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21 NOVEMBER 2018
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Gateway goes green
A visitor from Germany couldn’t help but take a ‘selie’ with a local on the rocks at Onrus Beach. PHOTO: Anena Burger, Palindrome Pictures
Be water wise as dry season starts Writer De Waal Steyn
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ith temperatures in the Overberg rising, and the beaches illing up with sun-seekers, residents need to be mindful of their water usage. Water is one of our scarcest commodities and, while the Overstrand’s water supply is supplemented by boreholes – and in future by desalinated water – it is evident that,
measured against rainfall igures and population growth, we must change the way we consume water. Between 50% and 60% of current municipal water usage is for gardening purposes. Millions of litres can be saved by planting water-wise gardens. International research has shown that the average daily water usage per capita in SA is 235 litres compared to an average of 173 litres per capita in the rest of world.
Although we had a very wet September, with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) measuring the total rainfall for the month at 77,4 mm against the 70-year average of 50,6 mm, October saw only 17,2 mm measured against an average of 51,5 mm. While there has been no real shortage of water in the Overstrand compared to other parts of the Western Cape, only three of the last
10 months showed above-average rainfall. In February of this year 55,8 mm of rain was recorded against an average of 29,5 mm. The August measurement came in at 90,5 mm compared to 81,8 mm. However, on average for this year until the end of October, rainfall was down by 18%. During our traditional wet months of June, July and August we received 12,5% less rain than average. SANSA statistics show that,
while Hermanus received an average annual rainfall of 608 mm over the past 70 years, rainfall for the last three years has been below that. In 2015 an average of 466.6 mm was recorded, with 538 mm in 2016 and 524 mm in 2017. From January to October 2018 the total measured by SANSA came to 449,7 mm. The average rainfall since 2015 has been just above the level that would qualify as a meteorological drought. Continues on Page 3
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17 Village Lane Hemel en Aarde Village Hermanus 028 316 1875
21 November 2018
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Long hot summer expected From Page 1 The South African Weather Service deines drought by the degree of dryness compared to normal or average amounts of rainfall for an area or place, and the duration of the dry period. This is what is termed a meteorological drought. Less than 75% of normal rainfall is regarded as a severe meteorological drought, while a shortfall of 80% of normal rainfall will cause crop and water shortages which will ultimately afect social and economic factors. Normal rainfall for a speciic area is calculated over a 30-year period. Other climatic factors such as high temperature, high wind, low soil moisture and low relative humidity can signiicantly aggravate the severity of drought conditions and these additional factors should also be considered. Although rainfall for January and March this year was lower than the average by almost half, in February almost double the average was received, bringing the rainfall for the irst quarter of the year on a par with the average. In fact, the 55,8 mm measured in February was the highest measured rainfall in the last 25 years for the month, with February 1993 clocking in at 58,2 mm. The highest monthly rainfall recorded in the last 70 years was in September 1951, with 236,7 mm. The wettest year we have experienced was in 2013 with an average of 923,9 mm recorded for the year. According to weather experts, erratic rainfall patterns are typical of the El Nino phenomenon. What the dam? The level of the De Bos dam stands at 65,66% and the weekly consumption is between nine and 11 million litres. This time last year the dam level was 63%. According to the National Department of Water and Sanitation, the level of the major dams around Cape Town stood at an average level of 73,4% compared to last year’s 37%. By the end of last week, the Berg River Dam was at 98,7% compared to 66,8%, Lower Steenbras at 82,7%
compared to 50,9%, Upper Steenbras at 63,2% compared to 99,2%, and the Theewaterskoof Dam at 56,7% compared to the level of 24,9% a year ago. Close the tap! The municipality announced in August that the restrictive water levies in Greater Hermanus – implemented when the dam level fell below 40% – would not be lifted until the level reached 70%. Residents of Greater Hermanus who use in excess of 6 kl of water per month pay 30% more for water since the municipality implemented Level 2 water restrictions in June. The saving measures are predominantly aimed at ensuring water savings in gardens. Accordingly, if you use municipal water to water your garden, you may only do so for one hour per day, before 09:00 or after 17:00, one day per week. The day per week is determined in accordance with street numbers. For residents with even numbers, it is Wednesdays only, and for those with uneven numbers, Tuesdays only. The use of irrigation systems is still allowed but, remember, only for one hour. Note, too, that vehicles and boats may only be washed with a bucket and cloth and that the hosing down of hard surfaces or paved areas is prohibited.
October for the last 55 years. In contrast, the coldest day of the year was on 19 August when the temperature dropped to a bone-chilling 2,7˚C. The minimum and maximum temperatures for eight out of the irst 10 months of this year have been higher than the 55-year average measured by SANSA. Only in August and September did we have cooler than normal days. These months also had a higher than average rainfall. El Nino who? El Nino is the warming of sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Paciic Ocean which inluences atmospheric circulation, and consequently rainfall and temperature in speciic areas around the world. In South Africa it causes below normal rainfall in summer rainfall areas and higher than normal temperatures from December to February. This is because sea temperatures rise, which makes the air drier and more humid, leading to hotter weather patterns. El Nino is Spanish for boy child. Peruvian anchovy ishermen traditionally used the term – a reference
to the Christ child – to describe the appearance of a warm ocean current of the South American coast around Christmas. Over the years the term El Nino has come to be reserved for
the sequence of changes in atmospheric circulation across the Paciic Ocean and Indonesian archipelago when warming is particularly strong.
Residents are also reminded that all well points and boreholes must be registered at the oice of the area manager, and consumers must ensure that they display the appropriate signage, clearly visible from a public thoroughfare. A long, hot summer… According to the South African Weather Service, we can expect a hot and dry summer this year, partly due to the El Nino phenomenon. SANSA temperature statistics show that, in general, we have had hotter days this year than normal. In fact, the hottest day so far this year was 22 October when the mercury hit a blistering 38,3˚C. Incidentally, it was also the hottest day recorded in
De Bos Dam in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is currently 65,66% full and it seems as if the 70% level will not be reached this year. Restrictive levies for water usage will only be lifted by the municipality once the dam level reaches 70%. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
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21 November 2018
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L’chaim to Hermanus’ People of the Talmud years, a barmitzvah was celebrated there.
Writer Elaine Davie
The cemetery, too, was given a major facelift; at the time, it contained 45 graves, some unmarked. Despite these eforts, the writing was on the wall: the location of the synagogue was no longer ideal and its facilities were extremely limited. So with great sadness the decision was taken in 2006 to sell it and build a complex on land purchased from the municipality near Hermanus High School. This not only included a smaller shul, but also a multi-purpose hall and a Rabbi’s house, amongst others.
Photos Old Harbour Museum
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t’s a well-known fact that the Jewish community has made a contribution to the overall development of South Africa way beyond its relatively small size. Jewish men and women have led the way in business, the professions, the arts and politics. This is true, too, of Hermanus, which, unlike many other small towns in South Africa, is privileged still to be home to a small, but fully-functioning Jewish community. From today’s perspective, it is diicult to imagine what this area must have looked like in the 1820s when Hermanus Pieters grazed his sheep here and gave his name to the village, Hermanuspietersfontein, which sprang up around the safe inlet we now call the Old Harbour when isher folk settled there in 1855.
The old Jewish Synagogue today. It was opened in 1930 and is now a National Monument. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
In those pioneering days, this settlement was largely populated by Afrikaans-speaking coloured and white people, with a scattering of Koi, but then, in about 1895, the irst Jewish family put down roots here. Originally from Vilna, Lithuania, Adel and Dorah Allengensky (later shortened to Allen) and their son David arrived in the little village and decided it would be a good place to set up shop. By that time, it must already have grown quite considerably, because this entrepreneurial family established not only a thriving ishing enterprise, but also the Royal Hotel and the irst cinema in Hermanus, the Adelphi. In order to conduct their ishing business, they built a ‘vishuis’ (ish house) in the Old Harbour which in 1970 was declared a national monument and since 1972, has housed the Old Harbour Museum. Indeed, the museum director’s oices are a replica of the Allengensky’s original vishuis. Quite soon after they had settled in the village, they were joined by a steady low of other Jewish families. Eventually, there were enough of them to warrant the establishment of a kosher butchery by one Isaac Melnick, who was also a ishmonger. He was to serve as President of the local Hebrew congregation for 40 years. Most of these families came from the shtetls and towns of Eastern Europe and Russia. They were anything but wealthy and when they arrived, spoke neither English nor Afrikaans. What they did have was their religion and a strong sense of family and cultural identity. They were also no strangers to hard work and the parents had a burning desire to see their children get a good education and succeed in life. Despite being a tight-knit community amongst themselves, they were anxious to become an accepted component of the wider population. They introduced an exoticism and culture new to the Hermanus community, but in their strict adherence to the Bible of the Old Testament, they found they shared a strong bond and developed a spirit of mutual respect. The irst Jewish wedding in Hermanus took place in 1904, the same year that the town achieved municipal status. Morris Silke, a local tailor and shopkeeper, and Lena Stockman were the happy couple and their reception took place at Allengensky’s Royal Hotel. Also in 1904, the irst Jewish cemetery was consecrated on the slopes of Hoy’s Koppie. Although services were still conducted in people’s homes, in 1922 Rev Falkof was engaged as the congregation’s irst minister. By this time, holiday-makers, including Jewish families, had begun to stream to Hermanus in the summer and it was decided that the congregation should have a proper place of
The irst Jewish wedding in Hermanus took place in 1904, the same year that the town achieved municipal status. The happy couple’s reception was held at Allengensky’s Royal Hotel.
One of the irst Jewish families to put down roots in Hermanus towards the end of the 19th century were the entrepreneurial Allengenskys (later shortened to Allen) who established not only a thriving ishing enterprise, but also the Royal Hotel and the irst cinema in Hermanus, the Adelphi.
This beautiful old building, now a National Monument, still stands, somewhat forlornly, at the entrance to the town, waiting for a new owner to bring it to life once again. The Jewish population of Hermanus reached its peak in about 1943, but after that began a steady decline as the original pioneers passed
Apart from owning a lourishing hardware, haberdashery and clothing business on Oblowitz Corner (now Lemm’s Corner), pioneer Jacob Oblowitz, the ultimate multi-tasker, was also a banker, barber and owner of an informal bioscope above his shop, complete with a pianola to accompany the silent ilms. Financier and industrialist, Julius Abrahams was a pioneer in the abalone industry and was amongst the irst to export the product to the Far East. Many other Hermanus Jews played prominent roles on the South African and international stage, such as Dr Aubrey Silke, who was to become one of this country’s top tax specialists; for many years his books were considered the deinitive authority on the subject. A number of these Hermanus citizens also devoted themselves to supporting charitable organisations in the town. Two generous members of the community, the afore-mentioned Julius Abrahams and Shlomo Peer helped numerous Hermanus students with bursaries – on condition that the donors remained anonymous during their lifetimes.
The Royal Hotel, which was located on Main Road across from Market Square, burned down in a ire in 1981.
worship for the permanent residents as well as the visitors. Thus, in 1925 they purchased Lot No 1 in the Main Road from the municipality for £10, and £127 was raised to build the irst synagogue. The opening ceremony took place amid great excitement in 1930.
Through the years the Jewish community has played an important role in growing the economy of Hermanus, at irst, largely as general dealers and hotel owners (nine hotels in the greater Overstrand region were owned at one time or another by 14 diferent Jewish families), but later they played their role in all sectors of the town’s professional and commercial life, including the Magnetic Observatory (now the South African Space Agency) and the ishing industry.
away and their children moved to larger cities or emigrated. By 1968, it consisted of only about 10 or 12 members who found it diicult to maintain the building. By 1990 both the Jewish cemetery and the shul had fallen into a state of total dilapidation and disrepair, but in 1996 a group of Capetonians who owned holiday houses in Hermanus decided to revive the Hermanus synagogue and a number of ex-residents oversaw its refurbishment, both inside and out. The rededication of the synagogue was conducted by Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft in December 1997 during the Chanukah festival. In September 2000, for the irst time in 27
In more recent times, the couple who focused attention on Hermanus more than any other was the late Chief Rabbi Emeritus of South Africa, Cyril Harris and his wife Ann who retired to the town in 2004, the Rabbi passing away here a year later. Both were co-founders of the inluential educational NGO, Afrika Tikkun and Mrs Harris also actively involved herself in local community empowerment projects. Rabbi Harris played a prominent role in South Africa’s transition to democracy and when he died, President Nelson Mandela paid tribute to him: “He was a spiritual leader, a man of exceptional humaneness, one who has made his mark in the social transformation of South Africa. And in African fashion we say Hamba Kahle, Cyril.” And so we, too, pay tribute to the unique contribution the Jewish community has made to our town and its people. We lift our glasses and say “L’chaim! To life! Small though your numbers may be now, long may you continue to enrich the life of our community.”
The author is indebted to Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft of the Jewish Board of Deputies – ‘the Travelling Rabbi’ – for his assistance with the research for this article, as well as to Dr Robin Lee of the Hermanus History Society and Mr Dave Rade of the Hermanus Hebrew Congregation.
21 November 2018
Progress on key Hermanus projects continues Writer Raphael da Silva
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rogress continues to be made on three key projects in Hermanus, it was reported at a Ward 3 Public Meeting on 14 November at Fernkloof Hall. Fernkloof Integrated Management Plan (IMP): “As requested, the Fernkloof IMP has been revised. This has taken Liezl de Villiers, Senior Manager: Sustainable Environmental Management of the municipality, almost a year to complete and it is now being scrutinized by Fernkloof Advisory Board (FAB), Botanical Society and other organisations,” said Kari Brice, Ward 3 councilor. De Villiers gave the assurance that once these groups have given their feedback, the IMP will be opened for public comment. In the meeting, both Linda Griiths from the Botanical Society and the late David Beattie, from FAB and the Clif Path Management Group (CPMG), in his last appearance before suddenly passing away at home later in the evening, said that they were impressed with the document. The new IMP has taken the approved 2014 IMP and the contentious unapproved 2017 IMP into consideration.
Liezl said that she took “the best of both documents and put them together”. CBD regeneration - storm and sewage work: “This project has been subject to input from a working group representing all sectors of the CBD and IAPs (interested and afected parties) since the beginning of this year. Meetings with business owners have also taken place. Concerns regarding timeframes are being addressed and it is understood that communication and minimal disruption are of utmost importance,” said Brice. After the presentation given by Senior Town Planning Manager, Riaan Kuchar, at the meeting there were a few clarifying questions but no demands for the project to be stopped. Work is slated to begin May 2019 and the municipality hopes to advertise the tender in the next weeks. However, Hamish Hofmeyr, Chairperson of the Hermanus Old Town (HOT) Committee, says that while the HOT Committee are not against the work, they believe it should be postponed to allow for businesses to recover from the losses they sufered due to protest action. Hofmeyr also points out: “With the Stanford road upgrade planned
for next year as well as sewerage upgrades on Marine Drive, road widening on the R43 and it being an election year, there is too much for our municipality to control, especially since they have shown the inability to control the protests over housing. HOT believes that the budget that was approved this year for CBD revitalisation should be used on other projects, such as beautifying the town, ixing pavements, painting municipal-owned buildings, pushing for our Post Oice and courthouse to be repaired, and informative signage to direct our visitors to various places in town.” As part of the regeneration project the municipality-appointed GAPP Architects will also be producing a corporate image document to give guidance regarding signage, street furniture, trees, plants and sidewalks, etc. Retailers will also be able to use this document to assist them in ensuring that their front-of-store is in keeping with the look and feel of Hermanus Old Town. De Mond development: At the meeting, participants learnt that the De Mond land will follow a two-step process. In the short term, it will open for camping while, in the longer term, the developer, Pohl Property Development Group, wants to build a permanent holiday resort
David Beattie 21.07.1941 - 15.11.2018 From advertising director during the golden age of the Readers Digest to the custodian of one of Hermanus’ greatest assets, the Clif Path, David Beattie, who died suddenly in Hermanus at 77 years, will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to the task at hand and his deep, abiding loyalty to family and cause. His sudden passing on Thursday 15 November at his home in Kwaaiwater came as a shock to family and friends and has left a large void in the town. Born in Cape Town and raised in Johannesburg, David was a singular man, both an athlete and an artist, family man and adventurer, and
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totally dedicated to the conservation of fauna and lora. His high schooling was at Hilton College in Natal where he was head boy and excelled in art and sports. This is where the foundation for all his future endeavours were laid: responsibility, sticking to the rules, fairness, hard work and loyalty became the benchmarks of his future. He married Jane in 1965 and their daughter Jenny was born in 1966 and son Iain in 1968. In 1965 he started work at the Readers Digest in Johannesburg and in 1990 moved to the United States where he became international advertising director of Readers Digest,
and retired in 1998. Ties with South Africa were maintained throughout, particularly in the conservation ield. One of the projects he was most dedicated to was the Lapalala Wilderness School and the Endangered Wildlife Trust. Visits to Lapalala, the Kruger and other reserves were part of the lifeblood of the family and all share happy memories of bush life. David retired from the Readers Digest in 1998 and he and Jane returned to the family home in Hermanus in 2001 and started another era in their lives. His interests soon found him part of the Botanical Society, the Fernkloof Advisory Board, a hiking
to be known as The Crown Grant. Part of this development will be the establishment of a De Vette Mossel restaurant at the Prawn Flats. This follows De Vette Mossel being granted the right to operate a pop-up lounge at Grotto beach last month. The restaurant subsequently withdrew its proposal. In the meantime, the proposal process for awarding the rights to operate a pop-up lounge during season at Grotto beach is still ongoing. It was reported earlier that two restaurants, De Vette Mossel and Dutchies, submitted proposals for the pop-up. However, the proposal from Dutchies was disqualiied because it was not submitted on the oicial forms and De Vette Mossel was subsequently ofered the opportunity to operate the venue under the milkwood trees. Following a public outcry in support of Dutchies, De Vette Mossel withdrew their application to operate at Grotto, opting instead to open a restaurant at the new De Mond caravan park set to open early in December. Dutchies indicated that they had submitted two appeals. After the withdrawal of De Vette Mossel the municipality advertised a second round of proposals for a pop-up lounge although the appeal process had not been completed yet. Two proposals were received, one from Dutchies and one from Alan de Kock who annually organises the Hermanus Vac for matrics and last year
operated the controversial pop-up lounge at Kammabaai. Municipal Manager, Coenie Groenewald, said as the appeal authority he had appointed an external advice committee as is required by law. “I am awaiting feedback from the external committee that consists of people who are not employed by the municipality. As soon as I have received this, I will rule on the appeal. “Because of the short timeframes we must now work within as the summer season is on our doorstep, the municipality took the decision to publish the second round of proposals before the appeal process of the irst had been concluded in order to award the right to operate as soon as possible. Of course, if the appeal is upheld the second proposal process will be null and void. If the appeal is not upheld, the second proposal process will continue and the decision on who will be awarded the right to trade will be made as soon as possible,” said Groenewald. In an update on De Vette Mossel, Niel du Bois says, “We are working against the clock. Massive work has to be done on the services – water, electricity and sewerage. On face value it does not look like we have gone so far as most of the work is not visible at irst glance. I am happy with the progress and we are three days ahead of schedule to open early in December. But there are always unforeseen hiccups. Currently we employ 11 local people, but this number is likely to increase as work progresses.”
club, a birding club and a social men’s lunch club. As always, his gentle, big presence was highly appreciated because with the amiable, amicable personality came the passion for getting things done – properly. He started the Clif Path Management Group in 2002 after seeing how this unique asset of Hermanus was deteriorating through lack of maintenance. He and his small committee worked tirelessly over the years, raising funds to pay for much-needed paving, constructing a wheel-chair friendly section and carrying out general maintenance. The Biodiversity Walk in the centre of town was one of the Clif Path projects, together with his daughter Jennifer.
David is survived by Jane, Jennifer and Dieter, Iain and Ayesha and grandchildren Anoushka, Layla and Zoe.
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21 November 2018
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LET’S TALK
Send your letters to letters@thevillagenews.co.za T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial
GAS DELIVERIES
An open letter to Overstrand authorities I write this in my personal capacity, as a concerned member of the Overstrand community. The views are my own, not those of any organisation with which I am associated. I strongly believe that law enforcement is important, but, spending large sums on bolstering law enforcement to keep the R43 open is not the solution to the current problems. If policing is used as the solution, be prepared for escalating violent disruption and a spiralling cost of containing unrest. Suppressing the expression of frustration on the R43 will simply displace it to another place. I am not saying, of course, that pressure should not be brought to bear on the Minister of Police to provide a better resourced local police force; only that policing is not the solution to the unrest and spiralling crime problem we now face. The intervention needed in the Overstrand is not bolstering policing. It is: A strong mediation process, with the municipality submitting to the same mediator’s rules of engagement and discipline as any other aggrieved group in the community. Real communication and public participation. A review of zone scheme regulations to ensure that they promote business and light industrial development and the provision of basic housing needs for existing inhabitants of the Overstrand. Review of rating and utilities fee policy to help locally owned businesses, and attract other small businesses into the area, while adding a surcharge onto national chain stores. Change the power base away from the municipal administration towards a better informed and technically equipped council. The most important thing in the short term is genuine communication and public participation. To address the historical and longer-term prob-
lems there needs, urgently, to be a change in the behaviour and practices of Overstrand’s local government. If this does not happen, no amount of policing is going to contain the violent upheaval in the community by people who feel their voices are not heard or taken seriously. Does the leadership realise the extent of discontent in the community? Does it realise that all community groups are feeling equally angry, that only the methods being used to express the anger are diferent? Under the present circumstances, the municipality needs to communicate continuously, every day, using every channel at its disposal, to all groups within the community. This means informing people what the municipal leaders are thinking of doing, when, how and why, and what they are doing, when, how and why. With the complete lack of trust in the municipal oicials and politicians by all parts of the community, it would be advisable for an independent mediator to be commissioned to perform the role of capturing the grievances, check that they are accurately and completely recorded, take them back to the municipal authorities for digestion, facilitate the formulation of responses, coach the municipal oficials and politicians how to respond, and take the responses back to the aggrieved for their processing and counter response. I have many times seen and been party to such an approach in industry between employer organisations and unions, with great efect. This process generally leads to more reasonable stances being adopted by all parties, to consensus on outcomes and actions, and to unemotional working of seemingly intractable issues. The municipality is atrocious at communication and at public participation. All sectors of the community,
from the wealthiest to the poorest, have been telling the municipality that for years. The response is the same to all who have complained about poor communication and public participation: “go through the ward committees, and the Overstrand Municipal Advisory Forum (OMAF)”. These are of course important structures and must be used in terms of the law. The law does not, however, prevent the use of other processes or structures in addition to ward committees. But the municipality has been quite rigid about these as the means through which the public can engage with its leadership. The municipality needs to learn what “communication” is. As practised by the leading administration oicials and politicians in the Overstrand, communication and public participation comprised selectively telling the community what the administration wants the community to know about. The unrest in the Overstrand is primarily the result of municipal policy and practice historically, not responding to the real developmental needs of the community – employment and afordable housing. Instead, the planners have been allowed to simply perpetuate provision for, and the development of, more and more gated security estates. Hermanus has a preponderance of unoccupied, luxury holiday houses (estimated occupancy of all dwelling units is 40%), and the new developments planned and authorised by council likewise become enclaves of largely unoccupied luxury holiday houses, guarded by more and more elaborate security systems. These holiday houses meet the needs of wealthy people who don’t live in the Overstrand, and probably never intend to, and apart from the employment of builders, they hardly contribute to employment. This is unsustainable development of the
worst kind and a drain on local resources. They are are mostly too elaborate and far too expensive for local permanent residents to purchase and live in. Their only beneit to the community is the contribution made to municipal rates and some seasonal purchases. The DA should be employing qualiied researchers to advise the councillors on what policies need to be put into place by Council to beneit permanent local residents at all socio-economic levels and locally owned businesses. Council should be directing the administration to implement those policies Council decides on, based upon the advice given by their researchers, and following a process of listening to and consulting with its electorate. Instead, an uninformed Council without specialist guidance, and ignoring the expression of needs by its electorate, is being led by an administration that is out of touch with the desires and needs of the community. The administration uses consultants who have no connection with the community to draw up planning policies and spatial and other frameworks and plans. There is an urgent need for an intervention to address the problems that are at the heart of the discontent and unrest by the residents of not just Zwelihle, Mt Pleasant and Hawston, but of every ward in the Overstrand. It is unlikely that the municipality can lead this intervention, because the municipality is at the centre of the problem that needs ixing, and it can’t ix itself. Please focus on drawing up terms of reference for the identiication and commissioning of a suitably qualiied mediator. Rob Fryer
Letter shortened. Read the full letter on our Facebook Page.
HBCF not facing realities In response to the chair of Hermanus Business & Community Forum (HBCF), Barry van Vuren’s letter in The Village NEWS of 14 November: It is very clear that he has no idea of the realities in Hermanus and also our country. He has no clue about the needs of the “hopeless and homeless” people in our town. It is because of white people like him that our town and also our country experience the messy state that we are in now. How many members does Hermanus Business and Community Forum have? I am sure less than 1% of the population of Hermanus. You do not represent the view of the level-minded people of our town Frans Nel
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21 November 2018
Be cautious of all groups that claim representation The biggest problem Hermanus faces is the “blinkers on” approach adopted by so many people in this community. This is mostly based on “he said, she said” via some WhatsApp message doing the rounds and then taken as fact. Goodness me, what on earth would we do if there wasn’t some (mostly incorrect) information to pass along? I would like to make a few statements from my point of view. The correct term for this is to give my opinion and when everybody realises that each person’s opinion and outlook difers the easier it will be. Barry van Vuren states in his letter (The Village NEWS, 14 November 2018) that Overstrand Unite is not representative of the community at large, and I agree. However, they do represent a portion of it in the same way that Hermanus Business and Community Forum (HBCF) does. Each has its own outlook and opinion and quite frankly neither group understands the other. Does either try to? You ask what the causes are and say, “lack of available land and housing appears to be the case”. Appears to be? It’s quite apparent that this is exactly the issue at hand and in my opinion, which will probably difer to a lot of other opinions (as mentioned earlier) this is not something that can or should (try to) be ignored. Referring to socialist and communist principles – I would like everyone to have access to sanitation, housing and education. Does that make me a Socialist? A Communist? I think it makes me human. Is it right to challenge leadership that fails its community and order them to have full transparency? Absolutely!
of any other group. Perhaps that is the lesson here – whatever is done with good intention will always be viewed as wrong by someone else because the more groups there are the more segregated they become. This ends in nothing more than bickering without an ounce of willingness to understand one another. It’s a continuous cycle of wanting to be right and never getting it right. Lastly, I would like to refer to your statement regarding exposure in The Village NEWS. As I recall, the information about the OU meeting was in an article. Various articles are published and there has not been a single moment when I thought the paper was showing any kind of bias towards any group. Since Hermanus started facing its challenges, the reporting from The Village NEWS has been factual. Your statement indicates that you too read the paper to ind relevant information. This doesn’t mean that people like the facts, though, and it seems to be a case of shooting the messenger. I notice that The Village NEWS has also made a point of not splashing pictures of tyres burning or stone throwing on their front page even though I am quite sure that they know sensationalism sells. Instead they have followed the route of front pages featuring community, be it children playing or tourists taking a stroll and that is exactly what Hermanus needs. They know that and have taken that step. Congratulations to The Village NEWS on a wonderful newspaper. Too clever to leave a name
I am concerned by the HBCF at this time. Just like messages that get passed around about what (often incorrect) disaster will befall our town next, so too do we hear the rumour mill going into overdrive about what the HBCF is doing. As a community member not ailiated to any group or political party whatsoever, I can state that I am as cautious of the HBCF as
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Compromises to be made I am a newcomer to Hermanus, to South Africa; an ex-European with a powerful investment in my new home, who stands watching this latest manifestation of an old conlict with my heart, and my lifetime’s savings, exposed. I see neither the moneyed, middle class, business-owning side of the argument nor the poor and powerless side. I see the problems on both sides and I grieve that the others involved, apparently, cannot. The Village NEWS wrote in their open letter of last week. “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude to the problem”. Exactly! Both sides in this - the poor and angry and those who see their inancial successes under threat - are entrenched in the certainty of their views and totally failing to listen to the other... That’s the nub of it. There are people in this town, in this region, in this country, who are afraid that they might lose everything they have, and others who have nothing and who are angry that promises made to them a very long time ago are still unfulilled, because of the actions, or inactions, of the others. The situation reminds me of a marriage that is breaking down, where both parties are aware of how very much they stand to lose, how very damaged their children will be, and yet their hurt pride will not let them listen, accept their own shortcomings and compromise.
I also see a good many people who are trying to understand the other side of the argument and who are open to alternatives. We MUST compromise, as was said in many ways in last week’s newspaper. We have to ind a way to house all the people who are here, from wherever they come, rightly or wrongly, because they are, for the most part, without resources to help themselves. Few of them did wilful harm. Most of them were suborned or confused in some way into coming here. The wealthier among us might not like that, but they must remember that the in-comers are here because they believed there was work and opportunity. They, and we, are victims of our own success. These people were promised housing and education 24 years ago and they believed that promise... We cannot continue to stone-wall our housing crisis and not face up to the reality if we want peace in our community. As an outsider with a diferent slant on the situation, I can see solutions – beautiful, creative solutions that could make this special place, a really remarkable place - but I know that to get there, attitudes to one other must change, compromises must be made, pride must go before the fall and sense must prevail. I name no names but I urge everyone to examine their consciences and act honourably. A promise is a promise, remember. An Interested Party
Don’t ruin the Epic I respond to the article in (TVN 14/11) about plans to keep the R43 open and references to the possible diversion of the ABSA Cape Epic route in 2019 to exclude Hermanus.
and 19 March. They were reassuring that there were at that stage no plans to exclude Hermanus and reroute and divert these two stages.
The recent cancellation of the last leg of the Wines2Whales MTB race to inish at the Marine Hotel because of the unrest was a great blow – not only to the cyclists but also to the people and the economy of Hermanus.
I do, however, fear that any further unrest may prompt the organisers to consider possible route changes to stage this world event without interference. That would be dreadful and ruinous to a considerable social and economic stimulus the Cape Epic would bring to our region.
We immediately contacted the organisers of the Cape Epic to ascertain how this may inluence the planned start and stage two of the 2019 Cape Epic scheduled for Hermanus on 18
We need communities to seriously work together in securing one of the biggest sporting events in South Africa. Frieda Lloyd, Tourism Manager
THE VILLAGE NEWS TEAM De Waal Steyn Publishing Editor dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za Raphael De Silva Online Editor raphael@thevillagenews.co.za Hedda Mittner Content Editor hedda@thevillagenews.co.za Elaine Davie Journalist elaine@thevillagenews.co.za Nickey Jackson Graphic Designer nickey@thevillagenews.co.za Jessica Pote Graphic Designer jessica@thevillagenews.co.za Tania Hamman Oice Admin admin@thevillagenews.co.za Kathy Bentley Marketing Manager kathy@thevillagenews.co.za Leijla Steyn Social Media & Sales ads@thevillagenews.co.za Taylum Meyer Photography & Social Media taylum@thevillagenews.co.za WhatsApp or SMS us with your stories and photos
083 625 6667 The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 28 November 2018. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. WANT A COPY? T: 028 312 2234 C: 083 228 7523 FACEBOOK: /thevillagenews NEWS HQ at 6 Royal Street.
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21 November 2018
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OPINION MATTERS Communication is of the essence Readers will have noticed changes in the design of The Village NEWS as well as an increase in our online presence through posts, photos and videos.
and take stories forward.
people expressing opinions as to the causes of and solutions to the challenges we face.
As we explained in our previous edition, this forms part of an expansion drive due to the popularity of the newspaper as well as a genuine desire to afect change within our communities.
Through monitoring social media, speaking to various stakeholders and getting opinions from our readers, it has become evident that the need for transparent, clear and efective communication is one of the most essential issues that must be addressed with a sense of urgency.
During the last few months the socio-economic landscape of our region changed irrevocably and we as a community need to adapt to this. Heated debate between political rivals has dominated headlines and social media has been awash with
This is why The Village NEWS recommits itself to the unbiased reporting of the facts. We will also allow for the publication on any of our platforms of all opinions that are constructive, contribute to discussions in a meaningful manner
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A Far Kraai
However, we will not condone the following: racism (including ofensive comments based on ethnicity and nationality), sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance, cyber bullying, hate speech, derogatory language and comments inciting violence. In order to ensure that we remain objective, we have removed ourselves from all civil and public forums. Apart from our economic objectives as a company that wants to trade successfully, we declare our independence from any political or civil group. While our main aim is to bring you the good news, we will never shy away from informing our readers of current afairs and to hold those in positions of responsibility accountable. We strive to make The Village NEWS community a safe and welcoming space for all. This is the Good NEWS - Ed
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10 Commandments, Seven Deadly Sins + One More By Murray Stewart (old photo)
M
oses got the ball rolling nearly one-and-a-half centuries before what we call the year ‘naught’. After six weeks on top of a mountain – with the WiFi signal direct to Head Oice – he triumphantly descended with an unedited printout of 10 rules aimed at curbing the barbaric shenanigans of the unruly masses below. As a prophet of the Abrahamic religions, these moral guidelines were gradually accepted and embraced back then by all the faiths in the area. The wording might change in some religions, but these basic requirements for civil co-existence are still adhered to almost everywhere. We call them The Ten Commandments – the Big 10. We also have the 7 Deadly Sins to contend with, but more about them later. According to the various Good Books, some things are deinitely taboo. But before we start, I carry no lag for the Star of David, a Crescent Moon, a Cruciix or a red dot on the forehead, so these are just observations from an academic viewpoint. Now, I’m sure we’re all familiar with some of the obvious Commandments, like not getting a leg over your neighbour’s wife, stealing his credit cards, murdering him when he catches you, then lying to the cops (between blasphemous denials)
about what happened. This type of behavior is frowned upon. Our adulterous, murdering thief sacriligiously lied his way through 5 of the Big 10 in one fell swoop. But other decrees somehow overlap the Big 10 and can be somewhat perplexing. A certain Mr. Leviticus for example, had his own views about murdering people, which he wrote about in book three. He reckons that according to Exodus 35:2, the Good Lord forbids your neighbour from working on the Sabbath. Fair enough, but the punishment – rather harsh I think – was death. Now, a couple of questions pop up. Is it just your neighbour, or do other people’s neighbours also apply? And is it your moral duty to kill him/them yourself, or must the police come round and do it? Also, if people are caught committing adultery, he suggests that all the town’s folk gather in the square to stone them to death. Well, we all know how diicult it is to get a jukskei team together, never mind the whole town carrying sacks of slingable stones, so is it not possible to just burn them in a private/family afair at home, and bury them in their back garden? One way or another Mr. Leviticus seems to have missed the whole “Thou shalt not kill” suggestion in the Big 10, but enough about him and on to the 7 Deadly Sins. If there’s one thing that can ruin your day, it’s looking in the mirror for an honesty check on how many of the 7 you regularly lirt with. So we won’t
punish ourselves. Let’s rather transfer our guilt by imagining what someone like the Angry Orange thinks when admiring his White House bathroom mirror, because fortunately for him, it relects only the antithesis of those sins. 1: Lust/Chastity. “Hell, all those women lusted after me! Ask my lawyer!” 2: Gluttony/Temperance. “Another Big Mac ’n chips right now! And a longer belt with more holes. Who’s my tailor? He’s ired!” 3: Greed/Charity. “Those toilet rolls I threw at those Puerto Ricans after it rained… well, it shows great, great charity. I could’ve kept them.” 4: Sloth/Diligence. “I’m probably the most diligent person I know. I will never miss my morning ‘Pump up Trump’ show on Fox. They love me! Ratings are the highest in TV history!” 5: Wrath/Patience. “I didn’t obliterate North Korea. I could’ve, but I didn’t.” 6: Pride/Humility. “I’m a very humble person. I think so, and that’s all that counts!” 7: Envy/Gratitude. “I’m grateful to have the highest IQ in America. Maybe the whole world… who knows? So everyone’s envious of me!” Yikes! Not guilty of all 7? Be scared, people. Be very scared. The 8th Deadly Sin –Toxic Orange – is going viral. It’ll contaminate all of us, unless we ind out where he bought that amazing mirror.
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On My Mind By Raphael da Silva
Let’s ix our broken windows
“Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it’s unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light ires inside. Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out restaurants there or even break into cars.” These words, irst written by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982 in an article for The Atlantic Monthly, introduced what is famously known as the broken windows theory. Widely cited since then, this theory was the basis of the strategy successfully employed by then New York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, and his Police Commissioner, William J. Bratton, to signiicantly reduce crime in the city. This theory suggests that, by using policing methods that target minor crimes and infringements, an atmosphere of order and lawfulness is created, thereby preventing more serious crimes. Broken windows also symbolize the community’s defenselessness, its vulnerability, and lack of cohesiveness. Neighbourhoods with a strong sense of unity ix broken windows and assert social responsibility on themselves. An ordered and clean environment that is maintained sends the signal that the area is monitored, and that criminal behaviour is not tolerated. Conversely, a disordered environment sends the signal that criminal behaviour has little risk of detection. So why is all this important and how does it apply to us as a community? Quite simply, of the ive principles of democracy, rule of law is key. Without the rule of law, the other four – freedom of press, respect for human rights, active political processes and enlightened citizens – will fail to be upheld, blossom, thrive and grow. Rule of law is the umbrella that ensures that the other principles are protected. Over the past weeks, we have
heard diferent interpretations of the rule of law. Members of the municipality have admitted that policing the bylaws in Zwelihle is a near impossible task. A senior black politician has exclaimed, at a recent business stakeholders meeting, that when the irst shack was built, it should have been taken down. Law enforcement has said that it is their job to not just enforce the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law. Muddying the waters even more, at a recent ward meeting, participants, who on one hand lamented that the bylaws in Zwelihle were not being enforced, felt, on the other hand, that the bylaws on guest houses should not be enforced, and that they should be left to do their Airbnb trade as they wish. So confusing! What are we supposed to do? What is the way forward? Well, it seems to me that, irst, we can’t aford to be hypocritical and adopt a “pick and choose” attitude to laws and bylaws that we follow. Doing so will only lead us down the slippery slope towards further eroding the four other principles of democracy and the break-up of whatever social cohesion our community still has. Second, we need to have it ingrained in us that we are all equal before the law. No one is more equal. There are no laws that apply just to “them” and not to “us”. The law should not curry favour with anyone irrespective of their ethnicity or socio-economic circumstances. Third, we can’t aford to wash our hands of our responsibility to ensure that all laws are enforced, even if the task seems daunting. Doing so doesn’t resolve the problem, it only compounds it. We have many broken windows to ix in our community. So many have been broken and remain so. As a result, instead of being united, we are divided. However, we will only be able to rebuild cohesion when we irst ix our own broken windows and hold ourselves as accountable to the rule of law as we expect others to be.
Have an opinion? If you have an opinion that you are passionate about sharing, The Village NEWS would love to hear from you. We have a 700-word limit and request that your opinion pieces be newsworthy, fact-based and logically reasoned with a clear call to action. Humour is always appreciated! Please send your letters or articles to opinions@thevillagenews.co.za along with your name and contact details.
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Art News
Night of a Thousand Drawings
A full palette for art lovers
Next month’s Hermanus First Friday Artwalk will take place on 7 December. As happens every year, this December Artwalk takes the form of ‘Night of a thousand Drawings’ in aid of local charities.
By Patrick Chapman
T
he recent opening of a new joint exhibition at the FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard drew a large crowd to support the three local artists, Titia Ballot, Peace Petty and Mary Jane Hooper. Simply entitled ‘Images’, the exhibition was curated by our resident art treasure, Karen McKerron, whose excellent eye and extensive gallery-owning experience in Johannesburg are of real value to our Hermanus art scene.
In contrast to the splendid photographic assemblages provided by the twin brothers and acclaimed artists Husain and Hasan Essop at the preceding Fynarts show, this trio of artists ofer works on paper of a domestic scale, each with a tale to tell. The image by Mary Jane Hooper, referencing the iconic Goya iring squad picture, but made horrifyingly appropriate to the slaughter of wildlife, sticks in my memory. As Prof Gunther said, “Images also tell stories, they carry narratives” and all the images in this exhibition have their own story.
In her address, Prof Gunther said this exhibition again makes us realise that one of the most enchanting aspects of art is its refusal to ofer resolution. It prefers open-endedness and never settles any of the issues it interrogates. “Even when the imagery of these three artists refuses to aid our search for certainties, escaping or perhaps deliberately eluding our grasp, they are never unknowing, never impersonal. They either relect the spirit of a society and its diverse cultural expressions – its brutal consumption of resources (Hooper), its oscillations between the beautiful and the grotesque (Petty), its apparent shift from a culture of dignity to one of victimhood (Ballot) – or they afect it by triggering awareness.” Make sure you don’t miss this enchanting exhibition. As the Christmas season draws closer, activity in our ‘Art Destination of the Western Cape’ hots up; The new Studio G, in Harbour Road opposite Lembu, has recently opened and shows
BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL
But the galleries need those artworks to start pouring in – the more they have, the more oppor-
Anyone who feels they have artistic talent is invited to produce an A5 artwork, on paper, card or board. It could be anything from a small painting to a drawing or sketch, be it a landscape, seascape portrait, abstract or still life, and can be done in any medium, including inks, oils, pastels, watercolours, charcoal or pencil. Once completed, simply drop your artworks of at any of the HFF galleries or contact HFF chairperson, Liz Coates on 072 367 4025 or amzam@polka.co.za – Hedda Mittner
sculptures of Gerhard van Niekerk as well as an interesting selection of artists that we may not have seen before. Enlighten Education Trust recently mounted a vibrant show of their young students’ artworks, while local galleries are busy rehanging their stock to create a fresh energy. Another new gallery opening soon is FLAG (The Fearless Little Art Gallery) at 5C High Street behind Wine & Co. Owned by local ine art photographer and freelance journalist, Fred Hatman, this small gallery will be primarily dedicated to photography, including Hatman’s abstract images, and will also exhibit paintings and sculptures by guest artists. Fred has dedicated himself to abstract colour work over the past two years and his unique technique involves photographing through pieces of opaque or distorted glass, which produces magical efects with ordinary objects as subjects. He says the gallery is named after his favourite Pink Floyd track, Fearless.
Galleries are now gathering A5 artworks for the Night of 1000 Drawings that will take place on Friday 7 December. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
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Jubilee Powerline
Limited Edition RRP
There are walkabouts by each of the three artists from 10:00 – 12:00 on the following days: Titia Ballot – Tuesdays; Peace Petty – Thursdays; and MJ Hooper – Fridays. The exhibition will run until Monday 10 December.
Titia Ballot, Peace Petty and Mary Jane Hooper, whose joint exhibition, IMAGES, is currently running at the FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard of Harbour Road. PHOTO: Hedda Mittner
NOW
The audience was too big for the compact FynArts Gallery, requiring a move outside into The Courtyard as we gathered to hear Prof Elizabeth Gunther from Stellenbosch University open the proceedings with a thoughtful description of the exhibition. Articulate and with substance, the address aided our enjoyment and understanding of the show.
During the Artwalk, all the participating galleries will display donated A5 artworks both inside and outside the galleries, which will be available for purchase by the public at R100 each. The hanging artworks create a festive atmosphere in town and is one of the most popular events on the cultural and social calendar.
tunity there will be for everyone to purchase their own artwork, and the more funds will be raised for the charities.
R6999 R4999*
* ONLY valid from 23 - 30 Nov 2018 – while stocks last
Only available from 23-30 November 2018 at Goozi The Kitchen Shop | 11 Mitchell Street Hermanus | 028 312 4979
TECHNOLOGY
21 November 2018 | FOOD
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Share Christmas cheer with Pick n Pay Hermanus Writer Olivia Schafer
A
cheerful entrance into Pick n Pay in Main Road, Hermanus, indicates the festive season is upon us and, apart from providing a happy shopping experience, the store ofers customers the opportunity to remember less-fortunate children who, with a thoughtful donation, will appreciate the ‘giving’ spirit of Christmas. On a silver Christmas tree, shoppers will ind greetings cards. Inside the card is a suggested age and sex. Once you have bought the gift of your choice you are advised to drop it of, with the card, at the Customer Care Desk. Gifts will be taken to the 30 welfare children in Kleinmond and the eight in Hawston, on Christmas Day. The initiative - led by Customer Services Manageress, Candice Martin, and supported by Store Manager, Wayne Castle - is in its second year. Previously the focus was on children with TB. “It’s a project that we will continue backing,” says Candice, adding that Pick n Pay, Hermanus, also sponsors an established, in-store Easter egg hunt for children’s homes. “Last year we included the names of the children on the Christmas greetings cards, but this caused embarrassment for some of the recipients so, learning as we go along, we now
Bientang’s honoured at National Business Awards Pick n Pay Hermanus manager, Wayne Castle. suggest an age,” explains Candice. Shoppers are advised to get to Pick n Pay soon – the cards are being taken from the tree with eager enthusiasm. And… remember to look out for the store’s very worthwhile specials as well as its Christmas treats.
The store has amazing specials on Black Friday 23 November. On Friday and Saturday, the shop will be open from 06:00 to 21:00 and Sunday from 07:00 to 20:00 with free cofee during the irst hour of trading.
Normal trading hours are Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday from 08:00 to 20:00.
For more information phone 028 312 1137 or visit pnp.co.za.
Win a meal at Tronette’s Table Two lucky readers and their partners stand a chance to win an exceptional dining experience at Origins Restaurant at The Marine this festive season, with special attention from Head Chef Tronette Dippenaar. Tronette’s charismatic and energetic approach to food and service have been an asset to the hotel’s culinary ofering since she joined the group in 2008. In her 10 years with The Liz McGrath Collection, she’s worked at all three of the hotels, and has now returned to where she started at a Chef de Partie in 2008. She later transferred to The Plettenberg hotel on the Garden Route, where she was promoted to Head Chef, and then on to her third hotel in the group, Cellars-Hohenort. Her next venture was overseeing the culinary ofering of the Lord Milner Hotel in the tiny historic town of Matjiesfontein. She was there for three years before coming full circle back to Hermanus and to The Marine as Head Chef in 2017. Having grown up on a farm in Robertson before venturing into
PHOTO: De Waal Steyn
the ive-star hotel industry, Tronette remains true to her roots by having a refreshing, down-to-earth approach to food. With her passion, talent and extensive experience she is perfectly placed to strengthen Origin’s reputation for vibrant, soulful cuisine with a focus on fresh and seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients.
The owners of Bientang’s Cave, Giangi Negra and Sylvia Taylor, were thrilled to attend the 16th National Business Awards at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on 15 November, where Bientang’s Cave was announced as a 2018 National Business Awards Finalist in the Top Performing Entrepreneur category.
and criteria, the accolade is recognised as a benchmark for business excellence. Through their recognition on the national stage, past National Business Awards inalists and winners have ignited the ambition of peers in their sector to pursue a similar high watermark – and Bientang’s Cave hopes to do the same.
The award recognises companies with outstanding performance in areas including sustainability, customer focus, tech innovation and fast growth. With its rigorous research
“This came as quite a surprise but it is an achievement that we are very proud of,” said Sylvia.
nounced in the 28 November issue. So don’t waste any time – you only have until midnight on Sunday 25 November to send us those emails. Each of the two winners will be able to bring a special date along for a three-course meal, including two glasses of bubbly. Drinks over and above the bubbly will be an extra charge. The winners can make a booking for either lunch or dinner, at any time up until 15 December.
“To return to this wonderful property and be able to make my mark, as well as have the opportunity to continue working under Group Chef Peter Tempelhof, is an honour,” says Tronette. “At Origins we serve the type of food I love to cook. Nothing is over-complicated and guests can easily distinguish the lavours and natural ingredients relective of the surrounding area.” All you have to do is send an email to hedda@thevillagenews.co.za and tell us why you think having a meal at Origins will be a special experience. Don’t forget to include your name, address and a contact number. The best answers, as judged by The Village NEWS team, will go into a lucky draw and the two lucky winners will be an-
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GOT AN EVENT?
African Iron Overload U3A Overberg presents a lecture on how customs, beer, mining, politics and genetics came together to create this unique disease. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00
Send us an email to events@thevillagenews.co.za or send us a WhatsApp to 083 625 6667. FREE for community & non-proit organisations. R 100 for everyone else. R 150 to include a photo.
Rotary Club of Hermanus
Guest speaker is JP Rossouw, publisher of the Platter’s South African Wine Guide, who will present a talk on Wine tasting: is it all on the tongue or all in the head? Guests welcome. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 by 20 Nov. Mollergren Park | 19:00
Friday Hermanus Hacking Group
HERMANUS Wednesday
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Hermanus Bird Club
Join in the ight against alien vegetation. Contact Charlyn on 082 558 8731 or mcvosloo@mweb.co.za for more information. Rotary Drive | 07:00
Rewind
Sunday
Where local and interntaional foodies and wine lovers meet. Real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people. Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00
Toy Run Overberg
Join Soul Café every Friday night and relax to the tunes of their resident band as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. R50 pp. Call 028 313 2137 to book. Soul Café | 20:00
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Saturday Hermanus parkrun
Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00
All are welcome at the club’s monthly meeting where guest speaker Carin Malan will give a talk on A Journey through the Kalaghadi. Liquid refreshments available for a small donation. Fernkloof Hall | 18:00
Thursday
Hermanuspietersfontein Die Markie
Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll ind wholesome goodies, homemade crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, cofee and live music. Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00
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This mass ride is a charity event where bikers donate teddies and toys to disadvantaged children. Over 700 bikers are expected to gather from all over the Overberg, including Gansbaai, Caledon and Bredasdorp, meeting up along the way and riding together to the village of Stanford. Catch the bikers as they pass through Hermanus. Eddie Noble can be contacted on 083 261 5675 or enoble@ mweb.co.za for more info. Wimpy, Main Road | 08:30
Music in the Courtyard Enjoy a relaxing afternoon of live music from Takura Terry in The Courtyard with oysters and bubbly, wine, craft beer and tapas. Takura is a talented musician whose music is a fusion of pop, classic rock, folk and Afro. For more info or to reserve a table, call 028 312 2553. The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Road | 12:00 – 16:00
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Hermanus Women in Business The last networking session of the year will feature a three-course food demonstration by Angelique Brink to inspire your Christmas menu and table decoration. R120 pp includes tastings and recipes. Contact hermanus.womeninbusiness@gmail.com. Sandbaai Country House | 11:30
Clarinet Recital
Gingerbread House decorating competition
Team up with your young ones and take up the challenge of turning a plain and simple gingerbread house into a sweet and colourful show house! The winner will receive a R300 voucher to enjoy at Die Markie on a Saturday morning. The entry fee of R300 includes the plain gingerbread house, all the decorating candies and icings you need to win, a chilled drink and an experienced gingerbread artist on hand to provide tips and guidance. For bookings, email anika@hpf1855.co.za. Sandbaai Country House | 11:30
Bhuki Café
Vine to Valley
Cole Porter Musical & Lunch
Everyone is welcome at Friends of the Library’s Bhuki Cafe where a cup of tea or cofee and delicious eats will cost only R20. Every cup helps to raise funds for new books. Hermanus Library | 11:30
The fourth in this series of six monthly Trail Running events on wine farms in the scenic Hemel-en-Aarde Valley will be hosted by La Vierge. The trail is a moderate 6 km route through the La Vierge vineyards and mountains. Get all the info at www.vinetovalley. co.za or contact Bianca on 082 075 7477 or info@coastlineevents.co.za. La Vierge, Hemel-en-Aarde | 08:00
Join Benguela Cove in raising funds for the Hermanus Night Shelter. R250 pp includes the timeless charm of Cole Porter’s music and a light lunch paired with one glass of wine. Contact 021 137 0739 to book. Moody Lagoon Restaurant, Benguela Cove | 12:00
Kolwyntjie Teetuin Enjoy a sweet treat and tea or cofee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum). Onrus Dutch Reformed Church | 09:00 - 11:30
Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. St Peter’s Church | 09:00 – 13:00
Women in Power Poetry An afternoon of drama, poetry and music with guest artists Takura Terry, Saba Imbongi, Zwelembekx and others. R30 for adults, R10 for children and R60 for VIP tickets. To book, contact Spiwo on 071 541 3438. Municipal Auditorium | 14:00
Overstrand Arts/Kunste hosts young clarinettist, Féroll-Jon Davids, who will be accompanied on piano by well-known pianist Elna van der Merwe. On the programme are works by Robert Schumann, Hendrik Hofmeyr, Johannes Brahms, Ernest Chausson, Claude Debussy and Joseph Horovitz. Tickets are R150 (R60 for students), available from the Tourism Oice on 028 312 2629. Contact René du Plooy on 082 940 4238 for enquiries. Municipal Auditorium | 15:30
Christmas Carol Service Enjoy an evening of beautiful Christmas Carols with the Hermanus Pro Musica Choir, accompanied by organ and trumpet. Free entry and all are welcome to come and sing along. For enquiries, contact Louna Stofberg on 082 295 8452. Hermanus Dutch Reformed Church | 18:00
At Fine & Country we offer widespread exposure of prime residential properties Fine & Country Hermanus, Arabella & Kleinmond 16 Hope Street, Hermanus, 7200 hermanus@fineandcountry.com | +27 (0)21 205 7135
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Leonard Bernstein Centenary Celebration
Panthera Sunset Visits
STANFORD Saturday
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Saturday Morning Market Yummy fresh artisanal goodies, from home-baked breads and delicious confectionary to handmade sausages and fresh veggies. Stanford Hotel stoep | 09:00 – 12:00
Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary invites you to visit their four-legged friends as they come alive after a long day of rest. R490 pp (only for16 years and older). All proceeds go towards creating a better life for the animals. Get all the details at www.pantheraafrica.com. Panthera Africa | 17:30
Stanford Junktique U3A Overberg presents the second part of their series on American composer, conductor and music director of the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990). Watch a recording of Bernstein conducting the 4th movement of the Brahms 1st Symphony, as well as the 4th movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony that was performed on Christmas day 1989 - just a few weeks after the Berlin wall came down. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00
Duplicate Bridge All bridge players are welcome to join in. For enquiries, contact Riekie Louw on 028 314 0662. Fernkloof Hall | 13:00
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Music and Wine Pairing You are invited to an evening of music by Takura Terry, Springfontein wines and a hearty Pinotage-inspired lamb knuckle potjie or similar vegan option. Booking at R350 pp is essential. Contact 028 341 0651 or info@springfontein.co.za. The Wine Bar(n)@Springfontein Wine Estate | 18:00
BOT RIVER
Join the HHS for their year-end meeting. The guest speaker is Felicity Jarvis, who will take you on a personal historical visit to Venice, the most lamboyant city of the 15th and 16th centuries, in a fully illustrated audio-visual presentation entitled My Secret Venice. The presentation will be followed by wine and canapes. Free entry for members, R20 for non-members. Catholic Church Hall | 16:00
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Saturday Botrivier Hotel Market
For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. Botrivier Hotel | 10:00 – 14:00
Come and start your treasure hunt – you never know what you might ind. R50 per vendor, free for registered charities. Contact 028 341 0340 or oice@stanfordinfo.co.za. Tourism Oice, 09:00 – 12:00
Sunday
Stanford Stumble
Toy Run Overberg
Kleinmond Market
Gather on the Village Green to view the roaring spectacle of bikers with teddies and toys for disadvantaged kids in the Overberg. Along with the bikers, spectators are asked to bring a stufed friend or two to add to the collection points. Enjoy live music, food stalls, craft beer, children’s entertainment and more. Get all the details at www.stanfordinfo.co.za. Stanford Market Square 10:00
Free entry, ample parking, arts and crafts, food stalls, handmade items by local vendors, live music and fun competitions – a great outing for the whole family. Contact Erna on 076 708 0818. Mthimkhulu Village | 10:00 – 14:00
This popular annual event entails a gentle meander (or a run, if you are that way inclined) through the vineyards, with teams encouraged to dress in their most outrageous outits. Prizes, giveaways, live music, food stalls, cash bar. Shuttle service available. All proceeds go to the Butterly Foundation. Call 072 639 6135. Stanford Hills | 16:00
KLEINMOND 25
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GANSBAAI Saturday
Hermanus History Society
Tuesday
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Farmer’s Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, free-range eggs, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, artisan breads, homemade crafts, preserves, juices, cofee, craft beer, local wines and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging, only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries, contact info@gansbaaitourism.co.za. Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00
The Proposed Hermanus Bypass This presentation for U3A by Specialist Transportation Engineer, Bob Stanway will look at why the Provincial Government and the Overstrand Municipality are supporting the controversial proposal for a Hermanus Bypass road, while also discussing the concerns and alternative solutions. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00
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Marine Evening Cape Leopards The guest speaker at Whale Coast Conservation’s monthly talk is Mike Fabricius, a Biodiversity Researcher at the Grootbos Foundation. He will talk about the research being done on Cape Leopards in our area and what can be done to ensure their survival. The Green House, Vermont | 17:30
Friday
Guest speaker Lize Schoonbee will give an inside view of South African abalone farming, from general production techniques to its global positioning. R25 pp cover charge. Donations towards conservation eforts are welcome. RSVP to Cari Roets on 028 384 3273. Great White House, Kleinbaai | 18:30
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Disco Revival Get your friends and colleagues together, dress in your grooviest gear and get ready to boogie, all in aid of Hermanus Frail Care Centre (Sofca) Tickets are R120 pp and tables of 10 are available. Burgers for sale and a cash bar at club prices. Tickets available at Sofca or contact Gayle on 082 836 8975 / 028 312 3236. Sandbaai Hall | 20:00
GOT AN EVENT? Send us an email to events@thevillagenews.co.za or send us a WhatsApp to 083 625 6667.
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LIVING NATURE Walker Bay Recycling helps keep our beaches clean Writer & Photographer Taylum Meyer
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alker Bay Recycling, in collaboration with the Coastal Clean-up Conservation Trust (CCC), BirdLife Overberg, the Onrus Litter Ladies, AgriMark, Spar, Checkers, Clicks and Coastline Flooring hosted the irst of their monthly clean-ups on Saturday 17 November. Close on 40 people participated in the morning’s clean-up at Grotto Beach, including Narina Howard and 12 of her volunteers from the Recycle Swop Shop in Zwelihle. “We are so grateful that Walker Bay Recycling is up and running again,” said Narina. “It means we can continue with our work.” Antonio da Silva-Swart, owner of The Singing Cook Restaurant at Rivendell and founder of the Coastal Clean-up Conservation Trust, contacted Walker Bay Recycling a few weeks ago to see if they would be interested in partnering in the monthly coastal clean-up walks. New owner Jacques van Niekerk immediately jumped on board, ready to lend a helping hand. “We are so lucky to have the support from all those involved and want
to thank AgriMark for sponsoring the gloves; Plastics SA for the bags; Oasis for the bottled water; Checkers Hermanus for the boerewors and hotdog rolls; and BirdLife Overberg, the Onrus Litter Ladies, Clicks, Spar and Coastline Flooring for joining in the clean-up,” said Jacques. “We also want to say thank you to Antonio for putting us in contact with the right people and telling us about what he has learned from running the Coastal Clean-Up Conservation Trust in the past three years.” Walker Bay Recycling, teaming up with the Coastal Clean-Up Conservation Trust, will be organising a cleanup on the irst Saturday of every month. For now, they will be focusing their work on the areas between Grotto Beach and Fisherhaven. For more information contact Walker Bay Recycling on 028 125 0133 or Antonio on 072 462 4271.
Visit us on www.thevillagenews.co.za for more stories.
ABOVE: The volunteers started at the bottom of the beach before spreading into a line and walking up toward Kleinrivier Lagoon whilst picking up litter. RIGHT: Jacques van Niekerk (Walker Bay Recycling) with Antonio da-Silva Swart (Coastal Clean-Up Conservation Trust). BOTTOM: The volunteers of the irst walk by Walker Bay Recycling and the CCC Trust clean-up walk at Grotto Beach.
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MY WELLNESS Visit Reine if you have the nose for it
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udolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose…. then he went and visited Reine and wow, how the diference shows! Rudolph is not the only one feeling “nose-conscious” – we see many patients who have a problem with their noses and we’d like to help with a few simple solutions. Red veins: Red veins on the nose are caused by sun damage, alcohol and skin conditions such as Rosacea where excess lushing leads to permanently dilated blood vessels. IPL is a supericial laser light which can immediately eradicate these veins. Sun spots: It is important that a correct diagnosis be made of sun spots on the nose. Many skin cancers commonly present on the nose as this is one of the most sun-exposed areas of your face. Flatter brown marks or sun spots may be treated with laser if they are within the skin or will be removed by the therapist during a dermapen session or microneedling. There are various peels that will also result in a smoother, more eventoned nose skin. Raised sun spots can be burnt of with Histofreeze, which is similar to dry ice but the depth can be controlled accurately so as not to scar the skin. A more raised lesion can be burnt of with diathermy or
the PLEXR machine, which again is speciically designed to be used on skin and has three diferent settings to determine the right depth.
Some time ago we used to associate Rhinophyma with alcohol use, but with research, this myth has been debunked.
Rhinophyma: This is a skin disorder characterised by a large, red, bumpy or bulbous nose. It can occur as part of phymatous rosacea. Rosacea is a skin condition characterised by excess lushing which results in permanently dilated veins as described above, red thickened skin or a form of adult acne. Risk factors include gender and age. Rhinophyma occurs more often in men than in women. The condition gradually develops after the onset of the initial stages of rosacea, which typically happen between the ages of 25 and 50.
There are many non-invasive ways to treat this condition. Microneedling will soften and break down excess skin. Laser will assist to restore normal collagen patterns. Skinboosting will soften the nose and rehydrate the area.
You’re at a higher risk for more severe rosacea and rhinophyma if you have: • fair skin • an Irish, English, Scottish, Scandinavian or Eastern European racial background • a family history of rosacea
Other nose conditions: Botox too, is used very successfully in nose conditions. Microbotox is injected in tiny quantities to reduce the size of enlarged pores. Nostrils which lare excessively can be relaxed with botox. And lastly, a nasal tip which droops can be lifted with botox.
You also may notice the following changes to your nose: • gradual growth into a swollen, bulbous shape • numerous oil glands • enlarged skin pores • reddish skin tone • thickening of the outer layers of skin • waxy, rough, yellowish appearance
Peels and IPL laser help with brown spots, red veins and Rosacea. This condition is very troubling to patients and it is very satisfying to see great results with treatments. Should we feel that a specialist needs to be consulted we will do so.
Moreover, whether it’s hooked, crooked, wide, long or drooping; dermal iller is the easy non-invasive way to correct many nasal deformities. Filler is made from a natural gel which we have in our skins, so it is non-permanent. If you don’t like it, it can be dissolved immediately.
Patient presented with skew nose following car accident 16 years earlier. Filler was placed along bridge of nose to straighten nose.
A simple, safe procedure of placing iller along the bridge of the nose and then moulding the gel into the required shape can quickly produce the shape of nose you’ve always dreamed of. I’ve seen many tears shed by patients who were so self-conscious about the shape or size of their nose, but who never knew it could be so simple to rectify. If you know the pain of being “nose-conscious” please consult Dr Michelle Emett or Lindi Prinsloo for a medically sound, scientiically proven, customised solution. Help is at hand; who “nose”, you may really like the diference!
Visit us on www.thevillagenews.co.za for more stories.
T: 028 316 4122 A: Hemel-en-Aarde Village
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21 November 2018
MY HOME GAS INSTALLATIONS
T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial
Green ingers galore at Onrus Manor Writer & Photographer Hedda Mittner
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he club house of Onrus Manor Retirement Village was illed with excited residents on Wednesday, 14 November when the results of their annual Gardening Competition were announced. Trustee Hennie Greef, who organised the event, said the judging had been a diicult and lengthy process as so many attractive gardens had entered. “Our residents are passionate about their gardens and some who are already in their nineties garden every day. It’s not only a healthy activity that keeps them occupied but also an asset to the village,” he said. First and second prizes were awarded in several categories, including Water-wise Garden, Succulent Garden, Fynbos Garden, Petite Garden and Grand Garden. The winners in each
category received R1 300 (irst prize) and R800 (second prize) respectively, which will no doubt be put to good gardening use. The highlight of the competition was the Walkerbay Nursery Floating Trophy awarded to Eugene and Elize Smith by Pieter van Asperen, the owner of Walkerbay Nursery. The Smiths have lived in Onrus Manor for nine years and Elize said they never had children, which is why her garden is not only her “baby” but her pride and joy. “Everywhere we lived before – on a farm near Worcester and later in Franskraal – I created beautiful gardens,” she said, adding that she would like to thank her gardener, Caswell, for all his help over weekends. Visit us on www.thevillagenews.co.za for more stories.
All the winners who were able to attend the awards function at Onrus Manor last week, gathered in the garden of Eugene and Elize Smith, winners of the Walkerbay Nursery Floating Trophy. From left are Paul Kestens (2nd prize: Unique Feature Garden), Ruth Walluschnig (1st prize: Fynbos Garden), Rob McGeoch (Innovation Award), Alta Pienaar (1st prize: Petite Garden, Phase 1), Isobel Anderson (trustee; Gardening Portfolio), Elize and Eugene Smith (Walkerbay Nursery Floating Trophy), Erna Lindsay (Golden Gardeners Award), Gay Isted (2nd prize: Grand Garden, Phase 1), Sue Husselmann (2nd prize: Petite Garden, Phase 2), Niven Nel (Anderson Award) and Sara Hepburn (2nd prize: Grand Garden, Phase 2).
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Going Green at Gateway The owners of this established convenience centre in Hermanus are investing in renewable energy technologies, writes SARAH TAYLOR.
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he largest planned commercial solar array in the Overberg will soon be generating a portion of the power required by the Gateway Centre. The initial 40kW system, comprising 121 photovoltaic (PV) panels, will be installed by early December on the roof of the new receiving area building for the OK Foods supermarket. Co-directors of the centre, Seth and Rodney Anderson, say this array, which will be situated on the convenience centre’s eastern side, is just the start and that Gateway is looking to expand the solar array in future. “We are in the fortunate position where we have a large amount of electricity usage on site, so we don’t have to store any electricity [generated by solar power]. We can just feed it directly to the people who are using it, so we don’t need batteries. This dramatically reduces the costs of installing the system and increases its viability signiicantly,” says Seth. “The fact that we were constructing a new building gave us the opportunity to engineer it properly in such a way that it is designed to take the weight of the panels from the start. It’s not easy to put up panels covering the rest of our buildings’ northern roofs without some additional engineering to improve their strength,
although we could run strips of panels where it currently has direct structural support.” The system is being installed by Stanford irm O|Solar, which has been providing solar solutions to the Overberg, Helderberg, Stellenbosch and Cape Town areas under managing director Charles Elliott for almost nine years. Charles says that what has made this system so viable now is the support of the Overstrand Municipality’s electricity department. “The municipality’s electricity department has been very encouraging and helpful and we are working closely with them to make the necessary changes in order for the owners of commercial buildings to distribute and sell power to their tenants themselves,” says Charles. This refers to municipal bulk power or alternatively generated power. Seth concurs that the municipality is encouraging the landlords of commercial buildings to buy bulk power and distribute it to their tenants, as it minimises municipal administrative costs. The initial 40kW array will be used primarily for common areas at the shopping centre under the direct control of the landlord, including the corridor lights (which use
low-consumption LEDs), as well as power to the banking hall, external signage and bathrooms. This array will produce about one-sixteenth of the power needed at the centre as a whole, which at peak requires about 650kW during the day to power the premises occupied by the more than 40 tenants, including two supermarkets. Seth says the investment in this system, which bypasses batteries, will take a few years to be paid of before the solar power is efectively ‘free’.
major structural adjustments.” While the solar power produced at Gateway will be used at the centre itself with no excess to feed back into the grid, Charles notes that many of his other largely residential solar clients are currently feeding power back into the grid and earning municipal credits in the process.
“This is a learning experience for us. We’ll iron out any kinks and hopefully we can expand it further with the goal of reducing our electricity costs. We’ll invest in the panels and we’ll make a return: it’s almost like any other business,” he says.
“If you are using 1000 units or more of power a month, it makes good inancial sense to invest in solar,” he says. “While other municipalities charge a daily levy for solar power producers to feed power back into the grid, the Overstrand Municipality charges no such levy. They really are encouraging this.”
“And it could be a blueprint for others interested in investing in solar. In the case of an industrial operation with a fairly large and constant level of consumption during the day, such as a factory, a system like this could be viable if it has a north-facing roof capable of holding panels without
Charles adds that the signiicant drop in the price of PV panels has also made systems, such as that planned by Gateway, more viable, particularly since they do not need the expensive batteries required by systems which need to store the power for ovenight usage.
If the Gateway Centre invested in PV panelling across all its north-facing rooing surfaces, it would in theory be able to produce more power during the day than required by the centre itself. “Gateway could then feed excess power to the municipality during the day and draw power from the municipality at night, using credits it earned from feeding power into the grid. In this way, the municipality in efect becomes a ‘battery’ through its credit approach,” says Charles. “We need to adopt clever, forward-thinking approaches,” he says. “Thirty years ago, the Green Party in Germany encouraged homes to cover their roofs with solar panels and, as a result, the country has now been able to close down its last nuclear power station because they produce so much renewable energy. Supportive municipal policies, particularly in the Overstrand municipal area, make solar installations like the one at Gateway more viable.”
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Reaping what they sow, the LoveAbility way HELPING Hand
Writer & Photographer Elaine Davie
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n the kitchen garden of Ability House in Hawston, in neat planting boxes and beds, vegetables explode into the sunshine. Aubergines, carrots, celery, lettuce, basil and practically every variety of spinach known to mankind launt their green presence; and here and there, shoots are beginning to appear from the big dreams that have been planted between the vegetables in the richly-composted soil. Because, if there’s one thing that every one of the 50 or so members of the Overberg Wheelchair Association (OWA), its staf and volunteers have in common it’s that they dream big and have the determination and ability to make their dreams come true. A good indication of this is the success they have made of their LoveAbility craft project over the past couple of years. The training they have received in a number of skills like pottery, soap-making, paper, mosaics and cement moulding, together with their inherent creativity and the encouragement they receive to develop their own ideas, have resulted in a remarkable level of productivity and self-reliance. Visitors to the Hermanus Country Market and the monthly markets held at Ability House in Hawston will testify to their success. Ability House is where the training happens and where the threads are pulled together, but there are currently groups of crafters operating in Hawston, Mount Pleasant and Stanford. All this has largely been made possible by funding from the Department of Social Development which covers the organisation’s operational costs. This project is suiciently irmly established for the team to embark on their next Big Thing – organic vegetable gardening. Their longer-term goal is to see everybody in the Overstrand growing their own vegetables and having access to fresh-from-theearth nutritious food. Since 2016 they have had a small
21 November 2018
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Sponsored by
vegetable garden in the grounds of Ability House, but there was insuficient funding to develop it into something more ambitious. However, since September this year, it’s been all systems go. Alda du Plooy, the project’s Development Manager is thrilled that they have been selected by a new donor, the EMS Foundation, to receive funding for the vegetable-growing project. “They are incredibly supportive and engaged,” Alda enthuses. “It’s great to be able to discuss the project with them and to receive constructive feedback.” OWA is equally delighted that the St Andrews Anglican Church where Ability House is located, will be giving them an extra piece of land from January next year, where they will be able to put up a tunnel and germinate their own seedlings. In the meantime, their existing garden is lourishing under the guidance of the Garden Manager, Nikki Swanepoel and a team of volunteers. “We’re very proud of our planting boxes,” says Alda. “They were made for our members, who also helped with the design, so that they speciically meet the needs of wheelchair users.”
Next on their to-do list is to create similar gardens in Mount Pleasant, Zwelihle and Stanford, with Garden Champions in charge of each. They have identiied people who are interested in participating in the project and they will be sent to Ability House for training in every aspect of micro-farming, from preparation and fertilisation of the soil, to plant propagation, composting, pest control, water conservation and, ultimately, marketing. “In this irst year, we would like to establish several micro-farms,” explains Alda, “and over and above the training and monitoring, we will supply them with starter packs and will actively seek partnerships to supply water tanks and whatever else they need to get themselves going.” Although they mainly target disabled adults, they would be very happy to include able-bodied gardeners in their training programmes. They are also very excited about the fact that they have been approached by Community Works to train some of their candidates, too. In fact, in line with
their motto ‘Together we are Able’, they actively form partnerships with like-minded organisations, including Hermanus the Overstrand Association of People with Disabilities (OAPD), the Lombardi Care Centre and Volvertroue. Instead of overlapping, they each contribute whatever resources they have to the overall beneit of the community. The LoveAbility gardening team; from LEFT are Desmond Sampson, Nicholas McLean, Alda du Plooy (development manager), Braam Fredericks, Danville Adendorf and Nikki Swanepoel.
OWA is very much a bottom-up organisation. As Alda says, “Our people are incredibly innovative and enthusiastic; they bring so much energy, responsibility and creativity to our projects and they take such pride in what they produce, we would never have been able to achieve what we have without them. If we have problems to solve, we sit around a table together and we sort them out. It works perfectly.” Once all the gardens are up and running smoothly, OWA would like to see weekly markets take place in the communities where they are located. In the meantime, Hermanus residents are welcome to visit the Hawston garden to self-harvest and pay for whatever vegetables are available – it certainly doesn’t get any fresher than that. Ability House is open from 09:00 – 14:00 Monday to Thursday and the last LOVE.ability market of the year will take place on the morning of 8 December. Any donations of organic compost, mulch, etc. for the garden would be greatly appreciated, as well as the involvement of volunteers with green ingers. So, all aboard, the veggie revolu-
tion is picking up speed. Let’s make Hermanus the most successful urban farming community in the country, where no child ever needs to go to bed hungry or sufer from malnutrition, and where every adult is proudly ‘able’ to put food on the table.
Ability House can be contacted on owa@whalemail.co.za or Tel 073 2317445. And to keep up with the latest news, visit their Facebook pages: Overberg Wheelchair Association, Ability Garden, and LoveAbility.
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MY SPORT Who are the world’s richest athletes? By Tony O’Hagan athletes, compiled from Forbes and Celebrity Net Worth are:
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thletes who have dominated their sport over many years and invested in allied activities after retirement are the richest in terms of net worth. The other interesting measure of wealth, applicable to current athletes, relates to those who were the highest paid over the last year. Sport is a big money spinner and modern-day athletes are receiving higher salaries, bonuses, endorsements and prize monies. One only needs to follow the football “transfer window” recently dominating the sports news and monies exchanging hands between clubs as they negotiated for the services of soccer players. In terms of net worth, the top athletes in this category make interesting reading with a number of surprises. Much of this wealth has been accumulated over many years and often added to after retirement from the sport. The top net worth
Michael Jordan: net worth $1.31 billion. American basketball player for 15 seasons in NBA. Now owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Ion Tiriac: net worth $1.28 billion. Romanian former tennis and ice hockey player. Now owner of Mutua Madrid Open Tennis Tournament. Vince McMahon: net worth $1.22 billion. Former pro wrestler and today, a majority owner, Chairman and CEO of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).
Magic Johnson: net worth $600 million. American pro basketball player for 13 seasons. Current President of NBA basketball operations. Roger Staubach: net worth $600 million. Former American footballer in NFL for 11 seasons. Dallas Cowboys player. Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather: net worth $560 million. American pro boxer, unbeaten in 50 ights. Earned $275 million for one ight against Connor McGregor. Owner of Mayweather Promotions. Eddie Jordan: net worth $475 million. Former Irish racing driver. Motorsport boss, businessman and television personality. Founder of Jordan Grand Prix. David Beckham: net worth $450 million. Former English pro footballer and clubs, Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy.
Michael Schumacher: net worth $780 million. German Formula 1 racing driver and seven times world champion.
Other notables in the net worth category, with ranking number on the all-time list are: Roger Federer (11), Cristiano Ronaldo (12), Phil Mickelson (17) and Jack Nicklaus (20).
Tiger Woods: net worth $740 million. American golfer with 14 major titles and still one of the most highly paid on a yearly basis, mainly endorsements.
Although the expected suspects dominate the list of highest-paid athletes over the past year, we see a change in the pecking order. The igures represent total annual earnings
and in brackets, the breakdown of this amount split by salary/winnings and secondly, endorsements. Floyd Mayweather – $285 million (275/10) Boxing Lionel Messi – $111 million (84/27) Football Cristiano Ronaldo – $108 million (61/47) Football Connor McGregor – $99 million (85/14) Boxing Neymar – $90 million (73/17) Football LeBron James – $85 million (33/52) Basketball Roger Federer – $77 million (12/65) Tennis Stephen Curry – $76 million (34/42) Basketball Matt Ryan – $67 million (62/5) American Football Mathew Staford – $59.5 million (57.5/2) American Football
per year. Tom Cruise played a sports agent in the movie Jerry Maguire and made the quote “show me the money” famous. Most appropriate in the world of sport today!
Other notables on the annual highest paid list, with total earnings in brackets are: 12th Lewis Hamilton ($51 million), 16th Tiger Woods ($43 million), 18th Sebastian Vettel ($42 million), 20th Rafael Nadal ($41 million). Baseball pitcher, Nolan Ryan made headlines in 1979 when he became the irst player in American team sports to sign a guaranteed $1million annual contract. That igure is a mere pittance as dozens of today’s pro athletes earn more than $10 million
Michael Jordan
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Walker Bay Week on our doorstep
By Julian Shaw
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reetings to you all as we sail into one of our busiest weeks, the Walker Bay Week of Golf. Festivities kick of on Wednesday with a club competition, the Walker Bay Warm Up. This is a practice run for the weekend and is the same format as Saturday’s main event. Then we have the Walker Bay Sundowner on Friday 23 November, which is a nine-hole individual stableford competition and the next day is the main event, The Walker Bay Classic. This year is the 36th running of the event and everything has been organised to a tee. We host 330 golfers from literally all over the world and it is always a great day. Then on the Sunday we have the Walker Bay
Mixed competition in the afternoon, which is always a very popular tournament, with men and women playing together. As usual, the week is organised by our General Manager, Sharon Sleigh and we are expecting a fantastic time to be had by all. Then, after all this, we all fall down and sleep for two days! Two sad goodbyes This week we sadly had to say good-
bye to two lovely people who had been involved with the Hermanus Golf Club for many years. Oom Piet Blignaut, who had been an institution here at the club for nearly 20 years, passed away after a short battle with cancer. Piet was always cheery and helpful, and the irst one to get things done with military eiciency. He oicially retired from the club only last year. Oom Piet, we salute you as a fellow colleague, a golfer and a
gentleman. Rest in Peace, sir. It was a double whammy of bad news when we heard that Nick Altona-de Klerk had also passed away. Nick was still a relatively young man but had a long battle with brain cancer. I spoke to him only a few weeks ago while he was in Johannesburg doing what he loved – teaching golf. He wanted to come down at Christmas -time and also teach here during the holidays. Sadly, his condition deteriorated very rapidly and the cancer took his life. I went to his memorial service last week, realising once again just how precious this life is. To the speakers at his service, well done, it’s never an easy task. To you Nick, fellow PGA member, golfer and friend, we shall remember you with fondness and happiness. Rest in Peace, brother. Until next week, play the course as you ind it and the ball as it lies!
Oom Piet Blignaut
Nick Altona-de Klerk
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Could it be the seven junior players who represented Boland at the Inter-Provincial Tournament earlier this year? Or that the 2018 Overberg Squash League saw all three Hermanus teams come out on top? What about the Ceres Squash Festival from 9 to 11 March and Paarl Spring Squash Festival from 12 to 14 October where we came away unbeaten in both team events? It is these achievements, but above all it is because the Hermanus Squash
Club is a close-knit community of mutual support and encouragement for each person to become the best they can be, both on and of court. A camaraderie that has developed regardless of age or position. Nowhere was this epitomised more than in the recent Hermanus Squash Club Championships that took place from 12 to 17 November. The annual ‘Club Champs’ is a real highlight on the local squash calendar for members of the Hermanus Squash & Tennis Club (HSTC). It is the club’s main ranking tournament to determine the ladder for the year ahead. With 32 players entering this year, it was a pleasure for me to witness competitive matches being played in good spirit throughout the week. Guaranteed a match a day, everyone (competitors and spectators
SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER 10 NOVEMBER Betterball Stableford 138 players Winners: East course - Dawie van Immenis and Kobus de Wet 45 points; South course - Jacquie Cliford and Wanda Venter 44 points; North course - Hennie Theron and Hoie Maree 46 points. Ball pool paid to 43. Best gross - Damian Grib 69. 4 two clubs. This week’s attendance draw was sponsored by Hermanus Glassmen (fellow member Pete Bouwer) and was won by Zenith Meiring. LADIES’ TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER Individual Bogey Plus 53 players Winner - Winnie Pybus +4 Runner-up - Janet Swarts +3 MEN’S WEDNESDAY 14 NOVEMBER Individual Medal and Stableford 124 players Winners: A division - Dave Bunn 71 nett; B division - Gert Keuler 67 nett; C division - Jan Kuhn 40 points. Best gross and winner of the monthly mug Damian Grib 74. 2 two clubs only!
on 076 557 5259.
A new era for Hermanus Squash Club As the year draws to a close, it’s safe to say that it has been one of Hermanus Squash Club’s best. Although I’ve only been a permanent member of the club since January, squash in Hermanus has been lourishing for one simple reason which is relected in their stellar achievements.
Scores at a glance
HSTC would like to invite any person, junior or senior, to social squash every Monday and Wednesday between 16:45 and 19:00. Feel free to contact Heindri Visser (Squash Club Captain) on 072 821 5512, Wayne Cooke (long-standing member) on 082 574 9092, or HSTC on 076 545 9778 for any further information. Club Champion Jonathan Just with runner-up Luka Jasprica on court during the inals. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
alike) were certainly treated to some moments of individual brilliance on court. A special mention was made about MC Botha who has been a member of the club for over 40 years. There is no doubt that 2018 has been a landmark year for Hermanus Squash. But the year isn’t over yet! Look out for the Harbour Rock Squash Challenge which will be held
on 29 December (the last Saturday of the year). It has been running for numerous years, particularly attracting holiday-makers who pour into Hermanus over the festive season. All are invited to enter; simply arrive by 09:00 on the day, the organiser will put your name in the draw, with matches to commence shortly after. It should be a lot of fun with generous lucky draw prizes up for grabs at the end. For queries, contact Stan Voges
These were the main prize winners: Winner – Jonathan Just Runner up – Luka Jasprica Third – Heindri Visser Fourth – Gareth Schoonrad Best junior league player – Migan Beets Best junior female player – Karo Beets Best senior female player – Elize Mostert Most improved junior player – Eduan Naude Most promising junior player – Karel Wiggins Oldest player – MC Botha – Jonathan Just
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21 November 2018
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MY SCHOOL
A taste of Africa Writer & Photographer Taylum Meyer
O
n Friday 17 November, Generation Schools Hermanus hosted their 8th annual Foods of the World. The event was initiated by Montessori School before its transition to Generation Schools. As in previous years, there were ive tables featuring foods from around the world. The theme for this year was ‘African foods’ which included a vegetable couscous (Morocco), bunny chow (South Africa) chicken biryani (Kenya) and a seafood potjie (Central Africa). The children attending were served their own special meal of home-made lasagne created by the school’s kitchen. Parents and guests were invited to bring their own drinks and there were many activities to keep the children amused such as putt-putt, a climbing
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wall, jumping castle, mini disco, etc. The ire department also made an appearance with one of their trucks which the children were allowed to explore.
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Musician James Saunders kept the adults entertained with his smooth tunes before comedian Barry Hilton, a parent at the school, started the auction. The items up for grabs included duvet covers with pillow cases, table cloths and scatter cushions made by the students.
1 18-month-old Lea Prinsloo loved the jumping castle’s ball pond. Her brother is at Generation Schools Hermanus and she will soon be joining him. 2 The teachers, children and parents of the Bumblebees class were excited when the class’s table cloth came up for auction. 3 Teacher Harriet Saville, who organised the event, with two of the cushions that were auctioned.
The school would like to thank Milkwood Restaurant in Onrus for all the dessert items and LB Seafood Bistro in Hermanus for the seafood at the Central Africa table, as well as the parents who helped to prepare the food.
4 Comedian Barry Hilton and his son Jack in the tree behind him.
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