The Village NEWS 29 August 2017

Village

NEWS NEWS The

29 Aug - 11 Sept 2017

Cape Whale Coast

GEARING’S POINT Finding Mr Gearing

FREE COPY

IT’S BACK

FOAL RESCUED

Artwalk returns

Saving Daniel

PAGE 12

PAGE 5

PAGE 23

Big plans for Fernkloof De Waal Steyn

I

magine zip lining down the Fernkloof valley, enjoying a light lunch or a cup of coffee on top of Rotary Way or gliding up the mountain on a cable way to take in the scenic views of Walker Bay spread beneath your feet.

These are amongst the attractions that may be allowed for development in future, according to the newly released Draft Fernkloof Nature Reserve (FNR) Integrated Management Plan compiled

by Withers Environmental Consultants and Urban Dynamics Town and Regional Planners in conjunction with the Municipality and other local role players.

With spring fast approaching, the Overberg is decked out in yellow fields of blossoming Canola. This jolly photo was taken last week at Gabriëlskloof, one of the wine farms participating in the Bot River Spring Weekend from 1 – 3 September. Get all the details about this annual celebration on P 11.

PHOTO: Mike Eloff

Apart from making provision for possible tourist attractions the plan also allows for the extension of the reserve by another 231 ha that will include parts of the Cliff Path in Westcliff, Maanskynbaai, the Grotto area at Grotto Beach, a portion of land on the mountain side of Gateway Centre and an area of land north of Rotary Way close to the Preekstoel Water Treatment Plant.

“We take the management of the FNR very seriously and through this plan we want to ensure not only the future preservation of our exceptional natural kingdom, but also create the opportunity for more people to visit the reserve, allowing us to cultivate respect for nature and its continued conservation,” says Liezl de Villiers, Environmental Manager of the Overstrand Municipality.

According to her it is especially important that the FNR caters for a wider audience, including children. “Children must be encouraged to visit the reserve and learn about our fauna and flora while being taught the importance of conservation. This can be done by allowing, in future, some low impact developments in the reserve that will attract a wider audience. The aim of the Management Plan in the end is to ensure the continued protection of the FNR.” In response Anina Lee, Communications Manager of Whale Coast Conservation (WCC), says while they are not completely opposed to developments in the FNR, great care must be taken to ensure that it is in harmony

with the sense and purpose of the reserve. “Developments within the central bowl of the reserve is not a good idea, but something like a coffee shop in the botanical gardens might be just the kind of attraction that will draw families to spend time in nature.

“The ecological footprint of something like a cable way – in the appropriate area – will be very low and should anyone in future want to develop something like this the business plan must include provision for the rehabilitation of any area that has been disturbed during construction as well as ample provision for profit sharing between the operator and the reserve. The operator cannot be the only beneficiary, the reserve must also receive its portion of the profits so that the operational management can be improved,” says Anina.

“One has to be practical about the management of the FNR. It not only takes a great deal of effort to manage and protect the FNR, it is also expensive.“We understand that to generate enough money to operate the reserve there must be developments that will attract more visitors,” she says.

Read more on P3

2

29 August - 11 September 2017

Surrounded by my dedicated team: Nickey Jackson (design and layout), Rina de Wet (marketing), Hedda Mittner (content) and Tania Hamman (finance).

PHOTO: Leanne Dryburgh, photowalkers.com

Thanks to you, we are celebrating our terrific twos

A

s The Village NEWS enters its third year in operation we are still in awe of the success of the publication and extremely humbled by the overwhelmingly positive response we receive from both our readers and advertisers after each edition.

After 27 years in journalism I still need to pinch myself at times when I receive a compliment on the paper rather than the constant complaints about crime, grime, sensationalism and bad news that editors become used to.

In our planning we could never have dreamt that the thirst for good news, uplifting stories and educational content was so big. What we have learned during the last two years is that there is a rightful desire from both residents and visitors to celebrate our beautiful region and its people.

And no, we do not bury our heads in the sand when it comes to bad or uncomfortable news. We rather take the time to analyse the bad and the ugly and find that inevitable speck of hope and positivity that can be used as an angle. That is what we are all about – finding the good in the news.

Ombudsman

OPINION NEWS Matters THE

De Waal Steyn What started out as a small Hermanus venture with three parttime employees and the idea of publishing interesting and useable local information every two weeks has evolved into a full-scale business that now serves the whole of the Whale Coast and has five full-time and six part-time staff members.

This would not have become a reality if it were not for the wonderful team I work with and who pour their heart and soul into every edition. Many people have commented that driving past the office at all hours of the night they can see the light on. Yes, that is how we roll at The NEWS – with the wee hours of the morning creeping up on us and deadlines making loud swooshing sounds as they rush past, we are in our element, simply because we’re loving it.

We have not only been fortunate enough to grow the number of pages we publish every fortnight from 12 to an average of 28, but we have also grown our circulation by 25% to 8 000 copies as of this week, allowing us the opportunity to bring our readers more good news than ever. The NEWS is distributed to more than 100 points from Kleinmond to Gansbaai by the friendly and diligent team of Gerty Duncan and Murray Stewart.

Every second Tuesday Gerty, with up to 200 papers in her arms, literally jogs from business to business delivering the good news. This has prompted Murray to ask repeatedly if we can at some stage invest in a delivery vehicle that is a little faster so that he can keep up with Gerty.

Well, on that note we will take ownership of a second delivery vehicle shortly. Not one that is

The press exists to serve society. Its freedom provides for independent scrutiny, and is essential to ensuring demo-cracy. It enables citizens to make informed judgments, a role that is recognised by the Constitution. The Village NEWS subscribes to the South African Press Code and thus to the South African Press Council and the South African Press Ombudsman. Should you feel our reportingis not fair, free or unbiased and without prejudice, or that serious errors have been made, you are welcome to lay a complaint with the Ombudsman.

Reach him on 011 484 3612/8, e-mail pressombudsman.org.za or visit www.ombudsman.org.za

faster, but one that is bigger because there is more than a ton of good news to transport every two weeks.

The Village NEWS has also shown significant growth in its online presence, now recording close on 65 000 impressions per month on its PDF version from 16 500 readers in South Africa, 2 500 in Europe and 600 in North America.

On social media we have access to 36 000 direct users, translating into a post reach of 2,2 million per month.

Irrespective of our phenomenal growth The NEWS is in its essence still a small and proudly local business. Our aim is to support all local businesses, especially the small businesses that are dependent upon local support and do not have huge budgets to market and advertise themselves. For this very reason, The NEWS makes a concerted effort to keep its advertising rates affordable. We know the pain and tears that go hand-in-hand with every entrepreneurial effort, especially in small towns and in a region where business is seasonal by nature.

Being affordable is a fact that will not change in the future. We are wholly committed to helping our economies grow and to that end The NEWS is proud to announce its sponsorship of The Village NEWS Service Excellence Awards. The awards will kick off with a Local Business and Training Expo on 3 October at the Municipal Auditorium, where local businesses will be given the opportunity to showcase their offerings while at the same time a series of valuable and informative sessions, covering everything from marketing and social media to tax and labour legislation for small business owners, will be presented in the Auditorium.

The Service Excellence Awards will be open to all businesses that trade on the Cape Whale Coast, irrespective of size or industry. All businesses that take part will sign a pledge of service excellence towards all their customers – a simple action that can go a long way in securely establishing the Cape Whale Coast not only as a premier tourist destination but also as an area where it is a pleasure to do business.

The Service Excellence Awards will be an annual celebration of local businesses.

The Village NEWS also wants to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our readers and advertisers. Without your continued support, we will not be able to publish our beloved newspaper. We receive countless letters and messages of support and well wishes every day and for this we are truly grateful. To hear that a story was enjoyed, an advertiser’s business is booming or information presented was useful, fuels our determination to deliver the best newspaper on the Cape Whale Coast.

Your encouragement makes it worth our while and we believe that our passion, commitment and love for what we do reflects in our paper. The NEWS, our readers and our advertisers all have a very special place in our hearts.

Yes, the saying is true – running a newspaper is more a diagnosis than a job description.

This is the GOOD News – Ed

WHERE TO FIND US The Village NEWS is published fortnightly and the next edition will be available on 12 September. The NEWS can be found at over 100 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Kleinmond 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 028 050 1319 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

3

29 August - 11 September 2017

No human versus wildlife solution yet

T

he virtual fence aimed at keeping baboons out of Voëlklip is once again not operational after the necessary funding for the project could not be put into place in time.

This follows a three-week blitz by Human Wildlife Solutions (HWS), the manufacturers of the virtual fence, that kept the Fernkloof troop out of the affected suburbs for more than 90% of the time.

The virtual fence is made up of a sophisticated radio transmitter system that relays the movements of a troop to a cellular phone. If a troop moves too close to a residential area an alert is sent out and baboon monitors deploy sound boxes that emit sounds of predators roaring, animals dying and other frightening sound effects, including bear bangers that makes a loud banging noise. The baboons are tracked via collars attached to the troop leaders. Three baboons of the Fernkloof troop, named Stevie, Nicky and Beauty have been collared in the past few months.

“The sounds create a ‘landscape of fear’ for the baboons and they are hesitant to move into an area with which they have come to associate the sounds. This area has been created some 100 meters out of town and we have been able to

effectively keep the baboons out of the residential areas,” says Fanus Ferreira of HWS. Fanus and his team have spent three weeks in Hermanus implementing the system and had hoped to train a local team to take over from them. Unfortunately, very little training could take place as no volunteers could be found and neither could funding be put into place to appoint the necessary minimum of three baboon monitors.

According to Ward 3 Councillor Kari Brice, who has been driving the implementation of the project, it is hoped that a full-time team of monitors from HWS will take over and manage the project. “The problem is that we need to pay for this service, which includes at least three people, a smart phone and a vehicle. We have not been able to find a solution as to how we can fund this as the mandate for the management of baboons does not resort under the Municipality.

“The idea was mooted that an extra levy be charged for residents in Ward 3 by adding to the current levy of Hermanus Public Protection (HPP) but this is not possible as their mandate is providing safety and security services and not animal

management,” says Kari.

Within days of the HWS team moving out of Hermanus the baboons once again returned to the suburbs to supplement their diet with human food. According to Fanus the process of creating the virtual fence is not as easy as deploying the sound boxes and frightening the baboons.

“You have to constantly keep track of their movements via the tracking system and if an alert is received that they are moving towards town you have to deploy the sound boxes in time. The boxes must be placed at least 100 meters apart and be well hidden so that the baboons do not realise that the sounds are emitted from a lifeless and stationary object. The baboon monitors must also hide from the troop and keep a close eye on them before switching on the sound effects,” he says.

The virtual fence system has been implemented successfully in various parts of the Peninsula but there is no guarantee of its effectiveness if it is operated erratically. “Baboons are very clever and they are quick to realise when they are in real danger or not. It is mainly the easy access to food that drives them to come into town. Human

food for a baboon is not only tasty and easy, they also develop a craving for it, much like a little child with a sugar rush. That is why people think that when the baboons return from the mountain they are more aggressive. In fact, they are only highly frustrated at not having access to their favourite foods.

Breaking the cycle of the dependency and craving for human food is not easy and therefore they must be kept out of town in a consistent manner,” says Fanus.

The Municipality are in negotiations with various role players including CapeNature to find a solution to the problem that has been described as critical. The Municipality earlier said according to legal counsel they have no powers to undertake baboon control. “The Municipality must adhere to legislation and it can only act on and expend funds on functions which are assigned to it by the Constitution and legislation,” according to a statement.

Kari says the possibility of creating a Special Ratings Area (SRA), like that planned in Onrus/Vermont is being discussed. “The problem is that an SRA is aimed at topping up existing municipal services through the collection of a special levy from residents. Baboon and wild animal control is, however, not a municipal service.”

Management plan aims to draw visitors From P 1 According to the draft plan, the FNR surrounds the town and is closely integrated with Hermanus.

In addition to the delivery of important ecosystem services, it is also a source of outdoor recreation and spiritual and cultural wellbeing for visitors and residents, thereby contributing significantly to ecocultural tourism in the Overstrand municipal area.

for areas that are heavily utilised during the holiday season, such as vehicle parking areas and lookout points along Rotary Way, to be equipped with the necessary aesthetically pleasing ablution facilities and baboon-proof bins.

combination of habitats, ecosystems and wildlife species, some of which are classified as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable with several plant species that are endemic to the FNR and surrounding area. This habitat translates to a staggering diversity of over 1 250 indigenous recorded plant species, including over 65 rare/threatened (Red Data Book) species.

The plan states that due to its exceptional biodiversity value, FNR warrants an application to UNESCO for the declaration of the area as an extension of the Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage Site.

Furthermore it is planned to create safe recreational areas at the three dams in the reserve, while at the same time making provision for avoiding further soil erosion and pollution in the area.

According to the plan the valve tower at one of the dams poses a threat to the safety of the visiting public, as it is currently used to jump off and dive into the water.

People also dive off the cliffs on the western side of the dam.

The Hermanus Botanical Society (HBS) has also established an internationally recognised herbarium at the FNR in which specimens of the plant species recorded in the area have been preserved.

Provision is also made in the plan

The FNR conserves a unique

Hiking trails with a total length of

65 km have been built in the FNR and include the Cliff Path which extends for 11 km along the coast from the New Harbour to Piet se Bos, complete with wheelchair paths and some 220 memorial benches.

The plan will be available for inspection during normal office hours at the Hermanus, Gansbaai and Kleinmond Libraries from 1 – 30 September 2017. The document can also be viewed on the Municipal website at www.overstrand.gov.za - strategic documents. Interested and affected parties are invited to submit written comments to the Environmental Section at PO Box 20, Hermanus 7200 or by e-mail to ldevilliers@overstrand.gov.za before or on 13 October 2017.

4

29 August - 11 September 2017

The Village NEWS turns 2

5

29 August - 11 September 2017

Searching for the Gearing of Gearing’s Point Gearing’s Point is one of the centrally located historic sites in Hermanus, situated on the western side of the Old Harbour, with vehicle and pedestrian entrance from Marine Drive. DR ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society did some research on this well-known landmark, which was named after Mr Sydney Charles Gearing (1856-1924) or, more likely, informally refers to the entire Gearing family.

T

he Gearing family holidayed in Hermanus for several years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, staying in a cottage near the Old Harbour, then known as Visbaai. In 1912, Gearing bought a square, stone-walled, thatched house on a plot that had originally belonged to Henn, one of the founding families of Hermanus.

the business is described: “They did ship repair work, made agricultural machinery and also made wind pumps.

The Gearing’s wind pump was well-known and some are still in existence.” The Gearing family lived in Rondebosch and according to one account, Gearing was once Mayor of Rondebosch, which was then an independent municipality.

This is most probably the property that still stands at 71-73 Marine Drive, though more research is needed to have this confirmed in the Deeds Office in Cape Town. This building has been classified as a 3A heritage building, which means that no alterations are permitted in respect of the outside of the house. In 2017 it is of course in a prime position and is currently on the market.

By the start of the 20th century, Hermanus had been a holiday destination for decades but even then was not an easy place to reach. In her charming history of Hermanus, Arderne Tredgold records what is undeniably one of the most evocative accounts of a journey to Hermanus at that time:

The formal naming of the headland, which provides some shelter from the open sea on the west side of the Old Harbour, came long after it appears, unnamed, in Hermanus history. Traditionally, the wives and families of fishermen would gather at the ‘point’ to watch out for the returning boats. Usually, this resulted in an early sight of laden boats on a relatively calm sea, and the relieved watchers then moved to the Old Harbour itself to assist with cleaning the catch once it was landed.

But, not infrequently, wives and children gathered anxiously as bad weather or a serious storm was raging or approaching.

Then fears ran high and shouts and cries were heard if one or other of the boats seemed to be damaged or could not be seen at all. There is no record of fishermen’s lives lost in Hermanus, but it occurred often enough to be in the townspeople’s minds every time the boats went out.

As the fishing activity declined during the 20th century the image of anxious women and children watching from the very edge of Gearing’s Point has faded and it requires a real act of imagination to see them now, watching for the return of husband and father.

Sydney Gearing himself was a prosperous businessman in Cape Town. Biographical records are hard to find, but he appears to have owned a business known as Cunningham and Gearing, which had been situated since 1876 in Ebenezer Road, close to Cape Town Harbour. Today, the fashionable Beluga Restaurant is on the site.

A history of the firm has been written and in it the nature of

PHOTO: I Love Hermanus Gearing’s Point has been formally laid out to be utilised as a look-out point and is a favourite spot for whale watching.

(Sydney Gearing’s) daughter, Mrs. O M Grant-Dalton, described to me the journey they made to Hermanus in 1900. First, Mr. Gearing had to obtain a permit to travel out of Cape Town because it was the time of the South African War, then Mrs. Gearing had to make preparations for a family of eight.

“That was a real undertaking for my mother. She had to think not only of clothes for a family of eight but also food - we took most of our groceries with us (the shops were primitive in Hermanus then) and also a large tin of Australian butter which was supposed to last 1 month. How far off Hermanus seemed then, a trek of two whole days. We left Rondebosch before eight o'clock in the morning and reached Sir Lowry’s Pass by train about 1 p.m.”

It stood on the corner of Marine Drive and Harbour Road... (and) looked out to the headland guarding the harbour and that is how the headland was given the name of Gearing’s Point.

In later years the headland provided the venue for informal gatherings and parties during the holiday season. Tredgold comments: The green grass by Gearing’s Point and where Swallow Park is, were good places for dancing and there was always someone who could give a tune on a concertina or guitar.

PHOTO: Old Harbour Museum The view towards Gearing’s Point from the Old Harbour in 1875 (above) and today (below).

This was the terminus. There they all packed into a covered wagon with eight mules belonging to a Mr. Erwee. Some of them walked part of the way up the pass to help the mules.

Maxie van Dyk will be remembered by many as she worked in Grant’s Pharmacy for decades.

She also remembered the old Gearing’s Point and shared her memories with S J du Toit in 2006: Another pleasure was the annual Christmas seaside services at Gearing’s Point. The surface was grassy, but very uneven then. Maxie remembers singing ‘I will make you fishers of men’ and other songs.

Mr Gearing grew very attached to Hermanus and eventually sold the business in Cape Town and came to live permanently here. From 1915 to 1919, during the very difficult War years, he was Mayor of Hermanus.

"We usually made camp at Grabouw on the grass by the Palmiet River for the night. We children slept under the wagon and the grown-ups inside the wagon tent. There was a canvas manger for the mules along the ‘disselboom’ and they were tethered there. We went to sleep to the sound of munching.”

Gearing’s Point is now formally laid out and a favourite whale watching site among tourists.

When the Bot River was too full to be crossed at the usual drift travellers had to make a long detour which brought them round to a little shop on the Hermanus side of the drift. They outspanned for lunch between Afdak and Hawston and the last part of the journey seemed very long until they reached Onrus and caught the first whiff of the famous sea air of Hermanus.

They travelled on and "at last we rumbled down the Main Street of the little fishing village in the afternoon (of the second

day), the wagon wheels bouncing over the rocks especially as we turned through the rickety gate and over the grass to arrive with a flourish in front of the cottage".

References: 1. Du Toit, S J: Hermanus Stories III 2. James, John: The History of Cunningham and Gearing Foundry 3. McAlister, Heather: The History of Rondebosch 4. Tredgold, Arderne: Village of the Sea: The Story of Hermanus PHOTO: Pam Golding Properties This is the house on Marine Drive that in all probability belonged to the Gearing family in the early 20th century.

Sydney Charles Gearing was Mayor of Hermanus from 1915 to 1919.

For more information visit www.hermanus-historysociety.co.za

6

29 August - 11 September 2017

THE

NEWS

Let’s Talk

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Concerns regarding proposed Onrus/Vermont SRA Firstly, I wish to thank AfriForum for their input. It is comforting to know that an informed, effective and experienced entity such as themselves is investigating the matter and bringing another perspective into play. I refer to the original article regarding the proposed SRA (The Village NEWS 1 - 14 August, page 7) which mentions, amongst other issues, the improvement of lagoon water and better management of the greenbelt areas.

According to my information an estuary/water management committee already exists as well as a body managing the greenbelt areas. These bodies have the option to raise their own funds / garner financial support from their members and other parties who are directly affected. Problem areas could then be improved/upgraded without trying to snare all residents in the financial trap of a SRA over which, once adopted, they have little control.

Lagoon Any long-standing Onrust resident will agree that “rumours” regarding the lagoon water have been rife for at least 10 years. It is suspected that sewage is leaking into the lagoon from somewhere, causing the occurrence of the dangerous organisms that have been found to be present in the water. My question is: In all this time, why has the origin of this leakage not been established and attended to? If it is indeed a sewerage problem, surely this is one of the fundamental responsibilities of Overstrand Municipality and not that of the ratepayer.

Crime This is obviously a very important issue. I can only speak

of Onrust as I have lived here for 37 years and have to say that in all that time I have been fortunate enough never to have felt unsafe. I have regularly walked my dog, even at night, without incident.

There have always been SAFE and ADT patrols and a noticeably increased SAPS presence in recent times. My next question is addressed to Mr Inghels (Steering Committee SRA & OnVerWag Neighbourhood Watch): Why not recruit more members for OnVerWag? As you have already received quotes for security cameras etc, why not fund the process yourself and leave the Municipality out of it?

My feeling is that residents would be more prepared to contribute towards something that they feel they have a measure of control over rather than contribute more than they already do to the bottomless coffers of the Municipality.

Limited SRA Overstrand Municipality SRA By Law: The Provincial Gazette No 7692 (Ext.) makes provision on page 41, clause 9 for the determination of a Limited SRA. In my opinion this is a way more democratic option which will allow ratepayers who wish to contribute by way of a topup levy to whichever problem they deem the most important in their specific area, to do so.

(Problems which are the fundamental responsibility of Overstrand Municipality excluded.) All residents will then not be “forced” to be part of something which they do not want or cannot afford to be part of.

Linda Musson

Abner Inghels, chair of OnVerWag and the SRA Steering Committee, responds: I only want to respond to the question asked to me personally as the other parts will form part of the public meetings and discussions if the SRA project is initiated by the Municipality: Even though OnVerWag can attract many more members and some of them are willing to pay for the services, the once-off costs are not the issue. We have proven that we are willing and able to raise funds through our events like Earth Hour etc. The monitoring and other costs are the real costs that need to be paid on a monthly basis because the cameras are useless if they are not professionally monitored.

The SRA gives the opportunity to collect the funds through the Municipality, which already has a mechanism for collecting and following up on accounts.

Some residents are willing to contribute as we can see from our membership, but only about 20% of our members keep their payments up to date and we do not have the manpower or resources to chase down nonpayers – remember we are a voluntary organisation run by people who all have full-time jobs. If we therefore commit to the project that we envisage we will need to spend 90% of our time following up on payments from members to ensure that we can cover the monthly expenses.

We also believe that it is fair to everyone who will benefit from the services, if everyone contributes. The by-law and policy ensures that persons who are registered as indigent or who receive rebates will also be fairly treated.

Transparency needed for SRA project In the 1-14 August issue of The Village NEWS it is suggested, on referring to circumstances in the City of Cape Town, that Special Ratings Areas are a “good idea” and that the system would be highly dependent on efficient cooperative management and having the necessary communication structures in place.

There is no point in erecting CCTV cameras, establishing control rooms, patrol vehicles etc. if these are not monitored and managed efficiently. After having discussed the “plans that are afoot” with numerous friends and neighbours it is apparent that the process, as described, is vague and needs to be more transparent.

Abner Inghels, Chair of the Steering committee, says the purpose of the Perception Survey is to confirm that the SRA is viable and that the survey was sent to residents on Sunday (31 July) with a completion deadline for the end of August. By Sunday 13 August several of our neighbours had yet to receive the Perception Survey. Not everybody has internet access and only one morning was set aside for enquiries at the De Wet Hall on 5 August.

Abner claims this project will “allow for a small increase in property rates”. What exactly is a small increase? And, exactly how will the ratepayers benefit by the introduction of such a system? The community and ratepayers have a right to know all the relevant facts, upfront.

The Municipality is compelled to provide essential services, so why should the ratepayers have to pay more? Most of the residents in the area are already paying private security service providers for some form of protection. Do we need yet another service with extended costs?

The Municipality has a responsibility to ensure that all our communities receive the necessary safety and security services. Perhaps smaller annual increases in certain Municipal salaries would provide the necessary funds to finance such essential requirements and stimulate a more efficient service.

One of the NGOs quoted as being in support of the SRA project has in fact not even discussed this matter with their committee. It is also interesting to note that four of the seven SRA Steering Committee members also serve on the OnVerWag committee.

OnVerWag has been trying to raise funds for CCTV cameras since 2015. They also claim to be a neighbourhood watch for both Onrus and Vermont, but how many members do they in fact have who are resident and/or property owners in Vermont? And, is this

number sufficient to warrant their claim to be serving the Vermont community as well?

A survey to determine how many residents in Onrus and Vermont are already paying security companies for similar services would be of great interest.

Domestic security in our country today is, or should be, an ‘essential service.’ It is no less important than sewerage collection or road maintenance. It is in fact so important to so many people in the Overstrand that we should not be forced into quick decision making before being afforded the opportunity and sufficient time to consider and fully participate in the processes.

Concerned, on behalf of several ratepayers and residents in the area Abner Inghels, chair of OnVerWag and the SRA Steering Committee, responds: The concerns about the process not being transparent are not accurate. We have discussed these plans at all OnVerWag public meetings and our AGM for the past 18 months.

Remember that the whole process and plan will also be open to full public discussion if the Municipality allows the project to continue based on the results of the perception survey. The SRA process has not officially been initiated as we still await the results of the survey before the process will be given the go-ahead. All steps and plans will then be made public because then it will be based on what the Municipality believes an achievable project would be.

Regarding the members of the steering committee: Yes, four of the seven members are on the OnVerWag exco. In fact, four of the OnVerWag exco members also serve on the Hermanus Community Police Forum. Maybe it is a case of the people that are willing to take part being on all the committees? All organisations have been fully informed of all parts of the process.

OnVerWag currently has 393 members from Onrus and 335 members in Vermont, so yes, we represent both parts of the community.

Part of the survey is asking people if they do have extra security services, so this question will be answered by our survey. So too the matter of “what is the most important service” is also part of the survey where the community is specifically asked to rank services in order of importance.

We would welcome anyone to join us at our next Steering Committee meeting, the details of which will be announced soon. There is room for all citizens to work together in finding solutions to the problems in our area. OnVerWag also have a scheduled public meeting on Thursday 5 September at 18:00 in the Dutch Reformed Church in Onrus where all are welcome.

7

29 August - 11 September 2017

Bypass is not appropriate transport solution for future needs Stephen Müller’s defense of the Hermanus Bypass plan (The Village NEWS, 4 -17 July 2017) fails to address the valid objections that various parties have raised.

Firstly, he completely omits to put up any defense for routing the bypass through the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, despite massive public opposition to the destruction of what little remains of our lowland fynbos. In doing so, he treats the priceless as valueless.

Secondly, he fails to convince us that the bypass is the most pro-poor option for the allocation of over R200 million of public funds, glibly dismissing the option of providing any form of public transport. Projects such as this bypass, which cater almost exclusively to the middle class, are at odds with SA’s social and moral imperatives.

Thirdly, he fails to address the popular objection that the bypass cuts through an

education / sports / small business (Country Market) precinct.

Moreover, Mr Müller’s claim that the EIA’s record of decision will still apply 20 years hence is simply not true. In fact, an environmental authorisation (EA) is generally issued for a maximum of 5 years, and can be extended to 10 years only in exceptional circumstances.

His statement that “the Municipality is in favour of the bypass connecting with Fairways Avenue rather than cutting in between the Cricket Oval and the Generations School” demonstrates a lack of planning and forethought by his department.

He has been at this for at least 8 years and he knows that there are only two alignments on the table and has publicly voiced a personal preference for the northern alignment, which goes between the Cricket

Oval and the Generation School, and incidentally, right through the Country Market.

I note that we have no opposition to providing an appropriate transport solution for future needs, provided the need has been properly determined and all alternative transport solutions fairly assessed, including vastly improved public transport. It is astounding that neither of these has been done, despite the whopping R8,4 million that has already been spent on this project.

I end with a question: Why is the Municipality (Stephen Müller’s department) allowing the erection of new buildings on private properties which are right in the path of the proposed bypass? No wonder the estimated cost of the proposed bypass (3 km) is R200 million!

Antony van Hoogstraten Voëlklip

Community support for Sue Thank you to The Village NEWS (Help to give the gift of sound, The Village NEWS, 1 – 14 August 2017) my family, church and community for their kind response in raising funds of R70 000 to enable me to have a cochlear implant operation. It has enabled me to go ahead with the operation even though R20 000 is still needed for after the operation (which is slowly trickling in).

Having read about me in The Village NEWS, one person whose partner experienced loss

of hearing for more than a decade before passing away, was delighted to fulfil his wish of helping another deaf person. When he and his partner arrived in this town as new immigrants, my father John Philip had been a great help to them as their accountant and this was their way of giving back.

During my operation on 4 September the specialist surgeon will place the cochlear implant in the inner ear, which will allow the audio

mechanism to be attached to the outside of my head underneath my hair. I will have to wait until 26 September for the device to be switched on and then I’ll be able to hear so much more!

At present I am 95% deaf in my right ear after having been born 65% deaf. My sincere thanks for all the support and prayers that have enabled me to have this life-changing opportunity.

Sue Raven

Thank you for making us aware of the heaven we live in Thank you for publishing such an optimistic, factual and informative newspaper for our community – in a great format (paper and print quality) and for FREE! I think I speak for many people who enjoy your biweekly publication with the good news and viewpoints you share. It is possibly the first and only newspaper in

our country with such an uplifting effect on its readers and possibly the whole community. May your publication be an example to the rest of the doom-andgloom daily newspapers that we PAY to read!

of a pessimist. We then are making, hour by hour, our own heaven or our own hell; and in the degree that we are making the one or the other for ourselves are we making it for all the world beside." - R W TRINE

"You and I have the predominating characteristics of an optimist or the predominating characteristics

Thank you for making us aware of the heaven we live in.

With gratitude, ENJ

Rogue baboons cannot be rehabilitated I refer to an article, written by Sarah Taylor in The Village NEWS of 18 - 31 July 2017, which included the opinions of some of the Hermanus residents with regards to the presence of baboons in Voëlklip.

Since we have suffered quite a bit due to baboons invading our house on 9th Street, Voëlklip, I have first-hand experience of their behaviour.

Just a bit of my experiential background: I worked in the Kruger National Park for 29 years and one of our biggest tasks was to ensure that baboons do not enter rest camps. Why? Because SANParks was liable if any visitor was attacked and injured.

In any case, some of the points raised by above-mentioned residents are valid, but other statements are simply not true.

Just to mention one of these far-fetched statements, and I quote, "It is a myth that baboons will break into a house". One thing that some people do not want to believe is the fact that one cannot rehabilitate a rogue baboon, in other words, a baboon that has lost his/her fear of humans.

They become aggressive towards people and will attack

if cornered. I know of such incidents that took place.

There are quite a number of ways to get rid of the baboons: 1) Catch them in cages and translocate them to other areas.

I do not think that this is an option, because nobody wants them down in the Cape.

2) Dart them and translocate them to other places. As mentioned above, this is also not an option.

3) Sterilisation, which is an emotive, as well as an ethical issue for a lot of people.

Personally I do not think it is an option.

4) So-called virtual fences.

Unfortunately I am of the opinion that this will also not be a viable option in the long term. Since baboons are clever animals, they will soon find out what it is about and we will be back to "square one".

5) Physical barriers, such as electrified fences, etc. In Kruger we used this method quite successfully at rest camps.

However, I do not think that it will be practical to fence off a mountain and it will be very costly.

6) Euthanasia. I am aware that this is a very sensitive issue.

However, we need to think with our heads and not our hearts

when it comes to this issue, for the following reason: I am quite sure that there is an overpopulation of baboons in the Hermanus area and therefore they need to forage for food in the residential areas of Hermanus. Euthanasia can be carried out in humane ways, "softening" the impact on members of troops.

What I can assure you is that this situation is a time bomb waiting to explode. Unfortunately, the Municipality and CapeNature have been passing the buck to and fro for many years. However, when any incident like this should happen and it lands in court, some-one/entity will be held liable for damages/injuries incurred.

I have spoken to many residents of Voëlklip and they are up in arms due to damages caused by the baboons. They have physically broken into our house in 9th Street on a number of occasions and we have lost valuable antique crockery – they forced open cupboards and just ransacked the contents. I am more concerned about my three small grandchildren, who had to run for their lives when they met a huge male baboon.

Frans Laubscher

Women – where would we be without them?

Most men just presume – if they bother to think about it – that things were invented by other men, like Tesslar, Michaelangelo or Edison, and have absolutely no idea that the fairer sex created a number of things we use every day.

I’m sure most people are unaware of a lady called Elizabeth Magie. Can’t blame us really, although most of us have crouched in earnest over her invention for hours on end. No, it’s not the toilet. That was Thomas Crapper – bless him.

Anyway, in 1903 our Betty designed a board game, the purpose being to expose the injustices of unchecked greed and capitalism in England at the time. An unscrupulous wheelerdealer called Charles Darrow somehow ripped off her concept and sold it to a company called Parker Brothers.

Wit’s End Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

These august gentlemen, being greedy capitalists themselves, ironically made a killing by marketing this anticapitalist game. With just a few cosmetic changes, one of the most popular board games ever was launched.

They called it Monopoly, and after thirty years of wrangling, paid Mrs Magie the princely sum of about £400 for making them millionaires. She must have been chuffed.

Margaret A Wilcox is another example. She invented the original car heater way back around 1900, and apart from tuk-tuks and rickshaws, all

vehicles carry modifications of her ingenuity. Out of morbid interest, she also invented a combined clothes and dishwasher. For some reason this didn’t quite catch on like the heater.

Although methods to chill our favourite tipple would have emerged anyway, the first household electric refrigerator was created by Florence Parpart in 1947. Apparently she also invented an improved street-cleaning machine for good measure – with the twirly brushes sticking out the sides – some of which are still observed today. Nice one, Flo.

Nancy Johnson invented the ice cream maker in 1843 and her patented design is still in use. The ubiquitous fold-down fire escape, so popular as escape routes in American crime movies, was the brainchild of Anna Connelly in 1887, and hasn’t altered much since then.

Dr Maria Telkes was a psychiatrist after World War II, but for some reason decided there was more to life than listening to insecurities and phobias, so she designed the first solar-powered heating units for residential housing.

These days they’re mandatory in most new developments.

Another bright doctor, Shirley Jackson specialised in Telecommunication Technology, which included portable fax, touch-tone telephones, solar cells, fibre-

optic cables as well as caller ID and call waiting. Somebody would have come up with it all sooner or later, but back then it was even harder for women in engineering positions to be taken seriously.

The producers of cops ’n robbers TV serials like NCIS or CSI Miami have Marie Van Brittan Brown and Stephanie Kwolek to thank. Mrs Brown is responsible for inventing the concept of CCTV in 1969, due to the slow response by police in her area. It has since gone viral and is an integral ingredient, like an extra character, woven into every TV episode by the script-writers.

In 1965 Mrs Kwolek created Kevlar, five times stronger than steel, and used in bulletproof vests by the good guys only. They are after all the lead actors, so you can’t keep replacing them.

The dishwasher was invented in 1887 by a sassy lady called Josephine Cochrane. In an unprecedented move, she boldly opened her own factory and marketed her machine to hotel owners with great success – without the help of any man!

Her invention freed up housewives to participate more in the things they loved doing, like darning, ironing and window washing.

The list of ladies with light-bulb moments is endless, and being Women’s Month, I thought we could highlight just some of their achievements, which generally go unsung. Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily this is not difficult.

So, chin up ladies, may your hourglass figures always have the sand in the right places.

8

29 August - 11 September 2017

Overberg Packaging goes green

INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP:

Turning the tide on trash

O

n 16 September millions of people will descend on the world’s beaches. They are not sun worshipers, but volunteers participating in the annual International Coastal Clean-up (ICC). Their mission is to clean the beaches of litter.

Local volunteers along the Cape Whale Coast will also be doing their bit for the environment, making sure that our beaches are kept in pristine condition. Our environment is our pride and no litter will be allowed to spoil it. There will be clean-up parties doing their bit for the environment all along the coast. Why not join one of the clean-up parties from 08:30 to 11:30 at a beach near you.

Whale Coast Conservation is leading the group in Sandbaai/Zwelihle. Meet at the end of Schulphoek Road and bring some refreshments and weather-appropriate clothing.

Call Shirley on 078 515 1078 for

more information. For cleanups on other beaches, go to the Coastal Cleanup Conservation Facebook page for details or call Antonio on 072 462 4271.

Why do beaches need to be cleaned?

The Ocean Conservancy estimates that there are roughly 150 million metric tons of discarded plastic floating around the world’s oceans, with an additional 8 million metric tons being added every year. That’s the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of litter being dumped into the sea every minute.

There are five massive “gyres” or vortices of mostly plastic garbage in the oceans, the most famous being the Great Pacific Garbage patch. It’s really a case of “garbage in, garbage out” when it comes to ocean pollution. We collect the “garbage out” on our beaches, even if it comes from somewhere across the globe.

Around 60% of all seabirds and 100% of sea turtles that have been examined contain plastic. They eat it, thinking it’s food. Obviously, they derive no nutrition from the plastic, and it can be fatal.

Where does all the garbage come from?

A study published in Nature on 7 June 2017, found that a full 86% of all the plastics in the ocean come from the rivers of a single, albeit large, continent, Asia. Rivers in Africa are next on the list at 7,8%.

We've heard it all before: With the rapid growth of the earth’s human population comes the increased demand for consumables, resulting in an ever-growing amount of waste.

Containment of the waste, recycling thereof and producing waste from natural by-products which degrade completely and in a short space of time is the only way to minimize our footprint and pollution of the environment.

With growing concern and awareness about the issue of waste, the good news is that Overberg Packaging is slowly managing, step by step, to substitute its retailed products, predominantly single use plastic products, with green materials.

One such example is the new biodegradable straws, of which this local packaging company has recently been able to secure a supply from abroad.

They now stock both white paper straws that contain no lining or chemicals and biodegrade in 4 – 6 months in ideal conditions; and black bendable straws made from corn starch that biodegrade in

90 days. And the cost is reasonable too – the corn starch straws cost R325 (all incl.) for 2 000 straws. Seeing as plastic straws are high on the list of plastic waste littering our oceans, it would be commendable if our local restaurant and take-away industry would invest in these greener options.

Mark MacNeillie, the owner of Overberg Packaging, says there is unfortunately a limited number of competitors in the eco-friendly manufactured packaging industry in South Africa that are currently producing 100% locally made products on a commercial scale and at a reduced cost.

“The majority of these products still need to be imported, which makes it fairly expensive.

South Africa is still in its infancy in terms of recognised wide range and large scale locally manufactured earth-friendly products with a zero percent waste footprint on the environment,” says Mark.

“The good news is there is a huge awareness of and progression towards the need

for packaging to be totally compostable or biodegradable, which is leading to more efforts in acquiring the resources to make it more readily available at a competitive price. Hopefully in the not too distance future this will all become more common place.”

Until such time as these soughtafter eco-friendly products are manufactured here in South Africa on a larger and financially viable level, Overberg Packaging is committed to continue putting practices in place to support the vision of a plastic litter-free world.

Their range of compostable and biodegradable products made from natural materials such as sugar cane fibres (Bagasse), corn starch, bamboo, birchwood and recycled pulp includes cups, containers, cutlery, boxes, plates and bowls, as well as biodegradable cleaning products and washing powder.

Visit their new premises at 8 Arum Road, Hermanus Industria.

They are open Mon – Thur from 08:00 – 17:00, on Fri from 08:00 – 16:30 and Sat 09:00 – 12:30. Call 028 312 1865 or 072 609 2152.

Dumping waste directly into the sea is not the only way it lands up in the world’s oceans.

Any litter on land tends to get washed into storm water drains and rivers and from there to the sea – and our beaches. What are the litter items most commonly found on the world’s beaches? In the 2016 ICC the top 3 recorded litter items were cigarette butts (1 863 838), plastic beverage bottles (1 579 434) and plastic bottle caps (822 227).

What about the Cape Whale Coast?

Whale Coast Conservation has been analysing the litter picked up by volunteers like Antonio da Silva-Swart and his Coastal Cleanup Conservation volunteers.

The most common litter items were plastic bottle caps, plastic beverage bottles, smaller plastic pieces and plastic shopping bags. A surprising member of the top 10 is condoms. This does not indicate unbridled revelry on our beaches, but rather their use by poachers to keep their cellphones dry under water.

Most of the beaches cleaned by the volunteers were not tourist beaches. But even if one analyses the litter on a popular beach like Grotto, cigarette butts are not our number one. Could Whale Coast Conservation’s ‘Bin your Butt’ awareness campaign have anything to do with this?

– Anina Lee Whale Coast Conservation

ABOVE: Shop manager Andrea Gibbs and the owner of Overberg Packaging Mark MacNeillie with the new 100% biodegradable straws made from corn starch.

LEFT: These are just some of the eco-friendly packaging products available from Overberg Packaging. Their range of compostable and giodegradable products are made from natural materials such as sugar cane fibres (Bagasse), corn starch, bamboo and recycled pulp.

9

29 August - 11 September 2017

WASTE NOT: Hermanus hero in action We pay tribute to Hermanus resident Vic Hamilton-Attwell, a steadfast foot soldier in the war against waste.

Leigh-Anne Hunter

I

t’s a glacial day in Hermanus and the beach is all but abandoned, except for one man in a blue windbreaker.

Long-time Hermanus resident Victor Loraine Hamilton-Attwell (“Call me Vic,” he says) has been picking up litter on our town’s shores for years. Come rain or shine.

I joined him, thinking, how hard can it be? After 20 minutes I am freezing my caboose off but Vic says we’ve only just started.

There’s so much litter that it generally takes him about three hours to clear a mere 500-metre area. I am shocked.

Vic has picked up everything from condoms (apparently, poachers use them to cover their cellphones when in the water), to diapers and false teeth. Nice!

I pictured walking on an idyllic stretch of beach, but in reality I ended up slipping ‘n sliding in the mud and over mounds of kelp. Litter washes up everywhere. Vic has bloodied his knees after falling on rocks. I can tell you that after this experience, I will never buy another plastic bottle of water again!

Vic has a doctorate in zoology and moved to Vermont in 2000 after a prolific career. But instead of resting on the beach as he well deserved, he set about cleaning it.

kilometres – from Vermont to the Onrus caravan park. We generally pick up 75 to 80 kg on that one day – up to 4 000 pieces of waste.”

“

Vic meticulously logs all the waste per type and sends this data to a research centre in the US. “Every bit of statistics counts.”

”

Vic is modest about his significant contribution to Hermanus, which goes far beyond litter-picking – to outreach. “My aim is to educate people about pollution,” he says, his blue eyes lively behind his glasses.

“Only about five percent of ocean waste comes from trawlers and ships. The majority comes from people on land. We don’t manage our waste.”

Also a motivational speaker for CANSA, Vic has taught a waste management course to Grade 10 and 11 learners at Hermanus High School for the last 10 years. The course forms part of the Life Sciences syllabus.

“When I talk to the kids I say: ‘The plastic bottle that you walked past this morning? It’s going to end up in the ocean and you’re going to eat it.’

Then I show them how plastic breaks down and the [marine life] eat it. Currently there is six times more plastic in the ocean than food for fish.”

“I started with the idea of just collecting some data,” he says.

Four years later, after picking up litter every week at Brekfis Bay after high tide, he collected a whopping 600 kg of plastic.

He developed an ongoing project where learners collect data about their household waste. “The mothers hate me,” he chuckles, “but afterwards some say it’s fantastic because they now know what waste they generate and how they can change their habits.”

Since 2011, Vic has participated in the International Coastal Cleanup, an annual initiative where volunteers around the world pick up litter on one day.

“We cover over two and a half

Vic says much more can be done, however. He is an ardent proponent of recycling. “The Municipality goes out of its way to give people a free plastic bag and they don’t use

Waste is the main issue in Hermanus.

The other issue is the rivers.

pality approached Vic to study faecal pollution in the Klein River from Stanford to the mouth of the Klein River Estuary, adding Onrus River and Estuary to the survey two years later. “The data showed that old or badly managed conservancy tanks are the main cause of this pollution,” Vic says. “As a result, a large number were replaced.”

Ardent conservationist Vic Hamilton-Attwell has been picking up litter from our town’s shores for many years.

“

Currently there is six times more plastic in the ocean than food for fish

”

it.” Being a former Vaalie, I can tell you that we don’t get a free recycling bag in Jo’burg!

Vic has packed so much into his 76 years that you start to question whether you’re doing enough with your life. I ask him when he’s going to retire and he laughs. “I still have a long way to go.”

Growing up “dirt poor” on a farm “in the deep western Transvaal”, Vic then quickly vaulted the career ladder,

becoming a junior lecturer in his third year at university. “I wanted to become a mechanic and my Biology teacher said to my mother, ‘No ways,’ and he arranged a university loan for me.”

Vic’s shtick, if you can put it that way, is data collection, which is crucial for monitoring the state of the environment.

“When the green belts in Vermont received Nature Reserve status in 2016, I was contacted to… develop a checklist of creatures in the green belts,” he says. He treks outdoors in summer and winter, laying out lights at night to attract all the goggatjies.

Specialising in the epidemiology of bilharzia, Vic’s achievements include developing an artificial reed bed to clean up sewage before it enters natural streams. He also assisted an explosives factory to become compliant with global environmental management standards.

The smaller, the better. It was through Fernkloof Nature Reserve that Vic’s love for the “microworld” of plants and animals found a home. His involvement extends beyond the interesting talks he gives in comfortable lecture halls – to the trails themselves.

Maybe it was providence that drew Vic to Hermanus, the perfect place to apply his rich knowledge of microbiology and the natural world. “Waste is the main issue in Hermanus,” he says. “The other issue is the rivers.”

A Fernkloof field guide, Vic interacts with all types of people from around the world, from students to horticulturists responsible for grand palace gardens. He says playing tennis regularly keeps him trail-fit.

In 2006, Overstrand Munici-

Dr Dianne Marais, Hermanus

Botanical Society (HBS) Chairperson, says: “Vic has an exceptional knowledge of the Reserve, from the plants and creatures to the geology.” So much so that Vic co-authored a book about the area, Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Published by HBS in honour of the reserve’s 60th anniversary, the book will be released during the Hermanus Flower Festival at Fernkloof in September.

“Nowadays my passion is spiders,” Vic says, his eyes lighting up again. “We have spiders in Fernkloof that you find nowhere else, possibly due to the age of the fynbos, which is one of the oldest plant species on the planet.” Even older than him, he would joke.

“The thinking is that spiders in Hermanus will be special in the same way as the plants are, such as the Protea and Erica. We have some plants in the Reserve that you don’t find anywhere else in the world.”

Having made startling discoveries while collecting spiders for The South African National Survey of Arachnida, Vic now plans and even more intensive study of these critters in Hermanus, particularly in Fernkloof.

“That’s after the flower show,” says Vic, who is responsible for picking flowers along the coast for the HBS Flower Festival in September and for manning the flower display. “I’m involved in lots of things,” he grins. Jy kan dit weer sê.

Vic made the discovery that there are in fact three different rain spider species in Fernkloof.

He’s collected all three. What does he use to catch spiders?

He laughs. “My hand of course!”

Don’t be a litter bug (or a couch potato). Help Vic on 16 September at the 2017 International Coastal Cleanup in Hermanus.

Email vicattwell@telkomsa.net or phone Vic on 082-785-5145.

Village

EXPLORER EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ART

Bot River explodes with colour to celebrate spring

L

et the bluebird of happiness lead you over the rainbow when the Bot River Wine Valley hosts their annual Spring Weekend from 1 – 3 September with a kaleidoscope of exciting wine and food, and an explosion of welcoming, country-style fun.

Just like the rainbow-theme it has adopted this year, the people of this Overberg town have lined up a dazzling spectrum of activities that showcase the best of the region.

The tone for the jam-packed weekend programme will be set at the Best of Bot Wines exclusive dinner on Friday, 1 September. The event stars executive chef Gregory Henderson of Forage restaurant, Higgo Jacobs, head of the SA Association of Sommeliers, and fellow sommelier Ewan Mackenzie. Together they will present an expert food and wine pairing showcase at Wildekrans Wine Estate. Tickets are R850 pp and include a Spring Weekend pass.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday, Bot River’s participating wineries will turn on the charm, each representing a colour of the rainbow. They include newcomer to the Bot River wine family, Arcangeli Family Vineyards, along with Barton Vineyards, Villion Wines, Luddite Wines, Genevieve MCC, Beaumont Family Wines, Gabriëlskloof Wine Estate, Rivendell Estate & Vineyards and Paardenkloof Estate.

Arcangeli Wines: Violet is the colour of the rainbow represented by Arcangeli Wines, where you’ll find a BARolo wine bar with an Italian-South African twist, offering a rare food and wine experience.

Barton Wines: Orange will rule at Barton Wines, which dishes up a smorgasbord of fun from burgers to paintball to tractor rides. Enter the wine blending competition and stand a chance to win a two-night stay in one of the Barton Villas.

Wildekrans Wine Estate: This acclaimed winery goes pretty in pink for

the whole weekend, serving up its MCC Brut Rosé as you enter its gates.

Enjoy a light meal at the tasting room or something more formal at Forage.

Bring the kids for tractor rides and the jungle gym too.

Villion Family Wines: The message is ‘Let’s party!’ as Villion waves a big red flag for spring this year. Book your table and don’t forget your comfortable shoes for the Spit & Skoffel dinner dance on 2 September from 19:30. There will be Overberg lamb on the spit, complimentary wines per table and a wine bar too. The event takes place at the Afdaksrivier Nursery and tickets for the three-course dinner, wines and dance are R385 pp.

Villion’s wines can be tasted throughout the weekend at the nursery too, where there’s a large garden, sandpit and jumping castle for children and a coffee shop.

Luddite Wines: Silver is the colour for Luddite and their sterling wines. In addition to their latest vintage releases on offer, including the alluring Saboteur White 2017, there will be the extraordinary food truck run by Jason from the eponymous Cape Town bakery.

Beaumont Family Wines: This popular family farm lays claim to blue. Be sure to book for the special vertical tasting of the Hope Marguerite, a benchmark South African Chenin blanc. Children are welcome too – there’s a childminder on duty for the whole weekend, catered lunch and daily activities.

Genevieve MCC: Decked out in a celebratory turquoise, Genevieve MCC will present breakfast with bubbles at its new home - Klein Botrivier Farm on the Karwyderskraal Road. Grub’s up at 09:00 to 11:30, Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are R200; booking is essential through Quicket or at Melissa at genevievemcc.co.za. You can also pop in for a tasting and learn to sabrage a bottle like a cavalry rider whilst Genevieve’s Blini & Oyster Bar will add

extra sparkle to your Overberg sojourn.

Gabriëlskloof Estate: Mellow yellow is the colour of this family-friendly destination. The restaurant will offer a festive menu of heritage cooking and Mzansi Tapas platters are available at the tasting room at R250 per couple, including 4 estate wines to taste. Kids under 12 eat for free from the kiddies menu.

Rivendell Estate & Vineyards: This boutique winery will shimmer in gold and promises a royal experience.

Settle in for a long lunch and wall-toceiling views of the vineyards and mountains, to enjoy its special wine and canapé tasting plate in the spirit of spring.

Paardenkloof Ecology Lifestyle Farm: The colour for Paardenkloof is green, reflecting the essence of the season. Enjoy wine tasting and a festival of fynbos in its Garden Restaurant and farm market. Attend a talk on landscaping with fynbos, each day at 09:00, and order a picnic basket for lunch. The petting zoo, veggie patch and jungle gym will keep the kids entertained. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will wrap up with an evening of live jazz, pizza and sundowners from 17:00; tickets are R180 pp and must be booked by contacting daphne@paardenkloof.co.za or 079 504 3593.

Tickets for the Bot River Spring Weekend are R100 pp and can be purchased, along with tickets to individual events, at www.quicket.co.za unless specified otherwise. The weekend pass includes an armband and wine glass, which you may collect at the Bot River tourism office. Quicket stations will also be at Beaumont, Gabriëlskloof, and Wildekrans on the weekend.

Youngsters under 18 years may enter for free.

Visit www.botriverwines.com or contact Melissa Nelsen on 083 302 6562 or email melissa@genevievemcc.co.za

12

ART

29 August - 11 September 2017

Artwalk returns, celebrating spring T

he immensely popular Hermanus First Fridays Artwalk makes a welcome return on Friday 1 September after a three month winter break. The Artwalk – now in its fourth year – has become a not-tobe-missed event on the town's social calendar and is enthusiastically supported by locals and visitors alike.

On the first Friday of every month, all 18 art galleries in the centre of Hermanus remain open until 20:00, allowing artwalkers the opportunity of meeting resident artists and gallery owners, mingling with fellow art lovers and enjoying the impressive range of art and fine craft on display in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

Initiated by the Arts Portfolio of Hermanus Tourism in 2014, the HFF Artwalk has grown into an event that lights up the whole town centre on the first Friday of every month.

While the galleries serve up delectable eats and fine local wines, many day-time restaurants and eateries on the art route also stay open for artwalkers who want to extend this enjoyable evening. Since last year, the new Lemm’s Corner Market, which has been reinvented by Joshua Rossouw, the wellknown owner of Rossouw Modern and SPACE galleries and which trades every

Sunday, offers a special Night Market once a month to coincide with HFF.

and the winning ticket receives an artwork donated by one of the galleries. For the September HFF Artwalk a beautiful original floral painting by local artist Charmaine de Jongh Gelderblom will find a new home when one lucky art walker chooses the winning ticket.

The Artwalk has a different theme every month, and for September the first event after the winter months is, appropriately, Spring Fever.

Not only are the HFF galleries celebrating the change of season – by choosing this theme they are joining the Hermanus Botanical Society in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, where this special milestone will be the focus of the 2017 Hermanus Flower Festival from 22 – 25 September.

The Hermanus Art Circle will also host a ‘Bid and Buy’ exhibition at their pop-up gallery next to the Whale Museum, where the public will have the opportunity to bid on some of the paintings between 12:00 on Friday 1 September and 15:00 on Saturday 2 September.

During every Artwalk a raffle ticket can be purchased by participants for as little as R20

So remember to step out on Friday and just Follow the Orange!

13

ART

29 August - 11 September 2017

PHOTO: Hedda Mittner

Seascapes & Soulscapes

A

n exhibition of works

by Lize van der Walt will be hosted at the tasting room on Sumaridge Wine Estate in Hemel-enAarde for the next two months. Opening on Saturday 2 September, this is Lize’s first solo exhibition in two years.

Fragments in time Rossouw Modern’s SPACE Gallery will host an exhibition of new works by Frans Mulder from 1 – 18 September, entitled ‘Fragments in Time’. The opening will coincide with the Hermanus First Friday Artwalk on 1 September at 17:30.

This collection of works on paper is an exciting new direction for Frans. With more than 40 years of experience in creating art, he faces the brutal honesty of a fragmented life in the 21st century, using himself as an occasional subject.

Between these fragments, the artist and society find their niche and acceptance in life and then continue to live in it.

Frans connects these fragments, sometimes with just a few intuitive lines, binding them together into perfect balance. This resembles the

senses through which we evolve our reality and perceptions; it also reflects the way that we as humans can use different parts of our being to make up the whole.

Born in 1995, Frans was educated in Cradock, Eastern Cape and went on to receive a Diploma in Fine Arts at the Port Elizabeth Technikon in 1975. He worked in interior design for many years, first in Johannesburg, where he moved in 1980, and later in New York City, where he was director of design in an interior space planning studio.

On his return to South Africa in 1989, he lived and worked in the northern and eastern parts of the country and started painting wild life. In 2015 he relocated to Napier.

His previous exhibition at

SPACE in 2016 focused on the endangered wild dog (Lycaon pictus) and was titled nKentshane.

The artist describes his new collection of works: “They are deconstructive fragments in time/dreams/desires that reflect the dynamics between the final form and myself. I use my technical ability to create images; I then rely on the eye to dismember them, and intellect to reassemble them to complete the creation. Occasionally I use the overdrawn images to solidify the dialect in the work and create a third element.”

To attend the opening at SPACE, Warrington Place, Harbour Road, Hermanus, RSVP to info@rossouwmodern.com

“It has been a real struggle to get back into my creative zone,” says Lize, who has suffered a series of personal setbacks over the last few years. “When I’m in the zone I can just let go and see where it takes me as I try to recapture a memory, a feeling, a picture…. I love a blank canvas; I never know how it will turn out, so there is always a bit of anxiety – is this going to work?”

During her school years, Lize excelled in sport and art. After matriculating she studied graphic design at the Witwatersrand Technikon and worked as a designer for three years before opening her own design studio in Johannesburg called Team Design.

In 1991 she immigrated to the UK with her husband, where she took a break from art and worked as a fitness instructor.

After her divorce she shot to fame as ‘Gold’ on the TV series Gladiators, but the gruelling schedule and a spate of injuries took their toll on her.

After 12 years away she really missed her family and her country and wanted to come home.

Lize returned to South Africa in 2004 and settled in Hermanus, where her parents had retired. Inspired by the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, she returned to her first love – art.

Whereas Lize’s early works were semi-abstract with a strong graphic design element, she started specialising in more expressionistic paintings that display rich textures, multiple layers, poured paint, and brush and palette knife marks. She paints on canvas in acrylic and oil, and is well known for her exquisite seascapes and landscapes.

Unfortunately, all was not smooth sailing in her personal life. Lize was very close to her father, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and died in 2011. At the end of 2013 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and over the following nine months had to endure surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Her return to health was celebrated with a solo exhibition at Bellini Gallery in 2015, but a year later she sustained severe burns to her hands, neck and face in a freak accident whilst operating an ethanol heater at her home studio in Voëlklip.

Lize spent over a month in the Tygerberg Hospital’s Burn Unit undergoing painful skin grafts and says it was only her faith and the prayers of so many people that carried her

through the long days and nights in hospital. “I was in a very dark place,” she says. “The healing process was slow and it forced me to become still and reassess my priorities. I realised that I was rushing through life and trying to do too much. I now have peace and a new strength, and I no longer stress about unimportant stuff.”

Lize credits her harrowing experiences and the generous way in which the community supported her through adversity for her deepening faith, which is expressed in the new direction that her art has taken. Her earlier abstract style has now merged with her more realistic landscapes to create ‘soulscapes’ that are characterised by warmer and bolder colours and more contrasting textures.

Inspired by the ever-changing elements of sky, sea and rocks around her, Lize’s latest paintings are infused with a divine light and spiritual depth that reflect her emotional journey.

All Lize’s works are completed in her home studio in Voëlklip where she lives with her tenyear-old son Michael. She has been a co-owner of The Art Gallery in High Street, Hermanus, since 2015, where her works are exhibited along with those of her three partners, Jeandré Marinier, Erna Dry and Christine Henderson.

– Hedda Mittner

16

29 August - 11 September 2017

REGULARS Every Monday ■ Classic Monday Bridge Club: Duplicate Bridge, every Monday at 13:00, at Fernkloof Hall.

To join the club, contact Riekie on 072 230 9179.

THE

NEWS

Good Guide

Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday ■ Walker Bay Walkers: Join this group of about 30 walkers who meet 3 times a week and do 3 different routes of 6 – 9 km. Meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 07:30 at the Hermanus Bowling Club. For more information call Lynn on 082 471 3637 or Angela on 082 445 8376.

Every Thursday ■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00.

Visitors welcome. Contact Ian Wallace on 082 895 8738 or Metcalf Fick on 082 568 2193.

Every Friday ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the green reservoir off Mountain Drive, close to the Gateway intersection, at 07:15 for 07:30 until 09:30 every Friday. All volunteers welcome.

Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 or mcvosloo@mweb.co.za ■ ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Everyone in the area is invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Onrus Care Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 - 11:30.

Every Saturday

Wednesday 30 August ■ Eisteddfod Prizegiving Gala Concert: Overstrand Arts/Kunste (OAK) will host the 6th Gala Prestige Concert for winners in each category of the Overberg Eisteddfod. This event gives the learners a platform to perform in front of an audience and at the end of the evening a panel chooses an overall winner. Tickets are R40 for adults and R10 for children, available from the Hermanus Tourism Bureau (028 312 2629). In the Municipal Auditorium, commencing at 19:00.

Friday 1 September ■ Pancake Day at Bhuki Café: Delicious pancakes at R5 to help Friends of Hermanus Library raise funds for the library. Bring your own container if possible as the Friends are attempting to go plastics-free. For advance orders call 028 313 8077.

■ Hermanus First Fridays: The HFF Artwalk is back after their winter break. Join the 18 art galleries in the centre of Hermanus as they remain open until 20:00. Follow the orange as you stroll from gallery to gallery, meet the artists and mingle with fellow art lovers. (Find the HFF map and more info on P 12.)

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 09:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

■ Huis Lettie Theron Fundraiser: The Friends of Huis Lettie Theron invite you to a Cheese & Wine function where several artworks will be auctioned.

There will also be beautiful prints and photographs for sale, with wine sponsored by local wineries, eats provided by local restauranteurs and live music by Andrew Herriot and Janet Marshall of the Jazzfordians. In the banqueting hall of the Municipal Auditorium, at 18:30 for 19:00. Tickets are R100 pp, available from Huis Lettie Theron, Niël du Toit, and the offices of the Dutch Reformed Church in Hermanus and Onrus. Call Barbara Palmer on 083 659 3303.

Friday 1 &Saturday 2 September

■ The Hermanus Country Market: A favourite among the locals, young and old. Fresh local produce, wholesome goodies, and home-made crafts. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

■ Market in the Garden: Set among the trees in the heart of town, at St Peter’s Church in Main Road, from 09:00-13:00.

Every Sunday ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market offers exclusive fine arts and crafts, locally manufactured clothing, accessories and home décor, as well as delicious specialty foods, craft beers and a wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Road, Hermanus, from 10:00 – 15:00.

■ Bot River Spring Festival: ‘Over the Rainbow’ is the theme of this year’s Spring Festival hosted by the Bot River Wine Valley and offering a kaleidoscope of exciting wine, food and country-style fun. Participating wineries include Arcangeli Family Vineyards, Barton Vineyards, Villion Wines, Luddite Wines, Genevieve MCC, Beaumont Family Wines, Gabrielskloof Wine Estate, Rivendell Estate & Vineyards and Paardenkloof Estate. Tickets for a Spring Weekend Pass are R100 pp and can be purchased, along with tickets to individual events, at www.quicket.co.za. Find all the details on P 11.

Saturday 2 September

■ Lemm’s Corner Night Market: This popular Sunday market also trades on the first Friday evening of the month to coincide with the Artwalk.

You’ll find exclusive fine arts and crafts, locally manufactured clothing, accessories and home décor, as well as delicious specialty foods, craft beers and a wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Road, Hermanus, from 17:00 – 20:30.

■ Spring Dance: Dress in black & white, enjoy a three course dinner with wines courtesy of Newton Johnson Vineyards, and dance the night away. At Curro Hermanus, at 18:30. Book your tickets at R300 pp by contacting Tinka on 083 517 0435 or tswingler@absamail.co.za

■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00. Free timed 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Friday 1 – Sunday 3 September

■ Clean Eating Demonstration: With spring on its way it’s time for fresh ideas and inspiration to help you prepare delicious, healthy meals during the warmer months ahead. Join Emilia Knight on Friday or Saturday from 09:30 – 12:00 to learn some simple techniques and presentation ideas to help you style your food and ensure that it is 100% irresistible. The cost of the Friday session is R150 and the Saturday, which will include a mini workshop allowing you to be hands-on, is R200.

Limited availability; book your spot at Goozi Kitchenshop in Mitchell Street, Hermanus or call 028 312 4979.

■ Greyton MTB Tour: The objective of this noncompetitive 2-day MTB stage event is to invite riders and newcomers to multi-stage events to enjoy a weekend of fun, scenic riding. However, make sure that you are fit as each of the two stages are approximately 50 km, mostly on gravel roads (including jeep and single tracks) with flowing single tracks. The start and finish venue is Uitkyk Primary School, Greyton. Departing at 08:30 on both days. Registration: 15:00 – 20:00 on 1 Sep or 07:00 – 08:00 on 2 Sep at the school. The entry fee is R 800 pp (individual entries only, no team entries). Get all the details on www.mtbadventures.co.za ■ Bot River Trail Run: Run in vibrant, spring colours and join the festivities of the Bot River Spring Weekend afterwards. There are three distances: 15 km (R160), 8 km (R90) and a 5 km fun run (R50) which is pam friendly. Unfortunately no pets allowed – the farm dogs in the area are very territorial. Enter online at www.entrytickets.net. Registration at Beaumont Wines opens at 06:00 and closes at 07:15; the 15 km and 8 km start at 07:30 and the 5 km at 07:35.

The medal ceremony, lucky draws and spot prizes will be at 09:45. Remember to bring your own hydration and rain jacket. Find all the info at www.quantumadventures.co.za ■ Onrus Market: Join this community market in the heart of Onrus, every first Saturday of the month. From 09:00 – 12:00, at the De Wet Hall in Roos Street, Onrus.

■ Sandbaai Revive Drive Spring Festival: Entertainment for young and old, from arts and crafts stalls to speciality foods and wine tasting to live music by Edian Barnard to children’s entertainment. Other activities will include a mini cricket clinic with Gary Kirsten (free of charge and all children are welcome), Zumba dance performances, self-defence classes and boeresport. There will be a designated children’s area with supervision, and Overstrand Fire & rescue, EMR and the Bikers Club will all pay a visit. Great prizes to be won! The evening will conclude with a

braai-and-dance (fires provided; bring your own meat). Stalls are available at only R50 each.

At the Sandbaai Hall, from 10:00. For more information, call Anita on 078 387 3701 or Ferdi on 081 433 7241.

■ Gert Vlok Nel: Sprokkelster Produksies presents popular singer/songwriter Gert Vlok Nel at the Hermanus Primary School Amphitheatre. Bring a blanket, cushion, picnic basket and wine, and enjoy the show with family and friends, starting at 20:00. Tickets are R120 pp. Contact Louise on 082 896 5106 / 028 316 4567 or info@sprokkelster.co.za

Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 September

■ BirdLife Overberg Coastline and Estuary Workshop: A weekend long workshop hosted

by BirdLife Overberg, in collaboration with the Nature’s Valley Trust and Dyer Island Conservation Trust. Prominent speakers will share their experiences and show the way forward for sustainable campaigns towards the conservation of the unique birdlife along our coastline and estuaries. Entry is free and you can reserve your spot by obtaining the registration form from Elaine at mwjasser@mweb.co.za or by calling 082 455 8402.

Get the full programme at www.westerncapebirding.co.za. At the community hall, Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus.

Saturday 2 – Tuesday 12 September ■ Shark Week: Join the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC) for a week-long celebration of the unique diversity of sharks, skates and stingrays that are found in Southern Africa. The SASC will present numerous public events; entry is free but some require booking. Get all the details on P 22.

Visit www.sharkconservancy.org or call 028 312 3029 to book your spot.

Sunday 3 September

■ Hermanus Comedy Club: Hosted by veteran award-winning comedian Barry Hilton, this comedy evening promises to have you laughing out loud with hilarious sets from popular Cape Town-based comedians Tracy Klass (headliner), Kenwyn Davids (support) and Eureka Nkese (open mic). Tickets are R120 pp, available from the ‘Nou Gaan Ons Braai’ stall on Market Square or call Sandy on 082 731 1311. At the Classroom Restaurant in Hemel-en-Aarde Village, at 18:00.

Monday 4 September ■ U3A Afrikaans series: Renowned academic and historian Professor Hermann Giliomee from Stellenbosch University will present a talk in Afrikaans on autobiographies in general and his own biography in particular. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

17

29 August - 11 September 2017 Monday 4 September

■ Allan Boesak Book Launch: The Book Cottage will be hosting Allan Boesak for the launch of Pharaohs on Both Sides of the Blood-Red Waters, his brand new book, just published in the US. Dr Boesak will be talking to our very own authority on matters political and theological, Profesor John de Gruchy. At the Book Cottage in Long Street, Hermanus at 17:00. Call 028 313 0834 or email bookcottage@whalemail.co.za if you'd like to attend.

■ Cosmology: Join the Hermanus Astronomy Centre (HAC) for a presentation on Particle Physics for Non-Physicists: a Tour of the Microcosmos by Prof Steven Pollock, Professor of physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. At the Catholic Church hall, at 19:00. Contact Pierre Hugo at pierre@hermanus.co.za

Tuesday 5 September

Gardening (Langarm-tuinmaak). Tickets at R100 pp include tea and delicious cakes and are available from Albertyn’s Pharmacy in the Kleinmond Spar Centre. Call 028 271 4044 or 082 4535 638. At the Kleinmond Dutch Reformed Church hall, at 10:00.

■ The HA! Show: Stargazer Promotions presents South Africa’s HA!Man and Joke Debaere of Belgium who will perform improvisation-based music, theatre and multimedia at Figgs Restaurant in Hemel-en-Aarde Village, at 18:30. R180 pp includes a light meal. Book at Figgs (tel: 028 316 4081) or stargazer4promotions@gmail.com

Thursday 7 September ■ Hermanus Bird Club Outing: Mike Ford will be leading this bird-watching walk at Jessie Walton’s farm in the Elgin Valley. Meet at the Onrus Trading Post parking area at 07:30 to consolidate transport.

For more info, contact Craig Holmes on 083 227 9003.

■ U3A Overberg: The topic of this final talk in the three-part series of lectures on Water in Southern Africa is entitled Ensuring Water Security Under Adverse Conditions, presented by Piet Heyns, independent water consultant and retired head of Water Affairs, Namibia. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

■ Launch of crime novels: Two home-grown writing talents will be at The Book Cottage care of Lapa Publishers to talk about their new crime novels, both with a local flavour. Come and meet Chanette Paul and Martin Steyn to hear them in discussion about their writing styles and for a glimpse into the murky worlds of Dark Traces and Sacrificed. At the Book Cottage in Long Street, Hermanus at 17:00. Call 028 313 0834 if you’d like to attend, or email bookcottage@whalemail.co.za

Wednesday 6 September ■ Gardening Talk: The editor of Tuinier/Gardener, Anna Celliers, will be the guest speaker hosted by Kleinmond Child Welfare for a talk on Long-arm

■ The Confiscated Coast: The launch of popular Overberg author Marius Diemont’s new book The Confiscated Coast, with photographs by Jean Tresfon, will be held at the Hermanus Boat & Ski Boat Club at the New Harbour, at 17:00.

Sunday 10 September ■ Fernkloof Holistic Faire: Enjoy tasty food, special crafts and beautiful art, and meet interesting people and holistic therapists. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 10:00 – 15:00.

Contact Lucia at 028 316 5312 for further details.

18

BOOKS

29 August - 11 September 2017

Pages filled with whales, wine, fynbos & art

A

lmost a decade after the publication of Hermanus

by Penstock Publishers in 2008, the new edition of this popular coffee table book was launched at Sumaridge Wine Estate on Thursday evening.

Republished by Penguin Random House (Struik Travel & Heritage) as a new title, Hermanus – Whales, Wine, Fynbos, Art, the book features entirely re-written text and new photographs throughout, many commissioned especially for this edition.

Leading proceedings at the launch was John Morris, owner of The Book Cottage, who congratulated author Beth Hunt, photographers Johann and Kobus Kruger and Belinda van der Merwe of Penguin Random House on the quality of the end product. After enjoying the festive spread of snacks and copious amounts of Sumaridge estate wines, the large gathering of invited guests flocked to buy their copies of Hermanus and have them signed by Beth, Kobus and Johann.

“The research took up a lot of my time during the last year, but I was so blessed to be able to work with Kobus and Johann.

They were very supportive throughout the process and we had a lot of laughs along the way,” said Beth. “I also could not have done this without the

generous support of my husband Noel and my friend Corinne Hendry of bookmark.”

Corinne, who is attending the Edinburgh Literary Festival and was unable to be at the launch, sent a message of congratulations which was read by Noel.

“Hermanus has changed so much in the last nine years that it’s almost become a different town,” Beth continued. “Since doing the previous book our wine industry has expanded and achieved new heights, we have a spate of new restaurants, coffee shops and guesthouses, as well as new events on the social and cultural calendar such as the Hermanus First Fridays Artwalk, the FynArts Festival and the Pinot Noir Celebration. It was about time for an update.”

As one of the most popular holiday and travel destinations in South Africa, Hermanus has many attractions that draw visitors to our shores year after year, all of which are richly described and lavishly illustrated.

With chapters covering all aspects of the town’s diversity, the reader will learn about all that is so generously on offer in our region and also catch a rare glimpse of the heart that drives the town – the people and communities that have shaped

this favoured destination.

Beth and Noel Hunt have been the owners of iconic Hermanus bookshop, Hemingways, for more than two decades. She was awarded second place for her short story in the prestigious Pen/Studzinski Literary Award in 2011 and her writing has been published in several anthologies.

She is currently working on a food memoir entitled Are you going to eat that? “Yes, I’m on a (bread) roll!” she joked. She is again collaborating with the Kruger brothers and the book will be illustrated with their photographs.

Johann and Kobus are both professional photographers, specialising in nature and wilderness photography, as well as adventure sports, concerts, weddings and other events. Their photographs have appeared in local and national publications. When not behind the lens, Kobus works as a civil engineer while Johann does duty at the family business, Cinema Café.

Hermanus – Whales, Wine, Fynbos, Art is available at The Book Cottage in Long Street and bookmark in Main Road.

The cost is R350.

– Hedda Mittner

Author Beth Hunt with her husband Noel and John Morris, owner of The Book Cottage, at the launch of Beth’s new book Hermanus – Whales, Wine, Fynbos, Art at Sumaridge Wine Estate.

Leigh Bouwer of Whale Talk magazine had her copy of Hermanus signed by author Beth Hunt and photographers Kobus (pictured) and his brother Johann.

19

29 August - 11 September 2017

If you wanted to stop working now, how much money would you need to live off your savings for the rest of your life? The thought of handing in your resignation tomorrow may seem tantalising, but the amount you need is probably more than you realise, and it largely depends on how far away you are from your “normal” retirement date. DANIE OLIVIER of PSG Wealth Hermanus had a look at what we need to know before we retire.

T

he following are important tips to remember when you do your retirement planning, irrespective of how old you are: When is the right time to start saving for retirement and how much should I save?

The main risk facing retirees is outliving their retirement savings. Many of us will live for 30 years beyond retirement age, so we expect our retirement savings to ‘work’ for as long as we have worked.

One should therefore start saving as soon as possible, although it is never too late to start. A good rule of thumb to allow you to maintain your lifestyle later on is to save roughly 15% of your salary starting at age 25. If you start

later, you will naturally need to save more or consider retiring later.

What is a retirement annuity?

Retirement annuities (RA’s) provide a tax-efficient way to save for retirement. RA’s, like pension and provident funds encourage people to make their own adequate provision for retirement, rather than depend on state pensions.

RA’s promote long term saving by limiting access to your savings and aim to safeguard your investment by limiting the amount of investment risk that can be taken on. RA’s are also protected from creditors.

Your investment value at retirement depends on how

much you’ve contributed, how long you’ve contributed for and the return that the underlying investment(s) in the RA achieved over the investment period.

What are unit trusts?

A unit trust is a type of investment that provides easy and affordable access to financial markets as your money is pooled with the money of other investors. The unit trust is run by a fund manager who uses this pool of money to buy underlying investment instruments such as equities, bonds, cash and property, depending on the specific unit trust fund’s objective and mandate.

The unit trust is made up of equal portions called 'units' that are allocated to you according to the amount of money you invest and the

price of the units on the day you buy them. There are a vast number of unit trusts to choose from, both locally and offshore.

based on your unique circumstances, risk appetite and investment horizon in order to best achieve your stated investment objectives.

What is the minimum investment amount?

It varies and also depends on your choice of service provider but usually monthly debit orders start at R500 and lump sum investments at R20 000. Additional contributions can be made as and when.

Advisors will help you to achieve your long-term goals by reassuring you to stick to your long-term investment objectives and investment plan, despite short-term “market noise”, which can sometimes cause one to make rash, knee-jerk investment decisions.

Wondering how you should save and invest? The answer depends on your goals and your financial situation.

My MONEY, in proud association with PSG Wealth Hermanus, will help you work out how to go about building up your savings and the best way to invest money. Here, in this monthly column you will find everything you need to know about investing, from the basics to tips on strategies, building a portfolio, what to buy and asset allocation.

Do I need a financial advisor to assist me?

A qualified and skilled financial advisor can effectively prepare you for your financial future, whatever stage of your financial life cycle you are in.

Financial advisors compile a tailor-made financial plan

Having someone to guide you and keep you disciplined with regards to your personal finances is a resource that can benefit you greatly. Choose someone you trust and who will help you understand and navigate your finances skilfully.

PSG Wealth Hermanus Portfolio Management and Stockbroking 028 312 1508 10 Magnolia Street www.psg.co.za/hermanus stockbrokers

20

E

29 August - 11 September 2017

Body Sensing - move well, feel well, live well

veryone seems to be doing it: gymming, running, cycling... We keep pushing ourselves to become fitter and stronger. Moving is good for your health, we are told, and could even prolong your life.

But what if we are all going about this in the wrong way?

What if there is a better way that does not involve so much effort, stress and potential for injury?

Physical fitness does not necessarily equal health and well-being, says Yasmin Lambat, an Embodiment coach and Somatic movement therapist with a lifelong fascination with how the body works.

Before creating the Body Sensing Method, a practice based on gentle, healing movements, Yasmin was a self-professed gym junkie who worked as a personal trainer for over 20 years. “I became obsessed with every form of fitness, including Pilates and Yoga. I was exercising seven days a week whilst training others to do the same and loving it,” she says.

THE

NEWS

MY Health

That was until she discovered a deeper sense of mindfulness and body awareness through the teachings of Tom Myers and Anatomy Trains. “It required me to slow down, become calm and explore a deeper body awareness which I later realised was called Interoception.”

For Yasmin, gentle is the new strong. “I treated the body like it was a weak physical structure that needed to be strengthened with a lot of effort, but instead of healing I was stressing and aging my body. I went from feeling at home at the gym to coming home to my body. I became less obsessed with strengthening the core and correcting body position and alignment and became more curious about body sensation.”

What she learned was that just because exercise feels good it doesn’t mean it’s always good for you. Instead of focusing on the body’s muscles, she discovered Fascia (pronounced “fasha”) as the new "muscle" that connects everything to everything. “Mind and body are one,” she says, “and motion shifts emotion. There is no point in struggling with fitness if instead you can embody wholeness.”

So what exactly is Fascia?

“Fascia is a system of connective tissue in your body that encases, permeates, suspends and joins your organs, muscles, nerves, bones, blood vessels and skin. It is also the largest super-sensitive organ – your body’s sixth sense – embedded with billions of neurons and sensory receptors that respond

Body Sensing coaches Yasmin Lambat, Nicholas McLean and Jennifer Dunn. to pressure, vibration, pain, emotion and even language.

Fascia is intimately connected with the nervous system, integrating body and mind and all biological functions.”

The Body Sensing method is aimed at releasing the tension that builds up in Fascia tissue in response to physical and emotional stress, leading to muscle aches, inflammation and joint pain. “The soothing movements are designed to calm your mind, restore balance, ease pain and inflammation,

keep you supple, and help you to face life’s challenges and make better life choices.”

In short, Body Sensing is all about using the body as a tool for change and rewiring lifelong habits and behaviour through movement.

“I love it when people experience pain relief from their very first Body Sensing session and how amazed they are at how gentle it is. Most of all I love how they realise that they are reshaping body

and mind,” says Yasmin.

Yasmin and her partner Nicholas McLean, a food and wellness coach known as the Gut Health Yogi, are both accredited Body Sensing coaches, offering workshops as well as individual and group sessions. Joining them from 1 September is Jennifer Dunn, a biokineticist and movement specialist, who will also be offering Body Sensing classes at the Get Logged Gym in Eastcliff. For more information, contact Jennifer on 084 367 0255 or Yasmin on 076 848 3778.

21

29 August - 11 September 2017

T

Have a heart for the homeless

he Hermanus Night Shelter Association (HNSA) finally received news on 3 August that the transfer of the property purchased from the Overstrand Municipality in 2015 for the erection of a night shelter had been effected. The 2 023m² property is situated in Malva Street in Mount Pleasant.

“There were three major hurdles standing in the HNSA’s way and we are overjoyed that the first of these has now been cleared,” says Ray Hartmann of the HNSA. “The next hurdle is the approval of the building plans for the night shelter by the Overstrand Municipality. At the AGM in late July some 28 attendees were shown the extent of the plans, which are approximately 95% complete, together with rough estimates of building costs ranging from R1,3 to R2,3 million. All present felt that the shelter should not be built in phases and this is going to require a massive drive by the HNSA Committee and financial input by the local and business community.”

At year end the HNSA had raised just over R600 000 and Hermanus Rotary has subsequently pledged a donation of R33 000.

THE

NEWS

of assistance to date.

HELPING Hand

“The missing ingredient in the mix is for a driven, dynamic, motivated person from the community to step forward to become chairperson of HNSA in order to propel it forward to the heights required. Until such time Les Abbott will act as chairperson,” says Ray.

Sponsored by Hermanus

Individuals, organisations and businesses are urged to pledge their support for the HNSA’s tireless ambition to get the homeless off our streets before the next winter. “We want to start construction as soon as possible,” says HNSA chairperson and architect Les Abbott, who has been steering this project for almost a decade.

An architect’s impression of the homeless shelter to be built in Mt Pleasant.

Costing done at varying building costs per m2 put the estimated construction cost at between R1,3 and R2,3 million, excluding site works, infrastructure, paving, fencing etc.

Ray adds that the HNSA is concerned about not only raising funds for the building costs but also for the monthly operating costs which commence almost immediately with municipal services. “To keep the shelter

sustainable, funds have to be available for these costs, which are budgeted at between R50 000 and R80 000 per month. Therefore the funding drive has to be two pronged – to raise the capital cost of construction as well as a pool of funds for the operating costs to keep the shelter running.”

At the HNSA AGM some new members came on board. Jan Mulder, Neil du Plessis and Sharon Wicht agreed to serve

on the Governing Body and were thanked for their willingness to be of service.

They join the existing members who were eligible for re-election – Thys Sutherland (legal), Ray Hartmann (vice chair & treasurer) and Les Abbott (building). Keith Murray, Hannes Coetzee, Jack Davis and Phil Pienaar were coopted to assist in various capacities. Acknowledgement was also given to all the volunteers who had been

The HNSA had hoped to start construction sooner, but transfer of the property was delayed when the deeds office discovered that a bond had been registered over the property in 1902 and this had to be resolved first.

“Six people have already died on our streets from exposure and illness in the last few years and we simply cannot afford to wait out any more winters,” says Les. The proposed night shelter will provide accommodation

for up to 35 homeless people, with separate wings for men and women. Strict rules and criteria will apply and arrivals will be tested for drugs and alcohol before being admitted from 5 pm. After spending the night, everyone has to leave the premises at 8am. The shelter will then be closed to shelter residents during the rest of the day and available for other community purposes.

HNSA is appealing to locals and businesses to step in and partner with them to drive this community cause to its conclusion so that the homeless do not have to endure another winter without a roof over their heads. “Come on Hermanus, have a heart for the homeless and join us in our cause,” is the plea from the HNSA. The HNSA is a Public Benefit Organisation [PBO 930-045608] approved for donations under Section 18A of the Income tax Act. For more information go to www.hermanusshelter.co.za or visit the HNSA office at the Grobbelaar Hall in Marine Drive, Hermanus.

Ray Hartmann can be contacted on 083 731 0678 or send an email to nightshelterhermanus@gmail. com

22

29 August - 11 September 2017

Join in the action during Shark Week

T

he fourth South African Shark & Ray Symposium will be held in Hermanus from 10 – 12 September. This biennial meeting of the academic community of Southern Africa who are currently conducting research on these taxa will be proudly hosted by the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC). The previous symposia were hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board in 2011, Oceans Research in 2013 and Shark Spotters in 2015.

In celebration of this gathering of shark scientists, the SASC will present numerous public events to raise awareness about sharks and their role in the ocean. Everyone is invited to join in this week-long celebration of the unique diversity of sharks, skates and stingrays that are found in Southern Africa.

Coast Hope Spot region.

Diarise the dates and join the SASC for Shark Week from 2 – 12 September for these engaging, enthralling and educational events:

Members of the SASC team, who have been researching sharks along much of the South African coastline since 2007, are now focusing their research efforts in the Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot, where they are conducting an ecosystem-level study on the 62 shark species found in Walker Bay. The SASC Shark Lab is situated in the

Old Harbour of Hermanus and also comprises an education centre.

The SASC also conducts research on Batoids (skates and stingrays) which are currently considered one of the most threatened vertebrate groups. Key threats include habitat destruction, overfishing, coastal climate

change and pollution. As large and conspicuous predators, it is thought that skates and rays play a significant ecological role – helping to maintain the health and integrity of the ecosystems in which they are found. However, there is currently a glaring lack of data available to improve their conservation and management within the Cape Whale

Saturday 2 September 09:00 - 13:00: Meet your local shark research team at the SASC shark outreach & education display at the Hermanus Country Market 19:00 - 22:00: Screening of the award-winning film 'Sharkwater' at the Municipal Auditorium (free entry but booking essential) Monday 4 – Friday 8 September 14:00: Daily Shark lab tours for the public at the Old Harbour (booking essential) 09:00-15:00: Communitywide perception surveys about sharks as part of an MSc

project at SASC Saturday 9 September 09:00 - 11:00: Hope Spot shark egg case hunt at all Overstrand Blue Flag Beaches (Hawston, Grotto & Kleinmond) 12:00 - 14:30: Marine puppet show by Story Team at the Municipal Auditorium in Hermanus (booking essential), followed by egg case count Monday 11 September 18:30 – 20:30: Mobile educational shark display plus Marine Speaker Series evening and Meet-A-Shark-Scientist at Municipal Auditorium in Hermanus ((booking essential) Entry is free. Contact 028 312 3029 to book your spot.

23

29 August - 11 September 2017

The foal who almost fell foul of despicable humans

H

i, my name is Daniel, and I am named after a man who rescued me after a terrible ordeal.

Although I am only a few days old, I have experienced so much.

Everything about my life has been unusual. I was born at the time when parts of the world experienced a total solar eclipse for the first time in 100 years.

My first memory is of looking for my Mommy. I was thirsty and needed a drink. But where was she? Who was she? I was surrounded by a group of curious horses, watching me. We were on the edge of a lagoon with lots and lots of water.

I walked to the mare who felt like my mummy and I could see the potential of milk there. She also had a star on her forehead like me, and the other horses called her Star. But as I tried to nozzle her, she walked away and I could not catch up with her on my still wobbly legs. Another older mare named Midnight came to comfort me. I think she is my Grandma and I tried to get some milk from her, but she was dry.

She took me under her wing for a while, but I had to go look for my mommy, because I really needed some nourishment now.

Then I saw some two-legged animals. I think they are called human beings. I sensed they were kind and wanted to help.

They eventually managed to get

LUCKY ESCAPE Daniel the foal had a harrowing ordeal when he was tied to a tree in a graveyard before being rescued. me to my Mommy's side again, and joy oh joy! She allowed me to drink. I just couldn't get enough of her delicious warm milk filling my belly.

The humans went away and the other horses joined us. But in the darkness of night I got lost and could not find my Mommy any more. My Grandma stayed with me for a while, but I was tired and lay down to sleep a while.

When I woke up, I was all alone.

I whinnied, but all was quiet. I started walking, looking for my family, but they were nowhere to be seen. I eventually found other feral horses, but they did not want me, and even kicked me and pushed me away. I was so bewildered.

Then the humans came to help

me again. They actually gave me some water in a bottle, since I was quite dehydrated by now. There was a horse doctor who listened to my heartbeat and tested my strength.

Meanwhile my family arrived, and the horse doctor said I should be OK with my family for the night.

But still Star would not let me drink.

Night dawned again, and I fell asleep. When I woke up I realised that they have moved away again, but I could hear them up the road. I followed them there, till I got to a smelly place close to the village, but I was exhausted, and must have collapsed.

What happened next, is not clear in my mind, because I was

dazed. But when I came to my senses again, I was being carried in the arms of a strong man named Daniel, and put in the back of a vehicle. They took me to the horse doctor and he examined me. I was hurt, and he made a plan to let some strengthening medication and liquid nourishment flow into my body.

Gradually I became stronger.

But there were no horses around, just humans. Some of them were crying, and some seemed to be angry.

There was also a policeman, and he told the doctor that I was abducted in the night by some bad humans. I was hurt and taken to the graveyard where they hung me in a tree. I must have been unconscious, because I

Horse hero Daniel, a local handyman from Fisherhaven, with Daniel the foal.

can't remember any of it.

on some green grass fields.

The horse doctor Mark was very kind, and gave me milk from a bottle. He said he would find me a foster mommy with real milk who will love me and care for me. For my own safety he could not take me back to my family, where the chances for my survival were risky.

There is always hope. When I looked up in the sky today, I saw a cloud in the shape of a horse, and it seemed to me like a message that the creator is looking after wild feral horses too. One day I'll tell the story to my children and grandchildren.

Whether I'll ever go visit my real family again I don't know, but anything is possible...

He said if Daniel hadn't found me, I would not have survived.

That is why I am named after him. Daniel is a man of God, and his name means "God be my judge".

And now I am at a farm in a lovely valley, but not close to the lagoon and my real family.

There are other horses here, and they are very kind and friendly. Today I feel strong and have been playing around

Thank you to the kind humans who tried to help, especially Heather, who was always on the forefront. Thanks to those who took these photos. Elna put it together in a nice video that can be seen on Facebook.

Hopefully someone will learn something from all this...

Typed by Alta Pretorius

24

29 August - 11 September 2017

Handy tips for spring cleaning your home

S

pring is in the air and residents are getting ready to open up their homes and spend more time living outdoors. Refreshing your home after a long winter each year doesn’t have to be a long, laborious task. If you implement a practical spring-cleaning plan that involves systematically tackling high-traffic, high-risk areas room by room, you’ll be done and dusted in no time at all.

Confront major cleaning tasks first It’s a good idea to start your annual spring clean in rooms that have accumulated the most grease and grime over the winter months, while you’re still fresh and enthusiastic. Kitchens, in particular, demand extra attention and plenty of elbow grease. They typically include nooks, crannies and appliances that collect dirt and may be difficult to access.

Target cupboards and shelves Before you get down to the nitty gritty of washing and polishing floors, vacuuming carpets and washing curtains, you should give all the hard-to-reach places in each room a good clean.

Empty all cupboards and shelves, wipe down the surfaces with a clean cloth soaked in hot water, detergent and a splash of fresh lemon juice and, when

THE

NEWS

MY Home

completely dry, lay down new shelf liners where appropriate.

Fridge cleaning tips Your fridge will usually require a major sanitary make-over.

For the best results, empty the fridge of its contents, toss any items that have expired and remove all shelves and drawers. Wash all the items in hot water and dishwashing liquid, and then turn your attention to the interior of the fridge.

given a thorough dusting before you move to lower items such as the tops of cupboards and bookcases.

Curtains, drapes and blinds should be next on the list, followed by furniture and appliances. End by cleaning the floor. This is because as you clean, it’s likely that some of the dust you disturb will fall from higher to lower levels – and you don’t want to end up having to redo your work.

Nasty odours and stubborn stains from milk spills, broken eggs and drips from bloody meat can easily be removed with home recipes, rather than requiring strong-smelling chemical agents such as ammonia. A sure-fire winner is baking soda dissolved in hot water. Alternatively, white wine or apple cider vinegar diluted in hot water will do the trick.

Curtain cleaning basics Over time, curtains and blinds attract lots of dust and grime.

The most effective way to keep your curtains clean is to dust or vacuum them on a regular basis. However, visible marks or stains require hand or machine washing. Typically industrial washing machines provide the optimal results. Be sure to check whether the fabric is machine washable first.

Clean from the top down Always clean from the top down. Light fittings, picture frames and cornices should be

Upholstery and carpet cleaning 101 The final items on your springcleaning checklist should be

your furniture and carpets.

Both may require specialist intervention, but if the stains and odours aren’t too bad, you may be able to handle them yourself. Remember to vacuum and clean inaccessible areas by moving furniture into the centre of the room; be sure you know how to operate the carpet cleaning machine, and test upholstery and carpet fabrics for colour fastness.

How to clean mould on walls in 3 steps A word of caution: mould can cause allergic reactions and poor health, so if you have an extensive problem with mould on walls, it may be best to seek expert help. If tackling a smaller area, make sure you wear protective eyewear, gloves, and a face-mask, as contact with the spores can be harmful. Open windows or use a fan in the room while working.

Make a solution of chlorine bleach and water – usually 1 part bleach to 3 parts water – or get hold of a household detergent with bleach as an active ingredient. Using a stiffbristled brush, scrub the blackened area. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

If this doesn't work, there are products specifically

formulated for mould and mildew on walls that may be stronger, but remember never to mix cleaning solutions together as this can cause dangerous chemical reactions.

Once you've dealt with a mildew infestation on your walls, the next step is to try to stop it recurring. Here are your options: Buy a specialised product. An anti-microbial spray, for example, can help prevent the spores from settling again. Anti-mildew paint can also be purchased from most DIY stores. Consider installing an electric dehumidifier in badly affected areas. This is ideal for longterm mould prevention. Look into upgrading your home insulation. Sometimes, but not always, bad insulation is the root of the problem. Walls and ceilings that are properly insulated will be less affected by condensation, and therefore mould.

How to clean porcelain floor tiles Sweep the tiled area with a microfibre mop – pay particular attention to the edges of the room where dirt is most likely to congregate.

Apply a solution of cleaning fluid and hot water. Scrub the area with a soft nylon brush.

Wipe away the dirty cleaning

residue with clean warm water.

Though unglazed porcelain tiling is notoriously stain resistant, stains can and often do build up over time. To tackle tricky areas, repeat the steps as required.

How to clean a toilet No one likes cleaning toilets. Or talking about cleaning toilets, for that matter. But anyone who counts toilet cleaning among their necessary household chores knows what they're after in a toilet cleaner: one that helps eliminate germs, is safe for family homes, and tackles stains with minimal effort.

When shopping, you should therefore look for a toilet cleaning product that is easy and quick to apply, is able to clean the toilet bowl thoroughly and removes stains easily, is formulated to help fight germs and is safe enough to be used every day. It is for this reason that bleaches are often used as part of household toilet cleaning.

Bleach can be used as a daily toilet cleaner as it helps to keep stains from forming on toilet bowls and under the rim while also helping to fight germs and bacteria. The thickness of some bleach products helps to coat and protect toilet bowls, even after they have been scrubbed or flushed.

25

29 August - 11 September 2017

How green is my Municipality The adjudicators of the Waste Management category of the 2017 Greenest Municipality Competition (GMC) received a warm welcome when they visited Overstrand Municipality on Wednesday 23 August.

Overstrand ranked third amongst the Western Cape’s Greenest Municipalities overall, and walked off as the winner in the category Waste Management for the sixth time in last year’s competition.

Johan van Taak, Overstrand

Municipality’s co-ordinator for the competition and the Municipality’s Solid Waste Manager: Planning, said that Overstrand has always been a keen supporter of the competition. This competition helps the Municipality to focus on things that really matter, and help to improve the quality of our environment and the quality of life, he added.

The adjudication panel consisted of Gregg Adams and Therina Oberholzer from the

Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs.

The panel had a question and answer session with Johan van Taak and Deputy Director of Infrastructure & Planning Hanré Blignaut, before they embarked on site visits to solid waste facilities and activities across the Overstrand area.

The winners of the competition will be announced in November 2017.

2016 Representatives of the Overstrand Municipality at the Western Cape Greenest Municipality awards: Piet van Zyl (Head of Department: Environmental Affairs and Development Planning), Benjamin Kondokter (Environmental Officer), Johan van Taak (Manager: Solid Waste), DA Member of Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Masizole Mnqasela, Lauren Rainbird (Horticulturist), Cllr David Botha, MEC Anton Bredell and Municipal Manager Coenie Groenewald.

26

29 August - 11 September 2017

Host a street party during Tourism Month

W

e are looking forward to September with great anticipation.

With the change of season comes warmer weather, we expect more visitors to the Cape Whale Coast and it’s Tourism Month.

This year saw the launch of the ‘We Do Tourism’ movement that invites everyone to be a tourist and participate in tourism activities. If you’ve been to all our Saturday markets, participated in the First Fridays Artwalk, visited the penguins at Betty’s Bay or hiked in Fernkloof, then you are in tourist in your own region. All activities mentioned would make you a tourist in your particular town or village.

To end Tourism Month on a high note South African Tourism is inviting towns and cities around the country to host their own ‘Tourism Streets’ on 30 September. Recognising that we should be spreading these celebratory street parties, Cape Whale Coast Tourism would like to see residents initiating them any time during

Frieda’s Footprints Frieda Lloyd

September. The party can be big or small but needs to bring people together and create a sense of community and sharing.

The concept is similar to the First Fridays Artwalk hosted in Hermanus. During Tourism Month we want to extend this concept to reach those streets that do not usually see many tourists.

We want people to think creatively as to how they can draw on the profitable tourism economy and share in the benefits of this industry that is such an important contributor to our welfare. Whale Coast Tourism, in collaboration with SA Tourism, invites communities to work together in selling food, offering entertainment such as live

music and any other activity that will illustrate that everyone can “do” tourism.

Everyone is invited to participate and let Cape Whale Coast Tourism know about their plans for hosting a street party. Cape Whale Coast and SA Tourism will assist by amplifying the message via its social network platforms. Cape Whale Coast Tourism can be reached at capewhalecoast@overstrand. gov.za and SA Tourism at goitsemodimo@southafrica. net In addition to ‘Tourism Streets’, the September calender is packed with events celebrating the arrival of spring and showcasing our birdlife, fynbos and marine life. Be sure to support these initiatives and join in the fun!

Wet Wildekrans MTB event enjoyed by all The Rotary Club of Hermanus staged their second Wildekrans Rotary MTB over the weekend of 12 August in some rather chilly conditions and morethan-welcome rain showers.

Although the weather was not perfect for cycling, more than 115 entries were received and the riders thoroughly enjoyed the new track. “The setting of this track is one of the most scenic and picturesque in the Western Cape and we will certainly be back next time,” one of the riders commented.

The majority of riders entered the 50 km route with the rest of the entries spread over the 30 km and 10 km courses.

“Even though the event is marketed as an adventure for the family as opposed to a timed competition, a large proportion of riders are still very serious about their performance,” remarked Braam Gericke from Wildekrans, who was also responsible for the construction of the track. He added that as usual there will be a brain storming session to thrash out any issues they feel should be improved on, with the directions on the route being one of them.

The prize giving created a lot of excitement as there were lots of prizes and lucky draws. “Over and above Isipani Construction and a number of secondary sponsors, the business community of Hermanus came out and supported us beyond our expectations. We are incredibly grateful and are indebted to each and every establishment that gave us their backing,” said Club President Ian Wallace.

The first position over 50 km ended in a draw and this was shared by Paul Gibbings and Gys Malan. The first lady home was Dominique le Clercq who also competed in the 50 km distance. Connor Kitching triumphed as the first male over the finish line in the 10 km distance while Michelle van Dyk was crowned the winning lady in this category. Winners in the 30 km distance could unfortunately not be determined as there was controversy on this particular section of the course.

Kyle Larkan went home with a magnificent Titan Rogue Ryde 24 speed 29er Mountain Bike,

sponsored by Kroff Cycles from Paarl and Lucy Larken walked away with the amazing soughtafter R10 600 accommodation voucher sponsored by Grootbos Private Nature Reserve.

The event finished off with a sociable and relaxing get together of Rotarians and tired mountain bikers, all on top of the world after a most successful event.

29 August - 11 September 2017

MY SCHOOL SPORT

SWIMMING CHAMPS Lilly Ricco (Hermanus High), Laurent Blom (Hermanus High), Raynen Jordaan (Curro Hermanus) and Deandré Smit (Curro Hermanus).

Youngsters just keep swimmin’ At the beginnig of August, Quick Silver Swimming Academy Cape Town, approached Level 1 SSA registered swim coach, Estelle Immelman, to be the coach for Quick Silver Overberg. She immediately grabbed the opportunity to have a number of enthusiastic swimmers from Hermanus registered with Swimming South Africa, through Quick Silver Swimming Academy Overberg. Thus far six swimmers are registered, of which four participated in a Club Friendly Assessment Gala, where they qualified to take part in their First League Gala.

The results were very pleasing and bode well for our swimmers from Hermanus, seeing that they only train with their coach for 2 hours a week, every Sunday in Bredasdorp.

Herewith the results: Assessment gala, 5 August (Fairmont High School Durbanville): • Deandré Smit (Curro Hermanus): 2nd in the 50m Breaststroke, 5th in the 50m Freestyle and Backstroke – Boys 12

• Raynen Jordaan (Curro Hermanus): 4th in the 50m Freestyle and 6th in the 50m Backstroke – Boys 12 • Lilly Ricco (Hermanus High School): 1st in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke, 2nd in the 50m Butterfly – Girls 14 • Laurent Blom (Hermanus High School): 3rd in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly; 1st in the 50m Breaststroke – Men 16 & Over Junior League gala, 19 August (Fairmont High School Durbanville): Boys 12: 100m Freestyle (27 swimmers took part) • Deandré Smit, 4th place, with a Senior League Qualifying Time (SLQT) of 1:17,69 • Raynen Jordaan, 12th place 50m Breaststroke – (26 Swimmers took part): • Deandré Smit, 2nd place, with a SLQT of 43,75sec • Raynen Jordaan, 14th place 200m Individual Medley (IM) – (14 swimmers took part)

• Deandré Smit, 7th place Girls 14: 100m Freestyle (14 swimmers took part): • Lilly Ricco, 1st place, with SLQT of 1:12,59 200m IM (4 swimmers took part): • Lilly Ricco, 2nd place, missed SLQT with 1 second Men 16 & Over: 100m Freestyle (6 swimmers took part): • Laurent Blom, 1st place, with SLQT and Western Province Qualifying Time (WPQT) of 58,19sec 50m Breaststroke (6 swimmers took part): • Laurent Blom, 1st place, with SLQT of 35,37sec 200m IM: • Laurent Blom, 1st place, with SLQT and WPQT of 2:26,57 Contact Estelle Immelman at Just Keep Swimmin’: 073 027 5691.

The Hermanus Waldorf School was privileged to receive a visit from a Dutch family, Maaike and Auke Zwart, with their children Sietse (12), Veerle (10) and Tibbe (7). The children, who attend the Vrije School, Kleverpark in Haarlem, have been fundraising for Class 4 and 5 at the Hermanus Waldorf School. By washing cars, speed skating, and swimming laps in the swimming pool with their class mates, they managed to raise R65 985.00! The money will be spent by the school on educational equipment and reading books. The children of Class 4 and 5 welcomed the visitors with open arms, and immediately Sietse, Veerle and Tibbe made friends and spent some time in the classrooms, and were made to feel very much at home. The family have been travelling through South Africa and said they love it here.

27

28

THE

NEWS

29 August - 11 September 2017

MY Sport

Hermanus schools end sports season on a high

T

he winter sports season concluded on Saturday 19 August with the rugby, hockey and netball teams of Hermanus High and Primary Schools completing their respective fixtures.

Offside Tony O’Hagan

Rugby The Hermanus High School first XV played 21 matches this season, winning 18 of these and suffering only 3 narrow losses.

Highlights of the season included victories over Worcester Gymnasium, Hoërskool Swartland and Strand High School. The team's good performances resulted in five players being selected to represent Boland in the recent Craven week, namely Thys van der Merwe, Dehan Scheepers, Aphelele Madaka, Lloyd April and Michael-John Otto, who captained the provincial side.

Hockey Both the Hermanus High School boys and girls have had a satisfactory season, winning the majority of their games.

Well done to Chanleigh Smith who was selected for the U 16 Boland B team. The new astroturf hockey field proved a real boon for the school, with the surface providing a fastmoving game, and the experience bodes well for the future.

The Boland Academy team also participated in Craven Week and three Hermanus players were selected for this side – JW Human, J'hanco Botha and Lionel April, the latter also being elected ‘man of the match’ in one of the fixtures. A great achievement, with 8 players from Hermanus High participating at Craven Week.

The Primary School U 13 rugby

side had a great season, winning all 11 matches in the Overberg league. The success of the team was reflected in 8 players making the South Boland team and 4 team members playing for Boland in the U 13 Craven Week. They were Corné Kruger, Calum Koebergh, Adriano Prag and Hanru van Vrede. The culmination of the season was the inter-schools match against Laerskool Panorama, with our boys emerging victorious by 40 points to 19 a fitting end to the season.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography

The primary school U 13 boys and girls enjoyed a good season, highlighted by two successful tours - one to George where the boys and girls gained top honours in their respective pools, and the second to Oudtshoorn, where the boys won both their games. They also had their first taste of indoor hockey at this venue.

Netball The High School netball team had a season of mixed results but this was a young team with players from the ranks of U 16 and U 17 competing.

However, the experience gained will stand the team in good stead and there is anticipation of better things to come next year. One of the young stars, Amor Plaatjies, was chosen for the U 16 Western Cape team.

The primary school U 13 team had an active season in the Overberg region but also

participated in events held in Riebeek Kasteel, the Bellville netball day (won all 5 games) and were victorious at the Somerset College tournament.

The team also claimed the honours in the Overberg Top Schools league by beating Panorama 29 - 15 in the recent inter schools match.

Good performances resulted in a number of girls being selected for the Overberg team. Suzaan van Oordt was included in the Overberg U 12 while the region's U 13 team included Megan Hassenkamp, Cara-Maria Bellingan and Chanelle Maritz. The team closed off the season with a tour to George that brought the end of a successful campaign.

In summary, both the High and Primary School can be extremely satisfied and proud of their winter sports results. Well done to the schools for flying the flag high for Hermanus and competing so successfully at the highest level.

SPORT NEWS? Share your sport news, results or photos with us! It has never been easier. Just send the information or image to sport@thevillagenews.co.za and we will gladly consider it.

Competition results, a friendly rivalry, a funny anecdote, a once-off feat or a major improvement – all news is welcome. We would like to feature our community’s major sport stars as well as its unsung sport heroes – just let us know. We look forward to hearing from you.