The Village NEWS 3 February - 9 February 2021

THE VILLAGE

NEWS

3 FEBRUARY 2021 YOUR FREE COPY #ALLOVEROVERBERG The next issue of The Village NEWS will be out on 10 February 2021.

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The pedestrianisation of the lower section of High Street is nearing completion and a street market was hosted by The Gallery Café & Deli on Saturday to celebrate this milestone in the revitalisation of the Hermanus CBD. The High Street Market, focusing on fresh local produce, was welcomed by both shoppers and businesses in the area and will take place every Saturday morning from 09:00 – 12:00. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Double dose of good news Writer De Waal Steyn

B

usinesses in the Overstrand are breathing a collective sigh of relief after Pres Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night announced the easing of some lockdown restrictions.

This means that restaurants and wine farms may sell alcohol for onsite consumption again during their normal operating hours, while businesses that sell alcohol for offsite consumption may trade from Monday to Thursday between 10:00 and 18:00.

The sale of alcohol for offsite con-

sumption will remain prohibited over weekends and public holidays.

Beaches and other public places that have been off-limits for the past month will now also reopen.

Religious gatherings will also be allowed, subject to health protocols.

The easing of restrictions was announced after a steady decline in new infections over the past two weeks. According to Ramaphosa new infections in the country declined by almost 50% over the last week.

In the Western Cape, the number of active cases dropped from 39 855 on 18 January to 12 994 on 1 February

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– a decline of 67%. According to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, there is also a sustained decline in hospitalisations and people testing positive in the province. (See page 7 for the Covid dashboard) The announcement on Monday night came after the first batch of the much-anticipated Covid-19 vaccines arrived in South Africa earlier in the day.

The consignment consists of one million doses of the Covishield vaccine produced by the Serum Institute in India. This vaccine was developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca together with the University of Oxford. South Af-

rica was one of the countries where clinical trials were held to assess the drug’s efficacy.

years and people with comorbidities, as well as those living in places such as nursing homes and hostels. In Phase 3, we will extend the vaccination programme to the rest of the adult population,” he said.

The first one million doses in South Africa have been reserved for healthcare workers, who have been at the forefront of the country's response to Covid-19 and who must be protected. Ramaphosa said in accordance with the phased rollout strategy, all healthcare workers in the public and private sectors will be prioritised for vaccination.

According to him the Department of Health has developed an Electronic Vaccine Data System to streamline the vaccine registration and rollout process. “This will allow us to capture all relevant data associated with the administration of the vaccine. This system allows a person to make an appointment as soon as they qualify for a vaccination at the vaccine centre closest to them. The system will record vaccinations as they are administered.”

Continues on P2

“Once we have completed the vaccination of healthcare workers, we will move to Phase 2 of the national vaccine strategy, which will include essential workers, people over 60

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Stepping stones to romance in Kleinmond Writer Elaine Davie

L

et no one tell you that we in the Overstrand are not a romantic lot, even in a time of Covid! If you had any doubts, then Kleinmond’s popular Ward 9 Councillor, Grant Cohen will have put them to rest. This is how his story played itself out…

A lot of advance planning went into it, but since all those involved were sworn to utmost secrecy, no one thought it unusual for a group of ten friends to go hiking in the mountains above Kleinmond on a beautiful Saturday morning in January. Included in the group were Grant, his girlfriend Rowena Karelse, her young son, Robin, and Grant’s visiting teenage niece, Jordan.

What was unusual, though, was that Rowena kept discovering beautiful round stones on the trail with mysterious messages painted on them. When she picked up the third stone, she burst into tears. The message read, ‘From now on, you and Robin will never be alone again’.

The sixth, and last, simply asked ‘Will you?’ And then Grant was down in the fynbos on one knee, ring in hand. By this time, Rowena was beside herself. But Grant was not done yet.

Obviously anticipating a positive response to his proposal, he had arranged with Chef Frans Groenewald of Gabriëlskloof to prepare a celebratory picnic brunch on the mountainside.

A member of the group sharing this happy moment with Rowena and Grant was the young volunteer who had offered his services for the distribution of meals during the earlier part of the lockdown and who had been dubbed ‘Meneer’ by his fellow-workers.

Dressed in his suit for this important occasion, Meneer made a speech and promptly burst into tears, offering to act as Rowena’s ‘Maid-ofHonour’ when the time came for the wedding.

No date has yet been set, but given the response of members of the Kleinmond community, many of whom have invited themselves,

there seem to be only two options. Rowena’s preference is for a secret elopement and Grant seems to be tending towards an open-ended free-for-all bun-fight on the beach (once the ban has been lifted), with local street traders setting up their stalls to feed the masses.

Born and brought up in Kleinmond, one of seven siblings, single-mom Rowena has a huge extended family, all expecting to be invited, so the second option seems the more practical.

Both families appear to be delighted with the match. Grant went the traditional route, asking her father for his daughter’s hand in marriage, while his own mother could hardly believe the unexpected news, since she had given up all hope of Grant ever tying the knot.

Now everybody is getting to know everybody else. Most of all, it is going to be a special year for little Robin. On the one hand, he is having fun making friends with Grant’s dogs with whom he’ll be sharing a home, and on the other, he will shortly be starting school for the very first time.

Rowena is a colleague of Grant’s at the Municipality in Kleinmond and as such, they have known each other for some time; but it was only last year when they were deeply involved in the food distribution project that the relationship moved to another level. They both love Kleinmond and its people and Grant, who is also on the Overstrand Mayoral Committee, Chair of the local DA caucus and Vice-Chair of the Overberg constituency, says he still has a lot of projects he wants to complete in his ward.

The fact that Rowena understands how local government works is a great plus, he says.

“But now I’m going to have to become much more disciplined about keeping weekends just for us. There have to be some boundaries to separate work from family time.”

And since they both love the outdoors, they’re going to get out into our magnificent natural environment as much as possible. As for the future? They’ll take one day at a time and see where it leads them.

The Village NEWS wishes Rowena and Grant all the love and joy in the world – and, of course, expects an invitation to a celebration to beat all celebrations!

LEFT: Crossing the bridge to happiness. Kleinmond lagoon is one of Grant and Rowena's happy places. RIGHT: Stepping stones to Rowena's heart. Grant spells out a romantic proposal on a mountain trail above Kleinmond.

3 February 2021

Province ready to start vaccinations From P1 The president stated that nobody will be forced to take this vaccine. “Nobody will be forbidden from travelling, from enrolling at school, or from taking part in any public activity if they have not been vaccinated. Nobody will be given this vaccine against their will, nor will the vaccine be administered in secret. Any rumours to this effect are both false and dangerous.”

sites will be confirmed over the coming days.

Ramaphosa further announced that government is sourcing vaccines from a number of suppliers.

“In addition to the 1 million Covishield doses that we received, we expect another 500 000 doses from the Serum Institute of India to arrive later in February. We have secured 12 million doses in total from the global COVAX facility, which has indicated that it will release approximately 2 million doses by March.

According to him, once this training has been completed, all systems will be in place for Phase 1 of the rollout. Phases 2 and 3 will be significantly more complex due to the larger numbers of people eligible in each phase, and the need to reach people in remote communities across the province.

“We have determined, based on experience, that a single vaccinator can vaccinate between 40 and 50 people a day. We estimate that we will need between 400 and 500 vaccinators for Phase 1.

Professional training for vaccinators in the province will begin this week, and we will provide an update once this process has begun,” Winde said.

“We have also secured 9 million vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson, commencing with delivery in the second quarter. In addition, Pfizer has committed 20 million vaccine doses commencing with deliveries in the second quarter,” he said.

“In Phase 2, we estimate needing to vaccinate up to 2 million essential workers, people in congregate settings and vulnerable groups including people older than 60, and anyone older than 18 with high-risk comorbidities. In phase 3, a further 2.9 million people over the age of 18 will be eligible to be vaccinated.

Premier Winde said the vaccines will undergo quality control processes by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority before they are distributed to the provinces. “We anticipate their arrival in the province after an expected shortened period and stand ready to start the vaccination process. “While we await further information from the national government on how many doses the province will receive, we have identified 105 000 healthcare workers in public, private and civil society settings, who are eligible to be vaccinated. We have already identified 378 public sector sites, at various healthcare facilities where this will be done. Additional private sector

“Our Department of Health is currently working to identify vaccination sites for the 2nd and 3rd roll-out phases, as well as the vaccinators who will be working at each site. Each site and vaccinator must also be accredited. This is the biggest vaccine drive that the province and the country has ever undertaken and we do not underestimate the enormity or the importance of the task ahead of us. This programme will allow us to protect residents against Covid-19 and ensure that we get the balance right between saving lives and livelihoods. We have committed to rolling out the vaccine openly, transparently and ethically,” Winde said.

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3 February 2021

Pilot whale stranding T

he Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) received a report on 28 January of a whale stranding near Pearly Beach. Dickie Chivell and Ralph Watson were sent out to investigate and arriving on-site it became clear this was no ordinary stranding. The whale was a longfinned Pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and it is not often seen on South Africa’s beaches.

head, which is known as a melon.

This assists with echolocation and communication and is thus an important part of hunting for them.

They will often dive to a depth of 200 – 600 metres to hunt fish, squid, and shrimp.

Pilot whales are known to occur far out to sea where the waters are deeper, especially in colder, almost polar waters. They are a highly social species and are usually found in social units of 10 to 20 individuals but can even be seen in the hundreds. They get their name from their behaviour of following their leader, or “pilot” when travelling far distances.

DICT is part of a wide-ranging stranding network and quickly informed their collaborators at the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and the Mammal Research Institute’s Whale Unit in Hermanus. The next day DEFF and the MRI-WU sent out teams to perform an on-site necropsy, with the help of the Overstrand Municipality and marine biologists from Marine Dynamics and DICT. The purpose of the necropsy is to collect measurements, samples and hopefully find out the cause of death.

Pilot whales have a very distinct bulbous mass on the front of their

The Pilot whale was a male, measuring over 5.5 metres long, with

no distinct markings on the outside that revealed any possible cause of death. The team from DEFF recovered important samples (skin, blubber, organs) and the whole skeleton. An X-ray of the head could potentially reveal damages to the auditory system of the animal, which might have caused it to strand, but at the time of writing the cause was not evident.

Marine mammals are protected in South Africa under the Living Resources Act, and standings such as these provide scientists with vital information on their health, life-history, and ecology. - Ralph Watson, Marine Biologist, Marine Dynamics / Dyer Island Conservation Trust DICT is part of the Overberg Stranding Network. Should you come across a stranded animal in the Overberg region, please contact them on 072 598 7117.

TOP RIGHT: Teams from the DEFF and the Mammal Research Institute’s Whale Unit in Hermanus sent out teams to perform an on-site necropsy, with the help of the Overstrand Municipality and marine biologists from Marine Dynamics and DICT. RIGHT: The 5.5m Pilot whale that washed up at Pearly Beach over the weekend. Pilot whales are among the largest of the oceanic dolphins, exceeded in size only by the killer whale.

PHOTOS: George Podaras, Marine Dynamics / Dyer Island Conservation Trust

Fire season alert Several wildfires broke out in the Overberg over the weekend, including in Barrydale, Masakhane near Gansbaai, and the farming area at Solitaire/ Tesselaarsdal.

Nelio van Rooy

Sadly an EPWP firefighter, Nelio van Rooy, lost his life on Sunday in the Barrydale fire, which had spread rapidly into the mountain area. Overberg Fire Chief Reinard Geldenhuys expressed his condolences and said Van Rooy had died in the line of duty while serving his community.

The Barrydale fire had been raging for a week but the Greater Overberg FPA announced on Monday that cooler weather and intermittent rain during the night and most of the day had halted the spread of the fire. Active mopping up and monitoring continued on Monday, with a spotter plane waiting for the cloud cover over the mountain to lift in order to confirm that there was no longer any active fire on the top of the mountain.

PHOTO: Johann Kruger

In the Masakhane mountain fire, one vehicle and a pump were destroyed and three firefighters were injured and had to be transported to the Hermanus Mediclinic. Aerial support was needed

to contain the fire, and by late Sunday afternoon the two helicopters had to rush off to attend to another mountain fire near Caledon. On Monday Overstrand Fire Chief Lester Smith confirmed that the fire had been contained and said two of the injured firefighters had been discharged, while the third remained in hospital. He was being treated for second degree burns to his hand and arms.

Also on Sunday, what started as a “werf” fire in Solitaire quickly spread, fanned by a strong pre-frontal wind. A massive effort by Overberg Fire Services, supported by landowners and HARSA members, was required to contain the fire and protect the farmsteads and livestock in the area.

One firefighter was injured, and a farm vehicle, feed and fencing were destroyed in the fire, which was contained by late afternoon when it started to rain.

Residents are reminded that we are in the middle of the fire season and that the fire danger index for the area remains high. Please report any signs of fire to Overstrand Fire & Rescue on 028 312 2400, or Overberg Fire & Rescue on 028 425 1690.

– Hedda Mittner

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3 February 2021

LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL

Be a tourist in your own town WINE & DINE

T

he Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the South African economy, with the tourism and hospitality industries being hit especially hard. Here in the Overstrand, locals have been coming up with innovative ways to combat this crisis, from beautifying the town to promoting the support of local businesses.

One of these locals, Matthew Kearns, the owner of www.tribaltourist.com (a booking platform focused on tourism and conservation) and the Facebook page ‘Hermanus Together’, reached out to Overstrand tourism operators and organisations a few weeks ago by inviting them to take part in his project to promote local tourism through a series of video interviews.

When Kim Maclean (Sharklady Adventures), Herman de Vries (Walkerbay Adventures), Heather Blackstock (Panthera Africa), Danie van Zyl (Heaven and Earth Trails) and Di Rattle (Love Local Overberg) expressed their interest, Matthew met with each of them for interviews which were filmed by local videographer Kyle Bonorchis.

“These people have poured their life and soul

ABOVE: Kyle Bonorchis films Matthew Kearn’s interview with Herman de Vries from Walkerbay Adventures.

RIGHT: Matthew Kearns of Tribal Tourist, aims to help tourism in the Overberg through a series of video interviews with local tourism operators.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

into tourism,” said Matthew when asked about his project. “As we know tourism globally has been hit hard by the Covid crisis, so I took it upon myself to share their positive stories with you. We need locals to go out and explore their own backyards. There is so much to see and do in the Overberg.”

In the interviews, Matthew asked each person about their business, what they have to offer and how they have been impacted by the pandemic. His aim with these videos is to spread a little positivity and to promote tourism in the Overberg. In order to help these businesses stay afloat in the absence of international visitors and our ‘swallows’, we all need to become tourists in our own town.

The video interviews are still being edited and will be uploaded to Facebook over the next few weeks. The first interview with Di Rattle from Love Local Overberg, a personal blog dedicated to promoting everything the Overberg has to offer, is already uploaded and can be found on the group ‘Hermanus Together’ on Facebook.

Alternatively you can visit https://fb.watch/3nwWFTP3Eg/.

– Taylum Meyer

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3 February 2021

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LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

This foodie went to market…

H igh Street has long been one of my favourite streets in Hermanus – packed with speciality shops, inspiring art galleries, and lovely eateries and restaurants, what’s not to love?

It might not be on the waterfront, but with the sewerage upgrade and paving works nearing completion, High Street’s potential as a pedestrianised shopping destination is starting to reveal itself.

Taking full advantage of this exciting new development, Emilia Knight of The Gallery Café & Deli approached the Overstrand Municipality for

Since 2001 -

Still your

permission to host a street market in front of her premises on Saturday, which saw half a dozen traders peddling their wares, ranging from handmade baskets and free-range eggs, to fresh organic veggies, artisanal breads, cheeses, olives, pestos, chilli sauces and local honey.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our new-look High Street,” said Emilia, for whom street markets were part of her lifestyle when she lived in Europe. “It’s all about bringing a little bit of love to High Street and more feet to the businesses in the area.” Collaboration is the way to go, she said, adding that there was

no reason why this concept couldn’t be implemented in other parts of town. “Businesses could get together and add their own twist to their street.”

More work is underway in High Street, including the planting of trees, as part of the CBD Revitalisation Project. Emilia expressed her gratitude to the municipality for granting permission for the market, which will be held every Saturday from 09:00 – 12:00.

Don’t forget to pop in and stock up on fresh produce and other delicacies!

– Hedda Mittner

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TOP LEFT: The area in front of The Gallery Café & Deli in High Street was transformed into a vibrant street market on Saturday morning. TOP: Susan Thirion (left) peddling her range of freshly-baked bread at Saturday’s High Street Market. ABOVE: Emilia Knight (left), owner of The Gallery Café & Deli and organiser of the High Street Market, serving customers Paivi and Martin Brink.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

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FROM THE EDITOR

3 February 2021

Help us Love a Little Local

The arrival of the first batch of vaccines for essential medical staff is hopefully the start of the serious fightback against the Coronavirus. Despite the fact that current vaccines seem to be less effective against the South African variant of the virus, we should not lose hope.

The American vaccine producer Moderna said that while the antibodies created by its vaccine were less effective at neutralizing this variant than previously dominant ones, it is already developing a new booster shot and

testing out a three-shot regimen to increase the vaccine’s efficacy against the variant. Pfizer and its research partner BioNTech released the findings of a study showing that its vaccine was only slightly less effective against the variant. While this is not the silver bullet we were hoping for, at least it gives us a fighting chance in the battle against the virus.

It is important to note that while the efficacy of the vaccines is lower than anticipated, it still offers a great deal of protection against severe illness. Thus,

THE VILLAGE

NEWS WhatsApp or SMS your stories and photos to 083 700 3319 De Waal Steyn

PUBLISHING EDITOR T: 083 700 3319

E: dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Hedda Mittner

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Raphael da Silva ONLINE EDITOR T: 074 125 5854

E: raphael@thevillagenews.co.za

Elaine Davie

JOURNALIST T: 084 343 7500

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

while the vaccine will not make you immune to the virus, it will offer protection against ending up in hospital or even dying. As far as options go, a degree of protection far outweighs the alternatives or any possible side effects from the vaccine.

vaccines. And while these announcements regarding the vaccines and a sustained decline in new infections are good news, the battle against the economic impact of the pandemic now needs more urgent attention than ever before.

According to reports, South Africa has secured 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The Pfizer order is set to complement the 12 million vaccine doses from the WHO-backed Covax facility, the 9 million Johnson & Johnson shots and 1.5 million AstraZeneca/Oxford

Many businesses in our region are suffering greatly and it is up to us to assist them through this difficult time. To this end The Village NEWS has decided to put its money where its mouth is.

From this week we will be publishing stories every week about the business-

es in our region. These stories are not meant to be promotional articles about how great and wonderful these businesses are, but rather a glimpse into who owns and runs them. We will aim to introduce our readers to the men and women who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the wheels of our economy turning. We urge our readers to support us in supporting these businesses. Together we can make a huge difference.

We call it Love a Little Local. Will you help? This is the good NEWS – Ed.

Going to the dogs By Murray Stewart murray.stewart49@gmail.com

pretty soon that Rinty was eager to learn more, so tricks like jumping through hoops, or crawling through pipes were soon mastered.

I

t was 1918. The horror of the First World War was thankfully in its final stages, and round-ups, clear-outs and clean-ups were underway throughout Europe. During these mop-ups, soldiers in the Allied Forces would often nick the odd souvenir to take home to the family – like an enemy helmet, empty shell-casings, or maybe a street sign.

Corporal Lee Duncan’s battalion was in Lorraine, France, doing exactly that when they came across a bombed-out dog kennel. Inside they found a starving German Shepherd dog which had recently given birth to five pups. Members of the battalion immediately adopted the family and Duncan chose two – a male, and a female who sadly snuffed it on the way back to the USA. Perhaps even some of our younger readers may recall the name of the surviving dog, which became a sensation nearly a century ago. Although many of us have never seen any of his movies, we know him as a canine super-hero, and the brave saviour of those in peril. His name was Rin Tin Tin. His mother and siblings didn’t survive, but thanks to Duncan, ‘Rinty’ arrived home safely in LA, and started life as an American. As a pup, he displayed an unusual amount of awareness and intelligence, and Duncan immediately started training him with the basics like sit, fetch and shake hands. He realised

nanigans best not discussed with their vicars.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll, as immortalised by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, seemed to spur some bands on to more outrageous acts – as if in competition with each other.

Duncan entered him in various dog shows, and a photo of Rinty leaping over a hurdle convinced him that he deserved a crack at something bigger – perhaps a dog-food commercial or a bit-part in a movie?

Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, drove a Rolls Royce into their hotel’s swimming pool which got the band banned from all Holiday Inns worldwide. Keith Richard, an avid coke-sniffer at the time, once snorted a line of his deceased dad’s ashes when he ran out of Bolivian Marching Powder. Yikes!

Well, his first break came when they were walking past a small B-grade film set, busy shooting a scene involving a wolf. It wasn’t performing to the director’s wishes, and Duncan claimed his dog could do the scene in one take. He did, and the rest is history.

Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne – no shrinking violet when it came to sniffing things – snorted a line of ants when he, too, was out of snow. He was also arrested in a drunk/ drug stupor while peeing against a statue commemorating The Alamo, and was persona-non-grata in Texas for 40 years till he apologised.

He subsequently starred in 27 films and is credited with saving Warner Brothers from bankruptcy. At the time, silent movies were screened world-wide with subtitles in various languages, so Rinty shot quickly to stardom and fan mail poured in from around the globe.

Led Zeppelin was banned from numerous establishments. For some reason (could it possibly be drugs?) they developed a penchant for throwing TV sets out their hotel windows, or blowing up the occasional toilet bowl. Charming chaps, those rockers of the ‘60s and ‘70s...

At the first Academy Awards in 1929 he was voted ‘Best Actor’, but the committee decided to withdraw him and award the prize to 2nd placed German actor Emil Jannings instead.

This was not to become a three-ringed circus or a dog show, they insisted; these awards were for serious human thespians. Well, R2-D2 or Chewbacca might disagree.

Between a hard rock and a harder rock

Today, Jagger, Richards, Ozzy, Robert Plant, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltry and Steve Tyler – all hard-core rockers – are well into their seventies and still rocking.

Musicians from the sixties and seventies were renowned for indulging in post-concert she-

Rappers are obviously doing the wrong drugs.

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LOCKDOWN LEVEL:

LEV

COVID-19 DASHBOARD OVERSTRAND

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3 February 2021

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EL

TOTAL CASES AS OF 2 FEB 2021:

OVERSTRAND BREAKDOWN OF CASES: TOTAL (ACTIVE)

WORLD: 103 677 984 SOUTH AFRICA: 1 453 761 WESTERN CAPE: 266 939 (18.3% of cases in SA) OVERBERG: 12 903

• FISHERHAVEN: 40 (3) • GANSBAAI: 175 (5) • HAWSTON: 415 (17) • HERMANUS: 699 (32) • KLEINMOND: 654 (20)

• MT PLEASANT: 345 (11) • ONRUS: 195 (14) • SANDBAAI: 209 (9) • STANFORD: 370 (14) • VERMONT: 89 (3) • ZWELIHLE: 1 073 (22) TOTAL: 4 852 (160)

LET'S TALK The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Letters may be shortened and/or edited for clarity and style. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.

Vandalisation of planet models on Cliff Path Three of the models of the Cliff Path True Scale Solar System were vandalised and then stolen within the past week. In all three instances rocks that were left at the scene were used to break the top Plexiglass cover and steal the planet models.

Some background information is needed to put this problem into perspective: The first such incident happened on 5 or 6 November 2018 when the front Plexiglass panel of Neptune’s 300 x 300mm cage was broken and the model stolen. Fortunately, the repair of the cage was relatively simple. A new model was installed and the Plexiglass panels strengthened in January 2019.

The same night there was an attempted vandalism of Pluto’s 100 x 100mm cage, which fortunately survived the onslaught, presumably because of its smaller size. The vandals did however succeed in dislodging the pedestal with the tiny (1.6mm) model of Pluto attached, which is still lying on its side in the cage. There were also visible signs of attempted vandalism to Jupiter’s cage.

The second incident again happened in November (2019) and this time Neptune’s cage was vandalised beyond repair. It was therefore decided to make the cage smaller (100 x 100mm) and stronger (3mm SS), and to thicken the top Plexiglass to 15mm. The repair was once again done early in January 2020. (During this incident, Pluto’s Plexiglass cover of the description of the Solar System Model was also attacked and damaged, but fortunately it is still legible.)

Note that both these incidents happened in November before the schools closed but after completion of university and technicon exams.

Hence our suspicion that it was students high on alcohol (broken and empty beer bottles

were left on the scene) and probably other drugs as well, which no doubt contributed to these pointless and revolting acts.

The most recent incident happened in January before schools or tertiary institutions reopened.

It was obviously pre-meditated and more methodical – and disastrous. It has led me to the conclusion that one will never be able to fully protect such models against determined vandals. A small 3mm SS cage is probably indestructible without resorting to an angle grinder, but you need a UV-resistant Plexiglass cover to be able to see the planet models. If you can’t break it, you simply drill multiple holes and break into it that way.

It is relevant to note that all the smaller cages are still intact, even the initial ones of 1mm 316SS. With the exception of Pluto, the cages are all located in higher traffic areas along the Cliff Path. The large Saturn cage probably escaped the same vandalism as Jupiter and Uranus because it’s directly opposite the Eastcliff garage on the Main Road.

We have now reached the point where a decision has to be made about repairing the damage – or not. Sadly, we have learnt from the previous incidents how to replace the cages with stronger ones relatively cheaply and easily.

However, a display that was initially designed to withstand the abnormal wear and tear of an outside location and even “normal” vandalism simply cannot withstand “abnormal” and determined vandalism.

Because of the huge impact of such a decision it is not one that can be made by the Hermanus Astronomy Centre (HAC) alone. It requires the widest possible involvement of community organisations to consider the options and jointly decide on the way forward.

There are several relevant considerations appli-

cable to the decision: • The True Scale Solar System Model has become an icon of Hermanus.

It is the best such model in South Africa and has given and will continue to give huge pleasure and appreciation to many local residents and their families – particularly the youngest generation – as well as out-of-town local and overseas visitors. One of the most satisfying experiences is to interact with visitors getting to know the model and understanding what it portrays. Each one adds another string to the web of memories that visitors take away with them and convey to others.

• Abandoning it without explanation is almost too ghastly to contemplate.

That would be tantamount to admitting defeat to the vandals and would simply strengthen their resolve to continue vandalising this priceless asset. It is probably worth repairing the vandalism now, but future repetitions can only be prevented through community-wide awareness of the educational and tourism benefits of the model. The HAC can provide whatever detail is required to support the various community organisations, but their assistance will be required.

To date all repairs have been paid for by individual members of the HAC as well as a small contribution by the HAC itself, but this is simply not sustainable. Interested parties are therefore invited to a virtual meeting ASAP on a day and time that suits you or the majority of the invitees.

Please contact 082 854 2277 or pierredev@hermanus.co.za and indicate what days and times you will be available, including alternatives as all invitees have a busy schedule.

We are looking forward to your attendance and your contributions to assist in reaching a joint decision.

Hermanus Astronomy Centre Committee

LAST WEEK'S TOTAL CASES:

(18 JAN)

WORLD: 100 010 010 SOUTH AFRICA: 1 412 986 (15th in the world) WESTERN CAPE: 262 931 OVERBERG: 12 670 (425 deaths) OVERSTRAND: 4 572 (127 deaths)

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3 February 2021

MY HOME

Are you ready to be a homeowner?

By Stephen de Stadler Managing Director Fine & Country Hermanus, Arabella and Kleinmond

T

he nationwide trend for the establishment of security estates came slower to the Western Cape than it did to Gauteng. Hermanus in particular now has a variety of estates to choose from, catering for the discerning homeowner irrespective of their available budget. The reduction in the interest rates has also made first-time home buying more affordable, and dare I say it, preferable to renting.

For these new homeowners in particular, it is important to recognise the responsibility that comes with owning a home, starting with their ability to raise the necessary finance to buy that home.

Since the National Credit Act came into effect, prospective homebuyers have been required to have their financial affairs in order before they apply for a bond. While banks have become slightly less stringent since the act's inception, financial institutions are likely to tighten up their lending criteria in 2021 and beyond, and bond applicants will be put through their financial paces before being approved for a home loan.

The repo rate has come down, leading to a reduction in the prime overdraft rates, but this has been caused by a faltering economy. The level of unemployment is up, and in these relatively uncertain times the banks will become more careful in the application of their lending models.

If you have made the New Year’s resolution to buy a home during 2021, you will need to ensure that you have assessed your financial situation and answered a few pertinent questions before approaching your bank for bond approval. The banks will require a good credit score, evidence of stable employment, an appropriate level of disposal income, and probably some level of deposit.

Having a favourable credit score and clean credit record is a valuable asset when applying for a home loan. Each year you can obtain a free credit report from the credit bureaus to assess your finance position. It is advisable to know your credit score and check your credit record for any inaccuracies. Any missed or slow payments will have a negative impact on your credit score.

However, it is also important to be mindful of the less obvious credit infractions such as opening too many accounts, having numerous credit enquiries against your name, co-signing for a third party or only paying the minimum

required payment in respect of any outstanding loan. These actions may impair your history and could scare off potential lenders.

By the same token, having an enviable credit record is often better than having no credit score at all. I have always advised people to have a credit card with a manageable limit and to pay off the full balance monthly. These positive credit actions will help to keep your credit score as positive as possible.

As a potential homebuyer, the maximum bond amount that you qualify for is based on your annual income, so be sure to include any bonuses or annual investment returns when making this calculation. Your annual tax return documentation may assist in proving your actual yearly income.

After determining your income, the banks will also concern themselves with your actual disposable income. If possible, get rid of as much short-term debt as possible before applying for a home loan. Banks are used to seeing medium-term debt on most people’s personal balance sheets, vehicle finance being a common occurrence, but too many clothing accounts could be seen as negative. Longerand medium-term debt items are normally supported by real assets, whereas clothing once purchased does not have a ready resale value.

The affordability question will determine the final amount that a bank is prepared to advance.

Remember that the full initial cost of any home must also include transfer fees, attorney fees and bond costs. Ideally, your monthly home loan payment, including the capital and interest repayments, the administrative and insurance fees, should not be more than 30% of your monthly income before tax. This rule of thumb obviously assumes that your short- and medium-term debt is at acceptable levels as well.

Owning a home is a long-term investment and thus the decision to acquire a home needs to be taken in the context of that term. It is likely that real capital growth will ensure that the value of the home increases over time, however this should never be relied upon as the basis for ultimate repayment of the loan. The homeowner should ensure that they will be economically viable for the period over which they expect to repay their home.

Purchase a property that you can comfortably afford, ensure you are financially prepared, and allow the specialists such as the mortgage originators to assist you in the bond application process.

The views expressed above are those of the writer in his personal capacity and may not necessarily reflect the views of Fine & Country as a national and international brand.

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3 February 2021

LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL

Creative Notions is bursting at the seams W

hile most businesses in the Overstrand are staggering under the economic impact of the Covid-19 lockdowns, some have managed to not only survive but thrive. One of them is the local sewing shop, Creative Notions, whose owners Louis and Mireille Pretorius celebrated their move to larger premises with an open day on Friday and Saturday.

This is their third move in just over three years – from Long Street in the CBD, to Hemel-en-Aarde Village next to C Beyond Health, to just around the corner where At the Village Stall was before. This space is three times bigger than their previous shop and, after concluding the purchase, Louis and Mireille spent three months renovating. The spacious, double-volume premises now have a fresh, new look and include a cosy sitting area and a coffee bar.

Louis and Mireille are bubbling with enthusiasm, not only about their new shop but also their brand-new partnership with Bernina. “Customers were saddened to hear that Bernina in Hermanus had closed shop in June last year,” says Louis. “The majority of sewers in this region own Bernina machines and they were concerned about where they would be able to obtain local support. The nearest Bernina dealer was 80km away in Somerset West, which is quite a drive for delivering and picking up a machine just for a service.”

Following negotiations with Bernina South Africa, Creative Notions is now the official Bernina dealer in the Overberg region. As a multi-dealer with an online shop that has been going strong for many years (previously based in Pretoria), Louis says they had to make some compromises, as Bernina South Africa normally only deals with sole Bernina dealerships. That is why the shop now focuses on only two brands – Bernina and Brother – for purchases, but sewers with other machines can rest assured, as they still service all brands of sewing and embroidery machines as well as overlockers, both domestic and

industrial.

“Furthermore, Creative Notions continues to sell other brands such as Elna, Pfaff and Singer machines and accessories via our online shop,” says Louis. The bigger shop also offers the opportunity for expansion and the couple is looking forward to resuming their sewing and quilting courses.

While the coffee shop offers their customers delicious coffees and cakes, Mireille says they don’t want to run a full kitchen and have instead collaborated with Biga Bakery Café, so that customers attending their courses can order light lunches for delivery and enjoy them in Creative Notions’ lovely courtyard garden.

So what are the reasons for this local business’s good fortune in spite of the pandemic? “Fortunately for us, our market comprises locals and not tourists, so we have not been impacted in the same way that the hospitality and tourism industries have,” says Mireille. “Clothes are an everyday necessity, not a luxury.” And with everyone feeling the economic pinch, it seems more and more people are opting to make their own clothes, or to update their existing wardrobe instead of spending money in clothing stores.

ABOVE: The Creative Notions team: Sylvia van den Berg, Laura Johannisen, owners Mireille and Louis Pretorius, and Tania Hamman. BELOW: Creative Notions’ new premises in Hemel-en-Aarde Village are three times bigger than their previous shop and include a coffee bar and a cosy sitting area.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

Mireille also points to the proliferation of home industries during lockdown because of the demand for face masks and the fact that many retired people took up sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting and embroidering to stave off the boredom of lockdown. Besides, working with your hands is therapeutic and relaxing – good for mental health during these stressful times!

Creative Notions offers a one-stop shop for sewing machine purchases and services, a fully stocked haberdashery and knowledgeable staff who can attend to all your sewing, quilting or embroidery needs.

You’ll find them at Hemel-en-Aarde Village (next to Taishan Restaurant). Contact 087 808 9213 or visit their website at creativenotions.co.za.

Work continues on Materials Recovery Facility The construction of the new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and public drop-off facility at the Hermanus wastewater treatment works site in Schulphoek Road is progressing well.

According to Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill the bulk earthwork at the site has been completed, while two irrigation water pipelines have been rerouted around the MRF building area.

“In addition, the Preekstoel Water Works pipeline that crosses the site has been upgraded and the bulk of the road works have been complet-

ed. Workers are currently busy with the placement of the curbs and the interlocking brick paving road surface,” O’Neill said in a statement.

concrete retaining structure, as well as the importing and placement of fill material to allow for the elevated drop-off facility.

The structural concrete works for the MRF structure have also been completed and the old MRF structure in Mbeki Road, that was gutted during the riots in 2018, has been completely dismantled.

The structural steel that is going to be re-used has been sent off to be resized and galvanised.

According to O’Neill the decision has been taken that the garden waste drop-off and the chipping of garden waste will remain at its current location, in front of the existing Hermanus Waste Transfer Station in Mbeki Street. It was envisioned that the chipping facility will be situated next to the Law Enforcement premises in Hemel-en-Aarde, along the Camphill Road, but difficulties with access for large trucks scuppered these plans.

At the new drop-off facility, the contractor is busy with the reinforcing steel and concrete work for the

According to the municipality a new three-year tender for the operation of the MRF will be put out for tender early in February. The envisioned commencement date for the contractor to start operation of the MRF is July 2021.

Once the MRF is operational the municipality will start with the reinstatement of the two bag collection system from households where the service was previously provided (i.e. collection of recyclable waste in the clear bags).

3 February 2021

MY WELLNESS

Albertyn

Dangers of skin cancer not only skin deep S

outh Africans spend a great many hours outdoors. All the while the sun above, providing warmth and energy necessary for our survival, is also posing one of the greatest risks to our health if we do not all protect ourselves from its dangerous cancer-causing rays.

According to Dr Dineo Tshabalala, a medical oncologist practising at Netcare Olivedale Hospital, if left undetected skin cancer can be devastating in ways people often do not realise. “Skin cancer is often thought of as being quite literally only on the surface of our bodies. Yet the threat is not only skin deep – without early treatment skin cancer can spread, metastasising to other organs.”

According to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and as South Africa has one of the highest monitored ultraviolet (UV) levels in the world, it also has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer globally. UVB rays can cause sunburn within 15 minutes, resulting in permanent damage, while UVA rays can contribute to ageing the skin and DNA damage. Damage from both UVA and UVB rays can lead to skin cancer.

“While the highest incidence continues to occur among white people, in sub-Saharan Africa it is becoming increasingly prevalent among black people with HIV as well as those with albinism, although anyone with compromised immunity is at risk. The risk factors for developing skin cancer include cumulative sun exposure, sun damage

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and sunburn,” Dr Tshabalala adds.

genetically predisposed to the disease.

“The hard truth is that skin cancer spares no one,” says dermatologist, Dr Hetesh Pitamber who practises at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital. “There tends to be a general misconception that non-whites are safe from developing skin cancer because their skins are darker and therefore less sensitive to the sun. However, this is simply not the case.

While the disease is certainly more common in the white population, it affects us all.”

Dr Tshabalala notes that basal cell carcinoma rarely metastasizes while squamous cell carcinoma can metastasize if not caught early, with a tendency to spread to the brain via the lymph nodes. Cutaneous melanoma has the highest risk of metastasising and if left unchecked and untreated will spread to the lymph nodes nearest the affected lesion, mole or birthmark.

Dr Pitamber cautions that the non-white population needs to keep a close eye on any pigmented lesions on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet as well as their nails. Everyone should be aware of the risk areas, with those parts of the body exposed to sun more often being most vulnerable. “People don’t often consider areas such as the back of the neck, the feet and the ears, including inside and behind the ear,” he says.

The three most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, which develops in the squamous cells that make up the middle and outer layers of the skin; basal cell carcinoma, which most often occurs when DNA damage from exposure to UV radiation from the sun or the use of indoor tanning beds triggers changes in basal cells in the outermost layer of skin, resulting in uncontrolled growth; and cutaneous melanoma, which is thought to be triggered by intense, occasional exposure to UV radiation, either from the sun or tanning beds, especially in people who are

“From there it can affect multiple organs as the cancer starts to spread through the body. It is for this reason that we must try and diagnose skin cancer as early on as possible, while it is still only at the surface. The only way to cure skin cancer is to cut it out – chemotherapy does not work for melanoma. There are some targeted therapies and other modalities that can be applied, but once the cancer has started to spread an oncologist needs to be consulted and further treatment will be advised on a case by case basis,” says Dr Tshabalala.

According to Dr Pitamber, it is during one’s youth when the course for skin health is set. As much as 80% of the damage that will start to show up later in life is caused by sun-induced skin damage that occurred by or before the age of 18 – 21 years. It is for this reason that parents are advised to take extreme precautions in protecting the skin of their children from an early age.

“Sunblock needs to be applied liberally on all

Tel: 028 271 4666 Fax: 028 271 4665 WhatsApp: 079 387 2650 Email: albertyn@netactive.co.za

Vir vriendelike diens! caring for you

areas of the body that are exposed to the sun including the hands, feet, neck and ears as these areas are often neglected. Hats with a wide brim protecting the back of the neck as well as the face are a must, and appropriate UV protective clothing should be worn together with sunscreen when swimming, as UV light penetrates water as well. Sunglasses are important for protecting the eyes too,” he cautions.

Checking your body for any unusual pigmented spots or pointing out any changes you may notice on your loved ones, particularly when it comes to moles or birthmarks, can be the first life-saving step. Use this ABCDE checklist for moles: A – Asymmetry (one half different to the other half ) B – Border irregularities (scalloped or poorly defined edges) C – Colour (moles with more than one colour, or changes occurring in the colour) D – Diameter (larger than 6mm) E – Elevation (becoming raised and more prominent) Any lesion that is crusted, not healing, ulcerating or continuously bleeding should alert you to possible basal or squamous cell carcinoma. “It is tragic when something that could so easily have been stopped in its tracks is left to develop into cancer elsewhere in the body,” says Dr Tshabalala.

- MNA on behalf of Netcare

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3 February 2021

LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL

EARS a great idea!

Writer & Photographer Toni Younghusband

G

reyton’s sanctuary for retired and rescued donkeys has launched an ‘adoption’ scheme for animal lovers looking for an unusual gift.

EARS Donkey Sanctuary, which is located about 10km outside Greyton and is home to 22 rescues, is inviting members of the public to put their name to a donkey for as little as R1 200 a year (R100 per month) for which they will receive a personalised EARS adoption certificate with a photo of their donkey and a newsletter every quarter updating them on their donkey’s latest adventures.

Prospective adoptees are encouraged to visit the Sanctuary to choose their donkey, though if this is not physically possible the Sanctuary will choose one on their behalf. Donkey ‘parents’ are encouraged to visit their donkeys as often as they like.

The EARS donkeys are a wonderful mixture of personalities, colours and temperaments and they absolutely love visitors.

There’s Granddaddy Pedro, the oldest resident at 35; Leila who was found as a foal injured and alone at the side of a road; Cocoa and Milo who were rescued from a horror slaughter auction in the Northern Cape; Lilli and Tonio who were

rescued injured and emaciated while pulling a cart; beautiful Ruth and her daughter Anna who carry those classic ‘crucifix’ markings on their backs... and so many others.

All of these donkeys have had rough beginnings – abuse, overwork, neglect, cruelty – but the Sanctuary offers them love, safety, plenty to eat and the assurance that they will never be worked again.

“The past year has been a challenging one for many non-profit organisations who have been unable to plan and embark on the usual fundraising events. Adopting a donkey is a valuable way of contributing to the running costs of the Sanctuary and ensuring that the EARS donkeys are kept in the style to which they have become accustomed,” said Sanctuary founder Jo Sedgwick.

“You can also ‘adopt’ a donkey on someone else’s behalf – a grandchild, a friend, an animal lover who deserves that extra special something and we’ll put the adoption certificate in their name.”

The Sanctuary relies entirely on donor funding.

All adoption fees are ploughed back into the Sanctuary to care for its residents.

If you would like more info about the adoption scheme or would like to adopt, email Jo at jo@greytondonkeysanctuary.co.za.

ABOVE: Anna, Ruth and Toby are just three of the adorable donkeys that were rescued from abuse or overwork and now live in retirement at the EARS Sanctuary.

LEFT: EARS founder Jo Sedgwick gives Henry a cuddle.

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3 February 2021

MY ENVIRONMENT

These are a few of my favourite… frogs

By Dr Anina Lee

itats and no understanding of ecosystems.

Sometimes I still wonder…

Another of my local favourites is the Drewes’s Moss Frog that hangs out in the Kleinrivier Mountains. Their trilling call can be heard along permanent seeps both day and night during their breeding season from June to October.

T

he last 20 years of my life have been an adventure in nature filled with delight.

Working for Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) and being a member of the Hermanus Bird Club and Hermanus Botanical Society has allowed me to explore so many fascinating aspects of our local biodiversity.

Tagging along with my colleague Sheraine van Wyk has allowed me to learn about chameleons and frogs and then share the privilege of that knowledge through the WCC Youth Environment Programme and our guided walks in nature.

I want to tell you about some frogs I have met in my life. One of my favourites is the small Arum Lily Frog – such a delicate cream with orange legs, usually hidden under its body, and with a loud screechy mating call quite out of proportion to its delicate frame and looks.

The Western Leopard Toad is an awesome frog – so large and colourful, and sadly, so endangered. Their habitat along the coast from Cape Town to Agulhas has systematically been destroyed under the guise of “development”.

Wetlands, such as those in Betty’s Bay, have been drained with the blessing of local government. In the days when these coastal areas were developed, there were no environmental laws that protected wildlife hab-

They are so tiny (the size of a thumbnail) and so well camouflaged that in the five years I have been listening for their mating calls in order to estimate their numbers in Fernkloof, I have not seen a single specimen “in the flesh”.

This little frog depends on year-long damp places staying damp. It breeds in the moist undergrowth, laying eggs that develop into tadpoles and metamorphose into froglets, all still in the soggy undergrowth.

Three years of hot, dry summers from 2017 to 2019 took an enormous toll on their numbers. Despite being in a protected environment, they have no defences against climate change.

However, I retain a very soft spot for a frog I encountered years ago in a different world as a graduate student. The research focus of the laboratory was on how animals adapt to drought. Animals like frogs can bury themselves when ponds dry up and stay in a state of dormancy (called aestivation) for up to

a year or more, until the next heavy rains.

The familiar ‘platanna’ (Xenopus laevis) is an excellent example of this useful adaptation.

were a deep green colour, with bright yellow armpits and a broad head with a sardonic smile.

During the normal metabolising of proteins, the constituent amino acids are broken down to form nitrogen. In their typical aquatic environment, the frogs excrete nitrogen in the form of ammonia – the simplest form of nitrogen.

Pyxis gained fame through a wonderful BBC documentary narrated by David Attenborough that showed parental care in these frogs. Pyxis stay underground until good rains have fallen and formed shallow puddles. They then come to the surface, where the males take occupancy of a puddle, with the dominant male at the centre.

Ammonia is a toxic molecule, so it must be rapidly excreted along with the loss of a large volume of water – this is no problem if you live in water and it can be replenished easily.

However, when the frog aestivates because of drought, it has to conserve the water it has in its body and store the breakdown product until such time it can be excreted. Therefore, the frog changes its metabolism to make urea instead – a molecule that’s much less toxic and can be safely stored in the body. How do they do that?

That was the topic of my research.

Pyxicephalus adspersus – the giant bullfrog – also aestivates for long periods and probably has a similar mechanism of adaptation. We kept some in the lab in a tank as possible research subjects. They were magnificent.

If there is a prince among frogs, the ‘pyxi’ must be it. They were the size of a dinner plate and weighed well over a kilogram. They

The males call for females to come hither, and the dominant, strongest male will win most fair maidens. Fertilisation takes place externally, with the male ducking the female’s head under water so that the eggs squirt out above the water – he fertilises them in mid-air!

From here it’s a race against time to complete metamorphosis before the puddle dries up again. The shallow puddle is warm, so the eggs hatch rapidly.

Tadpoles from all the successful matings come together into one large school, guarded by the dominant male. He will fight to protect them from any predators. If the pond starts to dry up, he will use a spade-like feature on his hind legs to dig a channel to another deeper pond. Daddy day-care. How amazing is that!

Unfortunately, we don’t have the pleasure of seeing these frogs in Hermanus – they occur in the north-eastern part of the Western Cape and further inland to the north.

And what happened to the lab specimens?

I am happy to say that they were never the subjects of any research. They were eventually released in a wetland near Johannesburg, where I hope their progeny lives on to this day.

CIRCLE: Animals like frogs can bury themselves when ponds dry up and stay in a state of dormancy (called aestivation) for up to a year or more, until the next heavy rains.

The familiar ‘platanna’ (Xenopus laevis) is an excellent example of this useful adaptation.

PHOTO: Science Source BELOW: Male Bullfrogs gathering at a shallow pond.

PHOTO: Whale Coast Conservation

The Giant Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) is a prince among frogs. They grow to the size of a dinner plate and weigh well over a kilogram. They are a deep green colour, with bright yellow armpits and a broad head with a sardonic smile.

PHOTO: Tyrone Ping

The endangered Western Leopard Toad’s wetland habitat habitat the coast from Cape Town to Agulhas has systematically been destroyed under the guise of “development”.

PHOTO: thegreentimes.co.za

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3 February 2021

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MY ENVIRONMENT

A deep dive into the Dolphins of the Cape Coast – Part 1 These dolphins are occasionally seen in Walker Bay and have a comparatively small home range compared to most dolphins.

Some Humpback Dolphins have a home range of only 30km.

They can often be found feeding along rocky reef systems and are even known to go up the Breede River! These dolphins tend to stick in shallow waters of not much more than 20m of depth and are a similar size to that of the Common and Bottlenose dolphins in the area.

By Jax Bath

W

hen most people think dolphin, they think Flipper.

Flipper was a Bottlenose dolphin which stole the hearts of people around the world. This made the Bottlenose dolphin a household name and perhaps the only species that most people could name off the top of their head.

The world of Delphinidae is however a diverse one, with over 40 different species of dolphin roaming our earth’s oceans and rivers. Dolphins are considered to be toothed whales and use echolocation as a means to locate their food. They are typically thought to be more social than baleen filter-feeding whales, and have one blow hole at the top of their head, whereas baleen whales have two.

Off the Cape coast, there are six species of dolphin that one might encounter on a whale watching excursion or even from the rocky cliffs that grace our coastline. For this week’s ocean story, I thought I might detail three of the species, followed by the other three next week. I have chosen to do so in no particular order, apart from beginning with my all-time favourite.

Their babies are born at a size of around 1m in length and can spend up to four years with their mother. Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins are also thought to be long lived, with some studies estimating that they could live for over 40 years.

2. The Orca These large beauties are next on the list due to most people not knowing that an Orca is, in fact, a dolphin. They are the largest dolphin species out there, with males reaching a length of up to 9m. Orcas are unlike any other ocean-going creature, so they’re pretty hard to confuse with other species. Orcas are black with white patches and males boast a dorsal fin that can grow up to 2m tall.

In Walker Bay, Orcas are typically spotted a few times a year, making them a rare treat. These toothed whales are highly social, often living in matriarchal family groups. The groups seen in our area are typically hunting Common dolphins, though we have two naughty boys, Port and Starboard, who come into the area too in order to feast on sharks.

Orcas live complex lives, with different eco types exhibiting different cultures and languages. Though we don’t know all that much about the Orca along the South African coastline just yet, scientists from Sea Search are studying them to get a better idea of what these giant sea pandas are getting up to. In this past week, Sea Search recorded their first ever vocalisation from an Orca in South Africa, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rq-GnwbXek&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0CLP1fLaPWtza9mzRQ_iIO8a5KaLgHwINF6WKo6Q-vBS7ztxxWOZduUr0

1. The Common Dolphin These exquisite creatures are hard to confuse with any other dolphin in the region, as they sport a gorgeous golden patch on either side of their body, running from their eyes to their flanks.

These dolphins rule the open ocean, travelling thousands of kilometres in a year and sometimes forming super pods of up to 10 000 animals. They can travel at speeds of over 30km/h, which allows them to cover great distances.

Walker Bay is a great area to watch them, with pods heading through the area in the hopes of finding a meal. Simon’s Town and the Cape Peninsula also boast great sightings where they can often be seen from shore if you find yourself a high enough vantage point. These dolphins can be seen year-round, though their presence increases around March/April when the sardines begin their annual migration east. The dolphins follow the sardines, sometimes resulting in a “burning water” scene to rival that of Blue Planet. In addition to sardines, studies have found over 30 different species of fish and cephalopod species in their stomachs.

Common dolphins tend to love boats and if you’re ever lucky enough to encounter them whilst whale watching, be sure to listen out for their high-pitched whistles!

Next week’s ocean story will cover the last three species commonly sighted in the Cape: the Bottlenose, Heaviside and Dusky dolphins. Although these are the species most frequently encountered, it’s important to note that there are other species passing through our waters that we’re simply not seeing.

Many of the other species travel far away from the coastline but may be encountered by ships and fishing vessels. Evidence of these species also comes in the form of strandings where rarer animals will wash up along the shoreline.

The late Peter Best documented 25 members of the Delphinidae family in what he described as the South African sub-region.

PHOTOS: Jax Bath

3. The Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin Perhaps the strangest looking dolphin along our coastline, the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin is also the most endangered.

There are said to be fewer than 500 of these coastal-dwelling dolphins left in South Africa. They get their name from their fat hump beneath their dorsal fin. This fin can be used to identify the animals, with every dolphin having unique markings. They are a shy species and can be seen alone or in small groups, typically numbering no more than 10 individuals.

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3 February 2021

MOTORING

F

on cars

Compiled by John Floyd

Ford’s Windscreen Weather Station Clears View Ahead

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any of us are hitting the road to fitness after over-indulging during the festive period, whether its running, cycling, or going to the gym.

The only problem is, when we get in the car afterwards, our exertions sometimes lead to the inside of the windscreen misting up – delaying our journey home, if only by a few minutes.

Ford’s Windscreen Weather Station prevents this before it even happens. It can detect moisture in the air as well as detect changes in the temperature of the glass, automatically activating the air-con if needed, and selecting the required airflow setting to pre-empt the windscreen misting over. * With indoor fitness options limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is

more often the case that people are unable to shower after exercising.

Last year, from March to June, Sport England reported 731,000 more runners and 1.2 million more cyclists than before, while Germany saw a 42 percent increase in runners, as people tried to stay active during lockdown.

The Windscreen Weather Station is located on the glass, near the rear-view mirror on the glass. The 5 cm X 3 cm system consists of several sensors.

The latest version, already introduced in some Ford models, also helps improve fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions by reducing the usage of the air-con’s compressor.

Ford recently teamed up with outdoor experience experts komoot

to enable drivers to plan, navigate and enjoy an adventure in the great outdoors; and drivers of selected electrified Ford vehicles can utilise FordPass to defrost the windscreen

and set the cabin temperature before starting their journey. ** For the outside, Ford’s patented QuickClear technology de-ices the windscreen in seconds at the touch of a button.

* The sensor system is included on vehicles with Dual Electric Automatic Temperature Control. ** In regions where permitted by law.

The New Navara continues Nissan’s 60-year legacy of investment in Africa W hen Nissan made its first investment towards Africa’s growth sixty years ago with Datsun’s presence in Zimbabwe and the Nissan Motor Company Limited, opening its Rosslyn operations, it was the humble, but bold start of a journey. With a firm belief in the opportunities that lie on the African continent, the group furthered its investments in 2000, when it purchased a 37 percent stake from Sanlam Group; opened an assembly facility in Egypt; and became the first overseas auto manufacturer to begin local assembly in Nigeria in 2014.

In 2019, Nissan continued its commitment to the continent, making a R3 billion investment announcement to facilitate the local production of the Nissan Navara pickup. The bold investment spoke to the Navara rolling off the production line alongside the popular NP200 half-ton pickup, and NP300 one-ton Hardbody that are already produced at the South African plant.

The impact of the Navara production announcement has been substantial, extending from the Nissan facility, to its people and the communities in which Nissan operates. The modernised Rosslyn plant now has a new, flexible production line and additional facilities. R190 million has already been invested in re-skilling and training Nissan South Africa’s employees to expand their expertise in preparation for the Navara’s local production the company’s production trial engineers, for example,

the Nissan Next Transformation Plan to increase its passenger/crossover market presence, and to become the LCV production hub for its regional markets. In addition to this, Nissan has also entered automotive policy discussions with the Kenyan government, with the vision to invest in manufacturing plants in these countries.

Taking investment action a step further in Ghana, Nissan recently appointed long-time partner Japan Motors Trading Co. as to develop its new vehicle assembly facility in Accra, Ghana. The first model to be assembled at the new facility will be the all-new Nissan Navara. This comes as a result of the 2018 memorandum of understanding between Nissan and the government of Ghana to lay the foundation for a sustainable automotive manufacturing industry in the country.

spent three months receiving virtual training (due to COVID-19 travel restrictions) from Nissan trainers in Japan on implementing the model here in South Africa.

Nissan South Africa has also incubated eight new component manufacturers and related companies, from their BBBEE start-up programme, and identified a further 15 who can assist with components for the new Navara. The installation of the necessary machinery, including robots, meanwhile, and new press machines, were completed during lock-down by highly skilled local engineers under the “virtual” online guidance

of Japanese, technicians sitting at home in their respective countries as everyone came to grips with the global pandemic.

Investing in an opportunity-filled market This journey demonstrates just how critical Africa has been for Nissan, and today, the continent is one of the company’s fastest growing territories in terms of Total Industry Volume (TIV). The company has a 20 percent market share in a number of Sub-Saharan markets and holds 4th position with nine percent market-share in South Africa. As the operational hub for Regional Business Unit South, Nis-

san South Africa serves the Group’s key Sub-Saharan markets- South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Mauritius, Angola, Zimbabwe, which have been labelled as opportunity markets by the Group.

Nissan believes the business will be able to achieve sustainable, profitable growth, and maximise their competitive advantage as a low-cost manufacturing base in these markets.

Geared for growth The journey does not stop here.

With its commitment to build the new Navara in South Africa, Nissan continues to show its commitment to the continent and is aligning with

According to Nissan’s Africa Regional Business Unit, Managing Director, Mike Whitfield, Nissan will continue to develop regional hubs, “South Africa remains a pivotal market, first for the access that it grants Nissan to the continent and secondly as a light commercial vehicle hub for the Nissan group. We have a specific team working on potential opportunities in East, West, and Central Africa.

This includes investigating options for local assembly, consolidating and strengthening our National Sales Companies in Sub-Sahara, and working with local governments to develop their industrial policies.”

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3 February 2021

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Alfa Romeo Tonale wins the popular vote at What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2021 T

he Alfa Romeo Tonale has won the Reader Award at this year’s influential What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2021. The only award voted for by readers of the UK’s leading car buying brand, the Reader Award determines the most exciting new car of 2021 as judged by the very people who buy them.

Having made its international debut at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Tonale builds on 110 years of Alfa Romeo heritage and has captured car buyers attention ahead of the unveil of the final production model later this year.

What Car editor-in-chief, Steve Huntingford, said “The What Car?

Reader Award is often closely fought, but this year the Tonale ran away with it, garnering more than twice as many votes as the second-placed car.

People are clearly very excited about the idea of a new family SUV bearing the Alfa Romeo badge, and looking at the concept, it's easy to see why.”

Arnaud Leclerc, head of Alfa Romeo EMEA said, “The Tonale concept signals the future for Alfa Romeo, with the production car set to be the first plug-in hybrid to join the range. It’s humbling to see how its combination of beauty and functionality has captured car buyer’s imaginations and that they are as excited to see the final version on the roads as we are.”

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3 February 2021

The New 500 named “Convertible of the Year” and “Best Small electric city car” T

he New 500 has received another award in the United Kingdom, this time being named “Convertible of the Year” and “Best Small electric car for the city” by What Car? magazine in its “Car of the Year 2021” awards. The jury praised the New 500's handling, driving style, range, price and refreshed interiors, conferring on it their “Convertible of the Year” award. It is also the first electric car to be named as such in the magazine’s history.

The New 500 is FCA’s first full-electric model and boasts numerous top-of-the-range features. For instance, the 42-kW battery guarantees extended range, up to 320 km in the WLTP cycle, increasing to 450 km in the urban cycle, and comes with an 85-kW battery charger as standard in both the Passion and Icon versions. It only takes 5 minutes to charge it up to drive 50 kilometers, more than necessary for average daily use. The fast charger can also charge the battery to 80% in just 35 minutes. In terms of performance, the batteries are combined with an 87-kW (118-hp) electric motor, delivering an automatically limited maximum speed of 150 km/h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and from 0 to 50 km/h in 3.1 seconds.

The New 500 also comes with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), making it easier, safer, simpler and more fun to drive, as well as being the first car in its segment equipped with level 2 autonomous driving.

Luca Napolitano, Head of EMEA Fiat, Lancia & Abarth Brands, commented: “We are thrilled with this further acknowledgment for the New 500, only a few months since it was unveiled to the press.

In only two months since launch, we have already sold over 10,000 New 500 units in Europe, becoming number 1 in the Italian electric vehicle market in December.”

Steve Huntingford, Editor of "What Car?", said: “The New 500 is the first electric car to receive the “Convertible of the Year” award. If any car had ever been created to be driven in the city, it's definitely the Fiat 500. Its shorter length than its competitors, ultra-light steering and wide front visibility make the New 500 the most agile car for all maneuvers in city centers. And its range, an improvement on its competitors, is also suitable for any out-of-town journey.”

The award bestowed by What Car? magazine adds to the trophy haul of the New 500, which already includes “Green Car” at the French Automobile Awards 2020 and “Car of the Year and Best Small Electric Car” from DrivingElectric, a specialist UK website.

On top of these prestigious international acknowledgments, it has also received the “Best Design 2020” award from the German magazine “Auto Motor und Sport” and "Best Design Concept” at the renowned international “Red Dot Design Awards”.

Volkswagen Group South Africa tops passenger car market in pandemic-hit 2020 D espite a year that was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), which consists of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles brands as well as Audi, ended 2020 as the passenger car market leader in South Africa.

“2020 was a challenging year not just for our brands but for the motoring industry as a whole and to come out of 2020 still holding onto our leadership of the passenger car market, is an incredible feat,” said Mike Glendinning, VWSA Sales and Marketing Director.

According to naamsa, 380 449 vehicles were sold in South Africa last year, a 29.1% decline when compared to 2019. “VWSA was severely affected by the pandemic which ground vehicle sales to a halt in April; our 2020 sales are down by

28.9% year-on-year when compared to 2019,” said Glendinning.

“Despite the difficulties we faced in 2020, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand posted a record market share last year; the 21.6% market share achieved by the brand in 2020 is 1.2% higher than the one in 2019 and is the highest market share in the history of the brand as well as the highest market share of all Volkswagen markets across the world,” added Glendinning.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand recorded total sales of 53 319 units last year. With 19 750 units sold in 2020, the locally-manufactured Polo Vivo is not only Volkswagen’s top-selling vehicle, but it is also the South Africa’s best-selling passenger car.

The compact SUV, the T-Cross, is now Volkswagen’s best-selling

imported vehicle with 5 693 units sold in 2020. With less than two years since being launched in South Africa, the T-Cross is now sitting in second position in the A0 SUV segment in the local market.

In a year that was particularly challenging for the premium market, the Audi brand increased its market share by 0.3% when compared to 2019 and recorded full-year sales of 5 819 units last year. The Audi Q2 was the best-selling model range for the premium brand last year posting sales of 1 131 units.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which is responsible for vehicle derivatives like the Amarok, Caddy, Kombi, Caravelle, Panel Van and the Crafter, posted total sales of 4 344 and ended the year with a 3.7% market share in 2020. The Caddy was the brand’s best-selling derivative with 1 730 units sold in 2020.

“In what was been an unprecedented year, VWSA’s performance in 2020 is thanks to our dedicated Dealer Network who pushed for every sale. I’d also like to thank our loyal Audi and Volkswagen customers who continue to ensure that VWSA is South Africa’s most loved passenger brand year after year,” concluded Glendinning.

Looking ahead at 2021 This year, Volkswagen South Africa will be turning 70 years old in August. The first Volkswagen rolled off the production line in Uitenhage in 1951. Besides Volkswagen’s special birthday, there are also some exciting vehicles making their way to South Africa this year.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand will start off the year with a bang with the launch of the highly-anticipated hot hatch, the Golf 8

GTI. A Tiguan facelift as well as the Golf 8 R will also be launched in the local market this year.

2021 will also be an action-packed year for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand as they kick off the year with sales of the most powerful bakkie in South Africa, the Amarok 190kW, from the first quarter of this year. New model introductions include the T6.1 Kombi, Crafter Auto, as well as the fifth generation of the best-selling Caddy model range.

Besides the introduction of a totally refreshed and extensive R and RS performance range (new RS4, RS5, RS6, RS7, RSQ8, RSQ3, R8 are all due in 2021), key model introductions for this year for the Audi brand in South Africa include the all-new Audi A3 model range. The Audi Q5 and Q2 model ranges are also due for a facelift in 2021 as well.

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3 February 2021

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Suzuki excels in 2020

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ith the total new vehicle sales for 2020 fully validated, Suzuki Auto South Africa and its network of 71 dealers can celebrate its most successful year yet.

Naamsa, the automotive industry body, reports that Suzuki sold 16 527 vehicles in 2020. This means that the brand not only grew its sales by 1 046 units in the year, but also increased its market share to 4,3% while overall industry sales declined by 29.1%.

The audited sales results also recorded at least four instances in 2020 where Suzuki set new outright sales records for the brand. This includes a new record of 2 032 units in October 2020, the first month that Suzuki sold more than 2 000 units. With such a strong performance, Suzuki has reaffirmed its position as a top 6 vehicle brand in South Africa and one of the fastest growing passenger vehicle brands

overall.

“There is no better testament to the hard work and resilience of our staff and dealer network than the increase in sales last year.

“One should keep in mind that for a couple of weeks we were not able to welcome customers at all, and in the latter part of the year we were constrained by a shortage of stock from some international suppliers. Yet our team did everything they could to keep our customers happy and our waiting lists as short as possible,” says André Venter, divisional manager for sales and marketing at Suzuki Auto.

According to Venter, Suzuki grew in every area of its business, with no single retail channel or model solely responsible for the increase in sales. For instance, the Suzuki dealer network grew its sales by 17.84% over 2019, with 13

556 customers welcomed to the Suzuki family.

At the same time, Suzuki grew its sales to fleet customers and the government by 12%, despite the fact that the rental industry purchases dropped by 26.2% last year.

its existing model range, including the Dzire, Ignis and Baleno, and the introduction of the budget-beating S-Presso. Suzuki managed to introduce the new S-Presso from the onset as South Africa’s most affordable compact SUV.

To accommodate the increase in sales and the growing Suzuki family, Suzuki Auto opened 10 new dealers, mostly in rural areas. This included new dealers in Mokopane, Makhado, Secunda and as far north as Otjiwarongo and Ongwediva in Namibia.

“The S-Presso has proven to be the perfect product for tough times and it proved to cash-strapped consumers that they do not have to forego new car luxuries and an SUV body shape when they opt for an entry-level vehicle,” says Venter.

Suzuki Auto South Africa also moved its head office to a new facility in Johannesburg, which nearly doubled its available warehouse space, and offered a new, larger dispatch area for service and repair parts. This allows it to better serve its network of dealers and offer a new 24-hour turnaround time on most parts.

The past year also saw several upgrades to

The product planning that brought the S-Presso to South Africa with its mix of affordable price and good features, is at the heart of Suzuki’s DNA as will be very evident in the upcoming launch of the Suzuki Vitara Brezza. The Vitara Brezza is the best-selling vehicle outright in India. It will be launched in South Africa in February.