrats and even minor aristocracy, such as the Earl of Athlone and his wife, Princess Alice. Usually, the individual angler got involved only when the catch was ready to be reeled in. Even at this stage, he might be assisted by a local fisherman referred to as a ‘ghillie’, who did all the dirty work: digging bait, baiting hooks, casting, gaffing, and killing the fish. The angler took all the credit. He (very seldom ‘she’) was much more prosperous than any local fisherman and could afford expensive imported equipment and tuition in fishing from the local ‘professional’, Bill Selkirk, a resident famous for his exploits in catching sharks of world-record size. He tutored anglers in the basics of the pastime, as well as selling them tackle from his shop near The Marine Hotel.

1. Sir William Hoy (third from the right) poses with a fishing group and their catch. 2. The Marine Hotel, shortly after it was built in 1902. Many hotel guests participated in recreational angling and the kitchen staff would prepare and serve their catch for dinner.The Royal Hotel, circa 1905. 3. Local legend, Bill Selkirk with some of his catches. 4. Bill Selkirk fishing at the Old Harbour. PHOTOS: Old Harbour Museum

Noteworthy specimens were weighed and individual records kept at the hotel at which the angler was staying. The hotel chef would also prepare the trophy according to the angler’s wishes, and it would be consumed in a convivial fashion with other guests, accompanied by regular tales of ‘the one that got away’. Berdine Luyt describes just such an incident at The Marine Hotel in the 1940s:

[Judge] Reggie Davis caught a large kabeljou a few days ago, a record catch. He was delighted and decided to have his photograph taken with the fish. It was rather late in the afternoon when he returned to the hotel, but Mother sent one of the office staff on a bicycle to Mr Ravenscroft [the local photographer]. Mr Ravenscroft sent back word that he couldn't come until the next day, as it was time for his daily walk. No persuasion would make him alter his mind. So Reggie took the fish to the ‘vishok' [fish-room] outside the kitchen, where it was hung, instructing the kitchen staff not to touch it. The next morning a member of the kitchen staff came to the office in tears. ‘An awful thing has happened, Mrs Luyt’, she said. ‘[Name] has cleaned Judge Davis's kabeljou. What are we going to do? I daren't tell him’. The man who normally cleans the fish was off duty when Reggie brought his kabeljou in, and the other kitchen

staff, being busy at the time, omitted to tell him that it was not to be cleaned with the other fish. Reggie always came to see Mother in her office each morning after he had had breakfast; he would sit for a while and chat with her before going off to the rocks. Mother did not know how to break the news either, but he had to be told, and eventually, she blurted it out and then burst into tears herself. Reggie took it very well. ‘Never mind, Joey,’ he said, patting her shoulder, ‘don't be upset. It's not the end of the world, Ravenscroft can still photograph the fish, even if it hasn't any scales and no insides – it might look a bit peculiar, but it's still a record catch.’ And so, later that morning, Ravenscroft duly photographed the kabeljou. That evening we had it for dinner. A sort of collective ‘anglemania’ surrounded the run of a specific fish. ‘Runs’ occurred quite frequently when millions of a certain kind of fish entered Walker Bay. Berdine Luyt comments on a run in 1945: For the last four days, the kabeljou has been running. Everyone is at Kraal Rock, which is almost a solid mass of bodies and lines, and all the anglers are in the most angelic tempers. Paddy [Berdine’s sister] caught two in one day, and we had them for dinner. Ginger [Berdine’s brother-in-law] has caught several every day, but Mac Prain holds the record with eighteen. Reggie Davis’s fish are bigger than anyone else’s – fortunately, because we then get to drink Liebfraumilch at dinner. One should not underestimate the economic impact of angling. While the fish that were caught did not themselves generate income for anyone, anglers contributed in many other ways to the economic growth of Hermanus. They paid their ghillies and met the costs of their stay at the hotel, which in turn employed increasing numbers of the wives and daughters of the fishermen. They spent money at the local general dealers and demanded goods of a higher quality and price than the shop owner would stock for domestic consumption, thus stimulating the local economy. Also, they acted as publicity agents for the town, encouraging more of their colleagues to visit. There are multiple records of people like Judge Reggie Davis or Sir William Hoy playing this essential marketing role as they went about their business around South Africa and the world. PJ Luyt of The Marine Hotel incorporated angling into his marketing campaigns for various sports in order to fill his hotel, using the idea of an ‘Angling Club’. Members competed to record the biggest fish caught in one day or

fish of a particular species or the ‘most unusual fish’. We can see the first indications of tourism in angling. Visitors heard about the attractions of the town, with a strong emphasis on the ‘healthy’ climate along the coast. It supplemented a wholly different type of tourism that we would call ‘wellness tourism’. This had been started by Dr Hoffmann’s Sanitorium in 1896 and Walter MacFarlane’s construction of the Victoria Hotel in the same year. The climate, health care and angling laid the foundation for our tourism industry. Still, the third age of Hermanus was the age of fishing, focused on Visbaai (now the Old Harbour). Without romanticising the times, a quotation that still holds my attention appears in SJ du Toit’s Hermanus Stories I, attributed to a long-standing Hermanus resident, Attie Bishop: It is wonderful to see the boats full of fish entering the bay. After off-loading the fish, the boat is carried up the ‘hard’, and the fishermen take their fish to the merchants. They’re paid half-a-crown per ‘geelbek’, and after gutted, the merchant sells it for five shillings. The old fishermen gathered at the Royal Hotel for a glass of wine where big glasses were sold at a sixpence each. I remember one old man who was already very shaky and had to hold his glass with both hands. When he took his second glass, he could hold it with one hand as the wine had taken away all the shakiness! On days when they did not go to sea, the fishermen gathered in a little house on the hill overlooking the bay. Those were the days when they had no money for a drink and just sat there to talk. They related that one day the weather was so foul that waves washed over the hill [cliffs] and came into the little house. They talked about the ocean and how they watched the mountain to determine their position. Sad to say, but Hermanus’s fishing history effectively ended in the same way as fisheries all over the world did. Serial over-fishing by trawlers with huge nets destroyed the vast shoals of small fish – anchovies, pilchards and silverfish or ‘doppies’, as they were known locally. Deprived of food, the larger fish left Walker Bay. Record catches by single fishermen faded into memory, while politicians and interest groups squabbled over sanctuaries and marine-protected areas and fishing quotas. The truth is that the days of the fishing village will never return to Hermanus, and only the Old Harbour Museum helps keep the old Visbaai alive in our memories.

19 February 2020

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Home-grown Vikings ahoy! Writer & Photographer Sarah Taylor

he traditionally constructed, sustainable wooden Viking longboat that graced Hermanus New Harbour recently arrived safely at its next port of call, Gordon's Bay, after a successful 11-hour, 40-nautical mile journey, combining rowing and sailing. The 35-foot (10m) rowing vessel, Midgard 'Heron' is conducting the southern African leg of the expedition, which began in Struisbaai this month and will end in Hout Bay in a few weeks' time. Crew members, most of whom are professionals in their fields and have day jobs, will meet up every few weeks or months to complete a section of the route. Rounding the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas was a world first, as the only recorded navigation of this global landmark in a Viking longboat. The longboat will be shipped to Oslo, Norway at a later stage and then continue sailing across to the Caspian Sea, retracing ancient Viking shipping routes. Expedition founder, 'active explorer and global citizen' Bjørn Heyerdahl and his crew (13 scientists, explorers and elite athletes handpicked by him, four of whom are women) are using this unique expedition to explore models of intelligent, sustainable human habitation, lessons which they hope to incorporate into their own lives and to share on a global platform. The midgardexpedition.com slogan jauntily states: “The Vikings are coming… the search for intelligent life on earth.” Bjørn, a South African of Norwegian descent, chose to recreate the Viking craft at his home in the North-West Province – using planks of white oak, hand-forged clinker bolts and handwoven rope – as a means of exploring sustainable habitation. The zero-waste 'Heron' is a totally sustainable vessel that is built from earth-friendly materials using the Viking's efficient design. The climate crisis on Earth has spurred Bjørn to act: “We’ve got to that point where the Vikings were 1 200 years ago. They were running out of resources and were experiencing the effects of climate change. From a sustainability point of view, humanity is at that place right now." The Viking longboat was trucked to Durban for successful sea trials and then taken by road to Struisbaai for the launch. The Struisbaai-to-Hermanus leg took 16 hours to cover 64 nautical miles.

The traditionally-constructed wooden Viking boat that recently moored at the New Harbour while on the southern African leg of the Midgard Expedition. The expedition’s founder, Bjorn Heyerdahl (insert), is a passionate environmentalist and a grandson of the famous Norwegian anthropologist and explorer, Dr Thor Heyerdahl, whose adventurous spirit Bjørn has clearly inherited. Bjørn is descended from a much-heralded family of marine expeditioners and is himself a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, the Explorers Club. His grandfather, Thor Heyerdahl was the pioneer of the Kon-Tiki voyage in 1947, in which he set out from Ecuador for Polynesia in an extremely basic wooden raft, and the 5 000 km Ra expeditions from Morocco to Barbados in an ancient Egyptian-style reed boat. His uncle sailed on the 50-year Kon-Tiki commemorative voyage on a replica of the original Kon-Tiki vessel. Speaking on the boat's performance in the water, he says: "During the Hermanus to Gordon's

Bay leg, we got to test her properly. We had 2.5 – 3m following swells and were doing up to 9 knots with wind speeds of 25 knots. She was thrown around a lot but there was hardly a drop of water in the open boat and she was extremely buoyant!" Bjørn was very happy with the hospitality the crew received in Hermanus and thanked Schulphoek Guesthouse for accommodating them. To follow this sea-breaking expedition and to donate to this worthy cause, see www. midgardexpedition.com

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19 February 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

ernment has been agitating to be able to purchase electricity direct from IPPs. The City of Cape Town currently has a case before the Gauteng High Court on this issue and has argued that, if they were allowed to buy from IPPs, they wouldn’t be subjected to load shedding.

Power to the people Amid the theatrics, grandstanding and general lack of decorum that has brought disgrace to what should be a dignified and respectful occasion and a moment for thoughtful reflection, the annual State Of the Nation Address last Thursday evening, included one announcement that has Western Cape officials and residents brimming with anticipation. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that municipalities in good financial standing would be allowed to buy electricity directly from Independent

Power Producers (IPPs). Conceding to the “debilitating effects of load shedding”, President Ramaphosa said, “It has severely set back our efforts to rebuild the economy and to create jobs. Every time it occurs, it disrupts people’s lives, causing frustration, inconvenience, hardship. At its core, load-shedding is the inevitable consequence of Eskom’s inability over many years – due to debt, lack of capacity and state capture – to service its power plants.” For years, the Western Cape gov-

So why is this good news for the Overberg? If consistently achieving clean audit status is a measure of good financial standing, then the municipalities of Swellendam, Cape Agulhas and Overstrand will easily make the grade. These three Western Cape municipalities were commended last year by Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu when the latest municipal audit results were released for the 201718 financial year.

Not only that, but the Overstrand Municipality already has an enabling framework in place to facilitate this, as outlined, for example, in Guidelines for Embedded Generation - Application process to become an embedded generator in Overstrand Municipality. This is an opportunity for a public-private partnership (PPP) between the municipality, business and residents to create an enabling environment for economic growth. While the local administration might be worried about losing revenue on the electricity it currently charges for, the overall benefits will no doubt be greater. Power to the people. This is good NEWS - Ed

Tree-tinsel, barmaids and losing your head By Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com There are facts we know, and facts we don’t know. Then there are other facts we knew, but don’t know anymore – it’s called forgetfulness. But here are a few facts you maybe didn’t know, or perhaps did know and just forgot, but will probably remember from now on. Xmas stuff Seeing the braai smoke has dissipated and the emotional hangovers of the festive season are thankfully in last month’s outbox, we can objectively explore the origins of some Xmas traditions we take for granted. Decorating Xmas trees with flowers, bright berries and ribbons harks back to the Middle Ages in Germany and gradually spread across Europe. Settlers in the New World took the tradition with them, and in 1851 a bloke called Mark Carr opened the first ‘Xmas Trees for Sale’ lot in New York. The idea caught on, but with a strange twist over time. A 2019 sur-

beens to share information, cement friendships, catch the latest gossip, and generally get drunk. Back then, patrons were served their beer/cider/ mead in pint- or quart-sized containers for convenience.

vey revealed that 77% of American households displayed a Xmas tree at home. Tree-huggers (Xmas or not), will be delighted to know that 81% were artificial. And while we’re chatting about Xmas, the first recognised Xmas card – slightly bigger than a business card – was originally dished around for goodwill in England around 1843, bearing this highly creative message: ‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You’. The idea of a mailed postcard slowly caught on, and in 1915 the Hall Brothers (now Hallmark) created a folded card plus the envelope, and last year they sold 1.6 billion, which sadly involved lots of trees.

The barmaid’s job was to keep an eye on the customers’ jars and to ensure the drinks kept coming, pretty much like today. But it was also her job to remember who drank their plonk in pints and who was quaffing in quarts. She therefore had to mind her P’s and Q’s. In some of these establishments, card games (with the regular 52 per pack) were played, and money changed hands, which didn’t sit well with the Tax Department. They wanted their slice of the profits but were unable to police it, so they levied a tax on the purchase of playing cards, and the Ace of Spades, being ‘top of the pile’, was the nominated card to cover the levy.

Anyway, the earliest version of the poem-turned-song, the Twelve Days of Christmas happened around 1780. If all the gifts were added up according to today’s value of money (partridge/pear tree included + VAT), the ‘true love’ would have to cough up a bowel-churning R565 500 to get a leg over. Good luck.

To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase only 51 cards instead, and screw the Ace of Spades. But because most games required 52 cards, these folks were regarded as somewhat stupid/dim-witted

Boozing Cardsharps For centuries, ordinary folks in Britain would gather in taverns and she-

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Excuse my French Initially, Max Robespierre seemed a decent sort of bloke. Born in 1758, he became a French lawyer and statesman fighting for equality and human rights for all – rich, poor, fat or scrawny. His nickname was ‘The Incorruptible’ and, amongst other scruples, he fought staunchly against the horror of the guillotine, and sacrificed a brilliant legal career for refusing to serve in a court that condemned people to the scaffold. All well and good so far. But in 1793 he headed up the Committee of Public Safety, whose main objective was to purge France of all enemies of the revolution, and also to repel foreign invaders. The best way to do it, decided our Max, was to launch the Reign of Terror that sent between 20 and 30 thousand to the guillotine within 18 months. How’s that for an about-face? Serves him right though, because a year later – after eating cake with Marie-Antoinette – he was overthrown, and he too lost his head at the guillotine.

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LET'S TALK

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

Sharing the good news The Spotted Eagle Owl front page photo in last week’s edition was amazing! As an avid ‘Owl person’ I have enjoyed the owl photos you have published recently. It is very much the season for Spotted Eagle Owls and their fledglings and we are privileged to have a resident pair of owls in our Red Gumtree in Third Street, Voëlklip.

Safety in our town We apparently have ample funds to chase baboons, but not to provide security on the cliff paths or in Fernkloof. Also not enough for cameras to observe and deter crime in town and other hot spots.

They have had a pair of chicks since mid-December, giving so much pleasure to us and the many local residents and walkers in Third Street. A number of professional photographers who had heard about our owl family have even come here with their fancy cameras to capture some good owl images. Our pair of parent owls has been extremely successful in raising two chicks each year for the past five years. They nest on the ground in the Fernkloof Reserve in the mountain fynbos above us and bring the wobbly chicks down to roost in our dark, shady Red Gumtree, to develop their strength over 5 – 6 weeks, until

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19 February 2020

We have read numerous reports of no or very slow reaction to members of the public reporting crimes.

they are able to fly off to find their own territory.

was good. You may want to share them with your readers.

I had the luck very early one morning recently to see one of the parents fly in with a rodent to feed the fledgling. I am sending you that photo and a couple more of the fledglings, which I was able to capture when they were perched in the open and the light

We always look forward to reading the good news you bring us each week in The Village NEWS. Thank you to you and your team for your excellent publication!

All this in a time of economic downturn and the influx of thousands of

homeless and jobless persons. So what are our priorities: chasing baboons, or safeguarding locals and visitors enjoying the flora and fauna that surround us? Every tourist is worth thousands of Rand during their stay, in addition to providing jobs. Our authorities must start thinking realistically and act. Realist, Voëlklip

Ed Meyer

Home Affairs extends office hours Home Affairs offices in Caledon and Bredasdorp will be open for ID and Passport applications and collections (or any other civic service product you may need) from 08:00 until 19:00 on weekdays during February 2020.

•

The Department of Home Affairs (DHO) is deeply concerned by the number of uncollected Smart ID cards. It hopes that this period of extended operating hours will enable people who have applied for Smart ID cards but were unable to collect them because of time constraints, to come and collect them.

• •

When you apply for the Smart ID Card the following will be required: • Persons of 16 years and older must bring along their birth certificate or a certified copy not older than 3 months.

•

One of the parents needs to be present with his/her ID. If the parents are deceased, bring along the death certificates and informant/ guardian with an ID letter from a social worker or Court Order for children in foster care. No affidavits are accepted. Your latest contact details (cellular telephone numbers only).

This will enable the DHA to send an alert when your card is ready for collection. The application procedure will involve capturing your details online, and digitally taking your photograph and fingerprints, which will be recorded for the production of your Smart ID Card.

Hassenkamp to bid Hermies farewell

Mr Greg Hassenkamp, Principal of Hermanus High School, has announced that he will be leaving the school at the end of the second term this year, to take up the position of Headmaster at Pretoria Boys’ High School. “I am of the opinion that the school is well paced for new leadership and new ideas to take it forward even further,” he said. “My family and I have had six unforgettable years associated with Hermanus High School, where we have been extremely happy. This school has allowed me to grow immensely as a professional and a person. While I am obviously excited by what the future holds, I am at the same time extremely saddened that my time at this wonderful school will come to an end.” The learners, parents, staff and members of the School Governing Body wish Mr Hassenkamp and his family all the best for the future.

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19 February 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT Tune into CFM (Caledon FM) 89.3/99.3 on Tuesdays from 12:00 – 13:00 to listen to ‘The Village NEWS Hour’ which will contain a sneak preview of what is in the upcoming edition of the newspaper and what you can expect to find online.

Each week, The Village NEWS Hour will also host an interesting guest who not only talks about the week’s new stories and articles, but also plays their favourite music. Come and visit us at the new glass booth studio which will air the CFM 89.3/99.3 channel at Village Square in the heart of Hermanus (upstairs, opposite Ocean Basket).

Poachers target SA’s succulent treasure chest By Dr Anina Lee

his headline in TimesLIVE caught my eye. We are used to reading about poachers in the Overstrand targeting abalone and, further north, poachers targeting elephants and rhinos. But tiny succulents? Let’s think for a moment about the motivation behind poaching, which is somehow different from stealing. Poaching only exists if there is a market for the poached items. The market is created by a willingness to buy. For instance, Chinese buyers of rhino horn and abalone traditionally had the mistaken belief that they had medicinal value, but today the market is driven more by a desire to display wealth. In the case of SA’s tiny succulents, the driving force is partly wealth display and partly the obsessive nature of collectors – to ‘go one better’. That’s why it was good news that officials from the police and CapeNature secured the convictions and sentencing of two South Korean men for stealing 60 000 Conophytum plants. They were each fined R2.5 million and sentenced to a (suspended) six years in jail. A further R2.5 million in cash was seized.

If you missed the original broadcast of The Village NEWS Hour on Tuesday from 12:00 –13:00, it is repeated on Tuesdays at 22:00 and on Sundays at 14:00. CFM is a community radio station set up to serve the community of the entire Overberg region.

A law enforcement source said that it was the fourth conviction of Conophytum poachers in the last five months. Typically, two poachers would pick a piece of veld or a farm and strip it of all its plants. “Some of the plants the Koreans were caught with are a minimum of 200 years old; some of them were 350 years old. They were here when Jan van Riebeeck landed,” the source said. According to the source, poachers may arrive on a holiday visa, rent a car and drive to the middle of the Richtersveld or the Knersvlakte, some of SA's most isolated regions. There they strip the veld of succulents, package the plants and courier them home.

www.pressreader.com www.issuu.com/dwaal 083 700 3319 theagency@thevillagenews.co.za

Alternatively, the poachers may buy from a nursery the same species of Conophytum plants that they have collected illegally from the wild. They use the nursery receipt to apply for an export permit and then export the poached specimens together with the cultivated specimens. Even if the packages are opened, what customs officer will be able to tell the difference?

But why go to all the trouble to poach plants in the wild if they can be purchased from a nursery? Let’s take a closer look at Conophytums and why wild specimens are so desirable. The name Conophytum literally means ‘coneshaped’, which is a typical shape for these plants. Conophytums are about the most reduced (simplified) plants in existence. They consist of one pair of fused succulent leaves that get absorbed and regenerated every year. They have a very rudimentary filamentous root system, no stem to speak of, and are unable to produce more than one, sometimes two, small flowers a year! Some species only form one or two heads, whereas others form huge mounds of sometimes many hundreds of heads. Conophytums are distributed throughout the arid winter-rainfall areas of South Africa and the southern parts of Namibia. I cannot narrow down their exact location as this would give away information to potential poachers. Conophytums belong to the Aizoaceae Family, which also includes plants like Lithops or ‘stone plants’ that look very similar. There is a huge trade in these 'curiosity plants' among succulent collectors. They display

features not seen elsewhere in the plant kingdom – a combination of minutism (very small), mimicry (imitating their surroundings) and extreme succulence (an extraordinary ability to store water). This accounts for much of the variation in form and bizarre shapes that add to their appeal. So why poach them from the wild when they can easily be grown from cuttings or seed? For one, Conophytums grow very slowly and will take most of a nurseryman’s lifetime to grow into a fine specimen. Not much profit in that. Secondly the huge variety found in the wild cannot be found in nurseries. Overseas collectors, especially in the Far East, will pay a premium for plants which have been shaped by nature. Avid collectors are driven by ego and the desire to have something unique. They want big plants with ‘character’ that have been exposed to the ravages of climate, years of hardship among barren rocks and being eaten by animals. They have unique forms that cannot be replicated in a nursery, which increases their scarcity value. Every obsessive collector is looking for that. And so ego and money drive the plundering of another branch of South Africa’s rich botanical heritage.

THE VILLAGE

EXPLORER

NATURE | FOOD & WINE | EVENTS | BOOKS

Just dotty about horses Painted Waps Watermark, a good example of an Appaloosa sport horse. PHOTO: Monet Smith

The Knabstrupper stallion, Figaro af Hallundbaek with black leopard-spot colour. PHOTO: Marna Smith

Writer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

he Overberg not only provides a home for the spectacular Cape Floral Kingdom and prime vineyards from which award-winning wines are produced, but is also home to several unique breeds of horse. Totally home grown, the wild horses of Rooisand are a unique attraction. Their distant forebears are thought to have been farm horses, known as the Bolandse Waperd, which were released following the mechanisation of agriculture in the 18th century. Their thick winter coats and big saucer-shaped hooves are among the adaptations that enable these horses to survive in the wetland environment of the Bot River Estuary. In the hills behind the village of Botrivier, Dr Marna Smith breeds the truly magnificent and unusual Danish breed of spotted horse – the Knabstrupper – in addition to spotted Appaloosa horses. The Majestic Knabstrupper Stud is in the Van der Stel Pass just outside Botrivier. It is also home to the Painted Appaloosa Sport Horse Stud. Here owner and manager Dr Marna Smith has indulged her love for spotted horses and her fascination with genetics for the past 30 years.

The name Knabstrupper is a synonym for royalty which befits its regal appearance. The breed originated in Denmark, from highly-trained and well-bred cavalry horses. The spotted coat was first seen in the French cave paintings of Lascaux and Pech Merle about 20 000 years ago. King Frederik of Denmark founded the royal stud, establishing the nucleus of the breed based on selective criteria for a ‘riding horse’ from 1562. Following the closure of the stud, the breeding programme was continued by the public, but with various shifts in focus to the present day. Fortunately a few breeders have preserved the original classical riding horse. Today the aim is to breed a horse that is balanced without being too heavy, something Dr Smith has achieved beyond doubt. Her stud is home to Sartor Danish Design, the only gold medal mare in the world, sired by the well-known Sir Donerhall out of Lea. To date she has produced several top foals, including Majestic Don Giovanni, Majestic Donna Anna and Majestic Don Elveira. The Appaloosa, often associated with the Wild West, was bred by the Nez Prece of the USA’s Pacific Northwest. It is thought their name derived from the Palouse River which ran through the heart of Nez Prece country.

A Knabstrupper stallion with mare and foal at The Majestic Knabstrupper Stud in the Van der Stel Pass just outside Botrivier. PHOTO: Jessica Röll Dr Smith said she had initially chosen this breed because of its bold leopard-spot colour (a white horse with dark spots all over the body). However she soon discovered with the purchase, unseen, of her first breeding colt, which had very few spots, that there was much more to the breed than appearance. The leopard-spot pattern was one of several colour variations and the breeding colt that had very few spots was homozygous for the spotted gene, although it was not known at the time. Only after his first offspring that were 100% spotted could the true value be “seen”. It quickly became apparent that the genetic component of an individual would determine

the success of future generations, rather than its phenotype (observable qualities like size and colour). This inspired Dr Smith to follow an academic career in genetic research, gaining knowledge that enabled her to select preferred traits and choose strong genetic-based lines to produce them. Her progeny have been consistently placed in the top three in a diversity of disciplines. Painted Cape Whisper has been South African Appaloosa Sport Horse of the Year since 2014, and ranked number 1 in South Africa and the Western Cape for Adult 1 m show jumping. For more information, visit appaloosastud.co.za

10 | EVENTS

19 February 2020

Leap into fashion with local designers Writer & Photographer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

trademark is wildly colourful fabrics and tribal prints.

ashion aficionados can look forward to seeing local designers bringing glitz, glamour and high-end fashion to Hermanus at the Street Fashion Show taking place on 29 February in Mitchell Street. The talented mother-and-daughter team behind this unique event are Belinda and Sinead de Haast, who will be sharing the street catwalk with Ayanda Qonya from Zwehile and Rita Louw of Mooi-Mooi Boutique.

Originally from the Free State, Ayanda was raised in the Eastern Cape and describes his designs as “bright, like nature”. After living in Gansbaai, he moved to Zwelihle as he believed there to be more opportunities in Hermanus, the biggest town in the Overberg. A graduate of Learn to Earn (2013) he started out designing and making matric dance dresses, founding his own label, AyandaQonya in 2018.

Belinda (49) started her design and sewing career sitting with her German grandmother in their Musson Street house. Belinda at this point was living in Table View, but spent many weekends at the family’s holiday home in Hermanus. Time spent with her granny, a talented seamstress, sewed a creative seed which saw her follow a path that included graphic and interior design.

Rita Louw and Magriet du Plessis from Mooi-Mooi, right next door to My Tailor in the Station Centre, are another mother-and-daughter team who will be showing a collection of South African garments, the essence of which will be freedom of movement, described by Rita as “eclectic comfort in vibrant colours”. It is a look that is easy to wear and can easily be dressed up or down. The emphasis is on a relaxed, freestyle approach to fashion in keeping with the holiday ambiance of Hermanus.

In 2006 Belinda opened her first boutique, Façade in Milnerton. She soon realised that women wanted more than what was on the rails; they wanted their own ideas translated into fabric. This prompted her to change tack so that when she opened Ruby Rain in Milnerton, she included a small studio in which to create her own designs. She says design is in her blood and that she loves to create unique designs, which she describes as sculptures in fabric. Her passion is for styling that takes the red carpet by storm – soft, flowing, romantic and dramatic. In 2010 Belinda was invited to participate in a fashion fundraiser for Operation Smile at Zevenwacht Wine Estate. Her brief was to base her design on one of the flowers growing on the wine farm, and the pretty blue flower lent itself perfectly to a soft, flowing design. Belinda dip-dyed the fabric so that it gave the impression of soft petals falling from the bodice. It was a success and fetched R20 000 on auction. This is just a taste of what we can expect to see at the Street Fashion Show, where Belinda will be showcasing garments from her collection that reflect the flora and fauna of Hermanus. Belinda’s 22-year-old daughter, Sinead

TOP: Sylveilier Mbewe models the sapphire-blue matric dance dress that will be auctioned at the event, designed and made up by Belinda and Sinead de Haast. LEFT: Local designers, Belinda de Haast (right), who is also the owner of My Tailor, and her daughter, Sinead. will be showing a range with ‘A day in Hermanus’ as her theme, picking up on elements that make the town special, including the spectacular colours of the ocean, the sunrises and sunsets. Sinead always had a natural leaning towards fashion and initially helped her mother to make bows for dresses and simple garments like boob tubes. Belinda says her daughter’s been fashion conscious from a young age and remembers that Sinead started dressing herself at the age of two. When she was 12, Sinead also wanted to be on the ramp at the Operation Smile fashion show and the organiser agreed, on condition that she made her own dress. Belinda took her out shopping and she ended up with a dress which she totally revamped for her ramp debut. From that day on her sights were set on fashion. When the family moved permanently to Hermanus, Belinda opened My Tailor in the Station Centre, which was

initially geared mostly to alterations. Sinead would help in the shop, but then started doing alterations to her own clothes, especially jeans, and turning them into unique fashion pieces. It was something she really enjoyed and, as a result, she opted to follow a career in fashion. After completing matric at Hermanus High School she went to the Elizabeth Galloway Design School in Stellenbosch, completing a course in pattern cutting while doing an apprenticeship in her mother’s shop. Sinead’s enthusiasm for fashion is infectious as she talks about an impromptu fashion show she and her mom organised in 2018. “It was a sidewalk show which we presented literally along the sidewalk outside the shop. Garments included several we’d made using recyclable materials like Checkers bags and cardboard.” Belinda adds that this is a growing trend and that more and more people are up-cycling clothes made from quality fabrics

rather than buying new ones. Despite being kept busy with alterations, Belinda and Sinead still find time to create one-off designs. They are happy to copy garments for clients but will always add a little of their own flair. One of the big annual events Belinda is always involved in is the matric dance, which is the highlight of every girl’s high school career. Producing these special dresses costs on average R3 000, but depending on the fabric and complexity of design can run to a lot more. Surprisingly, the simplest of designs can be the most expensive, as everything has to be absolutely perfect. Belinda and Sinead will be joined on the ramp by Ayanda Qonya from Zwehlile and Rita Louw from Mooi-Mooi. Ayanda, who is based in Zwelihile, will be showing a selection of day and evening wear, and if his previous work is anything to go by, we can expect something delightfully different. His

Open since November 2019, MooiMooi offers not only a selection of clothing but accessories and ceramics, all of which are made in South Africa. Magriet will be modelling her matric dance dress, which will be auctioned at the Street Fashion Show and the proceeds donated to Learn to Earn. The sapphire stunner was designed and made up by the combined talents of Belinda and Sinead. The designers and models for this show, as well as the make-up artists and hair stylists are all from Hermanus, so leap into fashion and support this ‘Local is Lekker’ event. Besides being fun it will raise funds for a good cause, which Belinda says is close to her heart because sewing is one of Learn to Earn’s skills development courses. Limited tickets to the Street Fashion Show are available from My Tailor in the Station Centre at R120 pp (R180 pp for VIP seats) and must be purchased before the event. The show will take place in Mitchell Street (in front of My Tailor and Mooi-Mooi, opposite the Honey Shop) from 18:00 – 20:30 and refreshments will be for sale. For further information, send a WhatsApp to Belinda on 083 229 6919.

FOOD & WINE | 11

19 February 2020

WINE & DINE

Marion and Banister with their set of Mah-Jongg, which consists of 136 pieces called tiles. The game is played by four people and anyone is welcome to join. PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

Chinese game of Mah-Jongg spreads to Hermanus P ensioners Bill and Marion Banister started a Mah-Jongg School at their Voëlklip home in April last year, running courses twice a week. This has proved to be such an enjoyable experience for both them and their “students” that several have gone on to join local groups, or start new ones, in different parts of the Overstrand, who get together regularly to play this popular game.

For the Banisters it all started many years ago when Bill was introduced to the game while in Japan, and was given a Mah-Jongg set as a gift. Years later the couple was re-introduced to the game on a U3A-sponsored course in East London. As it proved so popular there, they decided to take the plunge and establish a group in Hermanus. Maj-Jongg (pronounced ‘Ma-Chong’) has been played in China since the days of Confucius. The place of origin is uncertain, but the game is now played all over China and has also become extremely popular through-out the world since the early 20th century, with many versions proliferating. The Banisters teach the traditional Chinese version. As with Bridge, volumes have been published by experts on the game. The game is played with a set of 136 pieces called tiles, which were traditionally made

from bamboo, ivory or bone, engraved in colours. Today the tiles are often manufactured from synthetic materials such as plastic. The designs vary according to the craftsman making the carvings. The set consists of three suites – bamboos, circles and characters, each number one through to nine. There are also four winds – north, south, east and west; and three dragons – red, green and white. There are four of each tile. The game is played in a counter-clockwise direction by four people at a table, with each person playing for him- or herself, so partners are not required. The four players are designated north, south, east and west, and each player begins by receiving 17 tiles. In turn players draw and discard tiles, with the objective of being the first one to play out, ‘Mah-Jongg’. To achieve Mah-Jongg, one needs to have collected four times three tiles (similar to Rummy, either three of a kind or three in sequence), plus a pair. The course caters for beginners, and advances at the students’ pace through to a high level which is both stimulating and challenging. A basic course usually takes about 10 sessions to complete. Anyone interested in learning how to play this fascinating game can contact Bill and Marion on 028 314 0020.

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WHAT’S ON

OVERBERG 19

19 - 29 FEBRUARY 2020 www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson of wine in hand, with Woefie lying at your feet? Olives, freshly shucked oysters and other nibbles made by real people? Served on real porcelain, using real cutlery, sipping wine from a real wine glass? Then you’ll want to hotfoot it across to Die Markie at Hermanuspietersfontein. Here safe parking is a doddle and life is easy. Hermanuspietersfontein Wine Cellar | 09:00 – 13:00

Wednesday

Hermanus Bird Club AGM Join the club for its Annual General Meeting, which will include a short presentation by John Saunders titled Birds on Flags. Non-members are welcome to attend but will not be permitted to vote on the revised Constitution or the election of a new committee. Contact John on 078 955 9785 for any further information. Fernkloof Hall | 18:00 for 18:30

Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00

Thursday

Whalers Athletic Club Join the Whalers for their weekly time trials, every Thursday afternoon. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. Choose between a 3 km, 5 km or 8 km route. Meet at Hermanus Sports Club | 18:00 Rotary Club of Hermanus Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings, every Thursday. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm your attendance. Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus | 19:00

Friday

Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. St Peter’s Church, Main Road, Hermanus | 09:00 – 13:00

Great Railway Journeys The last session of U3A Overberg’s popular series on fascinating railway journeys to remote and unexpected places is entitled Return to Yugoslavia. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

Hermanus Hacking Group All volunteers are welcome to join in the clearing of invasive vegetation. Meet every Friday morning at the beginning of Rotary Way. For more information contact Charlyn on 082 558 8731 or charlynvosloo@ gmail.com Rotary Way | 06:15 for 06:30 – 08:30 Bhuki Café During the month of February, Hermanus Library invites you to spread love and kindness to book lovers by buying them a cup of coffee at the Bhuki Café, every Friday morning. ‘Buy a Cappuccino for your Valentino’ costs R15 and includes two biscuits. There is also the option of purchasing a coffee token anonymously at the library counter on any day of the week. Simply provide the person’s contact details and the library staff will call them for you, so that they may collect and redeem their token. The funds generated will enable the library to buy new books. Hermanus Library | 09:00 – 11:30 Kolwyntjie Teetuin Enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre, every Friday morning. Onrus Dutch Reformed Church | 09:30 – 11:30

Twilight Family Fun Run Run or walk the fairways of Hermanus Golf Club at twilight with family and friends. This fundraising event for Hermanus High School starts and finishes at the Hermanus Country Market, where participants can enjoy live music and a special night market with food and wine stalls. Entry is R75 for adults, R50 for scholars and free for pre-schoolers. Get your tickets from Jacky Booyens at Hermanus High School or alternatively from the Vodacom shop at Whale Coast Mall or Smart Toys at the Station Centre (Checkers). For enquiries, contact Christa-Marie on 083 309 9821. Hermanus Country Market (next to Hermanus Cricket field) | 18:30 (registration from 16:30)

Saturday

BirdLife Overberg morning outing The annual BirdLife Overberg ‘Red Flower morning outing’ to Rooiels and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens is always one of the birding high-

lights of the year. For a R50 petrol levy you can catch a lift or travel directly to the Rooiels site and meet the others there at 08:15. Bring a picnic basket as the restaurant in Harold Porter has closed down. RSVP Anton at birding@overberg.co.za or WhatsApp at 082 550 3347. Meet in the parking area of the Onrus Trading Post in front of OK | 07:30 Cross Tri Challenge Experience the pristine waters of the Eikenhof Dam and the world-renowned trails of the Grabouw Country Club like never before. Choose between the Full Triathlon: 1 000m Swim / 21km MTB / 8km Trail Run; Sprint Triathlon: 500m Swim /12km MTB / 5km Trail Run; Junior Triathlon (Ages 7–13): 200m Swim / 5km MTB / 2km Run or Kids Triathlon (Ages 3–6): 100m Swim or Wade / 500m Cycle or Push bike / 300m Run or Walk. Register at the Grabouw Country Club on Friday between 17:00 and 19:00, or on Saturday morning from 06:30 – 08:00. Tickets are available online at scuttle.co.za Grabouw Country Club | 08:00 (registration from 06:30) Gansbaai Academia Colour Run As part of the school’s 10-year celebrations, Gansbaai Academia is hosting a 7 km, untimed Colour Run that will see participants doused from head to toe in different colours after every kilometre. There are only two rules: Start the event wearing white and finish plastered in colour! R15 for adults, R10 for scholars and R5 for dogs (on leashes!). The route is from

the Gansbaai sports field to Danger Point to Afrikanos and back. For entry forms, contact secretary@gansbaaiacademia.com. Gansbaai Community Sports field | 08:00 – 11:00 Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km timed walk or run, come rain or shine. Run for your own enjoyment at your own pace. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. There are also parkruns in Betty’s Bay (Harold Porter Botanical Garden) and Groeneweide (near Franskraal). Register online at www.parkrun.co.za Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00 Gansbaai Academia Celebration Breakfast Join the school as it celebrates its 10th birthday with a lovely farmhouse breakfast, made by the school’s Hospitality learners. Tickets at R75 pp are on sale at the school in Kampeer St, Gansbaai (Tel: 028 384 2370). Gansbaai Academia | 08:30 – 10:30

Die Markie Looking for koek? Vetkoek, pannekoek, soet koekies, sout koekies, lewer koekies? A peaceful place to while away Saturday mornings, glass

Stanford Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats’ cheeses to cured meats, farm-fresh vegetables and deli delights to tantalise your taste buds! Stanford Hotel Stoep | 09:00 – 12:00 Gansbaai Farmers Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, local wines and craft beers, and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging; only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries, contact 028 384 1439 or doulene@gansbaaitourism.co.za Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00

Elgin Railway Market This bustling steampunk station market, where Art deco meets Victorian, is unlike any other in South Africa. With more than 30 different stalls providing local wine, craft beer, arts & crafts and artisanal foods. Visitors can greet the steam train on the platform or view its arrival from the upstairs viewing deck. There’s live music throughout the weekend, and plenty of activities to keep children entertained, such as a jungle gym, roundabout, and even indoor and outdoor climbing walls. The market is open Saturdays and Sundays, and the coffee shop with free workspace is open during the week from 09:00 – 17:00. Oak Avenue, Elgin | 09:00 – 17:00 (Sat & Sun)

als. For more information or to book, send a WhatsApp to 061 196 4921. Overberg BMX track at Hermanus Sports Club | 09:00 – 12:00

Hermanus History Society AGM The guest speaker at the meeting is well-known Stanford local, Annelize Mouton, whose second book, Tesselaarsdal: A bend in the road was published in December 2019. This follows her acclaimed study of the 150-year-old history of Stanford, Stanford 150: Portrait of a Village. In addition to being an acknowledged historian of the Overberg, Annelize is recognised as a skilled photographer of landscapes and those who live in them – especially the people. The title of her talk is The Forgotten Ones: Giving a Face to the Faceless, A Voice to the Voiceless. She will pose the question of how to go about writing the history of communities and individuals that have been historically disempowered and about which there are few documentary records, and explain several possibilities for achieving a balanced history in such circumstances. Catholic Church Hall: 16.00

Introduction to Nia workshop Think outside the mat and create a whole new sense of well-being. Nia is an expressive mind-body programme that offers an artistic and innovative approach to fitness and healing by blending the stillness and concentration of T’ai Chi, the mindfulness and dynamic poses of Yoga, the explosive power of Tae Kwon do, and the grace and creative spontaneity of Modern dance and Ethnic dance. All fitness levels are welcome. Bring a water bottle and wear comfortable clothing that you love moving in. Nia is typically practised in bare feet, but soft-soled shoes are optional. The cost is R150 pp. To learn more, visit www.niastellenbosch.com or contact Facilitator Mia Steyn on 082 874 2176 or miasteyn2@gmail.com Organic Fitness, Hermanus | 10:00 – 12:00

Sunday

Monday

a rock off Danger Point that ripped open its hull. The cost for attending this fascinating talk is only R30 pp. RSVP: info@gansbaaitourism.co.za The Great White House, Kleinbaai | 18:30 – 21:00

Birkenhead Commemoration Boat Trip Every year, Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises launch their vessels to commemorate the Birkenhead disaster by heading out to Birkenhead Rock for a wreath-laying ceremony. For more information and to RSVP, send an email to info@ gansbaaitourism.co.za. Kleinbaai Harbour | 07:00 – 10:00 Hermanus Garden Club AGM The club is looking forward to welcoming all its members to the Annual General Meeting. Tea and snacks will be enjoyed after the meeting and, as usual, there will also be a plant sale. For enquiries, contact Sue on 028 314 0072. Catholic Church Hall | 09:30 for 10:00

The History and Treatment of Cancer U3A Overberg presents a new lecture series on cancer. The topic of this week’s talk by Prof Patrick MacPhail is The History of the Treatment of Cancer and the Birth of Chemotherapy. Prof MacPhail will look at the highlights of the journey that cancer treatment has followed, along with our growing knowledge and understanding of the cell cycle – how cells divide and the mechanisms that control it. This in turn has led to the discovery of new tools to prise open what was once a black box. Depending on the nature of the cancer and our current understanding, there is a place for surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and more recently treatment aimed at unique molecular and genetic targets. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00 Hermanus Leeskring Book Discussion Join Hermanus Leeskring for a discussion by Elsabé de Beer of Jeremy van die Elsies, the highly-acclaimed autobiography by Gen-Maj Jeremy Veary of the SAPS about his life and political awakening while living and working on the Cape Flats. Guests are welcome at R10 pp. Contact Anita Sutherland on 082 806 3247. Blue Room, Fynbospark, Church St, Hermanus | 14:45

Zero Hour @ Danger Point Rev James Gray will give a Birkenhead commemoration talk entitled Zero Hour at Danger Point. Find out exactly what happened on the fateful day of 26 February 1852, when, in the early hours the HMS Birkenhead struck

Andrew Young Concert & Buffet International, award-winning saxophonist Andrew Young will be performing, in his own inimitable style, themes and songs from his favourite movies, including Hollywood classics such as Casablanca, Sandpiper, Wizard of Oz, Nottinghill, Titanic, The Deer Hunter and Aladdin. Allow yourself to be spirited away into a world of magical music and movies! This extra show has been added due to popular demand and a sell-out show on 28 February. Tickets at R300 pp are available at Computicket. For enquiries, contact 071 236 7508. Hermanus Golf Club | 19:00

Sat 29 Feb- Sun 1 Mar

Tuesday

Panthera Africa Conscious Walk Experience a magical walk through the Panthera Africa kingdom where the inspiring stories of the animals will open your hearts to the love, peace and wisdom that lies within each and every one of us. Cathrine, the co-founder and director of Panthera Africa, will be your guide on this special journey among the big cats’ powerful presence. Only for persons 16 years and older. Bring your camera, a jacket for cold weather/wind, and a notebook and pen. The cost is R990 pp and pre-booking is essential. Email info@pantheraafrica.com or visit www.pantheraafrica.com. Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary, near Stanford | 16:00 – 19:00 Marine Night Join Whale Coast Conservation for a talk on marine life by guest speakers, Maryke Musson, Talitha Noble and Inge Adams of Two Oceans Aquarium. Be inspired as you learn about the most charismatic ocean ambassadors, teachers and storytellers that live in the oceans. For more information, contact 083 242 3295 or anina. wcc@gmail.com. The Green House, R43 Vermont | 17:30

27 Learn to BMX The Overberg BMX Club invites all riders to make use of this opportunity to perfect their jumping, pumping, berm work, gate start, manual skills and, at the same time, improve their overall track fitness with Wanga Moshani, ranked 5th in South Africa. From R300 per rider, with discounts for families who enrol more than one child. All riders must be on flat ped-

Wednesday

fun quiz evening, every last Thursday of the month. Only R150 includes a delicious meal and a R50 donation to the trust for the upkeep of Stanford’s beautiful Wandelpad. Stanford Hills wines will be available at cellar-door prices to enjoy with your meal. Get friends and family together to form a team of 6–8 or join a table on the night. To book, contact Margie at memberssct@gmail.com. The Tasting Room @ Stanford Hills Estate | 18:30 for 19:00

Thursday

Gansbaai Business Breakfast The Gansbaai Business Chamber will host a business breakfast which anyone is welcome to attend. R120 for members and R140 for non-members. Tickets are available (cash only) from Doulene Els, who can be contacted on 082 841 1670. The Great White House, Gansbaai | 07:00 – 08:00 Think & Drink Join Stanford Conservation Trust’s

Stanford MTB Classic Overberg MTB Events invite mountain bikers to gather for a weekend of spectacular riding through scenic farmlands and fynbos. This is an event where riders set their own personal goals, making everyone a winner. The route has been revamped and now boasts more single track, while STRAVA sections will be incorporated for racing snakes in need of a challenge, and prizes will be awarded to the overall winners of the Ladies’ and Men’s categories. The event is hosted by the historic Stanford Valley Guest Farm, which is the venue for the start and finish each day, and where you can relax afterwards with a burger and beer/wine. You can choose between the one-day or twoday options, and all entries include lunch. For more info and bookings, go to www.stanfordmtbclassic.co.za or entryninja.com. Alternatively contact Anneke Jacobs on 084 228 0414 or anneke@overbergmtbevents.co.za. Stanford Valley Guest Farm | from 06:30

Saturday

L2L Official Practice Walk This is the final practice walk for all registered Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse walkers before the official walk in March. The event is open to everyone – men, women and children – and is hosted as a fundraiser for the 2020 L2L runner-up charity, Overstrand Hospice. Members of the community, keen walkers and businesses are encouraged to register and participate at a minimal fee of R100 per adult and R50 per child. It is an opportunity to make a difference and experience a pristine part of our beautiful

coastline. The 20 km route is from the nature reserve at De Kelders along the coast to Grotto Beach and the terrain will be mainly sandy beach and gravel path. Walkers will meet at Grotto to register from 05:45 (or at De Kelders from 07:15) and then be transported by bus to De Kelders at 06:45. For more info contact Suzette Botha on 028 312 4679 or fundraising@overstrandhospice.org.za. De Kelders Nature Reserve | 08:00 (walk starts) Hermanus Motorcycles Funduro Bring your family and friends and have an awesome time at the opening of the new Enduro and off-road trails in Karwyderskraal. A compressor, new tyres, lube, boerewors rolls, drinks and much more will be available at the Hermanus Motorcycles stand. The route is marked and there will be onsite marshals to assist. GPX file available. The Funduro costs R150 for adults and R100 for children. Day permits are R100 and annual permits R800. For more details or to book your spot, contact charl@ hermanusmotorcycles.co.za or 028 312 2340. Karwyderskraal | 09:00 – 18:00 (registration at 08:00)

MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY

THE MARINE LEAP DAY, 29 FEB | R255pp 028 313 1000 bookings@themarine.co.za

Watershed Live Watershed, one of the most successful and well-loved bands ever to come out of South Africa, will be celebrating its 20-year career in 2020. This multi-platinum selling band has released six studio albums along with a greatest hits album, and has received two SAMA awards for best pop album and a SAMA nomination for best adult contemporary album in 2019. They are also multiple winners of SA`s best band award by People Magazine. Get your tickets to see Craig Hinds on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Howie Combrink on drums and guitar, Gideon Botes on electric guitar, Quintin Askes on bass and Paul McIver on acoustic guitar. Food, beverages and Paul Cluver wines will be for sale (no BYO) or you could bring along your own picnic. Tickets at R250 pp can be booked at Computicket. Paul Cluver Amphitheatre, N2 Elgin Valley | 19:00 (gates open at 17:00)

16 | BOOKS

19 February 2020

What’s new in review

Compiled by Hedda Mittner

Penguin Random House

Bloomsbury

Bluebird

Johnathan Ball

Michael Joseph

Atlantic Books

One summer morning, 12-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Halfway across the country, the plane crashes and Edward is the sole survivor. His story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find his place in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a part of himself has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. When you’ve lost everything, how do you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other? How do you learn to feel safe again? How do you find meaning in your life? Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again. – amazon.com

From this bestselling author comes an epic new novel spanning decades and continents. In the late 1930s, Spain is in the grip of a brutal civil war. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is a young army doctor, Victor Dalmau, and his brother’s pregnant widow, Roser. Their lives are irreversibly intertwined when they get married in order to survive and start a new life in Chile. Together they are sponsored by the poet Pablo Neruda to embark on the SS Winnipeg along with 2 200 other refugees to seek asylum in Chile. As unlikely partners, they arrive in Chile on the day WWII breaks out in Europe. But starting over on a new continent, their trials are just beginning. – goodreads.com

Some people seem to have terrible childhoods and yet manage to thrive despite them. Others grow up in loving homes but suffer from mental and physical health difficulties, even if their siblings do not. Why? In this book, paediatric health expert W Thomas Boyce identifies two personality types. He argues that four fifths of children appear to be ‘dandelions’, who can thrive in most environments. The remaining fifth are ‘orchids’, who are more exquisite and unusual and have a higher potential than dandelions – but for this to be realised they require a particular environment and careful gardening. Like delicate plants, these children, if dealt with insensitively, have a greater tendency to run into problems. The take-home message of the book is: orchid children have both the best outcomes and the worst. – Phillippa Perry

In December 2016, world-renowned adventurer, explorer and tour guide Mike Horn finally made his childhood dream to cross Antarctica come true. He crossed the South Pole unassisted, journeying across this immense, white desert by kite-ski and sled alone. He was determined to follow an unexplored path, the longest and most challenging route imaginable: 5 100 kilometres straight ahead. In order to make it to the other side, he not only had to scale Dome Charlie – one of the highest summits on the Antarctic Ice Sheet – but also had to break all existing speed records to stave off being consumed by a terrible Antarctic winter. It would turn out to be a hellish race against death. His story is one of many shocking setbacks – but also of overcoming adversity through sheer willpower and the love and support of family and friends. – jonathanball.co.za

They're a glamorous family, the Caseys. Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together – birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they're a happy family. Johnny's wife, Jessie – who has the most money – insists on it. Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much… Everything stays under control until Ed's wife Cara gets concussion and can't keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny's birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets. In the subsequent unravelling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it's time – finally – to grow up? This novel is bursting with wit, warmth and empathy. – penguin.co.uk

In this family epic, Karl Marlantes has crafted a stunningly expansive narrative of human suffering, courage, and reinvention. In the early 1900s, as the oppression of Russia’s imperial rule takes its toll on Finland, the three Koski siblings—Ilmari, Matti, and the politicized young Aino—are forced to flee to the United States. Here they settle in a logging community in southern Washington, where radical labour movements begin to catch fire. The brothers face the excitement and danger of pioneering this frontier wilderness—climbing and felling trees one-hundred metres high—while Aino devotes herself to organising the industry’s first unions. As the Koski siblings strive to rebuild their lives and families in an America still in the process of defining its own identity, they also try to hold fast to the traditions of a home they left behind. – groveatlantic.com

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19 February 2020

Exploring ASISA investments and income funds By Werner Gerber Wealth Manager, PSG Wealth Hermanus

n this final edition in our series of articles on South African unit trust funds, we explore the Association for Savings and Investment SA (ASISA) categories: Interest-bearing investments and multi-asset income funds. What is the difference between the two types of funds? Are these funds appropriate for your risk profile and investment objectives/needs? What fees will you pay? We will set out some of the basics so you'll be more informed whenever you look at a fund’s fact sheet (the so-called ‘minimum disclosure document’) or speak to an investment adviser. What is the difference between the two types of funds? Interest-bearing investments represent loans made by investors (including the managers of unit trust funds) to borrowers (including governments and corporations). Governments (including municipalities and state-owned enterprises) as well as corporations, use the loans to fund infrastructure developments such as roads and dams, hospitals and schools, while corporations use it to grow their business and to undertake money-making projects. Funds in the interest-bearing category are categorised as either cash, money market instruments or bonds, depending on the lifespan of the loan. If the lifespan is shorter than three months, it is classified as cash; between three and 12 months is the money market, and if it is longer than 12 months it is classified as bonds. Cash has the lowest risk and usually provides the lowest return over time, bonds have slightly more risk and usually provide slightly better returns. Multi-asset income funds also invest in cash, money market instruments and bonds. These portfolios may however also have a real estate exposure (including international property) of up to 25% and an equity component (including international equity) of up to 10% of the market value of the portfolio. Real estate represents investments in real estate investment trusts or REITs, which in turn use the funds to invest into portfolios of residential, commercial, industrial and retail properties. The investors earn a share of the income produced by the properties – without actually having to go out and buy, manage or finance the property. Investments into REITs have more risk than bonds leading to correspondingly higher returns over time. Equity investments are the highest risk, highest return asset class over time. The term refers to the buying and holding of shares of

a corporation on a stock market and signifies proportionate ownership of the corporation’s assets and earnings. Are these funds appropriate for your risk profile and investment objectives/needs? Interest-bearing investments and multi-asset income funds are positioned in the lowest range of the risk/reward spectrum, with interest-bearing funds having the lowest risk/ reward ratio and multi-asset income funds having only a marginally higher ratio. These liquid low-risk investment funds are appropriate for the portion of your investment portfolio that needs to cater to your short-term investment (less than 48 months) needs. For your longer-term needs, you have to include a higher allocation to growth assets (real estate and equity investments) in order to earn inflation-beating returns. What fees will you pay? The lower the risk of the fund, the lower the investment management fee will usually be, e.g. an interest-bearing investment fund will have lower fees than a multi-asset income fund, which in turn will have a lower fee than an equity fund. In general, fees vary between 0.5% for a local money market fund and up to 2.5% for an equity fund. We are now at the end of the series of articles on South African unit trust funds, what is the next step? There are many aspects that should be taken into account when choosing a unit trust fund. Understanding the ASISA categories is just a method to narrow down your options and to make evaluations more relevant when creating an investment plan for yourself. Your investment plan should address your willingness and ability to take risks, your return objectives, time horizon, taxes, liquidity needs, the legal and regulatory environment, as well as your own unique circumstances. Your plan must be clear about action required, by whom and when. Bear in mind however that there is more to constructing an overall balanced portfolio than just selecting one fund in isolation. A suitably qualified financial adviser can help to ensure your portfolio is best positioned to help you meet your goals and objectives. Importantly, stick to your investment plan, except if your own situation changes materially. NOTE: The information in this article does not constitute financial, tax, legal or investment advice and the companies in the PSG Konsult Group do not guarantee its appropriateness or potential value. As individual needs and risk profiles differ, we recommend that you consult your qualified financial adviser if needs be. PSG Wealth Financial Planning (Pty) Ltd. is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 728).

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19 February 2020

Hermanus Siyakha: making a difference in women’s lives

hillip Parsons of Hermanus Siyakha says they are often asked whether the small interest-free loans and mentoring that they offer really do make a difference to emerging entrepreneurs. “The simple answer is that the business enterprises which receive loans are not always spectacularly successful; but some undoubtedly succeed beyond expectations. One such entrepreneur is Bongiwe Maku.” Bongiwe was born in Umtata where she spent her early years, moving to Hermanus about 20 years ago with her brother. Her early work experience was in the retail environment where she learned the basics of buying and selling. She started her own business over seven years ago, selling biscuits and sweets to school kids in Zwelihle. When I met Bongiwe, it was evident from her impeccable style that she has a flair for fashion and, being very involved in her church community, she has a good feel for the fashion needs of the community’s ladies. This knowledge stood her in good stead as she expanded into selling women’s dresses. Her business model is simple. She uses social media to promote the latest wholesale ranges of dresses to her database of over 100 women, pre-selling them in most cases. Orders are consolidated and sent to the designer/manufacturer in Cape Town, who makes up the shipment and couriers it to Hermanus. “Hermanus Siyakha was first attracted to Bongiwe by her clear thinking, determination and confidence in her business model. Her first loan enabled her to double her monthly orders for dresses, and thus her monthly profit. She was diligent with her repayments and the initial loan was repaid over the subsequent six months,” says her mentor, John Ross-Smith.

As their relationship grew, Bongiwe shared her vision for her daughter to attend university in Cape Town and her long-term goal to be financially independent. Her daughter Emihle has recently been accepted at the University of the Western Cape for a four-year teaching degree, which she, her mom and John are delighted about! With her additional profit, John encouraged Bongiwe to expand her range of goods, and she has enjoyed continued success with shoes, hats and even bed linen. She has followed this advice and has successfully taken her business to the next level. “Towards the end of 2019 she applied for a second interest-free loan to fund another venture which she had identified: hiring out industrial catering equipment to her church community on a weekly basis for weddings, funerals and other functions or celebrations. She presented Hermanus Siyakha with a full analysis of her costs, income projections and profit margins, and to date all her objectives have been met,” says John. “She has also identified the potential for using her equipment for cooking and selling privately from her house during the week. And on top of this she still works three days a week in domestic service!” Bongiwe’s success to date can be attributed to her determination, a good business model, clear objectives, customer knowledge, the effective use of social media, and the mentoring that Hermanus Siyakha provided as part of the loan provision. Her vision to provide for her daughter’s education was a strong driver. Building on successes such as Bongiwe’s, Hermanus Siyakha has set challenging goals for 2020. The aim is to increase the number of small interest-free loans from 33 to 50 this year, which

will require additional funds and mentors. “So far we have received encouraging financial support but we are still in need of business mentors,” says Phillip. “The reality is that the majority of the borrowers are women, whereas the pool of existing mentors is made up predominantly of retired business men. It is for this reason that we are very keen to see more women take on a mentoring role.” According to Phillip, some of the reasons that women have cited as barriers include feeling unsafe in the township, and the fear that they might not be able to relate to the business owners or that mentoring would require too much of their time. “From our experience we can assure prospective women mentors that the environment is safe and that they will find it very easy to relate to business owners, since, irrespective of their business experience, women share similar life experiences of managing a home and bringing up children. The time commitment is also not onerous; on average it probably involves an hour or two a month, with occasional phone calls or messages to keep track of progress.” Here are some comments from Hermanus Siyakha’s current women mentors, attesting to the considerable benefits of being a mentor: “Mentoring a resident of Zwelihle was a reminder that close by, people live in circumstances that differ drastically from one’s own. It was amazing and humbling to learn and observe how they adapt to their environment; how they manage their lives, and cope with the few resources that they have.” -Stephné Herselman. “I was humbled by the love and respect I received from the mentees and other community members I met along the way. We laughed,

Entrepreneur Bongiwe Maku in her Zwelihle shack, with some of the clothing that she sells to her network of regular customers. PHOTO: Hedda Mittner cried and on occasion prayed together as we progressed. To anyone who is contemplating mentoring, especially female mentors, I would say 'give it a try'. There is support within Siyakha and the bridge building with other women becomes a rich life experience. - Ina Hamilton If you would like to make a difference in our poorer communities and are keen to build relationships with women from other cultures, please consider offering your services as a mentor to Hermanus Siyakha. When you sign up, you will be asked to choose the person and project you would like to mentor. Email lead mentor, Jerry van Niekerk at jerryvniekerk@gmail.com or contact him via WhatsApp on 082 453 8263. To find out more about this initiative, visit www.Herma-nusSiyakha.org.za. - Hedda Mittner

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19 February 2020

A red-letter day for Siyabulela Writer Elaine Davie Photographer Taylum Meyer

t was a day of singing and laughter, a day of small children with big eyes, a day to cut ribbons – and Open Sesame! On Wednesday 12 February, after 18 months in the making, two new classrooms, full of space and light were opened, turning the Siyabulela Early Learning Centre in Kleinmond into a full-scale pre-primary school with two Grade R classes. The centre, which is run under the auspices of Kleinmond Child Welfare was launched in 2002 in two containers, with 35 children; now it accommodates 140 children from two-and-a-half to six years old in six classes. There are parallel groups for Afrikaans and isiXhosa-speaking children throughout, underlining the importance of mother tongue education at this early age. The principal is Alta van Wyk, a self-confessed perfectionist and a ball of energy, whose passion and commitment to high-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) drives the school. The firm foundation the children receive at Siyabulela is endorsed by the two local primary schools, where they perform at above-average levels. Everyone who was anyone attended the opening of the two new classrooms, which have been specially de-

Also at the opening was Theresa Els, Director of Kleinmond Child Welfare (KCW). Siyabulela is run under the auspices of KCW.

Franca Tinner (Ambassador for the charity foundation, ‘For Smiling Children’), Alta van Wyk (Principal of Siyabulela) and Carl-Heinz Duisberg (Siyabulela’s patron) cut the ribbon at the opening of the two new Grade R classrooms. signed and decorated with furniture in vibrant colours and posters on the walls for the 60 Grade R learners who have already taken excited occupation. Guests of honour were Franca Tinner, the Ambassador for Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland’s charity foundation, ‘For Smiling Children’, which sponsored the building of the classrooms, and Dr Carl-Heinz Duisberg, the school’s patron from Somerset West, who facilitated the relationship between the resort and the school. Another special guest was ‘Tannie Corrie’, a senior Kleinmond resident who has been the school’s mainstay of support from the very beginning. “When I know there is some special need at the school, I pray for it and it comes.” Each of them was presented with a beautiful ceramic bowl jointly created by well-known local potter Corinne de Haas and some of the children. Not only were the individually designed pieces made by hand but they featured the handprints of the children. (The Village NEWS 28.08.2019). Siyabulela means thank you and this was their way of saying it. As

Corinne wrote in her message to the donors: “I trust that the clay play we had will be remembered, and that you as supporter of the youth of Kleinmond, will keep this bowl of little hands as a reminder of the importance of the small things that shape our humanness.” However, as everyone agreed, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the children’s participation. For the younger ones to be confronted with this onslaught of strangers was enough to bring on a serious case of stage fright and dry up all the words of their carefully-learnt rhymes and songs, but when the proceedings closed with the singing of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, they raised the rafters. As Nelson Mandela put it: “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”

ABOVE & RIGHT: The children from each class performed a song for the sponsors and guests attending the opening. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, all the children sang together. BELOW: Back from left are Theresa Els, Cllr Fanie Krige, Carl-Heinz Duisberg, Denzel Apollis, and (front) Franca Tinner and Alta van Wyk.

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19 February 2020

MY HOME

Holiday rentals – the owner versus the host By Stuart Cohen CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists

y last article entitled Airbnb – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly elicited a flurry of phone calls from justifiably disgruntled owners and guests, which highlighted a whole different side to the world of holiday rentals.

The focus of those calls was on certain unethical practices employed by some hosts who act on behalf of the owners, as well as owners who defer all responsibility for problems to the host, including those related to the state of the property itself. This raises the challenge that if you are an owner, and are considering listing your property for holiday rentals, the onus is still on you to ensure that the property is up to scratch, with all the promised amenities in good working order. The idea that owners can abdicate all responsibility to the host is a cop-out, as hosts can only do as much as the owner permits them to when it comes to

maintenance of the property and amenities. An example that reflects both sides of this issue is that of a couple from the UK who spend a few months of every year in Hermanus. After seeing a listing on Airbnb which appealed to them, they contacted the host (who was not the owner), but were redirected to his business website and coerced into booking directly on that website, thereby taking Airbnb out of the loop. This approach removed all the security protection guests have if they book via one of the recognised international portals. This left them with no recourse should anything go wrong (which it did in so many ways) while the host received full payment prior to check-in. Within the first few days after the guests had checked in, it became very apparent that the property was misrepresented in the listing and the range of issues was enough to keep a handyman busy for months. Apart from the fact that the house was so cluttered with “stuff” that the guests had to fill the garage with a lot

of it in order to function in the house, the issues they encountered were extensive. Broken exterior doors were unlockable and compromised security, toilets didn’t flush properly and when they did, backflushed sewerage up the drain pipes into the showers. With load shedding, the battery backup for the main gate to the property was not working and they were stranded outside, in the dark, with no way of accessing the property. With the host being unavailable, the guests contacted the owner, who simply put the phone down and ignored the situation. If this wasn’t bad enough, the only way to get the stove working was by switching on the isolator switch which caused the oven to go on – but there was no dial to regulate the oven temperature so it was totally unusable. The washing machine thought it was on steroids and even when it started a spinning cycle on the lowest level, it went on a journey around the kitchen. Add to that exposed electrical cables, an ironing board that collapsed

property, they cannot abdicate all responsibility.

when you tried to use it and a host that was missing-in-action, and it is perfectly understandable that the guests were irate. What added insult to injury was that the owner tried to hold the host solely responsible, even though the host had allegedly absconded with a large portion of the owner’s money from the transaction. When we investigated the initial Airbnb listing, we found that the owner had appointed new hosts and none of that had been communicated to the guests. The owner clearly knew something was amiss, yet avoided taking any responsibility for the state of the property and left the guests high and dry. Owners and hosts alike must realise that they have a joint responsibility to the guests, unless there is an arrangement where the host is given total freedom to attend to all matters pertaining to the property. Owners should also follow some form of vetting process before appointing a host, and they need to clearly understand that by letting out their

Whilst it should be the hosts’ responsibility to familiarise themselves with the properties and to make sure that all appliances and facilities are in working order and that the property meets acceptable standards, the owner cannot ignore these realities if they want their property to enjoy regular bookings and the returns that go with it. People must realise that these unethical and devious practices have a negative impact on both the reputation of the booking portal and our town as a holiday destination. Our tourism industry is reliant on positive messages being taken away by visitors. I reiterate a statement I have made many times regarding owners and hosts – if you want to be part of the positive experience that tourists look forward to enjoying when they visit Hermanus, do it right, do it ethically and professionally and understand that all parties need to take responsibility when the inevitable problems do arise.

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19 February 2020

MY SPORT

Hermanus hosts Women’s Rugby Sevens By Tony O'Hagan

he 2nd Annual Hermanus Women’s Sevens Rugby Tournament, under the auspices of Boland Rugby, will take place at Hermanus High School on Saturday 22 February. The first match is scheduled to kick off at 08:00, with the semis and finals to be played from 17:30 onwards. This year’s event has 12 senior teams competing for top honours, with the added attraction of four U18 teams. The senior teams will be vying for a share of the R10 000 prize money. Teams from the Overberg and Boland will be joined by those from Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Knysna, while teams from Zimbabwe and Mozambique will lend an international flavour to the event. A highlight will be the participation of the South African women’s Blitzbokke. With the World Series and Olympics in Tokyo on the horizon, it will also afford an opportunity for coach Paul Delport to cast his eyes over the progress of the Blitzbokke. An entry fee of R20 will be charged, with proceeds from the event going to charities involved with elder abuse, domestic violence and women abuse. Representatives for these causes, Sister Karin Louwrens from Faircape and Captain Fadiela September from Hermanus SAPS, will address the crowd during the Opening Ceremo-

ny. This is due to take place at 10:30 after the initial matches. The singing of the national anthems of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa will be part of the Opening Ceremony. A great day lies ahead for the spectators as we embrace the growth of women’s rugby worldwide. The interest in both women’s 15s and sevens rugby is reflected by the number of countries participating in rugby. The inaugural Women’s World Cup Sevens took place in Dubai in 2009, with Australia beating New Zealand in the final. Women’s sevens became an Olympic sport in 2016 and will again feature at the Tokyo Olympics which commences on 24 July this year. Women’s rugby is played in 80 countries around the world and is growing faster than the men’s game. It is estimated that by 2026, 40% of the total number of rugby players will be female. The women’s game in South Africa has not had the same emphasis as shown in other countries but hopefully “the winds of change” will see our ladies afforded every opportunity to emulate our men in both the 15s and sevens game. We have the talent to compete at the highest level. The Hermanus Sevens will provide an opportunity for spectators to win lucky entrance ticket draws and the first fifty through the gates will earn a free beverage. Food and beverages will be available throughout the day. So come and enjoy a day of rugby and festivities as we support the worthy charities against domestic violence and women and elder abuse.

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MY SCHOOL

Melodramatic evening at Hermanus High

he matrics at Hermanus High presented their annual Melodrama on Thursday 13 February in the school’s main hall, which was filled with parents, friends, peers and members of the community who came to show their support and enjoy an evening of boisterous entertainment. Every year, the Melodrama features a line-up of performances, with the music selected by the Grade 12s and their dance moves choreographed with assistance from the teachers who organise the event. The audience never knows what to expect, as each new matric class brings their own talents and dynamics to the show, but one thing they can always count on is that they’ll be in stitches by the end of the night! As usual there were opening and closing performances by the whole Melodrama cast, along with performances by the matric council, parents and teachers. The matrics’ sense of humour and energy guaranteed an evening of merriment and hilarity that left the audience wanting more at the end of the evening.

ABOVE: Zidane Langston dips Anna van Deventer in one quick, fluid movement centre-stage. CUT-OUT: Lara Miller and her Melodrama group performed a Broadway jazzy dance with hats, canes and blazers.

Gian Bester and his group put on a hilarious performance which began with Tequila by The Champs.

Eden Crawley was part of the Festive Melodramatic Christmas dance just before the finale.

19 February 2020

Dancing the night away Hermanus High School and Curro Hermanus High School held their annual Valentine’s Dances on Friday 14 February in their respective school halls. The Grade 8 to 12 learners dressed to impress and, as is tradition, the Grade 8s at Hermanus High were required to ask a Grade 12 learner to the dance with them. Several Grade 8s bought flowers and/or chocolates for their Grade 12 dance partners.

Kerin Helmbold and Stephanie Hodson from Curro Hermanus.

Both school halls were beautifully decorated, thanks to the students, parents and teachers. At Curro, the Grade 11s were required to decorate the school hall as a practice run for the matric farewell function, for which they will also take responsibility (as will the Grade 11s at Hermanus High). Curro Hermanus also had a Valentine’s Dance on Thursday 13 February for their Grade 4 to 7 learners. Everyone had fun dressing up and thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations in the company of their friends. – Taylum Meyer

Tiphney Daniels and C-Jay Heneke from Hermanus High.

Sean Castle pretends to do CPR on Mouhamed Diop during the song Staying Alive by the Bee Gees.

Curro Hermanus learners Christopher Gouws (Grade 12), Elzaan Koorts, Anneleize Strauss, Tayla Ordway, Kayleigh Neethling, Elizabeth Montgomery and Marc de Villiers (Grade 11).

Rebekah Scholtz and Inga Mfundisi performing the opening song of the Melodrama.PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

These Grade 8s at Hermanus High School looked dashing at their first high school dance. They brought flowers and chocolates for their Grade 12 dates. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

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19 February 2020

MY SPORT

High five to Hi-Q

he annual Hermanus Bowls Business League concluded on a high note, with Hi-Q winning the A Division, while Hermanus Pharmacies took the top spot in the B Division and Gas Hub the C Division. A total of 42 local businesses competed in this flagship tournament, with four players in a team. The practice week commenced on 27 January and the competition week on 3 February. Once the strength of the teams had been determined during the first week, they were divided into three divisions to battle it out during the second week. Although the competition was as stiff as always, the tournament was characterised by a relaxed atmosphere, with a jumping castle to entertain the children, music in the background, and a food stall to fill those hungry tummies. The Hermanus Bowling Club pronounced the 2020 tournament a huge success and thanks all the entrants and sponsors for their participation and support.

participants which will be conducive to increasing club membership; and to create a sense of community and social spirit for the populace of Hermanus. The full results were: • Winners in Division A – 1st: Hi-Q; 2nd: Trellidor A; 3rd: ACMS • Winners in Division B – 1st: Hermanus Pharmacies; 2nd: Taurus Jewellers; 3rd: Hout Kewers • Winners in Division C – 1st: Gas Hub; 2nd: Rebels B; 3rd: Spartans 1 - Division A winners – HIQ: Conrad Oosthuizen, Morné van Zyl, Maatjim Theron, Laetitia Pieterse (Team Manager), Jurg Kuyler and President Piet Meyer. In front are Nandi Oosthuizen and Mikayla Swart. 2 - Division B winners – Hermanus Pharmacies: Charl van Zyl, Philip-Ben Kotze, Louis Bester and Phillip Roux. 3 - Division C winners – Gas Hub: André de Villiers, Gary Morgan, Allan Thaine, Lionel Leukes and Steve Brundel. 2

The aim of the tournament is to promote the sport of bowls solely for the business fraternity in the Hermanus/Overberg region; to foster an atmosphere which encourages business networking and social awareness in the greater Hermanus area; to motivate interest amongst

Inter-schools Cricket

Hermanus High School held their first Inter-schools cricket match against Swellendam High School on Saturday. The game marked the first of many as Swellendam High will now be participating in Hermanus High’s annual Winter Sports Inter-schools. Hermanus previously competed against Overberg High School in Caledon, but after 25 years the Hermies have outgrown Ovies’ sports teams. The Hermanus High first team cricket boys also received their caps on Saturday in a quick capping ceremony before the game. The first team match was a tough one, with Swellendam High managing to take the win, meaning that their school’s name will be the first to be engraved on the trophy. Hermanus High will only have a chance to reclaim the trophy in 2021 at the next Inter-schools Cricket. The two schools will face off in rugby, netball and hockey later this year in the Winter Sports Inter-schools. Pictured on the left is the Hermanus High First Cricket team. Back from left are Greg Hassenkamp (principal), Cole van Tonder, Daniel Wainright, Adam Lawson-Smith, Rigardt van Wyk, George King (vice-captain), Kyle Philander, Jacques Mangiagalli (coach), (front) Robert Nutt, Connor Pedro, Jean-Michael Fouché, Clayton Hess, Owen Wagenaar and Marinus Neetlingh.

Hermanus High School batted first in the U19A cricket game against Swellendam High School. They played in their new sponsored kit from Buco and De Jagers.

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MY SPORT

Curro learner joins WP Bodyboarding team

able pointers. Janco took Tristan's advice to heart and started training harder, practising through wind, rain and cold to hone his skills.

When Janco caught up with bodyboarding World Champion, Tristan Roberts (an Onrus local and past pupil of Curro Hermanus) during December, he gave him some valu-

His dedication, hard work and determination paid off when on Sunday he was selected for the Western Province Bodyboarding team after participating in several heats in challenging conditions. Janco will now be practising with the WP team in preparation for his participation in Nationals later this year. On the left is Janco with his WP Bodyboarding badge.

anco van Noordwyk, a Grade 9 pupil at Curro Hermanus, was five years old when he first began surfing and bodyboarding. As his love for the sea and the outdoors grew, bodyboarding, which began as a fun hobby, became his greatest passion. He took part in his first trial series in 2018, where he ended up finishing seventh in his age category.

Overberg athletes excel at South Boland trials The top athletes from the zonal athletics trials (Overberg constitutes the North Zone) travelled to Grabouw on Saturday 15 February to participate in the South Boland trials. The Overberg athletes performed extremely well, and took home 200 of the 315 medals. All of the Victores and Victrices lodorum were from the Overberg, 30 out of 40 of the ‘Best Achievements’ for the day went to Overberg athletes, and they set 7 of the 9 new records. Amazingly, all of the Victrices lodorum were from Herma-

nus High School. The following learners from Hermanus High and Curro Hermanus will be going to the Boland trials at the Dal Josaphat Stadium in Paarl: Jenna Perreira, Gareth Tattersall, Adriaan de Vries, Rayven Aploon, Gené Cornelius, Janka du Toit, Enya Zipfel, Karla van Wyk, Daniel Hannekom, Christiaan Swart, Caitlin Otto, Soné Thorpe, Monique Hugo, Chanté Roux, Connor van Tonder, Donovan Brink, Faith Marinus, Elizabeth September, Cassandra Mbatha, Julia Kilpin, Sean Castle, Nick de Jager, Jumile Lukas, Werner van Niekerk and Celino

Peterson (Hermanus High), Nadja Jasprica, Jameline Heskwa, Ané Lourens and Jason Manchest. Good luck to all our Overberg athletes for the Boland trials. PHOTO: Luzaan Botha

On the Greens By Willem Lindeque

Firstly, congratulations to all the winners from the competitions this past week. I want to make special mention of Ian Ross, who was the winner of the Individual Stableford competition for The Dave Clark Cup. Ian Ross aged 80, shot a gross score of 79 (one under his age) for a score of net 65 equal to 42 points. Congratulations, Ian!

for you. Lastly, I want to plead with all golfers playing at Hermanus Golf Club: when you play, please make sure that you fill your divots and repair your pitch marks. This seems to be an ongoing issue and I request that everyone assists us in solving this problem. Happy golfing, see you at the club.

I want to remind all the members about the 2020 edition of our Club Championships. The Club Championships will be played on the weekend of 29 February to 1 March. There is an entry list on the notice board at the club. Please add your names if you are interested in playing in this event. Then I would also like to make everyone aware that we will be hosting the Boland Senior Open on Sunday and Monday, 23 & 24 February. This might impact your usual scheduled games, so please contact the club if this is the case so that we can make arrangements

Ian Ross proudly holding the Dave Clark trophy with Willem Lindeque, Golf Operations Manager Hermanus Golf Club.

Golf results Saturday 8 February: Club Competition – Alliance Stableford; East Course Winners –1st: Tony Runkell, Frans Esterhuizen, John Reynell & Peter Gibson - 90 pts, 2nd: Bill McGeachy, Ian McGeachy, Tony Squires & Peter Sulley - 85 pts C/I; South Course Winners – 1st: Werner Otto, Andrew Phillip, Don Munro & Walter Pretorius - 94 pts, 2nd: Gert Kruger, Jan Cloete, Shaun Smith & Mark Brummer - 88 pts; North Course Winners – 1st: Dirk vd Merwe, Etienne Roussouw, Reinhardt Buhr & Alan Cloete - 92 pts C/I, 2nd: Sandile Booi, Glyn Davies, Tony Behagg & John Atkinson - 92 pts C/O. Tuesday 11 February: Ladies’ Competition – 4BBB Stableford; East Course Winners – 1st: Lynne Roberts & Kit Wahan - 44 pts; 2nd: Pippa Admas & Melinda Smith - 42 pts C/I; South Course Winners – 1st: Janet Swarts & Kim Davies - 44 pts C/I; 2nd: Ros Sparks & Miriam Squires - 44 pts C/O. Wednesday 29 January: Men’s Competition – Individual Stableford & Dave Clark Cup; East Course Winner – Alan Cloete - 40 pts; South Course Winner – Walter Pretorius - 40 pts C/I; North Course Winner – Ian Ross 42 pts; Dave Clark Cup Winner – Ian Ross.

The Village NEWS 19 Feb - 26 Feb

Articles inside

Letter to the Editor | Sharing the good news

Angling and the birth of tourism in Hermanus (1900–1970)

On the Greens 19-02-2020

Proposal for dog zones open for comment

Home-grown Vikings ahoy!

Poachers target SA’s succulent treasure chest

A red-letter day for Siyabulela

New liquor trading hours proposed for Overstrand