NEWS NEWS
Village
The
Mayoral Entrepreneurial Winner
26 June 2018
Cape Whale Coast
FREE COPY
NIKI DALY
Meet the illustrator
P7
WHAT’S COOKING Restaurant news
P 12
PHOTO: Elizma Fourie This extraordinary photograph by Elizma Fourie entitled ‘Water is precious’ formed part of the Hermanus Photographic Society’s exhibition during FynArts, when festivalgoers could vote for their favourite photograph. Elizma’s photograph was the deserving winner, receiving more than 11% of the total votes for the 48 prints that comprised the exhibition.
Tourism sets its sights on growth De Waal Steyn
T
ogether with housing the continued growth of the Overstrand economy has become one of the top priorities for the region. With national and international economies under pressure the task of ensuring sustained growth locally has fallen on the shoulders of local businesses in partnership with the provincial
and local governments, says Clinton Lerm, one of the leaders of a tourism think-tank established to investigate ways of growing tourism in the region. Clinton said at the first meeting of the group on Thursday, 21 June that international travel to the Western Cape and by default the Overstrand is expected to drop by as much as 30% for the remainder of this year. “The main reasons for this are the drought, the
Soccer World Cup in Russia, the political instability and riots we have seen over the last few months, as well as competitive international destinations. Although this is a frightening statistic, it brings with it a challenge to local businesses to better position and market themselves so that we can draw more visitors to our towns,” he said. According to Clinton a contributing factor is the cost of visiting the Western Cape.
“The rand might be weak and serve as an incentive for some international travellers, but when you compare accommodation prices in the luxury tourism sector, hotel prices in Cape Town exceed those of London and even New York.” Frieda Lloyd, Cape Whale Coast Tourism Manager, says a lot of work has been done to create a comprehensive marketing strategy for the Cape Whale Coast aimed at significantly growing tourist num-
bers and tourism-related business. “This strategy is a living document and its success depends on collaboration. It will serve as the backbone to a lot of hard and smart work that will be required in future. Suggestions put forward by concerned and collaborative individuals to tackle the tourism challenges are appreciated,” says Frieda. “We are experiencing challenges and tough times in the
Overstrand and we are working with all stakeholders to find innovative ways to restore and grow our tourism base. Thus far a message has been created to counter the closure of roads by rioters. We are fortunate that there is more than one way to reach the Whale Coast, many of them offering more natural beauty than the N2. Clarence Drive (the R44), is one of the scenic routes to follow to the Cape Whale Coast. Read more on P 3
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26 June 2018
OPINION We have a new reality and we must deal with it NEWS Matters THE
E WS
The Team
6 Royal Street, Hermanus
028 312 2234
Publishing Editor De Waal Steyn 083 700 3319 dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za
A month ago, The Village NEWS carried a front-page article with the headline ‘The times they are a changin’ – and indeed they have.
In just four short weeks the political and economic landscape of the Overstrand has changed irrevocably in a way that has never been seen before in our neck of the woods. The changes follow a series of riots relating to the shortage of housing in the area and the creation of several civil society groupings that are gaining traction by the day by means of social media. In the background, several of these groups have started connecting individuals and communities, resulting in a new dynamic in our local politics. These groups are making significant contributions towards finding common solutions to the problems we are faced with.
However, the housing issue is but one of a series of interrelated socio-economic matters that have come to the boil in our previously tranquil region. Coupled to the housing issue are the questions of economic growth, unemployment, crime, poaching, equality and political gain and loss.
through tourism-related activities, a driver in the fight against unemployment. The value of this needs to be weighed carefully against the dire human need for housing.
Seen against the backdrop of political events in the country, the situation in the Overstrand is not unique, but the possible solutions to the problems are. In respect of housing we have to accept that land is at a premium. Not only because many of our towns are wedged between the mountains and the ocean, but also because of our unique biodiversity that demands a fine balance between development and conservation. Our natural environment will in future be a huge contributor towards economic growth and,
NEWS
As has been suggested by civil society groups, there are ways of incorporating urban design into sensitive ecological spaces. But in order for this to be done a new paradigm has to be created in terms of cooperation between communities and local government. This will need public-private partnerships to be established and the political will to think and act outside the box. The positive is that the Overstrand has the ability to overcome these issues and create an example for other regions to follow. The Overstrand has a track record of setting the pace for other Municipalities to follow. Now is the time to expand on that. This is the good NEWS - Ed
Design and Layout Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickey@thevillagenews.co.za
Village
The
Content Editor Hedda Mittner 083 645 3928 hedda@thevillagenews.co.za
Cape Whale Coast
The Village NEWS is taking a short winter break to recharge its batteries for the coming season.
Marketing Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za
Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za
Our office will be closed from 26 June to 10 July. The next edition of The NEWS will be on 17 July.
Journalist Elaine Davie 084 343 7500
We might be closed but we are not gone – You are welcome to still email us at dewaal@ thevillagenews.co.za, admin@thevillagenews. co.za or ads@thevillagenews. co.za or call 083 700 3319.
Photography & Social Media Taylum Meyer 084 564 0779 taylum@thevillagenews.co.za
WHERE TO FIND US The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 17 July. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.
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Weather forecast for the next week & De Bos Dam level
www.yr.no
Tuesday 26 June
Wednesday 27 June
Thursday 28 June
Friday 29 June
Saturday 30 June
Sunday 1 July
Monday 2 July
10°C / 18°C
14°C / 16°C
9°C / 15°C
13°C / 17°C
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13°C / 16°C
Partly cloudy
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Clear
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Clear
De Bos Dam Level
37 % full
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26 June 2018
Collaboration is the way forward From P 1
PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
“This road, bordered by the Hottentots-Holland Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, has been voted the most scenic in the world and cuts through the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, one of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Africa, with the highest number of plant species per hectare in South Africa. “The Kogelberg occupies an area with minimal human interference. Its exceptional diversity and quality of fynbos means it is considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. “So, during periods of unrest we will tell visitors to ‘Take the Road Less Travelled’. A map with all the alternative routes has been created and distributed,” says Frieda. “Going forward we will also start a marketing campaign to enhance winter trade, with the message ‘A Warmer Shade of Winter’. In addition, maps of routes for, amongst others, mountain biking and adventure, craft beer and gin as well as wine and food will be created. “Culinary tourism in the region is growing fast thanks to the many fine restaurants that have opened their doors over the last few years. The Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Route is now the 4th most popular in the country, surpassing the likes of Paarl, Wellington and the Helderberg,” she says. The good news is that the tourism industry in the province has grown faster and created more jobs than any other industry. One in 10 employees (204 000 people) in the Western Cape earns a living from the tourism industry, and it contributes more than R25 billion to the provincial economy. On a local level tourism contributes 40% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Overberg and offers direct employment to more than
5 700 people and contributes R17 billion to the region.
nential impact on the growth of our economy,” says Frieda.
attractive choice for high value travellers.”
Visitor statistics for Cape Whale Coast's attractions show 60 000 guests visited Creation Wines during 2016; 79 405 guests visited Stony Point; 67 973 guests visited Harold Porter Botanical Gardens; and 25 027 guests visited Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, while shark cage diving statistics indicate that 85 000 visitors went on shark cage diving/viewing excursions in 2016 compared to 63 635 visitors during 2012.
There are distinct visitor patterns to the Overstrand. Approximately two thirds of all visits are made between November and March. Lower occupancies are experienced during May, June and July when this area receives winter rainfall. Festivals such as the Walker Bay Xtreme and FynArts are contributing to better winter visitor figures.
According to Clinton the tourism think-tank will work together with the Municipality and Provincial Government to assist in growing the sector. “Our aim will be to create an environment wherein tourism businesses will work together for the benefit of all stakeholders.
According to the Western Cape’s Trade and Tourism agency Wesgro’s statistics, the Cape Whale Coast received most of its domestic visitors from the Western Cape (58%) and Gauteng (17%). The top three markets for international visitors were the United Kingdom (25%) and Germany (29%), while the United States (8%) market has increased. “A total of 97% of visitors to the region come here for a holiday or leisure time, but 81% of visits are for one night only. This is one of the areas that will receive attention as an increase in the number of bed nights will have an expo-
Frieda says tourism will aim in the next two years to attract more return visitors, encourage visitors to stay longer, and develop and promote an events calendar that is more evenly spread throughout the year. Events are a big economic booster and sporting events are adding many benefits including a higher spend. “We need to improve our game when it comes to cultural tourism as we don’t have much to offer visitors. Today tourists are looking for authentic experiences that speak of a region’s heritage and highlight local produce. Our people and their stories provide an opportunity for personalised experiences which presents a very
“As a collective we have so much more to offer and by working together as a team we will all win. We find ourselves in a new reality where difficult economic times and political uncertainty is the norm. We must deal with it. Its as plain and simple as that,” he says. “Outdated ideas where everyone tries to capture the market for themselves are a thing of the past. Only when civil society and government work together will there be progress. But in order for that to happen, we as an industry must first organise ourselves to be in a position to talk with one voice. The same goes for all other businesses and industries in our region.”
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26 June 2018
Hermanus Day Hospital - Celebrating a healthy first year Hedda Mittner
T
he Hermanus Day Hospital, located at the Hermanus Medical Village on the corner of Church and De Goede Street, recently celebrated its first birthday. The medical services offered at this state-of-the-art facility have not only eliminated the need for local patients to travel over the mountain for medical treatment and procedures, but has elevated the reputation of our town as a medical destination of note. The Hermanus Medical Village is a multi-disciplinary private medical facility that comprises four separate and independently managed entities – the Oncology Centre, Spescare, Elderly Care Place and the Day Hospital. The latter is not a clinic, as some people seem to think, but a fully equipped hospital with 21 beds and three operating theatres. The hospital is run by CEO Brian Evans, who has been managing private hospitals since 1995, and a group of local medical specialists that includes wellknown ophthalmologist, Dr Louis Boezaart. “The hospital has done phenomenally well in its first year, exceeding all our expectations,” says Dr Boezaart, who adds that 2 780 patients have been treated at the facility during their first year of operation. The facility caters specifically for surgical procedures that do not require patients to stay overnight. These procedures are performed by expert specialists in fields ranging from general surgery to ophthalmology, orthopaedics, urology, gynae-
Celebrating their first year: At the back are professional nurse Tania Ellis, CEO Brian Evans and nursing manager, Sister Elaine Ellis. In front are admin manager Wilna Bothma and ophthalmologist, Dr Louis Boezaart. cology, anaesthesiology, plastic surgery, ENT (ear, nose and throat), maxillo-facial surgery and dentistry. “The difference here is that we work in close collaboration with the doctors, which ensures that we have the latest and most superior equipment in order for them to provide specialised, high quality and affordable medical care for their patients in a safe and welcoming environment,” says Dr Boezaart, who, along with opthalmologists Dr Jacob Grove and Dr Anton van Biljon, performs eye surgery at the hospital including retinal, cataract and glaucoma surgery. ‘Welcoming’ is indeed an apt description for this hospital. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and most unlike the cold, drab and somewhat depressing ambience that pervades most hospitals. The
innovative architecture and use of bright and cheerful colours have led locals to dub the Hermanus Medical Village the ‘Smartie box hospital’. I, for one, find this rather charming and reassuring – having to undergo a surgical procedure is never a pleasant prospect and every bit of kindness and humour can only help to ease the way. On entering the Day Hospital, where blue and red dominate in the reception area, one’s spirits are immediately lifted by the eye-catching mural art by local artist Erna Dry. Underpinning the success of Hermanus Day Hospital is their excellent team, who Dr Boezaart refers to as “the best staff ever”. They include jovial administration manager Wilna Bothma, nursing manager, Sister Elaine Ellis and professional nurse, Tania Ellis (no relation), all of whom joined
the hospital when it opened. Wilna, who has a background in human resources, has been in Hermanus for 17 years, while Sister Elaine hails from Port Elizabeth and has worked as a theatre sister for 24 years. Tania was involved in medical research for 10 years in Worcester before relocating to Hermanus. “Hermanus has gained an excellent reputation for superior medical facilities and services,” says CEO Brian Evans, “and more and more specialists are establishing their practices here.” This is great news for our town and especially for our residents, who can rest assured that the best possible medical treatment is available right here on their doorstep. Call 028 312 2722 or visit hermanusdayhospital.co.za
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26 June 2018
It’s time to expand to an Overstrand Business Chamber
T
he Hermanus Business Chamber will be hosting its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 19 July at The Windsor Hotel in their Whale Conference room at 17:30, where several changes will be discussed. This follows after 95% of the respondents to a questionnaire requested that the Hermanus Business Chamber should expand to an Overstrand Business Chamber, since all businesses in the Overstrand area have to deal with the same challenges and needs. The Hermanus Business Chamber (HBC) has grown phenomenally recently and has members all over the Overstrand – even as far as Napier and Cape Town. Businesses feel that their voice will be stronger if they can be represented by an Overstrand Chamber when dealing with local and provincial government and local authorities. So, the name change from Hermanus Business Chamber to Overstrand Business Chamber will be part of the agenda of the AGM. The owner of Ocean Basket Hermanus, Gideon Serfontein (standing) with his father Johan Serfontein and Michelle Bridges at last week’s HBC networking session at Ocean Basket.
At the last HBC networking session hosted by Ocean Basket Hermanus on Thursday 21 June, feedback was given to members by Mary Faure, Festival Director of FynArts and Gerhardi Odendaal, organiser of the Walkerbay Xtreme. Both events have shown significant growth in spite of the many challenges they faced this year. Any paid-up Chamber member can be nominated to serve on the Executive Committee of the Chamber, which will be elected at the AGM on 19 July. Send nominations with motivation to CEO Alta Pretorius at ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za. Booking for the event is essential. Phone Alta on 028 315 1619, or email to ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za. Cost: R100 for Chamber members, R120 for non-members. Whalehaven will serve their wine with chocolate pairing. Cocktail snacks will be provided.
Petula Domingo and Wilna Rautenbach from La Vierge with Adinda Jantjies and Rayvon Joemath from Cape Whale Coast Tourism.
Pay before the time by EFT into the following Bank account to secure your booking: Hermanus Business Chamber, Standard Bank Hermanus, branch code: 050312, Account no: 082257833. Use your company’s name as reference and e-mail proof of payment to ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za.
Firefighters in the Overstrand bid farewell to two of the longest serving members of the Pringle Bay Volunteer Community Fire Fighters. Between them Victor Brooker and David Mellet have been of service to the Hangklip-Kleinmond community for more than 25 years. Overstrand Fire Chief Lester Smith said in that time, Victor and David have responded to many emergencies, some of which involved family and friends in the area. “What makes them so special is that they’ve been known to go beyond the call of duty and have done so in a caring and compassionate manner that has endeared them to the local townsfolk.” At the farewell function were David Mellet (left) Adam Mars, senior firefighter in Kleinmond, Victor Brooker, and Ebriam Isaacs, senior firefighter in Hermanus.
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26 June 2018
Walk and talk conservation, Whale Coast style
W
hen the first flash appeared, then another, you could read the enchantment and delight in every face. Our awe of nature, and the silence we must observe when we watch wild animals, is almost like a religion. This was our experience when we saw the fireflies.
MY NEWS Environment THE
The Whale Coast Conservation adventures in nature inspire and amaze. They reinforce the research that has shown that being in nature is good for both our physical and mental health. A little bit of magic goes a long way. Among the adventures that have both informed and delighted us and our fellowadventurers were our firefly expeditions. Who does not find fireflies flitting low over the fynbos magical? And did you know that fireflies are neither flies nor on fire? They are tiny beetles that produce a cold light through bioluminescence. The life cycle is fascinating – from voracious carnivore to a dancing light in the night. Join our next expedition in October for the whole story. The Fairy Forest adventure in Piet se Bos has also been very popular. An educational talk about the milkwood forest, the grottoes and the scourge of litter was followed by a walk through the dark forest by torchlight, searching for the litter fairies. And, at last, there they were – a magical clearing in the forest with twinkling lights and the fairies, made entirely of recycled materials. What a joy it was to see the children’s faces! This adventure, especially for children (and their
parents), will be repeated during the December holidays. Adventures by torchlight undoubtedly have their own appeal. Add to that a charming little creature that reminds us of our youth, and you have the perfect scenario. Such was our adventure to find chameleons last year. The excitement of the participants at finding the ‘little dragons’ was wonderful to see. So many people remember finding them in domestic gardens, but alas we see them less and less as urban development, pesticides and pets encroach on their habitat. Sadly, the chameleons we found were living on land that was bulldozed just a week later for more development. That triggered a project to relocate vulnerable chameleons to a safer place. A permit was obtained from CapeNature to do this in February 2018 and a group of dedicated volunteers has been monitoring their survival in the new
habitat on a regular basis. Fernkloof Nature Reserve is another obvious relocation site, but little is known about the resident chameleon population. Chameleons cannot be released where there is already a resident population as they are territorial. How many are there in the reserve and where do they live? We need to know whether it is feasible to release more threatened chameleons into the reserve. How can you get involved in this research? In September WCC will run a citizen-science adventure to track down and catalogue chameleons in a likely area of Fernkloof. Who knows what we will find? Whatever the outcome, the data collected will be really valuable and it’s bound to be great fun. For more information or to book for WCC adventures contact anina.wcc@gmail.com - Anina Lee Whale Coast Conservation
Authors George and Margo Branch at the launch of the revised edition of their acclaimed Living Shores volume, held earlier this year at Marine Dynamics near Gansbaai. The couple will present a talk at Whale Coast Conservation’s Green House in Vermont on 17 July.
Celebrating our Living Shores Whale Coast Conservation is proud to host George and Margo Branch on Tuesday 17 July at 17:30 at the Green House. They will introduce the second edition of Living Shores, a story of their love for our oceans and all her creatures. George and Margo are world-famous marine scientists, authors and story tellers. The first edition of their book has touched and inspired many marine scientists as well as nonscientists. Living Shores is written in a style that everyone can understand and relate to. Moreover, it is beautifully illustrated with George’s photographs and Margo’s art. George and Margo Branch will share some of
the fascinating stories from the book and give us a glimpse into some aspects of what it took to produce the book. In their talk they will place a strong focus on the Bot River estuary, which is of special interest to us. As with the first edition, this second edition of Living Shores will be a book to treasure. Those who attend the talk can purchase the book at the discounted price of R350 instead of the usual selling price of R450. Please preorder your autographed book(s) by emailing anina.wcc@gmail.com. You can either bring cash to the talk or pre-pay by EFT. Banking details will be supplied in response to your order.
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26 June 2018
Niki, the little boy who didn’t grow up Elaine Davie
N
iki Daly sees the world through the mischievous, sometimes sad or perplexed, but always enquiring eyes of a seven- or eightyear-old child. He has lost track of how many children’s books he has written and illustrated, either by himself, or in collaboration with other writers – he thinks it’s probably around 100! He has also forgotten how many languages they’ve been translated into or how many awards, both local and international have been bestowed on him. But, right now, he is excited about the fact that his second collection of stories in the Thoko series is about to be released. It is called Sharpsharp! Thoko Unlike his other famous young heroine, Jamela, whose antics have endeared themselves to thousands of children, not only in this country, but around the world, Thoko takes life much more seriously. She finds ways to solve problems instead of creating them, although, as Niki confesses, “she’s a bit of a chip off the old block and she and her gogo often bump heads; in fact, they’re engaged in a constant battle of wills.” You can see by the twinkle in his eye that Niki has a soft spot for Thoko. The fact of the matter is that this Kleinmond writer/illustrator has never forgotten what it is like to be a child. All he has to do is unlock the door and out tumble all the feelings. His books tend to be about solitary children in the often-confusing world of adults. He says he is firmly anchored to the lives of children under the age of ten. “I can relate to all their issues: fears about school, about being bullied; about all their yearnings – to have, to happen, to become – as well as
pride and pleasure at their achievements. I can tap directly into those feelings and then transcribe them on to the page in word and illustration, and, magically, the young readers recognise them as their own.” It goes beyond that, though: Niki is a born teller and reader of stories. He sets himself a punishing schedule of reading to children at schools and ECD centres around the country, particularly in disadvantaged communities. And as strongly as they relate to the characters in his books, so they relate to him. “They get so excited, they get quite hysterical… and I have just as good a time,” he laughs. That being so, it is surprising that in the past couple of years, every time a new book is completed, Niki vows it will be his last. “It is just so exhausting,” he admits. “In fact the illustrations are far more time-consuming and tiring than the writing.” For this latest Thoko book, for example, he had to complete 88 drawings in seven weeks! “So, whereas in my younger days I could produce two and a half books a year, now I barely manage one.” Then with a mischievous grin, he admits “Of course, no sooner have I reached that very firm decision, when into my head pops another story that simply has to be told and I’m off again with just one more.” Niki has loved drawing since he was a small child growing up in a working-class family in Cape Town where there was no money for special paper, pencils or paint, so he used to draw in the margins of newspapers. “I have been very blessed to have been able to make a living from drawing,” he says. “Few people get the chance to live out their childhood dreams, as I have, and I can’t imagine ever stopping – but not necessarily in the
Award-winning author and illustrator Niki Daly at home in his studio in Kleinmond.
same format,” he adds. Which brings us to his latest passion: Origami – with a difference. He was introduced to origami as a child, but it was only relatively recently that he rediscovered this amazing Japanese art form. It immediately captured his imagination and online he discovered an origami teacher in Cape Town, Kimoko Kimura Morgan. She visited him in Kleinmond about four years ago to give him a taste of what it was all about and he immediately fell head over heels in love with this fascinating paper-folding craft. He threw himself heart and soul into learning the technique, joined Origami for Africa and linked up with other origami artists in this country and round the world via the Internet. But origami has very strict rules; for example, one is only allowed to use square paper and the paper may not be cut or glued or adorned in any way. Being Niki, there was no
way he could be bound by restrictions like these and soon he had broken all of them and was doing his own thing: painting on the paper, gluing things onto it, creating little origami people. Before long, Kyoko had dubbed his work ‘Nikigami’ and he was A for Away, creating Nikigami paintings, Christmas angels, mobiles for children’s rooms, little boxes, ear-rings, and on and on… The next step occured when he met naive painter, Carol Mangiagalli from Caledon, who also creates papier maché constructions. They decided to collaborate on an art exhibition which they called Quirky, Curious and Quaint and which took place at the Chandler House Voorkamer Gallery in Cape Town in 2017. It couldn’t have been a greater success – every piece was sold! As a result of this, Niki and his wife Jude, who is also a prolific children’s book illustrator, were invited to take part in a group exhibition, titled Rain
Dance which can be seen at the same venue, Chandler House, 53 Church Street, Cape Town until 27 July. It is probably fair to say that Nikigami has become Niki Daly’s alter ego. He is completely bewitched by the possibilities and challenges of origami. He talks about its having its own logic, like nature or music, and is excited about how it can be used in architectural design and mathematics and satellites, and, and… “Origami (or Nikigami) is like a wonderful kind of meditation,” he muses, “it requires the full involvement of your mind, hands and eyes – your full attention.” And so Niki, the child who didn’t grow up, continues into his seventies, to delight both adults and children with his charming, whimsical little people, both on and out of paper which are guaranteed to lift the heart, create a smile of recognition and make the world an altogether nicer place to live in. Sharp-sharp, Niki!
Niki’s new children’s book, Sharp-sharp! Thoko which is published by Jacana will be available in most bookshops within the first fortnight of July.
Niki having fun with little people at his Origami for Beginners workshop during FynArts 2017. On the right is one of his playful origami creations, which are his latest passion.
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26 June 2018
THE
NEWS
Let’s Talk
Become a volunteer to help our library
Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za
Chen Veldsman and three like-minded friends created the small group of Friends of Hermanus Library (FOHL) to support our local library. They started by selling voluntary membership fees at R20 p.a. and by serving tea and eats in the foyer of the auditorium. This venture soon proved to be so popular and noisy that our librarian, Alette Kotze, had no choice but to invite us into her space.
Creative low-cost rental accommodation is the only solution Over the past weeks, I have been engrossed with reading the various letters to the editor and newspaper stories about the unrest, housing shortages, land grabs, violence and increased criminality in our community. I have also made it a point to attend community and municipality meetings to ask questions to better understand the situation and to hear the thoughts of as many voices as possible. I have also spent time speaking with Zwelihle and Hawston residents. What surprises me most is that opinion rather than fact seems to dominate the discourse. I would suggest that if we had the facts we would be able to more proactively find solutions. Instead, we seem to be beholden to opinion, paradigms and cultural bias. Most tragic of all is that those people who should know the facts, simply don’t. To use Zwelihle as an example, although the same questions can be asked of all of our lessdeveloped suburbs in the municipality, here are some of the questions that I have been asking to which, so far, I have yet to receive answers. 1. What is the current population of Zwelihle? 2. Of this population, how many are “born-and-bred” locals or long-term residents, citizens I like to believe have invested in our community and have a long-term interest in its well-being? 3. What percentage of this invested group currently have either their own house or have been given RDP housing? If they don’t, why after nearly 25 years, do they not; a disgraceful situation and a failure of government no matter how you look at it? 4. What percentage of the Zwelihle population are “new-comers”, citizens from other parts of the country who have come to the Overstrand in search of economic opportunities? 5. What percentage of the “new-comers” already have either an RDP house
cater to the population, independent businesses such as a café, supermarket, pub, restaurant and hair salon have also opened.
or own property elsewhere in the country? Fact: A large percentage of people living in Zwelihle are property owners elsewhere, have come for work and are sending money and household items back to their homes and it is their intention to return home after some years. The majority are paying ridiculous rents and are amongst the “backyard dwellers”, a term that is being bandied about without properly understanding exactly who these citizens are. The problem is that no one knows what this number is. 6. What percentage of the Zwelihle population are irregular undocumented migrants from outside of South Africa who generally are only interested in renting accommodation to make money to send to families back home? I believe that if we knew the facts, then the whole direction of our conversations about the solutions would change. Knowledgeable people believe the solution does not lie in marking out plots of land with shared ablution and water points, a sure-fire way to ghettoising the area and a throwback to apartheid days. Rather it lies in providing lowcost rentals between R1 500 – R4 000 a month targeted to singles and couples between the ages of 18 – 35. Readers of this paper are the same employers who are paying monthly salaries of R4 000 – R10 000. Surely, logic would dictate that unless salaries increase in the
Overstrand, this majority demographic has no choice but to either live with parents, co-habit with partners they would otherwise not choose, live in shacks or squeeze more people into a room than is humanly dignified. If low-cost rentals were available, it would relieve the pressure off suburbs and free up space for better development. To hopefully inspire us to a future that is very possible, I would like to share two examples from the Netherlands on how they are solving the shortage of affordable student accommodation, which could be adapted to provide low-cost housing in the Overstrand. Welcome to Utrecht (photo above) and Keetwonen, shipping container accommodation that rents for about R3 000 a month inclusive of water (limited by use) electricity (also limited by use), heating (low because the design naturally insulates) and wifi. Each unit is furnished with an enclosed bathroom, small kitchen, bed, clothes cupboard, table and two chairs. All have a small balcony. Rain water is collected, and solar power is utilised. Keetwonen consists of 1 000 containers laid out in 5 blocks with landscaping and was constructed in 8 months because the design is consistent, and the shipping containers provide the structural integrity. Some of the units are double-sized for couples. Paid laundry facilities are available. To
Just imagine how Hermanus would be changed if this was the type of development we were talking about, instead of plots where people will have to build their own structures and share ablution and water facilities. Imagine what a difference it would make to integration and community goodwill if residents – whether they were pink, polka-dotted or striped – lived in a Schulphoek community with affordable facilities and the magnificent views of the ocean. It is possible. If the Municipality was prepared to lease the Schulphoek land for R1 a year for 99 years, a body corporate/trust/co-operative/ NPO could get bank financing for the approximately R200 million to build 1 000 units. But with at least R35 million in rental income each year, the project would be able to pay back the loan, pay for services and invest in proper maintenance, all underpinned by a transparent governance structure. Imagine if we were able to build the skills and competencies to convert the containers locally, how many jobs we would create. Imagine if Schulphoek was just one of 5 such projects in the municipality, how this would transform our community. Imagine. Because it is very possible. All that is needed is leadership. My appeal is that we stop the conversations that I have been hearing and reading about, hold those who should know accountable and creatively come up with solutions that will truly make a positive impact and set an example for the rest of the country.
Slaavid
Since then we have become very well settled in our special Bhuki Café in the library. On Friday mornings between 9 and 12 this space is noisy with happy laughter and chatter. Best of all is that, because of demand and limited seating, no person can ever be seated alone at a table, so new friendships are formed. You would be surprised at whom you will meet in our Bhuki Café. Our main purpose is to buy new books (ask at the desk to write your special suggestions or requests into our request book), equipment, shelving and furnishings. Our very astute treasurer ensures that the finances remain
healthy. In fact, with two raffles and our weekly three-hour Bhuki Café stints, we managed to raise R61 000 during 2017. But unfortunately the present organisers are experiencing the effects of the time, with health and finances deteriorating. The four committee members who have been organising the Bhuki Café have now reached retirement age and due to health issues can only continue up to the end of this year. If we do not find volunteers to take over, our Bhuki Café will have to stop its activities in a few months. We have been blessed by a wonderful group of homeschoolers who have joined us with enthusiasim, but their circumstances are such that they can only assist and are unable to take over the running of the Bhuki Café. If any person out there is sensitive to our dilemma and would like to help in keeping the Bhuki Café going, please contact Aletta Horne at 028 312 4591.
Friends of Hermanus Library
Inaugural microfinance meeting a success In response to a letter to The Village NEWS, a group of twelve folk met on 19 June to discuss the possibility of launching a microfinance scheme for the Overstrand region. It was decided at this meeting that this initiative would not address land or housing issues but would focus on providing access to financial opportunities that will empower people in poverty to transform their lives, their families and their communities. It was encouraging to see the level of enthusiasm and commitment on the part of those who attended this inaugural meeting. Professor Stephne Herselman presented an overview of the operations of the Small Enterprise Foundation in rural areas, and Shane Alberts and Lea Fabian outlined the work of Kiva, an international funding agency for small business development. The meeting decided to research these and other exist-
ing organisations with similar goals and report back at the next meeting, as it was felt that the best way forward might be to partner with or replicate successful models of financial intervention that would be appropriate for our geographic region. Sisonke Gxamesi, FinGlobal’s Social Development Project Coordinator, undertook to facilitate the next meeting of the group, to which members of the target communities would be invited to ascertain the nature and extent of the communities’ needs and how best these needs could be addressed. Details of the upcoming meeting will appear in The Village NEWS. Anyone interested in participating in this venture is welcome to contact Phillip Parsons at philpars@ telkomsa.net or Sisonke Gxamesi at sisonke.gxamesi@ finglobal.com
Phillip Parsons
9
26 June 2018
Life is beautiful in Hermanus!
Andrew represents SA at Commonwealth Chess Championships
C
Every morning I give gratitude to all the love and energy I receive from clients and animals. A lot of MMM (Magical Madiba Moments) happen to me daily, of which I’d like to share a recent one. A week ago I drove too close to a gate post of a friend and my loyal Sandero Buddy sustained injury – three scratches and the plastic bumper came loose when the two brackets broke. My friend referred me to the car hospital, Executive Panelbeaters in Steenbras Road, where Chris quoted me R950 to fix the brackets, put the bumper back and cover the scratches. We made an appointment and he promised one of the workers would drive me home and fetch me on the same day. Out of curiosity I went to another panelbeater whose quote was R16 500 for the same job. I double-checked and asked if they were going to replace the bumper? No! Only repair the brackets and hook the bumper tightly. I was also told it would take seven days! On the Monday of our appointment only skeleton staff arrived for work at Executive Panelbeaters and Security and Police were all over. A huge crowd started the march to Overstrand Municipality. I asked the receptionist if we need to reschedule the appointment and she said they would try to finish the day’s work and immediately organised a driver to take me home. At 4 pm the same day I was informed that my car was ready and that the driver was on his way to fetch me! A job professionally done under difficult circumstances – and no extra charge for fixing loose-hanging rubbers from the doors. Thank you, Chris and colleagues, for making Buddy’s stay in car hospital a short, affordable one. Thanks for a great MMM! After three days I went back to them and told Chris the back light on the right does not work and I wondered if it could be a result of the work on the bumper? He showed me the bulb had blown and came back with another one, fixed it and when I wanted to pay, declined it. Another MMM from the same business! I am proud and privileged to live in a beautiful town where people care. Wishing you all Magical Madiba Moments! Pawsandlisten Naomi
hess is a game of war that is mentally challenging and offers you the chance to outwit your opponent through strategy and skill,” says Andrew Southey, well-known resident of Hermanus who has just been chosen to represent South Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Chess Championships in India. Andrew, who practiced as a veterinarian in town after moving here from Cape Town in 1979, says it has been a busy few days. “I had been busy with my research for playing in the South African Open in July when I got the news that I was included in the South African team to participate in New Delhi from 25 June to 4 July. I only received my Protea kit on Thursday. When I return from India I will have three days before the SA Open starts in Bloemfontein,” says Andrew. According to him he started playing chess only late in his life. “I joined a chess club in Cape Town when I was 30 and played for only three years before I stopped for 22 years. Soon after I started playing again I was chosen to play in several tournaments and 10 years ago, just after turning 60 years old, I won the South African Seniors’ Championship. Andrew says he is looking forward to pitting his knowledge against some of the best players in the world. “There will be 12 Grand Masters and several International Masters playing in the championships and it will be great to see these people in action. Because skill and strategy are involved in what is essentially a war game, it becomes very competitive. That is one of the reasons I love chess so much – it really challenges you. I always say that the person who remembers best after several days of playing is the one who will win. Your mind becomes your
biggest asset, but it can also be your biggest liability,” he says. Andrew made waves locally when, in 1980, he was asked to compete against a computer that was used by the then Hermanus Magnetic Observatory (now the South African National Space Agency) to plan and execute their expeditions to Antarctica. “The computer was huge. Although it was 2 m high, 1 m wide and 2.5 m long, it was at the forefront of technology at the time. A chess program was uploaded, and I beat it. Nowadays with artificial intelligence it has become an almost impossible feat, but I still prefer to play against a human.” Players from all 53 Commonwealth countries will participate in the championships.
Andrew Southey
DID YOU KNOW?
■ The history of chess goes back almost 1 500 years. The game originated in
northern India in the 6th century AD and spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world and subsequently, through the Moorish conquest of Spain, spread to southern Europe.
■ In Sassanid Persia around 600 the name became Chatrang. Players started calling
Shāh! (Persian for 'King') when threatening the opponent's king, and Shāh māt! (Persian for 'the king is finished') when the king could not escape from attack. These exclamations persisted in chess as it travelled to other lands. ■ The first printed work on chess to survive to the present day is Luis de Lucena's Arte
de axedres, printed in Salamanca, Spain. It can be dated to 1496 or 1497. The first world chess championship was held in 1886.
■ The second book ever printed in the English language was about chess.
■ The number of possible unique chess games is much greater than the number of
electrons in the universe.
■ Rookies or, players in their first year, are named after the rook in chess. Rooks
generally are the last pieces to be moved into action, and the same goes for rookies.
■ The longest chess game theoretically possible is 5 949 moves.
■ From the starting position, there are eight different ways to mate in two moves and
355 different ways to mate in three moves.
■ The police raided a chess tournament in Cleveland in 1973, arrested the tournament
director and confiscated the chess sets on charges of allowing gambling (cash prizes to winners) and possession of gambling devices (the chess sets).
Superstitions: Daydreams or Nightmares? “Burn her! She’s a witch – burn her!” yelled the raucous rabble. And they did. Not just in the Monty Python movie, but for real – hundreds of them. Superstitions, especially back in medieval times, were embraced, respected and feared for the sake of self-preservation. We humans have always been ambivalent about death. On the bright side, there’s the prospect of Pete at the Pearly Gates with a welcoming mug of Rooibos and permanent membership to the Trinity Spa and Golf Resort (clubs supplied). On the downside, the shadowed spectre of the Grim Reaper could lead you below to the altar of unimaginable horrors – Hell’s eternal braai-pit, where you’re never the bridesmaid, always the braaied. Funeral ceremonies across the globe have reflected both scenarios. In some beliefs, gifts and valued possessions (wives) are buried with the departed, guaranteeing comfort in the afterlife. In others a stake is driven through the
Wit’s End Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com
heart ensuring the soul is destroyed, and departs forever. In eastern countries cremation satisfied both customs. The soul ascended to heaven in the flames while the body was burnt to powder – unable to survive and haunt the earth. In Christian countries, cremation was outlawed for centuries because it ran foul of the concept of bodily resurrection, as in Easter Monday. That’s why medieval witches weren’t hanged, and were rather burnt at the stake, destroying both body and spirit. Anyway, another superstition is the ‘don’t walk under a ladder’ story. It has nothing to do with a toolbox, paint tin
or the actual painter falling on you, but is rooted once again in religious doctrine. Anyone walking between the ladder and the wall was breaking the triangle – an early Christian symbol for the Trinity.
harbinger of doom. It was essential as a meat-preservative before doubledoor fridge-freezers, but by throwing some over your shoulder, the omen was somehow repelled. Black cats crossing your path, getting out the wrong side of the bed, or opening umbrellas indoors, also stem from irrational superstitions.
Superstitions are a throwback to primitive religions and cannot be overcome by logic. Back then, man believed all natural objects were inhabited by particular gods. They worshipped the elements and things like trees (touch wood) or fire, rocks and iron (lucky horseshoe).
Since the 1800s, Friday has always been regarded as unlucky in the British Royal Navy. To dispel the absurdity of this cherished superstition, the Admiralty built a ship – Friday. Not only was her keel laid on a Friday, she set sail on a Friday, and for good measure was commanded by Captain Friday. Their plans to vanquish the voodoo might well have worked, if the ship hadn’t simply disappeared without trace on her maiden voyage. Now, what’s superstitious about that?
The number 13, often regarded as unlucky, probably originates from Judas pitching up late and ruining the Last Supper. Spilling salt was a
Groucho Marx had his own, somewhat individual interpretations of various superstitions. A black cat crossing your path signifies that the
animal is going somewhere. Thirteen at a dinner table is unlucky when the hostess only has twelve plates. Finding a four-leaf clover is a sign that you’ve been grovelling in the bushes, and when your nose itches, it signifies nothing except that it should be scratched. Carrying a good-luck rabbit’s foot around is just bragging that you’re a good shot, and throwing salt over your shoulder, he claimed, is a way of disguising dandruff. Anyway, enough about superstitions. We at The Village NEWS are taking a two-week winter break, and the bosses are flying the whole staff off to the Great Barrier Reef to collect and bring back as much coral as possible before it’s too bleached or disappears altogether due to climate change and pilfering. However, there is a Friday 13th next month which could be a reason we’re closing – not that we’re superstitious. But till then, avoid spilt salt, dark cats and open umbrellas – just in case.
10
26 June 2018
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Wednesday 27 June
Saturday 30 June
■ Forest Fantasy: Tots from 4 – 7 years are invited to join Whale Coast Conservation for an adventurous outing to Piet se Bos. If the weather is bad the activities will take place indoors. The cost is R350 per child. Booking is essential; contact Shirley on 028 316 2527 or shirleym@gmail.com. At Grotto Beach, from 09:00 – 12:00. ■ OnVerWag Public Accountability Meeting: The Onrus and Vermont communities are invited to come and join OnVerWag for feedback on current and future Neighbourhood Watch activities. At the Dutch Reformed Church, Berg Street, Onrus, at 18:00.
Thursday 28 June ■ OnVerWag Patroller Training: Receive the necessary training to join the Neighbourhood Watch patrol team and make the Onrus/Vermont community a safer place for all residents. At the Dutch Reformed Church, Berg Street, Onrus, at 18:00.
Friday 29 June ■ Bhuki Café: Join the Friends of Hermanus Library for tea, coffee and eats for only R20 and help to raise funds for the library. Every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30, at Hermanus Library. ■ Kolwyntjie Teetuin: Everyone in the area is welcome to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum). At the Onrus Dutch Reformed Church, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30. ■ Fernkloof Fun: Tots from 4 – 7 years are invited to join Whale Coast Conservation for a fun outing to Fernkloof to discover nature’s treasure. If the weather is bad the activities will take place indoors. The cost is R350 per child. Booking is essential; contact Shirley on 028 316 2527 or shirleym@gmail.com. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 09:00 – 12:00. ■ Happy Gardening: The Botrivier Garden Club will meet at Fiore Garden Centre in Botrivier. Come and be inspired! You are welcome to bring cuttings or plants to swap. For more info contact Wayne on 082 327 6322. At Fiore Garden Centre, Botrivier, at 10:00. ■ Full Moon Tree Walk: Join Stanford Tourism & Business and Stanford Heritage Committee on a moonlight tree survey. Download the iNaturalist App (Google Play for Android and App Store for iPhone) and help to identify and map Stanford's trees. R30 adults, R10 kids includes a complimentary warming drink. Dogs on leashes welcome. All profits go to the Stanford Fire Truck Fund. Meet in the Stanford Tourism Courtyard, at 17:30.
■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. Set off from the Overstrand Training Institute (OTI) farm on Camphill Road in Hemel-enAarde Valley, at 08:00.
ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. At the Botrivier Hotel, every Saturday, from 10:00 – 14:00. ■ Musical Evening with Mauritz Lotz and Anza: A classy evening of song, piano and guitar, with delicious soup and gluhwein. Mauritz Lotz is an acclaimed guitarist, wellrespected composer and producer, as well as an award-winning artist. He will be joined by the talented singer, songwriter, actress and entertainer Anza, who recently moved to Gansbaai, for an unforgettable evening full of surprises. Tickets are R250 pp. Bookings essential; call 028 384 3273. At the Great White House, Geelbek Street, Kleinbaai, at 18:00 for 18:30.
■ Hermanus Country Market: A favourite among the locals, old and young. Four-legged family members are also welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Make sure you get there this weekend as the market will be closed for 4 weeks in July so that all the traders can have their first well-earned break in 12 years! Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: 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”. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Market in the Garden: Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Fioré Country Market: Browse this new country market in Bot River for homemade crafts, books, local treats, fresh fruit and more. Stands are free and in the event of rain the market moves indoors. For enquiries, contact Debbie Randall on 028 284 9220. At Fioré Garden Centre & Coffee Shop, Bot River, from 09:00 – 14:00. ■ Eikenhoff Open Day: Gorgeous Orchids on sale at crazy wholesale prices! Meander through the nursery at your leisure. Ask your questions and learn some new growing tips. Stock up on potting mix and fertilisers. Light refreshments will be on sale. No admission fee. For more info call 076 292 5267. At Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery near Stanford, from 09:00 – 14:00. ■ Botrivier Hotel Market: For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at
Wednesday 4 July ■ Hermanus Photographic Society: Everyone is welcome at the Hermanus Photographic Society’s monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of every month. The theme for July’s club competition will reflect photographs taken during FynArts and titled “Caught in the Art, FynArt” which will be judged at the meeting. For information on the club’s activities, monthly outings, challenges and workshops, visit www.hermanusphoto.co.za or contact info@hermanusphoto.co.za. In the Hermann Swart Hall at the Dutch Reformed Church, Hermanus, at 19:00. ■ Making sense of supplements: Join Dr Arien for an informative talk on the how, what and why of choosing the correct food supplements. If you’re confused by the many food supplements available, even more so the various herbal remedies, and especially everyone’s well-intentioned advice on the matter, this talk is for you! R150 pp with lucky draws galore; book at Refine Clinic (028 316 4122) or email info@drarien.co.za for payment details. At Just Pure Bistro, at 18:00 (registration at 17:30).
Friday 6 July ■ Hops at the Hills: This popular craft beer festival for the whole family is now in its sixth year. In addition to the full range of Stanford Hills Estate wines, a selection of the best local craft beers are available for tasting and purchase. There will also be a variety of food stalls with delicious fare, entertainment for the children in the play area and live music from well-known local reggae band The Rivertones, followed by a popular range of covers by the Rewind band. Tickets are R80 pp and children under 16 enter free. For more info call LeighAnn on 072 639 6135. At Stanford Hills, from 12:00.
■ Making sense of food, supplements & herbal remedies: Dr Arien presents a workshop on integrative medical remedies to support brain and heart function, neuroplastic renewal and inflammation – the root cause of all disease. The cost is R350 pp and booking is essential; contact Refine Clinic (028 316 4122) or email info@drarien.co.za for payment details. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve Hall, from 10:00 – 13:00 (registration at 09:30).
Saturday 7 July
Sunday 1 July ■ Mushroom Hunt: Explore the local forests in search of edible and interesting wild mushrooms with ‘The Mushroom Forager’ Justin Williams. R750 pp includes a light breakfast, coffee and a brief intro by Justin at Graze Slow Food Cafe, followed by the forage and a delicious picnic lunch. Space is limited so book now by calling 076 243 1930 to reserve your place. Meet at Graze in Queen Victoria Street, Stanford at 09:00. ■ Coastal Cleanup: Join “beach sherrif” Antonio da Silva-Swart of the Coastal Cleanup Conservation Trust on a cleanup of Die Plaat. If you have a 4 x 4 and would like to help, send your vehicle registration number to 072 462 4271 for free entry. This event is weather dependent and will be rescheduled in case of rain. Meet at the main gate at De Kelders, at 10:00.
■ Beaumont Barrel Cellar Lunch: Join the Beaumont family and Andy Selfe, who restored the 250-year-old water mill on the farm, for a demonstration of the milling process before taking your seat in the barrel cellar to enjoy a fabulous lunch paired with Beaumont wines. The cost is R485 pp and booking is essential; contact info@beaumont.co.za. At Beaumont Wines in Botrivier, from 11:00.
Village
EXPLORER EXPLORER The
FOOD • WINE • ART
An extra-ordinary evening with Tim Atkin Hedda Mittner
W
ine Village hosted ‘An Evening with Tim Atkin’ at The Classroom last week which turned into a highly enjoyable occasion, thanks to the amusing comments and anecdotes from this award-winning British journalist, author, international wine judge and Master of Wine. Although both Tim’s credentials and the line-up of wines presented for tasting are seriously impressive, the proceedings were informal and most entertaining. Paul du Toit and Jaco Sadie of Wine Village selected what they called “13 of the most interesting South African white wines”, produced from varieties ranging from Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay and Chenin blanc to Viognier, Clairette blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Hárslevelü, that were presented for tasting in six flights. Some of these wines, and the winemakers, were familiar to Tim and are featured in his 2017 South Africa Report. This publication is Tim’s sixth annual guide to South African wines; although he is based in the UK he is married to a South African and visits the country at least twice a year. In his report Tim writes that the Cape is
making the best wines in its 358-year history, describing the industry as “dynamic, exciting and still evolving”. On Thursday evening he said we have “some extraordinary wines, made by extraordinary people”. Among those extraordinary winemakers and wine producers who attended the event were Bartho Eksteen, Gordon Newton Johnson, Anthony Hamilton Russell, JC Martin of Creation and Craig Wessels of Restless River. There were also a few producers that Tim had not come across before, including Villion Wines and DA Hanekom Familie Wyne – and Tim was equally impressed by Kobie Viljoen’s Villion Blanc de l’Atlantique and DA Hanekom’s Witteberg. Describing his job as the “most unjoblike job in the world”, Tim related how he stumbled into the world of wine when he started working at a publishing company that had a wine and spirit magazine in its stable. Even after more than 30 years, it still doesn’t feel like a “job”, he said, and he planned to “keep on not having a job”. He came to South Africa for the first time in 1990 and feels strongly about the country and its wine industry, which is “a match for any other New World country in terms of quality and ahead of the field on value”. His first visit “blew my mind”, he said, and his affinity with South Africa extends to its
wines, which he strongly feels “deserve to be spoken about more”. Tim is particularly impressed with our Chenin blanc, which he called “South Africa’s gift to the world” (unlike Italy’s Pinot Gringio, which he detests!). Among the guests was Charmaine Gola, fundraising manager of The Pebbles Project, an educational trust and NPO that supports the children and families of farm workers in the Cape Winelands through the five pillars of education, health, nutrition, community and protection. The Pebbles Project was also initiated in the Hemel-en-Aarde region, where a centre was opened on Bergplaas at Diepgat in January 2017.
International wine journalist Tim Atkin with Jaco Sadie and Paul du Toit, owner of the Wine Village.
Tim is one of The Pebbles Project’s biggest supporters; this year he climbed Mount Ararat in Turkey to help raise funds and next year he will be walking the Camino from Seville to Santiago de Compostela. Thanks to his participation in ‘An Evening with Tim Atkin’, Wine Village was able to make a donation to The Pebbles Project from the proceeds of the tasting in the amount of R8 000, which was handed over to Charmaine. The marathon tasting ended with the serving of a delectable spread of finger foods prepared by Chef Warwick Taylor and his team from Source.
Paul du Toit and Jaco Sadie were delighted when Tim Atkin (middle) agreed to participate in the wine evening in aid of The Pebbles Project.
Paul du Toit (left) hands over a checque to Charmaine Gola of The Pebbles Project (second left). Next to Charmaine are Frieda Lloyd and Jaco Sadie.
And for those who are curious about those 13 wines, here they are:
■ Villion Family Wines – Blanc de l’ Atlantique 2016
■ Bartho Eksteen Wijnskool – Meester 2015
■ David & Nadia – Aristargos 2017 (Chenin Blanc,
(Sauvignon Blanc)
■ Ghost Corner Wines – The Bowline 2016
(Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon)
■ Delaire Graff Estate – White Reserve 2015
(Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon)
■ Groote Post Vineyards – SeaSalter 2015
(Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon)
■ Remhoogte – Honeybush 2014 (Chenin Blanc)
■ DA Hanekom Familie Wyne – Witteberg 2017
(Chenin Blanc)
(Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc)
Viognier, Clairette Blanc, Semillon, Roussanne, Marsanne)
■ Lemberg Wine Estate – Lady 2015 (Viognier,
Semillon, Hárslevelü, Sauvignon Blanc)
■ Aristea Wines – Chardonnay 2016
■ Restless River – Chardonnay 2015
■ The Garajeest – Jim 2015 (Semillon) ■ Black Elephant Vintners – The Dark Side of the
Vine 2015 (Semillon) whale Coast Tourism Manager Friela Lloyd was among the guests who enjoyed An Evening with Tim Atkin.
12
26 June 2018
New menu lets the Harbour Rock
T
he Harbour Rock Restaurant and neighbouring Gecko Bar have both been popular destinations for locals and visitors alike for over two decades. Fondly known as ‘The Rock’ and ‘The Gecko’, they are perched on a precipice above the New Harbour with panoramic views across the ocean.
What’s Cooking RESTAURANT NEWS Hedda Mittner
Designed by a young Andrew Greeff, who went on to become one of the most respected architects in Hermanus, the rustic interior incorporates natural materials such as timber and stone, and the expansive glass windows ensure that the building blends seamlessly into the environment and maximises the breathtaking views. Since the opening of the restaurant back in December 1997, owner Francois Barnard has continuously updated and expanded his business – over the years the restaurant was enlarged, a new viewing deck was built and the Gecko Bar was added. The menu, too, has undergone several revamps, and an extensive sushi offering was added to ensure a unique and innovative dining experience. During the past few weeks, both the restaurant and Gecko Bar have again been updated with a fresh new look and stylishly renovated bathrooms. The restaurant’s menu has also undergone a revamp, thanks to Francois and kitchen manager Gamieda Lodewyk’s collaboration with well-known celebrity chef Bertus Basson. There was great excitement among the staff when Bertus visited the restaurant to train the staff in preparing his new dishes, says Gamieda, and working with him was both informative and inspiring. “He’s a very cool person,” she says, “easy to talk to and a lot of fun to work with.” Gamieda is seriously cool herself and jokes that she “grew up” at Harbour Rock. She started working there part time over weekends in 2004 and has been a permanent fixture since 2008. It struck me that most of the staff have been at the restaurant for many years – there is front of house manager Joey Young who joined Harbour Rock three months after its opening, Vaughan van Blerk (he now co-owns the Spookfontein Restaurant with Francois) who joined the team in 2003 and went from barman to general manager in a few years, and griller Sipho Gqamane who
MEET THE HARBOUR ROCK TEAM From left are Byron Chasara (waiter), Letitia Palele (chef’s section), Sipho Gqamene (griller), Agnes Stulo (salad section), Gamieda Lodewyk (kitchen manager), Nondumiso Nguma (chef’s section) and Perm Arosi (pass section). started as a scullery hand all of 19 years ago. “Yes, almost all our staff members were trained on the job and have worked their way up the ladder,” says Gamieda. “Many, like me, started as waiters or scullery staff and moved up to more responsible positions.” They certainly are an upbeat bunch. Looking around during my visit, the staff were preparing for the lunch trade and jiving to some lively music at the same time. It was wonderful to see such joy and enthusiasm! So what can diners expect from the new menu? “A whole bunch of new flavours,” says Francois. “In keeping with our style as a seafood brasserie there is still a strong emphasis on fish and seafood, such as the crayfish and abalone thermidor, which is sublime.” Among the new starters I also spotted a smoked snoek pate dusted with dried seaweed and served with a mango pickle; a hearty seafood chowder; delectable dim sum; and a goat’s cheese and beetroot salad.
The mains offer various options, ranging from a home-cured, crumbed pork fillet served with apple, fennel and a mustard sauce; a lamb and pumpkin bredie that looks like the ultimate in comfort food; an Asian coconut fish curry; and a Mediterranean-style sole (or baby kingklip). The restaurant has also introduced exciting new side dishes such as green beans with almond butter, a butternut pumpkin pie with honeyed granola and orange-glazed sweet potatoes. On Bertus’ next visit they will be working on the desserts, so keep an eye out for more mouthwatering additions to the menu. Harbour Rock also continues with the popular Sushi Fridays this winter, with super specials on Chef Louis Giang’s sushi dishes. “Louis has been with The Rock for 15 years now and also makes all the ingredients for our dim sum from scratch,” says Francois. “He has trained several sushi chefs and is a real trooper; a dear member of our family.”
Over at the Gecko, the pizza menu has undergone a transformation under the discerning eye of Adriano Zurini, who has joined the team from Cape Town. While keeping some of the old favourites, there are fresh new options such as the Mira Mare (with prawns, mussels, line fish, peppadew, garlic and fresh parsley) and the Princess Diana (cherry tomato, wild rocket, pecorino shavings, avocado and balsamic reduction). Sushi and dim sum will be served as before at Gecko, along with other options that include burgers and snack baskets. On Wednesdays the Gecko offers a R69 special for a pizza with a small local draught or a glass of their red blend, the Baron Novak or a glass of their Sauvignon blanc, Lady Jesse. The Gecko Bar is now a non-smoking establishments, which Francois says has been positively received by the overwhelming majority of their guests. Smokers need not freak out, though – there is still plenty of space where they can smoke outside and on the balcony.
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26 June 2018
To buy or not to buy
W
ith another FynArts festival under our respective belts, my companion and I are talking shop over a light lunch with wine – as in one glass, not a bottle – and specifically, in our seaside, tourist town with some 20 art galleries and an uncounted number of artists, we are brooding on what makes one painting sell and another not. “It’s complicated!” as the cute little girl in my favourite TV biscuit advertisement says. But it’s not too difficult to come up with a list of things that could influence a potential buyer, for example: subject matter, price, quality (hopefully), size and colouring. And then there is that thorn in the flesh of many a struggling artist: fashion. The “right” signature can be all important and seems able to delete any concerns about the often obscene amounts of money involved. “For some buyers it’s just money on the wall,” declares Hermanus antique dealer Vanessa Prior emphatically, “and the price ticket is left on the back.” Decoded, the ticket instructs future heirs, in case they are tempted, not to consign this particular item to Animal Welfare. Canvassing a few experienced artists and gallery owners for enlightenment, I find it goes a lot deeper than mere practicalities. “If we knew what makes a painting sell, we wouldn’t buy
Art News Jenny Jackson
lottery tickets!” joked Ed Bredenkamp, skilled wildlife artist and co-owner of Lembu. “But seriously, very often my favourites hang about and the ones I have no attachment to fly out of the gallery!” His partner, Ian Macdonald, firmly believes every painting has a buyer waiting in the wings. “It can sometimes take years for the two to come together, but it happens in the end.” “There has to be a dialogue between the artist and the buyer,” declares artist Terry Kobus unhesitatingly. As the owner of Originals Gallery, Terry doesn’t pull his punches: “It’s all down to the artist,” he says. “He has to know what he wants to say and say it in such a way that a potential buyer understands the message. I suppose my work speaks to people on a nostalgic level.” Down-to-earth Louis Saaiman, the owner of Fleurs, a colourful riot of a gallery, gift and flower emporium, tells me about a German tourist who spent hours trying to decide whether to buy a large canvas or not. The measurements and the price were right, the colours were perfect for his furnishings and he loved the
overall look of the landscape. But, he specifically wanted the painting to remind him of his visit to South Africa. It failed to do so and he left without it. Jozua Rossouw, my regular lunch companion and owner of Rossouw Modern and SPACE galleries, famed among artists and gallery owners alike throughout the Western Cape for his ability to sell ice to Eskimos, surprised me. “It’s a question of energy… it’s up to the artist to put the right energy into his work so that it speaks to the heart, soul and gut of the viewer. It’s very much a question of emotional connection between the artist and the viewer.” At least, I think that’s what he said, but the one glass of wine seemed to have metamorphed into a bottle halfway through our discussion… So, what is the answer to the question: to buy or not to buy? “There is nothing logical about buying paintings,” an English collector with a Catholic taste encompassing water colours and oils from classical to pop art, but who doesn’t part easily with her hard-earned money, told me emphatically. “You just have the feeling that your life would be poorer without it.”
On the eve of FynArts, Peter Finlayson hosted a private wine tasting, lunch and cellar tour at the Bouchard Finlayson winery. From left are Melvyn Minnaar, curator of the FynArts Wine Plus Series, FynArts Festival Director Mary Faure, and Peter Finlayson.
Galpin Peak rakes in awards Established in 1989 in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on 125 hectares of Walker Bay's prime viticultural land, Bouchard Finlayson is a boutique winery dedicated to the quality production of Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. Ever since releasing their first vintages, the name Bouchard Finlayson has been internationally synonymous with excellence. Bouchard Finlayson’s Galpin Peak Pinot Noir is arguably this winery’s most famous wine and founder Peter Finlayson is no stranger to national and international accolades. Now with winemaker Chris Albrecht on board, this flagship wine continues to solidify the winery’s reputation as one of the finest. Last week came the news that the Galpin Peak has done it again by ranking as the top Pinot Noir in South Africa, scoring a full 100 marks in the 2018 South African Wine Index (SAWi) Fine Wine Awards. Recognised globally for its premium quality and consistency, the Galpin Peak has now held the No. 1 spot for 10 years in a row, this year also scoring the 12th highest points across all categories in the Fine Wine Awards.
Jozua Rossouw and Jenny Jackson in a familiar pose – nattering about art over lunch and wine (or just wine).
In addition, Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal was also rated first in the class of Unique Red Wine Blends in 2018, for the intriguing blend of Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Italian cultivars (Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Mourvédre and Barbera). Collectively these high scores have placed Bouchard Finlayson in the Top 5 Red Wine producers and in the Top 10 Wine Producers overall in South Africa for 2018. The SAWi Awards follow on Bouchard
Finlayson’s excellent performance at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2018 last month, when the 2016 vintage of the trailblazing Galpin Peak Pinot Noir not only took a Gold medal, but also won trophies for Best SA Pinot Noir, as well as Best SA Red. Thousands of wines from 55 countries were put to the test by a panel of experts in this prestigious competition. Now in its 34th year, the IWC is accepted as the world's finest and most meticulously judged wine competition, which assesses every wine blind and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. Throughout the rigorous judging processes, each medal-winning wine is tasted on three separate occasions by at least 10 different judges. In last year’s IWC competition, the 2015 Galpin Peak also won a Gold medal, as well as the regional trophy. It was also announced this week that this particular vintage has been included in the coveted Wine Merchant TOP 100 list for 2018 – a competition devoted to wines in the independent trade and judged entirely by specialist independent wine retailers in the UK. Tasting notes describe the 2016 vintage as having ‘an earthiness on the nose, followed by excellent colour and bold palate complexity. Dark red fruit with a savoury mixture of cherries, plums and cinnamon drift into an extended palate feel, whilst eleven months in French oak barrels will allow for an extended maturation.’ Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2016 sells at R355 per bottle at the cellar door.
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26 June 2018
Local paddlers shine at Marathon Championships
ine young local paddlers went to the Western Province Marathon Championships hosted by the Peninsula Canoe Club from 19 – 20 May in Sandvlei, Cape Town. Stanford’s development club, Rock the Boat, brought home 3 gold and 1 bronze medal: Amy Duffet won a gold medal in the girls U14 K1 race; Emma Privett won a gold medal for girls U10 guppies; Matthew Privett won a gold medal for U14 boys K1 and Bevan Duffett won bronze in the boys U16 K1 race. Congratulations also to Hayward Gibson from Gansbaai Academia and Matthew Privett from Hermanus High School for placing second in the U14 K2 race. Emma and Matthew Privett and Amy Duffet went on to compete in the SA Marathon Championships held at St Francis Bay from 15 – 17 June. Emma won the U10 guppy girls race and brought home a gold medal. The guppy course was 5 km and took place in very tough weather with a strong wind and less than ideal tidal conditions. Matthew brought home a gold medal for the boys U14 K2 race with his partner, Finley Leask from Gauteng. The course was 13.3 km long with 2 portages. Very strong winds were measured during the course of their race. They did
extremely well in dominating the race from the start and completed the race 6 minutes ahead of the second K2. Amy competed in the girls U14 K1 and K2 races. She won a silver medal for placing second place in the K1 race. They did the same distance and portages as the U14 boys. Her partner in the K2 race was Chareese Harnden and together these two young canoeists came fourth in their race. Thank you to the team of coaches and volunteers who train the young canoeists of Stanford every Wednesday and Saturday on the Klein River. All this is possible because of the generosity of the Grootbos Foundation, with the support of the Stanford Canoe Club. Thank you to Rodger Duffett for his selfless support and for towing the boat trailer for race meetings. The Stanford Canoe Club encourages everyone to use and enjoy this beautiful natural resource, the Klein River, which flows alongside the village of Stanford. Don’t miss the annual Stanford River Festival which puts Stanford on the paddling programme for Western Cape Canoe Union, and raises funds to support Rock the Boat. - Wilien van Zyl and Phil Murray
The U 14 boys with their medals at the SA Marathon Championships. In the centre are K2 gold medalists Matthew Privett and his partner Finley Leask. Emma Privett won gold in the U10 girls guppy race at the SA Marathon Championships.
Mathew Privett and Hayward Gibson won silver in the U14 K2 race at the WP Marathon Championships.
Bevan Duffat won a bronze medal in the U16 boys K1 race at the WP Marathon Championships.
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26 June 2018
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Your pet’s not naughty, she’s stressed
our dog barks incessantly every time you leave the house (or so your angry neighbours say) and your cat has started urinating on the bed even though she has a litter tray. What’s causing this delinquent behaviour?
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NEWS
MY Pet Dr Hilldidge Beer
There are myriad reasons, including illness and anxiety, so before you try to fix the problem it’s essential to identify the cause. Most importantly, understand that your dog or cat is not being deliberately ‘naughty’. Their behaviour is their way of communicating to you that they have a problem, be it physical, emotional or psychological. Barking and chewing Separation anxiety is one of the most common reasons dogs bark or howl when left alone at home. They may even chew the furniture, dig holes in the garden or break windows trying to get in or out of the house. Using physical punishment or shouting at the dog won’t solve the problem; it will only exacerbate their anxiety. • Ask a vet who knows about behavioural issues for advice. He/she will be able to re-
commend appropriate action or even medical treatment, should it be necessary. If the issue is not medical, your vet may refer
you to a behaviour specialist who will work with you and your dog. It is extremely important to get professional help and not to rely
Winter Knights of the Round Table 267 (Hermanus) donated blankets and an infusion pump to the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society on Friday 22 June. The shelter is always in need of blankets for the colder months and the infusion pump is a much-needed addition to the shelter's new clinic that opened a month ago. Round Table 267 Chairman and Hermanus High School teacher Jacques Mangiagalli (back row on the left) and WP Round Table Chairman Francois Bezuidenhout (back row, fourth from left) attended the handover with members of the Hermanus Round Table and their children. HAWS Chairperson Pam Quinn (back row, second from right) and some of her staff and board members were there to receive the generous donation. Winter Knights is an annual national Round Table initiative in partnership with Toyota, with the aim to relieve the effect of the cold this winter on those less fortunate in our community. The team also recently handed out blankets and food to homeless people at the Hermanus Taxi Rank. You can help by donating any clothes, non-perishable foods and / or blankets at Hermanus Toyota or The Old Boys Club. Find them on Facebook: Hermanus Round Table - 267. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
on ‘self-help’ via the internet. • Ensure that your dog gets regular and appropriate exercise. Boredom and lack
of exercise contributes to anxiety. If your dog has been physically exercised and mentally stimulated before you leave, this might increase his ability to cope while you are away. • Dogs are sensitive to changes in their environment. The transition from the energy when you are present to silence in the home when you leave is profound. Leaving lights or the TV on during your absence will help make the transition easier; stock up on new toys and chews from your EberVet Vetshop to keep him occupied during your absence.
your curtains or furniture (even though he is neutered), this could indicate the presence of an intruder cat. Spraying is a way of marking territory and if your cat feels his is threatened, he may start marking again. Neuter your male cat to prevent him spraying in your home. • Cats with bladder infections, crystals in the urine or an ageing bladder may start urinating inappropriately. • Cats living in multi-cat households may object to sharing a litter tray. Ensure you have enough clean litter trays for every cat in the house.
Cats urinating in odd places Again, there are myriad reasons why your cat may be doing this, including health issues, so it’s important to establish the cause before working on a cure. • Cats are supersensitive to changes in the home: a new baby, moving house or acquiring another pet could also be reasons your cat is now urinating on the bed. • If your cat has suddenly started spraying against
Have your cat checked over by your vet to eliminate potential medical issues. Ask your EberVet Vetshop team for products that will clean cat urine off furniture and fabric and eliminate the smell; and for calming medication that will help your cat relax.
Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group
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26 June 2018
My fabulous fat-loss journey
A
nri is a qualified holistic counsellor, health & fitness scientist and coowner of The Weight Control Clinic with Dr Michelle Emett. The clinic, well established in Pretoria, has now opened in Hermanus at Dr Emett’s rooms at Refine Clinic. Here Anri shares the start of her fat-loss journey to help their current and prospective patients on a more personal level. Our Weight Control Clinic program encourages healthy, natural fat loss by eating healthily and incorporating easy, fun and effective 15-minute exercises into your life. Our program is about helping you to change your lifestyle. There is no quick fix, and if someone says otherwise, they are lying to you! With our ongoing support, motivation and many practical ideas, you cannot go wrong. The Reason The last time I was on our program was in July 2012. I maintained my fat loss for many years. Now, my main reason for embarking on our effective Weight Control Clinic program again is that, due to high stress levels and a lack of motivation, I’ve gained 5 kg of fat weight since my wedding in December 2016. Please note: I am talking about ‘fat weight’ for a reason. I don’t care and never will about
THE
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MY Health
your total weight! Total weight does not mean anything; what is crucial is determining body composition (fat, muscle, water, protein and mineral content). Our goal at The Weight Control Clinic is to focus on fat loss and muscle gain as a tool to measure progress and, more importantly, to manage your health risks. We do this by using an extremely accurate device known as the InBody. Sharing my journey I added an extra motivator for myself, which is sharing my fat-loss journey and supporting our patients through this challenge. This helps a lot, as you need to know why you started and keep that in mind every time you feel like giving up. Yes, it is hard! I already faced some challenges in week 1 which I’ll share with you. It is difficult, but in the end it will be worth it. Take a look at our Wall of Fame. If they and I can do it, so can you and I. So let’s start at the beginning. Here goes:
Intermittent Fasting 101 Week 1 of my fat loss journey was more challenging than I thought it would be. I did intermittent fasting (IF) as it has been proven to increase fat loss and I find it very easy as I have never been hungry early in the morning. Yes, I know what you are thinking: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Correct! I am just choosing to have breakfast at 10:00. So it is not about skipping meals, it is about not eating for a specific period of time. I chose 8 hours of eating and 16 hours of fasting most days of the week. Our EatSMART Guide includes our healthy eating plan, practical tips and tricks to assist you. The Food and the FunFitness In short: I am following our EatSMART Guide with our highly effective nutraceuticals to increase fat burning. I am also following my FitSMART Guide (I developed it with our EatSMART Guide for optimal results). Start slowly by doing
at least 3x exercise sessions for Week 1 and working your way up gradually to 5 or 6 sessions a week. The Body Composition Changes Generally on our program, we do the body composition changes once a month. For my fat-loss journey, I decided to do it once a week. On the weekend before my first InBody I drank quite a bit of wine, because I knew I wouldn’t for a while! My second InBody was a week later. My fat had decreased by 400g, even after only 5 days on the program, and by another 400g after week 2.
with friends. Alcohol is my big weakness, but there are always solutions – you just need to find them. You can also visit us for support and motivation; we love finding solutions!
My Fat Loss Struggles & Solutions In week 1, I struggled to drink enough water, I ended up being so busy that I skipped meals and with all the stress I struggled to sleep. I don’t know if it is because it’s winter, but my cravings were also really bad. I am a social butterfly and I love socialising
Some Helpful Notes • Don’t think you’re on a diet. If I do this, I want to eat all the wrong things. You are on a healthy lifestyle plan! Therefore, consistency is crucial. • Choose healthy, raw ingredients. Stay away from tins and processed foods. • Try to do what you can to
stay consistent. Just keep going and make the right choices. • Preparation is key! I ran out of eggs… Make sure you buy enough of the right foods for the week. This will help you stay on track. • Don’t forget that everybody struggles. It is an adaptation. It is difficult, but I want to help you find solutions, to make it easier for you. As soon as it becomes a habit, it will be so much easier. You can do this! • Your mind is a powerful thing. Make it work for you, not against you.
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26 June 2018
Gum Disease - you may be sicker than you thought DR ANDRÉ VAN ZYL B.Ch.D, M.Ch.D has over the past two decades spent 17 years as Professor and Head of Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the universities of Stellenbosch and Pretoria. He has now opened his new Oral Medicine and Periodontics Clinic in Hermanus, the first of its kind in the Overberg, which provides treatment for dental implants, cosmetic smile surgery, treatment of gum diseases and also monitoring of oral diseases including oral cancer screening. In the first of a series of monthly articles on this particular branch of dentistry, he takes a look at a silent killer – Gum Disease.
H
ow many people know what gum disease is – or that it may pose a serious risk to their general health? My guess is not too many. What is Gum Disease? Gum disease is the lay term for the disease that attacks the gums around your teeth. The classic signs include bleeding on brushing or flossing, swelling and redness, and late signs include spaces/gaps between teeth and loose teeth. There are two common types of gum disease – gingivitis, which is reversible; and periodontitis, which is not. Gingivitis develops within 3 weeks of not removing plaque bacteria correctly. Correct brushing and flossing techniques are
essential to remove plaque effectively. Almost all people develop gingivitis at some stage in their lives. Untreated gingivitis may develop into periodontitis, which is the more serious type of gum disease affecting not only the gums but de-stroying the jawbone until the teeth become loose and may fall out – or need to be removed. The most disturbing thing about periodontitis for the patient is the fact that it very rarely causes discomfort and almost never pain. It is silent compared to its compatriot tooth decay, which causes tooth ache. Periodontitis – or, as older people might remember it, Pyorrhea – is the reason for the old saying “Getting long in the tooth”,
Late signs of advanced gum disease showing receding gums and gaps between teeth because of gum loss. Teeth have also started moving out of alignment because they are loose.
as the gums recede. The Heart Connection Periodontitis is a risk for cardio-vascular disease (CVD), known to most of us as heart attack and stroke. It may also pose a risk for, or complicate the management of, diabetes mellitus – but more about that later. Periodontitis is a risk for systemic disease through the secretion of toxic inflammatory messengers into the blood stream. The most important messenger seems to be C-Reactive Protein (CRP), which can be measured by a blood test, and puts the patient at risk for future coronary heart disease and stroke. This increased risk that perio-
Gum disease with early signs of trouble – red margins, bleeding and even puss draining around teeth that appear normal to the untrained eye
dontitis poses for cardiovascular disease can be in the presence of normal cholesterol levels. The prevention and treatment of periodontitis is important in the prevention of heart attacks and stroke. The American Academy of Periodontology and College of Cardiology endorse this concept. Periodontitis and coronary heart disease are two major health issues world wide – and they are connected. When obesity – a global crisis and part of this CVD risk – is added into the mix, it becomes clear that the concept of health is interconnected in ways we never thought possible. Brushing and flossing must be two of the easiest ways of
preventing coronary heart disease as we grow old. It all starts with brushing and flossing from primary school age. Patients who appear otherwise healthy, but with unexplained CVD, should be examined for periodontal disease – it may prove to be their major risk factor! The Diabetes Connection Evidence linking periodontitis with problems in controlling blood glucose levels in Diabetes patients is well established, yet not widely known. It gets more complicated as it is also known that Diabetes patients have a higher risk for periodontitis, creating a vicious cycle. Should you therefore have Diabetes and are battling to control your blood glucose levels, it is
Late signs with patient getting "Long in the Tooth" and already losing teeth even though other teeth are perfectly healthy. The longer teeth will be loose as well.
advisable to have a periodontal screening to rule out periodontitis. The counter argument holds true as well. Should you suffer from periodontitis and be overweight, you should have a screening for elevated blood glucose levels – you could have Diabetes. There is evidence that the treatment of periodontitis may decrease the systemic inflammation burden and thus improve blood glucose control. Recent evidence in the USA has shown that more than 50% of people over 30 years of age suffer from periodontitis – and it increases as we get older, with more than two thirds of people over the age of 65 suffering from this debilitating disease. It may affect you.
Perfectly healthy gums with no redness or swelling.
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26 June 2018
Giving women a leg up on Osteoporosis Today’s sedentary lifestyle, coupled with prolonged stress, poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption and too little sun exposure, are all contributing factors to the development of osteoporosis. While most of us think of osteoporosis as an elderly woman’s disease, it is important for especially young women in their teens and twenties to ensure adequate calcium intake, as this is when bone density reaches its peak. From this point, writes DR ARIEN VAN DER MERWE, bone density decreases at a faster rate than the body can replace it. What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a slowdeveloping, insidious disease where bone density diminishes and the bones become increasingly porous and brittle, and crumble easily. The average loss of bone density in women over 35 is 0.5 – 1.0% a year. Although all people develop osteoporosis, its severity differs among individuals and between men and women. Women develop osteoporosis earlier than men because the oestrogen that promotes calcium deposits in the bone decreases markedly around menopause. In men testosterone levels decline more gradually; therefore osteoporosis in men develops more slowly. A major problem in osteoporosis is that bones break easily, especially the vertebrae (causing the collapse of the spine, compression of the discs between the vertebrae, severe pain and nerve symptoms) and the head of the femur in the hip joint. If the bone breaks, it is so thin that it takes a long time to knit. Osteoporosis can therefore be the cause of an elderly person with an active, healthy, purposeful lifestyle ending up permanently in a wheelchair or bedridden, totally dependent on the support of others for even the most basic functions. This often leads to severe depression and unhappiness. Who is at risk? Not all women get osteoporosis to the same extent: a genetic tendency to serious osteoporosis occurs in families. Slight women often have a fine bone structure with a low calcium content and are therefore more prone to develop osteoporosis. There are also other factors that can impact negatively on bone density and the ability of bone to retain calcium, such as the
vitamin D when sunlight is absorbed by the skin. As long as people get enough exposure to the sun, it is not necessary to supplement with vitamin D. However, low vitamin D status is very common in the general population, and those especially at risk are infants, children, pregnant and postmenopausal women.
growth rate of children at certain stages of their development (for example during the teenage years, when young girls especially tend to cut down on dairy products for fear of putting on weight), a lack of exercise (low impact exercise such as walking improves bone density), and other factors to do with lifestyle (high alcohol intake and smoking accelerate the onset of osteoporosis). Long-term stress is another culprit as it leads to increased cortisol levels, which in turn lead to an increased risk for developing osteoporosis. Prevention and treatment Osteoporosis can be prevented by taking calcium and magnesium supplements from an early age. It is never too late to start taking calcium. Calcium is needed for so many physical functions in the body, and if the body does not have enough for its needs, it simply takes calcium from the bone. Calcium supplements therefore prevent the osteoporosis from becoming worse. Research has also shown that, even if oestrogen and testosterone levels are low, the cal-
cium is still deposited in the bone. In such a case the osteoporosis may even improve with the use of supplemental calcium. Calcium The optimal requirement for a healthy body is between 1 000 and 1 300 mg calcium a day. The chief source of calcium is dairy products. Calcium is also found in reasonable quantities in leafy green vegetables, egg yolk, pulses (legumes) and nuts. However, it is almost impossible to obtain enough calcium for normal daily requirements through food alone and everyone should take supplements: 600 mg per day for general needs, and for menopausal and postmenopausal women 900 – 1 000 mg a day. Magnesium Magnesium works in conjunction with many of the enzymes in the body to maintain body temperature, nerve conduction, hormone activity, muscle contraction (including the function of the cardiac muscle) and synthesis of proteins. The metabolism of calcium and magnesium and their mutual functions are
interdependent. Magnesium is found in dairy products, vegetables, fish and poultry. Other good sources of magnesium are soya bean flour, wheatgerm, bran, sesame seeds, peanuts and cocoa beans. (Note that cravings for chocolate can be due to a lack of magnesium). The main problem with magnesium intake is that only 30 – 50% of the daily intake is absorbed. Any additional calcium intake also interferes with the absorption of magnesium. If a person is taking a calcium supplement, it is therefore essential to take 300 – 500 mg of magnesium with it (the optimal ratio of calcium to magnesium should be about two to one) together with vitamin D, which promotes absorption of both minerals. Calcium and magnesium are extremely effective natural sedatives (for insomnia and tension or anxiety), so remember to always take them at bedtime with a hot drink. The role of vitamins D, C and boron Vitamin D - The body makes
Vitamin D’s functions in the body include supporting the immune system, improving muscle strength and cognitive function, and reducing the risk of breast cancer, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian disease. Studies have shown that low vitamin D levels are also linked with metabolic risk factors, e.g. insulin resistance, high BMI (body mass index) and WHR (waist-to-hip-ratio), triglycerides and high blood pressure – the classic symptoms of metabolic syndrome. It is recommended to take vitamin D with calcium and magnesium for balance, bioavailability and the optimal absorption of all these important micronutrients. Take 300 – 600 IU of vitamin D with 600 – 900 mg calcium and 300 – 450 mg magnesium every evening. Vitamin C - ensures that the calcium is absorbed into the osteoblasts. These are the bone cells that are responsible for the formation of bone and the deposits of calcium in the bone. It is therefore also advisable to take about 200 mg of vitamin C in the evenings with your calcium and magnesium. Boron - is important for the metabolism of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is recommended that you take 2 mg of Boron a day, which is also effective in the treatment of arthritis and hypertension
because of its effect on the metabolism of calcium and magnesium. Form of intake and bonding of minerals This brings us to the next important point, namely the form in which minerals such as calcium should be taken. A mineral has to be bonded before it can be absorbed from the digestive tract. If minerals are bonded with salts such as carbonates, sulphates and oxides, the mineral salt compounds have to go through a long, complicated digestive and absorption process, which can lead to constipation, nausea and bloating. The best way of bonding is a chelation process in which minerals are linked to amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are therefore natural foodbased nutrients, which are recognised by the body as such, and are absorbed through the walls of the intestine. By bonding minerals to amino acids, excellent absorption, bioavailability (optimal utilisation of minerals by the body) and biological activity of minerals in the body, are assured. The safety and tolerance of the body to such minerals are also excellent and side effects are rare. Try to buy mineral supplements that are already in an amino acid chelation. However, the manufacturing process of amino acid chelates of high quality is expensive. When choosing a mineral supplement, you get what you pay for. - Written by Dr Arien van der Merwe, from her book Health & Happiness, available from the online health shop (as hard copy or eBook): www.drarien.co.za/product/ health-happiness-book/
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GENERATION HERMANUS SPORTS DAY
Generation Schools Hermanus held their second annual fun sports day on Wednesday 20 June. The event involved everything from tugof-war and sack races, to egg throwing and spoon races. Children from all classes participated, including the 0 – 3 years’ class. It was a day of laughter, upbeat music and great fun enjoyed by educators and learners alike.
Ronan Meintjies (left) and Nathan Dumont (right) dug their feet into the grass in an effort to try and gain some ground for their team in tug-of-war. LEFT: Lirah Augus and her classmates threw ‘bouncy eggs’ from the Crazy Store to each other.
OVERBERG DISTRICT NETBALL The following girls were selected for the different Overberg District teams that will participate in the Inter-District Tournament in Wellington from 12 – 14 July: At the back, from left are Nicolé Theart (U17), Ronelle Coetzee (U16), Mia le Roux (U15), Megan Hassenkamp (U14) and Carolyn du Toit (U15). Second row: Cara Mulder (U16), Elsari Strauss (U16) and Joe-heen Cornelius (U14). Third row: Jaiden Dickson (U18), Kimberlyn Seconna (U15) and Amor Plaatjies (U17). Fourth row: Monique Hugo (U14), Caitlin Otto (U15) and Mari Carstens (U17). In front: Ilandré Booysen (U16). Absent: Donné van Schoor (U18) and Zimé le Grange (U15).
RIGHT: Emma-Page Deverson hops her way through the hoola-hoops in the mini obstacle course race followed by a few of her class mates.
Among the day’s events were wheel barrow races which involved a lot of falling over and laughing from the children. PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer
BOLAND GOLF Nicola Streicher achieved provincial colours for the second time this year. In March she was selected for the Cavaliers U17 tennis team and represented them at an inter-provincial competition. Now she’s been selected for the Boland Ladies Golf team that took part in the Nomads SA Girls Golf Championships in Orkney from 23 – 26 June.
Mignon van Zyl, a learner at Curro, was awarded her Protea colours on Friday at the Karate South Africa prizegiving ceremony held on Friday 22 June in Durban. Mignon is a keen karateka and has participated in several national and international competitions in the last few years.
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26 June 2018
Weighing up your retirement options
hen the time comes to sell your family home and move to a retire-ment village, your most likely choice is to be between a sec-tional title development and a life rights complex. And there are quite a number of factors you will need to consider in making the decision. A life rights purchase is usually cheaper than a sectional title unit which is a big benefit. This is because you’re not actually purchasing real estate and there are also no transfer duties, VAT or property registration costs to pay. What you are buying is the right to live in a certain unit in the complex for the rest of your life or, if you are married, until both of you have passed away. In most instances, you will also be buying access to on-site healthcare and related services at an affordable, predictable cost, which is very important to consider as your healthcare needs are likely to increase faster than your income as you age. Under life rights, the development company is usually still involved in the management of the cottages or apartments in
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the complex and any other facilities such as a community centre or frail-care unit, because it is the actual owner of the property. This can also be beneficial as the developer has a vested interest in maintaining the village and adding to the facilities offered. In most instances, the developer will also establish a “stabilisation fund” at the outset to help keep monthly levies down and enable buyers on fixed incomes to budget with certainty. However, life rights do have some drawbacks, one of which is that it is not possible to obtain a home loan to make a life rights purchase, because there is no underlying security for such loans. In addition, you cannot bequeath the unit you live in to your heirs. When you die, the right to live in it will be sold again by the development company, and your heirs will most likely only be paid out a percentage of your initial investment as an “inheritance”, with the balance going into the stabilisation fund. On the other hand, when you
buy a unit in a sectional title development, you become the owner of that unit and an “undivided share” in the common property of the retirement village, which is an asset that you can freely resell or leave to your heirs. Along with the other owners, you become a member of the body corporate responsible for managing and running the complex and, if you do that well, you or your heirs will also get the full benefit of any appreciation in the value of the property. The disadvantage of this type of purchase is that many of the facilities that add value to a retirement village such as a clubhouse, recreation centre, dining hall, assisted living facilities or a frail-care unit are very expensive to build and run, and that those who buy into sectional title developments could end up without access to such facilities because they and their fellow members of the body corporate cannot afford to provide or manage them. This might mean having to sell up and move again at an advanced age if you become chronically ill or frail.
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26 June 2018
How green is our golf course
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reetings to one and all. Great news this week is that the rains seem to have arrived and our course has turned a lovely shade of dark green! On the downside a lot less golf is being played at our course, but the bigger picture is all good. Part of winter here at Hermanus Golf Club is completing some of our never-ending list of projects, one such project being the 15th tee. As many of you will know, our course is well over 100 years old and in 2005 we had it redesigned by wellknown golf course architect Peter Matkovitch. The 15th tee has now been repositioned more in line with Peter’s original design and really makes the hole infinitely more playable and enjoyable. US Open nightmare Last week we had the second major of the year and wow,
The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw
what can I say about this tournament apart from what a disaster and disappointment! I really don’t know what the US bodies are trying to do to golf, but if I was watching golf for the first time I really wouldn’t be interested in a sport that even the top guys in the world struggle with. They were obviously not having a good time, and whilst we go there, bending the rules to take advantage of terrible pin placings. I really don’t know what Phil Mickelson was up to there on 13, but it certainly wasn’t in the spirit of the game and you can’t help thinking that if it weren’t Phil, they would have
been DQ’d! Anyway, well done to Brooks Koepka for back to back titles, and tough on Tommy Fleetwood but what a brilliant final round – this really is a player to watch for major titles. The top SA player was Louis Oosthuizen who tied 16th. He kept his head well and it’s worth noting that the guy who finished last but made the cut, Byeong Hun An finished on +26 (sounds like a good bogey plus alliance score) and earned himself $23 470! I think he earned every cent. Anyway, the next major is in July and is in my view the big one. The Open will be at Carnoustie in Scotland this
year, although when the weather gets “a wee bit blustery” it has earned the name Car-Nasty! Rest assured I will be glued to the screen. Last laugh (This week it’s back to the blondes!) A blonde was sitting in a plane ready for a trip to London. The flight attendant asks the blonde for her ticket and then informs her that she is in the wrong class; she should be in economy, not first class. The blonde doesn’t accept it and says she’s not moving. The flummoxed flight attendant reports it to the captain who calmly walks up to the blonde, whispers something in her ear and she promptly stands up
Scores at a glance ALL TOGETHER SATURDAY 16 JUNE Betterball Stableford 125 players Winners: Brandon Shaw and Don Monro - 49 points C/I Runners up: Bill McGeachy and John Atkinson - 49 points C/O Ball pool pays to 46 5 two clubs Attendance draw was sponsored by Glassmen Hermanus fellow member Peter Bouwer was won by Guy Devenish LADIES’ TUESDAY 19 JUNE Pinehurst Medal, The Watermeyer Cup Winners: Val Vlok and Toni Upton - C/I nett 70 Runners up: Lyndsay Henderson and Glenda von Benecke - C/O nett 70 MEN’S WEDNESDAY 20 JUNE Alliance Bogey Plus Winners: Andre Gous, Albert Streicher, Lieb Louw and Danie vd Merwe +24 C/I Runners up: Pieter Boshoff, Reinhard Buhr, Lance Nel, Dave Sawtelle + 24 C/O
and moves to the back of the plane. Suitably impressed the flight attendant asked the captain what on earth he said. “Oh, it’s quite simple. I just told her that the front half of the plane isn’t going to London, it’s going to Afghanistan.”
Have a great week all. I am taking a little R & R for two weeks so I will resume this column in a couple of weeks. Until then, have a great time and enjoy our lovely course and, as ever, keep calm and go golfing! Julz and the crew
The spectacular FIFA money spinner FIFA is a multi-million dollar business and even third parties are profiting from the World Cup. From match tickets to merchandise, all the way up to partners and sponsors, everyone wants a piece of the pie. Leading the way is FIFA. According to the New York Times, FIFA expects sales for the 2018 World Cup to total approximately 6 billion euros. Around half of this comes from television rights. According to Der Spiegel magazine, German public broadcasters, ARD and ZDF are paying a record 218 million euros to broadcast the games from Russia. Another quarter of FIFA's turnover comes from the sale of marketing rights. This was a difficult exercise for the Russian event due to FIFA's image suffering from the corruption scandal when Sepp Blatter was
partners of this year's World Cup are: adidas, Coca Cola, Wanda, Qatar Airways, Visa, Hyundai and Gazprom.
Russian fans at the World Cup wearing ushanka hats. at the helm. Prominent partners Emirates, Castrol and others have disassociated themselves from FIFA. Sponsorship revenue amounts to $1.65 billion. European and North American companies dominated among the sponsors at the last World Cup, while Asian brands are now jumping
into the breach. Among the five major sponsors of the 2018 World Cup, three are Chinese companies (Hisense, Vivo and Mengniu). The other two being Budweiser and McDonalds. Partners of FIFA pay roughly 32 million euros per year towards FIFA revenues. The
Other sources of income include hospitality and the sale of licensing rights, which will generate $60m this year. Ticket sales will contribute $527 million. A category A ticket for the final match on 15 July can cost anything from 4 000 to 6 000 euros (approx. R60 000 to R 90 000), depending on location in category A or VIP seats. Category C and D tickets start at about 1 000 euros (approx. R16 000). And we "beef" at rugby test ticket prices at around R500! The team's outfitters pay big money to sponsor team kit but earn a return via replica sales. As an example, adidas sold 3 million German replica jerseys leading up to and
including the 2014 World Cup. The company also equips the officials and for many decades, adidas has provided the official match ball of the World Cup. Sales of the 2014 adidas replica ball amounted to 14 million units. This year the official match ball is the Telstar 18 which pays homage to the original Telstar version introduced at the 1970 World Cup, but with new technology and design. Of the 32 teams competing this year, 12 teams will wear the famous three stripes of adidas, 10 teams will carry the “swoosh” of Nike, 2 teams each for Puma, Umbro and New Balance. The remaining 4 teams bear the logos of lesserknown international and local sponsors. Another item of merchandise
which is expected to add to the coffers of licensees and third parties is the traditional Russian cap, ushanka, which will be sold with the embroidery of traditional national flags. The ushanka is Russia’s answer to the vuvuzela of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. However, sounds of the vuvuzela are also still ringing out in stands at the current tournament. This greatest sporting spectacle is a real money spinner for FIFA and the many allied partners. The multi- billion FIFA World Cup 2018 will continue to entertain the estimated one million fans and 3.4 billion television viewers. Russia is living up to the expectations of the greatest World Cup in history. – Tony O’Hagan
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26 June 2018
MY School
Record year for Hermanus High’s Boland rugby boys
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oland Rugby held its capping ceremony at the Hermanus High School gymnasium on Friday evening, when all the Boland rugby teams and their captains were announced. The teams will take part in the various National Rugby tournaments during the winter holidays. A total of 13 rugby boys and three rugby girls were selected for the different teams that are chosen from 89 rugby schools in the region. It is the largest number of Hermanus High boys to have been selected for the Boland teams in one year. In the past three years the school has already produced two Craven Week captains and on Friday Lionel April was announced as the vice-captain of this year’s U18 Craven Week team, while J’Hanco Botha was selected as captain of the U18 Academic team. One of Hermanus High’s teachers and rugby coaches, Niel du Toit, is also the coach for the Boland U18 Craven Week team.
BOLAND RUGBY At the back, from left are Tarek Smith and J W Human. In front of them are S J Heroldt, Earl Bruintjies, Lionel April, Aphelele Madaka, J’hanco Botha, Celino Petersen and Mouhamed Diop. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer The selected players are: Boland U18 Craven Week team, who will play in Paarl from 9 – 14 July: J W Human, Lionel April and Aphelele Madaka Boland U18 Academic team, who will also play in Paarl from
9 – 14 July: J’Hanco Botha, Enrico Luiz (who unfortunately had to pull out of the team), S J Heroldt, Earl Bruintjies Boland U16 Grant Khomo team, who will play in Kimberley from 2 – 7 July:
Mouhammed Diop, Tarek Smith, Celino Petersen Boland U18 Girls Rugby team: Maxene Valentine, Caryn Gardener Boland U16 Girls Rugby team: Niveena Jantjies See more photos on P 21
PEDAL POWER Juan Erasmus, a 16-year-old learner at Hermanus High School, came first in the 30 km MTB cycling event at the annual Napier Patatfees on Youth Day, 16 June. Juan was sponsored by Buco and proudly wears his jersey here (on the left) with Heinrich Thompson, who came second in the race. “Juan is a passionate cyclist,” says his mom, Janita Bester. “On Saturday even the chap on the motorcycle who was supposed to ride ahead to show the way could not keep up with Juan! We are super proud of him.”
