LOCKDOWN LEVEL:
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COVID-19 DASHBOARD OVERSTRAND
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www.thevillagenews.co.za
24 March 2021
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TOTAL CASES AS OF 20 MAR 2021:
OVERSTRAND TOTAL CASES: TOTAL (ACTIVE)
WORLD: 123 425 146 SOUTH AFRICA: 1 536 801 WESTERN CAPE: 278 663 (18.13% of cases in SA) OVERBERG: 13 286
• FISHERHAVEN: 45 (1) • GANSBAAI: 185 (1) • HAWSTON: 463 (4) • HERMANUS: 723 (4) • KLEINMOND: 677 (5)
• MT PLEASANT: 358 (0) • ONRUS: 205 (0) • SANDBAAI: 222 (4) • STANFORD: 380 (1) • VERMONT: 95 (0) • ZWELIHLE: 1 094 (3) TOTAL: 5 041 (24)
LAST WEEK'S TOTAL CASES: WORLD: 117 603 192 SOUTH AFRICA: 1 521 068 (16th in the world) WESTERN CAPE: 276 528 OVERBERG: 13 212 OVERSTRAND: 5 015
(8 MAR)
LET'S TALK The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Letters may be shortened and/or edited for clarity and style. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.
Where are our young, middle-class professional people? This year is the 10th anniversary of Sparklekids and over the years we've seen quite a few engineers, teachers, nurses and lawyers, all from Zwelihle, graduating. All of them have since left Hermanus, probably never to return. How is this not a sure recipe for disaster in an area that is labelled as one of the most racially segregated in our country? Our self-supporting, middle-class professional young people… all gone! How do we think we are going to have a future for ourselves and our children in this wonderful town if we keep it only for the privileged few, relying on whales and wines to buy us a few more years.Little Europe in Africa... Think again. And please bear with me for a few more seconds. We have to find a way of authentically changing all of this, and what the past 10 years have taught me is that there is only one profession that can take a young person living in a shack to earning R20 000 p/m in four years, and that is obtaining a solid B-Education Degree.
This is why we started Hermanus Varsity. And this year is the first year that we have an intake of almost 30 educational students. Imagine if we could make Hermanus the destination of choice for young people who want to study and become great school teachers. Building life skills and coping mechanisms into this course to deal with this most important but demanding profession in an ever-changing world. Imagine 500 or a thousand, 2 000 vibrant young people with sparkle in their eyes and hope in their hearts studying in the heart of Hermanus towards solid, life-changing careers and breaking the cruel grip of poverty forever. Stepping over the segregated lines of suspicion and geography and finding value in each other. This is not a dream or a thumb suck of a naive old man. I know this, and have seen this over the past 10 years. If anyone out there has a better plan, please let me know. Theo Krynauw, Sparklekids
Let’s Talk about Cliff Path extension Various letters have been written by eloquent writers expounding their theories on why the cliff path extension is ‘essential’ to Hermanus. My letter is not one of those; I am asking pertinent questions with an ethical flavour, to which I am hoping I will receive honest answers. I addressed these questions to the Cliff Path Action Group (CPAG) directly during the initial phase of their investigation, as well as recently, to the Save our Shores group. I have received no reply from either party. I have no agenda, except for being born in Hermanus, at the Bay View Hotel (now Bay View apartments) and living there until my 20s. My questions are: • Who, if anyone, from Hermanus appointed the Lakeside, Cape Town, firm of ASHA Consulting to investigate the extension of the cliff path? For what reason and why not a local firm? • Does anyone advocating for the extension, live or have a home in the area which would be directly affected by the extension? Perhaps Mr M T Wessels of Eastcliff (Let’s Talk, 10 March 2021) could comment. • What about the rights and birthright of those
who do live in the affected area? Their security and privacy will be compromised. Birthright, according to most sources, is who you were born to and the circumstances you were born into. In today’s world, people with a political agenda like to describe anyone whose birthright allowed them to buy privacy and exclusivity as ‘privileged’ with a shameful connotation. Yes, Sharing is Caring, but, ethically, only if you can be sure that everyone you are sharing with will care. Realistically, we know that while the majority will care there will be those who will use the easy access to do harm. • Ethically, is it appropriate for this amount of money, even if it is IAP funded, to be spent on a non-essential project when there are people literally starving in Hermanus? Could this not be deemed a ‘privileged’ project? I cannot believe that this project was initiated solely to benefit Hermanus; money is going to be made by someone. The alternative and more appropriate solution for current times would be employing a local shuttle service such as Tuk-Tuk to transport walkers between the two cut-off points. Tired of Hypocrisy
Adhere to by-laws on Hermanus Cliff Path The Hermanus Cliff Path is part of Fernkloof Nature Reserve. It is a top attraction for tourists and locals alike. It is the pride of Hermanus. It is up to all of us to take responsibility for making the cliff path experience as beautiful and special as possible – and the majority of users are justly proud of this wonderful asset and do their best to cherish it. The cliff path falls under the by-laws of the
Overstrand municipality. Unfortunately some people who do not follow the by-laws. Here are the main points of the by-laws: 1. Littering is not permitted. Rather take your litter home with you, or place it into a bin. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable, but toxic waste. Please dispose of them in a bin as well. Do not dump household rubbish into the bins on the cliff path. 2. All dogs must be kept on a leash, without
exception. 3. Dog owners must pick up after their dogs, whether on the path or next to the path. Dog faeces is not fertilizer. It is harmful to fynbos, bad for the environment and is full of pathogens. Many dogs are treated with a systemic insecticide to kill ticks and fleas. This powerful insect poison is excreted unchanged in the dog’s poo and kills any insects in the surroundings, including dung beetles. Apart from the environmental harm done by dog poo, it is also disrespectful of other users of the cliff path if
the dog’s owner fails to remove it. Signage will shortly appear on the cliff path to remind dog owners of their responsibilities under the by-laws. HPP officers will help to spread the message. Law enforcement officers will be deployed on the cliff path to enforce the by-laws. Let us all work together to look after our special environment and make the cliff path a truly wonderful experience for everyone who uses it. Hermanus Cliff Path Management Group
