The Village NEWS 22 May - 29 May 2019

3

Extra boreholes for Hermanus

22 MAY 2019

4

Sports Club update

10

What's Cooking

#ALLOVEROVERBERG We’ve Got You Covered

14

New books in review

YOUR FREE COPY

FCJ Independent Newspaper of the Year

Inquiry into police resources The Western Cape Provincial Police Ombudsman has launched a formal investigation to determine if police stations in the Overstrand are being adequately staffed and resourced to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively.

Writer Raphael da Silva

interviews and research before compiling their report.

The Provincial Gazette Extraordinary notice, published 14 May 2019 by the Western Cape Government after a request from Overstrand Executive Mayor, Ald Dudley Coetzee, also states that “any person or organisation may submit written representations regarding the investigation within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice”.

Last year, the Whale Coast Business and Community Forum (WCBCF) requested that its members submit affidavits to the police about the impact of the unrest on their businesses and how the situation had been handled by police. Over 100 affidavits were handed over.

"I welcome the enquiry and, together with the station commanders of Hermanus, Stanford, Kleinmond and Gansbaai, will give our full cooperation to the Ombudsman,” said Brigadier Donovan Heilbron, the Overberg Cluster commander, in reaction.

The Hermanus Community Policing Forum (CPF), which provides the link between the police and the wider community, is fully behind the investigation. “Crime and unrest are adversely affecting our region, and road closures are deemed unacceptable due to the negative effect on our economy and the safety of residents and visitors to the Overstrand.

“Our communities are suffering daily from increased crime levels, with both residential and business properties being targeted. Our requirement is for our police station to be sufficiently equipped to respond to and investigate incidents and to make arrests, thereby removing criminals from our streets,” said the CPF in a written statement.

This Orange-breasted Sunbird (Anthobaphes violacea) was seen enjoying a beautiful late autumn day on Rotary Way in Hermanus.

PHOTO: Martin Etsebeth

Once the Ombudsman, Johan Brand, has received written submissions, he and his team of investigating officers will begin the process of

“On 16 December 2018, the WCBCF assisted in a process of collecting affidavits from business and property owners regarding criminal activities during the riots,” said Victor Sabba, a member of the WCBCF Executive. “These affidavits were submitted to the local SAPS offices. Over the past six months, the Forum has received no constructive response from SAPS, except to say that the matter was with their legal department. We will support and play an active role in any endeavour to hold the police accountable. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Gideon Serfontein, the Chairperson of the Hermanus Business Chamber said, "HBC welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to raise awareness of the strain on SAPS resources in the Overstrand. A large number of our members have been adversely affected by lawlessness and an increase in various crime incidents throughout the Overstrand, particularly in the last year.

“Proactive crime prevention activities and visible policing are important cornerstones in maintaining a stable and law-abiding society. The Safety and Security portfolio of the HBC will, therefore, consult with our members on the topic and prepare the HBC’s submission within the available time frame."

Continues on P 3

SURED AS

Q U A LIT Y

3

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Two new boreholes for Hermanus A

lthough drilling of two new boreholes at the Gateway Wellfield in Hermanus is expected to start soon, it is important that residents continue to save water, despite the Overstrand Municipality’s endeavour to secure new water sources.

The appointed drilling contractor, Steyn’s Drilling, said equipment was being moved on site this week. Nearby properties, including the Gateway Shopping Centre management, have been informed about the planned drilling activities.

Drilling sites were selected by geohydrologists, based on available hydrogeological information and the likelihood of it delivering a good sustainable yield. The water will be pumped to the Preekstoel Water Treatment Plant to ensure a potable

standard. From there, it will be distributed into the town’s water supply network.

“We will only be sure about the sustainable yield after the holes have been drilled and tested,” said the municipality’s Deputy Director of Engineering and Planning, Hanré Blignaut, adding that the boreholes would be utilised on a permanent basis, and would be monitored continuously.

Blignaut explained that Overstrand’s groundwater programmes were based on an environmentally-sensitive approach – the aim being to ensure sustainable and responsible water abstraction. The Overstrand receives its water from three dams and 15 boreholes.

The Greater Hermanus area is

WHAT TO EXPECT If all goes according to plan, drilling is scheduled to start next week.

The boreholes are on municipal land. The one is located oppostie the Gateway Shopping and the other ± 100 metres north of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness.

The boreholes will be drilled to a depth of approximately 300 meters and are designed to target the deeper Peninsula Formation aquifer and will therefore not affect the shallower aquifers from which most households abstract their groundwater.

It is anticipated that during the drilling process water strikes will occur, and this will result in large amounts of water being ejected from the ground, potentially in excess of 50-100 litres per second.

This non-potable water will be captured and disposed of in stormwater drains.

Drilling will only take place during the day and will result in noise and dust generation.

supplied with water from the De Bos Dam in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, as well as 10 boreholes spread across the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and the Gateway area. The other boreholes include two in Stanford, two in Baardskeerdersbos and one in Buffeljagsbaai.

At this stage, Level 2 water restrictions – including the first level of water-saving tariffs – have to be maintained for the Greater Hermanus area. The De Bos Dam level was at 41.5% at the end of April 2019.

The total water demand in Hermanus for April 2019 was 228 mega-litres and Hermanus residents have been using an average of 10.9 million litres of water per day.

Drilling is estimated to last between one and two weeks per borehole.

Pump testing will last a week and will be a 24-hour activity.

Read more about greywater on P 21

Winde promises to take action From P 1 Western Cape Premier-elect, Alan Winde, told The Village NEWS exclusively, “Once my Cabinet is announced and we have had our first bosberaad, I will announce our plan for making the province safer. We will take multiple approaches.”

In April 2019, the Western Cape government declared a formal intergovernmental dispute with the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, over the shortage of police members, allegedly about 4 500, in the province.

As the Minister of Community Safety at the time, Winde said, “Our province urgently needs more police officers” and that the police force was “dramatically under-resourced compared to other provinces”.

“While one officer must protect 375 people on average nationally, in the Western Cape, the ratio is one to 509,” said Winde in a press statement at the time.

The Village NEWS reached out to the spokesperson for the national Minis-

ter of Police for comment. However, she was unaware of this investigation by the Ombudsman and asked that the matter be referred to the SAPS Western Cape Media Centre, which in turn declined to comment.

In particular, The Village NEWS wanted to know from SAPS what the current number of police personnel is in the Overberg and the Overstrand. In May 2016, SAPS, as part of its annual Policing Needs and Priorities (PNP) consultations with the Western Cape Department of Community Safety (DoCS), hosted a workshop for the Overberg Police Cluster. At this workshop, it was reported by Brigadier Heilbron that the Overberg Cluster had 68 schools, 49 public spaces, 14 taxi ranks, 21 informal settlements and 12 police stations, with a total of 538 operational members, 186 support members and 95 detectives.

Minister Cele is, however, on record as saying in April 2019 that there is not a general shortage of officers in the Cape and that the Democratic Alliance is mischaracterising police resourcing. “The findings did not say there was a shortage of officers. It

said there was a shortage of police in black areas,” he said.

Masizole Mnqasela, the Democratic Alliance Constituency Head for the Overstrand, said in a statement that the Western Cape government has no executive authority over SAPS – a situation that he says has to change.

“We will take up the fight with the national government, to get the powers of policing assigned to the Western Cape government so that we can hire, fire and deploy police resources as we deem fit, depending on the demands of our environment here in the province. We have had enough, the time has come to protect our communities, to save lives and grow the economy,” said Mnqasela. “We will not stop until the police responsibilities are assigned to the Western Cape government, even if it means we must go to the Constitutional Court.”

The Village NEWS tried to obtain comment from the Overstrand leader of the ANC but did not receive a response before going to press.

This investigation by the Ombudsman is just one more step in a

process that started last year when protests and unrest in the Overstrand raised questions about the number of police and the resources that they had available in the municipal district.

One concern that has been repeatedly voiced, for example, is the fact that there is only one officer trained in Public Order Policing (POP) in this district. As a result, whenever there are protests, road closures, demonstrations or pickets, POP units from elsewhere in the Western Cape have to be called in.

According to SAPS, only POP units are empowered to deal with crowd management and violent community protests. At present, there are 41 POP units in South Africa which consist of four reserve units and 37 provincial units.

The office of the Western Cape Provincial Police Ombudsman was established following the enactment of the Western Cape Community Safety Act of 2013. Advocate Vusi Pikoli was appointed as the first Ombudsman with effect 1 December 2014.

Mr Johan Brand, his successor, was appointed on 1 September 2018 for a non-renewable five-year term.

The Ombudsman and staff are mandated by law to serve independently and impartially and to perform their work in good faith without favour, bias, prejudice or fear.

Written representations should be submitted by 12 June 2019 and marked for the attention of Mr JJ Brand. The submissions can be delivered by hand, post, email or fax as follows: By hand: 6th Floor, NBS Waldorf Building, 80 St Georges Mall, Cape Town 8001 By post: Private Bag X9043, Cape Town 8000 Email: ombudsman@wcpo.gov.za Fax: 021 483 0660 For further information, contact Ms A. Lewis on 021 483 0669 or email the Office of the Western Cape Provincial Police Ombudsman at ombudsman@wcpo.gov.za.

Office hours: Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 16:00 (excluding public holidays)

4

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Donations needed to complete new sports club

T

he Hermanus Squash and Tennis Club had a ‘last countdown party’ on Friday, 3 May to officially announce the closure of the old facility situated next to the municipal offices. On the same occasion, the club, which previously existed as one entity incorporating both squash and tennis, was formerly divided into two separate clubs, namely the Hermanus Tennis Club and Hermanus Squash Club.

• • •

The above are urgent necessities but Tony says their future wish list includes the construction of an aquatic centre, the incorporation and construction of a cricket pavilion and a sports science facility. “Let’s make this the sports mecca of the Overberg where both national and international sporting visitors can be hosted,” he says.

"Both of these are now incorporated into the Hermanus Sports Club (HSC). This new sports precinct has six tennis courts (four floodlit) and four squash courts. There are also two newly-erected netball courts and the floodlighting from the old tennis club will be utilised to complete this part of the project,” says Tony O’Hagan, chair of the HSC. He adds that these netball facilities are already being used by schools and clubs.

An aerial view of the new Hermanus Sports Club (HSC).

Tennis, squash and netball are new sporting disciplines that have now been added to hockey, played on the Hermanus High School Astroturf, cricket, as it exists at present and Whalers Athletic Club, catering for our running community. Other sporting activities provided for at the HSC are the BMX track and Dance School.

Construction of the new gymnasium

this restaurant/bar facility. The outside deck area also needs to be screeded.

Change Rooms - Completion of the Men's and Ladies change rooms and showers.

Paving - For parts of the outside area.

Plants and Greenery - Required for the surrounds of the Clubhouse.

is imminent and will be erected in the vicinity of the Hermanus Primary sports fields and the Old Boys Club.

"Mathew Browne and his Proactive Fitness members will be a great asset to the HSC," says Tony.

"The HSC is most grateful to the Municipality for the generous grant that enabled all the existing construction

form of donations to reach our aim of building a sporting Mecca for the Overberg community,” says Tony.

to be undertaken. Donations have also been received from members of the HSC and the community and these have made it possible for us to move forward on specific projects."

Immediate funding is required for the following projects to be completed: • Food Court - Flooring, kitchen counter and bar counter. Peter Kunz has been appointed as the approved restauranteur for

According to Tony, there are still a number of projects that require urgent funding for completion. “The HSC is seeking assistance in the

What’s on at UNTIL 28 JUNE

PHOTO: Jacques Grobler

Anyone who would like to participate, share ideas and advice, or offer assistance, should contact any of the following individuals: Tony O'Hagan – 083 266 0139; Pieter de Jager – 083 737 5412; John Cowan – 073 054 2598; Andre van der Merwe – 083 650 8103; Anton du Plessis – 082 459 5505; or Peter Kunz – 082 782 7046.

The Caledon UNTIL 30 JUNE

RIBS & CALAMARI 400g Ribs,125g Calamari, Onion Rings, Chips & a Glass of Wine

pp

R165

Snack basket

at the Satellite Bar

UNTIL 30 JUNE

R109PP MONDAY – SUNDAY

FROM 10H00

CASINO, HOTEL, SPA AND ENTERTAINMENT

5

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Fire-wise erven high on agenda Writer De Waal Steyn

F

ollowing the devasting fires that destroyed some 50 homes in the Overstrand in January this year, the municipality is panning on instituting a policy to create and maintain fire-wise erven in urban and suburban areas.

According to the draft policy, now open for public participation, the objectives include:

•

• • •

Prevention of the outbreak and spread of fire by removing and reducing fire hazards presented by an overgrowth of combustible vegetation on erven, irrespective of the type of vegetation.

Providing identification of fire hazards on all vacant erven within the urban areas.

Enabling the process of notifying owners of the fire hazards and their obligation to comply with the relevant legislation.

Ensuring that fire hazards are controlled and reduced in accordance with prescribed standards.

The policy excludes properties managed by the Municipal Environmental Management Services Department, that are areas of conservation concern.

“The Community Fire Safety By-law, in relation to overgrown vegetation, makes no distinction between alien and endemic/indigenous vegetation. This policy is enacted to provide the municipality and landowners with the minimum standards and guidelines for managing and controlling the fire hazards presented by overgrown erven, and also to initiate mechanisms to combat the proliferation of combustible vegetation on vacant erven, in order to mitigate or remove the threat and danger of fires in residential areas,” states the draft policy.

It further conveys that all municipal officials and contractors, as well as all residents and landowners, will be subject to the contents of this policy. “All landowners are obligated, in terms of Articles 34 and 58 of the Community Fire Safety By-law, to maintain their vacant erven in such a manner that the land is in a satisfactory condition, as determined by the chief fire officer, and that it does not present a fire hazard to the surrounding environment and community.

“Landowners are obligated to comply with the standards determined by the municipality.

Only manual clearing methods will be used for reducing fire hazards in areas proclaimed as protected, while mechanical clearing will be permitted in other areas.”

Manual clearing is achieved using hand tools such as bow saws; pruning scissors; motoroperated, hand-held chainsaws, or motoroperated, hand-held brush cutters. Mechanical clearing is performed using industrial-driven,

motorised lawnmowers or tractor-drawn bush cutters (bossiekappers). Landowners using bush cutters are encouraged to consider the protection of animals and natural vegetation.

According to the draft policy fire breaks, cleared of combustible material, will be created within the urban edge in order to assist in preventing fires from spreading; and to provide the necessary access for firefighting vehicles to control fires.

Areas such as roadside verges, public gardens, parks, fire breaks or sports/playing fields, where continuous maintenance takes place, are also subject to compliance with the minimum standards of this policy.

The draft policy states that any delegated official of the Overstrand Fire, Rescue and Disaster Management Service is empowered to enter any erf to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Community Fire Safety By-law, and to order the removal of any hazard if it is found to violate any fire-safety standards.

“Officials with delegated authority for the identification of fire hazards shall have the final decision on the standard of clearing of an erf; and

as to when, and how, an erf shall be cleared.

“Compliance notices will be served on landowners by registered mail and will only be sent via email as a courtesy, where accurate contact information is provided to the municipality. A clearing-compliance notice period of 28 working days, in the case of owners who reside in South Africa, and 40 days, in the case of owners who reside beyond the borders of South Africa, will apply in respect of the removal of hazardous conditions prescribed by this policy.”

The draft policy states that failure to comply with the requirements of a clearing notice will result in remedial or legal action. Fines and imprisonment may be imposed by the Hermanus Additional Court. The relevant amounts will be billed against the defaulting owner’s municipal account.

The policy is open for public comment. Copies can be obtained at all local libraries or on the municipal website, under the strategic documents tab. The closing date for comments is 16 June 2019.

Prescribed standards for clearing vegetation Contractors appointed by the municipality for the clearing of erven are not permitted to use any herbicides on private erven but can, under direction of the relevant municipal departmental manager, use herbicides to control invasive species on municipal property.

The clearing of vegetation that constitutes a fire hazard must comply with the following standards: • All erven shall be cleared of all dead wood and any other combustible material not associated with the growth of vegetation.

• All invasive, alien vegetation must be cut down and removed. Remaining stumps may be treated with herbicide, at the discretion of the landowner, to prevent re-growth.

• Grass and indigenous ground-covering plant species must be maintained at a maximum height of 500 mm.

• The area around trees must be cleared of growth to a minimum height of 1.5 m on the underside of the canopy with all ground-level dead wood removed from the area around trees.

• On erven that are surrounded by 1.8 m or higher boundary walls, the density of indigenous vegetation must be reduced by a minimum of 50%; and vegetation must be cut down to at least 50 mm below the top level of the walls.

• On properties larger than the standard-sized, single-residential erven, adequate fire breaks must be provided as determined by the chief fire officer.

• Erven that are located within 50 m of thatched-roof structures must always be cleared of vegetation to the minimum standard, irrespective of vegetation species and location, with the exception of trees that must be trimmed.

• The clearing of erven must be done in a manner that does not contribute to soil erosion.

• All vegetation refuse, produced during the clearing process, must be removed and may not be left on an erf or on the verge for longer than three days.

• Cuttings may be chipped into pieces not larger than 100 mm x 100 mm in size, which may be removed, or distributed over the cleared erf; but may not be left as heaps that would give rise to spontaneous combustion.

• It is recommended that private landowners make use of the registered contractors available on the municipal database as they are aware of the minimum requirements.

15 Village Lane, Hemel-en-Aarde Village 028 050 0589

www.woodenways.co.za

Open 7 days a week

leather couches from R6999

WINTER

SALE up to 50% off 23 May - 2 June

6

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

FROM THE EDITOR Focusing attention on Overstrand’s thin blue line After a year of start-stop initiatives, the opening of a formal inquiry by the Western Cape Provincial Police Ombudsman into whether the Overstrand SAPS stations have sufficient resources to do their job properly, is a concrete step in the right direction, especially so soon after the elections.

After receiving representations from the public, businesses and other interested parties, Ombudsman Johan Brand and his team will conduct wide-ranging interviews, cool-headedly look at the facts, and impartially and independently

publish their report, devoid of the political rhetoric and uninformed opinion that has clouded many of the conversations in our community on this subject.

To be very clear, this inquiry is not an indictment against our local police.

To come to this conclusion would be blatantly wrong and unfair. One should not equate under-resourcing with incompetence. In fact, the overwhelming majority of residents are extremely grateful for the quality of service, the conduct of officers and the professionalism shown by this dedicated team.

For many residents, properly resourced police stattions are about protecting their businesses and property. But we must never forget that it is the women from lower socio-economic backgrounds who are the most vulnerable victims of lawlessness and, unfortunately, violent crime.

The reality is that the debate around police resourcing in the Western Cape has been going on for too long, without conclusion. Even as recently as December 2018, Judge MJ Dolamo of the Cape High Court (sitting as the Equality Court) declared that the

allocation of police resources in the Western Cape unfairly discriminated on the basis of race and economic status. SAPS is appealing this decision, since the finding is non-binding, and seems to be using it as an excuse for inaction.

This is why we must fully cooperate with this inquiry and offer as much detailed information as we possibly can, because the report will not only impact the Overstrand but will also have reverberations for the Western Cape and South Africa.

This is the good NEWS - Ed

Political Viagra: A Cure for Electile Dysfunction?

A Far Kraai

By Murray Stewart

Immediate family members were first to go. This type of governance – Panthevillagemuze@gmail.com ga Management – is also popular in some Middle Eastern countries. Cull or be culled.

With the elections a thing of the past, many of us find our popularity has suddenly plummeted. A few weeks ago we were getting more emails, phone calls and WhatsApps than a cellphone help centre. And now?

Zilch. We had our uses, now it’s back in the cupboard for another four or five years. Thanks very much – don’t call us, we’ll call you.

I suppose it’s pretty much the same everywhere – or almost everywhere.

The Chinese hierarchy couldn’t give a fig about schmoozing the shuffling masses into voting. You can only vote for King Ping anyway – forever, till he dies. If not, it’s off to some vocational ‘reorientation camp’ – perhaps also forever. Sounds enticing.

Then there’s the leader with the world’s second-silliest hairdo from North Korea with similar ideas of permanent dictatorship. To cement things, he casually killed off any of those who might’ve voted against him – in case there was a referendum.

But back to normality. Election results guarantee two things. The winning party will applaud democracy, claiming a “free ‘n fair” election, and they’ll all get triumphantly drunk. The losers will always play the “voter fraud” card, and while shouting rigged and foul, will get dejectedly drunk.

Sometimes these foul shouters are correct, though. George W Bush snuck in by a pube, thanks to a little Strictly Come Ballot Dancing by his brother in Florida, while our chum north of the Limpopo openly rejected any unfavourable results, and over the next few weeks would create his own “free ‘n fair” poll numbers, then declare himself the winner – so there!

The new bloke didn’t even bother to cheat properly.

And talking about cheating, how about this misdirected tweet meant for ‘security’, but sent to ‘send all’ by mistake from someone at ANC headquarters – two nights before Election Day: “Emergency! Burglary at Lethuli

House! Next week’s election results have been stolen!”

Anyway, whether contrived or not, elections and their poll numbers are still the sharp edge of the blade in democratic politics, and the knives have been out all around the world recently. Unrealistic targets have been promised by politicians in Nigeria, Egypt, Thailand, Spain, Slovakia, Israel, Zimbabwe, India and here, among many others. Election fever has gone global.

Candidates strut about on stages and TV, trying to convince the shuffling scum that their strategy is the only way forward. The fact that they won’t be able to keep their promises doesn’t matter, the ‘blind faith brigade’ whistle and cheer anyway.

Recently, an ingenious way around the continual breaking of these promises, is simply to lie that they have been kept. The undisputed champion in this minefield of misinformation is the Angry Orange who has managed over ten thousand lies without blushing or blinking.

The Mexicans aren’t paying for The Wall, and China won’t be paying the

25% tariff-hike on imports – local merchants and consumers will bear the brunt. But hey, why let the facts get in the way of broken promises?

Just keep lying over and over till they become true.

Blissfully unperturbed about his wretched relationship with the truth, he has perfected the art of being the arsonist as well as the fire fighter.

Sadly, this doesn’t only happen in the land of the free and home of the slave, but everywhere.

On a more positive note, India, with a population of over a billion, has a staggering one million voting stations across the country. Some tribes are so remote or isolated by floods that officials had to be dropped in by chopper to set up polling booths for the largest democratic election in history – an amazing undertaking.

Anyway, elections will keep popping up, but the big mistake many politicians make is forgetting they’ve been appointed, and assuming they’ve been anointed.

So be careful what you wish for – a good politician is as unthinkable as an honest burglar.

Proudly Sponsored By

WEEKLY WEATHER & DE BOS DAM LEVELS

Talisman Tool Hire

Wed | 22 May

Thu | 23 May

Fri | 24 May

Sat | 25 May

Sun | 26 May

Mon | 27 May

Tue | 28 May

18°/12° Partly Cloudy

19°/13° Partly Sunny

19°/14° Sunny

22°/14° Sunny

22°/11° Sunny

17°/13° Partly Sunny

17°/7° Partly Sunny

De Bos Dam 39.56%

05:13 11:21 17:40 23:41

High Low High Low

05:50 11:56 18:19

High Low High Low

028 313 0144

Weekly Rainfall 20.3 mm Tides sourced by www.tide-forecast.com

WEEKLY TIDE TABLES High Low High Low

Contact Us

06:31 00:25 19:05 12:35

High Low High Low

07:21 01:18 20:08 13:28

High Low High Low

08:32 02:31 21:31 14:46

High Low High Low

10:01 03:56 22:47 16:18

High Low High Low

11:18 05:10 23:44 17:28

LET’S TALK Objections to Lamloch based on science, not rumour This letter is in response to those by Mr Michael Green (published in the 24 April issue of The Village NEWS), Mr Craig Saunders of the Kleinmond Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) and Dr Brian Slade (both 1 May issue) regarding the proposed Lamloch development.

gist that suggest they had different understandings of what the final preferred alternative would entail.

As Mr Saunders notes, it is important to base comment, critical or otherwise, of any proposed development on sound research rather than on “hearsay and emotive rumour”. This has been Whale Coast Conservation’s (WCC) approach over our past 15 years of submitting numerous objective contributions on various development proposals to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) within the public participation processes of environmental impact studies.

These experts agree that the land is highly sensitive and conservation-worthy. The botanist goes as far as to conclude that “areas that have been previously cultivated have recovered relatively well and contain some of the best-condition vegetation on the property. This indicates that much of the site could be rehabilitated to a near-natural condition if the alien vegetation is controlled.”

Sadly, the removal of invasive alien vegetation (IAV) on the property is indeed the only positive environmental impact of the development in its proposed form; all other impacts are negative, some seriously so, and there are many inconsistencies.

Our comment on this proposal is accordingly based on careful study of the contents of the Pre-Application Basic Assessment Report (PBAR) for the proposed development – a detailed 193-page document, supported by over 600 pages of specialist reports and supporting documents.

WCC respects the expertise of the specialists responsible for these studies. However, reading the full PBAR reveals several issues raised by the botanist and fresh-water ecolo-

One example is Mr Saunders’ statement that “The development of a tented camp built in a sensitive environment has been thoroughly considered. Research, planning and expertise have been employed so that it will be done in a responsible manner so as not to affect the watercourse.” The fresh water specialist, however, warns that the tented accommodation camp “will lead to a loss or deterioration of wetland habitat”, that the associated sewage

system presents a serious eutrophication risk to the estuary and that “the impact cannot be mitigated”, and recommends that the tented camp be moved beyond the 5 metres above mean sea level contour line.

The Bot River Estuary area in which Mr Saunders proposes to build the tented camp on stilts over the water should not be within the fenced area of the property. The Bot River Estuary is defined within the Integrated Coastal Management Act as “Coastal Waters” and all parts of it are therefore “Public Coastal Property”. Mr Saunders’ attempt to justify fencing this area by comparing it with fencing around properties in Eastcliff and Voëlklip is invalid. A better analogy would be those properties in the riparian areas of the Klein River Estuary, the cadastral boundaries of which extend to the middle of the estuary.

An outcry could be expected if those property owners were to fence in half of the width of the Klein River Estuary as their private domain and build tented accommodation over the fenced-in water.

The botanical expert raises concerns about the unknown effect of trampling on the sensitive vegetation on the property. He specifies that detailed annual studies of the effects

Thank you for supporting U3A Last Thursday we were privileged to host Francoise Malby Anthony, the widow of the famous ‘Elephant Whisperer’, Lawrence Anthony. And what an event it turned out to be!

Before a standing-room only audience in the Dutch Reformed Church in Onrus, Francoise related the story of the traumatised herd of elephants that they accommodated and settled in their Thula Thula Game Reserve in Zululand, the extraordinary bond that Lawrence developed with the elephants and how she has carried on his work following his death.

7

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Francoise has a unique presentation style and with her lilting French accent, she charmed the audience with her tales of incidents on the reserve and stories about the individual animals in their care.

However, it was more than a stimulating and enjoyable evening. More significantly, she once again raised awareness of our fragile animal kingdom and the valiant fight of a single woman endeavouring to make a difference.

We wish to express our sincere

gratitude to The Village NEWS and its staff for their support and the regular publicity you have given to the U3A, but especially for this occasion.

It is our joy to be able to present the various programmes to our members and the public, but your exposure makes it possible to stage such a successful event. Thank you! – Letter shortened. Read more about Francoise Malby Anthony on P 14 - Ed

Gert Claassen U3A Overberg

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

Send your letters to letters@thevillagenews.co.za

on the vegetation with potential reduction or removal of animals if degradation occurs must be a condition attached to an environmental authorisation. However, this adaptive approach is inconsistent with the “precautionary principle” prescribed

by NEMA; applying the precautionary principle would require that animals should not be introduced at the outset if there is any risk of degradation.

Mr Saunders notes that elephants walk with soft and rounded soles on selected paths and thus do not trample. This is true when elephants traverse between areas; however, when they are foraging, elephants walk to wherever they see food. Who of us has not seen the barren areas around the water holes frequented by buck, buffalos and elephants in game parks in South Africa? If the animals wallow in the Lamloch wetland pools, will they remain viable habitats for the highly-endangered Micro and Cape platanna frogs and sensitive vegetation or turn to muddy wastelands devoid of life? There is no herpetologist’s report informing the PBAR about the likely effects of the animals wallowing in wetland areas.

There are also worrying inconsistencies between the specialist reports and the PBAR which suggest that the

specialists have different perceptions about what is being proposed. For example, although Mr Saunders states that “At KWS wild animals will forage; they will not be enclosed in camps”, the animal management plan speaks of a 10 ha buffalo and a 20 ha elephant camp, enclosed by electrified fences, and shows their location.

However, these camps are not shown on the diagram of “preferred alternative 3” of the PBAR. The botanical and fresh water reports identify the area proposed in the animal management report for an elephant enclosure as sensitive wetland, whereas the animal management report says that area is infested with alien vegetation and suitable for an elephant camp.

Arguments in the newspapers will not decide the future of the Lamloch wetlands. DEA&DP will consider the contents of the environmental assessment documents and the comments submitted by those who study and respond to them. Personal wishes and subjective opinions won’t count one jot.

Letter shortened. Read the full letter online at www.thevillagenews.co.za - Ed Rob Fryer General Manager, Whale Coast Conservation

Schools should act against bullying I have just read the letter from ‘Concerned Mom’ re bullying in our schools (Take bullying seriously, The Village NEWS, 15 May 2019). My daughter had to take her son out of a local primary school due to bullying.

His behind was black and purple from being pinched and given ‘wedgies’. He was also tormented by name calling and the bullies would steal his lunch. He went through hell and often had nightmares. He was afraid

to go to school every day. My grandson is now in another school where he is excelling in both sport and academics. Every time we drive past his old school he says he has only bad memories from his time there. This is so cruel and yet nothing was done – the bullies were simply told to apologise. Why does this school allow their learners to get away with such unacceptable behaviour?

Concerned Grandmother

10 8

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Where does the money go?

FOLLOW US ONLINE www.thevillagenews.co.za

Climate change is putting even resilient and adaptable animals like baboons at risk With baboons making the headlines recently in the Overstrand, The Village NEWS online has a story about how climate change is affecting them. Baboons are large, smart, ground-dwelling monkeys. They are found across sub-Saharan Africa in various habitats and eat a flexible diet including meat, eggs, and plants. And they are known opportunists – in addition to raiding crops and garbage, some even mug tourists for their possessions, especially food. https://thevillagenews.co.za/climate-change-is-putting-even-resilPHOTO: Courtesy of BBC ient-and-adaptable-animals-like-baboons-at-risk/

By Anina Lee Whale Coast Conservation

R

ecently the Hermanus community, especially the art community opened their hearts and their pockets to save our chameleons. It was a wonderful effort by fundraiser Marion Zeegers.

It seems strange that chameleons, which have been around since the dinosaurs, should need saving. The reality is that the ever-expanding numbers of humans are fast taking over the habitats of wildlife all over the world. Around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction – more than ever before in human history, according to a landmark Global Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Here, in our own neck of the woods, there are now very few ‘woods’ for chameleons. What used to be their ‘backyard’ is now our backyard – literally. Clearly a strategy is required to help the chameleons to survive.

PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com @Villiers Steyn

Trophy hunting in Africa: the case for viable, sustainable alternatives With elephants on the minds of many Overberg residents, this opinion piece by Muchazondida Mkono from The University of Queensland argues that the arguments in favour of trophy hunting are “much ado about nothing.” https://thevillagenews.co.za/trophy-hunting-in-africa-the-case-for-viable-sustainable-alternatives/ PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com

To make a long-term difference, it is necessary to do it right, by applying rigorous scientific methodology. It needs an appropriately-qualified and respected scientist, backed by a credible organisation. Whale Coast Conservation’s Sheraine van Wyk fits the bill. She writes as follows: The chameleon project was initiated because we found that many chameleons in the Vermont area were being killed in the process of plot clearance. This area is experiencing high development pressure and the standard practice is that all vegetation is bulldozed and cleared. Animals, like the chameleons, living in the vegetation, are destroyed in the process. In South Africa, it is illegal to capture and/ or move wildlife – and rightly so.

When we realised that we are losing many of these charismatic animals,

we scrambled to get the biodiversity authorities to save them, but not much was known about relocating chameleons, how well they survive relocation and what criteria an area must meet to qualify as a suitable relocation site.

CapeNature encouraged us to create a research project, for which they gave us a permit, in order to find the answers to these questions.

We designed a citizen science project that included approximately 20 people to do the relocation (capture), photographing (mark) and release work. Initially we captured 120 animals in February 2018 on plots that were to be cleared. We moved them to the Hermanus golf course (the relocation site) where there are suitable fynbos patches.

We returned once a month to recapture animals, photograph and measure them. We have completed a year of monitoring and are busy doing an insect survey of both the area where the chameleons come from and the relocation site. The data is being processed and analysed and the scientific study findings will be available soon.

Sadly the project has been unfunded until now. During the 18 months that the project has been running, the cost to Whale Coast Conservation has been approximately R150 000, which it cannot afford. Without dedicated funding for the chameleon project, it will not be able to continue.

The first fundraiser for the chameleon project has raised approximately R 45 000. With this money we will purchase the equipment needed to generate data, and make a contribution to Whale Coast Conservation for project management fees.

Further fundraising will need to be done in order to continue with open area surveys, monitoring of chameleons in relocation sites and restoration

or improvement of additional relocation sites.

A key area requiring intervention is early warning of plot clearance.

The project manager is negotiating with municipal departments, estate agents and EIA practitioners to create communication pathways to facilitate this. Another area of risk is plot or garden maintenance where plants and trees are pruned or felled and the cut material is taken to transfer stations for chipping. At times there are chameleons on this material. The project manager is working with CapeNature and municipal officials to regularly collect chameleons from the transfer station.

An intervention involving land owners, sub-contractors and garden services is needed to stop or at least reduce the risk to chameleons.

The chameleon project has served to raise awareness of these animals in the Hermanus community. We have been pleased that many people have adopted an eco-ethic and are beginning to consider ways to allow chameleons to thrive within a human-dominated world. But more must be done to secure a future for them and safeguard the habitats that they occupy. Whale Coast Conservation has a strong education department that is planning presentations of the project at schools. There are initiatives to draw more volunteers to do the important surveying work that needs to be done.

Above all, we need to maintain scientific rigor and work within the law, abide by the rules given by CapeNature, the biodiversity authority, and remain true to our environmental ethics which dictate that we continue to do what is needed to safeguard our chameleons.

I am very grateful for the support of an amazing team of monitors and chameleon project members, CapeNature and municipal officials, and the Hermanus community.

Ed Meyer with Sheraine van Wyk.

067 770 7629 | theagency@thevillagenews.co.za

THE VILLAGE

EXPLORER ART | FOOD | WINE | BOOKS

THE HOME OF FINE BOOKS 028 313 0834

'A strong woman never gives up' Writer Elaine Davie

S

hangaan village life in rural Limpopo has changed very little over the past half century or so.

And at the centre of this traditional lifestyle are the women. It is they who fetch the water from the river and firewood from the bush, who plant the seeds and hoe the fields and who cook and clean, wash the clothes and care for the children. It is a hard life.

Artist Phillemon Hlungwani knows this very well; it is how and where he grew up.

The headline artist at this year’s FynArts Festival, Phillemon’s exhibition, which is presented in association with Knysna Fine Arts, pays tribute to the strong women in his own and neighbouring villages in the Giyani district of Limpopo Province.

Now in his early forties, Phillemon has lived in Johannesburg since he matriculated and has exhibited all over this country and abroad, but his ties with his cultural heritage and xiTsonga, his mother tongue, remain the well-spring of his creativity.

From primary to high school he was educated in Thomo, his home village and it is quite extraordinary under these circumstances that he was able to take Art for matric, obtaining an A. He is filled with gratitude for the people who played a pivotal role in this achievement: his single, hard-working mother, his art teacher, motivator and friend, Muxe Moses Mthombeni, and Queen Mtileni. Why this remote part of the country should have produced such an inordinately high percentage of South Africa’s top artists and fine-crafts practitioners, including his family-member Jackson Hhlungwani, is an interesting matter of conjecture.

With his Art distinction in hand, Phillemon was able to obtain a place at the Johannesburg Art Foundation, before studying printmaking under the mentorship of Kim Berman, the late Nhlahla Xaba and Osiah Masukameng at the Artist Proof Studio.

He later completed an Art teacher’s training course at the Wits School of Art. During his years as a student, he says he used to wash taxis for food money and sometimes do sketches at malls for R50 or R100, which he used to send to his mother.

After he qualified, he joined the Artist Proof Studio where he has performed a number of roles, from papermaking, to teaching, to community outreach. He was selected by the prestigious Ampersand Foundation to undertake an extensive study tour of printmaking studios in the United States.

FynArts Festival artist, Phillemon Hlungwani.

Phillemon has had a relationship of over a decade with the Read family and has exhibited on

numerous occasions at the Everard Read Galleries in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London, as well as at Trent Read’s Knysna Fine Arts and Grande Provence Galleries. In addition, he has mounted solo exhibitions at other prestigious galleries all over South Africa, including Soweto, and participated in group exhibitions as far afield as London, Belgium, India and Quatar. The titles of many of his exhibitions, including the upcoming showing in Hermanus, are based on xiTsonga parables which highlight some virtue or value espoused by the community.

Not only does he specialise in astonishingly large etchings and charcoal and pastel drawings, but he has painted even bigger murals on commission for a variety of prestigious corporate clients. Trent Read says he is in awe of Phillemon’s phenomenal talent. “He is just so good as an artist, but his etching and print-making skills are quite extraordinary. Not many people realise what a difficult and complex technique this is and yet his engraving, application of aquatints and print-making abilities are all quite outstanding. He has told me that whereas a drawing, even a large one, will probably take him a couple of days to complete, an etching will require weeks of hard work and trial and error, before an artist’s proof is produced which satisfies him.”

His family background has had a profound effect on the recurring themes in his work. As he told Trent, “My mother was a widow with young children. She had to go to work for a farmer and sometimes would not be able to come back for a while. I was the oldest and had to get up at 4 o’clock to cook for the day, before school. We ate pap and marogo – no meat. Sometimes my brother and I could catch a fish. I learnt to do ‘woman’s work’ like cooking, collecting the spinach, washing clothes, collecting cow dung for the loor. You have to live.”

Two of the large etchings which will be on show at Phillemon Hlungwani's ehibition during the Hermanus FynArts Festival, entitled A strong woman never gives up.

In Phillemon’s world, everything is connected. The people – mainly women – full of motion and life, are at the heart of their environment and they are bursting with thoughts and opinions and yearnings. The colour he adds to their clothing helps them stand out in the vibrancy of their humanity, while arcs and lines connect and draw them together.

The protagonists are interwoven with their environment, the animals and the trees and the mythology that envelops them. His aim is to show

that “people who live in the simplest places with few possessions can still lead good, dignified lives and remain happy – they know where they have come from and where they are going.”

Phillemon Hlungwani’s exhibition, curated by Trent Read, promises to be a highlight of this year’s FynArts Festival. It will be opened on Saturday 8 June at 14:00 at the FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard, Harbour Road.

12 10 | FOOD

What's Cooking

22 May 2019

Heritage cottage enters a new era

By Hedda Mittner

M

axzell Lerm is a bundle of energy with a winning smile and a bubbly personality; she not only moves fast but talks fast. She aims to please people and likes to get things done. Little wonder, then, that the establishment she and her husband, Christo van Jaarsveld, took over a year ago is blossoming under her care.

The establishment in question is a little piece of Hermanus history – the Mon Desir cottage in Marine Drive that was one of the first fisherman’s cottages to be built in the fledgling town, well over a hundred years ago.

Now called the Heritage Restaurant, Maxzell’s magic touch and boundless enthusiasm has turned this venue into a welcoming space where visitors can enjoy an early breakfast, tuck into lunch or dinner, or enjoy sundowners while watching the whales frolicking in Walker Bay only metres away.

Situated across the road from the original fountain, Hermanuspietersfontein, which gave our town its name, Heritage Restaurant enjoys a prime position with great sea views and is surrounded by guesthouses and B&Bs. Yet several owners before the Van Jaarsvelds struggled to make this restaurant work, and this young entrepreneurial couple has put in a lot of effort to turn it around.

Eager to attract not only tourists but also local trade, Maxzell explains that they started at the beginning by asking for detailed feedback from their customers. Unlike many restauranteurs and chefs who balk at anything that can be remotely construed as criticism, Maxzell invited it and says she takes each and every comment to heart. I applaud her for that, as ‘listen and learn’ is not a strategy that many apply.

The result is that locals pay half-price for corkage; on Wednesdays and Thursdays pensioners get a free glass of wine or a free coffee / tea with their meals; light meals that usually only appear on lunch menus can also be enjoyed in the evening, and the outside area is pet-friendly, with water bowls available for thirsty pooches. For those embracing a healthier lifestyle, Maxzell has added vegetarian and banting options to the menu, and fresh juices and coffees are available to take away. The venue is also wheelchair-friendly, with ample parking across the road, a TV screen for sports fans and free WiFi. Although the traditional cottage is charming, it was a bit dark and drab before Maxzell applied liberal coats of white paint to lighten the interior, and used a yellow and blue colour scheme to brighten up the covered outside area in front of the restaurant.

During the day, this is a lovely spot to relax and enjoy the views, while the newly-installed gas fireplace inside keeps the winter chill at bay and creates a cosy atmosphere.

Breakfast is served from 07:00 and a The Marine popular option is the special Full English breakfast for early birds, which includes baked beans, tomato hash brown and beef sausage at only R85, including coffee or juice. Then there’s a delectable Eggs Benedict and a Banting Benedict (with a butternut bun instead of ciabatta), scrambled eggs, omelettes, pancakes… Not to mention the sublime chocolate croissant and other freshly-baked cakes and pastries.

For lunch and dinner, their new winter menu offers a wide variety of dishes that cater for the very-hungry, not-so-hungry, health-conscious, banting and vegetarian guests.

From toasted ciabatta sandwiches, burgers and salads, to pizzas and pastas, everything is freshly prepared.

The mains include chicken cordon bleu, braised pork belly, duck breast, game fillet and seafood platters, with lighter options such as fresh West Coast mussels, calamari, butter curries (chicken or vegetarian) and a grilled aubergine tower. Because they use only fresh produce, Maxzell says the menu may change according to availability.

In charge of the kitchen are the three chefs, Millicent Mondiripo (Milly), Tinotenda Nyamadzawo (Tino) and Billard Fundira (Billy) and their team – “they are all magical”, says Maxzell.

The venue is available for private and corporate functions, and is ideal for business meetings and local club get-togethers.

PHOTOS: Erlo Brown Photography

La Vierge GM, Tania Theron Joubert, with chef Bruce Henderson and winemaker, Christo Kotze.

Yellow touches brighten up the outside area of Heritage Restaurant.

Chef Milly serving up chicken cordon bleu and steak tartare.

Heritage Restaurant is open 7 days a week from 07:00 for breakfast, lunch and dinner (the kitchen closes at 21:00 in winter). You’ll find Heritage Restaurant at 32 Marine Drive, Hermanus.

Call 028 312 2859 for bookings.

Winter wine & food pairings La Vierge Wines and Restaurant invited guests to a sneak a peek at their exciting winter menu and new wine and food pairings on Thursday evening, 16 May. The who’s who of the Overstrand’s tourism and hospitality industries tucked into the delectable morsels that just kept on coming out of the kitchen, courtesy of chefs Bruce Henderson, Zelda Smith, Wilna Rautenbach and their team. La Vierge winemaker, Christo Kotze made sure the wine kept flowing, including the seductively named Jezebelle Chardonnay and The Affair Pinot Noir. La Vierge will be offering two wine and food pairings this winter – the Jezebelle Platter and the Original Sin Platter, each comprising four tasters paired with four wines, at R95 pp. Available at the La Vierge Tasting Room from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 – 16:00. Call 028 313 2007 to book.

FOOD |11 13

22 May 2019

A class act to follow

WINE & DINE

Writer & Photographer Hedda Mittner After nine years, Kevin and Sumien Warwick have sold The Class Room Restaurant to Tina van den Berg, who took over on 1 May. That does not mean, however, that the Warwicks have hung up their aprons for good – Kevin will continue to pursue his passion for training students for the hospitality industry.

Warwick’s Chef School was founded in 1991 and originally utilised the Kidbrooke premises for training. When the Warwicks purchased Kate’s Village Restaurant in 2010, they renamed it The Class Room because of its connection to the chef school, as a practical outlet for the students.

Now they are looking forward to diversifying and, while Kevin will continue his involvement with various culinary programmes, he’ll also be offering new short hospitality training courses and cooking classes at different venues. These will include fun holiday programmes for primary and high school learners and short, part-time courses that are ideal for amateur cooks and culinary enthusiasts who like to entertain.

As the new owner of The Class Room, Tina is very excited to be hosting private and corporate functions, weddings and special events at this popular venue. She is also continuing with The Class Room’s legendary Sunday lunches, while initiating additional events such as the Soup & Sherry Evening they hosted last week.

into the business and we began looking for a venue of our own,” says Tina. While visiting family in Strand last year, they drove around and decided that the Cape offered the best opportunities. “Once back home, we continued our search on the internet and when we found The Class Room on the internet, we immediately knew it was the right place for us.”

That was in March – and a month later Tina and Bernadine were here. “Hermanus is a beautiful place – so clean and well-maintained,” enthuses Tina. “We have been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the people and the warm welcome we’ve received.”

The Class Room’s whole team is staying on to support the new owners and to ensure continuation of the venue’s reputation for high culinary standards and excellent service. “The Class Room was never a one-man show, and we are grateful to have worked with a team of talented and loyal staff members who we have a lot of respect for,” says Kevin.

“We would like to thank our team: Annabelle, Nicola, Jan, Clupedia and more recently, Bhungane, Amber and Abongile. Thank you also to our part-time staff members who have assisted us over the years: Michael, Yolanda, Louise, Reinette, Anthea, Chantelle, Riekie, Dihan, Flora, Lucia and Danelle; and to all our customers for their wonderful support over the years.

Tina hails from Kempton Park and is not alone in this new venture – her husband, businessman Martinus, will soon be joining her, while both her son and daughter are working by her side. Son, Martinus Jr is looking after the finances and daughter, Bernadine is taking care of marketing and design work. She is also Tina’s right hand when planning events and functions.

“We wish Tina van den Berg and her daughter Bernadine, all the best with this new venture and we are looking forward to seeing The Class Room grow to new heights.”

Back in Kempton Park, Tina worked as a bookkeeper for 11 years and also started her own events company. “Both my children got roped

The Class Room Restaurant & Function Venue in Hemel-en-Aarde Village can be contacted on 028 316 3582.

Anyone requiring more information on Warwick’s Chef School’s upcoming short courses is welcome to contact warwicks@hermanus. co.za or 083 978 3942.

CALL TO BOOK. OPEN 24HRS

0846 885 885 Affordable transport door to door.

Kevin and Sumien Warwick with the new owner of The Class Room Restaurant & Function Venue, Tina van den Berg.

WHAT’S ON

OVERBERG Wednesday

22

Grape Expectations Join The Wine Glass for their ‘Easy Wednesdays’ wine tasting, which this week features Strandveld Vineyards near Elim. Arrive to welcoming drinks and canapés, followed by a talk and tasting of Strandveld’s First Sighting wines, presented by winemaker Conrad Vlok. The cost is R195 pp for two courses with wine, and dessert canapés. Early reservation is essential, as the event is limited to 40 tickets.

Contact 082 082 0007 or foh@thewineglass.guru The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Rd, Hermanus | 18:30 – 21:00

Thursday

23

Meet the Winemaker Wine Village invites all wine lovers to a one-of-a-kind tasting to showcase nine of Distell's premium wineries – Nederburg, Durbanville Hills, Alto, Allesverloren, Zonnebloem, Fleur du Cap, Plaisir de Merle, Pongrácz, and The Bergkelder Vinoteque. You will have the opportunity to not only taste their wines but also meet the winemakers and ask them questions.

To book, contact Cathy at wine@ hermanus.co.za or 028 316 3988.

Class Room Restaurant, Hemel-enAarde Village | 17:00 – 20:00 Whalers Athletics Club Join the Whalers for their weekly time trials, every Thursday afternoon.

Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. Choose between a 3 km, 5 km or 8 km route.

Meet at Hermanus Country Market | 17:30 Hermanus Business Chamber All business people are invited to attend the HBC’s next networking session and meet the new Executive Committee. Gerhardi Odendaal will also give feedback on the recent Walkerbay Xtreme. The cost is R120 for HBC members and R150 for non-members. To book, contact Alta at info@hermanuschamber.co.za.

Caffè Blu, Hermanus Station Building | 17:30 for 18:00 Rotary Club of Hermanus Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings, every Thursday.

Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm your attendance.

Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus | 19:00

Friday

24

enssentrum), every Friday morning.

Onrus Dutch Reformed Church | 09:30 – 11:30

Kolwyntjie Teetuin Enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Di-

Classique (flautist Liesl Stoltz, pianist François du Toit and cellist David Pinoit), the internationally esteemed Lyric Trio (Suzanne Martens on violin, Peter Martens on cello and Elna van der Merwe on piano), piano prodigies Mike Wang and Qden Blaaw, the Camerata Tinta Barocca, the Cape Town Youth Choir, and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s Junior String Ensemble. Find the full programme at www.classicsforall. co.za. Tickets can be booked online, at Computicket or the Greyton Information Bureau.

Greyton & Genadendal | 24 – 26 May

Saturday Music lecture U3A presents a new series of lectures on composers. The first, presented by Carl van Dyk, will focus on Ruggero Leoncavallo, who died 100 years ago on 9 August 1919. It will reflect on his life and what he achieved as a composer, featuring extracts from his popular opera, Pagliacci, with two of the world’s leading tenors, Luciano Pavarotti and Jonas Kaufmann.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00 Rewind Join Soul Café every Friday night and relax to the tunes of their resident band, Rewind, as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. The entrance fee is R50 pp.

Enjoy the Burger Special with a 500ml Beer for R99. Call 028 313 2137 to book.

Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus | 20:00

Stuart Reece Live From his first radio hit in 2011, Love Song, to his latest single, Coming Home, Stuart Reece continues to wow audiences all over South Africa. His ingenious songwriting is enforced by his gentle Jack Johnson-like vocals, tasteful guitar playing and beautiful tone, and innovative use of guitar pedals. Call 028 312 4665 to book.

The Gecko Bar, New Harbour | 21:00 – 23:00

Hermanus Hacking Group Volunteers are welcome to join the HHG, every Friday morning, on Rotary Way. For more information contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 or charlynvosloo@gmail.com Rotary Way | 07:15 – 09:30 Bhuki Café Everyone is welcome at Friends of the Library's Bhuki Cafe where a cup of tea or coffee and delicious eats will cost only R25, every Friday. Each cup helps to raise funds for new books.

Hermanus Library | 09:00 – 11:30

www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson

Classics for all This three-day classical music festival offers 10 concerts at various venues in the picturesque Overberg towns of Greyton and Genadendal over one weekend. Featuring the cream of classical talent in South Africa, the performing artists will include leading South African clarinetist Daniel Prozesky, soprano Zanne Stapelberg de Lange, concert guitarist Nina Fourie-Gouws, the Trio du Cap

A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, homemade crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music.

Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00

25

Hermanus Coastal Clean-up Join BirdLife Overberg for their monthly clean-up, this time along the Cliff Path from the New Harbour to the Old Harbour. Plastic bags will be provided, just bring your own gloves and dress appropriately for the weather. Meet in the parking area outside the gate of the New Harbour and transport will be arranged to take you back to your vehicle after the clean-up. RSVP: Elaine at mwjasser@mweb.co.za or 082 455 8402.

Hermanus New Harbour | 08:00

Die Markie Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people.

Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00 – 13:00 Stanford Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats’ cheeses to cured meats, farm-fresh vegetables and deli delights to tantalise your taste buds!

Stanford Hotel Stoep | 09:00 – 12:00

Civvio Vine to Valley Trial Run Ignite your passion for the great outdoors and discover your inner trail runner. This unique valley trail run experience offers scenic single track routes of 6 km, 12 km and 18 km through the forest with mountain top views. The cost is R120 pp for the 6 km, R150 pp for the 150 km, R70 for teens (10 – 18 years) and free for kids U10. Purchase tickets online at www. quicket.co.za and stand a chance of winning a Civvio Vine to Valley running vest and Hydration Pack.

Each runner will receive a medal, free wine tasting and free beer tasting. A breakfast and kiddies' play area will be available.

Wine Village | 08:00 Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km timed walk or run, come rain or shine. Run for your own enjoyment at your own pace. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00 Betty’s Bay parkrun Join this free weekly 5 km timed run (or walk) where it’s only you against the clock. The whole family is welcome. Grab a post-run coffee in the Red Disa restaurant with fellow parkrunners.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden | 08:00 Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden.

St Peter’s Church, Main Road, Hermanus | 09:00 – 13:00 Hermanus Country Market

Arabesque Pop-up Cooking Demo Join Eunice Rademeyer at Goozi Kitchenshop and learn how to make Mahashi, a Middle Eastern dish of stuffed courgettes, peppers and vine leaves served on lamb neck dressed with garlic, tamarind, tomato paste and herbs. Mahashi is a communal dish to be enjoyed with your loved ones. The cost is R120 pp, which includes a taster portion. Space is limited to 15 people; payment secures your seat. Book with Megan on 028 312 4979.

Goozi Kitchenshop, 11 Mitchell St, Hermanus | 10:00 – 12:00 Hillbilly Market Enjoy great food, wine, craft beer and live music on the Beer Deck. There will also be stalls with vintage goods, bric-a-brac, arts and crafts – and super prizes for the best Hillbilly outfits.

New vendors are welcome and can contact Erna via WhatsApp on 076 708 0818.

Hickory Shack BBQ Smokehouse, N2, Elgin | 10:00 – 15:00

Monday

27

Junktique Market One man’s junk is another man’s treasure, so come and browse to your heart’s content at this antiques market, every last Saturday of the month.

If you’d like to get rid of unwanted treasure, then book your spot by contacting oice@stanfordinfo.co.za or 028 341 0340.

Stanford Tourism Courtyard | 09:00 – 12:00 Gansbaai Farmer’s Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, local wines and craft beers, and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging, only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries, contact 028 384 1439 or doulene@gansbaaitourism.co.za Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00 Connecting to your Creative Core Join local artist Gillian Hahn for a multimedia art workshop where all materials are supplied. This facilitated workshop is designed to help you get to know yourself on a deeper level, to heal and soften, to build character and self-confidence. The challenge is to let go and set your creativity free.

You will be guided to a space where you feel comfortable within yourself and able to connect to your creative core, so that it can flow with ease.

The cost is R300 pp. To book, contact gillianhahn14@gmail.com or 076 181 2964.

Gillian Hahn Art Studio on Southern Right Wine Farm, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 10:00 – 13:00

Rock climbing in SA Tony Lourens, who has been involved in mountaineering for over 40 years and is well-known for his many books and articles on climbing and walking in the Western Cape, will be the guest speaker at U3A Overberg’s course on Mountaineering. He will talk about the advent of recreational rock climbing elsewhere in the world and how it unfolded in South Africa, following its progress over the years, from traditional climbing to bolted sport climbing, and how the introduction of ever-improving gear and equipment influenced this progression.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00 Duplicate Bridge All who enjoy playing bridge are welcome to join in, every Monday.

For more information, contact Riekie Louw on 028 314 0662.

Fernkloof Hall | 13:00 Mindful Mondays Join Wellness Coach Nicholas McLean and Ferdi Appelgryn, health and life coach from C Beyond Health, for a group session on Mindfulness, Move

ment and Meditation, every Monday. Let go of stress and distraction, and realign body and mind to find inner focus and calm. R50 donation.

Contact Nicholas on 082 437 9776 or nicholas@guthealthyogi.com 6 Fynbos Crescent, Sandbaai | 18:00

Tuesday

28

Naval Disasters and Triumphs The third lecture in this new U3A Overberg series presented by Admiral Johan Retief, former head of the South African Navy, is entitled Ship Formations – Aircraft carriers are large and dangerous. In the 1960s, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS MELBOURNE was involved in two fatal collisions. The focus of this talk is on the movement of ships in a formation and how misunderstandings can lead to many fatalities.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

Wednesday

29

Mall to consolidate transport. Contact Sue Parry on 028 314 0072.

Meet at Whale Coast Mall | 09:00 Graze Farmer’s Market Reduce your carbon footprint and get your fresh veggies – always seasonal, always fresh. Stay for coffee and breakfast. For more info, call Tabby & Alex on 076 243 1930.

Graze Slow Food Café, Stanford | 09:00 – 12:00 Home Industries Market Get your fresh micro-greens, home-processed and home-baked goodies at this family- and pet-friendly market, every Wednesday. New vendors are welcome. Contact Lani on 082 679 7819 or visit www.afdaksrivier.co.za Café Tango & Afdaksrivier Nursery | 09:30 – 12:30

Thursday

Think & Drink Join Stanford Conservation Trust’s fun quiz evening, every last Thursday of the month. Only R150 (bring your own wine) includes a delicious meal and a R50 donation to the trust for the upkeep of Stanford’s beautiful Wandelpad. Get friends and family together to form a team of eight or join a table on the night. To book, contact Marian at stanfordconservationtrust@ gmail.com or 083 303 4330.

Tikka Palace, Queen Victoria St, Stanford | 18:30 for 19:00

Friday

Hermanus Garden Club Join the members of Hermanus Garden Club on an outing to the gardens of Creation Wines and the Royal Nursery. The outing will include a tea/coffee break at Die Plaaskombuis restaurant in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

Meet outside Food Lover’s Market at the back entrance of Whale Coast

30

31

Music lecture The second in U3A’s new series on composers will focus on Hector Berlioz, presented by Johan Radloff. Johan will give an overview of Berlioz’s life, including some interesting comments about his work by other composers and writers. The presentation will also feature the following compositions: The Second Movement, Un Bal Valse from Symphonie Fantastique Op 14; Marche pour la presentation aux drapeaux from Te Deum Op 22; Excerpt from Judex crederis Hymne et Prière of Te Deum Op 22; Rakoczy March from La Damnation de Faust Op 24; March from the opera, Les Troyenes; and the Shepherd’s Farewell from L`Enfance

du Christ Op 25.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

Stanford Sunset Market This much-loved, local and lekker outdoor market brings friends and family, good food and wine, live music, gifts, crafts, books and charities all together on the Market Square, every last Friday of the month.

Locally-sourcing vendors who fly the eco-banner high are given preference and every effort is made to keep waste and non-recyclable rubbish to a minimum. We'll keep your toes tapping while your children run and play on the unspoilt Heritage Square.

Plenty of parking and seating. This will be the last Sunset Market of the season, returning on 27 September.

Stanford Market Square | 18:00 – 20:00 Social Night Ride Join Village Cycles and #MondayMonday for a recreational 20 km Night Ride up the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. You’ll be greeted with a cup of MondayMonday coffee and be briefed on the route. The advanced riders will leave first. Please ensure you bring your own lights. For more information on the trail rules and permits, contact Village Cycles on info@ villagecycles.co.za or 028 316 3418.

Village Cycles, Hemel-en-Aarde Village | 18:00

Jo Martin Live Enjoy the honest, heartfelt music of this popular performer at Hermanus’ best-loved live music venue. Call 028 312 4665 to book.

The Gecko Bar, Hermanus New Harbour | 20:30 – 23:00

16 14 | BOOKS

22 May 2019

The elephant in the room… er… kitchen Writer Elaine Davie

C

learly, elephants are front of mind for a large number of Overstrand residents at the moment. The Onrus Dutch Reformed Church Hall was bursting at the seams last Thursday evening (in fact people were turned away at the door when even standing room was no longer available), when Françoise Malby Anthony presented the remarkable story of the Thula Thula Game Reserve in Zululand which she and her late husband, Lawrence Anthony started 20 years ago.

Through his bestselling books, Babylon’s Ark, The Elephant Whisperer and The Last Rhinos, many readers will be familiar with the tale of the conservationist’s commitment to wildlife protection and especially the very personal relationship he established with the seven rescue elephants which came to live at Thula Thula in 1999. The story of how they walked to the Lodge in procession to pay their respects after Lawrence died suddenly in Johannesburg in March 2012 and how they return every year on the anniversary of his death has been re-told many times.

In her recently-published book, An Elephant in my Kitchen, subtitled ‘What the herd taught me about love, courage and survival’, Françoise picks up the tale of Thula Thula since Lawrence’s passing. “It didn’t ever occur to me to return to France, my homeland,” she says. “Instead I came face to face with the depth of my attachment to this country and particularly, of course, to Thula Thula. Lawrence was an idealist, a visionary, and I was determined to fulfil his dream for this place.”

She quickly realised, however, that she had

three immediate challenges to overcome: She knew absolutely nothing about conservation – that was Lawrence’s preserve, while she took care of the hospitality side of the project – she was a foreigner and a woman. The book describes her successes and failures of the past seven years, the disappointments and the heartbreak, as well as the triumphs and the joy.

And always the elephants were there.

The title of the book, she explains, derives from a real-life experience when a seven-day-old baby elephant found itself in her kitchen. It had somehow got separated from the herd and had apparently been wandering around on its own for a couple of days. It was dehydrated and starving. Named after the Lodge’s chef, she was called Tom and when she was strong enough after being hand-fed and given lots of TLC she could be returned to her mother. She is now a strong, happy five-year-old.

When the original seven elephants arrived at Thula Thula, they were terrified and uncontrollable, but thanks to the perseverance and love of elephant-whisperer, Lawrence and the special relationship of trust which developed between him and the matriarch, Nana, the herd flourished. There are now 29 of them, led by Nana’s daughter, Frankie. Each one has a name and an ID card, showing its place on the Thula Thula family tree.

Apart from the elephants, there are, of course many other species on the reserve, including rhino. After they had successfully hand-raised two orphaned baby rhino, Thabo and Nthombi, Françoise opened a rhino orphanage on the reserve in 2014. But in February 2017, tragedy struck. One stormy, rain-lashed night, poachers attacked the orphanage and killed two 18-month-old rhino calves for their tiny, tiny horns.

Poaching is Thula Thula’s biggest challenge and against her will, Françoise finally agreed to the de-horning of the rhino, and still more of them keep coming. In fact, just a week ago an 11-yearold mother and her baby arrived. “Their names are Mona and Lisa,” says Françoise, “and we are hoping that Mona will become Thabo’s girlfriend and teach him how to make baby rhinos.”

Unless the rate of poaching is urgently addressed, the experts say that 20 years from now there will no longer be any elephant or rhino left in the wild anywhere in Africa. Her passion is both to protect the animals which have been given refuge at Thula Thula, and to educate young people, South African and foreign, of the need to conserve them as a legacy for the future. “We have become completely obsessed with protecting our animals,” confesses Françoise. “We maintain a mini-army at the reserve, with armed guards following the animals 24/7, as well as cameras strategically placed in the bush and regular air patrols in the skies above.

“We have also established a residential Volunteers Academy, mainly for young people from overseas, who pay to work on the reserve alongside our 60 permanent staff members, and then become ambassadors for conservation in their own countries.” The five local

What’s new in review

Françoise Malby Anthony, Executive Director of the Thula Thula Private Game Reserve and widow of the ‘Elephant Whisperer’, Lawrence Anthony.

PHOTO: www.courrierinternational.com tribal chiefs, each also select a young person from their communities to participate in this programme, free of charge.

“The most important thing I have learnt during these seven roller-coaster years,” concludes Françoise, “is that no matter how tough the going gets, the secret is never to give up – believe in the impossible and never give up.”

Compiled by Hedda Mittner

Who was the real Wallis: an opportunistic American social climber, a master manipulator or the true love of Edward’s life, for whom he gave up the British throne? Anna Pasternak's new book is the first to give Wallis a voice to show that she was a warm, loyal, intelligent woman adored by her friends, who was written off by cunning, influential Establishment men seeking to diminish her and destroy her reputation. Far from being the villain of the abdication, she was the victim. Untitled is an intimate biography of one of the most misunderstood women in British royal history.

– amazon.com

Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London, where Alan Turing has just achieved a breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence. When Charlie comes into money, he and Miranda, the bright student he is in love with, buy Adam, a near-perfect synthetic human that is beautiful, strong and clever, a love triangle soon forms and these three beings confront a profound moral dilemma.

Ian McEwan’s subversive and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions about what makes us human and warns of the power to invent things beyond our control.

– goodreads.com

The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end in the face of threats and lawsuits.

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes, a brilliant Stanford dropout, was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs, with an estimated worth of $4.7 billion. Bad Blood is the riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a disturbing cautionary tale set amid the bold promises and gold-rush frenzy of Silicon Valley.

– goodreads.com

Full of her trademark mix of unforgettable characters and heart-breaking secrets, The Butterfly Room is a spellbinding, multi-generational story from bestseller Lucinda Riley. Posy Montague is approaching her 70th birthday and knows the time has come to sell her beautiful family home in the Suffolk countryside, Admiral House.

Then a face appears from the past – Freddie, her first love, who abandoned her and left her heartbroken 50 years ago. Posy doesn’t know that Freddie – and Admiral House – have a devastating secret to reveal…

– panmacmillan.com

2010: Sixteen-year-old outsider Willem just wants to be left alone with his books and his dog. Worried he's not turning out right, his ma and her boyfriend send him to New Dawn Safari Training Camp. Here they 'make men out of boys'.

Guaranteed. 1901: The height of the second Boer War. Sarah and her six-year-old son are taken from their farm by force to a British concentration camp where they are promised: ‘You will be safe’.

Damian Barr's heart-wrenching debut novel weaves these twin narratives together in a devastating tale of cruelty and redemption.

– bloomsbury.com

This is the first biography of the major South African novelist who came close to winning a Nobel Prize for Literature. De Kock’s eagerly-awaited account of Brink’s life and work is richly informed by a massive new biographical source – the previously unavailable literary treasure of Brink’s journals that were written over a period of 54 years. Here topics that Brink skated over in his memoir, A Fork in the Road, such as his rebellious politics, five marriages and numerous affairs, are narrated in detail and subjected by De Kock to searching critical analysis.

– jonathanball.co.za

William Collins

Jonathan Cape

Picador

Pan Macmillan

Bloomsbury

Jonathan Ball

BOOKS | 15 17

22 May 2019

Lazy bones sitting in the sun Writer Elaine Davie

T

hulani loved to bask in the sun all day’, reads the first sentence of a newly-launched children’s book with a vibrantly sunny cover…

Unfortunately, Thulani’s slothful habit almost leads to his downfall, as young readers will discover when they read The Gift of the Sun by Dianne Stewart, with illustrations by Jude Daly of Kleinmond.

First published in the UK and South Africa in 1996, the book, which has been out of print for some time, has just been re-released by its new publishers, Jacana. And what a treat it will be for a whole new generation of children.

When Jude Daly was a child she loved folktales and took to heart the subtle, or sometimes not-so-subtle, life lessons embedded in them.

Psychologically, it was probably a case of ‘a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down’, a painless way in which values and patterns of behaviour could be passed on from one generation to another.

As she grew into adulthood and had children of her own, her love of fables and folklore increased and when, at the age of about 40, she began to write and illustrate children’s books, she found it fascinating to explore the many layers of meaning in these traditional stories from many different cultures. “Some of them are quite profound,” she says. “They highlight universal truths and are able to deal with death and the darker side of life in ways that children are able to handle.”

Which was why she jumped at the chance to illustrate The Gift of the

Find us at our new shop on Station Square (next to Brasserie South)

Sun, which had all the hallmarks of a cautionary tale set in rural South Africa. Her detailed depiction of the hapless Thulani’s determined efforts to do as little work as possible is presented with a delicate sprightliness, underlining the moral’s positive spin.

The quality of her illustrations won her the sought-after Katrien Harries award for children’s book illustrations in 1997 and the book was translated into Afrikaans and isiXhosa in this country.

Since the first children’s book she illustrated in 1993 (The Dove), she has worked on around 25 publications, either as an illustrator only, or as a writer/illustrator, or once, as a writer only. If, in the context of being a children’s book author/illustrator, Jude Daly’s last name sounds familiar, it is probably because she is married to Niki Daly who has made a name for himself in the same field. They may share a surname but it would be difficult to find two people whose personalities are more disparate, or whose styles of writing and drawing are less alike.

“Niki can get inside a child’s head and the artwork he produces is so wildly and ridiculously anarchic that it speaks directly to a child’s sometimes wonky perspective of the world,” confesses Jude with a laugh. “I love children, but I’m not sure I have as close an affinity with them as he does. My approach is completely different. I work slowly and carefully; in fact, it sometimes feels as if my figures are very still – it’s as if they are on a stage miming the story – and much more stylised, I suppose. Perhaps that’s why I’m so attracted to folk stories; they’re also a bit stylised.”

Jude has worked with two writers in particular, on several occasions: Di Stewart, who wrote The Gift of the Sun and who continues to write books

for children and young people in KwaZulu Natal, and Dianne Hofmeyr, with whom she has collaborated on four books, including Do the whales still sing?. However, in more recent times, most of her publications have been both written and illustrated by her; the latest, Joseph’s Cradle was launched just a month ago in the UK. Many of her books which have been published overseas have been translated into a variety of languages and she has won several international awards for them.

She finds that her books, in terms of both the subject matter and style of illustration, resonate particularly well with foreign readers. Many of the stories, including the latest one, are set in South Africa, but some are derived from traditional folk tales from cultures very different from our own.

“Somehow, I don’t see South African children identifying very strongly with a Cinderella story set in Ireland, or one based on Taoist folk lore,” she laughs, “whereas most of Niki’s stories, for example, are very distinctively South African, from every point of view: the story line, the characters and the robust, brightly-coloured illustrations.”

The medium she uses for her illustrations largely comprises acrylic washes, applied after she has first created pencil sketches. “I’m very old school,” she muses. “I do everything myself by hand, from stretching the paper, to the sketches, to the application of colour – no digital gadgetry for me – but it does mean that I tend to spend a long time on each book.” That careful, time-consuming approach is reflected in the delicate, almost old-fashioned look to her illustrations, which is very much in keeping with her subject matter, harking back to a slower, more traditional way of life.

Jude is pleased that The Gift of the

Children’s book author and illustrator Jude Daly in her home studio in Kleinmond, with a copy of The Gift of the Sun which has just been rereleased by Jacana.

PHOTO: Niki Daly Sun is being given a new lease on life.

Thulani and his long-suffering wife, Dora are endearing characters, as are the cows and goats and chickens that populate their world – and then there are the giant, sunny sunflowers to cheer small readers, even if they’re having a bad day. It is the ideal book

for parents to read to their children; they will enjoy the subtle humour underlying the tale.

The Gift of the Sun is available from most good bookstores, or from the publishers, Jacana.

19 17

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

The opinions expressed in this column are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of PSG and do not constitute advice. Although the utmost care has been taken in the research and preparation of this column, no responsibility can be taken for actions taken on information in this article. Always remember the prudent way is to consult your portfolio manager before investing.

MY WEALTH

Q & A with PSG Wealth

By Jana Visagie, Assistant Portfolio Manager, PSG Wealth Hermanus Q: I've now learnt that even if I have R500 a month to invest, I can still make use of the services of a professional financial adviser. How much will it cost me?

A:There is no standard fee for financial advice and fees vary from one financial services provider to another.

Financial advisers are obliged, under FAIS legislation, to disclose all fees payable before you invest. Fees can typically be divided into four categories: administration charges, investment management charges, advice charges and other fees like termination charges, penalties, and loyalty bonuses. It is important that you understand and compare the fees to ensure they are competitive.

Ultimately you need to feel that you are getting value for money.

Q: What services can I expect to receive for this cost?

• A: Your financial adviser will help you to create and implement a suitable long-term investment plan for your investment objectives and specific risk profile. He/she will help you to maintain this long-term investment strategy and only make the necessary tweaks to your plan when a new life stage or a change in circumstances warrants it.

•

•

•

Your adviser will be able to assist you with withdrawal strategies (drawdown considerations): sustainable percentages/escalations, source of drawing and portfolio construction to fund the drawing.

Your financial adviser will support you when financial pressures increase, to guard you against poor financial decisions, i.e. help in avoiding emotional investment decisions.

Advisers will review your portfolio and will keep you informed by

•

reporting to you on an annual basis (at least).

You should have unlimited access to your designated portfolio manager/adviser.

Ask your adviser what their specific service offering is.

Q: When choosing a financial adviser, what should I be looking for?

What questions should I be asking before I choose a firm or financial adviser?

A: The financial services industry has become highly regulated, ensuring that advice given by financial professionals is up to set standards.

Nonetheless, ask the following basic questions in an initial meeting (most practices will provide this information in their marketing material and websites).

•

Ask how long they’ve been in the industry. Advisers need to have experience in real-life financial situations. Do they have a proven

•

•

• •

•

•

track record?

There are several licences and certifications an adviser can have.

Ask what their credentials or qualifications are. Most competent advisers will have the relevant tertiary as well as industry-related qualifications.

Ask what they specialise in to determine if you can identify with their client value proposition. Will they be able to satisfy your needs?

Find an adviser that you can trust.

Trust is essential for a sustainable business relationship.

Appointing an adviser is not a decision that should be taken lightly: get an adviser that you are comfortable with. Compatibility of personalities is vital for a sustainable long-term relationship.

Ask about their specific investment philosophy and the investment processes that they have in place. Do they have access to the latest research on the economy and financial markets?

Ask what his/her succession plan

• •

• •

is should he/she retire or unexpected life events occur. How long have they been with the firm and what are their future plans?

Ask how they charge for services rendered. Refer to the first discussion point above.

Ask how much interaction you will have: will you work with one adviser or with a team? Will the interaction be face-to-face or via email?

Speak to trusted family members / friends and ask about their current experiences (referrals).

Also, remember that appointing a financial adviser doesn’t mean you are “trapped” into a long-term contract. If you aren’t happy with the service you are receiving you can terminate the agreement and appoint another adviser with immediate effect.

20 18

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

MY WELLNESS

Vine to Valley Trail Calling all charities to apply Run Series returns for 2020 L2L Walk Every year the Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse ladies raise money for worthwhile local charities with every step they take.

Following their successful 2019 walk, which raised over R677 677 to buy a bus for Camphill School, the Lighthouse to Lighthouse ladies are striving for new heights in 2020.

In order to select their Charity of Choice for next year’s Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Walk, the L2L committee is inviting interested NGOs/charities to submit a written proposal for consideration.

L2L encourages all Non-Profit/ Public Benefit organisations situated within the Overstrand municipal district to apply for the funds which will be raised during the 2020 Ladies Walk.

Applications open at the beginning of June 2019 and charities are required to compile a one-page summary of a proposed project.

The closing date for applications is 10 June. Keep an eye on the local media, the Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Ladies Walk Facebook page and their webpage, www.lighthouse2lighthouse.co.za.

After the closing date, the L2L Ladies Walk committee will study each application according to the selection criteria set out in the Lighthouse2Lighthouse Ladies NPO Constitution. Applicants should:

•

•

•

•

•

Provide an NPO certificate, PBO and Section 18A reference number issued by the Commissioner of SARS. Propose a viable, realistic project with detailed planning and dates.

This project must be completed within the year of receiving the funding. Funding will not be provided for the running costs of the NPO. Own the necessary property and have approved building plans if the request for funds is for a building project.

• •

• •

Show proof of fundraising efforts for this project.

Indicate a specific target group and size of the group for the proposed project.

Indicate the community area that will benefit from this project.

Indicate sustainability of the project and charity as a whole, e.g. how will the organisation continue with this project or maintain the building, vehicles, etc.

Provide a SARS Tax Clearance Certificate for previous financial year.

Provide an up-to-date financial statement.

Applications must be submitted to the L2L chairlady, Ronel Van Zyl at ronelvzyl@telkomsa.net, by no later than 10 June 2019.

The Civvio Vine to Valley Trail Run Series 2019 kicks off this Saturday, 25 May at the Wine Village wine shop in Hemel-en-Aarde Village.

Now in its second year, the series offers runners of all ages the opportunity to challenge themselves over 5 km, 10 km or 18 km of trails across the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Bot River. There will be nine events, with the first one on Saturday being hosted by Wine Village and the those following by eight local wine estates.

All nine of the trail runs start promptly at 08:30. Entry fees vary from R70 to R180 per event, with R20 being donated towards supporting local initiatives and charities. Kids under 10 can enter for free. After each run, participants will be able to taste wines from the participating wine estate.

This year, beer tastings, courtesy of the Hemel-en-Aarde Brewery, will also be offered.

“Imagine leaving your footprints on wine farms that are producing some of the top award-winning wines. And afterwards, you can enjoy food, beer and, of course,

wine with your family and friends while the kids get to play,” says organiser Bianca le Roux.

As an added incentive, everyone who enters all nine events will receive a nine-bottle gift, comprising one wine from each estate plus one chosen by the Wine Village.

The first 100 runners to enter four races or more will also receive a free running vest, while the first 10 runners to enter seven runs or more will get a free running vest and hydration pack.

The dates for the 2019 series are: 25 May (Wine Village), 29 June Wildekrans), 27 July (Newton Johnson), 10 August (Spookfontein), 21 September (Sumaridge), 26 October (Bosman Hermanus), 30 November (La Vierge), 7 December (Hermanuspietersfontein) and 14 December (Benguela Cove).

Please note that course lengths will vary slightly at each event depending on the terrain. For more information, go to www. vinetovalley.co.za or send an email to info@vinetovalley.co.za

22 May 2019

21 19

www.thevillagenews.co.za

MY PET Dirty teeth can lead to serious disease Writer Dr Hilldidge Beer

F

ew pet owners pay much attention to their pet’s teeth until the animal is in pain.

What we don’t realise is that infected gums and rotten teeth lead to more serious ailments which can be life-threatening.

Pets are brilliant at disguising pain. It’s an instinctive survival mechanism so they won’t show discomfort until they’re in a really bad way. By the time this happens, disease has progressed to the point where radical intervention is needed and this can mean very expensive vet’s bills.

This is true of their teeth too. Unless you actively care for your pet’s teeth and check them regularly, you won’t know there’s a problem, yet periodontal disease is incredibly widespread. It is by far the most common cause of tooth loss among dogs; more than 85% of dogs over the age of four are affected to some degree.

Here’s how it happens: • The process starts when bacteria form plaque on the teeth.

• Within days, minerals in the saliva bond with plaque to form tartar, a hard substance that adheres to the teeth.

• The bacteria then work their way under the gums and cause gingivitis, which is an inflammation of the gums.

• Once under the gums, bacteria destroy the supporting tissue around the tooth, leading to tooth loss.

Bacteria associated with dental disease can travel in the bloodstream to infect the heart,

kidneys, and liver, which is why periodontal disease, though seemingly localised to the mouth, can have widespread, life-threatening effects.

Symptoms of periodontal disease include: • Bad breath (halitosis) • Redness or bleeding along the gum line • Drooling, which may be tinged with blood • Difficulty chewing (which may manifest as messy eating) • Pawing at the mouth • Loss of appetite • Loose or missing teeth • Facial swelling • Nasal discharge • Gum recession All breeds of dogs are susceptible to periodontal disease, although toy and miniature breeds are at higher risk.

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. If a dog has mild periodontal disease (consisting of gingivitis without any bone loss), a thorough dental cleaning that includes the area under the gum (always followed by dental polishing) can help reverse the problem. If the problem can’t be reversed, your dog’s tooth may need to be extracted.

Prevention of periodontal disease: Daily tooth brushing with a pet-friendly toothbrush and veterinary toothpaste is the most effective preventive and ideally should start when your dog is still a puppy. However, if you’re only starting in adulthood, help your dog get used to the idea by squeezing a dollop of

the yummy-tasting toothpaste onto the brush and letting him chew it for a while. Once his mouth is used to the taste of the toothpaste and the feel of the brush, you should be able to start brushing properly.

•

Never ever use human toothpaste. It contains chemicals that are harmful to pets.

EberVet Vetshops stock veterinary toothpaste in meaty flavours they’ll love.

• Use a pet-specific toothbrush as it is the right size and shape for their mouth.

In addition to brushing, there are several dental

chews that help keep the teeth clean and freshen the breath. Vetsbrands has an oral rinse that comes in spray form or, if you don’t like the idea of spraying into your dog’s mouth, a powder that is sprinkled on food. Ask your EberVet Vetshop for advice.

Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of EberVet Vetshops, www.ebervet.com

24 20

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

MY HOME

Mandate or no mandate – that is the question Writer Jana Smith, Harcourts Hermanus

A

ed should the homeowner be satisfied with the efforts of the sales agent.

s a home seller, deciding to give a sole mandate to a real estate agent may be a tough decision to make, because giving exclusive responsibility to a single agent can be a difficult concept to wrap one’s head around.

One of the best ways to select an agency is to ask an agent to give you a written marketing plan before you award a sole or exclusive mandate.

If, however, the seller is equipped with the right know-how, there are many benefits to choosing this option. In deciding to use a mandate, the homeowner is required to award commission to the specific agent, if the property is sold within the specified number of days declared within the mandate.

When entering into this legal contract, which has to be in writing, the seller needs to bear in mind that the mandate does not guarantee the sale of the property. It should rather be regarded as a commitment from the agent to perform at the highest standards and exhaust all resources in the effort to sell your home.

Once the difficult decision of agreeing to work within the parameters of a sole mandate has been resolved, an even more challenging option presents itself regarding who to choose to represent your property. It is the responsibility

This should clearly state what marketing channels your agent will use and also what financial and manpower resources will be committed, over what period of time, to the job of getting your of the seller to make an informed choice with clear knowledge of the agency.

property sold.

In the current real estate market, home sellers need to be sure that their real-estate agent has ‘real’ marketing muscle and, more importantly, is committed to using it. Awarding a sole mandate to one agency, for a period of more than three months, is not advisable. The duration of 30 to 60 days is more reasonable.

It should, for example, provide not only for online and print advertising but also for the promotion of the property within the seller’s own suburb. On the other hand, the seller should be assured that the property would receive exposure through the agency’s own national and international referral network to source other possible buyers.

Remember, the mandate can always be extend-

The understanding between seller and agent

should also include:

•

•

•

•

An undertaking that the agent will prepare a detailed market-value report, so that the probable selling price can be estimated, based on recent sales of similar properties and currently competing properties in the same area.

An undertaking that the agent will provide regular feedback on marketing progress and reviews of the property’s competitive position.

An undertaking that the agent will prepare an estimate of selling expenses, reflecting the estimated net cash the seller will receive from the sale.

An undertaking that the agent will ensure that prospective buyers are properly prequalified and able to afford the property.

Having such a plan in hand gives the seller peace of mind and helps to prevent all sorts of problems that can really put a spoke in the wheel of a home-sale campaign, such as under-advertising, a loss of interest on the part of the agent and, ultimately, a shop-soiled property that just won’t sell.

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Push-back on proposed Airbnb legislation By Stuart Cohen CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists

H

ot on the heels of the announcement that the Tourism Amendment Bill’s adjustments propose to regulate Airbnbs, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Beverley Schäfer, demonstrates strong opposition to the regulation of short-term, home-rental platforms of this nature.

The Western Cape Government will be making submissions "to oppose any regulations, which could impact tourism revenue and affect people's private-property rights", commented Schäfer. Her view is that the Western Cape Government is driving tourism growth and, in order to develop this sector, a sufficient mix of hotel, B&B and home-rental room nights are required to accommodate a wide variety of tourists and budgets.

What is most interesting though, is that South African Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, at this year’s African Travel Indaba, stated: “Tourism holds great promise for the development of small businesses. It is when you stay in small bed-andbreakfast establishments or small hotels, that you get to interact with the locals, listen to their stories about the area, and get advice on the best, least-known place to visit on sightseeing trips.” These are among the many reasons behind the Airbnb industry’s success.

This sentiment is, almost, in direct conflict with the comments made

by Blessing Manale, chief director of communications at the Department of Tourism, when he stated that the minister could determine certain so-called "thresholds" for short-term home rentals, which could include a limit on the number of nights guests could stay at an establishment and could, perhaps, even limit the number of guests, due to potentially higher water consumption in an area.

The fact that these thresholds could also look at pricing, zoning, how much an establishment could earn

25 21

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

and, maybe, even regulating matters, such as security, does come across as tightening the noose around the necks of Airbnb hosts rather than “developing small businesses”, as Minister Hanekom stated.

Schäfer further declares that we need to stimulate innovation and use disruptors in order to put tourism on steroids in the Western Cape. In her view, any regulations that infringe on people's property rights, or impact a host's ability to earn a living, must be rejected outright.

"Over two million people have made use of Airbnb alone, in this country, and if regulations make it more difficult for travellers to access this kind of accommodation, they will simply vote with their wallets and go elsewhere. We cannot allow this to happen," said Schäfer. "Regulations could unintentionally impact on these businesses and entrepreneurs," she cautioned.

This proposed change in the regulations is by no means a South African syndrome alone. Globally there are significant amendments being introduced, which are impacting on the freedom previously experienced by hosts. Airbnb’s growth story has been nothing, if not dramatic. From just two bookings in March 2008, the San Francisco start-up, today, has more than five-million listings in 81 000 cities around the world.

This growth has not gone unnoticed, and the platform has disrupted property markets, pushing up prices for long-term rentals as property owners make accommodation available for short-term lease. As a result, several cities, including New York, Amsterdam, Barcelona, London and Berlin, have moved to restrict Airbnb rentals by setting limits to availability, and requiring registration from hosts. If one then includes the numerous online booking platforms, besides Airbnb, such as Booking.

Com, TripAdvisor and the plethora of South African-focused sites including Lekkeslaap, Afristay.com, Roomsforafrica.com, SA-venues.com – and the rest – it does appear as if some form of potentially-restrictive control is

inevitable in this burgeoning market.

Most cities internationally, where regulations are already in force, opt for "limitation with restrictions", which includes limiting the number of short-term rental options available (Barcelona allows for one listing per property owner), or the number of days properties may be rented out (Amsterdam limits rentals to 30 days a year), or only allowing short-term listings on residents’ primary residences (Los Angeles).

The growth of Airbnb in South Arica has, predictably, elicited calls for tighter regulation. But unlike elsewhere, where calls for regulation seem to stem from disruption of the long-term rental market, in South Africa the focus seems to be on levelling the competitive playing field, which is where most of the resistance is coming into play.

The potential cost implications to Airbnb hosts could be quite profound, as currently all costs for electricity, water, sanitation and solid waste are at residential rates, and not at commercial tariffs, which is what regulations of this nature could enforce. Furthermore, this would most likely also extend to property rates, where currently residential rates apply versus commercial rates, which are much higher.

Let us not ignore the inevitable taxation hit that will also come into play.

Johan van der Merwe, the finance member on Cape Town’s mayoral committee stated: "Our legislators must work with Airbnb to create legislation that would ensure Airbnb pays tax, but the legislation must be forward-looking and not seek to destroy Airbnb’s success. Airbnb has lowered the costs of doing tourism entrepreneurship, and therefore has created jobs."

Going grey is good SMALL CHANGES CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE To save water we need to think not just about the water we use directly – for drinking and cleaning in our homes – but also to become more aware of how water is used to make the food we eat, the products we use and to generate the power for our lights and stoves. One of the top ways to prevent your household from using extra water, is to re-use grey water.

WHAT IS GREYWATER? Greywater is defined as ‘untreated household wastewater that has not come into contact with toilet waste’. Greywater is from baths, showers and bathroom hand basins. Laundry water from washing machines can also be re-used, if environmentally-friendly detergents have been used.

Greywater from the kitchen and dishwasher must not be re-used. This water may be damaging to plant life because of heavy loads of organic material, fats, oils and caustic additives. Water from toilets is considered black water and must not be re-used.

WHY RE-USE GREYWATER? Greywater can be successfully used for garden irrigation and toilet flushing. Our gardens consume between 30% and 50% of all domestic water used in summer.

Greywater re-use provides benefits that include: Reducing potable water consumption Reducing the amount of sewerage discharged into the municipal sewer system • Putting less strain on septic tank and conservancy tank systems • Saving you money by reducing your municipal water and sewerage bills • Enabling irrigation of gardens during drought periods

• •

WHY GREY WATER STARTS TO SMELL The most important rule of grey water re-use is that it must never be stored longer than 24 hours. The problem is that grey water has a temperature and food value for anaerobic bacteria to breed and produce methane and hydrogen sulphide, the stuff that smells so bad.

CAN GREYWATER BE USED FOR ALL TYPES OF PLANTS? Greywater can be used for almost all types of plants. Everything from the lawn to vegetables will benefit from greywater, as it contains plant nutrients. Vegetables should be washed before using them. Greywater with a high phosphate level should be avoided in a fynbos garden.

WON’T SOAP IN GREYWATER BE HARMFUL TO PLANTS? Not all soaps are harmful. Quality soaps are actually good for the garden. Only soaps and soap powders with a high phosphate level must be avoided. Plants need phosphate to grow, but too much can be harmful over a period of time. Most new soap powders and biodegradable soaps will not harm your plants but try to avoid introducing bleach and harmful detergents into your greywater tank.

BASIC GREYWATER SYSTEMS

So, the question remains: Are legislators trying to increase the drawcard for tourism or will they, potentially, have a negative influence on tourist-accommodation options, and stem the effectiveness of entrepreneurship?

The most basic greywater system employs a submersible pump that automatically extracts the greywater as soon as it enters the tank. The pump is connected to a static sprinkler head by a garden hose, which you’ll have to move regularly to ensure even watering. A float automatically switches the pump off when the tank is empty. A basic filter can also be installed before the greywater enters the tank.

26 22

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019 Share your sport news with us! It has never been easier. Send it to admin@thevillagenews.co.za and we will gladly consider it, whether it be competition results, a friendly rivalry, a once-off feat or a major tournament.

MY SPORT

French Open served up next week Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem in the final of the 2018 French Open to win his 11th title.

By Tony O'Hagan

T

he 123rd edition of the French Open will be played on the courts of Stade Roland Garros in Paris from 27 May to 9 June, 2019.

The French Open is one of four Grand Slam tennis events, along with the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

The tournament, often referred to as Roland Garros, is the only major held on a clay surface and is the zenith of the European spring clay court season. The French Open, formerly known as the French Championships, is the second Grand Slam of the year, following the Australian Open in January. It is considered the most gruelling of the majors due to the slow surface, resulting in long rallies and protracted matches.

The Roland Garros courts are built on land donated by the Stade de France in 1928. The donation was granted on condition that the new stadium

Maestro, Roger Federer, is also among the top seeds but this is not the surface suited to his play. He has a record 20 Grand Slams but only once was he the victor at Roland Garros.

How the world of tennis has changed is evidenced by the fact that, among the aforementioned players, there is not one American or Australian – the players who dominated in a past era. The women's draw is also an open affair, with young Japanese star and World No 1, Naomi Osaka topping the list. She has won the last two majors, namely the US Open and Australian Open.

PHOTO: cbsnews.com be named after the French aviator and World War I fighter pilot, Roland Garros. In 1913 he was the first to cross the Mediterranean Sea by air.

There are suggestions that he took part in the first air battle in history during World War I, when he is reputed to have flown his aeroplane into a German Zeppelin. He was killed in an air battle one month before the end of the war and a day prior to his 30th birthday.

Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Borna Coric.

This year's French Open will see Rafael Nadal, "the king of clay" attempt to win the title for the 12th time. This year has not been the best for him on his preferred surface and he was unable to defend his titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.

World No 1, Novak Djokovic will probably carry the favourite tag but there are a number of "young guns" ready to vie for their first Grand Slam title. They include Dominic Thiem,

However, these wins were on hard courts and she will encounter stiff opposition from the likes of current title holder, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova and past champion, Garbine Muguruza.

The Men's and Ladies' Champions will each take home around R36 million and the runners-up, R18 million.

Not too shabby for a fortnight in Paris!

Whalers Results Members of the Whalers Athletics Club participated in the Powertrade Herfsprag Half Marathon (21 km) at Hex Valley High School in De Doorns on Saturday 11 May. The route on tar roads between colourful autumn vineyards was flat and fast.

The results were as follows: Males Johann Kotzé (sr) – 02:12:26 (71) John Teobald – 02:30:25 (71) Females Glenda Theobald – 02:30:25 (68) Elsabé Kotzé – 02:52:07 (69) Join the Whalers for their weekly time trials, every Thursday afternoon. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. Choose between a 3 km, 5 km or 8 km. Meet at the Hermanus Country Market.

For more information contact Les Hanna on 083 525 2468.

Putting Pirate

23 27

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

Amateur golfer beats the odds

By Julian Shaw

G

reetings to all and I hope you enjoyed the second major of the year. Bethpage Black is always a serious course. Thankfully, our own Hermanus Golf Club is not at that level of difficulty!

Interestingly, Bethpage Black is rated 78.1 for the course the professionals play on. Our course, off the back, is one of the longest coastal courses in South Africa, and our rating at its toughest is 74.6. So, if you want to have an idea about how challenging that course is, come and play ours right off the back on a very windy day, and you will realise how good these guys really are. All eyes, of course, have been transferred to Tiger – he was struggling after Day 1 at +2 (at the time of writing this). Come on, South Africans in the field.

One… two… three…

Last week we had quite an unusual highlight.

I, however, am not sure how unique it is. I dare say it has been done before, but certainly not in the 14 years that I have been here at HGC. According to many sites, the odds of an amateur getting a hole in one are about 12 500 : 1.

Well, last week we had just that from Ivor Kingston, who managed an ace on the 4th. It was his third hole in one, and this time with a

nicely-struck six iron, but the story doesn’t end there… His playing partners got in on the act, with Simon Upton managing a Birdie 2; and the other playing partner, Arthur Coles, having missed the green, managed to get a sneaky up and down.

As they were walking off the green, jubilantly reflecting on their hole in one, they realised they had a one, a two and a three in a three ball.

Quite an achievement guys, well done indeed.

Scores at a glance ALL TOGETHER SATURDAY 11 MAY 9 Hole Competition, Individual Stableford 71 players Winner: 1-9 – Gary Combrink 22 points Winner: 10-18 – Johan Krog 22 points c/i LADIES’ TUESDAY 14 MAY Medal and Putts 28 players Silver division winner of both gross and nett: Lynne Behagg 73 gross 73 nett.

Bronze division winner of both gross and nett: Biddy Schouw on 88 gross 69 nett.

MEN’S WEDNESDAY 15 MAY Betterball Bogey Plus 116 players Winners: Ernie and Pikkie Blommaert +12 Runners-up: Chris Thompson and Mike Wells +10 c/i Best gross: John Stergianos Ball pool paid to +7

Ivor Kingston, Simon Upton and Arthur Coles who managed to score a one, a two, and a three in a three ball last week.

Results of the baboon picture caption: (left) We had lots of entries. Thank you to all who took the time, I had quite a giggle reading them. The winner, in the end, has to be Brian Forman who entered from the UK. A clever match of name and the fact that Bubba was well known for playing a pink ball: “I’ll give this to my friend Bubbaboon Watson”.

Hermanus Pharmacies Open a rolling success Hermanus Bowling Club hosted the annual Hermanus Pharmacies Open on Saturday 11 May. A total of 96 players took part in this popular event, held in superb weather conditions and accompanied by music. The Tournament Committee wishes to thank Phillip-Ben and Brenda Kotzé of Hermanus Pharmacy and Arnold from Alex Grant Pharmacy for their generous sponsorships .

RIGHT: The winners were, from left: Colin Butler, chairman of tournaments, Alick Bruce -Brand, club president, Lucille Herbst, Peter Gordon, and Henry Greef. In front is sponsor Phillip-Ben Kotzé.

The team with the highest aggregate on the day consisted of Paul Naylor (second from left), Cilene Bekker, Stephanie Crause and Koos Hugo. With them are Colin Butler, Alick Bruce-Brand and Phillip-Ben Kotzé.

The runners-up were Mike Crause (second from left), Judith Vorster, Elsa Carstens and Kassie Carstens. On hand to congratulate them were Colin Butler and Phillip-Ben Kotzé.

Twelve gymnasts from Hermanus Primary School recently competed in the District Trials for the Overberg. Well done to all 12 girls who made it through to the Western Cape Championships that will be held in Saldanha Bay at the end of the month. At the back are Cleo Middelmann (coach), Laney Pienaar, Robin Rudolph and Kaitlyn Coetzer. Middle row: Jamila Kombe, Justine Simpson,Milan van Dyk and Linda Khathide. Front row: Bianca Knoetze, Sophia Kruger, Minke van der Walt and Anabella Petim. Joyce Nahayo and Adri Basson (coach) were absent when the photo was taken. PHOTO: Hermanus Primary School

28 24

www.thevillagenews.co.za

22 May 2019

MY SCHOOL

First rate sport at Hermanus High School Hockey, rugby and netball teams from Hermanus High School and Worcester Gymnasium competed in a winter sports day at the high school on Saturday 18 May. All the teams played extremely well and the Hermanus teams won many of the games, including the first team netball girls, rugby boys and hockey girls. The first team hockey boys were not so fortunate, but they played their hearts out despite the tough competition.

It was a special win for the first team netball girls, as this was the first time since 2014 that the they had beaten Worcester Gymnasium in a game. The final score was 32 - 27.

The first team rugby boys also faced tough competition, but took an early lead in the first half. During the second half Worcester fought back hard and almost managed to catch

5

up – until the Hermanus team scored two consecutive tries in the last ten minutes. This ensured a 35 - 22 victory for Hermanus High.

2

1

All the players demonstrated great sportsmanship throughout the day.

HHS's next winter sports day will be in Brackenfell on Saturday 13 July against Brackenfell High School.

1 - Nicole Theart intercepts a ball from a Worcester player.

2 - Mari Carstens marks her opponent.

3 - Marnus Hamman wins the ball in a line-out.

4 - Mouhamed Diop tackles his opponent to the ground in an effort to steal the ball.

5 - Tanner van Tonder runs through the opposition as he makes for the try line.

3

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

4