NEWS NEWS
Village
The
31 July 2018
Cape Whale Coast
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LET IT RAIN With a drier than expected July the De Bos Dam level stands on 44,5%. According to the Municipality the in- and outflow during July was basically the same, keeping the level steady. The current water restrictions and the special levy in the Greater Hermanus area will be kept in place until the dam level reaches the 70% mark, leaving enough water in the dam for the summer season. At the end of winter last year, the dam level was at 68%. PHOTO: Chris Jooste
Where do we go from here? De Waal Steyn
hle Renewal’s leaders Siyabulela Notwala.
eople are saying that things in Zwelihle have returned to normal. The only thing that is normal is that the people are going to work because they need the money.
P
According to him there are currently no planned marches or stay-aways as the Zwelihle Renewal (ZR) committee are holding up their end of the bargain with Police Minister Bheki Cele.
“As for the rest of the issues in Zwelihle there is nothing happening because only when our people have been released from prison will we continue to work on issues such as housing and land,” says one of Zweli-
Cele met with the ZR leadership last week and accepted a memorandum from them, saying he will return to facilitate talks between the Municipality and ZR. “We are not sure when the Minister will return, but we
are in the meantime getting ourselves ready to meet with Minister Cele and the other national ministers he has promised to bring to town,” he says. “At this stage the ZR leadership has not discussed the possibility of meeting with the Municipality or Councillors. We have other more important things to work on, the first being our aim to have all our people released from jail.” Notwala adds that it is not up to ZR to decide if Councillors can return to
Zwelihle. “That is a decision that only the community can take. At the moment they are saying that the Councillors are not welcome. In any case, what work will they do when they return?
at a special Council Meeting held on Wednesday 25 July, Zwelihle Councillors will only return to the suburb once the SAPS has indicated that it is safe for them to do so and law and order has been restored.
“They have done nothing thus far except anger the community by building a fence between Zwelihle and Sandbaai. The community is still very angry about that and for that reason no one can say whether they will be safe if they return.”
It was also decided that a decision on affording Councillors whose lives have been threatened with personal protection will be taken after calm has returned to the area.
According to a resolution adopted
Continues on P 3 Read more on P 4 and 5
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31 July 2018
Aftermath: counting the cost From P 1
remain in place to ‘normalise’ the situation.
At the Council Meeting, ANC Chief Whip Simphiwe Tebele said that neither Councillors from the ANC nor the DA have been allowed to carry out their work in the suburb. “Several of us have been threatened with being burned if we dare return to the area. This is not the way in which we want to conduct our official duties as we are the elected representatives and we need to be allowed to do our work.”
“We would like to acknowledge the role of co-operative governance by thanking the National, Provincial and local politicians and Councillors; every division of the Police, the various disaster management departments and the provincial traffic departments, church and community leaders, as well as organisations, our business community and our own municipal law enforcement, traffic officers and officials for their dedication and hard work during long hours,” said Ald Coetzee.
Ald Michelle Sapepa said at an earlier meeting that she refuses to be an ATM councillor. “How can I in good faith receive my salary while I am being forced not to work? I am sick and tired of being in this situation. Our constituents need us, and we need to be there to ensure that we deliver on the mandate that was given to us,” she said. Mayor Dudley Coetzee in his State of the Overstrand address said the community has been hard hit by the downward turn in the economy, the drought and especially the recent civil unrest action – the effect of which is visible. “For the Municipality and the wider community, including businesses, the last number of months have been challenging and we have faced many trials in our efforts to provide services to all. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who offered and is still offering help – from the supply of meals for the police, law enforcement agencies and residents in Zwelihle, to community members who are serving at restaurants, and also those picking up garbage and assisting the elderly. All these efforts are doing much to assist business to remain open. “To the more than 22 000 residents of Zwelihle, including our Councillors residing there, whose daily existence has been marred by the threat to their lives and an impediment to movement, we are especially thankful to people such as you, who are collectively geared towards finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis at hand,” he said. Coetzee added they are aware that public safety and law enforcement officers are at great risk protecting the residents and ensuring that Zwelihle becomes safe again. “The regular patrols and permanent SAPS presence in Zwelihle is having a positive effect and will
“We are also most appreciative that the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele and the Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, as well as MPL Masizoli Mnqanesa, have taken time out of their busy schedules to engage with us to ensure a favourable and stable outcome. It is however with regret and utter sadness that I have to inform you that the damage to the Municipality’s property, following the civil unrest actions, amounts to an estimated R39 781 590.” (See table below for breakdown of the damages.) “This figure excludes costs to repair infrastructure such as roads and pavements. The cost of the security company contracted to protect strategic municipal infrastructure, such as the Municipal Offices and the sewerage purification works during this time amounts to approximately R1,7M. “Overstrand was one of the leading Municipalities in the country as far as refuse recycling is concerned. As a result of the criminal activities outlined above, we had to cease our recycling program for the time being. No recycling can take place, resulting
in job losses and the recycle swop shops, which benefitted our children, have now become redundant. What sense does it make to vandalise stalls at the taxi rank and shops in Swartdam Road where entrepreneurs from Zwelihle try to make a living?” continued the Mayor. “I am mindful of the call by the Minister of Police for engagements with all concerned – I however want to state categorically that the Municipality will not engage with people who take part in criminal activities, nor will we engage before law and order has been restored and the situation in Zwelihle has normalised. All stakeholders must respect the offices of the democratically elected Councillors. We should contest our political differences at the ballot box and once we have done that, we should all work together for the benefit and betterment of our communities. “We have already commenced with the design of a plan to rebuild the reputation of the Cape Whale Coast as a preferred destination and we will consult with the affected parties. We accept the challenges of going beyond the restoration of normality. Now, more than ever, we need to work towards finding solutions for the challenges facing us, especially the housing issues – bearing in mind that there is no quick fix. “It is a long road ahead, but we do believe in our communities and towns – we have to get back our hope. From hereon let it once again be a case of all hands on deck, so that together we can all play our part in bringing normality back to Zwelihle, Hermanus and the Overstrand in general.”
Zwelihle Satellite Police Station: Zwelihle Library: Zwelihle Taxi Rank: Zwelihle Informal Trading Stalls: Zwelihle New Housing Development: Zwelihle/Mount Pleasant Swimming Pool: Housing Offices: Hermanus Sewer Plant: Fence along Schulphoek Road: Transfer Station: Recycle Plant:
Read more on P 5
R1 345 126 R5 828 880 R1 452 000 R446 770 R1 751 788 R1 931 647 R6 277 255 R40 000 R399 833 R12 808 291 R7 5000 000
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31 July 2018
‘It is time to build new relationships’ Cele ended his address with a call to the leadership of the Overstrand Municipality to go back and find ways of engaging with the Zwelihle community.
Hedda Mittner
I
t took a rather surprising intervention by the Minister of Police, Gen Bheki Cele, to restore calm in the suburb of Zwelihle after two weeks of rioting had brought the whole of Hermanus to a virtual standstill.
MPL Masizole Mnqasela, the convenor of the Stakeholders Meeting, reacted to the Minister’s call by saying that the democratically elected councillors were not wanted in the community. “They have been intimidated and one councillor’s house was burnt down; we almost had a bloodbath... These criminals have to change their behavior and their approach, and the expectation is that the police will restore law and order.”
However, while the Minister has called upon the Municipality to find a way to engage with Zwelihle Renewal, Overstrand Mayor Dudley Coetzee categorically stated at last week’s Council meeting that “the Municipality will not engage with people who take part in criminal activities” (see P 3). Far from resolved is the conflict between Zwelihle Renewal, who claim to be the voice of the community on the one hand, and the mandate of the Zwelihle Councillors as the community’s legitimate representatives on the other. This became clear when the Minister visited the area again on Tuesday last week. Several stakeholders who gathered at the Municipal Auditorium for a scheduled meeting with Minister Cele at 09:00, were flabbergasted when they learnt that he was addressing the Zwelihle community instead. After a private meeting with members of the Zwelihle Renewal Committee, Cele had gone on to address the crowd gathered at the Zwelihle Sports Grounds. The stakeholders waiting at the auditorium were informed by the Minister’s spokesperson, Eldred de Klerk that Cele would be returning to Cape Town after his meeting in Zwelihle. Outraged at what they described as the Minister’s “flip-flop”, MPL Masizole Mnqasela and the local Councillors insisted that the Minister return to Hermanus to address the stakeholders. By talking to the Zwelihle Renewal Committee before addressing the stakeholders, the overwhelming sentiment was that the Minister was legitimising the unelected and selfappointed representatives of the Zwelihle community, while dis-
The Minister of Police, Gen Bheki Cele, addressed thousands of people at the Zwelihle sports grounds during his visit last week. This time around, the crowd was more willing to engage with the Minister than on his first visit with Premier Helen Zille. PHOTO: MC Botha respecting and undermining the office of the democratically elected Councillors. When Minister Cele finally arrived at the auditorium at about 14:00, he explained his actions by emphasising that he had come to Hermanus of his own volition and not at the behest of any one party. “I took the initiative to come here when I realised that life in Hermanus has come to a standstill. As Minister it is my job to make peace and avoid the possibility of the police getting into a Marikana situation; I will not allow that to happen. I listened to you here on Friday [20 July] before addressing the Zwelihle community. I was then invited by Zwelihle Renewal to come back this morning and engage with them and the thousands of people who came to the sports grounds.” Cele went on to say that this intervention was necessary because a stalemate had been reached between the leadership and the community. “The government would be failing the people if we did not attempt to resolve this issue. The situation cannot be allowed to continue and I had to do this in order to
re-establish stability. It would be irresponsible for any Minister not to listen to the community; life must go on.” Among the demands contained in a document that was handed over to the Minister by the Zwelihle Renewal Committee was that he visit their leader, Gcobani Ndzongana, who was arrested on 11 July, in Pollsmoor Prison. “The request was made by his family and I agreed to go and see him,” Cele told the stakeholders. “They also want Ndzongana and Theron Mqhu to be released, but I told them I could not request the release of suspects as it is no longer a police matter; it is in the hands of the justice system and due processes need to be followed.” (Read more about the arrests on P 5.) Another demand made by the Zwelihle Renewal Committee was that the police refrain from arresting their members. The Minister’s reaction was to emphasise that where reason exists to arrest someone, this will be done. “I get paid to arrest people – that’s my job,” he said. What he did agree to, the Minister continued, was the demand for a period of disengagement by the
additional police forces. He told them that this would, however, depend on various conditions: 1. That the missing shotgun that was stolen from a police officer be returned. 2. That everyone is given the freedom to return to work and to school; and 3. That no more property or infrastructure is burned and that the neighbourhood is cleaned up. “Only then will the additional forces leave Zwelihle,” he stated firmly. “Until then the police forces will remain, including an extra 36 police members that I brought in today to combat gangsterism.” Once they have withdrawn, Cele also warned that the forces could be brought back in less than 24 hours if these things do not happen. With regard to complaints of police brutality and the alleged use of live ammunition on protesters, Cele said he had invited anyone with a complaint to report it to the Independent Police Investigation Directorate. He summed up his strategy by saying that “We are willing to talk but will enforce the law where necessary. We call it the carrot and the stick. Last week I used the stick and this week I used the carrot.”
The Minster replied that his intention was not to take away the local leadership but rather to build relationships between all the stakeholders who are now estranged. “I am not here to lead the people; that’s your work. My only work is to create stability so that we can create the space for leadership to function.” When Mnqasela expressed his dissatisfaction with the procedure followed by the Minister and the fact that he listened to the grievances of Zwelihle Renewal before hearing the views of the Councillors, Cele asked him: “If I had come here before going to Zwelihle, what would you have said to me?” “We would have said that we want you to be tough on criminals,” answered Mnqasela. “Secondly, we will not ask ZR for permission to earn a living or go to school. Thirdly, when they want to protest they will do so peacefully, and lastly, they will not use violence against the people they claim to represent.” The meeting concluded with Mayor Dudley Coetzee thanking the Minister and the SAPS for working tirelessly to contain the unrest in Zwelihle. Minister Cele undertook to return next week and to facilitate further meetings between representatives of Zwelihle, Local Government and the Departments of Human Settlements, Labour, Education and Justice. At the time of going to press, no date had been confirmed for the next meeting.
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31 July 2018
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: The Management Committee of the Chamber are: (front row from left) Lincoln Johnson, Michael Bayer, Heinrich Gillen, Michelle Botha, Jana Smith, De Waal Steyn, Willam Ntebe, Clinton Lerm. Back row: Alta Pretorius, Hamish Hofmeyr, Gideon Serfontein, Joke Gonggrijp, Edwin Brooks, Rob Fryer, Marietjie Dalbock, Gilbert Munchanyare, Anneke Otto, Frieda Lloyd, Pine Pienaar. Absent: Margaret Motsoene, Wihan Jansen van Rensburg, Les Abbott, Tania Fourie, Grant McLachlan, Xolile Kosi.
Business Chamber set to make a difference for its members The new Management Committee of the Hermanus Business Chamber (HBC) held its first meeting on Thursday 26 July, ushering in a new era for this association. Chairman De Waal Steyn said he was overjoyed at the large number of people who were willing to work on a voluntary basis to assist the businesses in town. “Specialists from several industries as well as business and civil leaders have joined forces to create a committee that will facilitate the sustained economic growth of our town,” he said. Under the new versatile leadership, the Chamber will play an exceedingly important role in the future of our area, and during the coming year will expand further, as other business groupings have indicated that they would like to become part of an overarching Overstrand Business Forum. The newly created management portfolios are in line with the municipal departments in order to engage meaningfully with them. “It is our mission to expressly engage with the Municipality and other government and civic roleplayers in order to promote the interests of all businesses in Hermanus. The Chamber aims to represent both formal and informal businesses
within the borders of our town and to work together with other associations on the Whale Coast to ensure that business can be conducted in a free, fair, ethical and equitable way and that this will lead to the continuous creation of jobs and an economically stable region,” the Chamber said in a press release. De Waal thanked everybody who became involved for their positive energy and for making themselves available to assist with the Chamber’s task and obligation to the business community. “We will welcome anyone who has a legitimate interest in business to join us on our new path forward. We are here to serve the business in all the communities of our town.” The Executive Committee members are: Chairman De Waal Steyn from The Village News, Vice-chairman Hamish Hofmeyr from The Village Health Shop, Treasurer Heinrich Gillen from Boshoff Visser Accountants and Secretary Alta Pretorius. Committee members were allocated the various portfolios. They will interact with relevant role-players and give feedback regularly with a driven focus on a progressive
sustainable socio-economic future for our area. The portfolios and their representatives are: • Infrastructure & Planning, Hermanus CBD Regeneration/Retail: Les Abbott, Pine Pienaar, Hamish Hofmeyr. • Economic Development and SMME Assistance: Gideon Serfontein, Xolile Kosi (LED Manager), Lincoln Johnson, William Ntebe, Margaret Motsoene. • Training and Community Services: Michelle Botha, Anneke Otto. • Tourism, Marketing and Communication, Festivals and Events: Frieda Lloyd, Clinton Lerm, Marietjie Dalbock, Tania Fourie, Gilbert Munchanyare, De Waal Steyn. • Friends of the Business Chamber: Grant McLachlan, Michael Bayer. • Legal Resources: Wihan Jansen van Rensburg, Heinrich Gillen. • Environment: Rob Fryer, Hamish Hofmeyr. • Corporate Social Responsibility: Joke Gonggrijp. • Safety, Security and Protection: Jana Smith. The Chamber invites all businesses to come and meet the new Committee members and hear about the Portfolios they will be representing at an open meeting in the Municipal Auditorium on Monday 20 August from 18:00 to 20:00. To join or for more information contact Alta Pretorius on 028 315 1619 or email hermanusbusinesschamber@gmail.com
Unrest: arrests and pending cases More than 100 people have been arrested since the unrest started on 10 July. According to the SAPS most of these people were charged with public violence or malicious damage to property. Two of the three leaders of Zwelihle Renewal (ZR) remain behind bars. Gcobani Ndzongana will reappear in the Strand Magistrate’s Court on August 1 after his application for bail was dismissed on Friday 27 July. According to the State Ndzongana still had pending charges of public violence and incitement against him when he was arrested on similar charges on 11 July. Despite claiming in an affidavit that he was not aware of any pending charges, the State revealed that he had been released on a warning by the Hermanus Magistrate's Court on 31 August 2017. Ndzongana's arrest on charges of incitement and malicious damage to property on 11 July
was the catalyst for the violent protests over the past few weeks. During his bail application the State presented evidence that Ndzongana had allegedly called on residents to dismantle the fence that had been erected by the Overstrand Municipality between Zwelihle and Sandbaai. The evidence places Ndzongana at the scene when the fence was dismantled by disgruntled residents who allegedly viewed the fence as a form of segregation of the black and white communities. According to the law, malicious damage to property is a Schedule 6 offence that is regarded very seriously by the court. When applying for bail for such an offence, the burden of proof will be on the defendant to prove to the court that exceptional circumstances exist, which in the interest of justice permit their release. According to the State Ndzongana may not be a flight risk, but he is a threat to public safety.
According to reports, Magistrate Franselien Mouton found that he had failed to show exceptional circumstances for his release and that the State had a strong prima facie case against him. “The accused is a leader in the community, and I encourage such leadership, but one must do so orderly,” she said. “There are a number of legal remedies to resolve disputes with the Municipality. Our country simply cannot afford the destruction of infrastructure.” Fellow ZR leader Theron Mqhu made an appearance in the Hermanus Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of public violence and attempted murder. The case was remanded until 7 August for a formal bail application. Of the 17 other accused that also appeared on Monday, only one person was remanded in custody. The third leader, Sicelo Gxamesi, was released on 22 July after being incarcerated for 48 hours.
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31 July 2018
Let’s Talk
THE
NEWS
Reflections on stupidity In March 2013 there was a wellwritten article in the British popular science magazine New Scientist on human stupidity. The article stated that one can be highly intelligent, and at the same time be exceptionally and unforgivingly stupid. Understanding the factors that lead clever people to make bad decisions sheds light on many of society’s biggest catastrophes.
Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za
Was lack of housing real reason for riots? The period leading up to all elections in our country is normally marred by violence and protests. Any reason for dissatisfaction is articulated as a valid excuse for mass action. However this is normally a red herring for strategic manipulation and future political leverage. In a recent local episode of this, the main reason of many reasons articulated was the lack of housing development/policy/strategy by the local authority and lack of policy for backyarders. However, at the time of the protests a housing development project was under construction in the Still Street area and the civil engineering works for housing
were under construction off the R43. These projects were allegedly vandalised tactically, slowing down housing delivery. To receive an RDP house in South Africa as a backyarder or any other person one must qualify in terms of the Housing Act. Therefore one must be on a housing waiting list, earn less than R 3 500 p/m, not have previously received an RDP house, be a South African citizen and have dependents. If a potential beneficiary does not meet any one of the criteria in the Act they cannot receive an RDP house and the next person lower down the list is considered. This
can easily be construed as corruption, however it is merely the local authority applying the law. This process is audited every financial year by the Auditor General. The person/persons leading protests this time of the year normally operate outside the constitutional political framework so as to avoid political party disciplinary rules. Therefore they can use criminal activities as a tool. They may then use their perceived large following and support for personal gain and leverage in the future to gain access to party proportional lists. Housing? John Sterne
Municipality can no longer be a ‘power unto themselves’ The most positive change that has come out of this tragedy is that Overstrand Municipality has involuntarily fallen under the spot-
light. They will no longer be a ‘power unto themselves’ and will be compelled to actually comply with their ‘transparency’ policy by
involving the new stakeholders of Hermanus in future decision making. Linda, Onrust
Stupidity can be infectious and is driven by ego, greed, prejudice and situation. In Zwelihle, the situation was a formidable driver of stupidity. The state of inequality, poverty, overcrowding and lack of needed services that has persisted for years in Zwelihle drove the stupidity that contributed substantially to the human and material damage that has been done. This stupidity may be forgivable, and it is likely many of the perpetrators feel deeply unhappy about their actions. The aftermath of these conflicts always leaves a feeling of depression and sadness. Afterwards some know when they have been stupid. The word “intimidation” is a common and somehow comforting expression in these situations. All sides use intimidation; it is a key ingredient of any conflict. The military and police use intimidation on their members, as do activists on the members of their community. The word is used with fervour by propagandists. Those of us who were forced to serve the apartheid government in the townships during the struggle will know that the word “intimidation” in the riot/stay-away situation is intimately mixed into the excuses for inappropriately cruel and violent behaviour.
Weather forecast for the next week & De Bos Dam level
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The unsympathetic, hurtful, typically cryptic but often openly racist, comments made by many of the wealthier, privileged and better educated members of Hermanus during the tragedy of the Zwelihle unrest are acts of inexcusable stupidity. The words “them” and “their” are given powerful nuance in posts on social media. These people have had the advantage of a sounder and possibly broader education and should have been taught to be more objective. These members of our community should know better, their acts of stupidity are unforgivable. One is constantly amazed at how passionately religious these people often are. Hypocrisy rules. The prejudiced and sycophantic comments and exploits by one egodriven commentator during the unrest are an example. The onesided praise of the police (who reportedly did their jobs well) while unsympathetically and thoughtlessly disregarding and overlooking the plight of children with eyes burning from tear gas and babies dying is another example. The persistent hypocrisy, bragging, obsessing and self-praise while reporting and commenting on this heart-breaking situation was irresponsible and therefore the motives are questionable. The situation in Hermanus over the past few months suggests that not much has changed in this beautiful, prosperous town and the disgusting racist attitudes of the apartheid era persist – this is denial at its worst, stupidity at its finest.
Keith Kenyon, Northcliff
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31 July 2018
Support for Zwelihle Renewal growing rather than dwindling I would like to review one of the comments that I made in my response printed in The Village NEWS last week. I said that the longer the unrest continues the weaker the support would be for Zwelihle Renewal. Having now had an opportunity to talk to my congregations in both Mount Pleasant and Zwelihle, as well as attend the meeting at the sports stadium between the Zwelihle residents and the Minister of Police, it would appear that their support has crystallised rather than reduced. The sympathy Zwelihle Renewal had from the residents of Mount Pleasant and the foreign nationals living in Hermanus has dwindled. However they have a very strong support base with SA nationals residing in Zwelihle and particularly the young adults. The comment made by the Premier of the Western Cape and circulated on social media regarding "the may-
THE
NEWS
Let’s mend our fences
hem a small band of thugs can wreak on a community" was misleading. Although the actions of Zwelihle Renwal over the past unrest could undoubtedly be classified as thuggery, they are anything but small. I watched their skirmishes with the police – and the group actively engaging with the police was anything but small. After all, 75 arrests have been made, and even if we assume that all the culprits have been arrested and that some of them were innocent bystanders, that's still a sizeable number of people. Zwelihle Renewal also has a groundswell of support within Zwelihle. As one young adult told me, "They afford us a platform for our grievances that we have not previously had. Father Adrian Knight
OPINION Matters
There are few things in life that are certain and that is a fact. Another fact is that very few things in life are simple. This is especially true in terms of the situation Hermanus finds itself in after two weeks of unrest left the town and region reeling. What has become one of the most serious humanitarian and economic situations in our history was in essence triggered by a fence. The fence that was erected by the Municipality on Schulphoek Road. There are many stories doing the rounds, while parties on all sides are blaming each other for what has transpired. But, if the fence had never been erected or if some community members had not broken it down, we would have been in a position far different from where we find our-
selves now. The fence was the catalyst for the events that have left all communities holding the short straw.
The authorities claim that the fence was erected after due public participation and the decision was made to the benefit of all communities. Zwelihle Renewal claim the fence represented all that is wrong in our community – a community that is divided along racial lines and where the haves and the have-nots need to be separated by a fence. At the end of the day it was not the fence itself but what it symbolised – fences between our people, be they literal or figurative. Is the task at hand, long overdue, not for us all to start working on mending those fences? This is the good NEWS – Ed
How did we ever manage before screens? Millions of tiny little signals shoot out of our TVs, smart phones or laptop screens, which subliminally but tragically penetrate our unsuspecting eyes, and wriggle around through the blood vessels in causing what is known as ocular haemorrhoids. They have the devastating potential of invading our skulls and eventually turning our brains into slightly sloshy mieliepap. During a recuperative night of shuteye, the wrigglers thankfully stop wriggling. But the first thing we do when we wake up is to look directly at our digital bedside clocks or our phones. Bang! That’s the starter’s gun for wrigglers to resume penetrating our brains throughout the day, and modern society forces us to accept the shackles binding us to these screens, as most of us are never far from one, and easy prey. In the distant past, ocular haemorrhoids were virtually unheard of to the common or garden variety caveman. Due to poor internet signals in their caves, there were virtually no wrigglers, so beneath that handsome chiseled body lay a handsome chiseled brain. No mieliepap here, sloshy or stiff; just uncontaminated grey matter. And it appears they managed quite well before screens. A stick in the ground would cast a moving shadow to alert the kids what time the school bus was coming, or when Ma should start preparing dinner. Instead of emails, tweets and WhatsApps to communicate, they used their ears and voices. It was called talking, and worked very well. Messaging over long distances was more complex and required either drums, pigeons, or a blanket and a fire on top of a hill. However, smoke-signals were useless unless you had plenty of
A Far Kraai
Anyway, back to today. Screens are in your face whether you like it or not. Drawing money from an ATM is extremely dangerous. They release uncapped wrigglers, unlike your car dashboard, which retains most of the wrigglers till after the engine is switched off. The Eyeball Institute for Serious Haemorrhoids (EISH) strongly suggests that 1) drivers evacuate their vehicles immediately after switch-off and 2) not to look at the dashboard while walking away.
Hofmeyrs to memorise the songs beforehand and visually mime to the words on the screen. The haemorrhoid-reducing goggles supplied by management help enormously, but make you look even more ridiculous. Drive-ins from the fifties and sixties started the epidemic, but most have been dismantled to make way for cluster houses, which although also an eyesore, are not permanently damaging. The most common cause of bleeding eyeballs and pap brains is obviously the infestation of social media, and its side effect – FOMO. Fear of missing out, especially among youngsters, requires frequent staring at their smart phones, hoping something new has popped up.
Texting on cellphones while the car is switched off is so dangerous, that EISH and the traffic department have colluded to impose hefty fines. These are used to supplement Medical Aid fees to help eradicate wrigglers and stiffen the mieliepap, although most of the money secretly goes towards municipal Xmas parties and pole-dancers.
For most of us though, whatever our line of business, we’re forced to stare for hours at our computers to earn our daily crust. In the process, and despite the wrigglers, these screens help us correct mistakes, create spreadsheets and supply any information we need in seconds. We’d be lost without them.
Another source of extensive damage is TV, especially SABC/ Gupta news channels. Chinese Kung Fu films and Spanish Telenovelos with their shocking attempts at lipsynching should be avoided. As should karaoke screens. EISH advises aspiring Tina Turners or Steve
Out of necessity, we have become part of the first step towards Artificial Intelligence (AI), which in the long run will inevitably have an effect on our own. However, regular reading of newspapers like this helps eradicate wrigglers, control the haemorrhoids and stiffens the pap.
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Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com
wood to keep the fires smoking. Sometimes discussions were quite long, especially when the gals from the Bingo team got to swapping vegan recipes. Rain though was always a dampener. This is where the term ‘a wet blanket’ comes from.
The Team
Marketing Manager Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za
Comedian Carol Burnett is familiar to most of us, but this clip highlights some of the ridiculous protocol surrounding the upper echelons of royalty. Harvey Corman plays Prince Phillip and the palace guard, oddly, is also American, which makes things worse. Very entertaining and irreverent. Apologies to any Brit swallows who are royalists. Type in Burnett+Queen.
Marketing Representative Laetitia Prinsloo 082 738 3765 ads@thevillagenews.co.za
Journalist Elaine Davie 084 343 7500
Photography & Social Media Taylum Meyer 084 564 0779 taylum@thevillagenews.co.za
WHERE TO FIND US Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is regarded as one of the most memorable songs written in the last century, and an all-time favourite with young and old. At the Luminato Festival in Toronto, in June 2016, 1 500 singers rehearsed their various back-up vocals for two days before Rufus Wainwright joined them on stage to sing lead. An EPIC NIGHT to remember. Well worth a twirl. Type in Hallellujah+Rufus.
The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 7 August. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.
MEMBER OF
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31 July 2018
Tourism: We need to do things differently If I were the Overstrand Tourism Fairy, I would wave my magic wand and… 1. Change Cape Whale Coast – Hangklip-Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford, Gansbaai – to Cape Blue Coast: A Caring Community In Touch with Nature. We need to change the focus from whales to conservation, which not only includes whales but also sharks, nature reserves, clean environment, agriculture, wine, clean water, sustainable aquaculture, and blue flag beaches to name just a few examples. Our vision should be to be the Bluest and Greenest Community in the World. 2. Pass as many bylaws as we possibly can to protect, defend and enhance our True Blue credentials. These bylaws would include, for example, only allowing paper or bio-degradable plastic straws and tops to be used and sold in the municipality, only allowing paper bags and not plastic bags in all shops, and promoting only the planting of indigenous species in all public and private spaces. In case our councillors need some help with how to go about doing this, they can refer to this link which takes you step by step through the process http://www.greenbylaws.ca/docume nts/GreenBylawsToolkit_2016.pdf. While all these steps would be great
for the environment, they are also good for property values, giving a 10 – 15% premium. Do your own research if you don’t believe me. 3. Pass a bylaw that allows residents to reclaim, over two years, 100% of the cost of installing rainwater collection tanks on their properties, provided that they use an accredited company to do the installing. Also pass a bylaw that allows residents to reclaim, over five years, 100% of the cost of solar panels, again provided that they use an accredited company to do the installation. Pass a bylaw that allows residents to reclaim, over two years, 50% of the cost of a household bio-gas digester, again provided an accredited installer is used. Work with Learn2Earn and OTI to train and accredit companies to do this work so that we create jobs in the community. Across the municipality this should create at least 200 – 300 ongoing jobs. 4. Redirect money that is being spent on the extra public works job initiative by LED into training and jobs in identifying and uprooting invasive plants across the municipality. Partner with Cape Nature and Vogelgat Private Nature Reserve, which are interested in extending their holdings from land donations but don’t
have money for alien invasion clean up.
successfully done. Why can’t we do it here?
5. Create large bio-gas incubators across the key towns that link into the electricity grid with a bylaw mandating that all the hotels, guesthouses and restaurants must deposit all their biodegradable waste at these sites. In return, they would receive credits against their electricity bill. Set a price per 100 kg of biodegradable waste delivered. There are lots of models worldwide that show how this is possible and how it can create jobs for low-income consumers.
8. Set clear development standards in the IDP about the ratios of housing price ranges that need to be available in the municipality. If we really believe that tourism is the key economic driver of our economy, we need to have proper housing for the majority of people who will be working in this industry. If, for example, we said that 30% of all housing projects going forward must retail to customers for less than R1 million and 20% for less than R400 000, we would have very different types of housing projects in our municipality and increased rates and taxes.
6. Instead of local businesses working in isolation, create weekend getaway packages that combine accommodation, restaurants and activities at price points that are affordable and attractive to residents of the Western Cape – Romantic Lovers Hideaway, Action Adventure Achievers, Gourmet Connoisseurs Gastronomy, In Tune with Nature. These are all ideas that could be promoted on the Cape Blue Coast website. The Western Cape is the Overstrand’s biggest source of visitors. We need to find better ways to bring them here. 7. Every festival we host should also include all-inclusive packages. All across the world, this is
9. Given that many of the former townships are in close proximity or part of the other suburbs, speak to Treasury in Pretoria about offering tax incentives to businesses that specifically go into the townships to do renewal. Doing this for Cape Town and Johannesburg did wonders for urban renewal. Why not have a similar approach for rural township renewal? 10. Move the centre of Whale Festival activities from the Hermanus CBD to the Zwelihle sports stadium. Now that’s a radical idea which would automatically involve a different approach!
11. Bring the www.whalecoast.info website into the 21st century by making it not just a tourism web-site but an Overstrand community website, with a portal for residents to find out what is going on in the municipality, to get information, to advertise jobs, for example. Let’s learn from Singapore about how to create a one-stop shop for all information in the Overstrand instead of having multiple websites. 12. Offer residents an all-year permanent 10% discount at restaurants, shops, bars, tourism activities, etc. Let’s encourage our own Overstrand residents to spend money in the community and reward them for this. Charge R100 for the Residents’ Identity Card and use this money to fund the activities of this initiative. There are plenty more ideas; this is just the beginning of my list. The point being that if we really want to improve the fortunes of our community, increase visitor numbers and create jobs, we need to do things differently. Primarily this will require proactive leadership from the municipality and our elected officials. But it will also require local businesses to rethink their own approaches and to work in a more collaborative way. Slaavid
Village
EXPLORER The
FOOD • WINE • HISTORY • NATURE
Wine Village - 20 years on and still celebrating a fine wine time!
W
hat makes a visit to the Wine Village the best South African wine experience? The short answer is: the wow factor!
vations. These include new releases and sometimes even the expected clients. “Palates differ from north to south of the country, from east to west of the world,” says Paul du Toit, owner of this familyowned business. “When we can anticipate who will be visiting, we make the tasting selection accordingly."
Walking into the Wine Village is a sensory overload. Before you have the opportunity to tell the friendly staff what you are looking for, you will be invited to taste the day’s selection of interesting wines, listen to the stories behind the wines, smell nuances you did not know existed, discover new trends, explore new tastes and be amazed at the variety and flavours that are out there. Suddenly you’ve forgotten that “old faithful” that you came in for and you’re eager to share a newfound treasure with your friends.
Wine Village has the ‘goods’ to celebrate South Africa’s rich wine diversity. From obscure ‘no-ways’ producers to the old faithful, they have them all. On 3 August 2018 the extended family at Wine Village will celebrate 20 years of offering the best South African wine experience and one of the largest, proudly South African selections of wine to consumers from far and wide.
More than 230 producers from every part of the country are represented at Wine Village in a veritable library of more 2 600 wines and wine-related products. Don’t be in a hurry. Every wine in the shop has been tasted by the Wine Village team and their passion is to share that knowledge. The tasting wines are selected according to the season, the latest trends and inno-
The du Toit family at your service: Owners Paul and Cathy du Toit with their son Joh, daughter-in-law Karien and daughter Ulla du Toit.
Paul and Cathy du Toit opened the doors of the Wine Village in August 1998, with an invitation to browse and experiment with new labels, new producers and new trends. One does not merely buy wine at the wine village, one buys an experience, starting with the warm welcome from every member of staff to the invitation to taste the day’s selection.
Congratulations to Wine Village “Congratulations on 20 years of wine business! We at Mullineux are hugely appreciative of your support, from the early days of our company when no one knew of us and no one in SA seemed to like Chenin Blanc! And look where we all are now... Time flies when you're having fun!” Nicolla Tipping – Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines “One of South Africa’s best wine shops. I have never visited without
discovering a new wine or product – always trendy, not only with wine but also the best selection of boutique spirits. Besides this, the team has become one of our best customers, proudly focusing on local wines, and ultimately good friends.” Talita Engelbrecht – Hamilton Russell Vineyards “The Wine Village team are truly amazing, with outstanding knowledge, great product range, ultra-swift
service and huge amounts of humour. Well done and congratulations on 20 years of excellence.” Percy Haywood – Percy Tours “Since the first days of Spioenkop Wines the symbiosis between Wine Village and Spioenkop could be felt as you adored our Elgin-style wines. What we appreciate about Wine Village is that you never hide Elgin wines between Hemel-en-Aarde wines. Your service levels and integrity
towards Spioenkop Wines are a good example for us all. Thank you very much for the last 20 years and I trust we will work together as well for the next 20 years!” Koen Roose – Spioenkop Wines “When I think of the Wine Village, I think of family – the good side of family of course! The familiar faces, the honest answers, the trusted recommendations, the warm and friendly hellos and help, the recipe sharing, the
great conversations, the meeting of new people, the wine club and the wonderful experiences shared with locals and visitors. Walk in as strangers and leave as friends – knowing that Paul, Cathy, Ulla, Jaco, Hester and the rest of the team have not only made this visitor a friend of Hermanus but a friend of our wonderful wine region. Thank you for 20 years of wine friendship and we look forward to the next 20!” Anika de Goede – Hermanuspietersfontein
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31 July 2018
Hermanus’ links to The Great Escape One of the great pleasures of studying local history is that a single person or event can lead you on to another person or event and then to another and, suddenly, you have links in a chain that takes you far away from your original starting place, writes DR ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society. The chain links can take you deeper into or further back in time in your own community, or they can take you far away from where you started, into a world you never dreamed had connections to you.
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the family, but, after it ended, she told her new boyfriend about Bushell. The boyfriend betrayed Bushell to the Gestapo for a reward. Bushell was recaptured and the entire Czech family shot.
his topic takes the second course – away from our small community in Hermanus to Johannesburg, England and Germany, and from today to the early and mid-20th century. It is the story of Roger Bushell, whose name appears on the War Memorial above the Old Harbour with other residents of Hermanus who died in the Second World War.
Roger was sent to the highest security prison (Stalag Luft III), after vicious interrogation and torture by the Gestapo. He immediately began planning for a large escape, and created an “escape committee”, with himself as chairman, known as Big X. Under his leadership 600 RAF officers became involved in what history calls “the great escape”.
Roger Bushell was born in the town of Springs, in what is now Gauteng, in 1910. His father was a mine manager who had become wealthy and he sent Roger to a private preparatory school in Johannesburg in 1917. This was Park Town School, opened by Lord Milner in 1902 in a tin shanty in Girton Road, Parktown, then the swankiest suburb in Johannesburg. A few years later it moved to Mountain View to occupy luxurious premises in a house built by super-rich Randlord, Percival Tracey, who had died in 1907 and left the building for this purpose. The house still stands today, with its white pillars clearly to be seen against the green hill. It has been restored as corporate offices.
Squadron Leader Roger Bushell is commemorated at the War Memorial above the Old Harbour.
Roger’s grandparents lived in Hermanus during his prep school years and he spent his holidays with them every year in the summer. They owned a house in Contour Street, Fernkloof, which still stands today. There is a photograph of Roger, aged about 13, with a surfboard, that could only have been taken in Hermanus.
Unfortunately, only 76 men managed to crawl down the tunnel and get into the woods surrounding the camp before the German guards were alerted and further escapes prevented.
After prep school Roger was sent to Wellington College in England and then studied law at Pembroke College, Cambridge University. For a few short years he practised successfully as a barrister in London, but when World War II broke out he immediately joined the Royal Air Force, assigned to 92 Squadron, flying Spitfires. His fighting experience was quite short. In 1940 he was attacked over Calais by two Messerschmitt 110s and his aircraft was badly damaged. He managed to land it in enemy territory. At about this time Roger’s parents moved to Hermanus and were living in the family home in Fernkloof. Letters he wrote to them went to the post office in Tenth Street, Voëlklip. He wrote to them about his capture:
The Great Escaper – The life and Death of Roger Bushell by Simon Pearson was published in 2013, the year of the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the film, The Great Escape.
He had a relationship with a daughter in
Nevertheless, 76 was a huge number to escape at once and the escape was a big boost for Allied confidence and propaganda. Hitler was enraged and ordered the summary execution of every one of the 76 escapees captured. After some days 73 were recaptured and 29 of these were shot in the back of the head by Gestapo members. Roger Bushell was one of those executed. The Gestapo official who shot Bushell, Emil Schulz, was tried for murder at Nuremberg in 1946, found guilty and sentenced to death.
Roger Bushell showing the ravages of being a POW in Stalag Luft III before ‘The Great Escape’.
The memory of Roger Bushell lives on in Hermanus. His name is among those on the War Memorial near the Old Harbour and is the only name of someone never to have lived here permanently, though his parents were living here at the time of his death. His parents also made a presentation to the Hermanus High School, in remembrance of their son who (incidentally) could speak nine languages. The two coveted Roger Bushell prizes for character are still awarded annually at the prize-giving of the school and his name and the story of his great courage live on.
The old girl burst into flames. And as you can imagine I got out as quickly as I could. I thought I was well behind our lines but to my rage and astonishment a German motorcyclist came round the corner and I was taken prisoner. It was the duty of every Allied officer to try to escape and Roger Bushell took this duty very seriously. Almost immediately he escaped from a low security prisoner-of-war camp (Dulag Luft), but was recaptured. He then escaped from the train taking him to a more secure camp (Stalag Luft I) and reached Prague, where he was hidden for 8 months by a Czech family.
Details of the great escape are well known, from a book published in 1953 by Paul Brickhill and a film released in 1963, with Sir Richard Attenborough playing the role of Roger Bushell. In brief, the prisoners dug three escape tunnels (Tom, Dick and Harry), so that if one or even two were discovered, work could go on in the third. Two hundred men were equipped with realistic German civilian and military clothes, forged papers and money (all manufactured by prisoners from materials available in the camp), and on the night of 24 March 1944 the escape began.
Amazing, where the links in a Hermanus history chain will take you!
The Bushell family home in Fernkloof where Roger spent his childhood holidays and where his parents had retired at the start of WWII.
The author welcomes any comments or additional information. He can be contacted at robinlee@hermanus.co.za
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31 July 2018
Who is shooting our baboons? about the safety of his family. “Like any small boy our son likes to dress up as his favorite cartoon characters and when he is running up and down or climbing over stuff in the garden it would be very difficult at a distance to distinguish him from a baboon. “I am seriously concerned that either our son or one of us will be shot by someone taking the law into their own hands. My wife has heard several gunshots when baboons are in the area while she is at home with our son,” he says.
De Waal Steyn
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ometimes it feels as if we are living in the Wild West, with the number of potshots taken at baboons that sit on our boundary wall. “When I say potshots, I don’t mean throwing rocks or shooting with paintball guns, but shots from somewhere with real live ammunition. And it happens while we are at home with our 3year-old son,” says frustrated Voëlklip resident Rikus van Tonder.
Several homeowners in Voëlklip have suffered huge losses after baboons either gained entrance to their homes or wrecked newly planted gardens. One owner said she suffered more than R16 000 worth of damage after baboons destroyed all the potted plants and pots in her garden.
“Only last week we found the decaying carcass of a baboon behind our wall. It has been confirmed that it was shot with a .22 caliber weapon. As a matter of fact, there are several what can only be described as bullet holes in my wall to attest to the fact that someone is actively trying to kill baboons in the area,” he says. Liezl de Villiers, Environmental Manager at the Municipality, confirmed that at least three baboons have been shot over the last two months. “One of these was Stevie, the collared troop leader. He was shot with a .22 on 19 June in close vicinity of Lakewood Village on the golf course. Because he had the collar on we could pick up from the tracking data that he was shot around 11:00 that morning. “The data on the collar was very sporadic from 25 June onwards and it stopped moving on 28 June. We started searching for the baboon on the morning of 29 June and we found him not far from where the last signal was displayed. He had been shot in the groin. “An adult male was shot in April and he suffered for about a week before he died. On 14 July we found a sub-adult male dead behind a house in Voëlklip. He was also shot with a .22 while sitting on a wall. It was dead for about two weeks before it was found.
Stevie, one of three baboons that were recently shot and killed by unknown persons, was the leader of the Fernkloof troop. Just over a year ago, Stevie was collared (above) by Human Wildlife Solutions .
“These are the baboons we know of but because we are not monitoring them we do not immediately know when baboons are shot or even how many may have been shot. It should be noted that it is not allowed to discharge a weapon in an urban area. Also, a permit is required from Cape Nature for the hunting of wild animals. The Municipa-lity will be handing these cases over to Cape Nature for investigation,” says Liezl. The Van Tonder family say they were well aware of the baboon problem in the area when they decided to build a house here. “We knew full well what the challenges are of living in an area that borders on a nature reserve, especially where there are baboons. “For that reason, we have installed clear burglar bars on all our windows to prevent a baboon from gaining
’
Not only is discharging a firearm in a built-up area against the law; the shooting of animals should not be something that residents have to resort to
’
entry to the house, we are mindful of what plants we plant in our garden and we also ensure that our rubbish is kept in baboon-safe garbage bins and that no household waste is accessible to the baboons,” says Rikus’ wife Andreline. According to them, they live in harmony with the baboons. “Yes, they come to visit and sit on our wall to survey the landscape. Our son gets very excited when the ‘baboons come to visit’,” they say. “At times when they become too familiar in our garden we have fired empty shots with a paintball gun to chase them away. This works because years ago the baboon monitors used paintball guns to keep the baboons away from the houses. They are still very scared of that sound.” But, says Rikus, he is very concerned
Kari Brice, Ward 3 Councilor, says the virtual fence that was created last year by Human Wildlife Solutions is not operational due to a lack of funding. “This has been an ongoing saga and I am pleading with the Municipality and the Provincial Government to work together to find a solution. Not only is discharging a firearm in a built-up area against the law; the shooting of animals should not be something that residents have to resort to,” says Kari. The Municipality has halted all funding for the management of baboons in the Overstrand as it believes that this is a function of the Provincial Government in terms of the Constitution. Municipal Manager, Coenie Groenewald says highlevel discussions between the Municipality and Province have taken place and legal opinions with regard to the management of wildlife within the borders of a town have been obtained. “At this stage discussions are taking place and we are committed to finding a resolution as soon as possible.”
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31 July 2018
Hermanus restaurants getting back on their feet
T
wo weeks ago, when I went on a walkabout to find out how our restaurants were doing in the midst of the stay-away, I found several closed doors, and those that were open, were operating under extreme pressure due to a lack of staff. On the whole, though, the morale of our local businesses was bolstered by the many volunteers who lent a helping hand to keep their doors open and their kitchens functioning, even if they were only able to offer a limited menu to their customers.
What’s Cooking RESTAURANT NEWS Hedda Mittner
It was a different picture this weekend, with our restaurants and coffee shops all open for business and most, but not all of their staff having returned to work. There can be no doubt that all these establishments have suffered enormous financial losses due to the unrest, yet most owners have treated their staff members with compassion and supported them as best they can. “It is still very quiet,” says Rayno Rabie of Betty Blue, “as visitors have been dissuaded from coming to Hermanus due to the unrest. But I realised that we have a choice, every morning when we wake up, whether we are going to be positive or negative. We can’t move forward if we are negative; we have to lift our heads up and look to the horizon. As Winston Churchill said, ‘If you’re going through hell, keep going’; it’s the only way to get through to the other side.”
Nic Kennedy and Theo van Niekerk of the Vanderbolt Coffee Company are opening a new restaurant in Sandbaai called Vb. on 1 August.
At Vb. Theo, who managed the Newton Johnson Restaurant until June, will start off by focusing on pizzas and gradually build the menu. Although the opening was delayed by the recent protest action, Theo remains upbeat. “We haven’t been able to interview staff or get the signage done, and we still need a pergola and umbrellas outside, but we’re getting there,” says this plucky entrepreneur, who previously managed several restaurants in Cape Town. He was also a co-owner of Van Hunks in Kloof Street and owned a coffee shop cum deli called Tamboerswinkel before relocating to Hermanus three years ago with his wife Amy and their now three-yearold son Samuel. “It’s hard to be negative when you are living in a place as beautiful as Hermanus,” says Theo. “I feel very privileged to be a part of such a caring community where everyone pitches in to help one another. I am especially grateful to Amy and my partner Nic, his wife Liz, and the many friends like Anton and Nicole Verhoogt who have helped us with everything from renovating the kitchen to painting the walls.” Vb. will be open from Wednesday, 1 August, serving a variety of pizzas, beer and wine. They are open Wednesday to Saturday from 12:00 – 21:30; Sundays from 12:00 – 16:30; and Tuesdays from 16:00 – 21:30. Closed on Mondays. Call 072 368 3991 to book.
And on that note, it is encouraging to see not only our existing restaurants getting back on their feet, but even new ones opening. In the midst of all the unrest, Theo van Niekerk of the Vanderbolt Coffee Company pursued the opportunity to open his own eatery by taking over Casa Beira-Mar in Sandbaai, after its owner, Ricardo Braganca, relocated to the CBD to open Casa Ricardo in Aberdeen Street. Theo has renamed Casa Beira-Mar, also previously known as Bamboo Beach, as Vb. after his well-known coffee company. His business partner, Nic Kennedy, will continue to focus on Vanderbolt Coffee, whose mobile coffee bar trades from their funky three-wheeled tuk-tuks at various locations, including the Whale Garden next to the Old Harbour Market, at
Curro Hermanus in the mornings and at the Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market on Saturdays.
Partners Tam Yeatman and Gordon Schoeman are the new owners of Embers, which opened last month in Harbour Road where Piccolo’s used to be.
Another eatery where pizza takes pride of place on the menu is Embers, where Gordon Schoeman and his partner Tam Yeatman have infused this little gem on Harbour Road, previously known as Piccolo’s, with a funky and youthful vibe. The previous owners, Mike and Cherie Pallas, ran Bella Napoli in Onrus for many years before relocating to the CBD and they are once again moving to a new location. Having purchased Eat Restaurant from Sheena Bruce, they can now be found in Hemel-enAarde Village, from 1 August.
They have taken over all the staff, including the chefs. The only ones who will be missing are Sheena and head chef Connel Massyn, who have decided to focus on their charcuterie business, which they’ll be running from Caledon. I, for one, will surely miss them! Back at Embers, Gordon and Tam are not only business partners, but will be heading down the aisle soon. While Gordon was born and bred in Hermanus and matriculated from Hermanus High, Tam hails from Johannesburg. Both spent several years working on yachts overseas and met in the Caribbean. When they finally decided to settle down, they chose Hermanus and started looking for a place “to call our own”. Having found Piccolo’s and concluded the deal with Mike and Cherie, they rolled up their sleeves and spent several weeks renovating the premises. Since opening last month as ‘Embers’, several finicky diners who are not easily pleased informed me that their thin-based pizzas are superb. Although I haven’t put their recommendation to the test, the premises surely are a delight – fresh, modern and uncluttered. A narrow staircase leads to the dining area on the first floor, with a little balcony that affords an attractive view of Lemm’s Corner and bustling Harbour Road. Gordon and Tam were hardly up and running when the worst of the unrest flared up, but they remain undaunted. “It was a challenge to get through it,” says Tam, “but fortunately it’s a small restaurant and we could manage. It also showed us what we are capable of.” As in many other instances, family and friends helped them through, including Gordon’s brother Gideon. “Our vision was to create a welcoming space where young people can relax without having to go to a bar,” says Tam. “We are in a good location as there is a lot happening in Harbour Road and we feel very positive about the future of Hermanus – and our business.” Embers is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 – 21:30. Closed on Mondays. Call 028 312 1950 to book.
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31 July 2018
Stoffel Frick, owner of Hermanus Gas, stands among a small number of the hundreds of extra gas cylinders they have bought at a discounted price to assist local restaurants.
Hermanus Gas assists restaurants Restaurants in Hermanus that were directly affected by the unrest during the past few weeks will get some reprieve in their running costs, thanks to Hermanus Gas and Total Gaz South Africa. “When the management of Total Gaz heard about the unrest in our town and saw that the volume of gas used has dropped significantly because restaurants were not able to trade, they decided to offer us a discounted price for the next few days. “We took the decision to buy as much gas as possible at the discounted rate and offer local
restaurants gas at the lower price,” says Stoffel Frick of Hermanus Gas. “Although we can only buy the gas from Total at the discounted price for one week, we have decided to buy as much as we can afford to, so that we can assist the restaurants over the next two weeks. In total we are spending more than R207 000 on the deposits alone for the extra cylinders we are buying,” he says. Stoffel says they have ordered so many extra cylinders that he’s had to rent extra space to store them. A 48 kg cylinder of gas is now available to restaurants at R864 (excl. VAT).
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Wednesday 1 August
■ South Hill Supper & Movie Night: Join South Hill in the beautiful Elgin Valley on the first Wednesday of every month for sunset drinks from 18:00, main course supper at 19:00 and a movie screening at 20:00. This month’s movie is Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessandro Nivola. Christy Weyers from Liberty Books will be introducing the film, which is based on the award-winning debut novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. The cost of the movie and supper is R135 pp; fully licensed bar, dessert, coffee and tea also available. For those who would like to sleep over, South Hill offers a special mid-week accommodation package. Contact 021 844 0888 or events@southhill.co.za to make your booking. At South Hill, from 18:00.
(Un)Thinking Citizenship: Feminist Debates in Contemporary South Africa. U3A is proud to receive an academic of her calibre in Hermanus. Members and guests: R10. In the Municipal Auditorium, at 17:30. ■ Cosmology: Join the Hermanus Astronomy Centre for a presentation on Natural Philosophy: Science for the Non-scientist. For more information, email petermh@hermanus.co.za or contact 081 212 9481. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 19:00.
Friday 3 August ■ Bhuki Café: Join the Friends of Hermanus Library for tea, coffee and eats for only R20 and help to raise funds for the library. Every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30, at Hermanus Library. ■ Kolwyntjie Teetuin: Everyone in the area is welcome to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum). At the Onrus Dutch Reformed Church, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.
■ Soul Café: Don’t miss tonight’s performance of Lost & Found members of the Parlotones when they get together at Hermanus’ trendiest night spot. R100 cover charge. There will be a Gourmet Cheese Burger, chips and 500 ml Old Harbour beer for only R100. Call 028 313 2137 to book. At Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus, at 20:00.
Thursday 2 August ■ Rotary Club Breakfast Meeting: Hermanus Rotary invites you to a special meeting with guest speaker Shannon Pam, an internationally certified coach, trainer and speaker, who will talk about The power of connection: healing ourselves and the world. Shannon will explore how, by making conscious choices, we can live in alignment with our highest values and create a better world for all. R80 pp, incl. breakfast. RSVP Janet on 073 200 8779. An EFT payment is required and proof of payment should be emailed to janethaigh@hotmail.com. Banking Details: Standard Bank Hermanus, branch code 050312, Acc no 082261385, Ref Breakfast + Name + Surname. At Hermanus Golf Club, from 07:30 – 09:00. ■ U3A Open Meeting: Amanda Gouws, Professor of Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch, will be talking on the topic of Gender Politics. Amanda has conducted extensive research on women’s politics and published widely on issues in South African politics, including as co-author of the acclaimed book, Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa: Experiments in Democratic Persuasion, with James Gibson, and as editor of the award-winning
■ Hermanus Groundwater Development: We all know that water supply is a major problem and that Hermanus had the foresight to tap into groundwater before reaching a critical situation. This talk, presented by U3A Overberg, will deal with the hydro-geological setting, how a wellfield works and general management of water-use. Guest speaker, Prof Chris Hardnaty has been Director (Research and Technical) at Umvoto Africa (Pty) Ltd since 1999 and is well acquainted with all aspects of water supply in Hermanus. He will also lead a discussion of other aquifers in the south-western Cape, especially the Cape Flats aquifer and its potential for Cape Town. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00. ■ Rewind: Join Soul Café every Friday night and relax to the tunes of their resident band as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. R50 pp. Call 028 313 2137 to book. At Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus, at 20:00.
Saturday 4 August
■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. Set off from the Overstrand Training Institute
(OTI) farm on Camphill Road in Hemel-enAarde Valley, at 08:00. ■ Shopping Bag Workshop: Discover how to make a handy shopping bag with Creative Notions. The cost of the one-day workshop is R100 pp. You’ll be part of a small group, receiving individual attention and making new friends. For more information or to book, contact Sylvia on hermanus@creativenotions.co.za or 028 312 2182. At Creative Notions in Long Street, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Hermanus Country Market: After a wellearned break, Hermanus’ favourite local market will be back this Saturday. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people. If you have clothes hanging around that you are no longer wearing, please bring them along this Saturday for the Hermanus Hospice Shop. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Market in the Garden: Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Fioré Country Market: Browse this new country market in Bot River for homemade crafts, books, local treats, fresh fruit and more. Stands are free and in the event of rain the market moves indoors. For enquiries, contact Debbie Randall on 028 284 9220. At Fioré Garden Centre & Coffee Shop, Bot River, from 09:00 – 14:00. ■ SANSA Open Day: Bring the whole family and enjoy Space Fun for Everyone at the South African National Space Agency. Entry is free. For more info contact 028 312 1196 or events@sansa.org.za. At SANSA, from 09:30 – 14:00. ■ Botrivier Hotel Market: For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. At the Botrivier Hotel, every Saturday, from 10:00 – 14:00. ■ Beaumont Barrel Cellar Lunch: Become a viticulturist for a day and join in planting a new
chenin vineyard in old soils, followed by a delicious barrel cellar lunch. As it is a real vine planting, pull on your gumboots and come prepared to get your hands into the Beaumont farm soil. The all-inclusive cost is R485 pp and booking is essential by sending an email to info@beaumont.co.za. At Beaumont Wines in Botrivier, from 11:30.
Sunday 5 August ■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market offers exclusive arts and crafts, and handmade local products. At Fisherman’s Village (between Cattle Baron and Fisherman’s Cottage), from 10:00 – 15:00.
Monday 6 August
■ Hermanus History Society: Well-known academic, theologian and author Prof John de Gruchy will be the guest speaker at the HHS’s members’ meeting. He will talk about Dr John Philip: A prophet before his time. Dr Philip, who as superintendent of the London Missionary Society in South Africa campaigned for racial equality and justice, was one of the most influential figures in the Cape Colony during the early decades of the 19th century. Entry is R20 and guests are welcome. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 16:00 (refreshments will be served from 15:30.)
Tuesday 7 August ■ Dementia: Did we bark up the wrong tree? As the average age of populations rises the number of people living with dementia, especially among females, is going to increase. U3A Overberg’s guest speaker is Geriatrician and Head of the Department of Medicine at the UOFS, Prof Dirk Weich, who will take a look at the significant progress that has been made in the last 25 years, explaining our knowledge and understanding of dementia and highlighting the new developments and reasons for optimism. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.
Wednesday 8 August ■ SAARP Club Meeting: Dr Robin Lee will be the guest speaker at the Hermanus Social Club of the South African Association of Retired Persons’ monthly meeting. He will do a presentation on Fascinating People and Places in Hermanus History. For more information, contact Ingrid Green on 028 316 2390 or 082 081 6889 / 082 552 0655 or send an email to ingridgreen@hermanus.co.za. In the Sandbaai Hall, from 09:30 – 11:30.
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info@laughingwatersfarm. At Laughing Waters Farm.
Tuesday 31 July ■ Marine Evening: Join Marine Dynamics for a fascinating presentation by guest speaker Grant Hine, a qualified national nature and culture guide specialised in dangerous animal guiding, birding and palaeo-anthropology and marine life. Grant is currently part of the Marine Dynamics Academy running a Coastal-Marine Guide training programme. The cover charge is R25 and the donation box will also be available. RSVP: cari@marinedynamics travel.com. At the Great White House, Kleinbaai, at 18:30.
Wednesday 1 August ■ Graze Farmers Market: Reduce your carbon footprint and get your fresh veggies at Graze Slow Food Café, every Wednesday between 09:00 and 12:00. Always seasonal, always fresh. Stay for coffee and breakfast. Graze Café is also open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays for breakfast. Be sure to book by calling Tabby and Alex on 076 243 1930. At Graze Slow Food Café.
Saturday 25 August
Good Guide Saturday and Sunday. Deal with resistance to making art, get into the creative flow, listen to your intuition and create from a place of nonjudgement. You’ll produce two intuitive mixedmedia paintings in two days. No art experience required. For more information email tracy@moonandbirdarthouse.co.za or call/whatsapp 084 584 3757. At Moon & Bird Art House.
Thursday 9 August
Wednesday 1 & Thursday 2 August ■ Aerobics: Join the Aerobics Revival in Stanford at R80 pp for a full month entailing 8 classes (twice a week). For more information, call Anchelle on 063 662 0001. At the Stanford Community Hall, from 18:00 – 19:00.
shop. You’ll learn how to use indigenous and fynbos essential oils to create a unique fragrance. The cost is R750 and includes coffee/tea and a mini DIY fragrance kit and 9 essential oils to take home. Booking is essential. Contact 082 725 9832 or email info@lerichenaturals.co.za. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 10:30 – 13:30.
Friday 10 August ■ Lion Pawty Fundraiser: Celebrate World Lion Day by having a good time while raising funds for Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary. There will be live music, a raffle and a silent auction. Come and enjoy an evening of relaxed fun in beautiful surroundings. For more infor, email marketing@pantheraafrica.com. At Stanford Hills Estate, from 18:30.
Thursday 16 – Sunday 19 August
Saturday 4 August ■ Saturday Morning Market: The Stanford food market is alive and well and trading every Saturday morning. Homemade and artisanal goodies available, from clay-oven ciabattas to fresh garden vegetables. Don’t be late! On the Stanford Hotel Stoep, from 09:00 – 12:00.
■ Women's Day Fun Run: Get moving to celebrate Women’s Day with a 5 km Fun Run in and around Stanford village, in collaboration with the Grootbos Foundation. Wear something pink to celebrate women everywhere. R50 registration fee. Spot prizes to be won. Set off from the Stanford Community Hall, at 08:00.
■ Creative Self-Expression workshop: Join Tracy Algar for a two-day intuitive art workshop on
■ Perfume Workshop: Dive into the adventure of blending fragrances at this introductory work-
■ Breath & Horses: Spoil yourself with an allinclusive Transformational Retreat in tranquil surroundings where you’ll find yourself surrounded by beautiful mountain views, protea fields, birdlife and a gentle herd of freely roaming horses. You’ll start your mornings with yoga outdoors, enjoy delicious food inspired by the farm’s organic produce and go to sleep in a comfy and characterful farm cottage. Contact Kirsten for all the details by sending an email to
■ Stanford Junktique Market: Come and browse to your heart's content, and breathe new life into previously loved items. For more information, call 028 341 340 or email book@stanfordinfo.co.za. In the Stanford Tourism Courtyard, from 09:00 – 12:00. ■ Eikenhoff Open Day: Gorgeous Orchids on sale at crazy wholesale prices! Meander through the nursery at your leisure. Ask your questions and learn some new growing tips. Stock up on potting mix and fertilisers. Light refreshments will be on sale. No admission fee. Call 076 292 5267. At Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery, from 09:00 – 14:00.
Thursday 30 August Sunday 2 September
■ Wellness Retreat: An opportunity for you to step outside of your ordinary life and to let go of what weighs you down. This four-day retreat is based on the practice of yoga and meditation as a way of life, and includes 3 nights’ accommodation; daily breakfast, snacks, tea and dinner; daily yoga and meditation sessions; and plenty of free time to relax and unwind, meet like-minded people and make new friends. R2 700 pp in a shared room or R4 050 per person in a private room. Max 8 people. For enquiries or to book, email info@goodwillmountain.com or call Bodhi on 063 602 5626. At Goodwill Mountain Farm.
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Exchange student discovers a new world in Hermanus
M
y time here has gone by so fast and I’m really sorry that I can’t stay longer,” says Rotary Youth Exchange student Lili Elo (16), who has spent the past five weeks living with the Jordaan family in Sandbaai. She returns to her hometown of Sopron in Hungary on Thursday. Lili has formed a close bond with the Jordaans, especially with their 17-yearold daughter Tasché. “I couldn’t have wished for a better family. Tasché and I are like twins,” she says with a big smile. During her time in Hermanus Lili has even learnt a few words of Afrikaans and says she understands quite a lot. And her favourite food is slappap (maize porridge) – “we don’t have anything like that in Hungary!” But the best thing about Hermanus is its people, she says. “They are so open and friendly, and everyone greets you. In Hungary we don’t really do that.” Lili arrived during the school holidays and during her last two weeks she also had the opportunity to attended school with Tasché, a Grade 11 learner at Hermanus High, where she says she made many new friends. Hermanus High was very different to her school in Hungary, though, where she still has three years of schooling left to complete. “We don’t wear school uniforms and we’re allowed to wear jewellery and make-up, and our hair loose. We also have many more subjects – 14 in all – and we don’t move from one class-
room to the next, but stay in one room the whole day, with a 10minute break between lessons.” Netball was another revelation; back home in Hungary Lili plays basketball and her brother is an ice hockey professional. She is looking forward to taking Tasché skiing and snowboarding when it’s her turn to visit them in Sopron as an exchange student for six weeks in December. She has already warned her that it could be below freezing, but Tasché is excited to experience real snow for the first time. “Winter in Hermanus is like late spring in Sopron,” laughs Lili. When the opportunity arose for Lili to apply for the Rotary Youth Exchange programme she had to pick three countries she would like to go to. The other two were Spain and Argentina, but she says South Africa was her first choice and she is so happy that she ended up in Hermanus. “It’s so beautiful here,” she says and mentions outings to the Hemelen-Aarde Valley, to the Stony Point Penguin Colony and Cape Agulhas as some of the highlights. As were the baboons and dassies – and she is hoping to still see some whales before she leaves. Another memory Lili says she will cherish is doing community service at Jubilee Haven in Hawston with the Grade 11 class as part of Life Orientation. While she knows that social ills are rife in some parts of the Overstrand, she was struck by the abun-
dance of goodwill and caring. “Some people in Hungary thought I was crazy to come to South Africa and worried for my safety, but I never felt scared, even when there were riots in Zwelihle,” she says. The best part of her Hermanus experience? “Walking on the beach at sunset,” she says without hesitation. “I will really miss that and I’m definitely coming back.” The Rotary Youth Exchange provides thousands of young people with the opportunity to meet people from other countries and to experience their cultures, thus planting the seeds for a lifetime of international understanding. The programme is open to youth with leadership and interpersonal skills that will enable them to act as cultural ambassadors for their country. The short-term exchange programme entails a “family to family” exchange, with selected students between 16 ½ and 22 years living with a host family in that country for 6 to 8 weeks. The long-term exchange programme offers the opportunity for students who have completed Grade 12 to travel to another country and attend a senior school for 12 months while living with a host family. For more info or to apply, send an email to d9350yep@gmail.com or go to https://rotaryexchanged9350.word press.com/apply/ - Hedda Mittner
Rotary Youth Exchange student Lili Elo from Hungary (left) spent six weeks living with the Jordaan family in Sandbaai. Here she holds the Hungarian flag with Tasché Jordaan, who will visit Lili’s hometown of Sopron as an exchange student in December.
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Ageing pets need more, not less
our cat or dog has been part of the family for 10 years or more and like a favourite armchair, he’s become part of the family ‘furniture’ – loved, but not especially fussed over because, unlike children, he’s undemanding and fits into your everyday routine.
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flavoured pet toothpaste at EberVet Vetshops. The bacteria from gum disease can affect your pet’s heart.
MY Pet Dr Hilldidge Beer
5. Exercise more slowly Joints ache and inflammation sets in as your pets age; exercise is essential to keep them healthy but slow it down a little.
This is where so many pet owners fail their pets: ageing pets need more – not less – care and attention and with just a little effort on your part, your oldie could live longer, happier and healthier.
6. Make a few house modifications Older cats may have difficulty climbing into a litter tray; swap theirs for one with a lower side (available at EberVet Vetshops). If your cat or dog has a favourite sleeping place, make sure it’s easy to reach. Climbing stairs or jumping onto a bed becomes increasingly difficult when joints seize up and muscles ache.
Start by taking a close look at your pet. Is he showing the symptoms associated with age-related disease? Old age signs and symptoms • difficulty climbing stairs • difficulty jumping up • increased stiffness or limping • loss of housetraining • drinking more water than normal • passing urine more often than normal • lethargy • panting excessively • shaking or trembling • less interaction with the family • changes in behaviour (excessive barking or confusion) • changes in sleep patterns • eating more or less • bad breath • changes in weight It’s important to pay close attention to your pet as he ages because most pets don’t show signs of disease until very late, making treatment less successful and more expensive. Some common age-related diseases include dental disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism
7. Always have fresh water available Hydration is essential for good kidney function. 8. Upgrade his bedding Old bones feel the cold; swap his bed for something softer and thicker. EberVet Vetshops have a wide range of beds and bedding for cats and dogs.
(cats), hypothyroidism (dogs), kidney and liver insufficiency, heart disease, arthritis, vision loss, cancer, senility and obesity. Remember, that for every one human year, pets age by seven. If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms of ageing, your pet will need extra help. 1. Get to the vet for a checkup
Ageing pets need to see the vet more often, usually twice a year. 2. Consider your pet’s diet Older pets need fewer calories so weight gain or obesity may have become an issue for your pet. Obesity leads to diabetes and heart disease – expensive diseases to treat. Your ageing pet will also have additional vitamin and mineral requirements. Discuss diet changes
with your vet or EberVet Vetshop. 3. Always spay or neuter your pets Up to 50% of unspayed dogs develop breast tumours by age 10, and uncastrated males can develop prostate, anal and testicular problems. 4. Clean your pets’ teeth It’s easier than it sounds. Find petfriendly toothbrushes and yummy-
It’s easy to take an old best friend for granted but remember, by putting in that little bit of effort now to make your ageing pet’s life healthier and more comfortable you’re saving a fortune on vets’ bills later. Diseases associated with ageing can be expensive to treat. As always, prevention is better than cure.
Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group, www.ebervet.com
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Banish the word ‘diet’ and make friends with food Fat! Diet! Don’t let these little words scare you. Rather let the Weight Control Clinic Hermanus help you cope, control and manage their associated health risks, writes DR ARIEN VAN DER MERWE, not as a medical doctor but as a fellow soldier in the battle of the bulge. Fat! Such a tiny little word. But if you have been fighting this little word all your life, it becomes an ominous monster ready to tear you apart at the seams. And this little gremlin won’t be satisfied until it has destroyed your relationships, your health, your self-worth and your summer holiday… if you allow it! While everyone will try and inspire you to lose weight to “get your bikini body back” (gmpf!), I want to approach our shared little monster from a different angle.
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minute I tell myself I am going on a ‘diet’ I start craving all the wrong foods.
Losing weight, especially fat weight, is not only about a better-looking body, but more importantly, about managing the health risks that can pose a serious threat to your health and wellbeing. Losing as little as 5% – 10% body fat will bring phenomenal health benefits in a more effective way than any medicine can.
Eating as a lifestyle choice, is different. Eating is not only essential for survival, but is an integral part of our social interaction with others. Food is there to enjoy. Making friends with food and following a tasty, healthy eating plan is key in the battle of the bulge – not another diet! Getting your head around this is the first step in your fat-loss journey. Remember that losing fat weight is like investing in your future wellbeing and happiness.
Diet! Strange that all these loaded words are such short, seemingly benign little characters. The word ‘diet’ brings out the inner rebel in me. I associate it with strict rules and guilt if I don’t stick to them. The strangest thing is that the
You can run, but you cannot hide – the yo-yo effect A very good friend of mine always says that she keeps on losing weight but somehow it ALWAYS finds her again! Fat seems to be a very persistent thing. You can starve yourself
like a hunger striker, lose weight, feel fantastic and as soon as you resume your normal life again, Fat strides back in without even having the decency to knock. This yo-yo process trips us up before we even begin our weight-loss journey. This, however, does not have to be true for you. Like any other process, weight loss has to be managed and maintained. Have you heard about set point? Not understanding this concept is the main reason for the yo-yo effect and all the many ‘diets’ you’ve been on over so many years. Yo-yo dieting over a few years is probably the worst risk to your health and longevity! Let me explain the concept of set point: when you start on a fat-loss program, your weight is at a certain point. This is like a set point default program inside your brain of the
weight you’ve been at for a while. It will return to this set point weight if you do not maintain the fat loss for a certain period.
total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides; and HbA1C to estimate if glucose has been elevated for a longer period.
When you reach your target weight it is important to maintain it for at least 6 months, so that it can become your new set point weight! It then makes it so much easier to maintain your new, healthier weight.
At the Weight Control Clinic Hermanus (started in Pretoria by Dr William Gauché in 1974), we aim to address your health risks by referring you for the relevant screening and helping you to manage the identified risks through our Weight Control Clinic program and my Holistic Health Counselling process. A short-term investment in your health could yield long-term results: Within 2 – 3 months you will notice not only a difference in your fat weight, but also in the way you feel; your energy levels will be up and your health risks reduced.
Lose fat, be healthier! Losing even a little weight can be especially beneficial for people who store their excess weight around their abdomen (apple shape), rather than their hips (pear shape). Fat stored around the waist and in the liver is more metabolically active, which makes it a high-risk trigger for heart disease – but also easier to lose. Important medical screening tests for men and women with 5 – 10 kg or more excess fat weight and/or fat accumulation around the waist area (men >102cm, women >88cm) might show that you have metabolic syndrome. These tests include: fasting blood glucose; fasting insulin; waist circumference (WHR); body fat percentage; body mass index (BMI); blood pressure; lipid profile incl.
Our healthy, medically supervised, effective fat-loss program supports and assists patients who have as little as 5 kg of fat to lose or much more, safely and effectively. The only proviso: you have to take the responsibility for achieving this, by making the mind shift and taking the firm decision to follow the program. For examples of our many successful losers, you can read the testimonials on our website: www.drarien.co.za/weightcontrol-clinic
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Oral Cancer: No longer only a disease of the aged
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ral Cancer (OC) often carries a death sentence, but this need not be the case at all! Fewer than half of all people with OC survive 5 years. However, if diagnosed early, the survival rate shoots up to over 90%. It used to be that OC was a disease of the aged, and almost exclusively in smokers and/or drinkers. Although alcohol and tobacco still play a major role in causing oral cancer, a new and very scary scenario is emerging of young people developing OC and oropharyngeal (throat) cancer (OPC), even those who have never smoked or abused alcohol. OC is a collective term used for all cancers that develop on the lips, mouth (oral cavity) and upper throat (oro-pharyngeal space). It is important to distinguish between these cancers, as they have different causative factors. For the purpose of this article, we will leave lip cancer out. South Africa has one of the highest lip cancer rates world-wide and young and old should have a sunblock on when venturing outdoors to prevent lip
damage due to sun exposure. The other two members of the OC-family include OC proper (gums, tongue, mucosa) and then OPC/throat (soft palate, back of tongue, tonsils, upper throat). Oral Cancer Oral Cancer is a disease caused mostly by smoking and alcohol. Smoking and alcohol if used in combination, has a synergistic effect, meaning it is much worse than the separate effects of smoking and alcohol.
proper lighting, there are a few pointers: • Any oral sore that does not heal within two weeks. This should be examined and if necessary a sample taken for analysis (done with a small injection). • Any white or red oral lesion should be examined and again a sample taken. • A sore that becomes painful and limits movement of the tongue or interferes with swallowing may be a late sign. Special stains are used to determine the best site for a sample. • Neck glands in the absence of infection could be a danger sign.
This type of oral cancer occurs more in the later decades of life and all patients who are smokers and even non-smokers who previously smoked should be screened yearly once they reach 50. More than two-thirds of oral cancer cases will occur in the over 50’s group. The chewing of Betel quid is a common habit amongst people from Indian decent and it has a very high risk for oral cancer.
If in doubt – have it seen to. The importance of early diagnosis cannot be over-stressed, as it has many benefits such as easy surgical removal of the OC without mutilating surgery, a higher than 90% survival rate and often no need for postoperative radiation.
How do I know I have Oral Cancer? Although there is no substitute for a thorough oral examination under
The most important tip? Make a note on the calendar when a sore is noticed. If it has not healed within
two weeks, it should be examined. Do NOT think you will remember when it started. It is tragic when a patient presents with an advanced life-threatening oral cancer that has clearly been present for months and they say, “It started about 3 weeks ago”. Do not let this happen to you. OPC/Throat cancer The increase of OPC in young people between 20 – 45, often in the absence of any smoking or alcohol abuse, is a scary new development. The current consensus is that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is behind this sharp increase worldwide. HPV is a family of more than 100 viruses, causing the common wart, amongst other diseases. It also includes a few that are called highrisk HPV’s. These are the same viruses responsible for cervical cancer in women. It is a virus spread by sexual contact, and now causing more than a quarter of all throat cancers worldwide. The reason behind this? Oral sex!
Young people who partake in oral sex to escape the dangers of intercourse are exposing themselves to the risk of OPC. The more oral sex partners, the higher the risk for developing OPC. Six or more partners and the risk is much higher than smoking! The most important tip for young people: Do not think that oral sex is safe because you cannot contract HIV or fall pregnant. It is responsible for a massive increase in OPC in the USA and there is no reason to think we are different in SA. The only good news is that HPV oral cancer responds much better to therapy and does not require mutilating surgery. There are vaccines available for the prevention of HPV infection, and it can be effective against cervical cancer as well as OPC. Both my sons were vaccinated at a young age, before they became sexually active. Speak to your medical GP about the vaccine for boys and girls – it may be lifesaving. – Dr André van Zyl
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31 July 2018
Taking the Life Right option for retirement
etirement, or rather upgrading your lifestyle whilst downgrading your work-rate as is the latest attitude, is a big decision for anyone over 50. Choosing where to spend the rest of your days is a very important decision but choosing how to structure that investment is often overlooked and not part of the decision-making process, something that is only addressed once the documents are in front of you. Globally, Life Rights is the most widely used retirement accommodation structure and was introduced to South Africa during the late 1960s. Before Life Rights were introduced as an option, retirement properties followed the normal sale process – outright purchase of a sectional title unit or freehold property, or through a lease agreement. Life Rights is a form of lease agreement with the property developer and is often referred to as a life-lease: a lease agreement that you pay for upfront. The purchaser can, for instance, pay R2 million upfront for a unit in a Life Right structure. You have paid for your right to occupy the unit (and the estate) and you and your partner now own the right to live in the unit for the rest of your lives. No matter how long you live. This mitigates a monthly bond repayment or rental and in most cases the owners are only subjected to a consumption levy from the estate. The benefits of Life Rights are numerous, the most notable being: • An upfront payment means you have
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invested; • Re-sale is the responsibility of the developer, so there’s no concern when it comes to selling the property upon death of both spouses.
MY Home
no monthly bond repayments or rental costs; • When you or your partner pass away, the surviving partner continues to live in the unit; • You have a real right in the eyes of property law and are guaranteed the right to live in the property; • If you remarry, your new spouse may occupy the unit with you , but will not have any rights to the life-right ownership; • You act as a lessee, so any maintenance to the property is the responsibility of the property developer; • Upon death of both owners, the purchase price is refunded, usually at 100%; • Life Right proceeds can be nominated to a beneficiary (your children for instance) and fall outside of the normal deceased estate red-tape; • There’s no VAT on the sale or transfer duties and no registration fees; • You have a secured return of capital
Rob Jones, CEO of Shire Retirement Properties and an expert consultant to the retirement industry, says that Life Right holders are well protected under The Housing Development Schemes for Retired Persons Act. The Act prescribes numerous rights for people buying into retirement villages, specifically Life Rights. The developer is obligated to have the title deed endorsed as a Life Right Scheme. Once the deed is endorsed, purchasers who buy into the Life Right scheme are protected by law. The developer is subjected to many rules and regulations, forcing him to comply with the endorsement. Jones advises that prospective buyers must firstly check that the scheme is established in terms of the Act and, if so, always insist on transparency from the developer. Developers have to be very transparent as to what the levies are, and these levies must be fixed for a term of 1 year with a 2-year estimate; any mortgage over the land must be made known and once the first occupants move in, the developer is not permitted to apply for any additional loan on the land. Jones stresses that a good Life Rights village should have good security, care facilities and transparency that provides financial security.
31 July 2018
SCHOOL SPORT
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Rugby wins the day Hermanus High School played against Ceres school Charlie Hofmeyr in a sports day on Saturday 18 July. The Hermanus rugby teams did extremely well and won all their games. The hockey and netball teams were not so lucky, with only some of the teams winning. After the long sports day, the U16A and U19A girls’ hockey teams then played matches against touring teams from the Netherlands. Sadly, the touring teams won the day.
Mari Carstens (first team netball) intercepts a ball just before the opposition has a chance to try and score another goal. The game ended in a tie between the two teams.
Aphelele Madaka (first team rugby) takes the ball from team mate Lionel April after Lionel was tackled by the opposition. Hermanus won the game 24 - 12.
An U16A Hermanus hockey player plays the ball up to the goals in an effort to score for her team.
J’hanco Botha (first team rugby) is tackled just before the try line but still manages to get the ball over to score for his team. PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer
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31 July 2018
Richie Ryall’s journey from wicket to easel
ocal resident, Richie Ryall is a former Western Province wicketkeeper / batsman and a renowned artist in the domain of sporting memorabilia. Although widely acknowledged in sporting art, Richie has diversified his artistic talent and established himself in other spheres of art, namely wildlife, landscapes, abstract and portraiture.
Offside Tony O’Hagan
Richie was born in Harare and came to South Africa at the age of six. He matriculated at Bishops before completing a 3-year interior design course. After completing his studies, he embarked on a career of designing office furniture with a company in Cape Town. He spent six years in this field while continuing his cricket career with Western Province.
Richie works in oils, acrylics, watercolour, charcoal, graphite and pastels. He paints on commission, works for auctions, corporates, individuals and all sporting codes. He has created, illustrated, published and marketed six books. In 2016, Richie had a successful one-man exhibition of wildlife charcoals in Santa Fe, New Mexico which was done in conjunction with a large American corporate.
At this point Richie's employers felt he needed to make a choice between work and cricket. Richie was at the crossroads of his future and decided to opt for cricket. His reasoning for this decision was that he was two years away from a benefit year with Western Province cricket and a benefit year can be lucrative for a cricketer. It provides an opportunity for the beneficiary to raise monies for himself via sponsorships and other events during the benefit year. Richie's cricket career was also blossoming and he was chosen to represent South Africa 'A' against an Australian Rebel cricket side captained by Kim Hughes. In 1983 Richie spent a summer playing club cricket in England and this would prove to be a major turning point in his life. It was during this time that he
visited Duncan Fearnley at his cricket factory and bought a signed print of the great Sir Donald Bradman from Duncan. He returned to South Africa and acquired a few ideas on mixing paints via a friend. His first sports painting was of the cricketer, Omar Henry, which raised R22 000 at an auction. And so began a remarkable career.
Richie has an enormous client base which incorporates all the major national sporting bodies in our country – rugby, cricket, soccer and the provincial associations allied thereto. His list of major corporate clients stretches across the length and breadth of South Africa, together with universities, schools and charities.
Former Western Province wicket-keeper / batsman Richie Ryall in front of his easel.
He has around 100 works with the Shyam Bhatia museum in Dubai, almost 40 works with the Cavalli Collection in Stellenbosch and some works with the Priory Collection in London. The Saracens Rugby Club in London has over 120 pieces of his art adorning the walls of the Club. Individuals from across the globe, both in
the sporting world and leaders in other fields possess his works of art. Soon after the South African Cricket tour to England in 2017, Richie was approached by the South African-born, English cricketer, Kevin Pietersen to assist the Mark Boucher Foundation in the ‘Save the Rhino’ campaign. Boucher and Pietersen are raising funds for the project and assisting SANPARKS to attain a target of R120 million for the purchase of an aircraft fixed with thermal imaging cameras. These cameras can scan up to a radius of 40 km and will add to the endeavour of capturing rhino poachers. Richie recently attended a fund-raising effort at Leopard Creek on the borders of the Kruger National Park and his charcoal drawing of a rhino done on site, plus another small charcoal raised nearly $50,000 (around R650,000). Well done, Richie! Richie has been invited to compete in the over 50 Cricket World Cup to be held in Australia this November but is still debating his availability as this will need dedicating many hours to training and foregoing his time with brush and easel. Richie Ryall's tipping point in his career was that decision some 30 years back when it became a choice between furniture design and cricket. He took the right option – cricket! View Richie’s art on Facebook/ Instagram: Richie Ryall Art or website richieryall.com
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31 July 2018
A bell from our belles Greetings once more from our lovely town. Things seem to have returned to normal and it’s really great to see everyone returning to work. Last week we saw a little rain, for which we are thankful, but I fear we need so much more. I passed Theewaterskloof dam at the weekend and must say I was pleasantly surprised; we need a lot more but it is starting to fill up. One of the worries on a golf course is being hit by an errant shot, so putting safety first is paramount. Which is why our ladies’ section has donated a bell by the 14th. A golf ball travels at well over 100
The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw
km/h and if it hits you it can cause damage; even if it doesn’t it hurts like hell! I unfortunately have experience here. So when a course is designed, great thought is always given to safety but, as in the real world, errors occur and certain areas on a golf course can be dangerous. Our ladies’ section has taken the initiative and bought a bell so that
players, as they pass the area, can give a ring to let the following players know it’s safe to proceed. The idea was first thought up by longtime committee member Elise Nykamp and popular men’s member John Atkinson, who took it on as a project and got hold of the bell, had it engraved, and erected the supporting pole. A great project and a great result!
The Ladies’ Committee with Club Captain John Stergianos next to the new bell at the 14th hole.
Scores at a glance SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER 21 JULY Betterball Stableford 119 players Winners South Course: Danie van der Spuy and Deon Horne - 48 points C/I; Winners North Course: Gary Combrink and GP le Roux - 46 points C/I; Ball pool pays to 44; 6 two clubs at R34 each. Best gross: Dave Johnston - 72. Attendance draw was sponsored by Red Chair (fellow member Deon Muller) and was won by Fanie Pretorius. LADIES’ 24 JULY Individual Stableford 30 players Winner Silver division: Pat van Renen - 37 points; Winner Bronze division: Cora Clark - 39 points. MEN’S 25 JULY Betterball Bogey Plus 118 players Winners: Grant McLachlan and Colin Woodhatch +12; Runners-up: Butch Zeederburg and Peter Bennett +11. Ball pool paid to +9. Best gross: Adrian Kuiper - 70
John Atkinson, the master of the bell.
24
31 July 2018
THE
NEWS
MY Schools
Curro hosts soccer tournament On Saturday 28 July, Curro Hermanus hosted the first Fives Soccer Tournament. U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17 teams from 13 schools and football clubs entered, including Reddam House, Curro Century City, De Heide Primary, Robertson Logos, Hermanus Hot Spurs, Bridge House, Zwelihle Primary, Curro Sitari, Curro Brackenfell, Generation Schools Hermanus, Vivo Hermanus and Hermanus Waldorf. This was a round robin tournament and the schools’ scores will be announced early in the week.
Local Hermanus football club, Hot Spurs, played against Generation Schools Hermanus U11s in a challenging game.
Generation Schools Hermanus U9 played against Curro Brackenfell in their first game of the morning. The games for the U9s were extra tough because of the smaller goalposts. PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer
Generation Schools Hermanus run the ball up to the goals where they were able to score an impressive shot that slipped past the goalie’s legs.
Curro Hermanus attempts to steal the ball back from Robertson school, Logos.
