The Village News 20 September 2016

Village

NEWS The

20 September 2016

Cape Whale Coast

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Shaping up for the summer season De Waal Steyn

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hat time do you feed the whales?

When do they come out to play to photograph them?’ These are actual questions that visitors to The Whale Festival have asked. What to say?” laughs festival organiser Leon Theron.

WHALE MEET AGAIN Our most famous visitors are here, all the way from Antarctica. Other visitors from near and far are also checking in for the festival spectacle, not only to see the Southern Rights, but to enjoy their own water sports and land-based challenges. For the animals of the party kind, there will be a smorgasbord of musical talent, and those in need of culture can get their dose of art, drama and dance. The weather says it will play along, so book off sick and plan to stay the distance.

Photo courtesy of MC Botha ©

But whether the whales be scarce, abundant, or indeed photogenic, this silver anniversary of the Whale Festival is going ahead fullsteam and the Cape Whale Coast is set to have one of its best summer seasons yet, with accommodation establishments, adventure sports, shark-cage diving and whale-watching boat operators indicating prebookings up to the end of December exceeding 80%.

Tourism Manager Frieda Lloyd says this follows a better than expected winter season. “By all accounts the Cape Whale Coast experienced a phenomenal August in terms of accommodation bookings. A tourism business operator who has been in the industry for more than twenty years says it was the best August ever.”

Wine farms in the Hemel-enAarde Valley have also reported record numbers of visitors, especially since construction work on the R320 was completed.

With only a few days left before Heritage Day and the Hermanus Flower Festival, and the 25th celebration of the Whale Festival the following weekend, it is expected that Hermanus will be bursting at the seams with the influx of visitors.

Says Frieda: “Not many festivals or events have the opportunity to celebrate their silver anniversary like the Hermanus Whale Festival is doing this year. There is no argument that this festival draws the crowds in the same measure as it draws attention to Hermanus. The media focus and influx of visitors have many benefits for the Cape Whale Coast community and individual businesses.

“The Whale Festival provides a stimulus for the local economy as well as building community pride. As it is with so many opportunities, the benefits are there to be unlocked by participation and involvement.”

According to Leon, the culture of the festival has changed over the years.

“There was a time when participants had to pay the festival committee - now we encourage everyone to organise their own event and use the revenue to support whom or whatever they like.

This year we also have Zwelihle residents joining the festivities, which adds a whole new dimension to the festival.

I am sure it will attract both local and out-of-town visitors.

“That being said, the hotels and B&Bs are 80% full already, and there is no doubt we will reach 100% soon.

Last year I had two executives who were looking for accommodation at the last minute, cost irrelevant, but to no avail. There was no room at the inn,” says Leon.

Coke has come on board again as a sponsor and their stage will be up at Gearing’s Point for the duration of the festival.

Serendipitously, since Distell has pulled back their support considerably, Edward Snell & Co Wine and Spirit Merchants were delighted to come on board with a R30 000 sponsorship.

“Certain people and organisations go out of their way to be part of the festivities, and that goes a long, long way to help. KFM, for example, will be broadcasting from next to the cannon as always, and they are footing all their own costs. Likewise, Coenie Bierman of Vorster and Steyn Attorneys sponsored Chris Chameleon to play on 1 October, which is a godsend, because we couldn’t afford him,” says Leon.

We’re expecting about 100 000 visitors with more than R25m to spend, so we need to put our best festive foot forward and get this show on the road.

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20 September 2016

Celebrating 25 years of Whale Festivities

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he Cape Whale Coast can be proud of the Hermanus Whale Festival, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, making it the longest running festival in the area.

A tremendous amount of hard work goes into organising this festival, and the economic boost, together with the thousands of visitors it brings to our shores, plays a large role in the success of our area.

With many great events happening during the festival (see page 14) we urge our readers to attend and give their full support to the festival. Many of these events are now self-organised but promoted under the Whale Festival banner – a slight change in the approach to organising the festival. With this in mind, the festival is set to grow and we are looking

Editorial Comment

By De Waal Steyn forward to the next 25 years.

To organiser Leon Theron we lift our hats and say thank you very much for your dedication.

But, while the days leading up to the Whale Festival are counted down, so are the new stall owners of the Market Square stalls still awaiting their chance to take occupation. After judgement was delivered, stating that the current stall holders must vacate their stalls within 14

days, this has not happened yet. Those who are still occupying stalls illegally applied for leave to appeal the judgement of Judge Robert Henney. This was denied by the High Court, after which the stall holders indicated that they will petition the Appeals Court to review the judgement. This is well within their rights. But further delay in resolving the issue is creating much frustration on both sides.

With a bumper summer season awaiting us, it is our wish that the legal wrangling will come to an end and that the stalls and amenities, whoever the tenants might be, will be upgraded, cleaned and in a position to offer our tourists and residents a pleasant shopping experience.

This is the Good News. – Ed

Misconceptions about evolution debate

Letters and opinions SAPS service delivery in perspective I refer to the CPF article on 6 September and the concern expressed regarding “the appointment of the new SAPS Station Commander” and crime statistics in the Overstrand.

Our new OM council, the CPF and all other concerned parties should give serious consideration to the following: The crime statistics that are consistently referred to and publicised reflect only the incidents that are investigated.

They do not reflect the amount of serious crimes committed or potential crimes, where the SAPS did not respond to public calls for assistance.

Why should the CPF suggest “misinterpretation?” Possibly because the SAPS have often intimated joint responsibility for the unacceptable crime statistics, and their attempts to curb this, also quoting the CPF as an essential partner in fighting crime. The fact is that the SAPS are accountable, not the CPF, security companies or the community.

The SAPS need to address their own shortcomings, urgently, and not attempt to divert their responsibilities with repetitive excuses such as “shortage of manpower, vehicles” etc. The management of Safety and Security in the Overstrand has been poor and the public is paying the price.

The Overstrand Municipality

(OM) may also not be accountable but they do have a responsibility to address the obvious lack of service delivery by the SAPS when referring to the 73% increase in burglaries for the period June 2015 to 2016. Crime in Vermont, Onrus, Sandbaai and Zwelihle, for example, has increased consistently for several years now and there is little or no evidence of any “master plan” being implemented.

Safety and Security has become an ‘essential’ community need and given more serious attempts by the OM and the SAPS to address this, the community will become more cooperative.

PP Anonymous Resident

Visitors delighted by The NEWS I must congratulate you on your publication, The Village NEWS, for its interesting articles, admirable stance on helping those in need, and, need I say, the fact that it is in English. Also, it appears not to be printed on toilet paper!

Every year when my swallow friends come for the season they are flummoxed by the overwhelming amount of Afrikaans news, and they simply cannot read it, as nor can I, despite my Afrikaans surname.

Become a friend of Hermanus Waldorf We are looking for volunteers to help with extra reading and maths classes, chess, and sport coaching (basketball, volleyball, mini-cricket). If you like working with children and would like to help, please contact Ninky at the school at 028 316 2938.

CLASSY Mrs Cape Town 2016, Melissa de Jager, recently visited Hermanus with her husband as the guest of Selkirk House Guesthouse. Their two-night stay at this luxurious five-star establishment was one of the prizes Melissa won when she was crowned Mrs Cape Town. “The beauty of Hermanus, and the hospitality and impressive décor of Selkirk House blew us away,” she says. “Our hosts, Pieter and Aletta Scrooby, really spoilt us and we managed to experience two of the excellent restaurants in Hermanus – La Pentola and Pear Tree, both of which I can highly recommend.” Melissa’s husband took this photo of his beautiful wife relaxing at the hotel with a copy of The Village NEWS.

Season is here and I’m sure the visitors will be delighted with your excellent publication.

Judy Nel, Westcliff

Wit’s End is a real joy I notice in your last issue that Murray Stewart’s column “Wits End” has vanished...

I hope not for good. In today’s tough world a little light, well-written, comic relief is a real joy!

Linda Musson

Interesting to see the old debate about evolution every now and then and the misconceptions about it.

First of all: If someone asks you if you "believe" in evolution the answer must be NO! The reason for this is that evolution is a scientific theory and not a belief system or any religious writing like the Bible, Koran or any holy scripture.

If the question then arises whether evolution (micro or macro) is possible, my answer will be "why not?" I am a science teacher and believe that there is a God. No one can propound that all this beauty and different life forms "just happened", and somewhere God had to start everything.

the questions I can call myself God and then there is no need for a God or one to believe in.

Remember that when the evil snake bargained with Eve he did not promise her a beach house in Hermanus or a Ferrari; he promised her that she will have all God's knowledge. I think that is why poor humans are forever trying to chase/gain more knowledge - because we thought we would have it all but all in vain. (Maybe our punishment?)

So let’s not try and use science/evolution to show there is no God or that the Bible is wrong; let science theory stay a theory, because after all we don't know.

So who am I to tell God that he can't use a Big Bang to start, or evolution to create?

If my God wants to create things over millions of years, and humans want to call it evolution – so what? After all, He is the creator and how dare I tell Him how.

If I have all the answers to all

Gerhard Coetzee

Chipped windscreens an ongoing problem Some months ago many vehicles experienced "stone chips" on the windscreen while travelling between Fisherhaven and Bot River on the R43 while road repairs were taking place.

I experienced one chip during that period – fortunately not at eye level on the windscreen. This last week, having travelled some 900 km without mishap on Western Cape roads, I returned, and sure enough, at Fisherhaven an oncoming vehicle threw up a stone that chipped my

windscreen plumb in the middle!

Not sure if I would have written to you, but on enquiring at the windscreen fitment centre, I was assured by a staff member that a stream of motorists continue to seek repairs to their windscreens after they’ve been damaged on the road between Fisherhaven and Bot River.

Not sure what the solution might be – maybe a "broom" man on the road?

Richard Tate

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

Investing in the future of our children Aly Verbaan

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hat do the founders of Google, Wikipedia and Amazon all have in common, besides spectacular success? They all had the benefit of the Generation Schools philosophy of education, and they credit their achievements to the “divergent thinking” that this philosophy offers.

“For many years we have wanted to expand to incorporate a high school whose teaching methodology is in line with our Montessori philosophy. Serendipitously, one of our parents read about Generations Schools in a business magazine, we contacted managing

model in primary and high school, which offers the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), General Certificate of Education (GSE), AS and A levels, with an international matriculation so that learners can study further anywhere in the world.

• The Cambridge Curricula - this is followed from the primary years, and Jevron explains that “The integrated international programmes ensure a smooth transition through the years of schooling and provide the opportunity for students to succeed in a stimulating, externally validated and highly respected world-class educational programme.”

As Albert Einstein famously said: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The bright fellow also pointed out that “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

• The Application of Academics - this is aimed at bridging the gap between education and its use in the working world. Generation Interns will be introduced from middle school. “The Generation Interns spend time with organisations in different sectors of the economy to get an understanding of what ‘work’ and ‘careers’ are, so they can understand the subject choices they are taking in terms of what they want to do when they grow up,” says Jevron.

Bearing these pearls of wisdom in mind, one must realise that principles of education are forever evolving, as should be the case, in our fast-changing society. Children are changing too, and as the world moves forward, it is necessary to adopt a future-focused approach to the way we teach them.

To this effect, Generation Schools has merged with Hermanus Private Pre & Primary School, and is to be officially launched on Thursday 22 September. Millions of rands have already been pumped into this affiliation, with six new classrooms, a media centre, a new hall and a chemistry laboratory already in the pipeline. A new AstroTurf field will be built, on a smaller scale than the standard, but will be a 100% perfect replica.

Principal of Hermanus Private Pre & Primary School, Caronne Vermaak, explained that this affiliation has been about a year in the making.

• Montessori pedagogy from the early years “Given the freedom and support to question, to probe deeply, and to make connections, Montessori students become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners. They are able to think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly.

director of Generation Schools, Jevron Epstein, and hey presto! It was exactly what we’ve been looking for. We’re going to be undergoing a total revamp.”

This merger will see the schools incorporate various models of education into their teaching philosophy: Montessori pedagogy in the early years, followed by the Cambridge

Jevron explains the five principles Generation Education is based upon: • The child as individual and the holistic existence - “Education in our schools is not the procurement of a certificate, but the focus on the journey and the understanding of how each child can use their specific skills set to adapt and pioneer in a world which is always changing.”

• Life After School - in 2019 the Generation Schools’ tertiary education offerings will be launched. “And by next year we will start creating businesses within the school that the learners conceptualise, design, create and manage in preparation for the big wide world of work and careers.”

This investment in the future of the children in the Overstrand will add not only to the attractiveness of the town to new homeowners, but also establish Hermanus as a centre of excellence in learning.

POWER POWWOW Overstrand Mayor Rudolph Smith joined the Hermanus Business Chamber on Thursday 15 September at Tapas for a networking breakfast to discuss ways of working closer together. The breakfast was followed by a talk about the historic Old Harbour area by Dr. Robin Lee from the Hermanus History Society. Rudolph accompanied chamber members on a walkabout around the Old Harbour and Whale Museum to see where amenities can be improved. One of the suggestions was the building of a viewing deck in front of the cannon. A meeting between local business and the Municipality is planned for 5 October. Should you wish to become a member of the chamber, contact Alta at ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za or call 028 315 1619 for more information.

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20 September 2016

No stalemate for lover of the Royal Game Frans van Rensburg

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e was only four years old in an orphanage in Johannesburg when Lukas, his elder brother, introduced him to the King and the Queen. Since then, Marius van der Westhuizen (30) has been fascinated by the royal couple with their 32 chessmen’s strategic attack and defence moves on 64 squares.

Marius now runs the Hermanus Chess Club and is a full-time chess coach, teaching children all over the Overberg to love the game like he does, “because there are very few things as therapeutic and rewarding to the soul as the Game of Kings”.

He smiles when he talks about how chess helped him beat the odds in the Abraham Kriel Child Care Centre in Johannesburg.

Marius reflects: “My teachers, like my brother and others at school, continued to encourage my love for the game. Of course, the orphanage also teaches you patience – an essential criteria in mastering the game.”

He was chosen to represent his primary school, Jim Fouché, and secondary school until grade 10, Vorentoe, for various leagues and representative tournaments. Marius also received provincial colours on three occasions, but could not participate in many of these leagues and tournaments

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because of logistical constraints in getting to the various venues, as well as a lack of funds.

“Despite those disappointments, some highlights were undoubtedly when I beat Lukas for the first time when I was in grade 8 and he in grade12, and then when I was chosen for the Vorentoe Chess Team playing Board One in the same year,” Marius recalls.

for chess after hours and in his spare time, until he got his first big break in 2013: Dr. Andrew Southey, well-known retired vet and former newspaper owner in Hermanus, asked Marius to take over his chess coaching programme at Curro School.

Marius van der Westhuizen of the Hermanus Chess Club at the Hermanus Country Market.

As he grew in mastering the moves on the board, Marius also had to master other moves to avoid potential reallife checkmates.

Reunited with his mother in 2002, Marius attended Goudrif High School in Primrose where he completed grade 11 and the family then moved to Hermanus in 2004, where he started grade 12. Soon realising that his chances of passing matric could be in jeopardy in a new school with some new subjects and in unfamiliar surroundings, Marius returned to Johannesburg to live with relatives for the last six months of 2004 and passed matric at the end of the year.

Marius made his successful opening move when he settled in Hermanus after matric and had to start working to make ends meet.

For the first few years he found it frustrating only being able to live out his love

Rico Roos and Jonas Crookes face off at the Hermanus Country Market where the chess club can be found on Saturday mornings. For a donation, anyone can join in playing as part of a fundraiser to enable these talented youngsters to participate in the SA Junior Chess Championship in Johannesburg in December.

With that coaching underway and growing, his second big break came when local financial emigration specialists, cashkows.com, offered Marius and his chess club its boardroom at Marine Square for chess training.

“These were significant opportunities” says Marius who now, apart from Curro, is a fulltime coach to more than 300 pupils at a number of other schools in the Overberg.

These include Bredasdorp Primary, Rûens College, Vyeboom Christian School and De Villiers Graaff Primary and High Schools, as well as Hermanus Chess Club.

“The support from cashkows really helped to put the Chess Club on the board and enabled us to structure and plan our activities. So much so that we are now coaching daily from 17:00 – 18:00 and on Saturdays we host informal blitz or rapid tournaments from 14:00 – 16:00.”

Marius coaches chess at Curro Hermanus and several other schools in the Overberg. Twelve players have been selected to take part in the SA Junior Championships but are in dire need of sponsorship to cover the costs.

Marius says he does not coach chess to primarily develop champions – he views the game as a valuable social tool.

“Playing chess is therapeutic

and as their love for the game grows, it is so rewarding to see the improvement in the selfconfidence and esteem of the children, some who may be abused, neglected or suffer from an anxiety disorder. I focus on growing that love and enjoyment of the game for the first two years of their coaching, and once that is in place, playing chess competitively follows more easily.

“We are having great success in that field as well. There is, for instance Annette van Wyk, one of the top 10 girl chess players in the country, who obtained her SA colours and was chosen to play in the African Schools Individual Chess Championships in August this year. There are also a number of our pupils who have been chosen for the Western Province chess teams.

At the recent Western Province Top Schools tournament in Mossel Bay, the Hermanus Primary U 13 team was the joint winner.”

Marius does not think that he is in an endgame with his current initiatives yet. “Personally I have had some tricky moves but a very rewarding game from Abraham Kriel to Hermanus. I am living my dream and it is great to be able to pay forward the opportunities I’ve had. As the old chess masters used to say, ‘Caïssa was with me’”, Marius observes.

For chess coaching or related enquiries, Marius can be contacted at 072 065 1016 or mariusvdw7@gmail.com.

Misty turns cricket and F1 racing into blood sports

eing a Friday afternoon, The Duck ’n Fiddle is filling up. Sundowner enthusiasts from Heaven’s Valley and the nearby town of Harmony arrive in the hope of getting lucky. On the grass lawns sloping down to the Restless River, males strut around peacock-like and ladies flick their hair and flap their eyelashes. As wine and beer are consumed at an alarming rate, the polite chatter becomes a steady hum of testosterone and oestrogen.

Wit’s End

Inside the main lounge, Waylon is experiencing a different hum.

He’s the Friday night DJ and his amplifier is being temperamental. He has only about an hour between knocking off from his job at the chemist and setting up his lights and speakers in the main lounge, and the last thing he

needs is an earth hum. He traces the mains lead back into the little pub to check the wiring and stumbles across Mitsy for the first time.

Murray Stewart

Looking like a cross between Penelope Cruz and Jennifer Lopez, she certainly turns heads. Waylon is riveted, as is

the group of locals hanging on to her every word. For a change Druiwe du Toit is silent. So too are the Adams twins and Waylon’s father Henrico, the barkeep. Klippies Kombrink doesn’t talk much anyway, due to his stutter, which usually ends in cursing.

Mitsy has the men spellbound. She recently immigrated from Mexico and has set up a Spanish dance studio on her olive farm.

Since arriving, she’s watched a bit of cricket on the TV and the sport perplexes her. She therefore has some suggestions to improve the game.

“This cricky-wicky I understand only some yes, and some no,” she lilts alluringly, and the group leans forward as one, eager to

assist. She claims to have a basic grasp of the fundamentals, which are as follows: The bowler must try to hit the batter with the ball, and the batter can defend himself with a bat. If he hits the ball, one of the bowler’s friends – a fielder - collects and returns it.

But if the ball goes past the fielder, the batter has to run to the other end and just stand around and watch while another batter has a chance.

She’s unsure whether there are extra points for hitting a fielder, but if the batter hits the ball off the field he may not run, and once again just stands around until it’s found.

This rule she fully understands: If the ball is lost, the batter could keep running till he drops from dehydration or

boredom. So far, so good.

if they want an even tan?

“No points for hitting a fielder,” advises Druiwe.

Waylon wishes he could hear more from this stunner, but DJ duty calls. With the help of his dad, they locate the hum in his amp, then he’s off to spruce up for his gig at eight. He’s expecting a bumper crowd tonight. The ad in the paper says it all: ‘DJ WAIL PHAT – live@ THE DUCK from 8’

“Fu…fu…fou…bum,” stammers Klippies.

“Four or six though if he hits off the field,” continues Druiwe, downing his fourth goblet of Merlot.

“But why all this standing around?” asks Mitsy. At any one stage only two or three people seem to be playing, and she feels sorry for those on the outskirts. They should be allowed to read a book, have a smoke, or listen to their iPods. Some stand out there for days, so cellphones should be optional - to call the darling or place a bet on the ponies. And why can’t they strip down to their briefs

Twenty minutes later, on his way back through the pub to the lounge, Mitsy still has the men mesmerised. She has a great idea to improve Formula 1 racing.

“After every five laps of the driving,” she proposes, “they must make the U turning and go one lapping the other way round. What you thinking? You Like?”

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

What is Hermanus’s heritage?

Dr. Robin Lee

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hen does history become heritage?

Saturday 24 September is Heritage Day. It’s the day when we ask: What’s so important and interesting about the history of the place we live in?

People have given many reasons for the importance of heritage to a community. My two favourites are: “Whoever fails to learn from history is destined to repeat it”. This is attributed to the Spanish philosopher, Georges Santayana. The other is one quoted often by the late SJ du Toit, one of our local historians: “A town that does not honour its own past is like the newly rich who are ashamed of their parents.”

Esje (as she was more commonly known) was a major player in creating the Hermanus History Society in 2012. Her books and talks certainly did much to convince members of the public that our past is something to be documented and passed on.

There is absolutely nothing for us to feel ashamed about and much to be proud of.

Recent research that I have carried out shows there are many lessons to be learned from local history. My analysis of the economic history of Hermanus and other towns in the Overstrand illustrates one big lesson: do not overdevelop your town and reduce or destroy the attractions for which many people come to the town. Conserve your history wherever you can – and often where you think you can’t. It just takes will and effort.

Learn from the history of the

Southern Right Whales that are now such a huge tourist attraction and bring substantial wealth into Hermanus. They still exist because they were conserved by international agreement, just before ‘development’ could wipe them out. Now, their numbers have increased, and people come to see them and spend their money here.

The economic future of Hermanus lies in environmental and adventure tourism. It is damaging our own future to permit conservation areas to be encroached upon by development or to encourage investment in shopping malls that no tourist wants to enter, rather than smaller retail outlets that tourists want to use.

Horticultural Society and another at South Africa House. It was well known that many visitors made journeys to Hermanus because of the wild flowers they saw at these shows.

He also introduced children from the local schools to fynbos by taking them on walks on Hoy’s Koppie and supervised them in building stone retaining walls to control soil erosion there.

He was Mayor in 1920 and received the award of Freeman of Hermanus in 1960. He died in 1964 at the age of 89. Meester well understood how economically vital a pristine environment was and would be to Hermanus.

This was well understood by one of Hermanus’s early mayors, William Hugh (“Meester”) Paterson.

This imposing figure was born in Hermanus in 1874 and after obtaining a teacher’s training qualification, became first a teacher at and later principal of the school in Hermanus. He was deeply interested in the environment in which the little village was located and the wild flowers that grew around it.

The Hermanus History Society has made a considerable contribution to our town in the past four years. It financed the translation and printing of an Afrikaans history of Hawston, and published two books about the era of the great hotel holiday in Hermanus in the period 1920 to 1947. With assistance from the Municipality, it has erected two historical boards on the Cliff Path to inform tourists and has put up eight memorial plaques at points of historical interest, such as Hoy’s Koppie and Swallow Park.

In 1923 Meester Paterson collaborated with the Luyt family to take two large cases of wild flowers to the UK and establish a market for them there. He was always available to accompany guests at any of the thirteen hotels into the unspoilt fynbos, many years before the Fernkloof Nature Reserve and the Cliff Path. He helped organise two horticultural shows in London in the 1930s, one at the Royal

A total of 15 illustrated talks on aspects of Hermanus have been given to various audiences in and outside the town, and three research papers posted on the international website The Heritage Portal (www.theheritageportal.co.za).

Original research has been completed concerning the life of Sir William Hoy, who prevented a rail link from Bot River to Hermanus in the early 20th century and decisively

Cleaning fish at the Old Harbour, 1930s.

STATELY OLD LADY The Marine Hotel, 1910

LEMM’S CORNER A procession down Harbour Road by Hermanus High School to celebrate the Spring Festival during the 1960s. changed the history of the town. Other research papers led to a deal with the radar stations that operated in Betty’s Bay in World War II, as well as the development of the water supply in Greater Hermanus since 1895. Two Street Scapes (illustrated accounts of the history of Aberdeen Street) have been completed and are publicly available on the History

Society website (www.hermanus-historysociety.co.za).

Other projects in hand include an oral history of Zwelihle, a history of the New Harbour from the 1930s to today, and a history of the De Wet’s Huis Photographic Museum. The Hermanus History Society now has more than 100 members and is

Early school teachers in the 1920s, with Meester Patterson in the centre.

Sir Willaim Hoy.

launching yet another project, researching the history of High Street in the Hermanus CBD, as part of the envisaged revitalisation of the Central Business District.

If you would like to become a member of the Hermanus History Society you can contact Robin on 028 312 4072 or robinlee@hermanus.co.za

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20 September 2016

Time to buy those Village Ball tickets!

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ith more than a third of the tickets for the Hermanus Village Ball sold, excitement is building for this community driven initiative in support of our senior citizens.

Organised by a community committee chaired by Janet Hugo of Sterling Private Wealth, this unique music and dinner-dance will be hosted at the Sandbaai Hall on Saturday 1 October. “This event is about to become the highlight of the Hermanus annual social calendar,” says Janet. “We are inviting the community to sponsor a senior citizen to an evening of delicious dining, stirring music and fun dancing – with each other or with learners from the Interact Rotary committee, who will host the event and accompany the seniors.”

Janet’s interest was piqued when she heard about a school in Canada that has hosted a senior dance annually for 28 years in a row. What makes this dance special is that it is hosted by the learners of the school and brings two generations together that normally have little contact socially.

Thus inspired, Janet contacted the headmaster of Hermanus High School, Greg Hassenkamp, to collaborate

HERMANUS FLOWER FESTIVAL: 22 – 25 SEPTEMBER

with Sterling Wealth on this project. The school has agreed to let Janet have the venue for this year’s matric dance on Friday 30 September in the Sandbaai Hall. With the venue already decorated, instead of taking it all down the next day, the décor will remain in place for The Village Ball on the Saturday.

“The Village Ball will not only be a night to remember, but also a golden opportunity for the community to work together in making something special happen in our town,” says Janet. “Let’s all take hands and make this happen!”

Anyone who would like to take part in this happy occasion is invited to sponsor an elderly person. Tickets sell at R280 per person and are available from Marietjie Haman at the Sterling Private Wealth office in Mitchell Street. For more information, contact Marietjie on 0861 888 987.

Celebrate Heritage Weekend at this year’s Hermanus Flower Festival at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. The theme for this year’s festival is Fynbos and Fire and there will be entertainment for the whole family, including environmental exhibits, food, drink, crafts, walks and more.

The entrance fee for anyone entering the reserve this weekend is R120 per adult and children under 12 or in school uniform enter free.

THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER Pensioner’s Day: Entry fee for pensioners is R10 • 9am– 4pm: Guided visits by learners from local primary schools • 1 – 4pm: Face painting – your favourite flower, beetle, snake or spider! (Donation) • 3 – 4pm: Slithering Fynbos snakes in the amphitheatre

FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER • 9am – 4pm: The Alpacas are back!

• 9am – 1pm: Guided visits by learners from local primary schools • 11am – 12 noon: Slithering Fynbos snake demo in the amphitheatre • 1 – 4pm: Face Painting – your favourite flower, beetle, snake or spider! (Donation) • 2.30 – 4pm: Fynbos, Fire & Frogs: Whale Coast Conservation Eco-Experience in Fernkloof. Fee: R100, book on site or contact anina.wcc@gmail.com SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER • 9am – 4pm: The Alpacas are back!

• 10.30 – 11.30am: Treasure Hunt for the little ones (Fee: R10) • 11 am: Bill Liltved answers questions about orchids and

the rare Disa forficaria • 12 – 1pm: Slithering Fynbos snake demo in the amphitheatre • 1 – 4pm: Face Painting – your favourite flower, beetle, snake or spider! (Donation) • 1 – 2.30pm: Fynbos, Fire and Frogs: WCC Eco-Experience in Fernkloof. Fee: R100. Book on site or contact anina.wcc@gmail.com • 2 – 3pm: Kids, join the Clueless Calamity Challenge!

• 3 – 4pm: Join thephotowalkers.com for a Macro & Close-up Photography workshop. Fee: R100. Contact Leanne at funtimes@photowalkers.com SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER • 9 – 10am: Doggy do(o)s & don’ts in the Fynbos, special surprises and a walk on the Blue Route with your fourlegged friend

• 9am – 4pm: The Alpacas are back!

• 10.30 – 11.30: Treasure Hunt for the little ones (Fee: R10) • 11am – 12noon: Join thephotowalkers.com for a Photographic Treasure Hunt.

Fee: R100. Contact Leanne at funtimes@photowalkers.com • 12 – 1pm: Slithering Fynbos snake demo in the amphitheatre • 1 – 4pm: Face Painting – your favourite flower, beetle, snake or spider! (Donation) • 2 – 3pm: Kids, join the Clueless Calamity Challenge!

• 4pm: Raffle draw at the Main entrance to Fernkloof Hall • 4.30pm: Sale of Flower Arrangements from the Hall

Visit www.fernkloof.com or f: hermanusbotanicalsociety

GOOD

NEWS

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

#3 Believe in You, and your abilities T you don’t, “ Ifchances are

his is not a chapter from the autobiography of Pam Golding, or Thuli Madonsela, or Republican president elect Donald Trump, although it could be.

This is the third in our series of SOLOBEAR success stories. The objective behind our narratives from the past is partly to impart interesting snippets of wisdom for our NEWS readers.

More importantly, it is hoped these stories provide some inspiration and motivation for those starting their life’s journey in the world of entrepreneurship and self-help business.

[Lillian Vernon – Founding chairman of Lillian Vernon Catalogues] It wasn’t just the wisdom that my father imparted to me, it was the way he lived his life that left an indelible impression. He was my mentor, my role model, and my inspiration. I owe a large part of

my success as an entrepreneur to his belief in my talent and abilities.

My father took pride in owning his own business from the time I was a little girl growing up in Germany, when he was a successful entrepreneur. He had the insight to move our family to the United States just before the onset of World War II – a move that ultimately saved our lives. With little money, few contacts, and limited knowledge of the English language, he started a small leather-goods manufacturing company in Manhattan and made a good living.

Unlike other men of his generation, he welcomed having women work by his side and he didn’t believe that a woman should stay at home if she wanted to work.

My mother assisted him in his factory all day, and when I was old enough, he asked me to help too. My father sensed

has been blessed with success and good fortune.

nobody else will.

that I had a flair for fashion and he knew I loved to browse through the many interesting shops and boutique stores that lined the streets of New York City.

He was developing a line of leather accessories for young women like me, so he sent me on shopping excursions in search of new designs. The leather bags and belts I chose become our best sellers. I didn’t realise it at the time, but my father was nurturing my talent for merchandising. Thus the seed was planted for what was to become my mail-order entrepreneurial venture several years later.

”

My father told me I had talent and a good idea for starting a business and that I should never let anything get in the way of fulfilling my dream – or I would live to regret it for the rest of my life. It didn’t matter to him that I was a married woman and about to give birth to my first child. He believed I had to be happy, and if that meant starting a company so I could put my skills and energy to good use, then I should do it. Through it all, my father’s faith in me never faltered.

I made a pact with myself never to disappoint him. His advice and support are among the reasons my life

So don’t let challenges, setbacks, or detractors defeat or discourage you. If you believe in yourself and think positively, you will succeed in life.

Now, his political views and critics aside, there is good reason why the name of Donald Trump was mentioned at the start of this narrative. The Trump property brand is a multi-million dollar US success story. Mr Trump certainly has proven he knows how to make money, where to get it, and how to make it grow.

Yet, in spite of all his successes as an entrepreneur and property tycoon, his critics and his fellow colleagues do not rate his fiscal skills as his biggest asset.

No sir! It is his inherent and

constant belief in his abilities under the most trying of circumstances – his tenacity to soldier on and persevere until the objective he set himself was successfully met – that is brand Trump’s greatest character trait and his personal secret weapon. He believes in himself above all else.

So our SOLOBEAR Success#3 rule is simply this: Nobody knows your personal brand like you do. Nobody has the passion for your success in life like you do. So nobody is better equipped to motivate you to achieve than you yourself. Believe in your own abilities, invest in yourself, and you will succeed.

Rola VW Hermanus are proud supporters of SOLOBEAR. Pioneer your own Frontier.

A youth art development initiative in the interests of Overstrand entrepreneurship.

20 September 2016

NEWS

GOOD

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• Hermanus Music Society: Concert guitarist Avril Kinsey will perform at the Bouchard Finlayson Wine Estate, at 18:00 for 18:30. Tickets are R120 pp.

Contact Cliff at vcmoran@iafrica.com or 028 313 0567 to book.

Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October

Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 September • Hermanus Flower Festival: Celebrate Heritage weekend at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Marvel at the signature floral display in the Fernkloof Hall, as well as the over 300 labelled fynbos specimens.

There will be environmental exhibits in the marquee and various crafts for sale. Visitors can follow a self-directed walk or sign up for a guided walk in the reserve, and there will be lots of entertainment for the little ones. The Fynbos Café will serve a selection of teas and lunches in the gardens and the Fernkloof Nursery will be selling a large variety of colourful indigenous plants. Daily from 09:00 – 17:00. The entrance fee is R120 per adult; children under 12 or in school uniform enter free; pensioners pay only R10 on Thursday.

Saturday 24 September • Beaumont Heritage Day Barrel Lunch: Beaumont Wines in Botrivier presents a delicious Heritage menu paired with their proudly South African wines. Guests will meet at the cellar at 11:30 for a gentle walk on the historical family farm, and a tractor trip to the old water mill where snacks and wine will be enjoyed before moving to the barrel cellar for a four-course lunch. To book your place at R415 pp, email info@beaumont.co.za or call 028 284 9194.

Friday 23 September • U3A Talk on Chronic Medication Costs: The second talk in U3A Overberg’s course on the Latest Medical Developments, presented by Dr Nico Abel.

At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• Senior citizen concert: Avbob Hermanus presents a fundraising concert in aid of Huis Lettie Theron, with Chris Coetzer and guest artist Greunen. At 14:30 at the Dutch Reformed Church in Onrus. All senior citizens enter free. To book, contact 074 381 8895 or bugleproh@gmail.com

• Youth Day Celebration: Join the Zwelihle Youth Café in celebrating our local culture with food, drink, music and dance, from 13:30. Call Fikiswa on 076 969 5830 for more details.

• Full Moon Stroll: Gather at The Royal Oke on Sir Robert Stanford Estate and enjoy the rising moon, from 17:30 – 19:30. R20 per adult, R10 per child and R10 per dog. Kids will receive free refreshments.

Glowsticks, wine, sherry and sausage rolls will also be on sale. Call 028 341 0647.

• Funky Fynbos Festival: The Third Funky Fynbos Festival will be held at Flower Valley Farm. There will be Fynbos Trail Runs, four MTB rides as well as a 12 km fun ride. The Flower Valley Conservation Trust will offer their unique brand of fun activities, with local crafts, delicious food, craft beers, music and entertainment. Lomond Wine Estate will host a fly fishing competition, wine tasting, pop-up restaurant and lots of fun for the children on the banks of the dam. The traditional fynbos display will be set up at Groeneweide farm, as well as a garden expo, breakfast and lunch. Visit www.funkyfynbos.co.za for race and festival information or contact karen.funkyfynbos@gmail.com

Friday 23 & 30 September • Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats at the Hermanus Library for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats), every Friday, 09:00-11:30.

• ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Senior citizens in the area are invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Service Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 September

Saturday 24 September & 1 October

• Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 10:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

• The Hermanus Country Market: Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

Stunning food, fresh and wholesome goodies.

• Market in the Garden: At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, 09:00-13:00. A wonderful market set amongst the trees in the heart of town.

• Stanford Saturday Morning Market: The Stanford Hotel, 09:30-12:00. Farmers, crafters and hobbyists bring to you homemade and homebaked goodies.

• Swallow Park Market: From 09:00 to 13:00.

• Whale Festival sporting events: Benguela Cove Wine Estate on the Bot River lagoon will be teaming up with both TriSport and Big Bay Events to present a line-up of sporting events that include a Night Trail Run on the Friday evening, a morning Trail Run on the Saturday, and the Benguela Freedom Swim on the Sunday. Find more information on P 10 or visit www.trisport.co.za Sergey Malov from Russia on violin, South African Peter Martens on cello and Bryan Wallick from the USA on piano. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 15:30. Tickets are R130 for adults and R60 for scholars. Book with Bellini Gallery in the Village Square or contact Klaus on 082 940 4238.

• Hermanus Comedy Club: Classic comedian Barry Hilton’s show this month promises to have you laughing out loud with hilarious sets from popular Cape Town-based comedians Carl Weber, Tracy Klass and Justin Ray Stoffels. At The Classroom in The Village, from 18:00 – 21:00.

Tickets at R100 pp can be bought online at www.barryhilton.com or call 082 731 1311. There will be no door sales and seating is unreserved.

Easy-eating meals and a full bar will be on offer.

Monday 26 September • Strandveld Museum excursion: The Hermanus History Society (HHS) will be visiting the Strandveld Museum in Franskraal. Make your own way there and meet up at 10:30 for a presentation by the owners of the museum on the fascinating history of the area and the largest private collection of Birkenhead relics. R10 pp.

Contact robinlee@hermanus.co.za for all the details and directions.

Tuesday 27 September • Coastal Clean-up: Join Antonio da Silva on an 11 km Awareness Hike, from 09:30 – 12:30 to help clean the coastline of washed-up litter. The hike will start at Danger Point Lighthouse and proceed into the restricted coastal area of I&J Abalone Farm. Only 40 people allowed. Call Antonio on 072 462 4271.

Thursday 29 September

• Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00.

Free timed 5 km walk or run come rain or shine.

The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

• Lemm’s Corner Market: From 08:30, Main Road, Hermanus. Crafts, clothes, jewellery, bags, toys and art.

• Hermanus Whale Festival: This popular annual festival makes a splash in honour of the Southern Right Whales. There will be lots to experience and enjoy, including whale watching, the Eco-Marine tent, Whales & Wheels Classic Car Show, arts & crafts stalls, live shows and entertainment in the music marquee. Get all the details on P 10 or visit www.whalefestival.co.za

Sunday 25 September • Photography Workshops: Join thephotowalkers.com in a celebration of Hermanus’s heritage with two photographic workshops. The first one, from 07:00 – 09:30, will teach you all you need to know about architecture photography as you wander through some of the town’s historic buildings. The second workshop, Reflections on a Wine Farm, will focus on landscape photography on the magnificent Hamilton Russell Estate, from 07:00 – 09:00. For more details and to book, contact Leanne on 083 293 7208 or funtimes@thephotowalkers.com • Nose to Tail Trail: Meet on the Stanford Village Green and walk your dog around this scenic village to raise funds for Stanford Animal Welfare Society. Registration from 09:30; all dogs have to be on leashes. Lucky number prizes to be won.

Tickets are R30 per dog (owners free), available from the Stanford Vet Clinic. Call them on 028 3410 547, or contact Annie Ranger 028 3410 984 or ranger@reedcottage.co.za • Food & Wine Pairing: Join chef Anton Verhoogt, Sumaridge Wines and the Vanderbolt Coffee Company at Fisherman’s Cottage for an afternoon of food, wine and live music, from 12:00 – 16:00. R450 pp. To book, contact 072 368 3991 or info@vanderboltcc.co.za • OAK Concert: Overstrand Arts / Kunste presents three Russian trio works by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky performed by

• Watershed: A live performance by Watershed, one of South Africa’s favourite bands, will kick off this year’s Whale Festival. At the Hermanus Golf Club, starting at 18:30. Tickets are R300 pp and include dinner and craft beer. For bookings, contact 084 522 5223 or preventssa@gmail.com

Saturday 1 October • Wingerd, Woord & Lied: Join ELL at Spookfontein for an evening of Afrikaans music and poetry paired with a delicious three-course meal. Tickets are R250 pp. To book, contact Renata Roos on 083 265 0421.

• The Village Ball: Support the elderly in our community by sponsoring a ticket to the Hermanus Senior Citizens Dinner Dance, at the Sandbaai Hall, from 17:30. Tickets are available at www.webtickets.co.za or at the Hermanus Investment Society office at 9 Mitchell Street; call 0861 888 987. The cost of R280 pp includes dinner and a dance.

Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 October

• Baardskeedersbos Art Route: Join the Baardskeerdersbos art community for an eclectic, colourful and creative weekend of open houses and galleries, from 10:00 until late on both days.

This is a rare opportunity to meet the reclusive local artists in their studios and view their work, as well as exhibits by guest artists from the Overberg and Cape Town. Get all the details on www.baardskeerdersbosartroute.com

Monday 3 October • U3A Afrikaans Series: The popular and highly acclaimed Afrikaans journalist and author, Dana Snyman, will present a talk about one of his latest books, In die Bloukamp. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Tuesday 4 – Wednesday 5 October • Bird Identification Course: The Hermanus Bird Club will run a basic bird identification course for beginners presented by Mike Ford over two days.

The course covers seven main aspects of identification and is accompanied by audio-visual aids and printed notes. The cost is R110 for members and R125 for non-members. At the Fernkloof Hall, from 09:00 – 12:30 on both days. To book, contact peta.mcadam@gmail.com

Wednesday 5 October

• Okkie Smuts Barn Dance: Dress up and dance the evening away in aid of Okkie Smuts Primary School in Stanford. From 18:30 at Beloftebos.

R170 pp includes a three-course meal. Get your tickets at the school office or call 028 341 0611.

Friday 30 September • Sketchcrawl: Artists and sketchers are welcome to join the 11th outdoor Sketchcrawl. Meet at Fernkloof Nature Reserve at 08:00. For more info, contact Charmé Southey on 082 773 9125.

• U3A Talk on Cardiology: The third talk in U3A Overberg’s course on the Latest Medical Developments, presented by Dr Shirley Middelmost. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• Stanford Sunset Market: The Sunset Market is back! Enjoy a great evening of local wines, beers, foods, crafts, gifts and live music, from 18:00 – 20:00.

• Cliff Path Night Run: Join the popular annual Night Run sponsored by cashcows.com. Do the 6 km fun run from The Marine to Grotto Beach which sets off at 18:00 (entry fee: R50) or run the 10 km from the New Harbour to Grotto Beach, departing at 18:30 (entry fee: R120). Park at Grotto and use the shuttle to The Marine or New Harbour. A torch or headlamp is compulsory. Pre-entries on www.entrytime.com close on 3 October. The prizegiving is at 20:00 at Dutchies on Grotto, with great cash prizes, lucky draws and a Whale Tail medal for all.

Village

EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • LIFE

How sweet is our valley

Hedda Mittner

W

ith its unique terroir and cool maritime climate, the Hemelen-Aarde region has produced an explosion of quality wines in the last decade – and in particular Pinot Noir, known as the most elusive of grapes.

Already acclaimed worldwide for producing the best Pinot Noir in South Africa, our valley is now also receiving global recognition, with local Pinots outshining those from other New World wineries in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and the USA.

WINE AND SHINE Husband-and-wife team, Nadia and Gordon Newton Johnson, have a holistic understanding of their vineyard sites and make wine with a soft hand.

This family-owned winery in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is no stranger to accolades, having been awarded five stars in the Platter’s Wine Guide for every single vintage of Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir submitted since 2009. That makes it seven 5star vintages in a row – an extraordinary track record that is unmatched by any other producer. We’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see if they’ll continue their winning streak when the 2017 Platter’s Guide is released in November.

In his SA Special Report that was recently published, British Wine Master Tim Atkin described the 2015 vintage as “the best I’ve tasted in 26 years of writing about South Africa’s wines”. No small statement coming from an award-winning wine writer, editor and broadcaster, who also serves on the judging panel of several international wine competitions.

This is Tim’s fourth annual guide to South African wine, which classifies the Cape’s best wine producers of 2016. "A winning combination of better viticulture, the development of new wine regions and the emergence of a young generation of wine-making talent make South Africa the most dynamic wine-producing country in the world right now,” he says.

Atkin's publication, which runs to almost 190 pages and is the

product of two trips to the Cape this year, as well as further tastings in the UK and Germany, includes scores for over 1 400 wines, his 2016 classification of the 150 best South African wineries, and the six top wines – White, Red, Sweet and Sparkling Wine of the Year, as well as the White and Red Wine Discovery of the Year. Taking pride of place on this distinguished podium as the Red Wine Discovery of the Year is Newton Johnson’s CWG Seadragon Pinot Noir 2015.

WINE WITH A VIEW The magnificent landscape of the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

In addition to his top six wines, Atkin has nominated a further 96 labels, all of which scored 95 points or more, as his Wines of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, the wines in the Pinot Noir category are all local wines from the Overberg region, and again both the Newton Johnson CWG Seadragon Pinot Noir 2015 and Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir

2015 (Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley) were selected, along with Creation The Art of Pinot Noir 2015 (Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge), Crystallum Mabalel Pinot Noir 2015 (Botrivier), Paul Cluver Seven Flags Pinot Noir 2015 (Elgin), and Storm Ignis Pinot Noir 2015 (Upper Hemelen-Aarde Valley).

The Tim Atkin SA Special Report follows closely on Decanter wine magazine’s series on The Best New World Pinot Noirs that was published earlier this year. Once again, Newton Johnson featured in Decanter’s global selection of the 11 Best Pinot Noir Wines outside Burgundy, with the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2013 coming in at third place behind a Pinot Noir from Australia and the winning Pinot Noir from Germany.

The article states that “It’s quite clear that Pinot Noir can thrive throughout the world, and our expert tasters have appraised wines from the far reaches of the globe. Climate, as much as terroir, accounts for this. There are sweet spots as remote from each other as the Casablanca Valley in Chile, Central Otago in New Zealand, and the cool coastal areas of South Africa. In these places, the combination of ideal microclimates and impassioned winemakers seems to deliver the most exciting wines.”

There can certainly no longer be any doubt that our valley is indeed a sweet spot when it comes to producing worldclass Pinot Noir, right here on our doorstep.

10

LIFESTYLE

20 SEPTEMBER 2016

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner POP-UP STEAK The community of Hermanus has rallied in support of Bruce and Christine Henderson, whose iconic restaurant, B’s Steakhouse in The Village, burnt down in the early hours of 7 September. Three days later, staff members were back at work, selling steak rolls to the public, which they prepared on a portable gas braai in front of the burnt-out shell of the restaurant. The team will be back every Saturday between 09:00 and 13:00 for the next few weeks to generate funds in support of the staff who have been left without an income.

Christine said they were devastated by the fire and are still uncertain of what caused the blaze. “The insurers are conducting an investigation and all we can do now is wait for the outcome.” Bruce, Christine and their staff have expressed their sincere thanks to all the people who are so generously supporting their pop-up restaurant. Anyone who is familiar with the quality of B’s steak will know that this is a cause worth supporting, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. So bring your friends and family for a mean steak roll and enjoy it al fresco at the tables that have been set up in front of the restaurant. On Saturday, Denise Page was one of the many who enjoyed a steak roll served to her by B’s staff members Karen Burger and Kim Bishop.

Almond Custard Tarts with Roasted Strawberries Makes 8 INGREDIENTS 300ml milk 50g castor sugar 45g flaked almonds, toasted 1 egg 2 egg yolks 25g cake flour 20g butter, chopped ½ tsp almond essence 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 sheet (25 x 25cm) frozen butter puff pastry, just thawed 8 medium-sized strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved METHOD Bring the milk, sugar and almonds to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Set aside for 1 hour to infuse.

Strain milk mixture into a jug.

Discard almonds. Return milk mixture to pan.

the boil. Cook, whisking, for 1 minute or until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in butter, almond essence and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, egg yolks and flour in a heatproof bowl until thick and pale. Bring milk mixture to boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.

Transfer to the pan. Bring to

Preheat oven to 200°C. Use a round 8cm pastry cutter to cut 8 discs from the pastry.

Line six 3cm-deep muffin tins with the pastry discs. Prick the bases with a fork.

Spoon custard into the pastry

cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until custard is just set and the tarts are golden.

Meanwhile, line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the strawberry, extra sugar and remaining vanilla on the prepared tray. Roast for 7-10 minutes or until the strawberry starts to soften.

Add a little orange zest and fresh mint and toss to combine.

Clean Eating Recipies

by Emilia Knight

LIFESTYLE

20 SEPTEMBER 2016

11

The 1 where you want to be Hedda Mittner

T

here’s a new kid on Marine Drive, a luxurious five-star boutique hotel that offers five spacious, seafacing rooms with private balconies. Situated on the seafront, the hotel is within easy walking distance of the town centre and its many restaurants, art galleries and specialty shops. The Cliff Path is only a few hundred metres away and guests could even watch the whales from their rooms and balconies.

One Marine Drive Boutique Hotel is the second property in the Cape Collection, owned by Antony Trop, John Stewart, and Bob and Caroline Jones-Davies, who have been running the award-winning guesthouse, Blackheath Lodge in Sea Point, Cape Town, for the last ten years. For their third property, which is still in the pipeline, they are looking towards the Cape Winelands.

John and Antony had lived in Australia for two years before relocating to the UK, where they spent seven years before returning to South Africa 12 years ago. This was the beginning of a new career path for Antony, a graphic designer by trade, and John, who is a quantity surveyor. “We were on holiday in Cape Town in December 2005 when we found the Blackheath Lodge, promptly bought it and returned to London to sell our

flat and move back permanently as the new owners of a guesthouse,” says Antony.

Starting out with a sevenbedroom establishment, Antony and John continued to revamp and enlarge their guesthouse over the years by purchasing the neighbouring houses on both sides when they came onto the market.

“We ended up with 16 rooms and have thoroughly enjoyed our venture into the hospitality industry,” says Antony.

No strangers to Hermanus, the couple often stayed at the holiday home of John’s parents in Fernkloof. In December last year, they heard that the guesthouse then known as Avalon on Sea was on the market. “We’d been thinking of expanding for some time before we saw the property,” says Antony.

Once they’d bought the property, they considered renovating but in the end decided to rather demolish the building and start with a blank canvas.

“Blackheath Lodge is a Victorian property which has a lot of charm, but after years of renovating it was quite exhilarating to embark on a new project from scratch.

With a dream team headed by architect Nicolette Lloyd and builder Hill Greyling, we were able to create a space exactly the way we want it – fresh, white, light and contemporary,” says Antony.

The project was completed in

a record time of seven months.

The bedrooms have all been named after women in the family – Joy (for John’s mom), Dulcie (Antony’s late mother), Liese (Antony’s sister), Ashley, Susan and Caroline (John’s sisters), and Emily and Isabella (John’s nieces). All the rooms are spacious and inviting, with private balconies and stunning sea views. Antony and John did all the interior design themselves and the result is a relaxed elegance with the emphasis on style and comfort.

VIEWS TO DIE FOR All five bedrooms of 1 Marine Drive are sea-facing and enjoy fabulous views across Walker Bay.

One Marine Drive offers secure parking, free wifi, satellite TV channels, the use of an iPad and mobile phone, and complimentary tea and coffee available day and night. Looking after guests’ needs is general manager Natasha van Zyl, a true local who received her training at the Windsor Hotel before moving on to Misty Waves and Pelagus House.

A full home-made breakfast is served in the dining area or on the outdoor patio, next to the heated swimming pool set in a secluded courtyard garden. Guests can also relax in the living area and enjoy a drink at the friendly bar against the scenic backdrop of panoramic sea views.

For bookings, contact 028 313 1234 or stay@1md.co.za.

Visit www.1md.co.za

UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE The suites of 1 Marine Drive offer luxurious comfort.

READY FOR SEASON Antony Trop, co-owner of 1 Marine Drive, relaxes with a cup of coffee in the secluded courtyard garden.

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20 SEPTEMBER 2016

Ten hoorays for the Country Market Aly Verbaan

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rying to navigate one’s way around the traffic converging on the Hermanus Country Market at the cricket grounds on Saturdays, it’s hard to believe that this bustling market germinated from a little seed in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, thanks to the opportunity given to organiser Liza van Coppenhagen by the Botanical Society.

Nurtured by 15 traders who brought their beautiful homegrown produce to share, the market has over the past decade grown in leaps and bounds into something of a legend to visitors and locals alike.

“Starting out, traders had tree stumps to sit on, a few ridiculous umbrellas and a tiny little sandpit,” says Liza. “But at least we were surrounded by the beauty of Fernkloof and the spirit of the market flourished.

Each trader brought their own gazebo or umbrella, table and trestles, which were squeezed into a tiny wooden shed each weekend, and two people had to help shoo the baboons away.”

The market continued to grow and people followed it after moving to the Hermanus Montessori School grounds and finally to its present site at the cricket grounds, where the market has been a permanent and wildly popular fixture for seven years.

The Country Market is now a bustling affair with over 80 traders, a jungle gym, solid structures for each trader to trade from, roofs to allow vendors to trade in the rain, plus seating for over 300 visitors. It’s blessed with vibrant traders, who keep the positive energy flowing each week, and who make each Saturday rewarding with early morning banter and laughter, and their willingness to help each other out no matter what.

Says Liza, “It has been an incredible period of my life and I have loved every moment except for when the market got flooded in 2013! I have met so many people, many traders have come and gone, but the essence of the market has remained unchanged - a place where locals can meet up, have coffee, let the kids and dogs run free, and find special produce to enjoy through the week, or perhaps a present for someone special.

“It makes me so happy to see the same faces each week smiling, relaxing and enjoying what there is on offer, as these locals are what make this market so enjoyable for our tourists and visitors from out of town. So many tourists in the world are robbed of the

opportunity to just chat to locals, and I think this is one of the many special attractions Hermanus has to offer.”

Liza says one of her most memorable highlights was having Hermann and Candelaria Zapp and their four children arrive at the market in their 1928 vintage car, having travelled through over 40 countries in 11 years, and about to embark on travelling through the rest of Africa. “They stayed with us to sell their book, making a bit of money to keep their dream alive. They were such an inspiration.”

The Hermanus Country Market has come a long way in 10 years - from its humble beginnings as the Farmer’s Market in Fernkloof (above) to its current premises at the cricket grounds (below).

Susan Jordaan is one of the original traders, and specialises in her delectable pizzas, jaffles and pumpkin fritters. Susan says initially she was surprised the market took off so fast, “but then I realised it was a winner, and so it is! I think it will grow even more, judging from where we started to our popularity now. Part of the attraction is the variety of wares, and the extra charm is that we are like a family, even the buyers - we all know each other - it’s like our weekly social gathering. You just can’t come to Hermanus and not visit the market. Not possible!”

As the definitive word in dedication, take Joey O'Kennedy, with her delicious bakes, cakes and muffins. Joey is in her 80s, still bakes up a storm each week, and has only missed 12 trading days in a decade. “It is clear that customers find this direct contact with the producer of the goods on offer hugely appealing,” says Liza. “Markets have been around for centuries, and their popularity has stood the test of time.”

As Liza says, “We have always enjoyed the privilege of showcasing our local charities, school fundraisers and community groups, and this has added great value to the market, as I believe that one must continuously give to get back. The local chess club now play against visitors for a donation - this will help them go on tour at the end of the year and it is this type of interaction that makes this market so special.”

A closing word from Liza: “We look forward to trading for another 10 years and will continue to bring the best quality products from the happiest, smiling traders to you all. Thank you to all the locals, swallows and weekenders of Hermanus. You have made this market what it is, and we truly appreciate your loyal support!”

The Hermanus Country Market will celebrate its 10th birthday on Saturday 24 September - don a crazy hat and join in the fun!

A FLOWER IN BLOOM The organiser of the Hermanus Country Market, Liza van Coppenhagen, manages the ever-growing market with passion and dedication, featuring local products only. “Markets have been around for centuries, and their popularity has stood the test of time,” says Liza.

Nicole Marais (left) from Cape Town is a regular visitor who loves the clothing stall of Elenore Wessels (right).

Local resident Roelof Coetzee (middle) relaxes over a glass of wine with visiting friends from Durban, Stephen Campbell and Don Lange.

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

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New drivers for Ford

here is a new team as the driving force at Ford Hermanus.

Tank and Isabell Coetzee and Wikus and Adré Niemand took ownership of the dealership at the beginning of September.

ON THE ROAD Camphill School would like to thank Grand Gaming Corporate Social Investment Company for the generous donation of a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus. The support of donors is essential in enabling Camphill School to provide services of a high standard to all their learners.

Says Michelle van Zyl of Camphill School: “We also extend a special thanks to Rola Motors Commercial Vehicles, André Potgieter (Helderberg) and Joanne Leuner (Bredasdorp) for all their generous support and safe delivery of the bus.”

“Both Wikus and I have many years of experience in the motoring industry and we are looking forward to taking Ford Hermanus to new heights,” says Tank.

Tank and Isabell hail from Graaff Reinet where he was the Dealer Principal at Ford Midland Auto. He has also served for many years on the Ford National Dealership Forum. Wikus and Adré are from Vereeniging in Gauteng, where he was sales manager at Land Rover and Nissan.

“We are all passionate about golf. I was involved in the Graaff Reinet Golf Club and have become an honorary life member there. Wikus and Adré have already become members of the Hermanus Golf Club,” says Tank. Wikus is also an avid squash player.

According to Wikus their aim is to deliver top quality client service and ensure that any dealings with the public will be such a positive experience that their clients will return to do

THE POWER OF BLUE: Ryno Steyn, Anele Baartman, Pierre Roberts, Tank Coetzee, Yongama Hokwana, Alec Koberzig, Kallie Koberzig, Nelisiwe Mbiza, Karin Roberts, Sandra Kruger, Francis van Wyk, Isabella Coetzee , Adré Niemand and Wikus Niemand business with them.

“We are passionate not only about maintaining excellent

customer service but we are also truly dedicated to supporting local.

“We will endeavour to support local business as much as we can,” says Wikus.

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NEWS Spring into garden action with Fernkloof Nursery

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20 September 2016

There’s still time to get your garden going in time for summertime and Christmas. Here’s Geraldine Gardiner’s quick pick-six…

AGAPANTHUS MIDNIGHT STAR Although I am a spectacular blue, my family come in a variety of colours and sizes and have exotic names like mine, or Snowbaby, Lilac Flash and Storm’s River. Many of us have been hybridised to enhance our beauty. We love sunshine, we are baboon- and tortoiseproof, and if you put us in damp soil and acidic compost now, we will reward you with blooms for Christmas - quite literally. I am considered to be both a magical and a medicinal plant, and the plant of fertility and pregnancy, so be careful how you use me...

OSTEOSPERMUM MICROPHYLLUM I prefer to be called Bronze Sunrise, which is the name botanist Jack Bold here at Fernkloof has given me. I’m related to Serenity Sunset and Louisa.

My scientific name is derived from the Greek osteon (bone) and Latin spermum (seed). We love the sun all day and we are not just pretty faces - we are safe from snails and can fend off baboons, but we occasionally allow a tortoise or two to visit. Just remember to deadhead us after our beauty has faded, so we can regenerate. We are an instant garden for spring.

SALVIA CHAMELAEAGNEA As you can see, I am a lightblue sage, but my family also come in white, brown, black, purple, red, yellow, magenta, lilac and indigo. Just call us the rainbow nation. We are well suited to coastal conditions, love the light, and will flower for your Christmas guests. We produce long flower spikes that last for years if you remember to prune us in winter. All we ask for is good drainage and acidic compost.

Whether it’s beauty you’re after, or a little aromatherapy, there’s a salvia that’s right for you. I smell good and birds find me irresistible.

COLEONEMA PINK DIAMOND I am a pink confetti bush but am also evergreen, I have fine, soft foliage that is luxuriant to the touch and I bear masses of flower in winter and spring. I attract butterflies to your garden, and my aromatic leaves have various medicinal uses; folklore has it that fishermen use my leaves like a bar of soap to remove the smell of bait from their hands. I fit well into a mixed fynbos garden and full sunlight brings out the best in me - beautiful and lasting flower displays. Bees and other insects are also attracted to my delectable nectar.

CLIVIA I am commonly called a bush lily, but I’d like to inform you that my family name is in fact Amaryllida-ceae. I am only found in South Africa and Swaziland and am virtually a member of the royal family.

Clivia nobilis became the first named of my species when in 1828 the Kew botanist John Lindley named it in honour of Charlotte Percy (née Clive), Duchess of Northumberland at that time, who was for a time the governess of the future Queen Victoria. I don’t mean to be highmaintenance, but I insist on shade for my delicate complexion.

The aptly named Geraldine Gardiner is all green, not just her fingers. At 84, she relishes nothing more than gardening, be it at home or at the Fernkloof Reserve Nursery.

Conservation is the name of her game. She is the doyenne of fynbos, and is consulted by many on the where, when, how, how often, how acidic, and how much water of any given fynbos species you care to mention. Of notable journalistic background, this indefatigable restorer-in-chief of the Fernkloof Botanical Gardens, writer and former editor of the Botanical Society’s Herbs newsletter for a decade, show publicist and former BotSoc committee member, is one of the organisers of the highly regarded annual flower show at Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

To advertise in

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VILLAGE

ERICA SESSILIFLORA Aka white bottlebrush heath or “groenheide” in Afrikaans, I am not only one of the Cape’s most popular tube-flowered ericas, but I am Geraldine’s personal favourite of all the many ericas. Oddly, I am difficult to find but easy to grow (in acidic soil), I adore the sunshine and am flowering right now. I am unusual among ericas as I am serotinous - I retain my seeds for up to seven years on the bush or until the bush is burnt, whereupon the seed is released. I’m the only erica that can do this. I’m superclever that way.

News You Can Use

Phone Kathy on 083 581 7219

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NEWS Hermanus stands together to assist the needy 20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

Talisman Hire and the Gas Hub have stepped up to assist Tronel Meintjies of Hermanus Staan Saam (HSS), who has been helping countless residents over the past four years to put food on their table and clothe their children.

HSS has brought comfort and joy not only to the less fortunate, but also the elderly, the sick, disabled and dying.

Tronel’s tireless efforts have seen her organisation grow into an indispensable pillar of support for the vulnerable members of our society.

This forms part of The Village NEWS’s Helping Hand column, sponsored by Talisman Hire, which highlights the plight of local charitable organisations every month.

“HSS would not be possible without the community’s involvement. There are so many people who have opened their hearts to us and, in turn, enabled us to make

Tronel firmly believes that to give is to receive. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing the smile on someone’s face whose life has been changed by even the smallest of gestures,” she says.

commitment to giving back to the community. Gas Hub opened its doors in September last year as suppliers of cylinder gas, gas refills and gas installations in the Overberg area. Talisman is a plant and tool hire company that supplies everything from scaffolding to ladders, drills and generators.

individuals to join us in helping local charitable organisations reach their goals.

Joe Terblanche of Talisman Hire and Steve Rundle of Gas Hub say their support of HSS forms part of their

The Village NEWS congratulates them on their assistance and we challenge other businesses and

Keep your eyes peeled for the next edition of Helping Hand in The Village NEWS on 4 October.

many a resident’s life a little brighter,” says Tronel.

Donations to HSS can be made to: Capitec Bank, Hermanus, account no.

1359638669, branch code: 470010. Tronel can be contacted on 082 737 1226.

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20 September 2016

U3A: The best vision is insight Aly Verbaan

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re you using a magnifying glass to read this? Blurry? Font too small?

According to a talk given by Hermanus ophthalmologist Johan Pretorius of Pappin and Pretorius Optometrists on Friday, help of all descriptions is at hand. This was the second in a series entitled Latest Medical Developments offered by the U3A. Chatting to some 80-plus attendees, a smorgasbord of ocular illnesses and spectacular cures were presented, ranging from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, diabetes, smart contact lenses, to the effect of “blue light” and melatonin on sleep and sight.

Johan, who comes with a catalogue of qualifications, and is clearly passionate about his profession, spoke about new developments in the world of sight: eye-opening to say the least. But first, he pointed out that Hermanus is unique in that we have five ophthalmologists

and five optometrists: in South Africa the ratio is 1 per 54 500 people. The situation is less dire in terms of optometrists - 1 per 16 000.

The point is, Hermanus residents have at their disposal much more time and expertise to have their eye issues seen to. Also statistically speaking, 42% of people with eye trouble simply need specs, 33% have cataracts, 1% have AMD, and the rest are due to other factors, the majority of which can be improved or cured by current huge advances in medical technology.

For example, stem cells are now being implanted into biodegradable “contact lenses”, which then multiply in the eye, allowing the body to heal corneal damage from, say, chemotherapy or burn wounds. Clinical trials are expected to begin shortly in India, and researchers are hopeful that the overall treatment using these discs will not only be better than current treatments, but cheaper too. In addition, smart contact lenses now

exist whereby medication for the eye is impregnated into the lens and slow-released over up to 100 days.

Cataract surgery has also seen dramatic innovations over the past 15 years.

They’re a normal part of the ageing process, but surgery has become a mere 20minute affair, and virtually clear vision can be expected within a few hours thereafter.

Nothing to be afraid of.

Next up: glaucoma. This results from damage to the optic nerve. Usually the damage is from increased pressure in the eye. The damage to the eye is irreversible and glaucoma can lead to blindness. The most common form, openangle glaucoma, generally appears in middle age and seems to have a genetic component. In this type of glaucoma, vision loss occurs very gradually. One eye is often worse than the other.

An interesting observation made recently, as Johan explained, is that researchers have found that pressure in

the eye increases while we sleep, so when the sufferer sees a specialist in the daytime, the pressure is confusingly normal. The reason for the nightly increase, believes Johan, is that our circulation is lower and poorer when we sleep, leading to a buildup of fluid in the eye.

AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over the age of 60. Although AMD is almost never a totally blinding condition, it can be a source of significant visual disability. Cholesterol, obesity, and being light skinned, female, and having a light eye colour are also risk factors for AMD. It is very important for people with macular degeneration to monitor their eyesight carefully and see their eye doctor on a regular basis.

Johan closed with a particular interest of his: sleep and blue light. In earlier times, we were subjected mostly to longerwave yellow light - sunlight, candlelight, natural light.

Now, digital screen devices that most of us spend hours

glued to, emit shortwave blue light, which reaches deeper into the eye, and its cumulative effect can cause damage to the retina.

Furthermore, in certain wavelengths, blue light is implicated in the development of AMD. In terms of restfulness: It has been shown that people who use e-readers at night as opposed to reading printed books are less alert in the morning. Blue light affects levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin more than any other wavelength.

Changes in sleep patterns can in turn shift the body’s circadian rhythm. Studies have shown that such shifts can have devastating health effects because it controls not only our wakefulness but also individual clocks that dictate function in the body’s organs.

So, stressors that affect our circadian clocks, such as bluelight exposure, can have much more serious effects than originally thought.

Exposure to light through the eyes helps regulate the body’s sleep/wake cycle by

affecting the pineal gland’s (sometimes called the third eye) secretion of melatonin.

This hormone is produced at night and promotes drowsiness. Exposure to light, notably blue light, suppresses it. This is one way sunlight contributes to alertness, and why lack of light at night helps increase sleepiness. Melatonin has been called the “darkness hormone” (in contrast to vitamin D, the “sunshine hormone”). Since melatonin promotes drowsiness, it has long been used as a sleeping aid. But melatonin production tends to decline with age. Some researchers have suggested that various age-related changes and conditions (such as declining immunity, cognitive losses, and sleep disturbances) are due in part to a drop in melatonin. Melatonin was recently upgraded to a schedule-4 medication, so see your doctor or ophthalmologist if you’d like to give it a try.

"The real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

Caring for your pet’s teeth

magine what your mouth would look like if you hadn’t brushed your teeth for years.

Not a pretty sight. So what about your pet? When last did you take a really close look at his or her teeth and gums?

Its gentle scraping action helps reduce tartar build-up, plaque and stains.

My Pet

Chances are if you haven’t been vigilant about your pet’s dental health you’ll find his teeth are stained and brown, that his gums may be red and inflamed and that he may have hard, gristly lumps stuck to the sides of his teeth. These are all signs of periodontal disease. A scary 85% of pets over the age of three will have some degree of periodontal disease and although dogs and cats do not suffer with cavities the way we do, they can get tartar build up, inflamed gums, gum recession, infection and tooth root abscesses.

What should you do?

Take your pet to the vet for a professional dental check-up, just the way you’d take yourself to see the dentist.

Your vet will scale and polish your pet’s teeth and if they are in a bad way, may need to remove those that are diseased and damaged.

Even scarier are the long-term effects of bad teeth: bacteria from the mouth can end up in the blood stream and affect the heart and other organs. A sore mouth can prevent your pet from eating, leading to anorexia, weight loss and poor body condition.

Once you have the all-clear from your vet there are several things you can do at home to keep your pet’s teeth in tip-top shape: • Provide your pet with toys that have an abrasive action on the teeth when chewed.

Spread a little pet toothpaste

on the toy; this is usually tasty and it helps to clean at the same time. Never use human toothpaste.

• When choosing treats to reward your pet’s good

behaviour, opt for those that have a dental action like Greenies for cats or Wizerbone chews for dogs.

Wizerbone is made from grain starch and other vegetables flavoured with dried chicken

breast and is fully digestible.

• Feed primarily dry pet foods.

Premium brands like Hill’s Prescription Diet™Canine t/d™ is specially formulated to help take care of your pet’s teeth.

• Daily brushing is the best option if you are serious about your pet’s dental health, but start slowly. Allow your pet to taste the toothpaste, smeared on a favourite chew-toy or, for cats, put a little on their paw so they can lick it off. Once they’re comfortable with the toothpaste move onto cleaning the teeth with your finger. It is only necessary to clean the cheek side of the teeth; the tongue side is cleaned with saliva. When your pet is comfortable with your finger cleaning, try a pet-specific toothbrush. First offer them a little toothpaste on it to lick off.

Once you introduce the brush into the mouth, be careful to have control and not jab it in. If brushing appears to be painful, get to the vet for a professional dental exam.

• Pop into any of our EberVet Vetshops for advice. We stock a wide range of tooth-friendly products – from chews to premium pet foods and more.

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20 September 2016

Quo Vadis, South African football?

n a radio interview some years after readmission to the world's sports arena, a leading football administrator was asked why rugby and cricket, as opposed to football, had remained competitive against leading sporting nations. His response was that rugby and cricket were exposed to rebel tours during this period, an advantage not enjoyed by football.

Yes, we won the Rugby World Cup on our return and reached the semi finals of the Cricket World Cup, but we also won our lone Africa Cup of Nations in 1996, despite no football rebel tours.

On our way to that title, we

Sport

Tony O’Hagan beat some giants of African football, namely Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria and Tunisia. We were ranked 16th in the world in August 1996

and have regressed to 64th as of 11 August 2016 – a fall of 48 places in the 20 years we have been exposed to world football. Bafana also qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2002 and, other than as host nation in 2010, our team has not succeeded in qualifying for this prestigious event since.

Of even greater concern is our inability to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon. We are not among the 16 African nations who will be vying for honours at this event. This means we are far down the list in Africa as well. In the group stages of this tournament, we lost to Mauritania 3-1 away and

drew 1-1 at home. Mauritania is a country with a population of around 3 million inhabitants and their national side is selected from 22 football clubs. There are probably more clubs in Cape Town alone and our country’s population is around 55 million!

In reality, our football was at its prime in 1996, shortly after readmission, so the lack of football rebel tours is not a valid argument. It is apparent that football in South Africa is free from the same scrutiny that is applied to rugby and cricket and other sporting codes. The latter are subject to ongoing focus in the form of transformation and quotas

at all levels. There is continual pressure on these sporting disciplines to develop the game and make them fully inclusive. We have to accept that transformation is a given and there appear to be encouraging signs at junior and senior level in the quest to develop and transform many of our sporting codes.

Football is well supported via sponsorship and funding in general. Surely it is time for our sports ministry to monitor where these funds are being channeled to. There has to be more monies made available to the grass roots development of football. We need more football academies and an increased

number of junior tournaments.

Coaching clinics and skills development need to be fostered and attention given to coaching in its entirety. We see Craven Week rugby at multiple junior levels and age group cricket weeks being published.

Yet, football is under the radar, as is the amount of pressure being brought to bear on the administrators of the game.

We should be a leading African football nation and not in the lower echelons of the ranking lists. Let's get some introspection of football from the powers that be.

Parameters are set for rugby, cricket and other sporting codes – let’s see the same for football.

Hermanus Netball shoots to victory in Overberg Super League The Hermanus netball team gained promotion from the Overberg 1st League to the Super League this year. The team won the 2016 Super League in grand style, not only by emerging the victors, but by completing all ten fixtures unbeaten. So it’s 10 out of 10 for our girls!

The achievement is even more meritorious in that all the games were played in Caledon, who won this league in 2015. To come out tops without the advantage of any home matches is a wonderful achievement.

Accolades must also go to the team coach, Lizelle Munnik,

who keeps a watchful eye at practices and the progress of the league team.

The netball club has 25 members but not all members are available for league, so the pool of players for league games is limited.

The Super League team

consists of a squad of 12 players, with seven on the field of play and five on the reserve bench. Hermanus fields only one team and that is the Super League squad.

The team practises at Curro School on Thursday evenings and there are many who pitch up and enjoy playing netball

for a fun outing.

One of the stars in the Hermanus ranks is Famke Boonzaier, who was chosen to represent the Western Cape B-team at the national tournament held in Durban and came away with the silver medal. Congratulations to

Famke, and with our team’s achievements this year, we could see a few more representing the Cape region.

For those wishing to join a winning team or wanting to play for some exercise and fun, contact club president Elsabé Henn on 076 155 9020.

Biking fun in the valley

The magnificent valley of Hemel-en-Aarde will for the second consecutive year host the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape series at Sumaridge Estate Wines on Saturday 8 October. This is the third in a series of four events in and around Cape Town. With a diverse array of mountain biking trails catering for all levels of riders and families, coupled with majestic views of the vineyards and coastline, it is one picturesque race that you don’t want to miss!

The Nissan TrailSeeker Hemel & Aarde is a mountain biking race that caters for children and adults, as well as beginners and pros, with varying routes that are fun yet challenging enough to suit each rider’s needs. If you’re looking to get into mountain biking for the first time, love to spend Saturday mornings being active with family and friends, or just want to get away from city life for the day, this is the race for you.

There are four events on offer – the 10 km Fun Ride, where

families can ride together (entry: R100); the 19 km Fun Race (R140); the 36 km Half Marathon (R220); and the 63 km Marathon (R270). Riders can relax after the race in the Nissan chill area and indulge in the sights, sounds and smells of craft beer, yummy foods and various stalls, while the youngsters play in the Montagu child-minding area, complete with jumping castles and face painting.

Enjoy a weekend of family fun that combines mountain biking, vineyards, sea, sun (and whales!) that only a place like the Hemel-en-Aarde valley can offer. Enter online at www.trailseekerseries.com

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NEWS Murison and Rhoda have a dream

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20JANUARY September2016 2016 26

Hedda Mittner

M

& R stands not only for Math & Reading, but also for Murison and Rhoda, the intrepid owners of this education centre in Hermanus that has helped hundreds of children improve their school grades. Starting out as part of the Kip McGrath franchise in September 2009, M & R are celebrating their 7th birthday this month.

Their journey started many years ago when Murison and Rhoda met as 21-year-old students at the University of Pretoria. In 2005 they set off together to teach English overseas, first in Taiwan and then in South Korea. On their return to South Africa they came to Hermanus on holiday and, like so many of us, fell in love and decided to stay. “2009 was a very busy year for us,” smiles Rhoda. “We not only moved back from overseas and then down to Hermanus from Pretoria; we also got married and started a new business.”

Rhoda and Murison both embrace a down-to-earth approach to parenting and education. Inspired by their experiences overseas and their love for children, the couple had a vision for education in their own country and wanted to make a difference where it was most needed – by implementing sound math and language skills.

“At the time we both felt that

“

Failure and mistakes are only opporunities to learn and grow

”

the sound business model of Kip McGrath would help us attain our goals, but we also knew that our vision for education was different and that we would eventually part ways,” says Rhoda. “Moving away from the franchise meant that we started to develop our own educational material, based on our personal experience with learners, many hours of consultation with teachers, improving on what works and doing away with what doesn’t. It’s been quite an exhausting and frustrating process, but it eventually started paying off and the results are amazing.”

Having invested in their own educational vision rather than someone else’s business plan, Murison and Rhoda now operate as the M & R Math and Reading Centre from their original premises in Mitchell Street. “We realised that the education model as we know it has to change in order for learners to not only reach their full academic potential, but also to leave school with a ‘can do’ attitude, equipped with life skills that enable them to be empowered, confident and independent thinkers. It’s a big dream, and one we constantly strive for.”

discipline and communication at home,” says Rhoda.

Initially focused on remedial teaching, Murison and Rhoda have grown their portfolio over the last seven years to address each learner’s individual needs. “For some learners it takes longer to reach their goals than others, but we emphasise that failure and mistakes are only opportunities to learn and grow. That ‘a-haa’ moment can see a learner’s marks improve from 18% to 40%, or even from 80% to 90%. Each learner faces unique challenges.”

“Although parents pay us for our service, I don’t think they always realise how invested we are emotionally and how much we give of ourselves. I grow very attached to ‘my children’ and I cry every year when it’s the matrics’ last day.

The improvement in their marks is almost always a given, but to see their personal growth is worth gold!”

The holistic approach taken

by Murison and Rhoda sees them not only focusing on children but also on parents, and the Love & Logic workshops they have implemented provide muchneeded support. “It’s important to involve the parents, especially those who are struggling to cope with

Pro-life talk highlights issues

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et’s face: it is easier to have an abortion than to raise a child. And, according to Dr Susan Botha, director of Neo Life, some 25 abortions take place in Hermanus every month.

That’s 300 a year.

Susan was speaking at the Municipal Auditorium at a recent presentation arranged

by Neo Life, a non-profit organisation that aims to offer hope to pregnant women who are in crisis over whether to abort their baby, keep it, or put it up for adoption.

“We are not here to judge, we are here to offer support and guidance”, said Susan.

“We speak for those who cannot help themselves.”

Susan reiterated that the above-mentioned abortions are not confined to townships like Zwelihle or Hawston - it includes the town of Hermanus too.

“There seems to be a certain amount of apathy regarding mothers in need; I’m not sure if people don’t know about it or if they just think, ‘Oh well, it doesn’t affect me’.”

According to Susan, a 2013 survey indicated that 50% of abortions are still performed illegally, despite it being legalised in 1997.

Part of the problem is that the law stipulates that terminations must be done within the first 12 weeks of gestation, and the presentation demonstrated just how appalling abortions after that time period are.

The big question, of course, is when does life actually begin? At conception, or when the heart starts beating, or when the baby is actually born? By 24 days there is a heartbeat, and 28 days the spine and nervous system start to form.

Armand Nel, candidate attorney at Coetsee Van Zyl Attorneys in Onrus explained that, according to The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act 92 of 1996, anyone of any age can have an abortion prior to 12 weeks without anyone’s consent, and it is illegal to deny them this choice.

This means that girls as

young as 10 can make this decision, but, as Armand pointed out, “You can’t have a drink or do any other ‘adult’ things until you are 18.” This obviously raises the point of statutory rape. A doctor is obliged to report to the police when a girl younger than 14 is pregnant, as that technically constitutes statutory rape.

The complications related to having an abortion were discussed in detail, particularly the emotional effects. According to Neo Life, women who have had abortions are five times more likely to have alcohol and substance abuse problems, as well as other psychological issues.

Adoption and prevention were discussed, and anyone in need of free advice is asked to contact Neo Life on 083 334 4977 or email info@neo-life.co.za Please note that Neo-Life does not do referrals for abortions.

- Aly Verbaan

Apart from the parenting workshops and study skills workshops for junior and senior learners every term, M & R’s services range from early reading classes to extra lessons in Maths, Science, English and Afrikaans for learners from grade 1 - 12.

They currently have a staff of nine teachers at the centre. “If you tally up the numbers, we must have helped almost a thousand learners in Hermanus these past seven years,” says Rhoda.

Contact M & R Education Centre for a free assessment on 028 313 0209 or rhoda@m-n-r.co.za or visit them at 12A Mitchell Street, Hermanus. Operating hours are from 09:00 - 18:00, Mondays to Thursdays. www.m-n-r-.co.za

Schools LUCKY NUMBER 7 Murison and Rhoda are celebrating the 7th birthday of M & R Education Centre in Hermanus

20 September 2016

NEWS

GOOD

24

Schools

FOOTBALL FIENDS Hermanus Private School soccer team participated in a soccer tournament organised by Falcon Savauge and Dave Sales at the Hermanus Cricket Club. The boys played like champs and had great fun.

IN THE SWING OF THINGS Curro’s Nadia van der Westhuizen has been nominated by Boland Golf to participate in the 56th South African Women’s Inter-Provincial Golf Championship at Umhlali Country Club from 3 to 7 October.

IT ALL ADDS UP Sarah Middleton, a Hermanus High School Grade 11 learner, was selected to be part of the Western Province team after competing in the trials for the Western Province team for the South African Mathematics Team Competition that took place at UCT.

GALLOPING AHEAD Jodi Kleyn, Nadja Jasprica, Robyn Helmbold and Nikita Roxburgh of Curro Hermanus participated in the SANESA Boland Rider on the weekend of 6 to 8 August in Stellenbosch.

After an awesome performance by all four riders they were selected to represent SANESA Western Cape Team at Misty Meadows, Pretoria, during the October school holidays.

IN THE NET Coastal Timber Mouldings have kindly sponsored the netball kit of the under-13 netball team of the Hermanus Waldorf School.

Pictured are: De Wet Herbst (Coastal Timber Mouldings), Shuvai Mabinda, Papadi Lieke, Sinovuyo Mami, Florance Watch (teacher), Rumbi Kamber (teacher), Evelyn Sithole, Salome Sande, Aaminah Jacobs and Patience Sambalopa.