The Village NEWS 25 Aug - 2 Sept 2020

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26 AUGUST 2020

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This sculpture titled ‘Hare with baggage waiting for ship to come in’

by Guy du Toit is one of the artworks that form part of this year’s FynArts Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition. The hare is made of cast patinated bronze and is seen as a proxy for human behaviour – lively, witty, fast-talking and delightfully unpredictable.

Read more about this exhibition on P8.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

New school for Sandbaai Writer De Waal Steyn

T

he Western Cape Department of Education is planning on building a brand-new and much-needed technical high school in Sandbaai.

According to documentation that is set to serve before Council at its meeting on 26 August, it is proposed that a portion of the open erf next to the AFM Church in Long Street be alienated by the Overstrand Municipality to the Department of Transport and Public Works (DT&PW).

It is recommended to Council that the land, ±2.6 ha in extent, be transferred to the DT&PW at a nominal purchase price of R1.00 (including VAT) and that the department be liable for all additional costs such as transfer fees and town planning approval. The current value of the property is estimated at R3.46 million.

“The value that establishing a new technical

school will bring to the community can, however, not be expressed in financial value,” states the documentation.

The application by the department to acquire the property was done on 3 June 2020 to accommodate the growth in student numbers in the Overstrand and to meet the growing demand for skills in the country overall.

“Initially it was considered to motivate a donation of the property to the department, but as indicated by the department, it is easier legislative wise for them to motivate a purchase at a nominal purchase price than to motivate a donation,” according to the documentation.

It further states that it must be noted as a point of consideration that during the President’s State of the Nation address in February 2020, he said that in line with the Framework for Skills for a Changing World, government is expanding the training of both educators and learners to respond to emerging technologies, including the

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internet of things, robotics and artificial intelligence.

panding the number of technical schools in the province is a focus area of the department.

“Several new technology subjects and specialisations will be introduced, including technical mathematics and technical sciences, maritime sciences, aviation studies, mining sciences, and aquaponics. To expand participation in the technical streams, several ordinary public schools will be transformed into technical high schools,” the president said.

“Within our current framework is a three-stream model of education, including an academic pathway which can lead to university; a technical vocational pathway, such as our offerings at technical high schools, leading possibly to tertiary education but focusing on much-needed technical and artisanal skills; and the technical occupational pathway such as schools focusing on skills development through basic practical subjects for employment.

According to the documentation the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, confirmed this and said that government plans to have a technical high school in each regional school circuit.

The Overstrand falls under the Overberg Education District and in this regard Overstrand, and particularly Sandbaai, was identified as a suitable area to construct and establish a new technical school, according to the documentation.

Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Education said ex-

“A total of 24 schools in the province currently offer the technical vocational stream and focus on subjects such as civil technology, which could include woodworking and plumbing; engineering graphics and design; mechanical technology, such as welding and motor mechanics; and electrical technology,” she said.

The decision whether to sell the land to the department can only be ratified by Council.

it’s bbn worth waiting for you...

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26 August 2020

Monkeying around with Betty’s Bay baboons Writer Elaine Davie

B

aboon management in the Overstrand has for many years been a contentious issue. However, the warfare that has broken out in Betty’s Bay over the management of the resident troop of 16 baboons has now become a matter of life and death – for the baboons. The most ironic aspect of the matter is that the majority of the stakeholders seem to agree that their main concern is for the welfare of the baboons.

Another point of agreement is that things cannot continue as they are, where neither the baboons, nor the human population are winners.

It does appear, though, that the baboons are the greatest losers: whereas some people are having their homes trashed and their pets apparently terrorised (no small thing), some baboons are being fatally injured, either in the form of road kill or at the hands of humans and in some cases, their dogs, hence the small size of the troop – this, in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

baboon management programme in the different areas.” And here lies the rub.

One of the factors that has made the Betty’s Bay situation so volatile is the number of stakeholders involved, all with their own agendas: there are the local baboon ‘lovers’ and ‘haters’ (their own terminology) separated by a missing middle majority; the Overstrand Municipality (OM) and their appointed baboon management agents, HWS, and now, also in the mix is Prof Justin O’Riain, Director of Wildlife Research at UCT and even, peripherally, world-renowned primatologist, Dr Jane Goodall. Most important of all, although not consulted, are the baboons themselves.

In September 2019, responsibility for the management of the various troops across the Overstrand was transferred from the province to the municipality, which, in July this year, following a call for tenders, appointed Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS) as its service provider for baboon management throughout the Overstrand for the next three years.

The chief strategy employed by HWS for baboon management in various parts of the Cape Metropole, Gordon’s Bay and most recently in Voëlklip and Pringle Bay, is the Virtual Fence method. Its goal is to keep the baboons away from human habitation and in the mountains. In broad outline, this is done by collaring or ear tagging the males in the troop and when they approach the ‘no go’ zone, activating a sound barrier consisting of recordings of aggressive predator vocalisations and prey animals being killed. On hearing these frightening noises, the baboons are supposed to head for the hills and away from the dangers below. It’s known as aversive conditioning by those who support it and creating a ‘landscape of fear’ by those who don’t.

To the complaint from some Betty’s Bay residents that they were not consulted before this appointment was made, the OM’s response is that, since this is a municipal supply chain process, the community is not asked to comment. However, ‘’what the public can comment on is the techniques or methodology used in the management interventions for the

According to Dr Phil Richardson of HWS, “Given that there is still a good abundance of fynbos forage available to both these troops of baboons (Voëlklip and Pringle Bay) on the mountains and valleys around town, they should be encouraged to continue to feed there without coming to town for a fix of sugar.” This method has been implemented for a consid-

erable number of years with great success in Gordon’s Bay, for example, less so in Kommetjie, according to the Betty’s Bay baboon activists.

Well that doesn’t sound too bad then, the ordinary citizen may say, at least the baboons are not being hurt. Ah yes, but what if they refuse to comply? Prof O’Riain has this to say: “If the baboons move towards the urban edge, field rangers will move to block the baboons, starting with shouting and whistling. If they keep going, a warning shot into the ground will come next and only if they then continue to push past this limit will a paint ball be sent in the direction of a fleeing rump.”

He goes on to add, however: “Aversive conditioning works for most baboons most of the time. What does one do for the exceptions? Increasing deterrent levels (e.g. rubber bullets) would pose a serious threat of injury and would not be approved by the NSPCA. Leaving them to raid alone is bad for people, the individual (‘rogue’) baboon and other baboons.

“Capturing and putting these individuals down is considered more humane than leaving them to be injured or killed by angry residents, when non-lethal management no longer suffices. This is precisely why welfare organisations support the occasional removal of select baboons that do not respond to aversive conditioning.” For removal read ‘euthanising’.

To say paint ball, rubber bullets or ‘executing’ to the baboon activists of Betty’s Bay is like waving a red rag at a bull. They accept, without being happy, that it’s a done deal that HWS has been appointed by the municipality for three years, but insist that HWS and the OM adhere to certain conditions. Betty’s Bay resident and member of the Ratepayers’ Association, Renée Bish and her husband,

At peace in his home in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, a member of the Betty’s Bay troop.

PHOTO: Pete Oxford international award-winning conservation photographer, Pete Oxford are members of the Betty’s Bay Baboon Action Group. They agree that baboons are being injured and are dying as a result of their presence in the urban environment, but are adamant that there are less invasive means of managing them.

They believe that greater care must be taken to ensure that more effective waste control is implemented by individuals as well as the authority and are pleased that OM has heeded their calls for the dump site to be closed down. “The simple fact is that the baboons come here for food which is easily available, including the bird seed scattered about by residents, as well as sugar water and fruit. Since the 2019 Kogelberg fires there is much less of their natural food available in the mountains, so foraging amongst humans is obviously an attractive option. The point is that if they can no longer access food here they will not come back,” Pete points out.

They are also of the opinion that the baboon monitoring system which was previously employed in Pringle Bay, before the Ratepayers ran out of funds, was a more effective deterrent than the Virtual Fence, and as a side

benefit, provided locals with jobs.

Renée also insists that if bylaws were properly enforced, it would go a long way towards solving some of the current problems. “I mean, there is not even one baboon signboard along Clarence Drive, for instance, and if there was effective speed control, it would help to save the lives of all our wildlife, not just baboons.”

In a nutshell, the group demands the following: a policy of transparency and public participation from the OM in terms of decision-making about the baboons; removing from HWS the right to kill baboons or to inflict pain on them; and allowing the baboons the freedom to roam free with the proviso that monitors assist in keeping them away from entering homes.

There is no doubt that this is a complex issue of which we have barely scratched the surface. Sadly, it has become so adversarial that the various stakeholders are no longer prepared to listen to one another. Never mind the subject of the furore – the baboons – the humans themselves have become the problem. It is to be hoped that through various zoom meetings to be organised by the OM, they will be able to find one another and build on the positives rather than the negatives, to find a win-win solution.

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26 August 2020

Let’s get home food gardens growing T he Western Cape Department of Agriculture has contributed to the establishment of many household food gardens in the Covid-19 hotspot areas in the province through their One Home One Garden campaign, which includes the distribution of starter packs consisting of vegetable seedlings, fertiliser and advice on production practices such as planting, tending and harvesting of vegetables.

According to the WC Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, every household needs to have the opportunity to grow food for their families as it will contribute towards the family’s food security. Even a small garden can provide cabbages, onions, beetroot and beans during autumn and broccoli, spinach, carrots, turnips, and peas during spring.

The Minister travelled to the Overstrand last week and visited several new and existing vegetable gardens in Hermanus and Kleinmond in the company of Mayor Dudley Coetzee, Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and Constituency Head for the Overstrand, Masizole Mnqasela, as well as the Deputy Mayor of the Overberg District Municipality, Archie Klaas, and a host of other dignitaries and councillors.

During his visit to Zwelihle, Minister Meyer said: “As part of our Covid-19 response, the One Home One Garden Campaign encourages

households to start their own food production units.” He added that by boosting households to establish vegetable gardens, “we are shifting the focus from food relief to food security – we cannot encourage a hand-out culture all the time, we must encourage sustainability”.

Minister Meyer and fellow councillors had time to meet accomplished gardener, Trevor Nkoyi, who started the vegetable garden at the Zwelihle Youth Café. This community centre serves as an after-care centre and a space where entrepreneurs can host workshops and sell their goods.

The founders of the Zwelihle Youth Café, William Ntebe and Fikiswa Gxamesi also run a daily soup kitchen and a portion of the vegetables from Trevor’s garden go towards this nutritional programme.

Before handing out vegetable seedlings and fertiliser, the Minister encouraged all present to become ‘food soldiers’ like Trevor and get a home food garden growing.

He concluded by saying: “During my visits to similar vegetable gardens, I have witnessed team work, joy and fun in the families.

Through these food gardens we are seeing #ForTheLoveOfAgriculture in action on the ground in various communities.”

LEFT: Gerald Nomala, founder of the Kasi Angels Foundation, who made it his mission to give school shoes to thousands of learners from poor families, kindly donated sturdy water-resistant garden shoes to Trevor Nkoyi (left). With Trevor are the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer and Constituency Head for the Overstrand, Masizole Mnqasela. BELOW LEFT: This home vegetable garden in Zwelihle is one of several that have been established with assistance from the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s One Home One Garden campaign.

BELOW RIGHT: Seedlings and fertiliser being delivered in Kleinmond.

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26 August 2020

Keep moving! says Hermanus centenarian Writer Hedda Mittner

I

’ve heard it said that 100 is the new 80, which implies that such longevity is becoming more commonplace. A little research, however, reveals that although the number of centenarians around the world is growing, these blessed individuals remain a rarity at around 570 000 – out of a global population of 7.8 billion people.

One local who has joined the ranks of this exclusive club is the sprightly Arena Ochse, who celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends on Saturday.

Before heading out to a local coffee shop to celebrate this remarkable milestone, we caught up with Arena at Fynbospark, where she was busy giving one of her twice-weekly exercise classes to fellow residents.

Fit and trim, with a ready smile and sparkling blue eyes, Arena is not only very much alive but is still enjoying a quality of life that is the envy of many a senior citizen – even some who are decades younger than her! Having enjoyed robust health throughout her long life, Arena is still a brisk walker (no walking stick in sight, never mind a

walker!) and her mind is as sharp as ever. She lives independently in her unit at Fynbospark, where she’s been a resident for the past 17 years, and does all her own cooking and tidying up.

So what is her secret? For starters, Arena seems to be genetically blessed as her own mother lived to a hundred and her aunt died shortly before her 108th birthday. Healthy lifestyle choices undoubtedly also played a role in getting Arena to 100 without any clinical diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. “I’ve never been very fond of red meat and prefer chicken and fish, and I eat a lot of veggies,” she says. “I don’t really like sweet things so I don’t consume much sugar, but I do enjoy the odd glass of red wine and I did smoke occasionally when I was younger.”

Apart from a hysterectomy many years ago, Arena has never needed an operation and must be one of very few elderly people who has never had a knee or hip replacement.

Accidental falls remain a danger, but having “grown up on the back of a horse” on the family farm between Darling and Malmesbury, Arena says “I know how to fall!”

Born in 1920, Arena attended school in Malmes-

Arena Ochse celebrated her centennial birthday on Saturday at La’Moer Koffie with friends and family members, including her daughter, Angelique Brink (see circle), who owns the Sandbaai Country House.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer bury and matriculated in 1937 – two years before the outbreak of World War II. “I always wanted to become a nurse but because I was still a year shy of the required age of 18 years, I enrolled for a degree in Domestic Sciences at Stellenbosch University instead.” While she enjoyed needlework – her mother had taught her to crochet from a young age – Arena says, “I hated cooking!” In later years she designed all the crochet patterns for Landbouweekblad and Sarie magazines. Although she’s had to have cataracts removed, her eyesight is still excellent and she continues to crochet items of her own design, with beautifully intricate patterns.

Arena got married in 1945 and has four daughters who now range in age from 73 to 65 years (and two of whom live in Europe), 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. “As

a family we were always very active,” she says.

“We played tennis, went hiking and two of my daughters played netball for Western Province.”

Of her four siblings, only Arena’s youngest sister, now 87, is still living. Her husband died in 1997 after a marriage of 52 years.

The only downside to getting this old, says, Arena, is that almost everyone who knew her when she was younger is gone. “Oh, and the fact that the Traffic Department turned me down when I tried to renew my driver’s licence at 98!” Since then she says she simply walks to town when she needs to go to the bank or do errands. ‘Keep moving’ seems to be the motto of this extraordinary woman, who also started her exercise classes at Fynbospark 15 years ago when she noticed that “too many elderly people just sit in front of their television sets!”

26 August 2020

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Rooiels buys into conservation for posterity Writer Elaine Davie

J

ust how many of us know what a jewel we have in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (KBR) and how much we owe to those who had the foresight and the passion to safeguard our environmental heritage for posterity?

It was their inspiration and effort that started the ball rolling, but it was never meant to be a done deal; this conservation project will always remain a work in progress, whether in terms of management or, indeed, expansion. And this is where Rooiels, and perhaps you, come in…

In 1971, UNESCO launched the International Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB), the aim of which was the establishment of a global network of Biosphere Reserves, which would manage natural ecosystems, so that they could remain sustainable in the face of potential threats, including climate change and human encroachment. In line with this goal, South Africa has declared 10 Biosphere Reserves to date, starting with the KBR in 1998.

This reserve stretches all along the Western Cape coastline from Gordon’s Bay to the Bot River Estuary and inland to Elgin and Grabouw, encompassing an area of close to 100 000 ha and extending into the coastal marine environment.

It is divided into three zones: the Core Zone, where entire ecosystems, including vegetation, fauna, water sources and geological structures are protected by law, with very low human activity (included are the Stony Point Seabird Breeding Colony, the Betty’s Bay Marine Reserve and the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens); the Buffer Zone, where certain low-impact and low-density human activity is permitted, such as the Kleinmond Mountain Reserve, including hiking trails, and farmlands like Lamloch; and the Transition Zone, where a certain amount of managed urban development may occur, as in the villages of Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooiels.

These small communities represent a transition towards the more environmentally focused parts of the reserve.

The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve Company (KBRC) is a co-ordinating, registered NPO which incorporates representation from the municipalities of Cape Town, Overstrand, Overberg and Theewaterskloof, as well as CapeNature (the managing entity) and the Department of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF).

According to the Rev Tim Attwell, Chairper-

son of the Kogelberg Branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa and Board member of the KBRC, this protected area lies at the very epicentre of the Cape Floral Kingdom, with the greatest diversity of species anywhere in the world (sorry, Amazon!).

“It’s fynbos on steroids,” he chuckles. “A greater proliferation of species is found here than in the Table Mountain National Park, and it is therefore absolutely critical that it be kept as free of human interference as possible.”

There is a problem, though, which those originally responsible for demarcating the KBR didn’t foresee. It involves the differentiation between Buffer and Transition zones, especially along the coastal plain between mountain and sea. But environmentalists had a major wake-up call a couple of years ago, when a property developer indicated a desire to buy up much of the land between Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay south of the R44 to create gated villages, holiday houses and retirement complexes.

“Fortunately, Dr Allan Heydorn, former CEO of WWF-SA, and Ursula Huyssen took up the cudgels and when the Brodie family, which has strong links to this area, was approached, they agreed to buy up the disputed land and have it registered as a Contract Nature Reserve (CNR), now known as the Brodie Link, under the ownership of the WWF-SA and the management of CapeNature,” recounts Tim. “Some years later, another donor, Mr Simon Marais, made the necessary resources available to expand this ecological corridor to include Hangklip Peak above Pringle Bay.” Together, the two tracts of land now form the Hangklip Nature Reserve, or Hangklip Ecological Corridor.

Small monuments to the memory of Bernard Brodie and Simon Marais can be found in the Reserve.

As Dr Heydorn puts it: “An important part of the management of Biosphere Reserves is the establishment of ecological corridors aimed at keeping ecosystems healthy, protecting their biological diversity and ensuring habitats remain connected. In this way, vital environmental services such as the provision of clean water, air and soil, are also safeguarded. Ecological corridors are equally important as migration routes for the many forms of wildlife within living and interactive ecosystems.”

WWF-SA now owns this permanently protected conservation area of almost 1 000 ha, known as the Hangklip Ecological Corridor, which is managed by CapeNature as part of the KBR.

However, the job is still not done. Dr Heydorn again: “The question remains whether only one formally recognised ecological corridor between the mountain highlands and the sea in the entire coastal region of the KBR is adequate.

The natural processes of land/sea interaction through freshwater run-off, nutrient inputs, tidal penetration in estuaries and atmospheric precipitation, are the ecological driving forces in coastal environments. Are there other areas which need to be afforded similar protection as is the case in the Hangklip Ecological Corridor?”

The answer is, indeed, there are. It has become evident that an area surrounding Rooiels, between the Kogelberg Mountain Range and what is known as Klein Hangklip and the Two Sisters Peaks, and then on to the coastal plate is a highly sensitive ecological area, where, horror of horrors, there are currently 12 private smallholdings on the market. The Core Zone of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve ends at the Rooiels River and as Tim describes the area under potential threat, “Apart from the two mountain ranges, there is a wetland valley, as well as the Rooiels River, which has remained pretty free of contaminants of any kind and numerous water courses running down the steep slopes of various mountain peaks. Fortunately, there is very little alien infestation present.

“It is a well-functioning and diverse ecosystem where plant and animal genetic transfer can take place and which successfully connects the mountain and coastal environments. Amongst the birds and animals which are known to inhabit this space are the Cape leopard, the caracal, marsh terrapin, honey badger, klipspringers, tortoises, mongooses and the rare Cape Rock Jumper, as well as several baboon troops, of course.”

As in the case of the Hangklip Ecological Corridor, the challenge now is to inspire philanthropic, environmentally-passionate individuals or organisations to buy the 12 plots before they can be put to a use which might break the ecological continuity and possibly endanger its species diversity. “The idea would again be to

register this as a CNR under the management of CapeNature and to categorise it as a Buffer Zone, suitable for limited human activity, like hiking. There are a couple of existing houses there, which could be used for self-catering holiday purposes, and perhaps even an environmental education centre.”

The residents of Rooiels are deeply committed to conservation and, according to Tim, are one hundred percent behind the project, so in February this year, assisted by Mr Steve Gildenhuys of CapeNature and Mr Rupert Koopman, Conservation Director of the Botanical Society of South Africa, he made a presentation to the CapeNature Protected Area Expansion and Stewardship Review Committee for the development of the proposed Rooiels Ecological Corridor.

The response from the committee was very enthusiastic and the various proponents were beyond excited when they were subsequently notified that the committee was recommending that the area be designated a Contract Nature Reserve. This is a legally recognised entity which enjoys the same status as a Provincial Nature Reserve.

So now the ball is once again in their court. Tim estimates that the total market value of the 12 properties could be in the region of R30 million.

He underlines the fact that there will be no question of expropriation, but equally, inflated prices will not be considered. Clearly, though, time is of the essence.

If the Coronavirus has taught us anything, it is the importance of respecting and conserving our natural environment and, indeed, mending the shattered connection between ourselves and nature. As the Brodie family, Simon Marais and other philanthropists have done in the past, this is our chance to leave an intact heritage to enrich the lives of our children’s children in perpetuity.

For further information contact Tim Attwell at attwells@mweb.co.za

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26 August 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Stitching a new security blanket The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 2 September 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.

De Waal Steyn PUBLISHING EDITOR E: dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 700 3319

Hedda Mittner CONTENT EDITOR E: hedda@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 645 3928

As most of our children return to school or pre-school this week, some after a break of several months, educational psychologists warn that the disruption to their lives caused by the Coronavirus can leave them with a sense of insecurity and anxiety. It may be difficult for them to settle into the educational environment again and they will need the support of their parents.

community or even country has lost its security blanket? It has to stitch a new one, based on the values that gave it its strength. Of course our children must receive a good education in the widest sense of the word. In a world where knowledge is redundant almost before it’s born, problem solving, lateral, strategic and analytical thinking are essential skills.

But, of course many of the parents are feeling equally insecure; they may have lost their job or their business and the future looks bleak. So what happens when a whole family,

But equally important is the rediscovery of who we are and what gives our life meaning. Values like honesty, compassion, loyalty, service and hard work helped our predeces-

ONLINE EDITOR E: raphael@thevillagenews.co.za T: 074 125 5854

Elaine Davie JOURNALIST

Taylum Meyer PRODUCTION MANAGER, PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN E: taylum@thevillagenews.co.za T: 084 564 0779

Charé van der Walt MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE E: chare@thevillagenews.co.za T: 082 430 1974

Nickey Jackson

And then there has been the threat to the pristine beauty of our Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the looting of our marine environment, the

inadequate housing and poverty endured by thousands of our fellow citizens and in this issue of The Village NEWS, the plight of the baboon troops of the Kogelberg Biosphere, a sacred place which we hold in trust for future generations.

It is a law of nature that everything on earth is connected to everything else. Break one strand and the edifice collapses. Luckily, the people of the Overstrand are both thoughtful and creative. If any community is able to give its children a new, stronger security blanket it is ours.

This is the good NEWS – Ed

Marco Polo and the Great Trek

Raphael da Silva

E: elaine@thevillagenews.co.za T: 084 343 7500

sors build this town, but somewhere along the way we lost them, along with a deep connection to nature.

It took a catastrophic event like the pandemic to pull us up short.

Last week we were shocked by the behaviour not of nameless social media trolls, but by ordinary citizens of our beautiful town who threatened not only to vandalise a work of art, but also to harm the artist and the organisers of the exhibition.

By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com

H

aving rounded the treacherous Cape of Storms on their expedition to the Far East, Vasco Diaz, the captain of the Santa Flatulata, dropped anchor in the calm waters of Nice Nè Lagoon. On board were Marco Polo and sixteen sea-sick but relieved crewmen.

As discussed previously, young Marco was eastward bound to a domed palace behind a huge wall made of china. He planned to meet up with Pa who must have arrived by now, and was apparently staying with a real-estate developer called Kubla Cohen. Shouldn’t be too difficult to

find, he thought. Can’t be too many Jewish developers with a leisure resort in that neck of the woods.

ate their lunch, they went to the lavatory, and on their way bumped into a community of forest-dwellers.

people along the way. We’re thinking of calling it The Great Trek, but so far there’s only eight of us.”

Sheltered in the lagoon, Captain Vasco set about doing what saltydog sea captains do. He got drunk.

But first he instructed the handymen to repair the shredded sails and plug the hull with Polyfilla. Others were sent to find fresh supplies and water, while the rest were told to fell Stinkwood trees from the surrounding forests, and schlep them back to the ship.

Little has been documented about this encounter, but Alphonso van Tonder – who’d learnt Afrikaans from his father in Genoa – could communicate with some of the Dutch-speaking folks living in the settlement, and pretty soon the lumberjacks were invited to set up camp with them overnight.

The aim was to all congregate further north to safeguard the ox wagons full of gold bars known only by the deceptive code name, The Kruger Millions, destined to fund the formation of the proposed Boer Republic on top of the gold mine.

Now our captain – apart from being the goalkeeper for the Venice Underwater Polo Club – was a shrewd trader who kept his ear to the ground when not submerged, and he knew the East had no sturdy trees for the lumber required in largescale construction.

Apparently they only grew rice, bamboo and chopstick trees, which they either ate, or ate with, and these Stinkwood logs were worth their weight in gold. So, with projects suitably delegated, Vasco got blotto for a few days.

Young Marco and Alphonso van Tonder, the ship’s cook, were in the Stinkwood squad, and headed off into the forests to do what lumberjacks do. They cut down trees, they

They were a strange mixture of French, English, Dutch, German, Xhosa and Khoi, but they collectively revelled in their bohemian lifestyle.

They grew all their own food and also cultivated a weed called The Giggly Twig, which they brewed and drank like a tea, baked in a cookie, or simply smoked. For the mosquitoes apparently. But for a living, they made candles and trinkets from leather or carved wood and elephant tusk – souvenirs for the passing travellers in their ox wagons heading towards Zululand and the interior.

“Ja, we’re on our way up the coast,” explained a bloke called Louis Trichardt, busy unloading his ox wagon for the evening braai. “We’re going to meet up with Oom Piet (Retief ) and Gert (Maritz), then we’re heading east and north and collecting

Marco’s ears pricked up on ‘gold’, but just then an outburst of distant musketry fire could be heard from over the hill. “Wat’s dit?” asked Alphonso in his best Afrikaans.

“Ag! Just shooting,” replied a local casually.

“Who’s shooting?”

“What’s today?”

“Tuesday.”

“Brit against Xhosa. Thursday is Boer against Khoi. Over the weekends they all fight each other.”

Marco was relieved a few days later to be away from the battlefields and safely back on the Santa Flatulata, which was now loaded up to her gunwales with lumber and ready to set sail once again. Little did he anticipate that at their next refuelling stop in Algoa Bay, he would stumble across those secretly smuggled Kruger Millions, and reveal exactly what happened to them. But that’s another story, for next time.

HERMANUS: SEVEN-DAY WEATHER AND TIDE TABLE Wed | 26 Aug

Thurs | 27 Aug

Fri | 28 Aug

Sat | 29 Aug

Sun | 30 Aug

Mon | 31 Aug

Tues | 1 Sep

11°/14° Clear

10°/14° Mostly Clear

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LOCKDOWN LEVEL:

LEV

COVID-19 DASHBOARD OVERSTRAND

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2

EL

TOTAL CASES AS OF 24 AUGUST:

OVERSTRAND BREAKDOWN OF CASES: TOTAL (ACTIVE)

WORLD: 23 722 981 SOUTH AFRICA: 609 773 WESTERN CAPE: 102 615 (16.82% of cases in SA) OVERBERG: 3 328

• FISHERHAVEN: 14 (0) • GANSBAAI: 280 (7) - 5 deaths • HAWSTON: 112 (4) - 1 death • HERMANUS: 168 (7) - 4 deaths • KLEINMOND: 97 (0) - 2 deaths

• MT PLEASANT: 135 (2) - 1 death • ONRUS: 54 (0) - 3 deaths • SANDBAAI: 37 (1) • STANFORD: 90 (4) - 3 deaths • VERMONT: 20 (2) • ZWELIHLE: 556 (7) - 5 deaths

TOTAL: 1 568 (34) - 24 deaths

LAST WEEK'S TOTAL CASES: WORLD: 21 913 659 SOUTH AFRICA: 587 345 (5th in the world) WESTERN CAPE: 101 037 OVERBERG: 3 233 OVERSTRAND: 1 533

(17 AUG)

LET'S TALK Healthy and robust debate are 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.

Enjoy our paper. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.

Heaven is a place where everybody is nice At dusk one evening a few weeks ago, my wife and I were sitting in her car watching the waves breaking at Gearing’s Point when we noticed a small car with a Stellenbosch number plate refusing to start, no matter how hard the young man at the wheel tried to get it to do so.

This young couple were in serious trouble and far from home on a Sunday evening, so I strolled across and told them that if they were prepared to wait, I would go home to fetch a jump lead in my own car and return to help them. On my return, the young driver used the jump lead to start his car and after a short ‘test run’

came back to thank us before driving home.

Exactly one week later at virtually the exact time and precisely the same spot at Gearing’s Point, my wife and I prepared to drive home when the engine refused to start. A young man sitting with his girlfriend in a nearby car strolled across and said that if I was prepared to wait, he would fetch a friend with a jump lead who could help us.

While waiting as it got darker and darker, a nearby motorist came across and told us that he is with the police and would stay there with us until the

people with the jump lead arrived, which they did shortly thereafter (we later found out that he is Sergeant Bekeur). In a trice our car’s engine was ignited and purring happily, thanks to our rescuer whose name we learnt is Heinwill Jannecke, who by chance is also with the Hermanus police.

What makes this story so special is that we, a white couple, helped a black couple and were in turn helped by coloured couple. As I say, Heaven must be a place where everyone is nice. And Hermanus cannot be very far from that.

Francois Marais

Skilled Please, restaurants workers – safety first! needed I have been talking to building contractors, plumbers and electricians and their biggest problem is getting qualified and reliable artisans.

Wouldn’t it be great if Hermanus could start a technical college to train people in these skills and also combat unemployment.

It could even be linked to the Hermanus Varsity – all we need is a benefactor to get it going.

Peter Balcker

After a stroll on the cliff path, my partner and I dropped in for coffee at a café in Onrus. The waiter, who was masked, took our order, and a few minutes later the coffee arrived, served by the owner herself – without a mask.

Just then one of her employees arrived from deliveries. Unmasked and without sanitising his hands, he went straight to

Join OAK for live virtual concert

the coffee machine. We didn't stay long.

A few days later we had coffee on the other side of town in Voëlklip. Our temperatures were taken and hands sanitised on arrival. All the staff wore masks or visors, and our table was disinfected before we sat down. Guess whose restaurant we’ll visit again – virus or not.

Claudia Schindler

Music lovers are once more invited to join Overstrand Arts/Kunste (OAK) for a virtual performance by the CPO Wind Quintet with pianist Pieter Grobler, presented

by Concerts Connect. The event will be live streamed on Sunday 30 August from the spectacular Moondance Villa in Cape Town.

Concerts Connect has partnered with OAK and other regional music societies in presenting this concert. The stream will start at 15:30 with an introduction to the venue, the artists and partner organisations, followed by the concert at 16:00. The programme will feature Poulenc’s Sextet and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Piano Quintet.

The CPO Wind Quintet comprises the principal winds of the Cape

Town Philharmonic Orchestra: Gabrielle von Dürckheim (flute), Lisa White (oboe), Daniel Prozesky (clarinet), Simon Ball (bassoon) and Caroline Prozesky (French horn). South African pianist Pieter Grobler is currently a senior lecturer in piano performance and chamber music at Stellenbosch University.

Tickets are available online at www.quicket.co.za and can be purchased in support of OAK. If you need any assistance, please contact OAK secretary René du Plooy on 082 940 4238 or renedup@telkomsa.net.

For more information, visit www. brconcerts.com, or contact Brent Reynolds at brent@brconcerts. com or 082 415 0228.

Incorrect date for bypass comment In the Overstrand Municipality’s reply to an Open Letter to the Mayor by Sandy Van Hoogstraten, published in the 19 August edition of The Village NEWS, it was incorrectly stated that the revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed bypass road had been published for public comment to be submitted by 30 September 2020. The closing date for comments on the bypass is in fact 31 August 2020. According to Anina Lee of Whale Coast Conservation, over 2 300 submissions have to date been received.

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26 August 2020

Writer Elaine Davie

A

fter several delays due to the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, the long-awaited Hermanus FynArts Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition was at last opened at Gearing’s Point on Saturday. The participating artists had been busy installing their works over the past two weeks and all but two of the 12 outdoor sculptures, which will be added in October, now grace the rugged cliffs along the coastline.

Before the opening address by Prof Jane Taylor, who currently holds the Andrew W Mellon Chair in Aesthetic Theory and Material Performance at the University of the Western Cape, FynArts Festival Director Mary Faure thanked Pioneer Freight for their sponsorship and also expressed her gratitude to the Overstrand Municipality, Safe Security and ADT for their support of the project, which annually elicits much local interest and is enjoyed by all who visit Hermanus.

The theme for this year’s Sculpture on the Cliffs is ‘Vertical Animal’, but as Emeritus Professor Gavin Younge, curator of the exhibition emphasises, “That’s Animal in the generic sense – as opposed to Vegetable and Mineral, although of course both are present in the diverse materials used. The aim was to allow the artists maximum freedom of expression and interpretation in exploring our relationship with nature.”

Prof Younge has himself exhibited at FynArts

in the past as well as at the world’s biggest outdoor exhibition, known as ‘Sculpture by the Sea’ at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. This international event features over 100 pieces by sculptors from around the world and has been running for 22 years now. It stretches along 6 km of shoreline, providing a massive annual injection of revenue for the city and country.

In preparing for this year’s event in Hermanus, Gavin sent out a call for proposals from 20 – 25 South African sculptors, from which he selected 12 for the exhibition. His decision was guided not only by the merit of each proposal, but by the challenges of the site and his desire for diversity, in terms of the artists’ location, length of experience, gender and demographics, as well as the materials to be employed. However, he emphasises that there was no question of tokenism; each artist was chosen with artistic excellence in mind.

The site itself presents several challenges to artists creating large works: no drilling is permitted into the paving or rocks on the cliffs, the pieces will be subjected to extreme weather for the year they are on display and there is always the risk of vandalism. An interesting factor is the effect the environment will have on the artwork. It will often change character altogether when in place, as compared to when it was still in the artist’s studio.

A casualty during the period of erecting the sculptures for this year’s exhibition was Karen Lijnes’ beautiful ceramic mobile, ‘Freedom Tree’.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Sculptures explore relationship with nature

‘Taking Flight’ – Jaco Sieberhagen. Presented in silhouette, a running boy dissolves into a flight of seagulls.

The artist uses this medium to comment on the divide between society, culture and nature.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

FynArts Festival Director Mary Faure at the opening of the 2020 Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition at Gearing’s Point on Saturday. Behind her, from left, are Gavin Younge, the curator of the exhibition, Nanette Ranger, one of the participating artists and Jane Taylor, who gave the opening address.

About 20 minutes after it had been hoisted into place during one of our recent storms, it came crashing down and she and her engineer husband had to go back to square one to devise a more stable means of anchoring it.

tains. “What I would really have loved to see is the appointment and training of local guides to walk visitors around the exhibition, as well as the running of workshops for school children based on the work on show.”

Although FynArts provides a small amount of funding for each of the selected artists, Gavin decries the lack of funding for the Arts in general in South Africa. Works of this size and complexity are, of course, enormously expensive to produce. “It would be wonderful, too, if local businesses were prepared to come to the party with sponsorships of their own,” he main-

Taken together, this year’s exhibition has a wonderful sense of playfulness about it, from Guy du Toit’s ‘Hare with baggage waiting for his ship to come in’ and Right Mukore’s outsized wooden goose with a bell in its beak, which he calls ‘Watchdog’, to Wilma Cruise’s two little baboons on a bench, with its invitation to ‘Come sit’. Hermanus artist, Jaco Sieberhagen’s

Join us at Ficks, 7 days a week, for your favourite pinchos, wine & cocktails. We also have a range of crispy flammkuche available as well as a delicious selection of desserts.

We are situated at 8 Marine Drive, Westcliff , overlooking the historic Ficks Tidal Pool. We have wheelchair access to the left side of the parking area.

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EMAIL: info@ficks.co.za

TEL: 0283124082

Consignments open for new virtual auction

‘Taking Flight’ depicts a running boy dissolving into seagulls, and judging by the number of seagulls and dassies lining the wall beside the work, it’s proving to be a hit with locals.

Gavin Younge is speechless. “Clearly, these people have completely misunderstood the intention of the piece which is based on classical Greek mythology. I have no objection to art criticism when a piece’s success or failure is based on merit; it is certainly not unusual.

But this emotional outburst on social media is utterly irrational. In fact, I find it depressing that this intimidatory attitude of members of the Hermanus public is receiving so much coverage. Can you imagine what message it is sending to the rest of the world? And sadly, it is drawing attention away from the excellent work on display.”

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Another piece inviting interaction is entitled ‘Kombuis’ by the Land and Nature Art Collective in which a large engraved sandstone rock provides a hollowed out space to catch rainwater for birds to drink. And certainly no visitor can walk past David Griessel’s many-legged ‘Travelling Hermit’ without a smile.

Given this lively sense of joy and energy, as well as the world-class quality of the work, the furore that has broken out around one work, ‘The Hunt’ by Nanette Ranger, can be put down to nothing else but some form of lockdown lunacy by a small group of local residents. This sculpture of a naked woman with the mask of a kudu on her head (what could be more relevant in the time of Covid-19?) has called forth not only a torrent of scurrilous invective, but criminal threats of injury to both the sculpture and the exhibition organisers.

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ABOVE: ‘The travelling hermit’ – David Griessel. David has been working with new material and new technologies, in this case 3D printing, and in this humorous work, he takes a wry look at the human condition and the fatal consequences that might follow if we dispose of our environment or habitat.

BELOW: ‘The Hunt’ – Nanette Ranger.

Through the image of a naked woman wearing a Kudu-head mask, the artist draws on Grecian mythology to explore our ideological separation from nature and the need to re-integrate with it at a physical and psychological level.

North/South is the name of Strauss & Co’s exciting new cross-country, cross-departmental live virtual auction of art, fine wine and decorative arts, due to be held over five consecutive days from 8 – 12 November 2020.

This multi-day virtual sale replaces Strauss & Co’s remaining two flagship live sales – scheduled for October (Cape Town) and November (Johannesburg) – with a single, consolidated live virtual sale supported by a catalogue. Consigning, viewing and selling for this amalgamated sale will take place concurrently in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Strauss & Co is currently inviting consignments for its North/South sale at its Cape Town and Johannesburg offices. Consignments close end of August 2020.

Strauss & Co is South Africa’s leading auction house focusing on fine and decorative arts, jewellery, collectibles and wine. Founded in 2009 by a consortium of business leaders and industry experts, including the late auctioneer Stephan Welz, Strauss & Co has the highest market share globally amongst the four leading auction houses specialising in South African art. It began its

digital journey in 2013 and in 2020 successfully hosted South Africa’s first-ever virtual live auction.

Committed to education and community engagement, Strauss & Co underwrites various initiatives and has also been a major sponsor of Hermanus FynArts for several years. Strauss & Co was awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Premier Award at the 2018 annual BASA Awards for its sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa.

North/South is a refinement rather than a wholesale reimagining of Strauss & Co’s historical live sales. The cross-country and cross-departmental format of North/South was suggested by the success of Strauss & Co’s virtual auctions in May and July. These socially distant events were necessitated by regulations contained in the Disaster Management Act, and North/South is a further adaptive response in Strauss & Co’s long-term digital journey.

Strauss & Co will also be holding two more online-only auctions from 12 – 19 October and from 16 – 23 November 2020. For more information visit www.straussart.co.za or contact 021 683 6560 or ann@straussart.co.za.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Ironically, this is surely an example of the human animal at its most illogical, narrow-minded and mean-spirited – and of how deeply we have become estranged from our natural environment. As it is, we are doing our best to wipe off the face of the earth some of the most beautiful and strange creatures the Great Creator wrought for our delight.

A selection of smaller work by the artists who are taking part in this year’s Sculpture on the Cliffs are on exhibit at the FynArts Gallery in The Courtyard off Harbour Road (behind The Wine Glass). For further information about the exhibition, contact FynArts administrator Chantel Louskitt on 060 957 5371.

Creative Collection of ceramic art The chair of Hermanus First Fridays, Liz Coates, has again curated a ceramics exhibition for FynArts, which will be opened by Mardre Meyer, creative director of Source IBA, on Saturday 29 August at 11:00. Whereas in previous years this popular exhibition was hosted in the Windsor Hotel, the venue this year is the Kunskantoor premises in The Courtyard (next to the FynArts Gallery) off Harbour Road. A total of 29 ceramic artists are participating in this group exhibition, entitled ‘Creative Collection’, including well-known names such as Eunice Botes, Tania Babb, Catherine Brennon, Mark Chapman, Siyabonga Fani, Hennie Meyer, Margot Rudolph, Wiebke von Bismarck, Tiffany Wallace and Sinethemba Xola.

Maggie Laubser, Boy in a Fez

R500 000 - 700 000

Thinking of Selling your Artworks?

Consignments open for NORTH/SOUTH Strauss & Co’s new cross-country live virtual flagship auction For free and confidential valuations, email images and information to: ann@straussart.co.za | 021 683 6560 Entries for consignments close 31 August 2020 www.straussart.co.za

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26 August 2020

MY WELLNESS

Healthy hair through thick and thin

By Dr Michelle Emett, Refine Clinic Hermanus

O

h, the woe I suffer as my hairdresser grabs my hair and says: “Where has your hair gone”? As she lifts it into a ponytail (more like a rat’s tail), the sunlight streaks straight through my thinning wisps onto my scalp, in all its shining glory!

Hair loss can be a painfully slow, progressive process which affects the best of us. Fortunately, science has provided us with much information in the understanding of hair loss, as well as relatively simple solutions.

Hair loss in women in the peri- to post-menopausal stage of life is usually hormone related.

As oestrogen and progesterone decline, our hair remains longer in the non-growth phase and fewer hairs are produced. This results in an overall thinning of the hair over the whole head.

We call this female pattern balding. Your hairloss doctor could request blood tests to check your hormone levels, but they are not the only culprits.

As many of us know, our thyroid begins to slack off as we head for middle age and this, too, could result in hair loss. Have a look at an older woman’s eyebrows – there is often hair loss in the lateral one third of the brow. This is typical of low thyroid levels and in certain cases this should also be checked.

Fortunately, Leanne Steinmann has the “permanent” make up solution for such brows. Thyroid levels should be checked in certain cases.

Men probably suffer even more than women when it comes to hair loss. Testosterone

imbalances – both too much or too little – cause balding on the crown of the head as well as the frontal hairline to recede. These imbalances are common and easily detected with a blood test. Remedies include testosterone creams or injections which can rebalance the levels.

Likewise, anti-testosterone scalp lotions such as minoxidil can slow hair loss and stimulate new hair growth.

factors which have been extracted and multiplied from human DNA. AQ Hair Solution achieves phenomenal results with a simple 5-step in-clinic treatment plan.

So, if you are experiencing hair loss and we’ve done your blood tests, where to from there?

On examination of the scalp, we check to make sure that there are no medical conditions of the scalp. For example, eczema and psoriasis are relatively common skin conditions which can affect the scalp, as can other infections or inflammation in the hair follicles. The same fungal infection which causes athlete’s foot, can also cause circular patterned hair loss. Empitigo is a bacterial infection that causes a yellow crust to form on the scalp and can also result in hair loss.

The patient comes into the clinic, the scalp is numbed, BEFORE and we then needle the solution into the scalp. No mess, no fuss! This effective program can be followed for most cases of hair thinning in women or male pattern hair loss.

It is therefore important for your doctor to determine if there is a skin condition causing the hair loss, and to either manage it appropriately or refer you to a specialist dermatologist, as it could result in scarring hair loss which is not treatable. Other common causes of hair loss include dietary imbalances, anorexia, bulimia and malnutrition, as well as poor quality shampoos, hair dyes and tight braiding.

With so many possible causes, you may well ask: what about the solutions? The good news is that the majority of hair-loss cases can be managed with in-clinic treatments. Needling stimulates hair follicles and if you add medical serums or injections the results are exponential.

Science has gifted us with the latest technology, whereby we can deliver high-potency growth

We commonly also use minoxidil hair-loss lotions to stimulate hair growth. So, if clinic treatments are not for you and the cause of your hair loss is treatable, a simple medical solution can be scripted. You can also use supplements such as liquid collagen and biotin to support your treatments. Although we prescribe mild, calming shampoos during your treatment stage, preceding or following treatments we also have hair-stimulation shampoos and revitalising serums such as PeloBaum available at the Refine Clinic. These are excellent ways to start your hair-recovery journey or to manage mild hair loss.

If you are suffering from hair loss, leave it up to the experts to assist you. We are here for you through thick and thin!

Contact Dr Michelle Emett at Refine Clinic Hermanus on 028 316 4122 or 028 316 1532.

AFTER Advanced Hair Complex + Growth Factor Solution combined with Dermastamp Needling

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26 August 2020

Chanette Paul - Stanford’s unstoppable author Writer Hardus Botha

I

n most of my books, and especially in the Vywervrou trilogy, I focus on the different forms of emotional and physical violence perpetrated against women,” says Chanette Paul, the well-known and beloved writer of Afrikaans books who lives in Stanford. As the prolific author of more than 40 books, Chanette enjoys exploring themes such as gender, sexuality, and the empowerment of women in her work.

“I think the idea of Women's Month is wonderful and necessary but I am not sure if it is that effective,” she says. “It feels as if ‘the converters are preaching to the converted’ and

those who should have heard the message keep on doing what they are doing.” The sad part, the part she doesn’t understand, says Chanette, is that men who abuse women must have had mothers. “Why did they not learn respect for women at their mothers’ knee?”

The main characters in her books fight individually and collectively against mental, emotional and physical violence against women and children, because such behaviour is unacceptable. “I do not have all the answers, but no man has the right to be violent towards a woman or a child,” she says firmly.

Chanette says the outbreak of Covid-19 had a huge impact on her current book, which she started writing at the beginning of the year.

“I didn’t really want to write about this virus as the global effect it’s had is bad enough, but as the story is set in 2020 I had no alternative but to include the ways in which the pandemic has changed our lives.”

However, there was also a positive side to the lockdown for Chanette, as she says it brought her and her longtime partner, Ernie Blommaert, closer together. “Before the lockdown we were both so busy working and rushing around. When everything came to a standstill and we were ‘forced’ to stay together in one place it gave us the opportunity to get to know, and appreciate, each other all

over again.” Chanette and ‘Blom’, as she calls Ernie, are now closer than ever before.

During her childhood, Chanette lived in seven provinces and attended nine different schools; after matriculating she studied at five universities and obtained several degrees, including a Masters in Afrikaans and Netherlandic Literature, and a Masters in Creative Writing.

She wrote her first ‘paid’ story at the age of 16 for a popular children’s program on the radio called Siembamba, and her second was a short story she wrote as an undergraduate student and which was published in Huisgenoot.

Since then she has written dozens of books (with no end in sight!) and won countless prizes and accolades.

Her captivating stories driven by strong female characters are real page-turners that expertly weave elements of crime, romance and family drama together.

Chanette Paul, the prolific author of more than 40 books, enjoys living in the peaceful village of Stanford on the banks of the Klein River with the man in her life, Ernie (Blom) Blommaert.

Offerlam was her first book to be translated into English and debut in the US as Sacrificed in 2017. She is hoping that the follow-up, Offerande, will also be translated into English (both have been translated into Dutch).

SA list of rankings for Afrikaans books with the highest income earned in the first half of 2020, Chanette placed first, tenth and eighteenth. This was for her Vywervrou trilogy: Corali (1st), Mirre (10th), and Lira (18th). “She is the only writer with more than one book on the list,” said Nielsen’s representative. The news came as a big surprise for Chanette, who says she never expected anything like this.

“You could have knocked me over with a feather!” she says.

In the meantime, Chanette’s Afrikaans books continue their best-selling streak. On the Nielsen BookScan

After the restlessness of her childhood years and the upheavals and challenges of early adulthood, Cha-

nette says she loves the peace and quiet of her little house on the banks of the Klein River flowing through Stanford. It is also here that Ernie operates his River Rat boat cruises and canoe hire. Other places where the couple enjoys spending time and where Chanette can work on her fiction undisturbed are Struisbaai and Agulhas.

Being surrounded by the serenity of nature inspires her to create a seemingly endless range of new, interesting characters and to think up new plotlines for her books. May the well of her creativity never run dry!

By LB Vorster

A

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What does an ‘Option’ and ‘Right of First Refusal’ mean?

n Option in respect of immovable property is nothing more than an offer by the owner (the grantor) to sell his/her/its property to a potential purchaser (the grantee) on certain specified terms and conditions, coupled with an undertaking by the grantor not to withdraw such offer within a specified period of time (the option period).

• •

ten authority), correctly described; and the subject matter of the sale (identity of the immovable property), once again, correctly described; and the price, which has to be fixed or at least be determinable.

The legal requirements for a valid and enforceable Option are: It has to be in writing and signed by the grantor on granting the option (making the offer) and by the grantee on exercising the option (accepting the offer); and It must contain the essential terms of the sale.

In order to comply with the above, the Option can take on the form of a normal Agreement of Sale to which a clause is merely added to the effect that the seller’s (grantor’s) signature of the document constitutes an Option to the purchaser (grantee), which has to be exercised within a specified period of time (option period) for a valid and binding Agreement of Sale to come into operation between parties.

The essential terms are normally: • the identity of the parties (grantor and grantee or their agents acting on their writ-

Right of First Refusal A Right of First Refusal, also referred to as a Pre-emptive Right relating to immovable prop-

erty, comprises an undertaking by the owner (the grantor) not to sell his/her/its property to a third party unless he has first granted the grantee the opportunity to purchase the property at the price offered by such third party. In our law a Right of First Refusal has to comply with the requirements for validity (including the requirements as to form) applicable to Agreements of Sale pertaining to immovable property. This was confirmed by the Appeal Court in the matter of Hirschowitz v Moolman 1985 (3) SA 739 (A).

Consequently, the same legal requirements detailed above, relating to an Option, will apply to a Right of First Refusal or Pre-emptive Right. From the above it should also be clear that a 72-hour clause, which is often inserted into an Agreement of Sale that is subject to fulfilment of one or more suspensive condi-

tions, contains important elements of a Right of First Refusal.

All aspects pertaining to the inclusion of a 72-hour clause in an Agreement of Sale have already been discussed in an earlier article in this series. Just to recap: The seller is entitled to continue marketing his/her/its property in anticipation of compliance by the purchaser of a suspensive condition. Should a third party make an offer on the property [the “new offer”] prior to fulfillment by the purchaser of the suspensive condition, the seller is compelled to first grant the original purchaser the opportunity to at least equal the new offer within a specified period of time, failing which the original transaction will lapse and the seller will be entitled to accept the new offer. In practice the new offer will normally be free of a suspensive condition or possibly for a higher price.

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26 August 2020

MY PET

Spring-clean your pets!

By Dr Hilldidge Beer

T

he weather is warming and that means we’ll soon be gripped by spring-cleaning mania, turning our homes upside down in a rejuvenation frenzy. This is also the perfect time to take a look at our pets and their paraphernalia and do the same for them.

Spring-clean their beds Your pets have probably spent more than half of every day lounging in their beds during the cold winter months and, because it’s been cold and wet, the beds probably haven’t been washed as often as they should. Now’s the time to give them a good scrub.

Take special care to scrub in the seams as this is where flea mites hide and if they’re not eradicated, they’ll soon infect your pets. If the bed has tears or is wearing thin, it’s probably time for an upgrade as flea mites have in all likelihood already colonised it. Remember that only 5% of fleas can be seen with the naked eye,

so just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Spring-clean their fur A wet dog is a smelly dog; a wet and muddy dog wreaks havoc on furniture and floors. It’s time to haul out the grooming kit. You’ll need dog shampoo (human shampoo, even baby shampoo, strips the oils from your pet’s skin and can cause irritation and inflammation); a brush and comb; scissors and nail clippers.

For a shinier, sleeker coat, ask your EberVet Vetshop about VetsBrands Shine & Shed oil which is high in Omega 6, helps reduce shedding and gives your dog’s fur a gorgeous shine.

Be super strict about parasite control It’s easy to forget about ticks and fleas in winter because you don’t see them much and because your pet spends less time outdoors, but the moment the weather warms, these nasty critters come out in droves.

Tick-bite fever kills more South

African dogs than any other illness, yet so many pet owners neglect to protect their pets. And it’s so easy.

There are so many parasite control options to choose from: spot-ons, powders, chews, dips, sprays and collars. Ask your EberVet Vetshop for a recommendation; not all pets can tolerate all parasite control. Pregnant and lactating bitches and tiny kittens and puppies must be handled differently, so it is important to get the right advice.

Deworm You can’t see them so you think they’re not there, but the reality is that all pets should be dewormed every three months. Pets are easily infected by eating worm eggs from contaminated soil or stool, or by eating infected rodents. In puppies, worm infestations can be fatal. Ask your vet or EberVet Vetshop for advice.

Toss out old collars Worn collars or harnesses harbour bacteria and this can lead to nasty

skin infections which may be difficult and expensive to treat. If there’s wear and tear, it’s time for an upgrade.

Get to the vet It’s quite possible that during lockdown you neglected your pet’s annual check-up or vaccinations.

There’s no excuse now. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of

disease and the higher your vet’s bill could be by the time you do get there. An annual check-up allows your vet to spot diseases early, so treatment is more successful and less costly.

Spring is about to blossom in all its glory. Share the joy with your pet; their care is your responsibility.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

26 August 2020

Cats, coffee and cake – what’s not to love?

HAWS has been taking care of lost, hungry, injured, neglected and abandoned cats and dogs in the Overstrand for more than 50 years. As an NPO, the organisation is run by dedicated volunteers and depends on the generous contributions of donors and sponsors to keep their doors open.

The committee is continuously coming up with new fundraising ideas, the latest of which was launched last week and provides just the ticket for those who feel that time spent with cats is time well spent.

Yes, the focus this time is on the beautiful cats in the HAWS cattery, which has been expand-

ed to include a Cat Café. Here members of the public, and especially cat lovers, are invited to set time aside from their busy schedules to come and relax in a clean, safe and hygienic ‘happy space’ to enjoy a cuppa and delicious treats while enjoying the company of HAWS’s furry felines. You’ll not only make many new friends while cuddling and scratching these loving animals – you’ll find solace for your soul.

All you have to do is contact Marlene Deneeghere on 082 901 8643 at least one day in advance of your visit and pay R80 to get your cats-coffee-cake fix. You’ll get your cuppa (either tea or coffee) and a gift box filled with an assortment of delectable

home-baked treats such as cakes, pastries and scones – plus as much time as you like with the cats.

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

Cat cafés are trending all over the world as a popular destination for those looking for companionship and comfort.

The first cat café reportedly opened in Taiwan in 1998 and the idea soon caught on in Japan, where many residents live in small apartments or condominiums where pets are not allowed. From there the concept spread around the globe, with cat cafés opening in other Asian countries, Australia, the UK, Europe and America – and now Hermanus.

Enjoying a morning at the HAWS Cat Café last week with Marlene Deneeghere, vice-chair of HAWS (left) were special guests Lizma van Zyl, Zelda le Grange and Saskia Kempff van Weele. Seated in front on the right is HAWS chairperson, Pamela Quinn, holding a cake box filled with goodies home baked by Marlene.

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

26 August 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT

The hype about Hoodia

By Dr Anina Lee

I

f you look at the shelf-upon-shelf of dietary supplements in your local ‘health-care’ store, you will find many products that claim to promote weight loss.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the Western World.

In 2019, 2 billion individuals were overweight, of whom 650 million were obese. Children are of particular concern as 38 million children under the age of five are overweight or obese.

Most obese people understand that the extra weight may cause diabetes, heart disease and hypertension – and that obesity is not considered conventionally attractive. So if a pill promises appetite control and weight loss, the product leaps off the shelves.

The way to the Promised Land?

Enter a plant from Southern Africa – Hoodia gordonii. Desperate dieters looked to Hoodia to open the door to the Promised Land of weight loss.

There are several different Hoodia species, but H. gordonii is the best known. Hoodia is a leafless succulent with multiple stems and sharp spines. It grows throughout the north-western, western and southern regions of Namibia and South Africa, where it thrives in marginal, arid conditions, between the interior and the Namib Desert.

tors. The flowers vary between 5 and 15 cm in diameter, are sauceror bell-shaped, and their colours range from red, pink and brown to yellow.

Seeds are borne in horned pods that split open when the seeds are ripe. The seeds are attached to a tuft of silky-white hairs which acts as a parachute to aid wind dispersal of the brown seeds.

Why the hype about Hoodia?

Historically, the San and Nama people chewed the fleshy stems of Hoodia plants to ward off hunger and thirst when they were on long hunts in arid regions. This appetite suppressant benefit to the San was well-documented by the mid-20th century.

In 1963, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) became aware of the plant’s properties, and in the 1980s isolated its active ingredient, which they called P57. In 1995 they patented this compound.

Two years later, the CSIR licensed P57 to a British company, Phytopharm, which launched a series of trials to test its appetite-suppressing qualities. At the end of 2001, the first clinical study was concluded, and the prospects looked good. But these results could not be verified, as the study was never published or subjected to a peerreview process.

However, the studies appeared so promising that Pfizer bought the international marketing rights from Phytopharm for US$21 million, with the idea of turning P57 into diet pills.

These plans also did not materialise – and in 2002 Pfizer released the rights.

Locally, Hoodia enjoys protection under the Nature Conservation Ordinance of 1975. Internationally, it is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). But it is a fact of life that protection, unless enforced, is not conservation.

Apparently, P57 had unwanted effects on the liver, caused by components which could not be removed from the supplement. Considering that a large percentage of obese people also have diabetes, anything that switches off the brain’s ability to register hunger and thirst cannot ultimately be of benefit.

The striking flowers of the Hoodia exude a distinctive odour of rotten meat, which attracts flies as pollina-

In 2004 Phytopharm signed an agreement with Unilever to market Hoodia gordonii in the form of

shakes and diet bars. As with Pfizer, their plans did not materialise, and in 2008 Unilever pulled out of their arrangement with Phytopharm. Unilever had reportedly spent R192 million on development, but it had found that Hoodia does not stifle hunger and has serious side effects, including headaches, nausea, increases in blood pressure and liver damage.

Recent research on the effects of Hoodia in fat rats has been published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

The findings have been described by the head researcher, Prof Carine Smith from the University of Stellenbosch, as “frightening”. Instead of losing fat, the animals lost a considerable amount of muscle mass. They also developed swollen stomachs and their heart muscles thickened.

Hoodia in the market Did these negative results stop the marketing of Hoodia products? No. There is very little control over what is sold as dietary supplements or weight-loss products. And Hoodia is big money.

Currently, Hoodia is sold in health shops and especially over the internet all over the world. Customers have no way of determining if these products are genuine or even if they contain any Hoodia at all.

goes, is probably the best advice.

The absence of clinical trials to test the efficacy of these weight-loss preparations is neatly circumvented: “Only effective as part of a weight management programme when combined with a balanced, energy-restricted diet and regular exercise.” Of course. A more sensible lifestyle alone will have the desired effect even without expensive appetite suppressants.

The Hoodia plant has received significant media attention since patenting of the P57 molecule and the benefit-sharing agreement with the San people. By 2003 Hoodia preparations were pouring into the market. Because CSIR’s patent is on the P57 molecule itself and not the plant, there is little recourse available to both the San people and CSIR to stop the commercialisation of Hoodia products.

Although the CSIR/Unilever exclusive development model meant that the plant material for their purposes was derived solely from their own cultivated plants, it did not prevent the rise of illegal, relentless wild harvesting, resulting in significant conservation concerns around the wild population in Namibia and South Africa, leading to the listing on CITES in 2005.

More often than not, these Hoodia preparations are marketed in an attempt to bypass the P57 patent but, at the same time, capitalise on its success and media exposure. These products have not been clinically tested to be safe and do not use the P57 molecule, but they are using unfair competition tactics and claim the same benefits of P57.

Do the San people benefit?

Also, taking into account the massive amounts sold internationally, it’s impossible that all the Hoodia can come from the Kalahari, where it grows naturally. But customers are fooled into believing that because the product is labelled “natural” or “organic”, it must be safe.

And what about the traditional intellectual property of the San? Do they benefit from the millions of dollars and rands generated by the sale of Hoodia products? Again, no. Their original agreement of profit sharing was concluded with the CSIR.

The possibility of severe side effects and the questionable quality of the product cast serious doubt on the safety of taking Hoodia supplements. “Caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware), as the old Latin saying

Neither the CSIR, nor either of the pharmaceutical companies that bought the P57 patent license from the CSIR ever marketed this active ingredient derived from Hoodia. So there is no profit sharing.

Many of these products also claim some relationship to the San people, or quote the use of the plant as an appetite suppressant by the San. The use of the Hoodia name, unauthorised association to the San people, promises of safety and effectiveness, and taking advantage of P57’s media attention confuses and misleads consumers.

The companies now peddling this highly questionable, but oh so lucrative product, seem to be pirating the intellectual property of the San, who are losing out – once more.

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