20 MAY 2020
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Preparing for COVID-19 Dr Erma Mostert (Medical Manager for the Overstrand Sub-District), Rotarian Prof Patrick MacPhail, Dr Jannie Mouton (Clinical Manager Overstrand) and Ann Wright (President of Rotary Hermanus) at the handover last week of 13 infrared thermometers and a blood gas analyser to the Hermanus Hospital for use in their COVID-19 ward. (Read more on P9)
Western Cape leads the way Writer De Waal Steyn
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unday saw the highest recorded number of new positive COVID-19 cases in South Africa since the first confirmed case was reported on 5 March this year. A total of 1 160 new cases were reported by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, with 890 or 76% of them in the Western Cape. The total number for the Western Cape stood at 9 927 on Monday evening, with 681 new cases reported on the day.
The national death toll also rose to 264, of which 165 were in the Western Cape. The total number of infections for the country at the time of going to press was more than 15 500. But, according to Premier Alan Winde, there is good news together with the bad. “There are more than 3 700
people in the province who have recovered from COVID-19 infections. The rate of recovery in Witzenberg in the Cape Winelands now stands at 70% of all cases, and in the Western sub-district of Cape Town, half of all recorded cases to date have recovered. These are especially promising numbers as both areas are considered hotspots in the province,” he said. The Western Cape death rate stands at 1.68% of the total caseload and is in line with international norms, even though an overwhelming majority of people who have died in the province had one or more comorbidities. On Monday evening, the number of infections for the Overberg District stood at 53: Overstrand 24, Cape Agulhas 2, Swellendam 10 and Theewaterskloof 17. A total of 21 recoveries had been reported. There were 31 active cases and one person in the
region had died. According to Winde, the Western Cape Government’s hotspot plan is systematically addressing infections in nine geographic locations in the province. He said the last few days’ statistics show a considerable jump in new infections but there were a number of reasons for this. “The curve of the virus is moving faster in the Western Cape because of entrenched community transmission in some of the hotspot areas. The province has also seen a considerable increase in the number of tests conducted, and backlogs in the processing of tests at the National Health Laboratory Services result in batches of results being released simultaneously.” The Premier said he was participating in President Cyril Ramaphosa's Coordinating Council meetings, where
the focus was around the response to COVID-19 across the provinces, and the move towards Level 3 of the lockdown. According to initial projections, based on research being conducted by the Western Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, more than 200 000 jobs will be lost in this province alone due to the lockdown, even with the gradual lifting of restrictions over time. The situation will be even worse if the Western Cape stays on Level 4, and businesses are forced to close. “I want to be very clear on this point: a job is not just a nice-to-have. It is for many people the difference between putting food on the table, and starving. Job losses cannot simply be dismissed as a necessary outcome for the greater good. Job losses mean malnutrition, starvation, increases in crime and, in the long term, prema-
ture death,” Winde said. He added that opening up the economy further must be done with care and careful planning. “It is for this reason that we have developed clear protocols for businesses and specific industries, aimed at reducing the risk of workplace infection.” With regard to the preparedness of the province’s health system, Winde said much is being done to ready additional temporary hospitals, buy the necessary stock, and recruit volunteers to assist healthcare professionals. “We have built and opened testing and triage centres, 18 of which will be operational at hospitals across the province. We have also identified and procured quarantine and isolation facilities, so that we can ensure that those who are not able to self-isolate or quarantine at home, can do so safely in these facilities,” said Winde.
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www.thevillagenews.co.za PHOTO: Misty Waves
20 May 2020
PHOTO: kuoni.co.uk
PHOTO: Fernkloof Lodge
Misty Waves Boutique Hotel (ABOVE LEFT) offers magnificent uninterrupted views across the sweep of Walker Bay, while at the five-star Marine Hotel (MIDDLE) guests can unwind in the slow-paced grace of a bygone era. (ABOVE RIGHT): High above the golf course and within walking distance of Fernkloof Nature Reserve, Fernkloof Lodge welcomes guests with warm South African hospitality. (BELOW RIGHT): Every year from July to November tourists flock to the Whale Coast for a spectacular sighting of whales gambolling in the waves close to shore.
Reopening the door to Whale Coast hospitality Writer Elaine Davie
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he world over, South Africans are known for their friendliness and hospitality. And certainly in the Overstrand, these characteristics have been developed to a fine art; in fact, the livelihoods of many have been built around this welcoming attitude, as much as the area’s natural beauty, superior wines and food, and the bounty of its ocean. Which is why visitors, whether foreign or local, keep coming back. That is, until COVID-19 intervened and within a matter of a few days put paid to an entire industry. From grand hotels to cosy B&Bs and modest backpacker lodges, every door was locked and every blind drawn down. From amongst the 256 accommodation establishments in operation from Rooiels to Pearly Beach, we decided to take a snapshot of just three, very different from one another, but all located in Hermanus. Our aim was to gauge the effect that the lockdown has had on them and how they feel about the future. In addition, to put the matter in context, we chatted to Frieda Lloyd, Manager of Cape Whale Coast Tourism. As she pointed out, it is difficult to zoom in on the hospitality industry on its own. “The challenge is that tourism is a connected industry that can be subdivided but not separated. Two examples – we need flights to bring in travellers in order for car rentals to open; just as we need restaurants, wineries and activities to be available, for accommodation establishments to receive guests. All these different aspects are inter-connected.”
Clinton Lerm, owner of the 30-bed Misty Waves boutique hotel agrees. “Although a certain amount of competition is healthy, if we are going to survive as a tourism destination, there must be much more collaboration between different sectors of the business community. We all need to see ourselves as ambassadors for our region, which means not just Hermanus, but the whole of the Whale Coast. And because we’re all so interlinked, we should all be aware of the resources this area has to offer and be able to sell the entire package, not just our individual businesses.” He says China sets an interesting example. Every citizen is expected to visit every tourist attraction in the country (they get a certificate for each one they visit), in order to sell it to visitors. Each resident of the Overstrand must fall in love all over again with their region and be prepared to pass on their enthusiasm to visitors, whether South African or foreign. A town like Mossel Bay, for example, is making a concerted effort to work collaboratively to promote its brand. “And it’s working,” says Clinton. “Yet we have an even greater diversity of attractions on offer, spread across the whole Whale Coast region, whether it be eco-tourism, adventure activities, or the Arts. And, on top of it all, we’re close to Cape Town and its international airport. We have every opportunity to become a thriving tourism hub with its own distinctive character.” But first there’s a lockdown to get through. All three establishments we included in our snap survey have been hit hard. The oldest hotel in Hermanus, established in 1902, The Marine has only twice before in more
than 100 years had to close down, on both occasions for renovations. Now part of the Liz McGrath stable, together with The Cellars-Hohenort in Cape Town and The Plettenberg in Plettenberg Bay, this five-star hotel was fully occupied in March when it had to put its entire operation on ice, with Easter still to come in April. According to Lauren Shantall, the hotel’s PRO, its visitor base is 80% foreign and only 20% domestic. This places an extra strain on it. As she says, it is very difficult to plan ahead when there is so little certainty about anything, including the resumption of flights from overseas. “We have already had a few tentative bookings for next season, and of course once we are allowed to open again, we will have specials on offer, as we do from time to time even under normal circumstances. “We are extremely proud of The Marine and The Plettenberg, both of which were recently accepted by the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World Group, the only two members in South Africa to have been awarded this accolade, and so there is no question about our determination to get through this. We have retained our full complement of staff and we’ll be ready to get back into full operational mode as soon as the ban is lifted.” The third establishment we approached was Fernkloof Lodge, a small upmarket guest house which has been run for the past 18 years by owners, Gail and Isak Kenny. On a very much smaller scale, it has a similar problem to that of The Marine – far more foreign visitors than domestic, many of them swallows or return visitors. Over and above the cancellations they have had for
PHOTO: iinfo.co.za
the lockdown period, a number of bookings had already been made for later in the year, which have also had to be cancelled. This would have been a major blow to their cash flow, but fortunately, says Gail, many of the deposits have simply been deferred to a later date. “Because we now know most of our guests so well, they were prepared to do this, which has been a great help to us,” she says. “When Isak and I decided to retire to Hermanus,” she adds, “we established the guest house as a source of income for our retirement years. If we can’t get it back on its feet again soon, we may be forced to sell. And I can tell you, there are lots of people in a similar situation in Hermanus, people whose sole source of income is their B&B or guest house. But having said that, I refuse to be negative about the future; no, more than that, I’m optimistic.” Like Clinton, whose guest profile at Misty Waves is roughly 50/50 domestic and foreign, Gail believes that as soon as lockdown has been lifted, there will be many South Africans, finances permitting, who will be desperate to get away from home, whether it be for a weekend or for a longer stay. “I feel relatively confident that by October, we should start seeing some movement,” she says, “and if that means organising some kind of special deal for guests like vouchers for restaurants or wine farms, so be it. It’s better to have some income, rather than none, and that way, more businesses will benefit.” Frieda agrees with these projections, but adds a caveat: “Given that disposable income has diminished, we need
to be realistic about expectations. We need to think about the demographic of the consumer who will want to travel as soon as travel restrictions are lifted. We know that everyone is more health conscious, cautious, yet also more demanding and we need to be ready to deal with a more emotional traveller.” That being the case, she believes that the tourist demographic may also include a younger market, the millennials, who want flexibility, socially responsible involvement and new experiences. In the future they all believe that tourist operators will have to pay far greater attention to the creation of a safe environment where good hygiene is a priority. New protocols will need to be introduced at all hospitality establishments. This aspect, coupled with our existing attractions of wide open spaces, champagne air and lots to do are likely to be the selling points of the future for both domestic and foreign visitors. The revival of our tourism market is likely to develop in stages, they believe, from intra-district provincial, to national and finally, foreign trade. The latter will probably not recover in under a year; in fact, it has been estimated that global tourism will drop by between 60 and 80 % during the next year. So the challenge will be to sell our area to fellow South Africans and reawaken a sense of pride in ‘local is lekker’. But recover we will. “People are prone to travel,” says Clinton, “and if we can prove that we are adaptable, positive and market savvy, we will make money again. After all, tourism is in my blood; of course I’m optimistic.”
Crime still at an all-time low Writer De Waal Steyn
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verall crime levels in the Overstrand are still much lower than before the national lockdown began. In fact, we have never had so little crime in the area in years,” said Brig Donovan Heilbron, SAPS Cluster Commander for the Overberg. According to him there has been a significant drop in all types of crime across the Overberg. “Apart from the normal crime numbers being down, we have also seen a decrease in the number of people breaking lockdown regulations. There are two reasons for this. The first is the fact that there are more freedoms under Level 4 restrictions and the second is that people are becoming more compliant with the rules and regulations.” During the first few weeks, fines in excess of R250 000 per day were recorded in the Overstrand due to people not complying with the harsh restrictions. “What we have found is that as infection numbers rise, community members become more and more aware of the seriousness of the situation and are therefore more reluctant to break the regulations,” Heilbron said. “We need people to realise that compliance needs to be the new way of living.” A major cause for concern is still people walking around aimlessly during the day. “Many people will walk up and down and when stopped they will claim that they are on their way to the shops. This has serious consequences as the aim of the lockdown is to restrict movement and therefore the spread of the virus.”
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In response to the large number of complaints received daily about people who are out in public without face masks, Heilbron said that at this stage it is not a criminal offence. “We need to be realistic and know that many people simply cannot afford a mask. All we can do at the moment, if somebody is seen not wearing a mask, is to ask them in a friendly manner to please wear one for their own safety and the safety of those around them.” Hermanus Public Protection (HPP) Director of Operations, Barry van Vuren said although the number of crimes was very low during the first phase of the lockdown, there has recently been an increase in the number of cases reported to them. “While crime numbers initially went down, the opportunities for crime have increased as people are allowed to move around more freely. There has been a number of reported cases of theft, attempted robbery and robbery, and the numbers vary from suburb to suburb.” Van Vuren said the CCTV cameras operated by HPP play a huge role in crime prevention and the ability of HPP to take action. “We see a lot of movement of people, especially in the CBD, and with the help of the cameras we can act proactively by informing our guards of any suspicious activities,” he said. According to him only a small number of businesses have been targeted by the SAPS for illegal trading or breaking lockdown regulations. “Mostly businesses are sticking to the rules and we want to thank them for that.” It was reported on social media over the last few weeks that
at least two businesses were busted for selling cigarettes. And while the ban on the sales of cigarettes and tobacco products remains in effect, a study by the University of Cape Town (UCT) has revealed that around 90% of smokers have continued buying tobacco products – albeit from different sources than where they would normally buy. The study also found that 46% were unable to buy their normal brand. The UCT survey, conducted by the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products between 29 April and 11 May, showed that the purchasing environment has changed dramatically during the lockdown. Whereas before, 56% of smokers purchased their cigarettes from formal retailers, after the lockdown was imposed, only 3% of smokers were able to buy cigarettes from these retailers, while the percentage of smokers who purchased from spaza shops and the house shops increased. The study also found that sales outlets that either did not exist, or were inconsequential before the lockdown, became an important source of cigarettes. Around 26% of smokers started buying cigarettes from street vendors, 30% purchased from friends and family, while 11% found cigarettes on WhatsApp groups, and "essential worker" acquaintances provided cigarettes to 10% of smokers. "While the original intention of the ban was to support public health, the current disadvantages of the ban may well outweigh the advantages. Smokers are buying cigarettes in large quantities, despite the lockdown, and unusual brands are becoming prevalent," the research unit said.
Be wise with your water usage Writer De Waal Steyn
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verstrand Municipality has made a call on Hermanus residents to use water wisely and sparingly, as the diminishing levels of the De Bos Dam are a cause for concern. The De Bos Dam level was at 38.1% by the end of April 2020, compared to 41.5% at the same time last year and 38.8% at the end of April 2018. Hermanus had 14.5 mm of rain during April 2020, which brings the total rainfall for the year to date to 133.4 mm, compared to the long-term average of 144.1 mm for the period January to April.
applicable until the De Bos Dam has reached a level of at least 70%. The first level of water-restriction tariffs will be applied to the administrative area of Hermanus only, in other words to all residential areas from Benguela Cove through Fisherhaven to Voëlklip.
According to Johan Montgomery, viticulturist at Hamilton Russell Vineyards, they received just over 20 mm of rain during April, which makes this the driest April in 22 years.
“Kindly note that water restrictions are in place of necessity to discourage excessive water use and to preserve the water level of the dam. This leads to lower water consumption and does not generate additional income for the municipality,” according to the statement.
“It is not panic stations yet and we are looking forward to the rain predicted for this weekend. We need good rains then, with ample to follow during the rainy season,” he said.
Other administrative areas within the Overstrand are not affected by these measures since they still have sufficient water resources.
Long-term weather predictions indicate late winter rains in the Western Cape with a strong possibility of the early arrival of spring. Montgomery said wine farmers need a cold winter with temperatures under 10˚C in order for the vines to rest before they start blooming.
The Buffels River Dam, which supplies water to Rooiels, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay is still above 90% of capacity, and the Kraaibosch Dam near Gansbaai and the Pearly Beach Dam are above 80%.
The municipality stated in a press release that the average daily water consumption in Hermanus during April 2020 was 10.52 million litres per day, compared to 10.89 million litres per day during April 2019 – 3.4 % lower than last year. Apart from the 10 boreholes that supply water to the town, the De Bos Dam is Hermanus’s main water source. “The 10 boreholes are being used optimally and have contributed significantly to the preservation of the De Bos Dam level. A total of 35.5 % of the water demand In April 2020 was supplied from the boreholes,” the municipality said. Two new boreholes have been drilled and are set to be commissioned during August. The project to connect the boreholes to the bulk water supply network will start this month. “Residents in the Hermanus area are reminded that Level 2 water restrictions are still
The boreholes supplying Stanford, Baardskeerdersbos and Buffeljagsbaai have not been adversely affected by the drought at this stage. Here are the amended Level 2 water restrictions for Hermanus:
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The use of irrigation systems and hose pipes are allowed when watering gardens, but remember, only for one hour per day, once a week. The day per week is determined in accordance with street numbers. For residents with even numbers, it is Wednesday ONLY, and for those with uneven numbers, Tuesday ONLY. Please water gardens before 09:00 or after 17:00 on these stipulated days. Washing of vehicles and hard surfaces with a hose pipe using municipal water is still not allowed. Vehicles may only be washed using a bucket. Swimming pools may be filled with municipal water.
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20 May 2020
Historic holiday homes in Hermanus Writer Dr Robin Lee
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review of holiday homes in Hermanus covers two categories of accommodation. The first category refers to fairly simple, relatively inexpensive holiday homes built in the early days of the development of Voëlklip. The second category is the larger houses that were built by wealthy inhabitants or regular visitors and have become historically important. These are mainly close to the ocean in Westcliff, Eastcliff and Kwaaiwater and are described in conservation reports as ‘seaside villas’. Of course, people took holidays in Hermanus long before any houses were built. Before 1920, reaching your holiday home could involve a serious journey. SJ du Toit recorded a journey made by the Pienaar family from Somerset West to their holiday camp in Voëlklip, around 1900. Ds. Pienaar and his family travelled by ox-wagon, and taking the seaside route past Rooiels and Kleinmond, arrived at Voëlklip (then known as Mosselrivier). There were no proper bridges across the Steenbras or Palmiet Rivers and crossing them often posed hardship. During years of heavy summer rains in the area the Steenbras River was quite deep for the wagon and oxen to ford, but they managed to get through. Today, it takes motorists less than an hour to cover the distance between Somerset West and Hermanus. By ox-wagon in those days it was a threeday journey. Their first outspan and overnight was at the Steenbras River and the next night at the Palmiet River. It was quite late on the third day when they arrived at Mossel River (Voëlklip). Camp was pitched near the present Kammabaai and fresh water could be collected from the Mossel River. Huge milkwood trees gave protection and there was a natural kraal where the oxen could sleep at night. Voëlklip (or Mossel River Seaside Township, as it was originally known)
was developed initially with holiday homes owned by one family and used by them exclusively for holidays. The thatched dwellings were mainly variations on the traditional ‘fisherman’s cottage’ and small verandas were often built between the front door and the street. The Moore family built most of the early holiday homes in Voëlklip. They had come from Britain at the invitation of Sir Robert Stanford to build his famous water-driven mill. The family had traditional skills in shipbuilding and carpentry, and to these they quickly added building skills. The head of the family was John William Moore. He and his brother, Ephraim George Moore both worked on the mill. George also set up a small shop in Stanford which prospered, and later opened another shop in Hermanus, with members of the Warrington family. His grandson, Hans Jacob Moore became a builder and many of the houses in Stanford were built by him. Later he, his brother and sons were the first builders in Voëlklip. De Mondhuis The first holiday home in Hermanus was built in 1790 by Hendrik Cloete as a retreat from the concerns of Groot Constantia and other farms he owned in the Cape. The house is located close to the ‘lagoon’ (Klein River Estuary) and is still in use, though considerably changed over time and completely renovated by the present owners, the Hamilton Russells. Several managers lived in the house over the next decades. In 1913 the house was bought by Michael du Toit of Caledon and many years later, SJ du Toit recorded an interview with one of his grandchildren, Miempie Cronje: The old house was one building, but in two sections, like barns. There were shutters on all the windows and the walls were three feet thick. The windowsills were so wide we could sleep in them. The house was very cool in summer and warm in winter. 1
On the stoep were two rooms and inside a big bedroom, dining/sitting room and kitchen. On the eastern end was another room with a fireplace… In the other section the Henns had a small house, with a kitchen and its huge bakoond, a small sitting room and one other room. The house resembled four flats. At the back were stables and the outside toilet. The whole place was enclosed by a ring-wall and there were steps leading down to the river. Between the two sections, also under the roof, was a long open space where the wagon or cart was pushed.
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In the 1960s the house was bought by Tim Hamilton Russell when he came to live in Hermanus and established the first wine estate in the area, Hamilton Russell Vineyards. The Homestead Soon after he bought the farm Mossel River, Duncan McFarlane built a new house near the Mossel River and called it The Homestead. This was around 1860. After Duncan’s death in 1884, his daughter Agnes Stroud inherited the farm and, after her, her daughter Henrietta and Henrietta’s husband, John Evered Poole. The Pooles lived at The Homestead during the Anglo-Boer War while they were building their new house, Highfield, on the opposite side of the track to Stanford (now the R43/Main Road). Generations of McFarlanes holidayed at The Homestead in the Victorian manner. Women and children of the family, accompanied by nurses, maids and domestic staff were sent off to Hermanus for the entire three months of the summer holiday. The gentlemen of the family travelled down at weekends, whenever business permitted. Much later, a descendant of the family described their activities to SJ du Toit: My grandmother, accompanied by her household and friends, would then spend the summer at Mossel River. Activities comprised organised walks to the beaches, collecting shells at Kwaaiwater, (walking) up the (Mossel) river into Fernkloof, picnics on the water's edge and so on. In 1916 The Homestead was sold to Ken and Angela Frater and then in 1979 to the Mouton family. During WWI the house had accommodated nurses training for service in the War and it became known as The Nurses’ Home. When making the home available to the nurses, the MacFarlane family made only two conditions: Fly the Union Jack whenever anyone is in residence, and never cut down the milkwoods.
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1. The Moore House in Voëlklip. Hans Jacob Moore, his brother and sons built most of the early holiday homes in Voëlklip. 2. De Mondhuis was the first holiday home in Hermanus, built in 1790 by Hendrik Cloete of Groot Constantia. 3. The Homestead was built by Duncan McFarlane near the Mossel River around 1860. 4. Rayfraden was built by the Swingler family in the 1930s. Rayfraden Another interesting holiday home is located at 232 Main Road in Eastcliff, about 300 metres from the present Eastcliff Centre. It lies on the ocean side of Main Road behind a high hedge. The Main Road makes a sharp bend to the right at this point and drivers need to take care to negotiate “Swingler’s Corner”, as the bend was known in earlier days. The builders and first owners of the house were the Swingler family, who were prominent in Hermanus and Onrus from the 1930s to the early 2000s. The Swinglers’ interest in Hermanus started in the early 1930s when George Swingler began investing in property in the town. George was the City Electrical Engineer of Cape Town for more than 25 years and later General Manager of the Electricity Supply Commission (Escom, prior to Eskom).
The Swingler family had a tradition of naming their residences and, while living in Cape Town, had combined syllables from their children’s names to create the name of ‘Radnor’ for their home. They followed a similar process in Hermanus. George and Janie named the house ‘Rayfraden’, after their three sons Raymond, Frank and Denys. Unfortunately, they did not have a long tenure of the house. In 1940, George was seconded into the armed forces by the South African government and transferred to New York, where he ‘filled a vital role in the procurement of war supplies’ for the country. He returned to South Africa in 1943, but was already suffering from hypertension and died in 1946. Rayfraden was sold to the Hersov family for £17 000, (about £6, 7 million today), who still own it.
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HAWS introduces ‘virtual adoptions’ Writer Hedda Mittner
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he had loving eyes and I could tell that she was a smart dog,” says Sandbaai resident, Marion da Silva, with her new companion, Zinzi by her side. Zinzi has clearly found her forever home, thanks to a ‘virtual adoption’ from the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS). The lockdown necessitated a new adoption process that maintains social distancing, but still allows potential new owners to get to know the animals they are considering for adoption. “Because HAWS has been closed to the public since the start of the lockdown, very few adoptions were taking place,” says René Dewar of HAWS. “Our staff members have continued taking care of the animals in our kennels and cattery, as well as feeding pets in the poorer communities and treating sick animals at the clinic. But with our charity shop closed, we have been struggling to survive financially and the adoptions almost came to a standstill. I knew I had to come up with a plan.”
René says she started looking at what animal welfare societies in countries similarly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic were doing in order to come up with a solution. “Before the lockdown we regularly had volunteers and members of the public on our premises, but we had to put a stop to that in order to curb the spread of the disease and to protect our staff,” she says. Since implementing a virtual adoption process, however, the abandoned animals at HAWS have been given a new chance of finding a loving home. René explains that people looking for a cat or dog to adopt should contact HAWS telephonically and specify their preferences, following which photos or videos of potential candidates will be sent to them, either via email or WhatsApp. Information on animals available for adoption is also shared regularly on the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society Facebook page. “Because we are no longer able to do home inspections during the lockdown, people interested in adopting also need to send us photos or videos of their home, which should have
an enclosed yard in the case of dogs, and where the pet will be sleeping, for example. If there is already another dog or dogs on the premises, we also arrange a ‘meet and greet’ to see if they will get on with a new dog or cat.” In Marion’s case, it was important for the dog to be cat-friendly, as it would be sharing its new home with a beloved cat called Zuzu. So the HAWS staff filmed Zinzi in the company of a few of their cats, and sent the video to Marion so that she could see how the dog interacts with cats. “It was important to me as my previous dog (Mister Stanley, who sadly died in January) and Zuzu had been very close. I was very happy to see that Zinzi had absolutely no problem with cats – and that was that.” So although Marion only saw Zindzi with her own eyes for the first time when she arrived to collect her, all the necessary information had been shared and both parties had been satisfactorily vetted. “We follow quite a strict process,” says René, “but it’s important for us to know that the animal is going to a good home. We don’t
want to be placing a ‘lockdown cat’ or a ‘lockdown dog’ now that people are forced to spend more time at home. What will happen to it when its owners have to return to work? An animal is a companion for life and not a commodity that can be returned.” Please support HAWS by donating good quality, used winter clothes to their charity shop. Call 028 312 1281 to make arrangements for dropping off donations. Financial support is also urgently needed to enable HAWS to continue feeding their animals and those in the townships, to pay their dedicated staff ’s salaries, and to buy medicines and supplies for emergency cases treated in their clinic. No matter how small the donation, it will make a big difference. Bank details: Hermanus Animal Welfare Society, Standard Bank, Account no. 082 263 310, Branch code 050312, Reference: HELP. Donors can also use PayFast or the ‘Donate’ link on the website, www.hermanusanimalwelfare.co.za.
Marion da Silva with Zinzi, the rescue dog that she adopted ‘virtually’ from HAWS. On the wall is a portrait of Mister Stanley (Marion’s previous dog that sadly died in January) which she commissioned from local artist, Petrus Viljoen. PHOTO: Raphael da Silva
Sculpture on the Cliffs will be back! At this time of year, The Village NEWS is usually brimming with news about the upcoming FynArts Festival that takes place annually in June. With another ambitious line-up of events for this year, however, Festival Director Mary Faure and the FynArts committee, together with the performers, artists and other partners have had to develop creative ways of conceptualising this popular festival within the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most important exhibitions on the FynArts programme has always been Sculpture on the Cliffs, with large public works installed at Gearing’s Point and along the cliffs above the Old Harbour. Residents and festivalgoers alike look forward, with much curiosity and anticipation, to seeing the new sculptures go up every
year. Which is why Mary is thrilled to announce that the 2020 Pioneer Freight Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition, curated by Gavin Younge under the theme of ‘Vertical Animal’, will be the largest to date and one of the most exciting. “Installing this unique outdoor exhibition of large sculptures is never without logistical challenges for the artists and the FynArts team,” says Mary, “and this year the Coronavirus has escalated all these challenges. During Levels 5 and 4 of the lockdown, foundries and other workshops needed to finish off the sculptures are still closed. Transporting artworks, especially between provinces, is not considered to be an essential service and is therefore also not allowed. But we are exploring a number of avenues to make this happen as soon as possible.”
She adds that due to the unpredictability of the exact nature and duration of the lockdown regulations, it is not yet possible to announce firm dates for the installation of the sculptures. But in the meantime, all 12 participating artists are hard at work completing their sculptures, and the whole town is looking forward to seeing the creations of Jake Michael Singer, Collen Maswanganyi, Karin Lijnes, Wilma Cruise, Jaco Sieberhagen, Jean Theron Louw, Guy du Toit, Nanette Ranger, David Griessel, Right Mukore, Kevin Brand and Anni Snyman adorning our coastline – hopefully in the not-too-distant future. This year’s reimagined festival, Hermanus FynArts Select 2020, will be presented in virtual
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
format during the festival dates of 5 – 16 June, by way of recorded and live-streamed events. “This will be followed by a number of stimulating and uplifting FynArts Select weekends at a later stage. Many of the events that are not possible to bring to the festival this year, for logistical and other reasons, will be included in the 2021 programme,” says Mary. Other good news is that the 2020 Tollman Bouchard Finlayson Art Award and exhibition will go ahead this year when South Africa has reached Level 1 of the lockdown. The theme of the 2020 competition is ‘Biomimicry’ and the exhibition will again be hosted in the Bouchard Finlayson cellar. – Hedda Mittner
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FROM THE EDITOR
Western Cape to be commended For two months now, we have become accustomed to waiting for the latest COVID-19 figures to be released every evening by the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize.
The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 27 May 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.
While many observers might be alarmed at the number of infections in the Western Cape (WC) compared to the rest of South Africa, this is actually positive news.
028 312 2234
6 Royal Street, Hermanus
De Waal Steyn
As of 17 May 2020, the WC had conducted 90 750 tests or 20% of the total number of tests that have been done nationwide. Simply put, since the WC comprises 10 – 11% of the
PUBLISHING EDITOR dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za
Hedda Mittner
hedda@thevillagenews.co.za
ONLINE EDITOR
raphael@thevillagenews.co.za
Elaine Davie SUB-EDITOR & JOURNALIST elaine@thevillagenews.co.za
Taylum Meyer PHOTOGRAPHER & PRODUCTION MANAGER taylum@thevillagenews.co.za
Alta Pretorius MARKETING MANAGER alta@thevillagenews.co.za
Charé van der Walt MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE chare@thevillagenews.co.za
Tania Hamman
ADMIN & FINANCE admin@thevillagenews.co.za
This puts the WC on a par with South Korea (14 693), a country that has been globally praised for its testing response, and approaching the Netherlands (16 809) and Sweden (17 589).
To date, 96% of people who have contracted COVID-19 in the WC have recovered. This is significantly higher than the global recovery figure of 85% and even better than the recovery figures for Europe (82%) and
North America (81%). This means that residents are getting the care that is required and the province is geared up to deal with the increasing number of infections that are inevitable as the country opens up. People often praise the health care systems of countries in Europe and North America. But when it comes to COVID-19, the figures show that there is no better place to be than the Western Cape. Instead of being fearful, WC residents should be hopeful and reassured. This is the good NEWS - Ed
Tortoise sex, Wordplay and Lung food
CONTENT EDITOR
Raphael da Silva
Between 13 500 and 15 600 people per million population have been tested, a figure that will improve every day if the province maintains its average of 12 000 tests per week.
The World Health Organisation is clear. The more you test, the more cases you will find. But what is essential is not just testing randomly but strategically. The WC has adopted this thinking with its selective hotspot testing strategy, which will enable the government to make informed decisions based on meaningfully robust data.
total population, this means that the province is testing at twice the rate as the rest of the country.
By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com
doubles their chances of getting a leg over – or under, depending on the chat-up line. Emma, though, never has a headache.
I
ncrease your general knowledge and impress your friends by sharing these amazing facts they’ll remember forever, and maybe even thank you for. Older than time itself If you’re feeling anxious about getting old, spare a thought for Jonathan. At around 188 years and counting, he’s lived through two world wars, the Russian Revolution, the coronation of Queen Victoria, and the invention of the light bulb. On his birthday, motor cars were still half a century away, and he’s witnessed the inauguration of 39 American presidents, the completion of the Eiffel Tower and Eugene Terre’Blanche’s equestrian mishap. Born in the Seychelles, Jonathan lives these days on St. Helena Island, somewhere off Melkbosstrand. He is a giant tortoise – and the oldest known animal alive today. According to his personal vet, Jonathan’s “libido remains unflagging”, and he often mates with Emma, his equally high-spirited 80-year-old companion, and Fred. Don’t ask. Apparently tortoises swing both ways, which
But enough of this smut, and on to the oldest living thing in the world. Methuselah is over 4 600 years old and lives on the slopes of the White Mountains in California. She is a Bristlecone Pine, seeded before the foundation of Rome, and around the time the Pyramids were built. Scientists, through carbon dating, have analysed the rings of similarly aged, recently-dead trees, and by examining damaged or healthy cells and pollen trapped in the rings, they are able to pinpoint climatic conditions going back to around 6 500 BCE. These pines are in effect organic computers which record the changing conditions of life on this planet, and embedded COVID-19 spores of 2020 will be traceable for thousands of years. Charming thought. Words etc. Nickname: The early English word eke meant ‘also’ or ‘added’, so an extra name was known as an eke name, which over time became slurred into ‘a nickname’.
was France’s finance minister in the mid-18th century. His tight-fisted, penny-pinching attitude over court salaries proved so unpopular that he was soon given the boot. He continued with his miserly streak at home by using cheap black paper to make cut-out replicas of conventional decorations. This graduated into creating portraits of people using the same technique. In 1759 black ‘profile portraits’ and images became the rage at a Paris exhibition, and soon spread to England, dragging his name with it. Robot: Czech playwright Karel Capec invented the word in his dramatic work called R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots). It was all about mechanical men being created, then exploited by the authorities to perform menial duties. The Czech term for a slave was robotnic, and the English translation was shortened to ‘robot’. Bacon bush Spekboom is a remarkable plant (Latin: Baconius Shrubulata). It is being cultivated mainly in the Eastern Cape and will hopefully spread throughout the country. It has the ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and
Silhouette: Etienne de Silhouette
hectare for hectare, a Spekboom thicket is ten times more effective than the Amazon rainforest. One hectare of Mother Nature’s Spekboom lungs converts between 5 and 10 tonnes of carbon per year. The plant thrives in poor soil and tolerates both drought and frost. It proliferates effortlessly. Snap off a branch, plant it, and soon it’ll take root and flourish, creating more snapoffs to plant. Spekboom leaves are thick, juicy and vaguely citrus flavoured – a favourite among elephants, black rhinos and kudus, apparently. Fortunately, humans can eat it too, and for centuries it has been a traditional treatment for exhaustion and lethargy – like an ancient forerunner to Red Bull, or cocaine. Anyway, the roots help consolidate and compact the earth, which prevents soil erosion after heavy downpours. This encourages healthier ground conditions, ideal for other shrubs and grasses, creating yumyums for the local wildlife. But most importantly, Spekboom acts as a sponge, converting CO2 back into the soil as plant food, so plough up your lawn and start planting.
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LET'S TALK
Joggers are not the problem In response to the letter from Dr Shirley Kokot in the ‘Let’s Talk’ section of 13 May entitled ’Joggers should wear masks’: Firstly, opinions like that are causing people to lose perspective. We are not in lockdown to stop this virus – it was initially done to ‘flatten the curve.’ We are not going to get rid of the virus, it will be with us for some time to come. If one is so afraid of getting it then you should isolate yourself, but the world needs to continue. As soon as possible. Right now, there is a higher chance of people dying of starvation or in a car accident than dying of COVID-19, so in addition to not walking on the cliff path perhaps you should also no longer drive.
Dr Kokot’s use of emotive words and exclamation marks make me question what type of doctor she is, but what scares me more is that even intelligent people are missing the point... What is outrageous is that there even is an exercise time slot, that joggers should have to wear masks and breathe in their own CO2, that people want the authorities to be more involved in regulating that type of ‘crime’ and that freedom is being seen as selfish! This is a slippery slope where logic is lost and the people of South Africa are being so micromanaged that we are losing the ability to think for ourselves, stand up for ourselves and end up with
some weird ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ where we start believing this is good for us. Everyone is, of course, entitled to their own opinion but not everyone should have an audience and I believe The Village NEWS has a platform and therefore a responsibility to not just publish everything that is provocative.
One of the obstacles experienced in the roll-out of the distance learning programme is the lack of access to WiFi and data for
a number of the school’s pupils. Our matric pupils have come up with the slogan #wewontstay, which has been embraced for all our grades. All the school's pupils are extremely motivated to continue with their schoolwork so as to ensure that they complete the academic school year. Starting with our matric group, the school made every effort to ensure that every pupil in the school has data to access the distance learning programme.
The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Letters may be shortened and/or edited for clarity and style. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.
Pangolins, people and COVID-19
This article is basically some ‘Karen’s’ glorified Facebook post and we get enough of that on Facebook. This newspaper reaches an audience that is hungry for information. Information! Give them that. Don’t throw fuel on the fire of their fear. Kristi du Toit
Local businesses extend a helping hand to pupils During this lockdown and extended period of school closure, Hermanus High School has opted to implement Distance Learning. This has required supplying all our pupils with the necessary resources and assistance to continue with the school's educational programme, despite the fact that the pupils are at home.
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Through the very kind and generous support of several local businesses, the school is now able to supply all their pupils with data: Newton Johnson Wines, Walker Bay Pest Control and Overberg Wealth & Risk Management (Grade 8), Events One and Rotary Hermanus (Grade 9), Mack’s Petroleum (Grade 10), FinGlobal (Grade 11) and Value Chain Solutions (Grade 12). Hermanus High School would like to thank the directors and owners of these
companies. Thanks to them, all the pupils of Hermanus High School have been afforded the opportunity to continue receiving an education during this time of school closure. The value of their contribution to, and continued support of the school will never be able to be measured. Hermanus High School is and remains a community school. Thank you for being part of our journey. Hermanus High School
Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) invites you to join them for a Zoom chat with Bruce Young about Pangolins, people and COVID-19 on Thursday 21 May at 12:00. Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals on the planet – more than rhinos, lions and tigers put together. It is estimated that well over 1 million of these creatures have been poached and traded in the past 10 years. Bruce Young is a filmmaker who set out to tell the world about this little-known animal in the hope that if people knew
about it, then they might be moved to take some action to help save it from disappearing forever. He will tell some of the stories behind the making of the wildlife documentary, Eye of the Pangolin which is freely available on YouTube as part of a pangolin awareness campaign being run by Pangolin.Africa. To register for the talk, email anina.wcc@gmail.com and a link will be sent to you. If you would like to join the talk but are not comfortable with Zoom, Anina can set up a practice session with you before the talk.
No room for Cliff Path joggers? Dr Shirley Kokot was more forgiving than me in her letter to The Village NEWS. My husband and I walk along the eastern Cliff Path, most mornings, wearing our masks and keeping our social distance from oncoming walkers, with or without their well-behaved dogs. However, the arrogance and inconsiderate behaviour of some of the joggers, running without masks and making no
effort to keep their distance, when overtaking or approaching from the opposite direction on a narrow pathway, is putting elderly, vulnerable walkers at risk. When I asked one of the Cliff Path joggers where his mask was, he answered high-handedly that it was in his pocket! Is there room for joggers and walkers on the narrow Hermanus Cliff Path during the COVID-19 lockdown? Penny Gawith
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MY HOME
Holiday rentals – preparing for the new normal By Stuart Cohen CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists
A
t the time of writing, we are still on Level Four of South Africa’s lockdown and the future of tourism is still hanging in the balance. Like me, I am sure many of you are well and truly over all the negativity, panic and conspiracy theories we have been exposed to. The question remains, however, what do we do to prepare for the future of the holiday rental market? We entered this era with an oversupply of Airbnbs and listed holiday accommodation, as well as a diminishing scale of tariffs over the past 18 months, since the highs of the pre-riots era. The quality of the accommodation was dropping and it had become more about the buck and less about the holiday experience for visitors. Most hosts are now wondering what actions to take to be ready for the next wave of tourists when the new normal commences. Before getting over-zealous, there are certain facts to keep
front of mind in planning the way forward: The first wave of tourists will probably comprise South Africans who haven’t toured the country for years; they have tended instead to travel internationally for their holidays. • I suspect there will be even more people trying to list their properties, so the competition may be even fiercer than before, with far fewer visitors coming to our shores in the 2020/2021 season. • With holidaymakers spoilt for choice, differentiators and quality will become key factors when booking and it goes without saying that sanitisation protocols will also be top of the list.
•
One of the biggest challenges we are faced with is to get as many tourists as possible to visit the Overberg. Listening to Clinton Lerm’s interview on The Village News Hour on Caledon FM on Tuesday 12 May, I was reminded of a mantra from my years in the corporate world: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough go marketing.’ To date, most Airbnb and holiday rental hosts have relied on the region’s media to raise the flag for the Overberg. Whilst that has proved effective, a more concerted effort by everyone in the holiday rental market needs to be made
to appeal to South African residents to consider our region as a preferred holiday destination. Many Airbnb hosts do not have their own websites and rely purely on the listing to create awareness. As Clinton accurately indicated, tourism- and hospitality-minded hosts need to do their bit to create a heightened wave of awareness. There are multiple ways in which this can be done, but if all serious hosts start spreading the message through their own websites and Facebook pages, it could have a major impact. The more positive stories about the area and its attractions are shared, the wider the outreach to South Africans, who may never have considered coming to this region for a holiday. Now is the time to think about what possibilities you may have to attract guests in what is likely to be a minefield of accommodation options. You can also plan your maintenance now so that providers can kick in as soon as their lockdown restrictions have been lifted, and you can spruce up your amenities in order to attract guests. If ever there was a time to declutter, it is now.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
Believe me, there are Airbnbs so filled with ‘stuff ’ that guests are discouraged before even making enquiries. This is the perfect opportunity to donate to charities and to support the less privileged in our community who will be caught up in an increasing state of poverty for a long time to come. Or, if you prefer to support animals, then HAWS and the other animal welfare societies are another option. Get creative and do things like rearranging furniture (simply changing a room’s layout could be a great way to give the space a fresh feel); change door handles (whether it’s the front door or the kitchen cabinets, adding new handles could make things look more interesting); do some creative painting (so many things will be improved by a simple repainting project eg. doors, chairs, fences, cabinets and even staircases), or repurpose objects – an old stool that’s no longer in use could make a great bedside table, or a wine rack could be used in the bathroom as storage space for towels and other small items. The challenge is out there. It’s up to us to create so much awareness of our spectacular town and region that the next wave of tourists wanting to discover how amazing this country is, will make their way directly to us.
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MY WELLNESS
Relief for vulnerable Rotary assists families in Greyton area hospital to prepare for COVID-19 K lipheuwel Wind Farm has responded to a call from Red Cross Greyton, to help provide relief in the form of food parcels to vulnerable families in the communities of Genadendal, Voorstekraal, Bereaville, Boschmanskloof, Heuwelkroon and Greyton.
The Red Cross works with representatives from each community to ensure that families are correctly identified and that the food is received where the need
As the impact of COVID-19 deepens more people are losing their jobs and it is expected that the families in need will continue to mount daily, especially as these affected communities have high levels of casual labourers.
As part of Klipheuwel Wind Farm’s socio economic development programme, this initiative has already provided support to hundreds of families and is expected to increase its reach as the lockdown continues. All aid to vulnerable families is in the form of food packages for self-cooking to prevent the spread of the virus through soup kitchens or ready-prepared food. The food parcels are guided by The South African Fill-a-Bag Feed-a-Family Feeding Scheme (www.fabfaf.org.za) in terms of what should be distributed and the parcels are delivered on a weekly basis.
is the greatest. The extensive list contains around 300 families comprising roughly of adults and the elderly, as well as 600 children.
Red Cross Greyton is the nominated organisation leading the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is assisting all those affected by the country’s Lockdown in Ward 2 of the Theewaterskloof Municipality.
Staff members from Red Cross Greyton preparing food parcels for vulnerable families in the local communities.
Klipheuwel Wind Farm is the solitary business that has contributed to this food parcel drive, however, many generous individuals have also pledged their support and contributed funds. In addition, about 20 volunteers in the Greyton area have become involved with the programme.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
(See photo on P1)
MacPhail.
The Rotary Club of Hermanus was delighted to hand over medical equipment to the Hermanus Hospital last week, for use in their COVID-19 ward.
Rotary is the biggest humanitarian organisation in the world. The work of Rotary clubs begins in their communities, with various projects focusing on six key areas, one of which is disease prevention and treatment.
“Rotary Hermanus has a long history with the local state hospital and it was a unanimous decision to help them during this pandemic,” said Ann Wright, President of Rotary Hermanus. The hospital was in need of 13 infrared thermometers and a blood gas analyser. “I was overwhelmed by the magnificent response I had from local and Indonesian private donors, Rotary clubs in the UK, Germany and the USA, as well as Rotary International. Within 10 days we had received R153 000, which made it possible for us to purchase these much-needed items for the hospital,” said Ann, who drove the project, together with Rotarian Prof Patrick
The enormous amount of hours put in by Rotarians was confirmed by the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA which recently released a report that Rotarians worldwide provide about 47 million hours of volunteer effort per year, at an estimated value of $850 million. While the health and safety of members at this time is a top priority, Rotary has a duty to also care for the public in whichever way they can. At present they are assisting the Disaster Management Team, Red Cross and Relief.Life with their feeding programmes.
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Rates halls reopen for account payments W
ith effect from Monday, 18 May 2020, all rates halls in Hermanus, Gansbaai, Stanford and Kleinmond will be open to the public from Monday to Friday between 08:00 – 13:00 for payment of municipal accounts.
Balance and general account queries and requests for duplicate invoices of accounts can still be made by sending an email to enquiries@overstrand. gov.za. Alternatively send an SMS with your account number and query to 082 561 6625.
once again at their nearest rates halls.
While this means residents can once again pay their accounts at the cashiers, for social distancing purposes, the Overstrand Municipality encourages those who can to settle their municipal accounts at food stores that are open, via the Pay@ and Easy Pay systems.
The cashier’s office in the Municipal Court at the municipal buildings in Harmony Lane, Hermanus, is also open for payment of traffic fines.
Should you need assistance, phone Ontec on 0861 220 244 or email servicedesk@ontec.co.za.
•
Prepaid electricity tokens are available at retailers Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar as well as garages (Engen) and various other outlets that will be open during lockdown.
•
Payments via EFT (select the municipality as a bank-listed beneficiary) is also recommended for those who have access to online banking.
The Traffic Department will remain closed until Province activates the online licencing system (e-Natis) which will hopefully be during June. An exact date is not available at this stage. Residents can buy prepaid electricity
If you do not want to leave your home, online options are available (home.ontec.co.za) or on your cellphone (download the app from the play store).
The finance department may also go ahead with issuing rates clearance certificates and to read water meters.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
Even as we begin to ease some of the lockdown restrictions, adherence to access control and limited numbers inside municipal offices will be strictly enforced. Safety measures in place:
• •
It is vital that all residents continue to observe critical social distancing and hygiene practices to contain the spread of the Coronavirus: You should keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres from other people You should wear a cloth face mask whenever you leave your home You should wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water, or sanitiser
EFT account payments can be
made into the following bank account: Nedbank Account Number: 1190136899 Type of account: Current Account Universal Branch Code: 198765 Branch: Inland Garden Route (Please note that this IS the correct branch for Overstrand Municipality) SWIFT Code: NEDSZAJJ Reference: The payment must include the 12-numerical digit account number as the reference.
20 May 2020
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Making music accessible to all T
obias Kotze, who has joined Enlighten Education Trust as coordinator of their music project, has produced an online music course that can be accessed by members of the community free of charge. “It’s a comprehensive introductory course for those who have not received any musical education and who would like to learn to read music. I compiled the course from academic material covered during my undergraduate years at Stellenbosch University and the content of the course is aimed at giving those interested in music the basic background that will enable them to study further and obtain a qualification through UNISA,” says Tobias. Born and bred in Hermanus, Tobias spent several years overseas before returning to his home town at the end of last year. After graduating with a B Mus degree from Stellenbosch University, he studied for his Licentiate LRSM from the London Royal Schools of Music, which he obtained at the end of 2013. The following year he was accepted by the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiano in Lugano, Switzerland, where he studied under the Swiss cellist Prof Mattia Zappa and obtained his Master’s Degree (Cum Laude). Tobias is very happy to be back home and says “Hermanus is as beautiful as always”. He is also very impressed with the work done by the Enlighten Education Trust. Their music project has eight music facilitators overseeing the music education of 187 students, with a further 40 on the waiting list. “Every skill mastered or success achieved by a learner is celebrated by us all.
Masks for all The Women's Fellowship of the United Church and many other ladies in and around Hermanus, and even as far as Stanford, are still actively busy with the making of protective cloth face masks.
The positive feedback we have received from principals, teachers and parents has provided overwhelming proof that Enlighten’s founding vision has borne fruit. We believe that it is vital to approach education on a ‘whole-child’ basis,” says Tobias.
“We have up to 30 ladies voluntarily making masks, with some having taken a break after three weeks and new volunteers joining the project,” says Denise Eady of the Women's Fellowship of the United Church.
The Enlighten Music Project includes group and individual lessons in violin, piano, voice, guitar, keyboard, marimba, steelpans and violoncello. “The lessons in music theory are based on the Associated Board of UNISA, so that the students receive an accredited qualification at the end of each academic year,” says Tobias. “At the moment, the focus is on online teaching of both practical and theory lessons. But with so many pupils on the waiting list, I thought the lockdown was the ideal time to develop a short online music course that could be accessed by the whole community.” The online music theory course comprises eight lessons with several sub-divisions. Small activities are also available for self-assessment. After studying this course, you should be able to: • understand the basic building blocks of musical theory and notation; • understand music theory to the level demanded by Grade 3 of the Associated Board of UNISA; and • understand music theory to a level required to move on to further education in the field of music theory.
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“We have passed the 3 000 mark already and have distributed more than 2 000 masks to various essential services, including various doctors’ rooms and departments at Hermanus Mediclinic, the Zwelihle Clinic, the Moffat Hall in Mount Pleasant, the Zwelihle Youth Café at the RDP Centre, Siyazama Service Centre, Hawston Clinic, Hermanus SAPS, Huis Lettie Theron, Just Care Aftercare, Yomelelani Pre-School in Zwelihle and the Hermanus Provincial Hospital. Tobias Kotze, who was appointed as Enlighten Education Trust’s Music Project Coordinator at the beginning of the year, has compiled a short online music theory course that is available, free of charge, for anyone who wants to learn music notation.
The course is available on the Enlighten Education Trust website and there is also a link on their Facebook page. – Hedda Mittner
ESSENTIAL SERVICES – WE ARE OPEN
“We will continue making masks indefinitely and any volunteers are welcome to join as and help with the sewing of masks.” Denise Eady can be contacted on 082 902 1245. Anyone who wishes to contribute towards the cost of the mask-making can deposit donations in the following bank account: United Church, Standard Bank, Account no. 082 26 25 27, Branch Code 050312 Reference ‘Masks’.
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MY ENVIRONMENT
Birds of a dazzling feather By Anina Lee
of their kind, especially during mating season. Colour is so important to birds that they have evolved a whole host of ways to paint their feathers. Let’s look at how some of the different hues come about.
E
ver since I owned a pet Rainbow Lorikeet, I have been fascinated by the colours of birds. Apart from their magnificent looks, lorikeets are also highly intelligent, as are all parrots. But that’s another story. Across the world, tribal peoples have used the plumes of the birds they hunted to decorate themselves. Feathers have been a sign of status in western societies too. Birds flaunt a variety of eye-catching plumage and we are amazed at the vibrant colours every time we see a flashy bird. But have you ever stopped to think about how and why these creatures get to be so dazzling? From peacock blue through swan white to oriole orange, every bird colour is produced by the interaction of just two colouring systems – one structural and one chemical. Structural colour results from the scattering of reflected light, while chemical colour relies on a palette of pigments. Intricately arranged feather layers allow chemistry and structure to interact to produce the colours we see. Birds rely on their coloration and feathers to communicate with others
Dark colour If you love the dark black of a crow or the brown stripes of an owl, you can thank melanin. This is the same substance that provides colour to our own skin and hair and is also responsible for the darker colours on birds. Melanins produce black feathers, but depending on the concentration of the pigment granules, they can also range to reddish browns and pale yellows. These colours are especially prevalent on birds’ flight feathers – for good reason. Melanin is very strong, and allows the hardest-working feathers to better resist wear and tear. That not only allows the bird to remain in tip-top shape, but also to be more aerodynamic. Warm colours Bright red, yellow and orange feathers are produced by carotenoids. These pigments can also interact with melanins to produce even more colours, such as olive green. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids. However, birds cannot make their own carotenoids. Carotenoids are produced by plants, and are acquired by eating plants or by eating something that has eaten a plant.
This, for example, is how flamingos come to be pink. Newly hatched chicks are grey and have to accumulate their carotenoids second-hand, from shrimp and other crustaceans. Carotenoids are also seen in songbirds, but tend to be rare among game birds. This is not surprising as game birds rely on good camouflage rather than eye-catching colour. Porphyrins Porphyrins, the third pigment group, are complex organic compounds formed from amino acids. Porphyrins come in a wide range of colours, including brown, pink, red and green. Certain birds, such as parrots, get their bright colours from these less-common pigments produced directly in their feathers. Porphyrins are only found in a scant handful of birds. In 1868, it was discovered that the red feathers of Turacos are coloured by a pigment that was named turacin, after the turaco birds that contain this porphyrin. Turacin is about 7 percent copper, which is why it gives off such a blinding red hue. A similar pigment called turacoverdin provides green coloration. Iridescence Cool colours like blues and iridescence come from micro-structures in feathers. We are familiar with the bright iridescence of sunbirds. The iridescent microstructures are made of keratin. Keratin is the structural protein of human nails, rhinoceros horns, whale baleen, turtle shells, pangolin scales, and of course, bird
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feathers. Keratin is also responsible for the iridescent colouring of many spectacular bird species. Keratin produces colour in two main ways: by layering and by scattering. Layering colours are produced when translucent keratin reflects short wavelengths of colours like blues, violets, purples and greens. The other colours are absorbed by an underlying melanin (black) layer. The ways in which the keratin of the feathers are layered will dictate the colour of the iridescence. Examples of layered colouring include the iridescence of glossy starlings and the speculums or wing patches of many duck species. Scattering is produced when the keratin of feathers is interspersed with tiny air pockets within the structure of the feathers themselves. These air pockets and the interspersed keratin scatter blue and green light and produce the shimmering colours of birds like kingfishers, rollers and bee-eaters. Because blue light has very short wavelengths, it is reflected more easily than other colours of light with longer wavelengths. This was first understood in 1869, when scientist John Tyndall noted that minuscule particles in earth’s atmosphere (later identified as mainly nitrogen and oxygen) preferentially scattered blue light, resulting in the familiar ‘sky blue’ of a clear summer day. Blue plumage colour is often referred to as a ‘Tyndall blue’ structural colour. 3
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In essence, keratin allows feathers to act like a prism by scattering the longer wavelengths of light and reflecting shorter ones to emit gorgeous blues, violets, purples, and greens. Mixing reflected blue light with underlying yellow carotenoids makes green feathers. Bird make-up Some animals ‘paint’ themselves with so-called cosmetic colours from resources available in their surroundings. For example, the bearded vulture or ‘lammergeyer’, is a species known for its bright orange underside, neck, and head. The birds acquire the colouring by dusting their feathers with iron oxide-rich red soils. No one knows why the vultures use ‘make-up’, though it's evident that the ruddiest ones get the most respect. If the brilliant colours of bird feathers help to gain respect in the avian world, it’s little wonder that humans, especially those in power, like to follow suit and adorn themselves in royal colours such as blue, red and purple. For an excellent visual explanation of the chemistry of bird colours, go to YouTube and search "Why Are Birds Different Colors?" Birds with magnificently colourful plumage include the: 1. Knysna Turaco PHOTO: Chris Peterson 2. Lilac Breasted Roller PHOTO: Ted Schifferman Photography 3. Rainbow Lorikeet PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons
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4. Malachite Kingfisher PHOTO: Timeless Africa Safaris
