The Village NEWS 19 September - 25 September

NEWS NEWS

Village

The

Cape Whale Coast

19 September 2018

GREEN FINGERS

HERITAGE WEEKEND

Trevor Nkoyi

Events

P4

FREE COPY

P 10

FCJ Independent Newspaper of the Year

BOOKS Local authors

P 14

CLIFF PATH What’s in a name?

P 16

PHOTO: Andree Frates Our region’s fabulous fynbos will be the top attraction at this year’s Hermanus Flower Festival from 21 - 24 September. Read more about the festival on P 9 & 10.

Let’s not waste the future De Waal Steyn

T

residents are rightfully concerned about the abrupt halt to waste recycling activities.

he recent destruction of the waste transfer station and Walker Bay Recycling has left recycling activities in paralysis, says Johan van Taak, Manager: Solid Waste of the Overstrand Municipality.

According to the Municipality the unfortunate fact is that the material recovery facility in Hermanus, including all the equipment, was destroyed during the riots, to such an extent that the repair and recommissioning thereof may take years to complete.

With all waste now transferred to the Karwyderskraal Landfill Site many

“The reality is that the conveyor belt

that was used to sort through the waste has been so badly damaged that we have still not been able to repair it. Walker Bay Recycling which did the processing and baling, has been almost completely destroyed, so the most important actions of the recycling effort cannot be done,” says Johan.

If household waste is not sorted and baled it is very expensive to transport as especially unbaled plastic takes up a lot of space, but has

almost no weight. Also, if the material is not sorted and baled it has virtually no commercial value.

Neighbouring towns and the City of Cape Town are not interested in buying the waste from us for recycling purposes.

The Municipality said in a press release that the current situation, however, presents an opportunity to eventually move to a higher level of recycling and improved diversion of waste from landfill.

“Overstrand Municipality has commenced with a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of relocating the recycling facility to the Karwyderskraal Landfill Site. It would then be operated as a regional facility by the Overberg District Municipality, handling larger volumes, including waste from neighbouring towns in other municipalities. The report should be completed by the end of September 2018.

Continues on P 3

3

19 September 2018

Recycling takes two steps back considering the routes available for large trucks between Kleinmond and Gordon’s Bay.

From P 1 “Should the relocation option prove to be feasible, the planning and budgeting process will commence. It is possible that the reinstatement of the damaged facility at its current location will be abandoned, especially in view of the need for land for housing in the specific area, and the perceived risks associated with the previous operating arrangements,” states the Municipality.

The possibility of temporarily transporting all recycled material from the Kleinmond/ Bettys Bay/Pringle Bay/Rooi Els areas to Gordon’s Bay has also been investigated. Challenges include that official approval of the City of Cape Town will have to be obtained and an extended procurement process for the transport of the material will have to be completed, which will take several months.

Furthermore, the issue of “donation” of municipal property (i.e. collected waste) to a single receiving “beneficiary” without an open tender process will be especially challenging to address in terms of legislation. Indications are that the transport will be expensive,

The Municipality says many residents enquire about the possibility of transporting all the recycling material to the recovery facility in Gansbaai for sorting and baling.

Unfortunately, that is not an option as the facility is too small to handle such a large volume of recycling and is even further for transporting the recycling to the markets in Cape Town.

“We will keep residents informed of progress made in reaching a solution. It is a high priority for the Municipality to find the best possible solution as soon as possible, to ensure the long-term sustainability of efficient waste management,” says the Municipality.

According to Johan, residents must not put their household waste into two bags. “What we find is that people are still recycling and sometimes we pick up recycling bags that are only half full. Rather put everything in one bag as this will at least ensure that one less bag ends up in the landfill site.”

Whale Coast Conservation Manager, Rob Fryer, says they are deeply concerned over the loss of the town’s ability to recycle. “We were on the forefront of recycling efforts in the country and were the envy of many other municipalities.

“The harsh reality is that we have now lost our ability to effectively recycle and it will be extremely expensive to get back to the point where we were. The notion of buying a commercial plastic shredder to recycle plastic into other products is simply not viable as these machines are expensive and the 320 tons of plastic waste produced annually in the Overstrand is simply not enough to keep one of these machines running.

“For that reason, I am working on a smaller prototype of a shredder that we will be able to extend in a modular way as the need for it grows. If this is successful and we get the necessary investment, we would be able to produce paving stones and rooftiles from the recycled plastic. We would also be able to add an injection moulder so that mouldings can be offered to the market. We will need at least another R75 000 to complete the prototype,” says Rob.

Managing your food waste On the environmental front there are concerns about food waste that is landfilled. The main problem with sending organic waste to landfill is the decomposition of the waste. This generates methane and leachate in the landfill which has not only the potential to drastically contaminate groundwater, but methane is also a greenhouse gas with 21 times the capacity of carbon dioxide to cause global warming. Spontaneous fires can also occur when the conditions of decomposition are favourable, which is risky not only to humans but contributes to air pollution.

We can control the amount of food we buy and the amount of food that goes to waste. Sustainable living means buying just what we need, what we can keep fresh and what we should eat to maintain a healthy diet. We have almost forgotten the satisfaction of buying produce, picked that morning, from a local market.

Dealing with what is left What about the bits we don’t use? Those who are fortunate to have a garden can return the nutrients to the soil. There are

several ways of doing this.

The simplest is to just dig a trench in the garden and bury it. Natural soil microorganisms will break down the organic matter in a week or two and leave all the nutrients in the soil. Plant the next vegetable crop on top.

We could feed it to the worms. A worm farm is an excellent hobby for those who like what the little critters can accomplish. Food and garden scraps are turned into leachate (or worm tea), a brilliant fertiliser, and compost for the garden.

If you don’t have a garden or you have no affinity for the soil, anaerobic fermentation of the food scraps is another option. Bokashi is an easy and fast way to turn your kitchen food scraps into nutrient rich soil conditioner.

Bokashi, Japanese for “fermented organic matter” is a natural anaerobic fermentation process using anaerobic micro-organisms such as Lactobacilli, yeasts and phototrophic microbes.

Bokashi composting emits no foul odours and breaks down food scraps in a fraction of

the time of conventional composting, providing the soil with rich nutrients and microorganisms. Unlike traditional composting, Bokashi enables us to compost all our food scraps including meat, fish, dairy and small bones and this is done with zero waste of nutrients, nitrogen or carbon into the atmosphere.

So, using Bokashi is a good natural way to reduce, reuse and recycle organic waste and it is also much faster at breaking down our food scraps. Fermenting our scraps is a lot like making wine. In the Bokashi system, the lack of oxygen and the relatively low acidity prevent the organisms that produce gas and smells from forming, and any that were present will not be able to survive.

Bokashi mixed with food or garden waste allows recycling which reduces the amount of waste in landfills. The processed waste ends up in our gardens or the worm bin.

A healthy balance of microbes goes into the soil with the fermented scraps, reestablishing the high microbial counts present in healthy soil. A Bokashi kit can be bought online for as little as R500. Now isn’t that worth a little effort?

4

19 September 2018

There’s magic in a garden, healing in the soil vegetables they grew for their restaurant.

Elaine Davie

I

“Sally taught me so much about organic farming,” he says. “And also that gardens bring people together.

How can we be separate if we are working together with our hands in the same soil?” This is a sentiment Sally feels strongly about, in fact. “I see my relationship with Trevor as the story of South Africa really; it’s all about building individual relationships, about interacting, about being there for each other.”

n Zwelihle where there has been so much turbulence in recent times, a remarkable young man with a wide smile and peaceful eyes tends a food garden. His name is Trevor Nkoyi and he is in love with the soil.

Born in Queenstown, but relocating with his parents to Hermanus as a child, he was unable to continue his schooling beyond Grade 7, but, as a teenager, he remembers hanging around the Saturday market, intrigued by the beautiful fresh vegetables and fruit he saw for sale there. With this in mind, he started searching for piecework in local gardens and this led to an encounter with someone who would change his life forever, as he, indeed, would powerfully impact hers.

Sally Raats was newly arrived in Onrus.

A young American mother of two small twin girls, married to South African winemaker, Jasper Raats, she knew no one and was struggling to adjust to a completely new environment while her husband commuted to Stellenbosch where he was working.

Then, one day in 2009, Trevor knocked on her gate looking for a gardening job. A winemaker herself, with a passion for gardening, she had heard of an initiative to start a vegetable garden at the RDP centre in Zwelihle, so she asked Trevor if he would like to join her in getting it going.

“He had to remove huge rocks from the ground and it was back-breaking work for him,” she remembers. Side-byside, several days a week they struggled to turn this unproductive piece of ground into something useful, and soon a close friendship developed between them. “I always tell people”, smiles Sally, “that Trevor was my first real friend in South Africa and now, 10 years later, we are still friends. He is a very special person.”

However, when Sally moved to Longridge Wine Farm near Stellenbosch where Jasper had been appointed winemaker and General Manager, Trevor took a full-time job at Camphill

Each job Trevor has had has taught him something new towards becoming more proficient in his calling. At Green Road, also in Stellenbosch, he sold organic vegetables, sourced from local farmers, at their weekly market and was responsible for making up veggie packs which were delivered to customers in Stellenbosch, Somerset West and Paarl. But when he heard about the troubles in Hermanus, he knew he was needed here, so back he came to where it all began: the vegetable garden at the RDP Centre, now home to the Zwelihle Youth Café, run by William Ntebe and Fikiswa Gxamesi.

Biodynamic veggie gardener, Trevor Nkoyi takes a break beside the flourishing lettuces he planted, which will soon be ready for market.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

Farm and was introduced to the principle of biodynamic farming. He had discovered what he now refers to as his calling – growing vegetables without contamination from chemicals of any kind, but as God intended them to be grown before man interfered with nature.

At Camphill they noticed his ability and growing passion and encouraged him to go for training in organic farming, permaculture and other agricultural methods. His own eating habits underwent a sea change: every day he experienced the advantages of eating fresh, healthy food and, with missionary zeal, he set about trying to convince everyone he knew of its value. His late father,

who had grown up on a farm, encouraged him every step of the way; his mother, not so much. She was worried that there didn’t seem to be much monetary reward for the hard work he was doing.

This was of little concern to him, though. His philosophy was that if you were able to do something that you loved and really believed in, you would always have enough to live on. The next step on his biodynamic journey reinforced not only this philosophy, but also his skills. In 2012, to the delight of both, he was able to team up with Sally again at Longridge Estate, which implemented strictly biodynamic farming methods, both for their vines and the

With help from Peter Hahn, it’s now full steam ahead for Trevor. Along his journey of discovery, he had been exposed to the German method of small-scale organic farming, called hügelkultur. It involves creating mounds of soil built on sturdy logs, together with branches, twigs and organic compost; planting the vegetables on top, as well as down the sides of the mound and then covering the whole structure with a mulch of straw.

Trevor has no financial backing for this project, but he is nothing if not ambitious. Relying on donations of organically produced seeds (he is adamant that nothing else will do) from Camphill and individual donors, as well as organic fertilizer from Biogrow and hay bales from the Hermanus Country Market, he has planted a farm-sized selection of vegetables and herbs in two pocket-

sized pieces of ground. By November this year, he hopes to be fully productive.

But, as Sally points out, he is a natural teacher, so his ultimate aim is to persuade all the schools in Zwelihle and Mount Pleasant (to start with) to establish their own gardens in planter boxes, for which the children themselves will take responsibility. Those who are really interested will be encouraged to come and work with him in his garden where he can give them more personal, long-term training. He will buy whatever the children can produce, make them up into six-portion, seasonal veggie packs and sell them at the Country Market.

As with the football club of local youngsters, FC Rangers, which Trevor formed and has coached for many years, he believes that if young people put their minds to it, they can succeed at anything. “It’s very important for the children to realise that they can do things for themselves and feel proud of what they produce, instead of waiting for someone to do it for them.

Nothing tastes so sweet or is as healthy as a carrot or a lettuce that you have planted yourself and picked from your own garden.

“Actually, I would like to invite everyone to come to my garden, to bring themselves, with their labour, new ideas and encouragement, or to bring whatever else they have to offer – tools, seeds, veggie bags (paper, not plastic), a fridge! People are so stuck in fear; I want to share my knowledge and love of gardens. You can be happy here.”

Sally sums it up when she says, “I think we both find God in a garden and in a way it’s symbolic of South Africa: out of this barren soil of pain and hurt, new growth and healing can come. Trevor has this amazing feeling for plants. I think he can almost feel them, understand what they need to flourish and it’s all done with love, for people and plants.”

For more information or offers of help, Trevor can be contacted on 079 481 3155.

19 September 2018

LOCAL VETS REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY René Dewar, chair of Hermanus Animal Welfare (HAWS) expressed her heartfelt thanks to Dr Hilldidge Beer and her amazing team from EberVet, who sponsored the Spayathon in Mount Pleasant last week. The Spayathon was scheduled to take place on Mandela Day in July, but had to be postponed due to the riots. The aim was to provide free care and sterilisation for 67 animals throughout the day in order to support those pet owners who cannot afford to take their animals to the vet. The EberVet team was supported by Dr Dirk Greyling from the Hermanus Animal Hospital and together they managed to sterilise, vaccinate and deworm an incredible 97 dogs and cats in a day. Zelda la Grange (above), a great animal lover who was Mandela’s personal assistant for many years and now hosts the television programme, Tussen Ons on KykNET, took time off from her busy schedule to be the Spayathon’s Patron for the day. “What a fantastic day we had with all the animal welfares in our area, including HAWS, KAWS, RAD, BARC and Es la Vida Sanctuary working together to make a difference to the lives of the animals in our area,” said René. “Thanks also to our Kennel Manager, Peter, assisted by Wildre and Shephard, for their hard work and support as well as the HAWS Volunteers Marlene (who organised the day), Pam, Caroline, Irene, Julie, Nick and René. And lastly, a special thanks to Pick n Pay and Oskars Delicatessen for the delicious food and to the Municipality for providing the venue in Mount Pleasant."

5

ARBOUR MONTH Ward 3 Councillor Kari Brice joined Louise Visage and Kevin van Wyk from the Municipality’s Parks Department in planting three Yellowwood trees at the Hermanus Cemetery in celebration of Arbour Month. She also thanked Melanie Moore for her time, passion and support. Melanie took it upon herself to beautify the cemetery and kindly offered to water the trees. The 15 other trees will be used for reforestation along the river bank in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The two indigenous trees selected as 2018's Trees of the Year are the Boscia albitrunca (Shepherd’s tree) and Podacarpus elongates (Breede River Yellowwood).

6

19 September 2018

Let’s Talk

THE

NEWS

Gas Deliveries 028 312 2020

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Protecting the rights of all is essential to a healthy democracy With reference to Victor Sabbe’s letter published in the 5 September edition of The Village NEWS, under the heading, Is government destroying our freedoms? The answer is very clearly, “No!” Firstly, you express concern about the “Bela Bill” (Basic Education Law Amendments Bill) which is intended to reform the South African Schools Act of 1996 to bring the system of administering schools, and curbing corruption, up to date.

You are correct when you state that the bill will take power from “the community” – as you term public school boards – but you are not correct to think of that form of school administration as a public “right”.

The bill will require that in future the ability to make decisions concerning the pupils admitted to schools, the teachers employed within them, and the language of tuition, will be given to the heads of the school’s various teaching departments and the provincial government. Schools will become teacher-lead rather than open to the dictates of local power and influence, political or religious, within the school boards, whether that might have been for good, bad, indifferent or self-serving.

Surely that is preferable and much less open to corruption or perversion than the present situation? Loss of freedom occurs when choice is

captured in the interests of the few and taken from the many. This bill would seem to strive to prevent that.

Most importantly, the bill clearly stipulates that all cultural and religious beliefs must be respected and accommodated within every school, which would once again seem to be designed to ensure, not that rights are taken from communities, but that they are safeguarded – something which is fundamental and essential to a healthy democracy.

In your letter you conflate your concerns about educational freedoms with what you believe to be the right of a religious practitioner to refuse to marry same-sex couples. Same-sex marriage is the law of this land, but, as you put it, your religious beliefs should entitle you to choose not to obey that law if you don’t agree with it. I have to say – I think it very important to say – you cannot cherry pick your laws.

Either do all or do none.

Government is not trying to remove your freedom to practise your religion or to believe what you wish to believe, but it is trying to ensure that other’s rights to practise what they believe, and to marry whom they wish to marry, are respected.

Your attitude implies a fundamental lack of respect for others who do not share your views and places your own beliefs above the law.

So, you want to be a marketeer…

The business of government, and the law that upholds it, is secular. Its function is to ensures the rights of all are protected equally, whether it is the right to own property or worship in whatever way we choose, and it is entirely unreasonable to say that government “persistently makes efforts to remove people’s freedom to practise their religion”, as you have. We do not live in a theocracy like Saudi Arabia. Were that the case we might have school boards that allowed the teaching of only one religious book to the exclusion of all others, or we might be like some parts of America where children are taught that the Earth was made in seven days and is only 7 000 years old. In the absence of scientific method, what would South Africa’s future be, I wonder?

If South Africa’s score on the Human Freedom Index appears low, in your opinion, it is because such a large percentage of the population is poor – trapped in poverty – and much poorer than they should be, given the wealth and strength of the country. However, freedom based on the law is something in which we are fortunately rich and it is only the solid strength and consistency of that which will ensure a fairer, better, more prosperous future for us all.

Val Kwaan

In the next few weeks, The Village NEWS will be announcing a number of new and exciting initiatives. We are now on the lookout for outstanding individuals who “get” what a brand is, who love creating brands and who have strategic insight capabilities coursing through their veins.

You will be as comfortable as an old sweater speaking with clients, as smooth as a merlot wine in juggling numerous balls at one time, and a natural at creating win-win business relationships.

If you have what it takes to be part of the team, send your CV to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za Please also include a 150-word response to the question: What is a Brand?

World-class service from Overstrand Municipality Here, for a change, is a positive letter and a simple thank you.

After almost 20 years in London and a year in Cape Town, we recently moved to Onrus. I noticed a terrible pothole in our street, just a few houses up from ours.

When I rang the Overstrand Municipality to report it, the call was answered promptly and I was immediately put through to an extremely helpful and friendly person who thanked me for the call and promised that the pothole would be seen to.

Weather forecast for the next week & De Bos Dam level Wednesday 19 September Thursday 20 September

10°C / 12°C Partly Cloudy

10°C / 14°C Partly cloudy

Friday 21 September

12°C / 16°C Clear

Today, a week or two later, I drove past the spot and much to my delight noticed that it had been perfectly repaired.

Thank you, Overstrand Municipality!

What a pleasure it is to live in a town where people in authority listen and get things done. A big thank you for a great experience – you guys prove that there is no reason why worldclass customer service can't be achieved in South Africa. We think you're awesome.

Vincent Baasch Onrus

www.yr.no

Hermanus

Saturday 22 September Sunday 23 September Monday 24 September Tuesday 25 September

13°C / 16°C Partly cloudy

12°C / 17°C Partly cloudy

14°C / 21°C Clear

15°C / 18°C Clear

De Bos Dam Level

61%

7

19 September 2018

More abalone farms needed to curb poaching

THE

NEWS

There should be not one, but a hundred and one, abalone farms dotted along the coast line, producing abalone in huge quantities and shipping it to China and the Far East (the principal market, apparently). That many farms should be able to employ the now defunct poachers and create many more jobs in the region, from production to picking, and packing the perlemoen for Peking. Hey, presto – problem solved.

In a perfect world the solution of course would be that simple. But this is not a perfect world, and one would first have to get the incompetent Sea Fisheries Department to see the light (pun intended) and start pumping money into setting up and subsidising these farms. The money would of course come from no longer having to waste it on ineffective anti-poaching initiatives.

Shane Alberts, Kleinmond

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

028 312 2234

Crime cannot be tolerated

I think everyone will agree that poaching of abalone is completely out of hand in the region. How do you stop poaching of any sort? By making it unattractive as a huge money spinner. And one can only do that by flooding the market with the stuff, thereby making it cheaper.

I am also sure that this has been thought of and spoken about before, but little seems to have been done about it.

A cursory Google search reveals very little in the way of commercial farming of the mollusc (I found Abagold farm and The Heart of Abalone tourist attraction – I am open to correction).

The Team

OPINION Matters

The apparent murder of the 95-year-old Joan Alexander in Eastcliff last week has sent shockwaves through the community. According to reports she was found tied up, with a blood-soaked towel around her head in the bathtub of her home.

Joan was a long-time resident in Hermanus and worked amongst others at The Marine hotel.

She was described as a gentle soul by those who knew her, and she will be sorely missed.

This follows the release of crime statistics last week by the SAPS which showed that although contact crimes, such as rape and assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, have decreased, the number of murder cases in Hermanus increased year-on-year by 25%.

Murder, as with all serious crimes, is something that cannot be tolerated in any society and we as the community must ensure the eradication thereof. We need to work hand-inhand with the SAPS to ensure that they are informed of all criminal activity. Serious crime cannot be excused by claiming that it is a byproduct of our social environment.

Publishing Editor De Waal Steyn 083 700 3319 dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

No person, regardless of age, colour, social standing or financial means, should be vulnerable to being attacked and killed in their home.

Something like this is simply unacceptable.

During the last few months tensions between communities in Hermanus have spiked and relationships between the community and the SAPS have also come under strain. But we can simply not allow the problems that we as communities face to override our safety and security.

The Overstrand must become a place where criminal elements feel unsafe and unwelcome because, despite our differences, we still work together with each other and agencies such as the SAPS to make even a small toehold slippery for criminals.

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

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

If residents can agree that the eradication of crime is one of our main challenges, we already have a solid base on which we can build a prosperous future.

This is the good NEWS – Ed

Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

Koeksisters and Balaclavas for Honest Donny Druiwe du Toit, our well-soaked Merlot producer from Heaven’s valley was thrilled. The seeds that he and other leaders had planted in letters to President Trump were bearing fruit.

Thankfully, it created a flurry of comment in social media, print and TV about Honest Donny’s sudden focus on one of the “s**tholes in Africa” – (near Nambia, he thinks).

As the Grand Wizard of the Suidlander/Overberg region of the international ‘Trump’s World Outlook on Tomorrow’ (TWOT), Druiwe thought it important to let everyone know that due to Honest Donny’s recent interest, the local chapter of TWOT was all fired up and ready to go.

Quite where they are planning to go is as yet uncertain, but they got the fire started anyway, and now that The Angry Orange was running the free world, they felt energized, emboldened.

“For a start,” wrote Druiwe, “we dispute the claims that The Don has told over three thousand lies since taking office.

We have counted only around two thousand, which is normal for most politicians. Apart from that, we object strongly to the uncomplimentary names bandied about like The Angry Orange, Toxic Donny or Putin’s Bitch.”

A Far Kraai

YOUTUBE: Cheers4Ears Marketing Manager Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za

Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

turned down. It would require a rewrite and a re-shoot with a totally different cast. Too costly – even for Honest Donny.

how to breathe under water without creating bubbles; how not to pee upwind; and how a smart-phone works.

Anyway, Druiwe continued with a request to all members attending the ‘rejuvenation reunion’ to come prepared. “Due to the fire that burned down the clubhouse during the last ritual, all the spare robes and hoods were lost in the blaze, so please bring your own sheets. Hoods are not essential – they caused the fire last time – but balaclavas are optional for those wishing to remain incognito.

There’ll be nametags anyway.”

While the men discuss these vital survival tactics, wives will be entertained in the hall next door for safety purposes. A famous local comedian will be the MC between talks on a range of topics like tips on speedcrocheting; alcoholic koeksisters; trendy WiFi -enabled hair curlers; and how to cheat honestly at jukskei. Most ladies enjoy a good chat, so to lubricate the wheels of social intercourse, local wines will be freely available. As they say – wine in, talk out.

The intrepid wives club (Die Soet Lemoenette) asked that husbands don’t cut eye-holes in their brandnew sheets and rather purchase one of the balaclavas they are frantically knitting. Donations of orange wool by any local Dutch football fans (scarves etc.) would be appreciated.

“Steve Hofmeyr and Julius Malema,” continued Duiwe, “are interrupting their sold-out ‘Karaoki Duets’ tour so that Steve can attend the indaba. In preparation, the Duck ’n Fiddle has stocked up with plenty of extra braaiwood, boerewors and Klipdrift brandy.”

Julius has the night off.

Well, let’s face it, the Angry Orange can’t be mistaken for being any other shade.

Due to his pasty skin colour, the hours spent under his tanning lamp have rendered him what he calls ‘sun-kissed – with an athletic glow.’

“The clan will meet at The Duck ’n Fiddle on a date to be confirmed,” he wrote, “but apart from the serious business of self-preservation and learning the American national anthem, there will be other activities of interest, especially for new members.”

“It would have been great,” concluded Druiwe, “if the head TWOT himself was here to thank personally. Unfortunately, he’ll be playing golf. But because of his trade tariffs on produce like soybeans, our farmers are making a killing by exporting direct to China, and bugger the tariffs.”

He tried to ban the TV series ‘Orange is the New Black’ because he claimed it could be misleading to his ‘good ol’ boys’ down south. He had insisted on ‘Orange is the New White’, but was

Among them are essential lectures by veterans in their various disciplines.

Like dismantling and reassembling your firearm behind your back in the dark; opening cans with your teeth;

If the Angry Orange finds this out though, he’ll probably invade us too, so mum’s the word. TWOT membership forms available for R2.75 from the editor.

OLD STARS DANCE TO UPTOWN FUNK Bing Crosby, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Sinatra, Monroe and many more of the ‘30s and ‘40s film stars show what dancing’s all about.

Great timing and brilliantly edited to a really funky track a la Earth Wind and Fire that got even my Gran doing a knees-up. In YouTube just type in ‘Old Stars Funk’ – and enjoy. – Pieter.

Marketing Representative Laetitia Prinsloo 082 738 3765 ads@thevillagenews.co.za

Journalist Elaine Davie 084 343 7500

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

WHERE TO FIND US FLASHMOB – I BELIEVE I CAN FLY Sometimes, unbeknown to the unsuspecting half of a large crowd, the other half is a bunch of ordinary-looking folks who are actually part of the pageant about to unfold. That’s a Flashmob. They just come out of the woodwork and perform, and reactions are always uplifting. Such a beautiful song. I blub every time. Type in ‘Stockholm Flashmob’. – Murray.

(Mik’s away)

The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 26 September. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

MEMBER OF

8

19 September 2018

THE

NEWS

Let’s Talk

The heart of the matter

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Solution to today’s problems can often be found in the past Living in Britain during the early 20th century was a struggle for many; around 5 million were denied a reasonable home life due to overcrowding, squalor and lack of sanitation. Few owned their own homes or had any hope of doing so.

The problem was exacerbated during WWII when around 750 000 houses were destroyed or severely damaged. People everywhere were desperate for houses.

Enter the prefabricated house, or “prefab” as it was more commonly known. These temporary homes were intended to last for 10 years – most lasted much longer. They could be erected in a week. There were two bedrooms, a fitted bath, hot running water, an inside toilet and a fitted refrigerator. Most had a rear garden. Initially unpopular due to their stark outside appearance, they nevertheless fulfilled a need.

I was shocked to read in last week’s issue of The Village NEWS that “In Zwelhile the cost of delivering a 40m² unit is R445 753, excluding

many residents from being able to afford a house…” Innovative design and construction methods have been available for at least the last 10 years providing a cheaper, faster alternative to conventional building techniques.

One such design – there are many others – utilizes re-usable, plastic blocks filled with an SABSapproved mortar to form all the walls. Electricity cabling, plumbing and steel reinforcing are located within the walls. Basic construction takes about a week, and local community labour can be trained to undertake construction. The cost for a 40m² unit is reported at about R100 000.

Has the Municipality considered alternatives to conventional building that seem to better meet the urgent needs of the community? If it’s a question of compliance with building regulations then change the rules – desperate times require desperate measures.

The 10x10 Design Indaba, held annually, aims at providing affordable, attractive and innovative solutions to the urgent need to house the urban poor. A number of their housing projects have been initiated, eg. Freedom and have received the support of local and national government.

Could The Village NEWS feature an article on low-cost housing alternatives so the community can be aware of what’s available? The Municipality should also be transparent regarding the processes they have followed in choosing their preferred solution.

Suppliers could be invited to erect “show houses” to promote their products and for prospective residents to be exposed to what can be done.

David L Worrall Westcliff

An accolade to It’s time to stop the madness by Phillip G Parsons published in your issue dated 12 September 2018. Parsons’ voice of reason conveys the disturbing reality of Municipal madness in the mayhem of unravelling events.

The Hermanus Old Town is currently in ICU waiting for a heart transplant, and slowly dying, while its donor (DA Municipality) turns both a blind eye and a deaf ear to its critical condition. Attaching pipes to seemingly ‘vital’ organs is not going to cure the immediate overall problem, and in fact, threatens to worsen its state of health in a big way.

Since the late ‘90s, proposals, plans and programmes for the regeneration of the CBD have been presented by the Municipality (and like medical aid, have cost a buck or two), but all dutifully written-up prescriptions, over time (and a lot of it), have come to naught.

In the difficult stages of what is turning out to be a calamitous year, it now seems that the priority and course for resuscitation of the CBD is storm water drainage on some of its roads. Hitched to the drip of a ‘slow fix’, at the cost of the Old Town’s health deteriorating further, this will have a life threatening effect on the whole body. Surely there is alternative treatment or at least a strategy for improved planning for the timing of such a procedure.

the two are separate issues. To ‘pretty’ things up in landscaped prose with the current regeneration programme is a placebo for further procrastination. How long has the Old Town been waiting for its life-renewing transplant? In all the time that the Municipality has spent making grandiose plans and coming up with inappropriate schemes such as a Fernkloof theme park, care has not been administered to the real concerns at stake.

Urgent steps need to be taken to get the collapsing CBD back on its feet.

While the concept for creating the Hermanus University College is a brilliant and innovative vision, having the potential to honour the town with the status of a cultural and educational landmark, can the CBD hold out until 2020?

For the financial survival of the Hermanus Old Town, the revitalisation steps need to be implemented immediately, and not in some far distant future. There is a dire need to start with the entrance to Hermanus, which is in a shabby state, and long overdue for regeneration. As the reception area to the town, it is most often this first impression that counts.

Beginning with beauty and cleanliness will surely get the heart of Hermanus going again.

It’s the voice of reason, especially at this time, that we so urgently need to call upon – the health of the Hermanus Old Town depends on it more than ever.

However, this surgery entails maintenance and not revitalisation –

OVERSTRAND HOSPICE 600 CLUB The lucky draw for September was done last week by Dr Jock Ross (on the left), pictured here with Lynn Sillifant from Don Adams Auditors (middle) and Sr Annetjie Carstens of Overstrand Hospice (right). The 600 Club winners this month are: 1st - RAA Gower, 2nd Ivor Kinston, and 3rd - AM le Roux.

Should you wish to support the Overstrand Hospice through the 600 Club, please contact Norma ScottTomlin on 028 312 4679 or 600admin@overstrandhospice.com You can also follow them on Facebook: Overstrand Hospice

Beth Hunt

Thanks for being our voice I would like to congratulate Phillip G Parsons on his letter It’s time to stop the madness in the 12 September issue of The Village NEWS.

settle in – nor will it be as appealing as a weekend 'get away from it all’ destination that the city dwellers seek – surely?

He has expressed perfectly the sentiments of so many of us who love Hermanus. If all these proposed ‘developments’ go ahead, Hermanus will no longer be the charming town we came to

I could go on and on but I don’t have the excellent writing skills of Mr. Parsons. So thank you once again for being the voice of so many like us!

Garth and Wendy Stroebel

Village

EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ART • NATURE • BOOKS

T

A feast of conservation talks at flower show

he Annual Hermanus Flower Festival is rapidly approaching and Botanical Society members have outdone themselves to make it even better. It is not just for grannies who come to see the flowers and enjoy a ‘cuppa’ on the lawns. The flowers are magnificent, of course, but there is also a wealth of other things to see and do. Let’s just consider the talks that will be presented in the big marquee, now called the Market Hub. Details of some of the talks were kindly supplied by Mary Ann Verster, Festival Organiser.

Frank Woodvine and ‘Dr Vic’ (Hamilton-Attwell) are muchloved and passionate local conservationists. We all know that alien trees are a big no-no in fynbos, especially when growing in water catchments. You will understand where much of the precious water of the Western Cape goes when you learn how much of it is soaked up by alien species.

Frank and Vic will bring examples of the actual culprits to show us and talk about the problems they create. They will then demonstrate the best way to deal with them – in no uncertain terms. Come and find out how you, too, can be one of the ‘X-Men’ in the fight against these real aliens. Join them on Friday 21 September at 13:00 and on Monday 24 September at 14:00 in the Market Hub. Chef Chris Erasmus is the owner of Foliage Restaurant in Franschhoek. He is also a well-known forager. Foraged food is now the ‘in-cuisine’. It is food gathered in nature as animals and humans have done for millennia. It appeals to our basic gatherer instincts. Chris will talk to festival-goers about foraging for your lunch while he cooks up some tasty snacks, salads and teas from ingredients such as wildflowers, ornamentals and weeds. You will be able to buy small portions of the dishes he prepares and some of his special products from the pop-up shop on site. An experience you don’t want to miss! He will be in the Market Hub from 11:30 to 15:00 on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 September.

Christine Stevens grows edible gardens. She followed her dream hobby of producing organically grown vegetables, herbs and spices. She has developed her hobby into a thriving business, delivering natural produce to many of the Cape’s well-known restaurants and wineries. She will be in the Market Hub at 10:00 on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 September, talking about herbs & spices, micro-veggies and heritage seeds. Then at 15:00 on both days she will focus on growing spices such as ginger, cumin, turmeric and caraway. Children can make their own mini veggie gardens with the kits she will have on sale. What better way for kids to spend the spring school holidays.

With the de Bos Dam struggling to get past the 60% full

mark, our thoughts turn increasingly to the ultimate waterwise garden. For this there is nothing better than our indigenous succulents. Marc Dawson, a nurseryman who has been working with a colleague on the challenges of gardening in conditions of chronic water shortage in the Western Cape, will explain to us how to use succulents in zoning our gardens. Their trademark concept of ‘Xeriscaping’ takes water-wise gardening in the Cape to a new level. It involves considering a variety of environmental conditions and lifestyle preferences when designing a garden. Marc will be talking specifically about succulents in the context of garden zoning, in the Market Hub at 11:30 on Friday 21 September.

Have you ever heard of a ‘Tussie Mussie’? Tussie Mussies go back to the Victorian era when people made bouquets of flowers to send special messages. Hannelie Hanekom will run a workshop to show us how to make a Tussie Mussie.

She will explain the meaning of messages through flowers and helps us to make a ‘talking’ bouquet. Talk about a novel way of whispering to that special person! Hannelie will guide us to appreciate our own garden from a different perspective. What are the many messages we could send?

This workshop will take place on Sunday 23 September from 11:00 to 13:00 and again from 14:00 to 16:00 on Sunday 23 September in the Craft Corner in the Amphitheatre in the Fernkloof gardens.

Grant Hine from Marine Dynamics & Dyer Island Conservation Trust is a nature lover with years of experience as a trained field guide. He is Director of FGASA (Field Guide Association of SA) as well as a qualified psychologist. Grant is now working with the Marine Dynamics Academy, training Coastal-Marine guides and will be offering a range of short courses for nature lovers. He advocates reconnecting with the natural environment as a process to find your own true nature and this will be the subject of his presentation, ‘Discover your Ecological Self’. Join us for this fascinating talk at 16:00 on Friday 21 September and 12:30 on Monday 24 September, both in the Market Hub. - Anina Lee, Whale Coast Conservation No booking is required for the talks, presentations and demonstrations on offer at the Market Hub. It will be strictly first come, first served. You can consult the Fernkloof website (www.fernkloof.org.za) for the full programme of the Flower Festival. While there will be no fee charged (apart from the gate fee), donations from those attending the talks are most welcome. All funds raised will go towards Hermanus Botanical Society’s project to maintain the paths in Fernkloof for your safety and enjoyment.

10

19 September 2018

12

3 US 28 N A 0

55

33

e RM er

HE th

es

k Ta

u

Good Guide

yo

Wednesday 19 September

■ Heart & Brain Health: Dr Arien van der Merwe will present a talk on how you can boost your brain function and take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing. Tickets are R100 pp, available from Dr Arien at 081 511 1809 or info@drarien.co.za. At Col’Cacchio, Station Square, Hermanus, from 17:30 for 18:00 – 19:00.

Thursday 20 September

cycling as a healthy, safe and eco-friendly mode of transport in Hermanus. For more information, contact Carel Kushke on 074 849 5936. Meet at the whale sculpture on Market Square, at 18:00.

■ Rewind: Join Soul Café every Friday night and

relax to the tunes of their resident band as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. R50 pp. Call 028 313 2137 to book. At Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus, at 20:00.

Friday 21 – Monday 24 September

■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm your attendance. At Mollergren Park, every Thursday at 19:00.

■ Hermanus Business Chamber: This networking event provides guests with the ideal opportunity to meet the Chamber’s new committee members and other business people, make valuable new connections and promote their product/business while enjoying light refreshments. The Committee’s Portfolio Managers will share their ideas and vision for the way forward after the challenging times businesses have been experiencing. The cost is R100 pp for members and R120 for non-members. Register now by contacting Alta Pretorius on 028 315 1619 or info@hermanuschamber.co.za. At the Windsor Hotel, at 18:00.

Friday 21 September ■ Bhuki Café: Everyone is welcome at Friends of the Library's Bhuki Cafe where a cup of tea or coffee and delicious eats will cost only R20. Every cup helps to raise funds for new books. Every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30, at Hermanus Library.

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

■ Vegetation mapping and plant growth in South Africa: U3A Overberg presents a lecture by Prof Johan du Preez, a senior lecturer in plant science and Associate Professor at UOFS who also serves on the VEGMAP committee of the South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Prof du Preez’s work is of particular use to ecologists and conservationists and is used for ecological impact assessments of intended projects such as farming (e.g. carrying capacity of livestock), mining permit applications, residential developments, etc. This talk will give us a botanical picture of South Africa in its natural state and how man has brought about change, both positive and negative.

Members: R10; Non-members: R25. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ Sensational Spring Paint and Sip Night: Unleash your creativity in aid of the Hermanus Frail Care Centre (Sofca). Professional artist Maureen Tomaino will be there to guide you and all paint materials will be supplied. R320 pp will also include a complimentary drink and a light meal. There will be a cash bar at club prices. Come on your own, with a partner or a group of friends for a fun-filled night. Contact Jennie at jennievorster@gmail.com or WhatsApp 082 890 3494, or Gayle on sofca@telkomsa.net or WhatsApp 082 836 8975.

At the Sandbaai Hall, at 19:00.

■ Critical Mass: Everyone with a bicycle is invited to join Critical Mass, a social bike ride to celebrate

free and in the event of rain the market moves indoors. For enquiries, contact Debbie Randall on 028 284 9220. At Fioré Garden Centre & Coffee Shop, Bot River, from 09:00 – 14:00.

■ Heart & Brain Health Workshop: Join Dr Arien van der Merwe for an informative workshop entitled Healthy Hearts & Happy Minds. Your heart is so much more than a pump – it is also a “brain”! Tickets at R250 pp are available from Dr Arien at 081 511 1809 or info@drarien.co.za. At Ocean Basket Hermanus, from 09:30 for 10:00 – 12:00.

■ Botrivier Hotel Market: For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. At the Botrivier Hotel, every Saturday, from 10:00 – 14:00.

■ Hermanus Flower Festival: The theme this year is ‘Watching Water’ and in addition to the signature flower displays there is an exciting programme of interesting talks, presentations and workshops in the Market Hub (get all the details on P 9). Bring the whole family as there are plenty of creative activities on offer for the children.

Rejuvenate your spring garden with natural fynbos that will be on sale at the indigenous nursery, and enjoy a hot beverage and cake or a light lunch with wine. The festival is presented by the Hermanus Botanical Society as a fundraiser for the maintenance and repair of the well-used hiking paths in the nature reserve. Friday is a concession for Senior Citizens with an entry fee of only R10, while the special Fynbos Friday treat can be enjoyed for only R40 between 09:00 – 11:30.

All other adult visitors will pay a R25 entry fee and children under 12 are free. Get the full programme at www.fernkloof.org.za as every day will offer something different. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, daily from 09:00 – 17:00.

Saturday 22 September ■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. Set off from the Overstrand Training Institute (OTI) farm on Camphill Road in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 08:00.

■ 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 the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine

Market: Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00.

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

■ Fioré Country Market: Browse this new

country market in Bot River for homemade crafts, books, local treats, fresh fruit and more. Stands are

■ Old Harbour Potjiekos Competition: Kick off Heritage Weekend by joining this fundraiser hosted by Friends of the Old Harbour Museum and Hermanus Online. There will be a variety of food stalls, music and entertainment for the children while the business teams prepare their potjies. Judging will take place between 12:30 and 14:00, and the three winning teams will receive fantastic prizes to the value of R20 000.

There will also be spot prizes for the best business brand, best team spirit, and more. For enquiries about entry forms and stalls, contact Gaynor on 028 312 1475 or oldharbourgaynor@ gmail.com. In the Hermanus Old Harbour, from 10:00.

■ Funky Fynbos Festival: Dust off your mountain bike, grab your trail running shoes, load the family into the car and make your way to this fun-filled festival in the Gansbaai area, hosted at Lomond Wine Estate and the Gansbaai Harbour. There will be sporting events (MTB, trail running, a biathlon, canoe race and fishing competition), artisan stalls, wine and craft beer tastings, live music, children’s activities and much more. You’ll find all the details at funkyfynbos.co.za. At Gansbaai Harbour and Lomond Wines, from 07:00.

Saturday 22 – Sunday 23 September ■ Baardskeerdersbos Art Route: Join the artists who have pioneered a creative lifestyle in this tiny unpretentious place when they open up their houses and studios to share their creativity with art lovers. The Baardskeerdersbos Art Route has becoming legendary and flourishes over two weekends a year, in spring and autumn. There will be special events this month to mark the 10th anniversary of the B’bos Art Route. Find all the details at baardskeerdersbosartroute.co.za.

From 10:00 – 17:00 on both days.

Saturday 22 – Monday 24 September ■ Pringle Bay Art Exhibition: Everyone is invited to view their artists’ latest works at the Pringle Bay Art Route’s exhibition. Coffee, tea

and eats will be available. For more information, contact lesleyfullard01@gmail.com. At 1002 Elizabeth Road, right next to Hangklip Road, Pringle Bay, from 10:00 – 16:00 on each of the three days.

Sunday 23 September ■ Spitbraai Sunday: Bring the whole family, including your two-legged and four-legged children, and spend a relaxing afternoon at The Singing Cook where you can enjoy a spitbraai with a free glass of wine or soft drink at R275 pp (kids U14 pay half-price) and live music by The Bootleggers Blues Band. Booking is essential; call 072 462 4271 or 082 896 5106. At The Singing Cook @ Rivendell Wine Estate, c/o R43 & R44, from 11:30 – 16:30.

Sunday 23 – Monday 24 September ■ Braai Weekend at Benguela Cove: Enjoy the perfect day out for the whole family, with Adventure Golf, great wine and live music by The Rivertones Reggae Band. R450 per braai sharing platter for five people, including spatchcock chicken, braai bread, coleslaw, salad, corn, and potato salad. Booking is essential; contact 087 357 0637 or info@benguelacove.co.za. At Benguela Cove, from 11:30 – 18:00 on both days.

Monday 24 September ■ Rethinking Hermanus History: U3A Overberg will present a talk on Hermanus History – Economic growth in a unique South African town by Dr Robin Lee. His presentation focuses attention on the economic element of social change that saw our town develop from a fishing village to the relatively prosperous town it is today. Our history since 1855 will be explained in terms of ten phases of different economic activity, illustrated by a number of historical images from the amazing photographic resource that exists in our town. Members: R10; Guests and Visitors: R25. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ Heritage Day Celebrations: Everyone is invited to join the Zwelihle Youth Café in celebrating both Fikiswa Gxamesi’s birthday and our cultural diversity with African face painting, dance performances, poetry and music. There will also be a kiddies corner, entrepreneur desks for trading, a drum circle, potjiekos and umqombothi in the kraal, and much more. For enquiries, contact William on 076 969 5830. At Zwelihle Youth Café, RDP Centre, c/o Mbeki and Zuma Streets, Zwelihle, from 11:00 – 17:00.

■ Wild One Trail Run & Family Day: The Hermanus and Overberg Veterinary Clinic Outreach program is proud to be holding their first major fund-raising event, hosted at Wildekrans Wine Estate, which will consist of a 6 km fun run/walk (R60); an 11 km run (R110) and a 21,1 km timed event (R180). All the trails wind their way through vineyards before the longer routes head up some climbs and tackling beautifully flowing single track in places, before heading back down to the finish at the Winery. Funds raised will go towards the annual Spayathon to sterilise pets in needy communities. Dogs are welcome to accompany their owners on the 6 km route at an additional R50 entry fee. At Wildekrans Wine Estate, Bot River, from 09:00 – 18:00.

Tuesday 25 September ■ What is multi-culturalism? U3A Overberg presents a talk by Dr Robin Lee on multiculturalism and whether it can succeed in today’s world. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

11

19 September 2018

From left are Leeroy Stanley, Siybonga Khohlakala, Lois Braun, Turlo Samuels, Zelda Smith, Angelo Aplon, Wilna Rautenbach, Cecil Abrahamse and Bruce Henderson.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

B’stro thanks firefighters This month it is exactly two years since Hermanus’s iconic restaurant, B’s Steakhouse, burnt down in Hemel-en-Aarde Village.

To mark the occasion, owner Bruce Henderson invited Overstrand Assistant Fire Chief Angelo Aplon to lunch with his team of firefighters who had been called out to the blazing building in the early morning hours of 7 September 2016, to thank them for their brave efforts.

The devastating fire left the restaurant in ruins, but the community of Hermanus rallied in support of Bruce and his wife Christine, when they created a pop-up steakhouse with a portable gas braai in front of the burnt-out shell of the restaurant. On Saturday mornings locals queued up to buy steak rolls and enjoy them alfresco at the tables set up around their stall. This generated some much-needed funds

for B’s staff members who had suddenly been left without an income.

Fortunately this woeful tale had a happy ending when Bruce found a new home for his restaurant at La Vierge in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley only two months later.

Now named B’stro, steak lovers still flock to his new restaurant to enjoy Bruce’s signature steak dishes and other old favourites, along with some new additions to the menu. It was here that Angelo and his firefighters, who had all been present on that fateful night, were treated to a three-course meal on Friday.

B’stro @ La Vierge is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 – 16:00, and dinner on Saturdays. They also host private and corporate functions and parties.

Call 028 313 2007 to book.

14

F

19 September 2018

Local author shares his love of animals

reelance journalist and author David Muirhead, who has lived in Vermont with his wife Marie for the past six years, will be back at The Book Cottage for the launch of his latest book, Cat among the Pigeons – Animal myths, musings and matters of fact on Saturday 29 September.

Published by Struik Nature (Penguin Random House), this book introduces readers to another batch of weird and wonderful creatures, following the author’s successful earlier volume, The Bedside Ark – A riotous assembly of unrespectable creatures, which drew a large audience to The Book Cottage for its launch two years ago.

Wildlife and conservation being among David’s favourite topics, this delightful book comprises 38 short accounts of southern Africa’s vibrant collection of wild animals. Unrespectable creatures that made it into the limelight this time range from the oddly named Killer Whale, a highly intelligent and sensitive creature that is, of course, not a whale at all but the largest member of the Dolphin family, to the grumpy Rain Frog with its aversion to water that borders on hydrophobia; and from the primordial Dragonfly that predates the Dinosaur, to South Africa’s national animal, the graceful and agile Springbok. Many of

the stories are illustrated with delightful pen-and-ink drawings by Cape Town-based artist Patricia de Villiers.

Members of the Big Five feature too, including African Buffalo (“…are second only to giraffe for their propensity to stand and stare, often in the middle of the road when you’re in a hurry to get to the camp toilets”); Rhino (“… are quite placid and even amiable, providing you don’t tiptoe up behind them and pop a paper bag”); and Lion (viewed in some quarters as a bunch of preening freeloaders, spending “their days pumping iron, when they’re not passed out on the couch, while the missus slaves away to put huge T-bone steaks on the table”).

In his preface to The Bedside Ark, David had expressed the hope that the book would provide an antidote for the barrage of horror on the evening news. In Cat among the Pigeons’ preface he writes: “Sadly, the amount of bad news seems to have substantially increased in the past two years, both for us and the animals that share our planet.”

At once informative and hugely entertaining, this book illustrates David’s unique skill in combining

humour, mythology, anecdotal tales and folklore to build quirky and captivating portraits of animals. Cat among the Pigeons offers a wealth of accurate information on each of the profiled animals, as well as the threats they face from humans. It will appeal to anyone with a sense of humour, a healthy measure of curiosity and an interest in the natural world, no matter their age or level of knowledge.

At the launch of The Bedside Ark two years ago, David said that many of the creatures featured in his book are facing extinction and the sad fact is that it’s all our fault. “I wanted to present the animals in a different way to elicit empathy. We tend to view animals through a lens that lumps them all together, but in fact they are as uniquely different as individual human beings and their lives are not that different to ours – they get born and they die, and in between they have to find a place to live, select a mate and procreate, find food to feed themselves and their dependants, find a way to live together in a group, keep the peace with their neighbours etc. The only difference is that they don’t whine about their challenges, frustrations and hardships, or their lot in life – they just get on with it.”

– Hedda Mittner

Author David Muirhead’s latest book will be launched at The Book Cottage on Saturday 29 September, at 13:30 for 14:00. He will be in conversation with local author, illustrator and fellowconservationist and wildlife enthusiast, Duncan Butchart.

15

19 September 2018

The Book Cottage celebrates Keep calm and carry on… mindfully a new milestone John Morris celebrated his third year as owner of the iconic bookshop, The Book Cottage with a few friends – and plenty of snacks and wine – on Saturday. “As a business owner I have been presented with huge challenges this year,” said John. “It is not easy at the moment but The Book Cottage has been a landmark in Hermanus since 1996 and it is an honour for me to continue the late Sue McNaught’s legacy.

“Since taking over The Book Cottage three years ago I have met a huge range of people I would not otherwise have met, among them distinguished visiting academics. It was the ultimate compliment when one of my visitors compared The Book Cottage to the famous bookseller in Paris, Shakespeare & Company, and said my shop was just as good, if not better!”

John hails from the UK where he pursued a career in IT management.

He was working for Ernst & Young in London when he was transferred to their office in Cape Town in 1991. He returned to London in 1995, but before long he was back in Cape Town, working as IT manager and consultant for, amongst others, BOE Investment Bank and Old Mutual.

“There is a difference between being thankful and living thankful. Being thankful is to sit with a plate of food in front of you and saying thanks for that privilege. Living thankful is finding the small and mundane things in life, like feeling your feet as you walk or watching a bird in flight and being thankful to live in that moment.”

Friends of The Book Cottage drank a toast to John Morris (third from left) to celebrate his third birthday as owner of this charming village bookshop in Long Street. From left are Angela Heslop, Nikki Wilson, Glaudin Kruger, and Elsabé and Basil Brink. own a bookshop and when I saw a one-line advert for a bookshop in Hermanus, I immediately investigated. With the purchase of The Book Cottage concluded, it only took me three weeks to move to Hermanus lock, stock and barrel!”

Unfulfilled by corporate life, however, John decided at the age of 40 to become a student again by enrolling at the UCT Film & Media School where he obtained a Master’s Degree, followed by a PhD from Exeter University in 2012. In 2014 his book, Culture and Propaganda in World War II – Music, Film & the Battle for National Identity was published and, considering his future, he decided to return to his first love – books.

John immediately set about restocking and redesigning the store, and added a music room where lovers of classical music could browse, look and listen to their heart’s content. An ardent music lover himself, John is an amateur pianist and baritone who used to sing with the Stellenbosch Camerata.

The Book Cottage stocks an extensive selection of CDs and DVDs of classical works from Bach to Bartok, in addition to their comprehensive range of books in all genres and the usual accompaniments such as cards, maps, diaries and journals.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to

In spite of his IT background, John is

a firm supporter of the small independent bookshop and The Book Cottage provides the ideal outlet for his passion for literature, film and music. “Not everyone wants to order books and music online and nothing can replace the experience of browsing at leisure and discovering new gems the old-fashioned way,” he said.

The shop, which is filled with attractive display shelves and inviting reading nooks, now also sports a cosy children’s room where young book lovers will find an irresistible selection of children’s books for all age groups. From next week, Niven Nel will be reading stories to children from 10:00 in the morning, Tuesday to Friday, offering moms a wonderful break while their tots are entertained. Who knows, John might even offer you a cup of his fabulous Lavazza coffee!

– Hedda Mittner

These were the words from wellknown Afrikaans journalist and author, Johannes de Villiers, at a talk he presented on his book Kalmte in die malle gejaag – Mindfulness vir besige mense.

Johannes, who spent part of his childhood in Hermanus and has been a regular visitor to our shores over the last few years, will shortly be moving back to the area to open a mindfulness and meditation retreat in Stanford.

for the people whose stories are told and a deep understanding of how mindfulness can change your life.

“Many a time we try and be mindful, but we fall short of our goals because we have preconceived ideas. It’s almost like seeing the movie after you have read the book.

Mostly it is not quite the same and we do not enjoy the movie. In the same way we think we have read the book of life and understand it, but the reality is all of a sudden different, and we go completely off course. To counter this, meditation is a great help. It assists us in finding the balance we need to be mindful while we are busy with life.”

Kalmte in die malle gejaag is available at The Book Cottage and Bargain Books.

– De Waal Steyn

“You want to take a break and see the beauty around you, but life is hectic. Start making mindfulness and meditation part of your life and see the world differently.” In this book Johannes shares the stories of ordinary people who learnt to see the wonder in each moment – even the difficult ones.

“I have been fortunate to study the concept of mindfulness for many years and that is what enabled me to write this book. My life has become the proverbial washing line on which I can hang the stories of the people who have taught me to be mindful.”

Kalmte in die malle gejaag has been written with great empathy

Author Johannes de Villiers with Pauline Leppan from Yogaheart, where he presented his talk last week on how to live mindfully.

16

T

19 September 2018

Hermanus Cliff Path: what’s in a name?

he Cliff Path in Hermanus is currently the most frequented tourist attraction in the town. It offers a safe and enjoyable walk of 12 kilometres from the New Harbour in the west to the Klein River Estuary (the lagoon) in the east. The fore-runners of the Cliff Path were dozens of informal paths made and used by fishermen going to specific fishing points. It follows that a significant number of the place names along the Cliff Path have links with fishing.

One of the advantages of the Path is that it can be accessed by car and on foot at many points of interest, so you do not have to commit to the entire 12 km at once. You can walk portions of it on different occasions. Also, some sections are wheelchair-friendly, especially those nearer the Old Harbour and on Hoy’s Koppie.

The process leading to the creation of the Cliff Path was started in 1960 by Eric Jones, an RAF airman who had been stationed in Hermanus in WWII and settled here after the War. He proposed the idea at a Hermanus Botanical Society meeting, where it was immediately supported. The first Cliff Path, shorter and more informal than the present Path, was physically constructed by Jones, Dr Ion Williams and members of the Hermanus Botanical Society.

Early in the present century, David Beattie who has family connections with Hermanus, retired here and set up the Cliff Path Management Group to make a private sector contribution to the preservation of the Path, some parts of which had fallen into disrepair.

Over the past 17 years the Group has raised and spent more than R3 million on improving and extending the Path.

They work closely with the

Municipality, which funds some aspects of the work.

Now the Hermanus History Society and the Cliff Path Management Group are co-operating to research the origin and meaning of all the place names along the Path. Partfunding of the project has been made available by Sumaridge Wine Estate.

Please contact Robin Lee if you have more or different information about these names on 028 312 4072 or robinlee@hermanus.co.za

What to see along the Cliff Path To ensure protection of its fragile ecosystem, the Cliff Path and the fynbos vegetation through which it passes was incorporated into the proclaimed Fernkloof Nature Reserve in 2000.

The Cliff Path not only affords some of the best land-based whale watching in the world from June to December, but is also a nature lover’s paradise. Along with a diversity of vegetation types,

several coastal mammals and birds can be spotted on the Cliff Path: Mammals – Cape Clawless Otter (early morning, late afternoon), Caracal (very rare), Chacma Baboon, Grysbok (primarily nocturnal), Large and Small Spotted Genet (nocturnal), Porcupine (nocturnal), Rock Dassie, Small Grey Mongoose, and Striped Mouse.

Birds – African Black Oystercatcher,

Amethyst Sunbird, Barthroated Apalis, Cape Batis, Cape Bulbul, Cape Spurfowl, Cape Sugarbird, European Swallow, Forktailed Drongo, Grassbird, Hadeda Ibis, Gulls (Kelp, Hartlaubs & Greyheaded), Karoo Prinia, Lesser Double-collared Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Olive Thrush, Orangebreasted Sunbird, Robin Chat, Sandwich Tern, Sombre Greenbull, White-breasted Cormorant and Spotted Eagle Owl.

17

19 September 2018

Place name origins:

New Harbour to Klein River Estuary

■ Scotsman’s Point (Skotsmans Punt) – Near the New Harbour, rocks at this point make it possible to look over the fence and view the activities in the New Harbour without paying an entry fee to get in through the gate.

■ The Blowhole (Blaasgat) – The blowhole was a feature of Stil Bay before the New Harbor was built there.

Waves crashed into a low cavity in the rocks at this point. Air in the ‘hole’ was compressed and escaped noisily through a fissure in the rocks. This blowhole is now submerged.

■ Rietfontein (Reed fountain) – This area is a wetland fed by a subterranean spring (fontein). The water supports growth of reeds (riet). The European settlers camped here on arrival in Hermanuspietersfontein in1857.

■ Hottentotsbank – Named after a species of fish that were caught in numbers off the rocks at this point.

■ Tamatiebank (Tomato bank) – Oxidation of the rocks at this point gives them a pink colour, not unlike a half-ripe tomato.

■ Preekstoel (Pulpit) – A high rock in the shape of a church pulpit.

■ Fick’s Pool – There are two versions of the origin of this name. In one, a school principal in the 1930s persuaded the Municipality to build a pool here for use mainly by high school pupils who could not easily access Grotto Beach. In the other version, a retired gentleman named Fick bathed here so regularly that the pool was named after him.

■ Biodiversity Walk – On this stretch between Fick’s Pool and Gearing’s Point you’ll find:

Hermanuspietersfontein – A spring (fontein) named after an itinerant school teacher, Hermanus Pieters, who camped at this spot and from whom the town of Hermanus, (originally Hermanuspietersfontein) gets its name.

Wasbakkies – In early Hermanus all surface water was coloured brown by tannins from the fynbos. Clear water came only from the natural streams bubbling up in places. The Municipality built concrete structures where white laundry items from the Sanatorium and hotels could be washed without becoming brown.

Die Piering (The Saucer) – a saucershaped bay within the larger Walker Bay. ■ Gearing’s Point – Named for Sydney Gearing, a prominent citizen and engineer who regularly holidayed in Hermanus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Around Gearing’s Point you’ll find the Boiling Pot, a small offshore island of rugged rocks around which, in rough seas, the water churns as if boiling; Castle Rock, a tall guanocovered rock that resembles castle battlements; and Die Kombuis (The Kitchen). The origin of this name is unknown.

■ Old Harbour – Today a National Monument and open-air museum commemorating the involvement of the town with the fishing industry from its origins in 1855 until all fishing activity moved to the New Harbour in the 1950s.

■ Piet se Klip – Origin uncertain, but probably the favourite fishing spot of a fisherman named Piet.

■ Marine Pool – A public tidal pool below The Marine Hotel, it was once known by residents as ‘Bientang se baaigat’. Bientang was regarded as the last of the Khoisan people in

Hermanus and was reputed to live in a nearby cave.

■ Roman Rock – A popular fishing spot where the rock formation below creates conditions favoured by the Red Roman fish that were prolific off this rock.

■ Mickey – Origin unknown.

■ Kraal Rock – Legend has it that members of the leper colony in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley grazed their sheep and cattle nearby and kept them in a kraal (corral) at this spot.

■ Die Gang (The passage) – Here a narrow channel separates a rocky outcrop from the mainland. At one time a connecting concrete bridge was constructed to give fishermen access to the seaward side of the island.

■ Klein Eiland (Small Island) – a flat rock offering a good fishing place, which has a concrete bridge linking it with the rocky shore.

■ Sabonka – There are two possible origins of the name: Either it is the nickname of a gillie who fished here or it is derived from a Shangaan or Tswana word. No evidence can be found to support either explanation.

■ Siever’s Punt – The favourite fishing spot of a wealthy resident by the name of Siever.

rocks, which resembles a nose protruding into the bay.

■ Kwaaiwater (Angry Water) – Named for the unusually rough seas crashing against the rocks at this point.

■ Mossel River (Mussel River) – The mouth of the small river of this name that has its source in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Large numbers of black mussel shells are regularly deposited by the sea on the beach here.

■ Local fishermen named two prominent rocks along the coast between Mossel River and Langbaai.

They are: Rykmansklip (Rich man’s Rock), so named because a fisherman had to be ‘wealthy’ to afford the cost of continually replacing the fishing tackle lost at this point, and Laagwaterbankie (Low tide rock), accessible for fishing only at low tide.

■ Langbaai (Long Bay) – a long, narrow bay affording safe bathing.

■ Karwessa – A once popular fishing spot probably named after a fish species.

■ Sonop, Sononder (Sunrise, Sunset) – In summer months the sun rises to the left or east, and sets to the right or west of this spot as you face the sea.

■ Platbank (Flat Rock) – Another once popular fishing spot.

■ Die Neus (The Nose) – A part of the rock formation at Kwaaiwater

■ Kammabaai – Possibly a secondary or offshoot bay to Voëlklip.

Another story connects the name with two 1970s schoolgirls, being a combination of letters in their names.

■ Voëlklip (Bird Rock) – The roosting place of many birds, predominantly cormorants, it derives its name from this once guano-covered rock that serves to protect the safe bathing beach.

■ Rowweklip – The water surrounding the rocks is very rough (rof).

■ Hardlopersbank (Runners rock) – A flat rock from which fishermen frequently had to retreat hastily to avoid being swept away by the waves.

■ Grotto Beach (Originally Riviera Beach) – Riviera Beach was named for the Riviera Hotel near the Lagoon.

This stretch of safe bathing beach gets its present name from the grottos, or caves, in the cliffs near the beach.

■ Piet-se-bos – A natural milkwood forest named after Piet ‘Orgie’ Geldenhuys, a well-known resident and relation of the Bishop family of Voëlklip.

■ Kleinriviermond (Klein River Mouth) – The estuary of the Klein (Small) River that has its source in the Kleinriviersberge and runs through the village of Stanford into the lagoon.

18

19 September 2018

19

19 September 2018

G

Bella says thank you

reetings to all the wonderful people of Hermanus and beyond. My name is Bella the cat and I lived in Jan van Niekerk of Walker Bay Recycling’s office.

On 12 July my home was burnt down and I was trapped in the smouldering remains of the building. I was burnt so badly that I sat there from the Thursday until Riaan Rohlandt discovered me among the ashes on Monday morning.

He and Jan immediately rushed me to Dr Sandy’s rooms at the Hermanus Animal Hospital. On our arrival Dr Sandy asked Jan if he wanted her to put me down. But without hesitation, Jan said no, Bella is a strong child and I want you to make her better.

This was a big challenge for Dr Sandy and her team because I was in a very bad way. But they are not afraid of challenges and bit by bit they

healed my singed body.

There are still several patches on my skin where the hair has not grown back but I have recovered to the extent that I was allowed to go home last Tuesday, exactly two months after I got burnt.

In the meantime Annelie and Trunelle, who also worked at Walker Bay Recycling just like me, started a fundraising campaign on Facebook to pay for my vet bills. People were so touched by this story that they contributed to the fund from all over, even as far afield as Namibia.

Enough to cover all my costs.

I’d like to once again thank everyone who helped me and enabled me to still be here to write this letter. If I have omitted to thank any one in particular, please forgive me as I’m still recovering.

Bella, Sandbaai

The team that nursed Bella back to health at the Hermanus Animal Hospital. From left are Doctor Sandy Waddinham, Angie le Grange (assistant), owner Jan van Niekerk with Bella, Prieska Mboyia (assistant) and Lee Desodt (nurse).

20

L

19 September 2018

The pitfalls of building from a distance

andowners who live elsewhere and are embarking on the building of their retirement or holiday home face more challenges than usual if they are unable to be physically present during the build and have to manage all related communications from afar, says Stuart Cohen, co-owner of CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists.

THE

NEWS

builder. Before going any further, it is recommended that you visualise your plan intensely (or even better get 3D architectural animation of the house).

Many people look at a plan but do not see some of the key elements that should be understood at the outset e.g. where are the light switches going to be located, where and how many plugpoints are there, what lighting do you require inside and outside, how big will your windows be; the list goes on and on.

MY Home

“It is no wonder that so many people talk about how much longer their build took than expected or how the project went way over budget or how difficult it was to manage the liaison with all the different parties involved,” says Stuart.

If, for example, you take the architect’s recommendation without actually understanding the dimensions of windows, you could be disappointed when the job is done. Take that tape measure, check those dimensions against existing windows and decide if they meet your requirements, because once those window frames are in, they’re in, unless your budget (and sense of humour) allows for lots of rework which is a total waste of time, money and numerous brands of tranquiliser.

With his partner of 30 years, Gerhard Stegmann, the couple has managed several renovation and building projects, providing eagle-eye supervision and guidance in everything from the selection of service providers to project managing the process from start to finish. They are currently building their own dream home in Berghof, and during this process they are experiencing first-hand just how easily miscommunication between various entities can go awry if there isn’t a central point of contact and a local presence.

Stuart Cohen and Gerhard Stegmann of CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists will be your eyes and ears while building from a distance.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

CabinCare has the following advice for owners embarking on a new build or home renovation project from a distance: Whilst reputable building firms with competent project managers will go a long way to ensure that you sleep at night, never underestimate the power of having someone ‘on your side’, keeping the builders and other service providers in check and ensuring that your requests are being dealt with in an efficient manner – and not just at the last minute before you make a site visit after having been away for a few months. The less frequent your visits are, the more important it is to have experienced project specialists close at hand.

What has become very apparent in the process of our own build is how important it is to ‘live’ the build each and every day from the moment the excavation begins. One needs to be able to visualise the next step in the process in order to avoid the pitfalls of bad judgement, not enough involve-ment, and other people making deci-sions for

you on issues you don’t have absolute clarity on. You will be richly rewarded when the end product turns out exactly the way you envisaged.

Choosing your architect Let’s start with the plans for your home. We have witnessed a number of disasters where the property owner wants to cut corners, but if the design is wrong from the start you will never be able to turn back the clock. Rather apportion more of your budget to getting the right design that takes all elements of the land, the impact of neighbouring properties, and your lifestyle into consideration. Don’t just rely on pictures of prior work done by the architect; insist on seeing the end results in person and ideally discuss the experience with prior clients. And never forget to do your own research independently to establish the credibility of your short-listed architects.

Finding the right builder You are entrusting your dream (and your budget) into the hands of someone you don’t know and if the ‘click’ between owner and builder is not there from the outset, step two of your planning could already be your biggest mistake. Rather take the time to evaluate as many builders as you deem necessary (in our case it was seven) until you make that connection with the one who you feel can deliver on your expectations in all aspects.

You will be taking a lengthy journey down this road and it has to be a path of mutual understanding and respect, with the comfortable feeling that you can engage, debate, argue, disagree and challenge whenever you feel it is necessary without it becoming a negative experience. As with the selection of your architect, make sure you go through the same due diligence with your preferred builder

in checking out their track record, examples of the finished product and the clients’ satisfaction levels with the builder.

If you do choose to go the owner/ builder route, then this becomes even more challenging because you then have multiple relationships to manage, and not just with a builder.

Be sure you have the time, inclination and above all the ability and sanity to juggle all of those. Never underestimate the amount of time and frustration you will deal with if you are doing your build yourself – it could not only kill your bank balance but your personal relationships too, including those with the household pets.

Managing your build So you now have your plans drawn up (and approved) and you have a

Many people underestimate their own ability to understand everything involved in the building process and choose to contract the architect to manage the entire building process on their behalf – which could be 3 to 4 times the cost of the plans themselves.

It makes a massive difference to your architectural fees if you handle this yourself or use a third party to act as your eyes and ears.

You are now ready to break ground and to see the transformation from a vacant piece of land to an emerging representation of yourself, your style, your ideas and preferences. Don’t short change yourself by missing out on this creative process.

With considerable experience in maintenance, renovation and building projects, CabinCare will be there for you to supervise the entire process and do regular check-ups on work-in-progress.

This not only guarantees client satisfaction but also prevents the necessity of massive re-work.

CabinCare can be contacted on 028 316 3909 or 083 657 4102 (Stuart) / 083 627 9846 (Gerhard).

Visit www.cabincare.co.za or send an email to info@cabincare.co.za

21

19 September 2018

HERMIES SING POP & ROCK It was a great evening of memories and musical entertainment on Saturday, 15 September at the Whale Coast Theatre when the Hermanus High School choir hosted a fundraiser for their forthcoming tour. Backed by the local rock tribute band, Rewind, the concert comprised a wide repertoire ranging from Over the Rainbow from the 1930s to a medley from Queen, the iconic band that dominated the music scene in the 1980s. The performances inspired the audience of 180 people to sing along to their favourite melodies.

Hopefully there will be more to come from this vibrant collaboration between the talented school choir and the popular Rewind band in future! – Cecilia da Silva

BIKER BOY Lian Swanepoel (15) grew up on bikes and started with competitive riding last year in the 85cc class. This year he already took two podiums and achieved 3rd place at the recent CSMX Regional Enduro Series in McGregor. He rides in the Junior High School Class 125cc 2-stroke.

Enduro riding is very technical and demands more endurance over long distances. Crossfit helps Lian to stay fit and on top of his game.

TOP CHOPS South Africa was successful in hosting the All Africa JKA Cup 2018 recently in Gauteng. Nine countries from Africa were present and made the event exciting and tough.

South Africa took the men’s Kata and Kumite open titles and in the team events, Angola edged out South Africa in the final by one point. SA JKA Hermanus Honbu Dojo was fortunate to have eight of its students represent South Africa in the Cup and did extremely well. All eight medalled in the Elite Brown & Black belt events. Sensei Ronnie Knott was extremely impressed with the results. Medallists from front left to right are Mignon Van Zyl (Bronze Kata), Tegan Burger (Gold Kumite and Silver Kata), Elmar Van Der Westhuizen (Silver Kumite) and Casanra Saayman (Bronze Kumite). Back row: Nazli Gillion( Silver Kumite), Morgan Maroudas (Gold Kumite), Sensei Ronnie, Siyamthemba Qotyana (4th in Senior Men’s Open) and Callum Haskel (Silver Kumite).

22

19 September 2018

23

19 September 2018

Three cheers for Tyron the great!

G

reetings once more from Hermanus Golf Club where Spring seems to have finally arrived. We are also noticing a few more golfers coming through our doors which is always good! Just a heads up to anyone wanting to have a round at our lovely Club: we will be starting hollow tining as from the last week of this month – a necessary evil to make the course really fantastic for the coming busy months.

The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw

Tyron wins The Open What a lovely headline to write! Of course, it refers to The Hermanus Open – not The Open in the UK!

Tenshinkan dojo makes Overberg proud

We had a super 36-hole tournament on Sunday with some top amateur players gracing our course; 42 players in all teed up at 08:00 for a shotgun start. The Hermanus Open is an old trophy event, with the first having run back in 1972. Over the years famous players such as Jean Hugo, Jimmy Bredenkamp, Sammy Daniels and De Wet Basson have all won this tournament.

The players were in awe of the course – and it really was exceptional. (Well done to Malcolm Bromley, our course superintendent from Golf Data – we received nothing but compliments the whole day.) I did put a few sneaky pin placements in to try and throw the guys but most managed well.

Coming out top of the pile was our homegrown Club Champion Tyron Davidowitz, who managed a 2 under par 142, with scores of 70 and 72. This was really great play on a tough golf course. In second place was Liam Cloete, also a homegrown Junior now playing out of Waterkloof, but who played a lot of golf here through the years. He also did extremely well by finishing just one shot behind Tyron.

I think both these players have really bright futures in the sport – well done!

Many thanks go to our main sponsor VW Rola Hermanus (we really are indebted to these companies who sponsor us each time) and also our caterer Tullishe, who bent over backwards to accommodate our everchanging needs.

Until next week, have a great one, keep calm and go golfing!

Tenshinkan Overberg was established in January 2018, and is the only dojo in this style based in the Western Cape. Headed by two world champion sensei, Remmert and Annemarie Steyn, their students trained with great enthusiasm and commitment for the Tenshinkan Karate Federation of South Africa’s national championships on 8 September, in Gauteng.

Tyron Davidowitz (middle), winner of The Hermanus Open, with Club Captain John Stergianos (right) and General Manager Sharon Sleigh, who did great work in putting the event together.

Scores at a glance

Above are the participants with their individual results: Front row from left to right - Jayden Julies (gold kata and gold kumite), Wihann Rossouw (silver kumite), Rohan Steyn (silver kumite), Franco Kriel (gold kata), and Daryn Phelan (gold kata and gold kumite). Back row from left to right – Sensei Annemarie Steyn (silver kata and gold kumite), Brett Daryn Phelan, who sustained a knee injury (bronze kata and bronze kumite), Hanshi Hans Haupt (9th Dan and head of the Western World), Izaan Steyn (gold kumite), and Sensei Remmert Steyn (bronze kata and bronze kumite).

SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER 8 SEPTEMBER Individual Stableford 134 players Winner East course: Peter Sulley 39 points; Winner North course: John Simpson 36 points; Winner South course: Ray Calitz 40 points.

The club held a fundraiser in the form of a raffle to cover the participating team members’ expenses and their gratitude goes to all those who sponsored prizes and bought raffle tickets. The winners of a lamb quarter sponsored by Werner's Butchery and Tenshinkan Overberg are Adelle Brand, Werner Calitz, Brett Daryn Phelan and Andre Brand; Brett Daryn Phelan is the winner of a three-course lunch sponsored by The Restaurant at Gabriëlskloof; Kai-Uwe Kiessling won a manicure and pedicure sponsored by Chantal’s Nails; and Izan Crafford won a handmade ostrich wallet made by Yolanda Julies.

LADIES TUESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER Better Ball Bogey Plus 36 players Winners: Celia Bromley and Pat van Renen +9; Runners-up: Moira Stadler and Biddy Schouw +8.

MEN’S WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER Individual Medal and Stableford 91 players Winner A division: Daniel van der Merwe 74; Winner B division: Ernie Blommaert 71; Winner C division: Mike Smith 34 points; One 2 club: Mike Frost.

Winner of best gross and the monthly medal: Daniel van der Merwe 74

Nine of Tenshinkan Overberg’s students, mainly based in Kleinmond, participated in this prestigious event. “Our team did exceptionally well and brought home 14 medals, which consisted of 7 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze,” said Annemarie. She added that online research by one of their students, Brett Phelan, indicates that they may be the first dojo that has been able to produce a team to compete in a national championship within the club’s first year of existence.

Ray Calitz (right), winner of the Founders trophy.

“Thank you to all our sponsors and everyone who supported us,” said Annemarie. “We are very happy to have made the whole of the Overberg proud with our achievements at the SA National Championships!”

24

19 September 2018

THE

NEWS

MY Sport

Hermanus Squash at an all-time high Jonathan Just

D

id you know that squash is a sport in Hermanus that has been in our town for over 35 years? I love to tell as many people as possible about this great game. What I’ve found is a response that normally goes something like this: “Where is the squash?”

Although some may not have spotted the building with the slanted roof situated right next to the tennis courts, what happens inside the building is far more exciting.

Voted one of the healthiest sports in the world, where it’s possible to burn up to 1 000 calories in 45 minutes, it provides a fast-paced workout second to none. While lunging from side-to-side and sprinting from corner-to-corner to get to the ball might seem like the object of the game, what is arguably more important is mentally preparing where to hit the ball once you get to it in order to move your opponent the furthest.

Truly thrilling!

Not only does squash test your physical and mental agility, but it’s also a great way to make friends for life. As someone who joined the Hermanus Squash & Tennis Club (HSTC) at the beginning of the year, it feels like I am already part of a community which shares a special camaraderie.

The Club gives both members and nonmembers alike the opportunity for social squash on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

It has been a pleasure for me to witness a lot of fun being had by all with games on court played in the right spirit, and good times of

The Hermanus 2 First League team (winners of the Overberg Squash First League) with their prizes. From left are their main sponsor representative, Villiers Van Veen with Heindri Visser, Dameon Stoddart, Wayne Cooke, Luka Jasprica, and Jans van Wyk. fellowship between matches.

HSTC also affords its top players a chance to play in the Overberg Squash League. This year we entered two teams in the First League and one team in the Second League, producing some exceptional results. Indicative of this was an all-Hermanus affair in the finals which happened in Swellendam on Thursday, 6 September. Both First League teams from Hermanus competed for the number one and two position in a closely contested fixture, while the Second League team were well-deserved champions over Swellendam. All in all, it was a

wonderful evening of competitive squash followed by a prize-giving and supper to round off a very successful season.

A big reason for our success this year has undoubtedly been the influx of younger players who have lifted the overall standard of the sport. As a coach, I have been encouraged by our junior players who are eager to train hard and show their friends why it is worth doing so.

There has been a lot of hype about the new Hermanus Sports Centre which will boast four

state-of-the-art glass-back courts. Once completed in January 2019, we are excited about the prospect of seeing more people (young and old) enjoying everything that this sport has to offer both on and off the court.

HSTC would like to invite any person, junior or senior, to social squash every Monday and Wednesday between 16:45 and 19:00. For more information, feel free to contact Heindri Visser (Squash Club Captain) on 072 821 5512, Wayne Cooke (long-standing member) on 082 574 9092, or HSTC on 076 545 9778.