The Village NEWS 5 Dec - 11 Dec 2018

THE VILLAGE

FCJ Independant Newspaper of the Year

05 DECEMBER 2018

#ALLOVEROVERBERG We’ve Got You Covered

4

Elephant sanctuary for Kleinmond

5

Last deadline for Tyson

14

What’s on Events Diary

16

Artwalk for charity

YOUR FREE COPY

Greater double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris afer) hovering while eating some nectar in a garden in Onrus.

PHOTO: Nika Oberholzer

Stage is set for a bumper season Writer De Waal Steyn espite one of the toughest economic and political years in history, the Cape Whale Coast is set for a bumper summer season with thousands of tourists expected to descend on our towns in the next few weeks.

onwards. The hospitality industry is used to the initial dip at the start of December and takes this opportunity to prepare for the spike in activity that follows,” says Tourism Manager Frieda Lloyd. “This year the public holiday on Monday 17 December is also encouraging people to take a long weekend and we expect an influx.”

“We are expecting a good season with most accommodation establishments reporting a good number of reservations from 14 December

According to her many foreign tourists visited our towns over the last few weeks, with especially Germans tourists, topping the list.

D

“With more direct flights between Europe and Cape Town we have seen an increase in the number of Europeans coming to the Western Cape. These visitors are adventurous and eager to travel off the beaten track. It is encouraging to note that many arrivals at Cape Town International Airport head to Hermanus before exploring the rest of the Western Cape. We are fortunate that this year was one of the best ever whale seasons and that it ended very late this year. There are actually still a few whales along our coast,” says Frieda.

She says however, that it is mainly local visitors that will be filling our beaches during December and early January.

“What is interesting is that holidaymakers in Hermanus are once again staying for longer periods. With the petrol price decreasing it is encouragement enough to take a welldeserved break after a tough year.

It certainly helps that there are new tourism products on offer and more experiences to be enjoyed. There is a noticeable interest in nature with the

demand for hiking routes being high on the list of enquiries at the tourism offices. The events calendar for this year is jampacked and sure to meet the tastes of everyone.”

Frieda says visitors are drawn to places that offer them interesting and exciting things to do and see. “With our wine routes, nature reserves, Blue Flag beaches and an almost endless number of adventure activities, visitors do not need to travel around anymore.”

Continues on P 3

3

05 December 2018

Mainly local visitors expected From P 1 According to Gansbaai Tourism Manager Glenda Kitley, some accommodation establishments, especially guesthouses and B&Bs are reporting a slight drop in bookings. Self-catering units, however, are almost fully booked and the three caravan parks are full, from 15 December.

“Looking at the numbers, we are expecting a good season. The duration of stays this year varies with some establishments reporting more bookings for shorter periods of time.

“It seems that the average length holidaymakers will stay this season is at least one week. South African visitors booked mainly into self-catering establishments, while international tourists have opted for guesthouses,” says Glenda.

According to her, most bookings were done earlier this year instead of visitors waiting until the last minute to do their booking as in previous years.

Glenda says bookings for events and activities are brisk. “The Danger Point Half Marathon that will take place on 29 December has already received several entries.”

Hangklip/Kleinmond Tourism Officer, Anecia Abrahams, says most accommodation bookings this year are either for the week over Christmas, or the week over New Year – rather than the usual enquiries stretching over both big holidays for the usual period of about 10 days.

“Accommodation establishments reported that bookings are good, with a few openings here and there.

With the public holidays falling on weekdays, a good and long peak season can be expected.

“The annual Christmas Market in Kleinmond, as well as the Disakloof Gift Market in Betty’s Bay promise to be well worth a visit. The Hot Summer of Touch Rugby tournament will again take place on Kleinmond Main beach on 18 December and Onrus

beach on 20 December. Many other smaller events are taking place over the entire Hangklip-Kleinmond area, with Pringle Bay offering various live music events,” says Anecia.

“Traditional visitor statistics over the Christmas holidays are no different to previous years, with the majority of visitors being locals. Restaurants and retailers are making sure that back-up generators and alternative power supplies are in place to get them through the load-shedding periods.”

With most businesses reporting heavy financial losses for the year to date due to the unrest and fewer visitors than in previous years, many business owners are banking on a bumper season. Some business owners said that the losses incurred during the year has led to a situation where a this season will be make or break for them.

The increase in trade will be used to restore cashflow and cover expenses, but for most businesses any prospect of growth or profit has been put on the back burner.

Dean Meijer of Chas Everitt Whale Coast, says the real estate sector is bracing itself for a tough season.

“Sellers are still expecting the same prices as they have for the last five years, while buyers are set on paying less for property due to both the national economic climate as well as the social problems we face.

“We are seeing a widening gap between what sellers are expecting and what buyers are prepared to pay. It is for this reason that we are expecting a slowdown in sales this year.

“But we must remember that the Whale Coast, despite its challenges, still offers the best quality of lifestyle anywhere in the country. Apart from the natural beauty and the relaxed atmosphere, Hermanus offers everything that one can expect from a city.

This includes schools, hospitals and a wide array of businesses,” he says.

Jana Smith of Harcourts Hermanus says they are positive about the season. “Potential buyers still see Hermanus and the rest of the Overstrand as a good investment, especially in a buyers’ market like we are experiencing at the moment.”

This year the discharging of any fireworks, Chinese lanterns and flares are again prohibited in all areas. There will be no specially demarcated areas where fireworks may be discharged.

Due to the high fire risk and implementation of water restrictions the stakes for allowing fireworks are simply too high. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) also asks people not to use sky lanterns as they float out to sea and are often reported as emergency flares which in turn cause them hours of fruitless searching.

Frieda concludes by saying this year there is an added emphasis on safety and security. “Our unspoiled beaches are a major attraction for visitors and we caution sun seekers to swim within demarcated areas. Lifeguards are already on duty at the official swimming beaches.

“We are preparing material to ensure that visitors are assisted appropriately should emergencies occur. With so much happening this festive season we look forward to welcoming those who have chosen to holiday in our beautiful region.”

4

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

The animals came in two by two Writer Elaine Davie

J

ust under four years ago, word got around in Kleinmond that a piece of land on the sea side of Lamloch had been sold and that it was going to be developed as a game reserve, specifically for elephants.

Almost immediately the rumour mill went into overdrive.

“What about the horses – their home range will be limited,” was one source of mounting hysteria. Even worse: “This is no place for elephants – the property is too small; there are no trees – what will they eat; they will escape and then what – we’ll have elephants invading our gardens and stampeding down the Main Road of Kleinmond – as if the baboons aren’t bad enough!”

As time went by the controversy gathered momentum. First the game fencing and gates went up – “so it’s true then”; then the land was cleared of aliens – “at least that’s a good thing”; then some old outbuildings on the property were demolished – “Ja, you know, they’re going to spoil the landscape with a luxury hotel and a conference centre and I don’t know what else – they probably haven’t even done a proper environmental assessment”.

At least there was no sign of elephants… yet! And then a collective sigh of relief – “CapeNature has turned down their application to keep elephants; see, what did we say all along, the place is not suitable for elephants – so what are they going to do now?” And then there was the recent drama when some of the Rooisand horses were separated from the rest of the herd and “were being held” on the property: ‘“You see what’s happening now – he can’t offer rides on elephants, so he’s going to tame the horses and organise horse-back safaris.”

With all these wars and rumours of war rife in the community, we thought we should sit down with the owner, Craig Saunders and get the current state of play right from the horse’s mouth, as it were.

The first thing we discovered was that Craig has had a life-long love affair with elephants. It started in his student days when he went to work during the holidays at the Sabi-Sabi

Reserve in Mpumalanga. However, after leaving varsity his career took him into publishing, the media, marketing, advertising and finally tourism.

Then, in 1998 on a visit to the Okavango Delta in Botswana he met an American who had hand-reared three elephants and who recounted his remarkable relationship with these very special animals. This meeting made such an impression on him that in the early 2000s he announced to his stunned wife that he was giving up all his other business interests to follow his heart to the world of elephants.

His first step in this bold venture was to build an elephant sanctuary and rehabilitation centre at Hartbeespoort Dam for five traumatised elephants who had survived a cull and were about to be exported overseas. Little did he realise that the journey of rehabilitating these and subsequent rescue elephants was going to be more daunting than bringing up children. If he had had any doubts before, his experience with the angry 48-year-old elephant from the Bloemfontein zoo soon disabused him of any romantic notion he might have had. Yet 10 years later that same elephant is a gentle giant with no hang-ups from his previous negative experiences.

“It takes immense time, patience and trust to build positive relationships with these elephants and it’s absolutely vital to choose the right people to work with them,” he points out.

“Actually, what we do is manage the environment and the people, rather than the elephants. For us ‘training’ is a dirty word. We habituate the elephants to human contact and ensure that all their needs are met, in terms of food, social interaction with other elephants, exercise, stimulation and security. Our interaction with them is built on a reward system of positive behavioural reinforcement.”

After the Hartbeespoort Sanctuary came one at The Crags near Plettenberg Bay and another one in Hazyview, Mpumalanga. In between, he also established a primate sanctuary for rescued monkeys which live completely free within the reserve.

At present there are 12 elephants at the Hartbeespoort Sanctuary, five at The Crags and a similar number in Hazyview.

The owner of Lamloch, Craig Saunders will be introducing two or three elephants to his 455 ha sanctuary within the next few months. He has already established similar sanctuaries at Hartbeespoort, Hazyview and The Crags near Plettenberg Bay. And now there’s Kleinmond. Already released onto the 455 ha sanctuary are eland, springbuck and kudu and early in the year they will be joined by zebra and other antelope species, all endemic to this region. But these, of course, are not the true focus of the project – elephants are. For the past three and a half years Craig has been battling his way through the process of applying for the different permits he requires before being allowed to populate the facility. However, he is optimistic that he will be able to introduce two or three elephants within the next couple of months.

“They will come from one of our existing sanctuaries and will already be habituated and used to interacting with people,” explains Craig, “and they will come here with their existing handlers. The idea is that members of the public, in small groups and in the presence of skilled and experienced handlers will be able to accompany the elephants in whatever they are doing at the time, whether it’s walking, swimming, being groomed, or whatever.

“One of the reasons this particular property is so great is that they’ll be able to swim in the estuary. Physiologically, elephants have many aquatic characteristics and they love to swim. In the process they will help oxygenate the water and open up paths through the reeds, all of which will make a positive contribution to the life of the Bot River Estuary. The

other good news is that for them Port Jackson Willow is a delicacy!”

The supply of appropriate food – and lots of it – is obviously extremely important. Their diet consists of vegetables, fruit, lucerne and tree branches – all brought in from outside. “There is absolutely no reason for elephants to stray if all their needs are met,” emphasises Craig, “but even if they are tempted to do so, the fence we have erected includes two strands of electrified wiring, which will very quickly put paid to that idea. The specifications we have to meet are so detailed and so stringent, in fact, that they cover every possible eventuality, including evacuating the animals in the event of fire, flood, or any other emergency.

“I have absolutely no doubt that this project will add value to the Kleinmond economy. Most visitors to our sanctuaries are foreigners, all needing to be accommodated and fed, which will be good for the local hospitality industry. (At this stage we have no intention of building our own hotel or restaurants, despite rumours to the contrary.)

“We also place a very strong emphasis on education and have a good relationship with various universities which undertake research on aspects of elephant behaviour. We also encourage visits from school groups which will be able to get up close and personal with the largest mammals on earth and be taught the importance of conserving and protecting

our natural environment and the other species which share the earth with us.”

Craig is very clear, though, that this is a business venture, and an expensive one at that. For example, just to clear the property of alien vegetation and allow the fynbos to flourish cost him R4.5 million. But it also meant that he could employ 20 locals for the job. His policy for all his projects is, indeed, to employ local workers for all but the most specialised jobs. This is a huge investment for him, and for the project to survive, it needs to be self-sustaining. He feels he now has a good working relationship with the wild horse protection group and will ensure that they still have access to their migratory territory.

Obviously, it is to everyone’s advantage if the Kleinmond Sanctuary succeeds, from a tourism, as well as environmental and educational points of view. He says he wishes to be completely transparent in the way he does business and is happy to answer any questions members of the local community may have.

It is with anticipation that we await the patter of large, plodding footsteps in our area, for the first time in hundreds of years.

For further information Craig can be contacted on e-mail babyjumbo@mweb.co.za or Tel 083 306 3770. The web address is www.elephantsanctuary.co.za.

05 December 2018

Harvey Tyson will be sorely missed

27.09.1928 – 29.11.2018

A

It is not easy trying to write an obituary for one of the most celebrated journalists in South Africa’s history.

With each sentence, his words in a 2017 interview come to mind: “Remember that someone’s death is always untimely, especially for those who died.”

In his book Birding in the Kalahari we read: “Harvey Tyson was definitely born… He was dubiously bred.

Though groomed for the Church he was called to the bar, and there he fell among newspaperpersons.

As a young reporter he enjoyed an interesting life, interviewing jailbirds and meeting many of a species that is almost extinct today — Beauty Queens. But journalism palled when he was promoted to political correspondent and forced to forage among birds of prey such as Verwoerd, Vorster and P W Botha. He flitted hither and thither, from branch to branch of Argus Newspapers, migrating to other feeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere.”

Born in Johannesburg on 27 September 1928, Harvey began as a cadet newspaper reporter at the age of 18 before becoming a general and senior reporter; a political correspondent; a columnist, newspaper editor, private and published socio-political consultant and – in the decades after his formal retirement – an author of books, mainly popular non-fiction.

He was educated at Kingswood College, Grahamstown, 1937-1945 and was awarded a bursary to Rhodes University in the first post-war year, but left after a year to join The Star newspaper in Johannesburg in 1947.

He studied economics and law, parttime, for the next three years at the University of SA without seeking a

#Nowherebetter campaign for Cape The Official Tourism, Trade & Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, Wesgrow, last week launched its new advertising campaign for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

s an inspiring journalist, fearless editor and prolific writer, Harvey Wood Tyson met his last deadline on 29 November 2018.

But Tyson’s death last week in Hermanus was indeed untimely. It leaves a gaping hole in the international journalism fraternity and in the struggle for press freedom, something he fearlessly fought for throughout his more than 70 years in the print media.

5

www.thevillagenews.co.za

degree. He was invited in later years to join sabbaticals studying economics at the universities of Cape Town and Oxford.

He was on The Diamond Fields Advertiser as a cadet journalist when it still published from a flat-bed press and, in the late 1940s, on the Pretoria News with its brand-new post-war rotary press. In the 1950s he was stationed mainly in Durban and later Cape Town, where he became political correspondent for three Argus newspapers.

During two periods in the 1950s and 1960s, Tyson worked on the Yorkshire Press, The Kentish Times, The Scotsman in Edinburgh and The Times in London. He also contributed to news agencies and occasionally to publications in the USA, Europe and the UK. In 1970 he became Deputy Editor of The Star, then Editor three years later.

He retired officially as Editor-in-chief of Star newspapers in 1990. Circumstances during those 20 years led The Star to produce two morning and three afternoon editions; Saturday and Sunday newspapers and an overseas weekly edition. Despite the paper’s struggle against censorship, its daily circulation was reaching a quarter of a million buyers in the Transvaal (an estimated one to two million readers) of all beliefs and cultures.

During his years as Editor of The Star newspaper Tyson’s commitment to freedom of expression was unwavering. Before 1990 his main preoccupation as Editor-in-chief of

Star newspapers involved the world threat to freedom of speech and the direct threat posed by censorship of news in South Africa. He addressed international conferences in Canada, Italy, Holland, Britain, Spain and Turkey on these issues.

In 1990 he was awarded the SA Union of Journalists’ highest honour for ‘defending the press’s freedom in its most threatened hour’.

Tyson and his wife, Arlene, retired to Hermanus on the South Cape coast in 1998, not far from his three children and one of his step-children – all of whom have, at one time or another, worked as full-time journalists or practised as regular freelance writers.

During his retirement he wrote books in various styles on a variety of themes including: Editors Under Fire (1993); A Walk on the Wild Side (1995); Itch of the Twitch (1996); Have Wings, Will Fly (1998); Birders of a Feather (An anthology, 1998); Laugh the Beloved Country (co-edited with author/columnist James Clarke 2001) and Blood on the Path (2009).

Tyson’s last book End of the Deadline, Behind the News 2 was released at the end of November. One of the lesser-known entries on Tyson’s CV reads that he was a contributor to The Village NEWS and once said the paper was one of the best he ever read.

Harvey Tyson’s name will always be imprinted on our memories.

His funeral will take place on Tuesday 11 December at the United Church at 11:00.

– De Waal Steyn

The campaign, dubbed #NowhereBetter, follows the perfect storm of negative messaging last year during the drought, which saw the local tourism industry take a down turn, with international arrivals declining in 2018, compared to that of 2017. The challenge faced was that potential visitors were delaying their trip or not considering Cape Town and the Western Cape as their holiday destination.

“With this campaign, government and key tourism stakeholders came together in an historic first to devise a plan to put the province back on the international tourism consideration list.

“Through research and numerous discussions, the question was posed: Where else in the world can you experience breath-taking landscapes, rich cultural experiences, world-class food and wine, art, marine life, beaches, nature and much more, all within a few minutes or hours from a vibrant city centre?” Wesgrow said in a statement.

To this end it was agreed that ‘Nowhere Does it Better’ than Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Showcasing the breadth and depth of various activities within the Western Cape and their proximity to one another, the globally-focused marketing campaign is comprised of compelling videos showcasing the extraordinary offering of the destination.

With phrases including “Where the French come to fall in love” and “The English come to drink tea” the campaign adopts a cheeky twist, compelling travellers to visit the Western Cape to experience activities synonymous with other countries – because we just do it better.

Judy Lain, Wesgro’s Chief Marketing Officer for Tourism, stated: “The purpose of this campaign is to re-ignite people’s passion for the destination. We need to go back to basics and remind people why we are great and why they need to come and visit us!”

During the launch, it was stressed that a recovery plan is not the silver bullet solution to a complicated problem, however it was an active response to addressing the challenges with the power of a single voice to create a meaningful impact.

Two local companies, Marine Dynamics and Wine Hoppers, as well as De Kelders Drip Cave, have been given the spotlight as part of the new campaign.

In the video, as part of a focus on the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus Wine Hoppers is featured as the perfect solution for a hopon, hop-off wine tour through the valley to visit boutique wineries such as Creation and Bouchard Finlayson, who are also mentioned on the website, while Marine Dynamics gets a plug for shark-cage diving in Gansbaai.

De Kelders Drip Cave, the only freshwater cave along the coast of Africa, is one of four activities chosen to highlight culture and heritage.

Minister of Economic Opportunities, Beverly Schäfer, said: “Tourism is a vital sector in the Western Cape economy, sustaining over 300 000 direct and indirect jobs. In the same way this industry came together during the worst of the crisis, it’s come together again as we find solutions. The campaign is funded from across various spheres of the industry.”

For further information visit nowherebetter.co.za. Businesses that want to use any of the marketing material should visit nowherebetter-campaign.com.

6

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Healthy and robust debate are crucial for democracy. The Village NEWS firmly believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Enjoy our paper.

The Editorial Team.

LET’S TALK T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial

GAS DELIVERIES

Help! Coffee needed now, not two hours later!

Committee hard at work to create Hermanus Varsity We would like to thank the Community of the Overberg for the positive response we have received to the Hermanus Varsity Trust (HVT) presentation held on 22 November, and during the 16 weeks leading up to it. We have received many helpful suggestions and constructive criticism, too much to always answer in individual emails. But we will gladly enter into dialogue with any stakeholders who wish to do so and use the platform of our local newspapers to respond to questions and provide information when necessary.

Although government legislation prevents us from using the word “university” we will be providing access to university-accredited courses that will lead to officially recognised diplomas and degrees.

That is the reason why we use the word “varsity” in our name. While some courses offered through Stadio, one of our partners, are planned to commence in July 2019, those that will be offered through Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and the University of Johannesburg, will commence in 2020. We will be starting with a

few carefully selected courses for a limited number of students with university exemption, as well as with courses that will help teachers and administrators upgrade their qualifications. While there will be some lectures given by visiting academics on a block basis, we will use distance learning programmes and tutorials given by local academics, initially on a voluntary basis.

By providing quality tertiary education for anyone – whether they be recent school leavers with university exemption, or adults who have been working for many years – we want to support them to improve their qualifications and fulfil their dreams.

We also believe that education can contribute to the transformation of our region and help restore hope for the future.

The Old Synagogue, a beautifully restored heritage site, will be the varsity headquarters. The property will, in due course, be landscaped and so enhance the entrance to Hermanus town. Hermanus Varsity Trust will take possession of the building in January 2019, and we hope to have

it functioning by March. We will not be providing accommodation for students. There is ample provision for parking across the road in the parking area; the varsity is within walking distance of those who live close by and students will also make provision of public transport, so there will not be traffic congestion caused by the varsity.

Our steering committee will be holding a strategic planning session before the December holidays to discuss many of the questions raised in the emails received and to prepare for what needs to be done during 2019. We will have another reportback session during February 2019, when further information about our proposed courses will be announced.

Notice will be given about that meeting in due course.

Should you wish to become a Friend of Hermanus Varsity, please contact us on hermanusuniversitycollege@ gmail.com Professor John de Gruchy Official Spokesperson, Hermanus Varsity

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. The soothing sound of waves rhythmically crashing on the rocks envelopes my environment. Couples stroll along the cliff path hand-inhand. Joggers pass by, their panting breaths occasionally punctuating the air.

And here I am, having woken up at 6 am to go for a walk at the Old Harbour, now, one hour later, frantically

going from one place to another looking to buy a cup of coffee, any type of coffee!

Am I successful? No! It’s enough to drive you to drink… alcohol that is!

Come on, Hermanus. Summer is here.

Life doesn’t begin at 8 or 9 am. Can someone please come to the rescue?

Grumpy (and in need of a morning fix of the caffeine variety)

Thank you for quick response We want to share with you the excellent service we recently received from the municipality.

My husband phoned on Saturday night at 19:55 and they sent some people to come and have a look at the water seeping through the tar in Piet Retief Street in Sandbaai. They said a team would come and fix it.

About 15 minutes later they arrived and after digging to about hip depth, and fixing the pipe, they left at about 21:50.

That is what we call excellent service and we want to thank them for their quick response.

Ria and Johan van der Lith

Let us not perish for lack of vision More and more parts of the Hermanus suburb of Zwelihle are starting to resemble a refugee camp – and as is the case with refugees worldwide, locals often harbour the hope of refugees leaving again.

But, uncomfortable as this makes us, these thousands of shack dwellers are here to stay. And once they have roofs over their heads, demands for what could be termed decent living conditions (such as running water, electricity and sanitations) are bound to be followed by a need for

employment and access to public facilities (such as clinics, hospitals and schools).

The above paragraph spells out the obvious. The proverbial writing is on the wall and the truth is Hermanus will never be the same again. One may well label the above facts “An inconvenient truth” (the title of an American documentary of yesteryear) and accept the harsh present-day reality.

A philosopher once observed a

vanished society in the following way: “They perished not for a lack of reason, but for a lack of vision.”

May this never be said of this vibrant community, with so much expertise, potential and goodwill.

Unfortunately, and sadly so, the local democratically elected leaders on both sides of the spectrum have, to a large extent, lost both face and support. On one side of the divide, the officially elected leaders fled from those who had elected them.

Whereas, on the other end of the spectrum, those in authority (at both

municipal and council level) seem to be locked into little more than mere knee-jerking leadership. It is a great pity that the pending 2019 provincial and national elections do not include a local government component, as a newly elected Town Council for the Overstrand may well have heralded not only new dynamics and a sense of hope, but also a more liberated and integrated mindset.

What used to be called “the fisherman’s village of Hermanus” is no more. We are a community in crisis; a

place out of control; a society divided by both wealth and race; inhabitants who find post-apartheid inclusivity difficult to accept; citizens who do not match demands with responsibility and with whom respect for public property is not a given. How could it be, when the Christian faith is being practiced on both sides of the chasm, that the peace of God seems to evade us? And while there are reasons and arguments aplenty, why do vision and love lag so far behind?

A voice crying in the wilderness

Proudly Sponsored By

WEEKLY WEATHER & DE BOS DAM LEVELS

Talisman Tool Hire

Wed | 05 Dec

Thur | 06 Dec

Fri | 07 Dec

Sat | 08 Dec

Sun | 09 Dec

Mon | 10 Dec

Tue | 11 Dec

14°/20° Partly Cloudy

17°/21° Partly Cloudy

16°/19° Rain

11°/19° Partly Cloudy

13°/22° Clear

16°/22° Partly Cloudy

16°/24° Partly Sunny

Contact Us

028 313 0144

De Bos Dam 63,92%

WEEKLY TIDE TABLES High Low High Low

01:57 07:57 14:06 20:25

High Low High Low

02:35 08:34 14:42 20:58

High Low High Low

03:10 09:08 15:16 21:29

High Low High Low

03:43 09:41 15:49 21:59

High Low High Low

04:17 10:14 16:22 22:30

High Low High Low

04:49 10:52 16:54 23:08

High Low High Low

05:24 11:28 17:28 23:42

Tides sourced by www.magicseaweed. com

05 December 2018

OPINION MATTERS Yes, we can It is an inconvenient truth that our community at large is faced with some of the biggest challenges in its history and the only solution is for us to face it head on. Over the last year our economy has suffered irreparable damage and our tourism brand has been tarnished forever. Most of our communities are divided and many have become indoctrinated by cleverly designed and executed propaganda aimed at sowing disunity.

Despite this the Whale Coast has readied itself in anticipation of a bumper holiday season that will go

A Far Kraai

7

www.thevillagenews.co.za

a long way in allowing our economy to recover and our tourists to regain trust in the Whale Coast as a safe and reliable destination. This is of the utmost importance for most local businesses to keep their doors open and their staff employed. All of us, in turn, are reliant on the income we earn to allow us to make a living in this beautiful area and see our children grow up and prosper.

As responsible citizens it is the duty of all of us to critically examine the situation we find ourselves in and act only in ways that are in the

interests of all of our communities.

Many groupings have established themselves as representatives of the broader community, but in most instances, they have either failed in delivering on their mandate or exposed themselves to be either self-serving or blatantly dishonest, with the sole aim of destabilising our region.

While we find ourselves in a precarious position, we cannot allow the wool to be pulled over our eyes.

Creating upheaval and further harming our economy, especially at this time of year, is not in the interests of the community as a whole. For us to solve the problems we are faced with, we need to work from a position of strength, we need to be able to afford

THE VILLAGE NEWS TEAM the plans we make, and we need to be able to guarantee all residents a safe and prosperous environment. For us to attain this we need to all work towards the common goal of making and keeping our towns economically and socially viable.

In this light we call on all communities to stand in unison and not be fooled or intimidated into placing our futures in the balance, not during the festive season and not in the new year. Instead of attempting to destabilise our region, we need to find the solutions that will benefit all of us. Yes, it means that we will have to have uncomfortable discussions and perhaps even accept realities that differ from our present, but we have shown in the past that we could do it and we will show in future that we can.

This is the good NEWS – Ed.

De Waal Steyn Publishing Editor dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za Raphael da Silva Online Editor raphael@thevillagenews.co.za Hedda Mittner Content Editor hedda@thevillagenews.co.za Elaine Davie Journalist elaine@thevillagenews.co.za Nickey Jackson Graphic Designer nickey@thevillagenews.co.za Jessica Pote Graphic Designer jessica@thevillagenews.co.za Tania Hamman Office Admin admin@thevillagenews.co.za Kathy Bentley Marketing Manager kathy@thevillagenews.co.za Leijla Steyn Social Media & Sales ads@thevillagenews.co.za

English - As she are spoke or red

By Murray Stewart (old photo)

People who think it is still acceptable to spell trough, through, dough and tough roughly the same way – despite them sounding totally different – should be ashamed of themselves. Purists of the English language might disagree, but in the Land of the Angry Orange, they’ve dispensed with pretentious traditions and simply spell these words phonetically: troff, thru, doe and tuff.

So where did this ‘ough’ fixation come from – this blatant disregard for logic, both written and spoken? Well, without mentioning the war, the Saxons, Angles and Jutes had a big say in it when – under cover of darkness – they invaded Britain during the 5th century from the area around today’s Hamburg and Denmark.

They convinced the local barbarians, wearing blue face-paint and knickerless miniskirts, to drop their coarse, guttural Gaelic dialects, which they maintained were both spelled and spoken with a complete disrespect for the alphabet and frazzled

epiglottises. Rather adopt this new language, which they admitted was spelled rather ridiculously, but when spoken was far less painful on the ear and throat.

Strangely enough, all those northern tongues originate, more or less, from Proto-Indo-European – a basic language spoken around 5 000 years ago by nomadic tribes roaming aimlessly across the plains of south-east Europe, probably searching for the Stairway to Yemen or a Yellow Brick Road. It eventually spread in various forms from Iceland to India. (Language, not road).

that can be both nouns and verbs when swopped around. Like thumbing a lift/lifting a thumb, or booking a place/placing a book. Weird, hey?

Similarly, prepositions and conjunctions can become nouns without blinking, like the ins and outs of a story, with no ifs or buts about it. Another minefield in the battle for grammatical correctness is the haphazard choice of plurals. We learn that more than one foot is referred to as feet, so how come the plural of boot isn’t beet? The same madness applies to mouse/mice and house. Or tooth/teeth and booth…

For some reason, two monologues don’t make a dialogue, and whoever claimed ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’ should take a squiz at Keith Richards’ snappers.

When it comes to pronouns, things are equally messy. If masculine pronouns are he, his and him, why aren’t the feminine she, shis and shim? Try explaining that to a Mandarin tourist.

Little wonder then, that people are left floundering in a quagmire of linguistic lunacy. In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? And if a vegetarian eats veggies, what do humanitarians eat? We have noses that run and feet that smell, and how on earth is a wise man and a wise guy the total opposite?

We’ve also managed to invent words

Dollops of Latin and Greek got tossed

I empathise with those who know English only as a second or third language, because even bone fide Rooinekke, Poms, Tommies or Limeys with English as a Mother Tongue, find it just as perplexing. It’s a conundrum of contradictions, where the list of exceptions outweighs the rules.

into the verbal salad along the way, and Germanic/Dutch seafarers introduced words like buoy, yacht, hoist and skipper onto the menu.

Over time, as Italian flounced flamboyantly out of Latin, it claimed the right as the ‘language of music’ by introducing terms like maestro, vibrato, crescendo and staccato, plus others like corridor, pedestal, grotto and obbligato, which have nothing to do with music, but sound exotic so they chucked them in anyway. Potatoes and tomatoes grew out of ancient Spanish, while thug, shampoo and pyjama emerged from the jungles of India.

The list of words and phrases adopted and adapted into modern English is endless. In some ways they add flavour and texture to the language, in others they have us reaching for the thesaurus or dictionary to make sense of it all.

Sadly, as the lingua franca it is moreor-less spoken/understood by roughly a third of the world. My heart goes out to all English teachers everywhere, who face blank stares from confused pupils every day.

Vasbyt and stiff upper lips.

Taylum Meyer Photography & Social Media taylum@thevillagenews.co.za WhatsApp or SMS us with your stories and photos

074 125 5854 The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 12 December 2018. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai.

Get your copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres.

WANT A COPY? T: 028 312 2234 C: 083 228 7523 FACEBOOK: /thevillagenews NEWS HQ at 6 Royal Street.

MEMBER OF

Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa transparency you can see

8

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

OPINION MATTERS On My Mind

Reinvent yourself, CBD

Writer Raphael da Silva Along with all the chaos of Black Friday specials that has seen queues snaking out of many national retail stores, there has been a lot of talk recently about shopping centres in our community.

One is just celebrating its first-year anniversary. A second is in the midst of a shift in strategy after losing a key anchor tenant to the competition.

Two others will need to undergo major changes if they are to remain competitive, as they too lose tenants.

To top it all off, we have seen notification of a proposal to rezone land for yet another centre. If it does go ahead, we will have three shopping centres within two kilometres of each other.

Amid all this, we continue to hear about the impact this is having on the Hermanus Old Town, where shops and restaurants seem to be closing on an ever-increasing basis, despite the fact that the holiday season, the tourists, and summer are already upon us.

And this is just in Hermanus. If we add the shopping centre in Gansbaai and the one in Kleinmond, we have at least six bigger sized shopping areas in the Overstrand.

It is amazing to reflect that it is just a little over a year since our papers were awash with comments from consultants that the Whale Coast Mall wouldn’t impact on the CBD, ostensibly, they argued, because only the national chains would be there.

Hmmm. Not sure about that. It is precisely because there are national chains that this mall has been so popular. It is evident consumers are choosing, not with their feet, but with their cars where to shop.

Just as the Germans love their cars, the Canadians their donuts, the priests of Vatican City their wine, and the Americans, anything that is

super-sized, South Africans love their shopping centres.

While shopping malls are a dying breed in many parts of the world, particularly in countries where online shopping has taken off, South Africa continues to build. In fact, we have built 2 000 of them so far, one for every 28 000 of us. According to the SA Council of Shopping Centres, our rainbow nation has the 6th most shopping centres in the world.

Along with Canada and the US, South Africa has the highest level of shopping centre supply in relation to household consumption expenditure. This is just a fancy way of saying that South Africans spend an awful lot of their salaries in malls compared to other retail spaces. This is mostly driven by the fact that our centres always have supermarkets as key tenants. Makes sense. Food is important, and most families spend the largest part of their disposable income on keeping their tummies full. Elsewhere in the world, department stores dominate.

Shopping malls are here to stay and there will be more of them. Most residents love them. They are a symbol of progress in their eyes and a sign that our community is becoming part of the broader global world. Everything in one place. No paying for parking.

No one hassling you for money on the street. Earlier and later trading hours. Open all weekend. Loyalty cards. Pensioner specials. Shopping carts. No uneven pavements to walk along. Family-friendly. Free WiFi. Air conditioned in summer. Pretty hard to beat.

So, what are the CBDs of the Overstrand to do? Across the world, central business districts (CBDs) are fighting back with the help of progressive town councils.

Those who passionately argue that the decline of shopping malls in the UK, the USA and parts of Asia is a result of consumers hankering to

go back to a simpler way of life are wrong. Yes, some people do want to go back to the High Streets and farmer’s markets of old, but the truth is that online sales are driving the decline. In China and the UK, about 20% of all retail is online. In the United States, it is 10%, with many Western European countries also approaching this figure. In South Africa it is 1%.

As Jeroen Venema wrote in his master’s paper, ‘Retail transformation and consumer preferences in Paarl and Stellenbosch: CBD versus decentralised mall’ (University of Stellenbosch), “Decentralised, segregated cities with a high car dependency provided the perfect conditions for the retail sector to develop shopping malls on a decentralised scale, which attracted the car-borne consumer perfectly.”

Simply put, the more we expand out of our town centres, the more gated communities we build, the more business moves into suburban areas to be closer to their customers and for cheaper rents, the more we remain dependent on cars, the more we aspire to live in a house with a garden, the more we work from home, the more petrol prices increase, the more our fellow citizens become wealthier, the more shopping malls we will have. It’s that simple.

Revitalising our CBDs is important to do and must be done, with better signage, improved security, access to WiFi, more plants, friendlier sidewalks, pedestrian-only areas, more parks, more playgrounds, nicely painted buildings, more garbage bins, free parking, specialty shops, and so on. This is not debatable, and our municipality is doing a disservice to its ratepayers, more than five years after the CBD revitalisation report was first published, by dragging its feet on these issues. But, sadly, this won’t stop the decline. It’s a stop gap, for sure. But not the cure.

The cure lies in the question: why is it that almost all business owners in the CBD live in the suburbs? Answer: because they either also want the “suburban dream” or there is nowhere for them to stay. Whatever accommodation is available, is for tourists, is extremely expensive, has

TRENDING TOPICS #wedotourism already been converted into business premises or is occupied by long-term owners who tend to be older.

CBDs thrive and survive because people live and work there. Tourists love to come to places that are alive in the evening, not dead by 19:00. People who live in the town centre use bicycles or mopeds to move around. Kids walk to school. Specialty shops open.

Stores stay open later. Bookshops become community meeting places.

Buildings get looked after better.

More flowers are grown. The sound of music wafts through the air. Cafés flow out onto the streets.

Welcome to #trendingtopics – the most popular hashtags trending on social media.

Make sure to hashtag your photos and posts on Facebook and Instagram so that we can help to share the good NEWS!

Walk around the tourist towns and cities anywhere in the world and they are all alive and kicking with locals.

Not only that, but the locals who live in town tend to be younger, more entrepreneurial and more creative.

We will only stop the decline of the CBD if we encourage landlords to convert their existing buildings and spaces into apartments. In addition, the municipality must stop allowing houses to be converted into businesses. If we don’t change at some point, more CBD businesses will close or move to the suburbs.

Rents will end up dropping and lower priced mass market shops will open.

Town will become dirtier. Only the

# area around the ocean will be tourist friendly.

So yes, the CBD must reinvent itself.

Ironically, this path to salvation lies in going back to the roots of any town’s birth as a place for people to live and work in. If we can do this, the CBD will survive and be better than any shopping mall can ever be. Town centres have soul. A mall will never have this.

Who makes the best pizza in the Overberg?

We’d love to hear your opinion on this. Thick or thin crust, soft and foldable or firm and crispy, toppings choice and quality, tomato sauce base, cheese flavour gooeyness... whatever criteria you use to describe a great-tasting pizza.

Send us your thoughts to opinions@thevillagenews.co.za along with your details. No more than 100 words please. The Village NEWS will publish the best ones and keep track of who is winning the most votes.

UT E O LAG KE IL ER TA R V OR U PL YO EX

THE VILLAGE

International Fusion Cuisine

FOOD | ART | WINE | BOOKS

New Summer Lunch Menu: R120 - 2 Course / R150 - 3 Course Open 7 days a week from 11:00 all day

Tel: 028 313 1685

Shop no. 4, Ocean View, 87 Marine Drive, Village Square

Lekker man, lekker Writer & Photographer Taylum Meyer “We are a small batch with a big heart,” is how Lise and Wihan Brink describe their new business, Mikro Coffee Co. Having joined hands with Hermanuspietersfontein (HPF), they now sell their coffee at the winery’s Saturday morning market, Die Markie, and at the newly renovated tasting room during the week along with simple, yet delicious platters and burgers.

With quirky names such as Flavour of the North, Compass Blend and Don’t Panic, it’s Organic, this entrepreneurial couple source their coffee beans from Central and South America, Asia and Africa and produce six blends.

Both Lise and Wihan are qualified baristas and chefs, having met as students at what is now known as the Hurst Campus Culinary Academy in Paarl, where they graduated in 2010.

They both worked as chefs in Franschhoek until 2012 when Wihan decided he needed a break from the stress of the kitchen. This is when he started to explore his two other loves: wine and coffee. He worked as a wine representative for a German company before taking on the marketing of a friend’s coffee company in 2014. When he and Lise relocated to Hermanus in 2015, Wihan joined HPF as tasting room manager and also assisted with marketing and sales.

Last year he began his own wine representative company, The Sourcerer, of which HPF is a client.

During this time, Lise continued her work as a chef and then became involved in her friend’s health snack company as a product manager and producer. Always on the lookout for a new challenge, they decided earlier this year to start their own small batch coffee roastery, aptly named Mikro Coffee Co.

Over time Wihan has developed a close working relationship with HPF as they both embrace the philosophy that smaller is better, and passionately champion micro businesses (especially if they involve food or wine) such as those that feature at Die Markie every Saturday morning.

Besides selling coffee from the tasting room during the week, Lise and Wihan have also been put in charge of creating a menu for visitors to the tasting room. Once again, it’s nothing fancy but good wholesome food such as a cheese and meat platter, and a Burger of the Day. The burger will change daily, from the type of meat that is used (chicken, lamb, beef, pork) to the cheese (blue cheese, gorgonzola, brie) and toppings (onion marmalade, coleslaw, Dijon mustard). Diners will also be recommended an HPF wine to pair with their food.

The tasting room will be open from 08:00 – 16:00 from Monday to Friday for FREE winetasting, coffee from Mikro Coffee Co as well as platters and the Burger of the Day. Mikro Coffee Co will also be available on Saturdays at Die Markie.

Contact 028 316 1875.

Join the Vine to Valley Trail Run this Saturday, 8 December.

Choose between a 6 km or 12 km route following a single forest track to scenic viewpoints in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

The trail run sets off from Hermanuspietersfontein at 08:00 and finishes at Die Markie, where refreshments will await the tired runners.

Wihan and Lise Brink in the newly-renovated tasting room at Hermanuspietersfontein, where visitors can enjoy free wine tasting along with Mikro Coffee, croissants, light meals and platters.

10

www.thevillagenews.co.za

05 December 2018 | FOOD

The history of the Grotto summer lounge site

& DINE WINE

LISTINGS

Writer Dr Robin Lee

M

eeting places for friends to share a drink, an ice-cream or a meal were a feature of old Hermanus. ‘Visitors’ and ‘guests’ (tourists, we might call them) and residents with a little cash and spare time created a market. And entrepreneurs in the town responded.

However, many opened, but few stayed open for long enough to become institutions. I have collected the names of more than 30 establishments that were popular in their time and are still remembered.

In a new series of articles, we’ll look at some of these more closely. What was their target clientele? When did they operate? Who were the moving spirits behind each one? Where are they now? We turn first of all to an enterprise that started out as The Goldfish Café on Grotto Beach.

Goldfish Café For more than 50 years, between 1946 and the late 1990s, this business operated at a prime site on what is now the Blue Flag portion of Grotto Beach. It went under at least three names: The Goldfish Café; The Driftwood Den; and the Nautilus. It’s a prime site and much in the news lately.

A fire destroyed the building in the late 1990s and the site was vacant for years until Dutchies Restaurant started to operate a summer cocktail lounge there a few years ago. It was very popular among locals and visitors alike.

The municipality recently called for proposals for this year’s season and the lease was eventually awarded to Alan de Kock, whose Sundown Lounge is expected to open there soon.

The original Goldfish Café was built by Jack and Charlie Carstens in 1946. They also built an apartment alongside the café, perhaps intending to stay there overnight when necessary.

However, they had a fine home called Avalon in 7th Street, Voëlklip, where the guesthouse, Milkwood Lodge is today. So the Carstens never used the apartment, but it was used by the female staff of the business to avoid travelling back to Mount Pleasant late at night. The café attracted holiday makers, local young people and families.

Philip and Sheila Mason. The Masons came to Hermanus in 1945 and bought a small bakery that operated where the Pick n Pay parking area is now. Shortage of flour after WWII made it impossible to get a new bakery licence and so they had to buy a working bakery. Having in this way acquired a bakery licence, they built a new bakery at 16 Flower Street and named it the Maple Leaf Bakery. S J du Toit explains how the Masons came to own The Goldfish Café: Long before potato crisps became a mass-produced item, the Masons made them at the bakery and supplied cafés and shops. At the time, Jack Carstens was running The Goldfish Cafe on Grotto Beach. One morning, Philip went to deliver The Goldfish order of 200 packets of crisps. Jack told Philip that he had been offered the position of manager of the Birkenhead Hotel, but was stuck with The Goldfish. When he offered Mason the business, Philip there and then agreed to take on the cafe… They had it for a year and Sheila loved it. It was quite wonderful to see the people enjoying the beach below the café…

The Masons only ran The Goldfish for a year before selling it to Oscar Hulley. His daughter, Yvonne Hulley, was Miss South Africa in 1965.

In 1969, still known as the Goldfish Café, it was bought by Johan and Valla de Bruyn who offered entertainment there, with excellent food, for some nine years.

In 1978 the de Bruyns sold the business to Kit Hoffman, Valla de Bruyn’s brother. Three years later, the next owners (recorded only as “Gary and Dale”) changed the name to The Driftwood Den. Under this name it remained popular with young people.

One of the succession of owners in the 1980s changed the name to Nautilus, but the building began to decline due to lack of upkeep. In 1992 the Nautilus was bought by Esther and Heinie Rosenstrauch who temporarily turned the business around.

However, they sold to Brian Watt in 1994 and things deteriorated again. By the middle 1990s, the Nautilus was in a poor shape. However, Friday nights were popular, with very loud music. Teenagers, and even pre-teens, flocked there to ‘dance’, standing wedged together in a crowd.

Then, in the late 1990s, the Nautilus burned down. Let’s hope a venue will be created to carry on the tradition.

In the early 1950s the business was sold to An artist’s depiction of the Nautilus on Grotto Beach.

Walker Bay Grill 121 10th Street, Voëlklip T: 028 314 1637

CALL US: 084 688 5885

GAS SUPPLIES T: 028 312 2020

05 December 2018 | ACTIVITIES

11

www.thevillagenews.co.za

The skilful art of horse archery Writer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

D

aniel Griffin is a man with many strings to his bow. Not only is he a talented horse archer, but also a craftsman, coach and internationally-recognised, horse-archery judge.

According to his mother, Daniel was virtually “born on a horse”. As a keen walker, she found him too heavy to carry and had him on a horse at 18 months old. This enabled her to take him walking on the lead rein, and by the age of three he was riding independently. Ever since, horses have been part of his life.

Then came the bows and arrows – first shooting at tree trunks. As Daniel grew older his passion for archery and horses merged into a logical conclusion – mounted archery. Living on a farm in Wolvengat, a remote area near Elim, meant there were too few players for team sports, so one had to find a suitable individual sport. While being predominantly self taught (he started shooting from a horse in 2010), Daniel had the privilege of being coached by the Hungarian master of horse archery, Lajos Kassai.

He has demonstrated his prowess locally at wine festivals and agricultural shows, and has competed at an international level, most recently in the Al Faris International Horseback Archery Championship III in Jordan.

The competition attracted 48 riders from 25 countries. Daniel, who was a silver medallist in the Oriental Style of shooting, had the honour of receiving his prize from King Abdullah.

Describing himself as a professional horse archer, Daniel has meticulously created a training facility of an international standard on the farm.

It includes a shooting arena, where archers can warm up before mounting, holding paddocks for the horses, a track with electronic scoring system and seating for spectators.

With the advent of sophisticated timing and scoring equipment, the age-old art of mounted archery has catapulted into a modern-day sport.

As the archers enter the 100m measured track they set off an electronic timer that allows them to judge their speed (ideally, they should cover the distance in under 20 seconds). Once out of the timed zone, their times and scores are displayed on a board. The instant result adds to the excitement as the next archer knows the score to beat.

Daniel trains for up to four hours a

day and is ranked in the top 20 internationally, in the Hungarian Style of shooting. In addition, to foster the development of the sport in South Africa, he runs a horse archery club which has a three-day training weekend every month. Members travel from as far as Cape Town and Stellenbosch, as well as from neighbouring areas such as Bredasdorp and Caledon. It’s an invigorating weekend. Members can stay on the farm and families are encouraged to get involved with tasks such as scoring, as well as collecting the used arrows after an archer has finished on the track.

Training emulates the actions that horse archers would have used in battle. Riders collect their arrows and ride to the track. They pass through the electronic sensor and begin firing at the target until they reach the end of the timed zone. This involves rotating from the hips so that they are always facing the target. Easy enough when starting out and moving toward the target, but more challenging toward the end of the track when facing backwards in the saddle. Each horse archer gets nine firing runs past the targets, after which the overall scores are totalled.

Horse archers use saddles with high fronts and backs for better support when rotating to face the target.

Newcomers, however, execute their first sessions bareback. Daniel believes this is the best way to develop a feel for the horse and its movements. Once riders have achieved a minimum of 30 points in one session, they can ride with a saddle. “It’s a bit of a selection process,” explains Daniel. Good balance and the ability to control the horse without reins is essential because two hands are used to draw the bow.

Mounted archery combines strength and precision with a keen sense of balance and a good eye. Many exponents of this sport started out as either an archer or a rider, and later combined the two. Archery alone requires a finely-honed technique if one is to be consistently accurate; now imagine that combined with the movement of a horse constantly changing the distance from the target.

Mounted archers first appeared on battlefields in the 4th century. They had more speed and manoeuvrability than foot soldiers and were superb riders who could control their horses without using the reins. The modus operandi of attack was known as the “whirlwind of death” as archers operating in a circular movement would go into attack with a handful

Professional horse archer Daniel Griffin executes a backward shot.

The age-old skill of horse archery is promoted and developed by Daniel through his Mounted Archery Training Centre at Wolvengat, where an international event will be hosted on Sunday 9 December.

of arrows, fire them off, then return to collect another batch. They were able to fire at a phenomenal speed – a group of 2 000 Huns in battle could fire an estimated 2 000 arrows every 1.3 seconds.

As well as training mounted archers, Daniel manufactures saddles specifically for the sport. It takes anything from 80 – 100 hours to complete a saddle because the leather is hand stitched. He also makes his own arrows, with steel tips, from carbon fibre. Most of the raw materials are imported, and despite it being an age-old skill, he says there is constant refinement of the equipment used to make it lighter, faster and more accurate.

Daniel practises natural horsemanship, so his 10 horses are not stabled but free to enjoy 80 hectares of grazing, when not working. His dream is to breed the ideal horse for mounted archery – one that combines speed with a steady nature.

The sport, still in the developmental stage in South Africa, has been included as one of 17 disciplines in the South African Equestrian Federation, and in 2017 was accepted as a discipline by the South African National Schools Equestrian Association. Daniel is keen to contribute to its growth by hosting events and

One of Daniel’s custom-made mounted archery saddles.

training workshops at his track. He is the current South African representative of the International Horseback Archery Alliance.

The horse-archery community is closely knit despite being spread across the globe. Competitions are free to competitors, who have only to get to the host country – once there, everything from horses to accommodation is provided. With facilities rated as world class, Daniel has hosted training camps and competitions attended by archers from as far afield as Hungary.

South Africa, by courtesy of Griffin Horse Archery, will host an international event on 9 December. Events are colourful affairs with the riders competing in traditional dress.

Representatives from Mongolia, Hungary, UK and Romania are expected.

Group visits and lessons are available at Griffins Mounted Archery Training Centre. For details about this ancient skill, Daniel can be contacted on 072 933 4524 or visit Griffins Horse Archery on Facebook.

12

05 December 2018 | FOOD

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Find the warm heart of the kitchen at Goozi Writer & Photographer Hedda Mittner

I

t seems fitting that kitchenware is at the heart of the business owned and run by Eunice Rademeyer, believing, as she does, that cooking and eating together is all about healing and sharing.

William Ntebe (Youth Café), Wilco den Otter (Dunya’s Cake Delights), Trevor Nkoyi (vegetable gardener), Fikiswa Gxamesi (Youth Café) with baby Lumi, Leeroy Kaizer (chef) and AD (carpenter).

Just as a kitchen is not only a functional space, Goozi Kitchenshop is not merely a store but a tasteful and nurturing environment where customers are free to browse and chat over a cup of freshly brewed coffee and home-baked cake.

Many locals have also had the pleasure of attending Eunice’s monthly Arabesque cooking demonstrations, where she shares her enthusiasm for Middle Eastern cooking and the ageold tradition of communal eating.

kitchen tools and accessories from Brabantia, Smegg and Joseph & Joseph, to name but a few.

“We specialise in high-quality products because a good product loves you like a good friend,” says Talal. “If you opt for a cheaper product you don’t save anything in the long run because you’ll just have to keep on replacing it, adding to the accumulation of discarded rubbish on the planet. Why not rather save up and buy something that will last a lifetime?”

If there is one issue that both Eunice and Talal are passionate about, it is the preservation of the Hermanus Old Town and the survival of the independent, specialty shops in the CBD. “Businesses in our town are

Discover local talent at Zwe Market Writer & Photographer Taylum Meyer Leeroy Kaizer, a qualified chef from the Capsicum Culinary Studio in Johannesburg and now chef at the Youth Café in Zwelihle, has always held a special place in his heart for Hermanus. He fell in love with the town not only for its beauty, but also, he says, because of the friendliness of the people.

In September, a friend of Leeroy’s invited him to attend the annual Whale Festival in Hermanus. Before long, Leeroy was not just a visitor, but actively involved in the setting up of the stalls at the Old Harbour.

Having decided that he would like to stay here, he introduced himself to William Ntebe, founder of the Zwelihle Youth Café, and has since then become a valuable asset to this growing enterprise.

During the week Leeroy sets up his gas cooker and prepares foods such as chicken wings, boerewors, burgers, fish and chips that people can pre-order and collect from the Youth Café’s new market. He also feeds visitors to the centre and in the mornings he serves tea and coffee to customers at the Rondavel Cake Café.

The market, which was initiated to create more awareness about

the work done at the Youth Café and to showcase the talents of the local community, is now in its third week. The Youth Café encourages residents to display their crafts at the market in order to create more business for themselves. “We want people to realise their talents and to give them the space to create their own profits,” says Leeroy.

The market runs on a schedule to ensure that they have a space for all the different aspects of the market. From 06:00 to 10:00, there is a coffee and tea stand with waffles, cupcakes and vetkoek; from 10:00 to 15:00 an arts and crafts stand with wire craft, wooden benches and flower boxes, traditional clothing, jewellery and more; and from 15:00 to 19:00 there is a food stand where Leeroy sells his delicious food items.

The Zwelihle Youth Café Market and the Rondavel Cake Café are situated on the corner of Zuma and Mbeki Streets in Zwelihle.

The market is open from Monday to Saturday from 06:00 to 19:00. To pre-order a tasty meal, contact Leeroy Kaizer on 061 426 3765. You can find out more about the Zwelihle Youth Café and their various activities on their Facebook page or by contacting William on 076 969 5830.

Eunice also points out that as a customer you’ll often find much better after-sales service from a small, locally-owned business. “At Goozi we really care about our customers, we offer free delivery and are always prepared to go the extra mile. It’s an altogether more personal relationship.”

The convenience of parking also strikes Eunice as a perception that has little merit. “Once they’ve found parking, customers often have to walk considerable distances inside a large mall. The town centre of Hermanus is not big. So why not rather park Eunice Rademeyer demonstrating her love of Middle Eastern cooking at one of her Arabesque pop-up events.

She was a real career girl before her love affair with food began, says Eunice. She had been working in London and Cambridge before applying for a position at an advertising agency in Kuwait, owned by her future husband, Talal Showaish. In the end she not only got the job but ended up living in Kuwait for six years.

Chef Leeroy Kaizer in front of the Rondavel Cake Café, where Wilco den Otter now runs his bakery.

shop. “That is simply not true, as everyone sticks to the recommended retail price of products, and our appliances are at least on a par with the well-known national retailers.”

“That’s where I learned all about branding and marketing – and I loved it,” she says. “Talal took me to Lebanon, Syria, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain… every weekend was an adventure. We are both foodies and the sole purpose of our trips was food! We would live amongst the locals and frequent the many souks and sample everything on offer, from hummus to sheep’s brains!

“What I love most about Middle Eastern food is how uncomplicated and unpretentious it is. The simple ingredients are fresh from the earth and the recipes are ancient and handed down from generation to generation.”

Warmly embraced by Talal’s family despite being a ‘Westener’, Eunice says she found the Middle East exotic and fascinating, and the people generous and hospitable. After she and Talal got married in 1996, she spent many hours in her mother-in-law’s kitchen. “Because she does not speak too much English and my Arabic is scant, I learnt by watching her and then tasting the meal. I therefore have a slight disregard for precise recipes and rely on my ‘taste library’ for how my meal ought to taste.”

With Eunice’s parents living in Hermanus, the couple often visited and bought a house in Voëlklip in 1998.

A few years later they settled here permanently. Their sons Jamal and Omar are now 16 and 11 years old respectively.

Finding quality kitchenware for their own kitchen proved problematic and, realising that there was a gap in the local market, Eunice and Talal decided to open their own shop. Goozi opened its doors in 2006 as the exclusive stockists in the Overberg for Le Creuset and Miele. Since then they have extended their range to include other leading international branded

haemorrhaging,” says Eunice, “due to an accumulation of factors such as the drought, the downturn in the economy, the opening of the mall, the unrest… most businesses in the CBD are reporting a 40% decrease in turnover compared to last year.”

As a tourist destination, it is important for the town to offer visitors a unique experience, says Eunice. “But what people don’t realise is that whether our town flourishes or not depends a lot on them; it starts with the locals supporting local. If there’s one thing I’d like to urge people to think about, it’s where they spend their money. If you do your shopping at national retailers, that money flows out and Hermanus reaps no benefit; however, if you spend your money at locally-owned businesses, that money stays in the community and benefits everyone.”

The reasons why people often prefer to shop at a mall rather than in the city centre is mostly due to perceptions, says Eunice. One perception is that it’s cheaper to shop at a national retailer than a small, independent

in the CBD and walk your town, experiencing the sights and smells – it’s a much more pleasant experience!”

A decaying CBD will not only lead to increased unemployment and crime but a drop in property values, adds Talal. “If you care about your family, you should also care about your community,” he says. “And if you do what’s good for the community, it will be good for the town, for the country and for the planet. It all starts with us as individuals – the government can’t save a decaying town but its residents can.

“If you live in a town, you own the town. And if you support local, you become not only a customer but a partner in business.”

Goozi Kitchenshop will be offering a special Christmas Sale on selected items during the next few weeks.

Find them at 11 Mitchell Street, Hermanus. Contact 028 312 4979 or eunice@goozi.co.za

05 December 2018 | FOOD

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Recipes Supplied by Eunice Rademeyer, Goozi Kitchenshop

Bstilla bil Djaj is an all-in-one meal. It is susbstantial enough to feed the entire Christmas crowd, is easy to prepare and makes you, the hostess, look like a Christmas superstar!

Celebration Pie Bstilla bil Djaj (Moroccan Chicken & Onion Pie with a twist) INGREDIENTS • 2 large onions, sliced • 3 T olive oil • 150 g blanched slivered almonds • a generous finger of fresh ginger • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon • 2x whole chickens • salt and pepper • large bunch cilantro / coriander, chopped • bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped • • • •

10 large sheets phyllo about 75 g melted butter 8 eggs generous pinch of saffron threads powdered sugar and ground cinnamon, to decorate

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sauté onions in a large saucepan with the oil and cook over medium heat until translucent and just beginning to colour.

3. Add the chicken, ginger, salt, pepper, saffron and 1tsp of cinnamon, add a very little water because you want your chicken to braise (not boil). Cook it very gently over a low heat until the chicken is soft and falling off the bone.

4. Remove and wait for the chickens to cool down enough to handle and debone.

5. Retain the liquid, turn up the heat and reduce to a thick sauce. Beat the eggs, add and scramble with a fork, add chopped parsley and coriander.

6. Meanwhile, toast the almonds until golden brown and chop coarsely.

7. Brush some of the melted butter into a pan or shallow baking dish, and lay in the first sheet of phyllo (if it tears, just overlap the two pieces slightly along the seam). Brush the phyllo with more butter, and lay another sheet on top with an overhang. Repeat, brushing each layer with butter, until you have 6 layers.

8. Spread the chicken mixture into the centre of the pan, then bring up the phyllo overhang.

Lay the remaining 2 sheets of phyllo on the top, separating them with another brush of melted butter, and fold the phyllo into a crust at the top.

9. Add your scrambled egg mixture and add two more sheets of buttered phyllo. Add the roasted almonds and finish off with the last layer of phyllo. Take care that your almonds do not touch your egg or else they will go soggy.

10. Brush the top of the pie with butter & olive oil, and bake the pie in the oven for 40 min utes until puffed up, crisp and golden.

11. Sift the powdered sugar and cinnamon over the top and serve hot.

Almond & Orange Cake

INGREDIENTS • 2 oranges, washed • 250 g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting • 6 eggs • 250 g almond flour • 1 tsp baking powder • icing sugar, to serve METHOD 1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Wash the oranges and cook in the boiling water for

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

2 hours. Drain, allow to cool to room temperature, then purée. This step can be done ahead of time.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 22 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.

Beat the eggs and caster sugar until well combined.

Stir in the orange purée, followed by the almond flour and baking powder.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and dust the top with extra caster sugar.

Bake for 1-1¼ hours, until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar, cut into slices and serve.

13

www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson LoveAbility Market Day Unique hand-made gifts including artisan soaps and room mists, hypertufa pots, fairy lights, fresh organic produce, natural liquid fertilisers, key rings and fresh organic cofee. Presented by the Overberg Wheelchair Association.

Ability House, Church St, Hawston | 09:00 – 13:00

GOT AN EVENT? Send us an email to events@thevillagenews.co.za or send us a WhatsApp to 083 625 6667.

FREE for community & non-proit organisations.

R 100 for everyone else.

R 150 to include a photo.

Friday

HERMANUS Thursday

6

7

Night of a Thousand Drawings This month the Hermanus First Fridays Artwalk galleries will host Night of a Thousand Drawings. A wide range of donated A-5 size artworks will be for sale at R100 each, in aid of local charities. See the map on P 16 and stroll from gallery to gallery on this special night when everyone can aford to buy an artwork.

Hermanus CBD | 17:00 – 20:00 Tutamen Open Garden Artwalkers are invited to enjoy the delightful garden of Tutamen in the centre of town.

15 High Street | 17:00 – 20:00

Gingerbread House decorating competition Team up with your young ones and take up the challenge of turning a plain and simple gingerbread house into a sweet and colourful show house. The winner will receive a R300 voucher to enjoy at Die Markie on a Saturday morning. The entry fee of R300 includes the plain gingerbread house, all the decorating candies and icings you need to win, a chilled drink and an experienced gingerbread artist on hand to provide tips and guidance. For bookings, email anika@ hpf1855.co.za Hermanuspietersfontein | 15:00 Heartbeat Christmas Gift Market There will be something for everyone at this Christmas Market showcasing an array of beautiful hand-made gifts crafted by people from Hawston with disabilities.

ALSO ON FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER Heartbeat Café, Onrus | 17:00 – 19:00 on both days Book launch The Book Cottage and Vindigo Press invite you to the launch of Featherstream, a WWII romantic suspense novel set in the Cape. Meet the author, Ian Sutherland and learn more about the historical research that provides the background to this unique tapestry of wartime intrigue and romance. RSVP: bookcott@hermanus.co.za.

The Book Cottage, Long Street | 18:00 for 18:30 St Nicholas at Creation Creation Wines invites you to a joyous celebration where Saint Nicholas meets Riedel. R350 pp includes a festive three-course meal accompanied

by Creation wines and a presentation on the ine art of glassware entitled What’s in a Glass. In the true spirit of St Nicholas, children will be welcomed with a surprise gift and enjoy their own festive menu under the supervision of two childminders. RSVP: reservations@creationwines.com.

Creation Wines | 18:30

Dino Miranda Live This award-winning rock band hailing from Mozambique will be performing live in Hermanus.

Gecko Bar, New Harbour | 21:00 – 23:00

Saturday

8

Coastal Clean-up BirdLife Overberg’s last coastal cleanup of the year will be along the Onrus shoreline in collaboration with Walker Bay Recycling and the Coastal Cleanup Conservation Trust. Bring along appropriate clothing for protection against the elements. Gloves will be provided and plastic bags supplied

by Plastics SA. RSVP: Elaine at mwjasser@mweb.co.za or sms at 082 455 8402.

Onrus Beach | 07:00

Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden.

St Peter’s Church | 09:00 – 13:00 Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome.

You’ll ind wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, cofee and live music.

Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00 Hermanuspietersfontein Die Markie Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll ind real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people.

Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00 – 13:00

Sunday

Vine to Valley Choose between a 6 km (R120) or 12 km (R150) trail run among the vineyards. This physically challenging route follows a single forest track to scenic viewpoints, inishing at the Hermanuspietersfontein Saturday Morning Market. Tickets are available at www.quicket.co.za. For more info visit www.vinetovalley.co.za or contact kelder@hpf1855.co.za or 028 316 1875.

Hermanuspietersfontein | 08:00

Advent Service The Stellenbosch congregation of the Ev.-Lutheran Church invites you to its Advent Service, held in German.

Should you wish to attend please contact Erika Prozesky on 028 314 0332.

Kidbrooke Place Chapel | 15:30

Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley | 08:00

10

Hermanus Kersmark The Dutch Reformed Church Hermanus presents a feast of unique gifts and refreshments.

DAILY UNTIL CHRISTMAS Grobbelaar Hall | 09:00 – 18:00

Wednesday

Christmas Music Concert Celebrate Christmas with Richard Cock and tenor Siyabonga Maqunga in aid of Izibusiso foster home for abandoned babies. Tickets are R150 pp, available from the United Church, Hermanus Tourism Bureau or Sheila Lyle on 073 778 2777. There will be both an afternoon and an evening performance.

Hermanus United Church | 15:00 & 19:00

Friday

14

Ayanda’s Runway Fashion Show Ayanda is an up-and-coming clothing designer who will be showcasing his stylish creations that blend African print with modern elements. Also featuring performances by Spairo Tainment. Tickets are R50 pp or R150 (VIP). Call 066 132 9728 or send a WhatsApp to 071 974 9462.

Municipal Auditorium | 18:00

9

Music in the Courtyard Enjoy a chilled afternoon session in The Courtyard with DJ Kim’s vibey summer tunes, followed by an amped-up sunset and evening set.

Feast on oysters and bubbly, local wines, craft beer and tapas. For more info or to reserve a table, call 028 312 2553.

The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Road | 12:00 – 21:00

Monday

The secret inside your genes Join Dr Arien van der Merwe for a presentation on Inlammaging and how genetic screening is incorporated into her preventative approach to managing health and wellness.

Booking is essential on 067 116 6111.

Arundel Medical Centre | 10:00

Moon Shadow A tribute to Cat Stevens performed

by Gareth James (acoustic guitar, bass drum and vocals) and Wouter Reyneke (bass). The show will include some of Cat Stevens’ most nostalgic hits. Tickets are R100 pp. To book, contact luzane@kegamanagement. com or soulcafehermanus@gmail. com or call 028 313 2137.

Soul Café | 20:00 – 22:00 Jim Harrison Project Catch this alter-rock-acoustic-blues band from the infamous Bellville Rock City performing live in Hermanus.

Gecko Bar, New Harbour | 21:00 – 23:00

Susan Mouton - tjello Chanie Jonker - klavier/accordeon Theuns Botha - slagwerk Hermanus Ouditorium Saterdag 15 Desember 2018 19:30 Toerisme-kantoor (Ou Stasiegebou) Navrae: 028 312 2629 R120 / R100 kinders KONTANT

15

Vine to Valley Choose between a 6 km (R120) or 12 km (R150) trail run among the vineyards overlooking the Bot River Lagoon. This is a challenging route with single track and amazing views.

Tickets are available at www.quicket. co.za.

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate | 08:00 Vloekskoot & Crayish Day Join Bartho Eksteen for the rare pleasure of enjoying a vertical tasting of all previous Cape Winemakers Guild Auction vintages of Bartho Eksteen Vloekskoot, followed by a relaxing crayish lunch in the garden. The tasting will start in the Voorhuis at 11:30 and lunch will be served from 13:00 at The Mill House. Booking is essential at R1 000 pp. RSVP: sune@hermanus. co.za or 072 323 5060 by 7 Dec. Wijnskool Farm, R320, Hemel-enAarde Valley | 11:30 Carols by Candlelight The Rotary Club of Hermanus will once again be hosting their annual Carols by Candlelight at the Old Harbour and everyone is invited to gather under the stars and join in singing along. Bring your picnic baskets, chairs and blankets, and settle on the lawns from 18:30 to enjoy the sunset before the evening’s performance starts at 19:00.

Old Harbour | 18:30

Monday

12

Fresh Food Market Shop at this child- and pet-friendly market for your fresh produce, home-processed foods and baked goodies. For enquiries contact Lani on 082 679 7819, visit their Facebook page (Café Tango & Afdaksrivier Nursery) or www.afdaksrivier.co.za.

Café Tango at Afdaksrivier Nursery on the R43 | 09:30 – 12:30

Saturday

17

Onrus River Ratepayers AGM All residents of Onrus are warmly invited to attend the annual general meeting of the Onrus River Ratepayers Association, which will be calling for nominees to join the Exco. Please submit a short note about yourself and how you would hope to contribute to the committee to jcelia@ telkomsa.net before 10 Dec. Registration and a glass of wine at 17:15 and the meeting will start at 18:00. For enquiries, contact Caroline Gabb on 082 554 0811.

De Wet Hall, Roos Street, Onrus | 17:15

Tuesday

18

Bouchard Finlayson Christmas Concerts South African piano icon Christopher Duigan will perform a programme of music by the ultimate piano virtuoso, Franz Liszt. These two concerts are generously sponsored by the Lloys Ellis family in aid of the Hermanus Cancer Fund. Tickets are R250 pp, including wine and canapés. Book online via www.webtickets.co.za or at the Hermanus Tourism Bureau.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY 19 DECEMBER Bouchard Finlayson Cellar | 17:45 for 18:30 Hermanus Ratepayers Association AGM All residents of Hermanus are welcome to join the HRA for a glass of wine under the trees in beautiful Fernkloof after the meeting.

Fernkloof Hall | 17:30

Sunday

16

Stanford Street Festival Join the annual Christmas Carnival when the main road is closed for trafic. Festivities will include live music, a street market with over 150 vendors, food trucks, a wine courtyard, beer garden, art and antiques, family fun and games. Free parking on Market Square. Contact ask@stanfordinfo. co.za or 028 341 0340.

Queen Victoria Street | 10:00 – 16:00

Friday

STANFORD Saturday

8

Sport against crime Stanford SAPS in collaboration with the Stanford CPF will present a youth sports initiative for school children from all communities between the ages of 8 – 16 years. Sports will include football, touch rugby, netball and volleyball and there will also be music and dance groups performing.

For more information contact Angelica connect@kuducosmetica.com or Kevin Husk on 082 809 3585.

Stanford Soccer Field | 08:00 Saturday Morning Market Yummy fresh artisanal goodies, from home-baked breads and delicious confectionary to handmade sausages and fresh veggies.

Stanford Hotel stoep | 09:00 – 12:00 Panthera Sunset Visits Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary near Stanford invites you to visit their four-legged friends as they come alive after a long day of rest. R490 pp (only for people 16 years and older).

All proceeds from ticket sales go towards creating a better life for the animals. Get all the details at www. pantheraafrica.com.

Panthera Africa | 17:30

Sunday

9

Coastal Forage Join Roushanna Gray from Veld & Sea on a foraging expedition along the coast in search of some of the delectable treats the rich inter-tidal zone has to ofer. The excursion will start with morning cofee and a bite to eat and culminate in a forage-inspired lunch. The cost is R800 pp. To book, contact 076 243 1930.

Graze Slow Food Café | 08:30 – 15:00

Saturday

15

Stanford Junktique Come and start your treasure hunt – you never know what you might ind.

R50 per vendor, free for registered charities. Contact 028 341 0340 or oice@stanfordinfo.co.za.

Tourism Oice courtyard | 09:00 – 12:00

21

Stanford Sunset Market The best outdoor evening market for local food, wine, beer, food, gifts, crafts and music. Plenty of space for the children to run around and play on the historic village green. Come and do some Christmas shopping while experiencing a taste of village life!

Market Square | 18:00 – 20:00

GANSBAAI Saturday

Saturday

8

Farmer’s Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown products such as fresh farm produce, free-range eggs, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, artisan breads, local wines and craft beers, and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging, only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods.

For enquiries, contact info@gansbaaitourism.co.za.

Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00

15

Lomond Triathlon & Open Water Swim Now in its second year, the Lomond Triathlon spoils participants with a large dam, beautiful views and stunning routes in the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Do the whole triathlon as a solo or bring your friends or family along and do it in a team (men, ladies, mixed or family). The full triathlon will entail a 1.2 km swim, 30 km MTB and 12 km trail run; and the Sprint Triathlon a 400 m swim, 15 km MTB and 6 km trail run. There will also be an Open Water Swim (3 km, 1 mile or 500 m) the following day. Live music, lots of wine, beer and other refreshments will be available at the venue. Online entries at www.entryninja.com; late entries at Lomond on 14 Dec from 17:00 – 19:00 or on 15 Dec from 06:30 – 08:00. More details on scuttle.co.za/scuttle-events.

ENDS ON SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER Lomond Wines | 08:00

KLEINMOND Saturday

8

Kleinmond Market Free entry, ample parking, arts and crafts, food stalls, hand-made items by local vendors, live music and fun competitions – a great outing for the whole family. Contact Erna on 076 708 0818.

Mthimkhulu Village | 10:00 – 14:00 Christmas Lights Everyone is invited to join in this festive occasion when the Christmas lights in Kleinmond are switched on.

5th Avenue, Kleinmond | 18:00

BETTYS BAY Saturday

8

Betty’s Bay Neighbourhood Watch AGM The committee will present a report on activities for the year, including a inancial summary and there will be elections for two positions, namely the Co-ordinator and the Operational Co-Ordinator. Please support this meeting so that a quorum can be obtained.

Crassula Hall | 10:00

Sunday

16

Summer Sunset Concert Saxophonist Andrew Young will perform an open-air concert in beautiful surroundings. Tickets are R80 for adults, R40 for children 6 – 18 years, and free entry for those under 6 years. No need to book upfront; tickets will be available at the entrance.

Gates open at 18:00 and the concert starts at 19:00. Contact 028 272 9311 for more info.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden, Betty’s Bay | 18:00

BOTRIVER Friday

14

Our Favourite Things Market Featuring 45 hand-picked stalls stufed with this season’s must-have goodies, focusing on treasures stylish, handmade, homemade and collectable. Shop for festive season gifts and have a good time doing it too. From baked treats to beautiful jewellery; home-knits to rare inds – it’s all here, in one glorious location.

Visit Gabrielskloof on Facebook or contact 028 284 9865.

ENDS ON SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER Gabriëlskloof Wine Estate

16

www.thevillagenews.co.za

05 December 2018 | ART

Artwalk for charity

O

n the evening of 7 December, the Hermanus First Fridays (HFF) art galleries will again host Night of a Thousand Drawings. This much anticipated annual event is based on the concept that we should all be able to enjoy the indulgence of purchasing an artwork – even if it is modest in terms of size and price.

More importantly, Night of a Thousand Drawings is an art-for-charity initiative that changes lives. The event originated in Johannesburg in 2006, when the delivery bakkie for the inner city soup kitchen, Paballo ya Batho was stolen.

Overnight it became impossible to feed and provide basic support to hundreds of homeless people.

The idea of a Night of a Thousand Drawings was born as a fundraising rescue: they would ask everyone and anyone to donate A5 drawings to be sold for R100 each at an inner-city art exhibition.

During the run-up to the event, the charity received a donation of a new delivery van, but decided to continue with the event that had started to gain momentum and a global following. The original Night of a Thousand Drawings project in Johannesburg has now grown and been adopted in other parts of the

world, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Dubai, Hong Kong – and Hermanus. All proceeds from the exhibitions are donated to worthy charities.

Over the past weeks, professional artists along with anyone who feels they have artistic ability, have been creating A5-sized artworks and handing them in at the participating HFF galleries. These donated artworks include paintings, drawings, sketches and illustrations, produced on paper, card or board, in mediums ranging from oils to watercolours, pastels, ink, pencil or charcoal.

During the Night of a Thousand Drawings on Friday 7 December, the artworks will be displayed at all the galleries and available for purchase – at R100 per artwork. The proceeds from the sale of the artworks will be divided between ive local charities.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to purchase a little gem (or several!) at only R100 a piece.

It may be the best investment you have ever made – or simply a special gift for a loved one.

Above all, you’ll know that you have made a signiicant contribution to ive local charities that fulil a vital role in our community.

– Hedda Mittner

www.thevillagenews.co.za

05 December 2018 |

Sending a conservation message through art

C

onservation messages take many forms. We are all horriied by statistics of the numbers of rhinos killed by poachers every day – forget about in a year. We see shocking photographs of hunters standing with foot atop a fallen elephant proudly showing of to the world. There are many articles in scientiic journals and on social media conveying to us in words the perilous state of our planet.

Local artist MJ Hooper, however, has chosen to send her conservation message through the medium of art. Gaining inspiration from classical paintings, she has recreated the images as charcoal drawings – and added commentary in pastel colour about the destructive impact of human behaviour on the planet.

Venus weeps for our oceans In classical mythology, Venus was born of sea-foam and was presented as essential to the generation and balance of life. A very sound environmental objective.

‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli, painted in the 15th century, is probably one of the most famous paintings in the world. It depicts a beautiful Venus, rising from the sea in a scallop shell, her hair gently blowing in the wind.

MJ Hooper has taken inspiration from this painting to illustrate the uncomfortable realities of the environmental degradation we see in the 21st century. In her charcoal drawing MJ shows the scallop shell rising on a sea of dead ish and trawlers denuding the sea of ish.

We now know that 40% of ish caught world-wide

She calls it ‘Venus Wept’.

Wildlife execution Many of us would recognise another Old Master, ‘The Shooting of the Rebels 3 May 1808’ completed by the Spanish artist, Francisco Goya, in the early 19th century. The painting commemorates Spanish resistance to Napoleon’s armies after the French occupation in 1808.

The Poacher’s List October 2017

Translated into today’s realities, MJ shows one igure being executed – not a rebel, but in my interpretation a person, arms extended, protecting wildlife. On average 55 elephants are killed in Africa every day, and 1 700 tigers killed in 5 years, but the most poached animal in the world is the critically endangered pangolin, whose lesh is considered a delicacy in many parts of Asia.

MJ calls this work ‘The Poacher’s List October 2017’.

Tourist Overload In the Overstrand we do our best to attract tourists, since nature tourism is the basis of the local economy. However, there is a very delicate balance between sustainable and unsustainable tourism. When do tourists start to do more harm than good by destroying the very things they came to experience?

The negative efects of the tourist boom are already felt in many parts of the world.

Authorities in Thailand have decided to close indeinitely a beautiful bay made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach until The Lesson on the Consequence of it recovers from years of Plastic Pollution environmental damage caused by too many tourists.

On some days Venice is swamped by more than 40 000 cruise ship passengers. And the locals are starting to rebel – with good reason. Apart from the environmental damage they cause through consumption and littering, the islands are in danger of sinking further from the sheer human mass.

Venus Wept

Wish you weren’t here

is by-catch that is thrown back into the sea, either dead or dying. MJ further emphasises the environmental message by introducing pastel colours to the black on white drawing to highlight unsustainable ishing.

Writer Anina Lee

17

Tourism, especially from the Far East, is set to increase dramatically over the next decades.

Apart from the direct impact of the mass of humanity, the indirect carbon miles and other costs to the environment are massive.

MJ’s charcoal drawing was inspired by a painting of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice

by Canaletto. Huge cruise ships are looming over the scene, and the crowds, highlighted in pastel, are swarming onto the piazza. Are they the tourists or the locals in protest? It matters not. The message is clear.

MJ calls this work ‘Wish You Weren’t Here’.

Plastic Pollution Plastic is one of the most serious threats facing the ocean and the wildlife in it. Between ive and thirteen million tonnes of plastic end up in the sea every year. It is estimated that by 2050 the weight of plastic in the sea will be greater than that of ish. That’s a lot if you consider how light plastic is.

The plastic does not loat around harmlessly.

We have all seen horrendous photographs of animals caught in plastic nooses, turtles with plastic straws up their noses and dead animals, from whales to birds, with stomachs full of plastic which they mistook for food and then starved to death.

Inspired by the Rembrandt painting ‘The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp’, MJ depicts the dire consequences of our plastic scourge. A dead dolphin, with stomach full of plastic, is being dissected. All around more bits of plastic are highlighted in colour.

MJ calls this work ‘The Lesson on the Consequence of Plastic Pollution’.

We need to spread the conservation message by all possible media. Can high art be one of these? I think so.

The drawings by MJ Hooper are on exhibit at the FynArts Gallery until 10 December.

18

05 December 2018 | ART

www.thevillagenews.co.za

The four sides of The Art Gallery’s square Writer & Photographer Hedda Mittner

T

here are several advantages to setting up a gallery as a partnership – especially if those partners are all artists in their own right.

First of all, there is no commission payable to the gallery owner which means that they can price their artworks competitively. Secondly, they get to share the costs of running a gallery and, finally they not only provide mutual support but also inspiration, which motivates them to keep on producing new works.

That is what four local artists discovered when they created a communal home at The Art Gallery on the corner of High Street and Royal Lane.

And besides the more practical considerations, artists Jeandre Marinier, Christie Henderson, Erna Dry and Louise Hennigs are clearly fond of one another and share a nurturing bond of friendship and respect.

Worcester for 7 years. She later moved to Cape Town where she had a successful career in Tromp-l’oeil mural painting and faux finishes, with both local and international commissions taking her around the globe from Barcelona to Mauritius to Singapore. During this time she coauthored three books on decorative paint techniques, and later turned to interior design and the manufacture of leather accessories for the interior market.

“During all those years I was so busy trying to support myself that I never had time for my art,” she says.

“I never thought that I could survive as a full-time artist.” But at the age of 57, Louise found herself at a crossroads and bravely decided to take the plunge. With her parents having settled in Hermanus in 2000 and both her sisters living here, Louise decided to move to Hermanus at the end of 2015 and dedicate herself full-time to her art. “I just knew the time was right,” she says.

Louise, who also happens to be Erna’s sister, joined the fold last week after Lize van der Walt decided to leave The Art Gallery and open her own gallery in Voëlklip. (Incidentally, Louise and Erna have another sister who is also an artist, Christa Clark.)

The four partners each have their own distinctive identities and artistic styles; yet their works hang harmoniously side by side in the gallery, creating a unique dynamic.

One of the pleasures of living in Hermanus is that her relationship with her sisters has grown ever closer. When she broke her hip a few months ago, having just taken on a large commission from a prestigious game lodge, her sisters came to her rescue and helped her to complete the artworks while she was convalescing from surgery. “We had such fun working together that we now meet once a week and just play around, exploring and experimenting with new techniques.”

LOUISE HENNIGS The Hennigs sisters grew up in Bulawayo in the former Rhodesia. Both Erna and Louise displayed artistic leanings early on, while Christa, the so-called “non-artistic” member of the family, only took up painting later in her life. Erna studied teaching in Bulawayo, majoring in Art, and her first teaching job was at her old high school; also in one of her classes was her ‘baby’ sister Louise, who is seven years younger than Erna.

Louise works in various mediums such as oils, acrylics and pastels. Her style ranges from photo realism to the abstract, and from large canvases to miniatures. “I paint landscapes, still life and sometimes portraits.

I am passionate about the African landscape and everything in it: the diversity of the fauna and flora, the play of light on vast open spaces, the vivid colours and textures of nature.”

Louise went on to obtain a teaching degree at Stellenbosch University, also majoring in Art, and taught at the Hugo Naudé Art Centre in

ERNA DRY Erna, who had married architect John Dry and was living in Pretoria, first came to Hermanus in 1997 to attend the wedding of her sister Christa

The four partners of The Art Gallery: Jeandré Marinier, Louise Hennigs, Christine Henderson and Erna Dry. to Michael Clark, who’d started the Bouchard Finlayson wine estate with winemaker and business partner Peter Finlayson back in 1989. The wedding, naturally, took place at Bouchard Finlayson and the beautiful setting in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley was enough for Erna and John to fall “head-over-heels in love with Hermanus”.

The Dry family soon returned and bought a property in Hemel-enAarde Village, where they built their new home and studio gallery which they called Hornbill House. While John immersed himself in winemaking in the true garagiste tradition, Erna oversaw the production of Afrocentric ceramic and bronze sculptures.

With the closure of the ceramic studio earlier this year, she now has more time to devote to her special love for painting and drawing – mostly of fauna, flora and the human form, often combined with traces of mythology and iconography. Her latest interest is etching and she is currently “flirting with drypoint”.

CHRISTINE HENDERSON Christine Henderson and Jeandré Marinier, who were both members of the Hermanus Art Circle, are the two artists who originally had the mutual dream of starting up a gallery where they could exhibit their work. Among the local artists they approached were Erna and Lize, who were immediately enthusiastic to join them.

Having found the right premises, The Art Gallery had its grand opening in September 2015.

Christine, who is married to well-

known chef and restaurant owner, Bruce Henderson, was born in Grahamstown but also spent her school years in the old Rhodesia. “Art was always my favourite subject,” she says, “and in 1977 I returned to South Africa to study Interior Architecture in Cape Town.”

Like Louise, Christine had a career in interior design and eventually opened a number of retail outlets.

In 1995 she moved to Hermanus with her family. “During those years I found very little time to be creative,” she says. “My desire to paint was re-awakened after joining an Astar painting group, where we were encouraged to work without planned outcomes or expectations. It was a liberating experience.”

Christine’s preference is abstract work and she uses various techniques to manipulate acrylic paint and ink.

JEANDRÉ MARINIER Jeandré Marinier is not only a prolific artist but a passionate art teacher.

Born and raised in Pretoria, she moved to the Cape with her family in 1981. She studied Fine Art at the Cape Technikon, including photography, ceramics and printing methods such as etching, lithography and screen printing.

Jeandré spent 27 years living in France, where she married a Frenchman and raised a family while working for a multi-national industrial company. In 2010 came a turning point in her life when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. “It was a wake-up call,” she says. “Three operations later, I realised that I had

been given a second chance in life and decided to do what I had always wanted to do – and that is to create.”

While on the road to recovery, Jeandré took art therapy classes, which turned out to be the start of her creative journey. Her desire to learn more led to a further two and a half years of oil painting lessons, followed by oil and ink techniques.

“Life is short and everything can be destroyed in a second,” she says. “Do not waste time. Make your bucket list and just do it.”

On Jeandré’s bucket list was the desire to return to South Africa, so she bade France farewell and settled in Hermanus, bringing all her paints and canvasses with her. She started painting every day and ran art classes and workshops for adults before joining the Hermanus Visual Art & Design Centre as the practical art teacher alongside Vivienne Mitchley, who teaches art theory.

At the heart of Jeandrée’s work is an intuitive desire to express her joy of life and share it with others.

She enjoys finding a balance between finely drawn detail and spontaneous flowing colour, which culminates in vibrant paintings that draw the viewer in for a closer look.

Inspired by nature, its textures and patterns, she employs a wide variety of subject matter, from realistic to abstract.

“Painting helped me to heal, to rediscover myself and to feel deeply moved,” she says. “I hope that my art, in turn, will move others and bring them as great a joy.”

05 December 2018 | BUSINESS

19

www.thevillagenews.co.za www.thevillagenews.co.za

French lair or shabby chic, it’s all ‘Bella Bella’!

Writer & Photographer Elaine Davie

K

leinmond seems to be a particularly nurturing environment for intergenerational business enterprises. Certainly, this has proved to be true of the Maree family and their interior decorating shop, Bella Bella.

So successful has it been that it has now branched out and established an ofshoot in the historic precinct of Hermanus.

It all started when Dad, Herman, decided to take early retirement from his career in the insurance industry and head back from Limpopo to the family’s home province. They looked around and decided that Kleinmond itted the bill for a relaxed, laid-back retirement. But Mom, René, and daughters, Bianca and Pamela soon put paid to that notion. All her life René had had a passion for interior decorating and as the girls conirm, no matter what ups and downs they might have experienced as a family, their mother always made the house look beautiful.

So René decided that now, in Kleinmond, her time had come. She was soon dragging the family of to auctions to buy old furniture, which Herman with his talent for woodwork, restored; then they limewashed it and together with other smaller pieces which Herman made from old timber they started selling at the Durbanville market. This was such a success that they decided to try opening a shop in Kleinmond, which they called Shabby Chic.

Unfortunately, most Kleinmonders were not so au fait with the niceties of the French language and since the Maree ladies did not really enjoy being referred to as Shabby Chicks, they switched to Italian and the name became Bella Bella.

That was way back in 2004.The irst shop was in the industrial section of Harbour Road and with the passage of time they moved to several diferent premises in and around this tourist destination, improving the location each time and reining the style of the goods they stocked, which seemed to be illing a deinite

niche in the market. At the same time, Bianca started illing her own niche with a unique art form – large charcoal drawings on sewing-pattern paper, which also sold like hotcakes in the shop.

In the meantime, Pamela had spread her wings and gone to London to work, but when she returned in 2009, the shop moved to yet larger premises to incorporate a cofee shop called Ciao Bella, which she ran until 2014, whilst continuing to supply the gift shop with crafts and taking charge of the business’s book-keeping.

Bianca’s own little girls, Hannah and later, Sarah, grew up in the shop, favourites with the regular customers. They were given endless supplies of paper and crayons to keep them busy and both of them, Hannah, now nearly 17 and Sarah, 10, have grown into talented young artists in their own right.

Bianca Maree in the new Bella Bella Hermanus in Long Street Arcade. In the background hangs one of Bianca’s artworks.

Herman Maree with mascot Paris, wife René and daughter, Pamela van Wyk in the doorway of Bella Bella Kleinmond.

When it was time for Hannah to go to high school, Bianca moved to Hermanus and for the next couple of years worked for several other interior decorating shops, widening her horizon and forming valuable contacts with suppliers and customers, both local and foreign. Then, this year, the family sat down and started looking at a strategy for future growth.

“We have been through tough times in Kleinmond,” comments Herman. “At one time the whole of Harbour Road was dug up to make provision for the development of the area around the harbour, then events like the popular Blues Festival izzled out, which had a major impact on business. And then there were the protests… The economy of Kleinmond has been steadily declining in recent years. In Hermanus, though, it seems to be improving, in spite of the unrest there, so we decided to divide our eggs into two baskets and open a shop there. With Bianca already living in Sandbaai, it seemed a good option.”

So at the beginning of August this year, Bianca, with the support of the rest of the family, set up a brand

much younger clientele in Hermanus.

I think it’s been a good move.’

new Bella Bella in a heritage cottage in the alley just of the Pick n Pay parking space, across from the Eatery. It has the same style and feel of the Kleinmond store, with a distinctive French lair.

As Bianca says, “My mom has always loved neutral colours and we’re sticking to that general theme, with the whites, blacks, beiges and blues, but moving into a more industrial feel. My dad still makes furniture with a weathered look, and Pam still supplies us with her crafts, but we’ve also been getting interesting pieces from France and Belgium, as well as from

India. We’ve always wanted to maintain a unique feel and we’re thinking of designing and branding some of our own soft furnishings in the future.”

René is as involved with the new shop as she has been with the original one in Kleinmond. As she comments, “When Bianca and I get together, that’s all we talk about – shop, shop, shop. The rest of the family gets quite irritated. But what we’re all thrilled about is that Bianca’s art is selling so well in Hermanus and now even Hannah and Sarah are selling their art! We also have access to a

In fact, young Sarah is proving to be an entrepreneur of note. She sets up her own mini-gallery on the stoep of the shop on Saturday mornings and exercises her considerable marketing skills. “The other day,” laughs Bianca, “she sold ive of her paintings to a Greek tourist who said he was going to frame them for his bathroom!”

All-in-all, René’s passion has paid of, not only as a viable business, but as a vehicle for developing the talents of her daughters and grand-daughters.

Far from being shabby chicks, they have brought a touch of class and style to Kleinmond and now also to the CBD of Hermanus.

Bella Bella Kleinmond can be contacted on 083 2269698 and Bella Bella Hermanus on 081 2559011 or follow Bianca Maree on Facebook

20

www.thevillagenews.co.za

05 December 2018 | BUSINESS

Ulysses, the sirens and our markets Writer Janet Hugo Personally, I love this time of year with the focus on family and community. It got me thinking about Santa Claus and mythology, and then load shedding inconvenienced me.

The beginning of 2018 was marked with Ramaphoria but as we face the reality of our State-Owned Enterprises unable to function it got me thinking about a very diferent kind of myth, particularly as I sit writing this by candlelight.

Ulysses and the Sirens is an episode in the epic poem, Odyssey, by Homer in which Ulysses (Odysseus) is tormented by the voices of Sirens.

They sang an enchanting song that caused passing sailors to steer toward the rocks, only to hit them and sink. The solution in the myth was that all of the sailors had their ears plugged up with beeswax, except for Ulysses, who was tied to the mast as he wanted to hear the song. He told his sailors not to untie him as it would only make him want to drown himself.

Forward to 2018 and not much has changed.

Replace Ulysses with the astute investor, the sailors with his/her trusted advisors and the Sirens with news clips (or well-meaning friends).

Hitting the rocks in this instance would be changing your investment strategy during the storm. We’ve seen this movie before during the global inancial crisis of 2007 to 2009, the bear market of 2002 and 2003 (following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York) and the Asian crisis of the late 90s to name but a few. And every time the patient and disciplined investor came through with lying colours.

In our role as advisor to our clients, it may be useful to explain why investors should not do anything drastic in times of market downturn.

Particularly with the the past few months delivering dreadful market performance. First, every bull market (up to the most recent one) has been followed by a bear market. So, don’t act surprised – it happens.

Secondly, bear markets are typically much shorter than bull markets. In the third instance, stick with your strategy. That is assuming you have a strategy and you are conident it is the right strategy for you and your family. If you are concerned about the strategy, get a second opinion, but stick with your strategy which will include the appropriate investments for your needs and timeframe.

If you had the discipline to only look at your portfolio on 31 December every year since 1995, you would have experienced negative performance in four calendar years: 1996, 1997, 2002 and 2008. Under the assumption that you had at least a three-year time horizon and the discipline to remain invested, you would have enjoyed the following outcomes (returns in excess of a year are not annualised): See graphic 1 The danger, of course, is that a nervous investor changes tack at exactly the wrong point.

Moving to cash (from growth assets such as equities) at the end of any of these four years would have been disastrous if you consider the stellar performance of the two years that followed. At the risk of belabouring the point, you need to stick with your strategy to achieve the stellar returns after the periods of drawdown.

So where are markets compared to their history? We’ve analysed the ive-year rolling performance of equities and balanced funds since 1994 and compared it to the ive-year rolling inlation rate over the same period.

The graph shows that balanced funds and SA equities have only underperformed inlation (over rolling ive years) twice since 1994 (and have come pretty close in October 2018): See graphic 2 It’s important to notice how quickly the returns over ive years picked up from these lows. The seasoned (or well-advised) investor will know that now is the time to sit on your hands and ignore the sweet voices of the Sirens luring you to the rocks.

Another way to view the current state of afairs

1

2

3

is to consider where current equity market returns over various rolling periods are. The chart shows the current one-, two-, three-, four-, iveseven- and 10-year annualised performance of local equities against its own history over the same rolling periods: See graphic 3

since 1994. Can markets go any lower? Possibly.

Are they more likely to surprise on the upside from this point on? Quite likely, if historical trends are anything to go by. So, buckle up, take good advice and enjoy the ride. It’s what Ulysses would urge you to do.

It’s not quite as bad as it’s been before, except for over ten years where this is pretty much the lowest return over any rolling ten-year period

Wishing you a wonderful festive season and a very blessed 2019.

05 December 2018

21

www.thevillagenews.co.za

A whale of a centre and awards to prove it Writer Raphael da Silva Winning the overall Spectrum Award, as well as Best New Development Award at the 2018 Retail Design and Development Awards is testament to the Whale Coast Mall’s exceptional shopping-centre design, and the economic success it has enjoyed since opening a year ago.

The Whale Coast Mall (WCM) has had an estimated R500 million turnover in 2018, with more than 800 people employed by tenants and contractual service providers. According to Leon Swanepoel, the centre manager and Andrea van Rensburg, the centre’s marketing manager, the mall has made a massive impact on the economy of the Overstrand in the twelve months since its opening.

“But you can’t look at the 800 employees only – each person has four to five dependents,” says Leon, emphasising the actual number of people benefiting from each employment opportunity in the mall.

Every day, approximately 9 000 people visit the centre. “This number, however, can almost double over the month-end and holiday periods,” says Andrea. Peak times are between

11:00 and 14:00 and after 17:00.

It is clear that “much of the business which previously flowed out of Hermanus is now contained in the town”, she affirms. According to Andrea and Leon, customers are travelling from Gansbaai, Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond, as one would expect, as well as from Caledon and Villiersdorp.

The WMC’s construction costs reached approximately R500 million, making it one of the biggest private investments in the Overstrand, to date. Substantial monthly rates and

taxes each month renders it one of the leading contributors to the municipality budget. “Remember, rates are calculated on land and building,” Leon adds.

pop-up shops, which is a common phenomenon in malls.”

With a total of 84 tenants out of 92 spaces, including ATMs as they too are considered tenants, the mall has been tremendously successful.

Pop-up shops are stores that take a limited ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ lease period to either test whether there is potential in the mall for their brand, or to use the retail space temporarily to create a long-term, lasting impression with potential customers.

“It is common for shopping centres of this size to have a few tenants fail within the first year of trade,” Andrea points out. “Our fail rate, however, is well below average. Some were

Senqu, a retail chain for outdoor apparel and gear, will be opening in mid-December and WCM management is in “advanced” discussions with stationery and household appliance

stores for the lower level of the mall.

As part of their environmental programme, WCM’s overall water consumption has been reduced by 25% by installing taps with a more conservative spray mechanism. A borehole for irrigation has been installed, lighting systems are controlled, refuse for recycling is separated from general waste and, as far as possible, only energy-saving lamps and light bulbs are used.

Visit us on www.thevillagenews.co.za for more stories.

22

MY WELLNESS You as your own stress-reliever Writer & Photographer Dr Arien van der Merwe

I

had to laugh at a post I recently saw on Facebook. The person was complaining about her hectic lifestyle and wrote: “I am completely stretched out!” meaning that she was stressed. I actually thought to myself that being “stretched” is a very apt explanation of the way we feel when we are stressed.

It is true that we live in stressful times, now perhaps more than ever. The current economic climate and recent events in and around Hermanus are taking their toll on our physical and mental health and wellbeing, especially as the year speeds towards its end.

We can – and simply have to – learn how to manage the daily stresses and strains. Managing stress is vital to overall health and wellbeing!

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

then to move through it to some sense of safety and peace, deep within us. It is time to stop looking to others to guide us to inner peace. It is time to look in the mirror and see your teacher – it is you; it has always been you.

This is not easy. We have to practise the gift of silence every day to learn how to quieten the monkey chatter inside our own minds in order to experience even short periods of peace and quiet.

The only way that reading self-help books and listening to other people’s stories might help, is if you take their advice and actually put it into practice. Reading about meditation is worthless if you do not physically incorporate it into your daily routine.

We have to be disciplined to get to that place of inner peace that the gurus and enlightened ones are on about. I call it the 3 P’s of practice, patience and perseverance.

We all experience inner conflict, uncertainty, fear, anxiety and anger. At times we want to run away, fight the enemy, or simply hide and protect ourselves. It is, however, very important to remember that we cannot look for stress solutions outside of ourselves. The trick (and the hard work) is to learn to move beyond fear.

Another point to ponder: when our focus remains on our problems, problems will be our constant creation and reality. A number of years ago, Mother Teresa was asked to attend an anti-war rally. She declined, saying that she’ll come when there’s a peace rally. Same thing, different focus!

We all have to find a way to turn inwards, to face and feel the fear, and

Ask yourself: “What do I want?”

Street posters, newspaper headlines,

our own conversations and self-talk all emphasise what we don’t want.

Our environment is filled with messages of all the things we don’t want – we talk about being anti-crime and creating crime-free or smoke-free areas, we must stop this and stop that, this must fall and that must fall.

It is time to change our thoughts and words. If enough of us realise the power of our intentions and start changing our thoughts and words, the critical mass of the 100th monkey will soon be reached and the collective consciousness will ensure that peace becomes our new reality.

It is nobody else’s responsibility – it starts with you and me. The macrocosm is simply a reflection of the microcosm. As Gandhi said, “be the change (peace) that you want to see in the world”, by changing your own thoughts and beliefs to reflect what you want.

While we are engaged in reading about, and contemplating the theories, they seem so simple. We are inspired and positive about making a change. Then life happens and we are challenged to respond in peace mode, not in a reactive and angry manner, falling back into the same old thinking and habitual patterns of our lower fear vibrations. How do we actually create and sustain the process within ourselves?

Look in the mirror. There is the Self who knows, who contains the essence of inner knowing and always has. This inner Self knows by a clear resonance of feeling. There is a felt sense of knowing the truth inside the heart and inside the physical body.

When you become quiet and calm,

your inner voice can be heard. This is our essence, our authentic selves.

Try the following when next you become aware of disturbing feelings or emotions, or experience the urge to snack or gorge yourself, or indulge in three bottles of wine!

Stop for a few seconds. Tune into the specific emotion just before the urge happened, or simply notice the fearful, angry, anxious, upset feelings inside you right at the time, in the present moment, even locating it in a specific area of your body.

Follow this emotion in your mind, see where it takes you, let it wash through you and then you release it to your Higher Self, God, Holy Spirit, quiet voice within, angels (whatever works for you as the aspect of Superconscious Mind). Ask that it be undone and feel the relief.

online program in your own time, and in the privacy of your own home.

It also includes my books Health & Happiness and Stress Solutions in pdf, as well as the Relaxation CD in downloadable MP3 format. The books and CD are also available in hard copy, from my office, as well as my individual consultations and group sessions to learn how to relax and meditate, using Mind Solutions (for emotional eating) and Health Coaching/ Counselling to support your through the process of addressing your life stresses and strains.

- Dr Arien van der Merwe is a medical doctor, practising natural, integrative, functional medicine and stress management; a specialist holistic health counsellor and author.

You might just find the gateway to your own soul and access the infinite wisdom it contains.

Address: Arundel Medical Rooms & Training Centre, 1st Floor, c/o Church & Arundel St (opposite Mediclinic), Westcliff, Hermanus.

Should you need a little assistance in overcoming stress, consider doing my 12 Weeks to Optimal Wellbeing

Tel. 0671166111. Email: Hermanus@DrArien.co.za. Website: www.

DrArien.co.za.

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Disco Revival SOFCA hosted their first ‘Disco Revival’ dance at Sandbaai Hall on Friday 30 November. Music from artists such as Queen, ABBA, Bon Jovi and Wilson Pickett were on the evening’s playlist. Guests were invited to dress up in their best disco outfits and to make use of the photo booth made especially for the occasion. Delicious burgers and drinks were on sale and the centre of the hall was cleared for dancing. James Peiser, the man in charge of the music for the evening, kept guests entertained with his cool tunes and dance moves, and the dance floor was never empty. Hermanus High School matriculants Matthew Smith and Laurent Blom manned the ticket table at the entrance and gave up their first night of Hermanus Vac to help make the evening a success. The event was enjoyed by everyone and the music played into the early hours of Saturday morning. All the funds raised will go to SOFCA. LEFT: Posters and LPs were painted with images of artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s as well as groovy dancers. All the pieces were done

by SOFCA resident Joanie Nel. RIGHT: Colleen and Frans Wessels dressed to impress and stole the dance floor with their smooth dance moves.

23

24

05 December 2018

www.thevillagenews.co.za

MY HOME GAS INSTALLATIONS

T: 028 312 2020 A: 8 Arum St, Hermanus Industrial

Sell while you can, weak economy favours buyers

F

or those looking to transact over the coming months, it is important to note that we are generally still seeing the outlook for the property market as flat with conditions largely favouring buyers.

With the economic growth outlook remaining well below expectation, the banks have signalled an expectation that the buyer’s market conditions will remain well into the early part of 2019.

Given the continued weak economic outlook and pressure on inflation due to the petrol price and other cost hikes, along with the challenges faced by the Rand against major currencies, the expectation is also that the South African Reserve Bank will likely step up an interest rate-hiking cycle.

A recent FNB House Price Index shows that house price growth continues to slow, standing at around 3.5% which, when adjusted for infla-

tion, actually shows a mild decline. At the same time, some 93% of sellers have to drop their price to conclude a sale. The average time it takes to sell a property continued to weaken to almost 18 weeks (over four months).

That said, the arrival of summer always brings renewed hope of a busier selling season, especially in the high-demand areas with good access to schools and business nodes.

Summer tends to bring more visitors to show houses, and while mindful of the challenges facing the market, there are always selling opportunities for serious sellers.

Despite the challenges, the banks are still reporting a positive lending landscape, and even at a slightly higher interest rate, it will still be at some of the lowest levels compared to the past three decades. It is a good time to buy and we believe serious buyers will take advantage of the opportunities offered by the current market.

Sellers need to remain mindful of the market challenges and guard against overpricing as this will simply deter buyers. If you are serious about selling, then you need to put your property on the market at a realistic asking price. At the same time, you should consider all serious offers.

The challenging market conditions have led to a flurry of new market entrants offering various forms of reduced fees and commission aimed at securing business in a tough market. In reality, these offer nothing new and nothing more than existing real estate brands that have stood the test of time and weathered the many ups and downs of the economy and property market.

Real estate agents continue to play a pivotal role in a challenging market and still sell significantly more real estate than any online or so-called disruptor brands. Selling property

“Summer tends to bring renewed enthusiasm for property, and the good news for buyers, is that it is a great time to find good value in the market.” – Samuel Seeff is a significant, stressful and challenging transaction. Your agent is a skilled and experienced professional and problem-solver who brings vital insight and advice on how to navigate the current market challenges.

Regardless of technological advances, people still make the difference.

See your SEEFF Property Magazine on the shelves soon!

05 December 2018

25

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Boating rules on the Klein River

S

afety is always important, and especially so with the festive season that is upon us. It is therefore time for the annual river rules reminder to promote a safe and enjoyable leisure experience for all Klein River users.

The Klein River Association of Boating (KRAB), in collaboration with Overstrand Municipality, is tasked with the management of the Du Toit Street slipway, the issuing of annual and day permits, and the control of behaviour on the river within the municipal boundary and beyond, as far as the proclaimed bird sanctuary between the river and the lagoon.

Speed restrictions “dead slow – no wake” will once again be in place from Stanford Village as far as the sharp left-hand bend under the power line at Walshacres and around the sharp corner at Middelburg Farm as indicated on the map on the back of the permits and by signage on the water. This will be strictly enforced, and transgressions will result in the withdrawal of permits. Day permits, restricted to two per day over 15hp and two per day under 15hp will once again be available from Stanford Info from 09:30 daily, and day permit boats must be removed from the river by 17:30.

A valid skipper’s ticket and a boat certificate of fitness must be produced for all boats over 15hp in order to be

issued with a day permit. Inboard engine powered boats are not permitted due to the disruptive size of the wake generated by these craft.

Additionally, jet skis are banned, as is the case on all inland waters in the Western Cape. All watercraft, regardless of motive power, must always keep to the right-hand side of the river. This is nationally legislated, is vital to river users’ safety and will be strictly enforced this season.

KRAB will be assisted in this regard

by Overstrand’s Law Enforcement patrol craft. Please note that no power boats are permitted in the bird sanctuary between the river and the lagoon, no boats may access the lagoon via this area, and boats may also not access the river from the lagoon.

This year, due to the high-water levels, Eskom has issued a notice prohibiting the use of any craft with masts on the Klein River. This is due to the risk of contact with overhead power lines. Complaints can be lodged with Clive Pearce on 079 766 4900, Adriaan Swart on 079 117 9174, or via the incident book held at Stanford Info.

Boating activities at Maanschynbaai and Prawn Flats will also be monitored, and that strict rules and safety regulations will be enforced there too.

Green Futures ahead for these graduates: At the back from left are Sharlene de Villiers, Zizipho, Luyolo, Nasiphe, Sikhulule, Aphindile, Asenele, Xolisa, Evan, Siphelele, Bulelani, Asavele and Colleen Emmenis. In front are Cilena and Lukas.

Window on Grootbos Foundation The Green Futures College of the Grootbos Foundation held a graduation ceremony for their 2018 graduates on Thursday, 29 November.

Each year, 12 young unemployed men and women are selected to study Horticulture, Eco-tourism, Conservation and Lifeskills by means of a fully-sponsored course. The skills they learn help them gain employment from eco-tourism businesses, while some of this year’s class are even choosing to continue studying.

The Grootbos Foundation is a

non-profit organisation which is dedicated to the upliftment of the local communities of the Overstrand, and to the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom, from Walker Bay to Agulhas. Individuals are empowered through conservation, sport, education, health and social integration, reaching over 10 000 boys and girls, from the very youngest age to young adults, every year.

The Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and Lodges support local conservation initiatives and many of the Foun-

dation’s community development projects, of which more than 50% rely on donations and partnerships to make sure they reach as many people as possible. Well done, Class of 2018! May your futures be filled with exciting opportunities.

For more information on how to apply for the Green Futures Horticulture Course of 2019, please contact phil@grootbosfoundation.org

26

05 December

www.thevillagenews.co.za

MY SPORT

First balls hit on new A nonagenarian who loves tennis HSC tennis courts Writer Tony O’Hagan

A

t the grand age of 92, Terence Mulligan still plays tennis at the Hermanus Tennis Club every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

He plays in a social “school” made up of eight players, men and ladies, who meet at 06:30 in summer and at 07:00 in winter. The tennis group plays until around 09:00 after a good few sets of doubles.

Terence is the senior “statesman” in the group, with the next oldest participant, Blythe Train, some 12 years his junior. Asked what shot in tennis gives him the greatest pleasure, he doesn’t hesitate in his response: ‘’A forehand down the tramlines when my opponent makes a move across the net to intercept a return.”

Terence has some regrets that he never had any tennis coaching at a younger age but this has not deterred his love of the game. He enjoys following the international tennis on television and is a fan of Roger Federer, “the classic maestro”.

He ascribes his longevity to good genes and regular exercise. Aside from his bi-weekly tennis commitment, Terence walks 2 or 3 km every day. He tried the gym routine but this

CAPRO ADT

did not appeal. “I did not enjoy the strong smell of chlorine in the pool,” he says. “It was not for me.”

Well done, Terence. Keep hitting that forehand down the line!

Terence was born in Cape Town, matriculating at Rondebosch High School where rugby was his chosen sport. He then enrolled at the University of Cape Town, qualifying as a medical doctor and later specialising as a pathologist. During this time he was bitten by the tennis bug and joined a group of doctors who played on private courts in the southern suburbs.

Terence relocated to Hermanus in 1991 with his late wife and is resident in Vermont. He enjoys reading, with biographies topping the list. “I’m not too keen on novels,” he says. As a member of U3A Overberg and the Hermanus History Society, he is a keen participant at their talks and lectures on a variety of subjects.

A centurion in the making, Terence may well reach this milestone and emulate two other tennis players who made it to this grand age, namely, Gardner Mulloy and Bobbie Heine Miller. Mulloy, who died at 102, was a former United States singles champion and Miller, who reached 106 years, an ex-South African ladies singles champion.

The Hermanus Sports Club Committee (HSC) and members of the Hermanus Tennis Club inaugurated the new tennis courts on Monday 3 December by undertaking a ceremonial hitting of tennis balls to mark the completion of the tennis courts.

The many years of waiting are now over and tennis club members will enjoy the six new courts, four of which are floodlit.

SPORT NEWS? Share your sport news, results or photos with us! It has never been easier. Just send the information and image to admin@ thevillagenews.co.za and we will gladly consider it, whether it be competition results, a friendly rivalry, a funny anecdote, a once-off feat or a major tournament. We look forward to hearing from you.

The laying of the netball courts is also complete, Tony O’Hagan of the HSC at the inauwith the floodlighting to guration of the tennis courts be added soon. Projects in progress include four s quash courts which will come on stream early in the New Year and the Clubhouse, including a restaurant and bar, scheduled for completion in March/April 2019.

It’s all systems go for the ProAcive Gymnasium and construction will commence early in 2019, with completion expected by the end of the year. Work has also started on the BMX Track, another project for 2019.

The astroturf hockey floodlighting was switched on recently, completing a state-of-the-art hockey field.

The completion of the Hermanus Sports Club in 2019 will be a long-awaited boon to our town and provide a sporting hub, not only for Hermanus but the entire Overberg.

05 December 2018

Putting Pirate

27

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Fantastic Walker Bay Mixed and three aces

By Julian Shaw

H

ere we are at the end of another year. I cannot believe 2018 is almost over. It is a time of busyness, a time for Hermanus to welcome festive season visitors and, above all, a time to reflect on how fortunate we are to be here in this wonderful place we proudly call home.

Year after year visitors come to our golf course and wonder at its beauty in absolute awe.

Shamefully, I take it a little for granted, but I’ve made a resolution to, once a day, stop, give thanks and appreciation, even if it’s for only one minute.

To all those fellow pirates who are working this season, good luck and keep smiling.

We have the results of the Walker Bay mixed tournament and – would you believe – three holes-in-one! Perhaps my course set-up is way too easy, or maybe our golfers are getting better.

Walker Bay mixed This tournament has historically been difficult to promote – or get excited about – as it falls directly after the Classic. Some players who have had a little too much indulgence and are tired from the previous day, then have to play another round.

This year, however, we enjoyed a super-full field, worthwhile giveaways, superb prizes, as well as exceptional weather – and, yet again, our course was presented in a world-class condition. Everything went smoothly until Ben Thompson, the club’s vice-captain, holed out in one on the 13th. This set the day on fever pitch.

Our winners were: Ellen Corrigal, Moira Stadler, Andre Stadler and Pierre Stadler – three Stadlers. One was missing but no doubt Ian Stadler was looking down with pride.

Ben Thompson is congratulated by club captain Albert Streicher.

Runners-up were Herman Steyn, Janine Steyn, Zane Meyer and Linda Meyer. Well done guys and girls.

To the sponsors of the Walker Bay Week a big thank you. As I said at the main prizegiving we really wouldn’t stand a chance without you all. So, too, the sponsors of: Wednesday – Ford Hermanus; Friday – Guthrie and Theron Properties; Saturday – PSG and Lew Geffen Sotheby’s (main sponsors); Sunday – Adams Schouw and Cain, Overberg Skin and Body Clinic, Rola VW and Wedge Golf. Your generosity and participation are much appreciated.

The other holes-in-one…

We had the return of Joe Lyon, a close friend from Australia. He is still a member and back here just for a couple of weeks. Joe was always a very active club member and left about a year ago to be with his family. When he came into my shop it was as if he had never left; and in true Joe fashion he had to make a statement, so he popped in a hole-in-one on the 13th.

And, to boot, his name goes up on the board for ever. Well done, Joe…

Scores at a glance LADIES’ TUESDAY GOLF 27 NOVEMBER Medal and putts 33 players Silver division winner of both nett and gross - Rusty Demmer 85 gross 70 nett Bronze division winner - Ellen Davies nett 72 Gross prize winner shared by Ellen Davies and Niamh Casey on 98 MEN’S WEDNESDAY Individual bonus bogey 138 players East course winner - Kevin Middleton +6 North course winner - Johnny Caldow +5 South course winner - Tony Behagg +3 Best gross was shared this week

by Adrian Kuiper and Kevin Middleton on 72 Ball pool pays to +1 and there were 8 two clubs.

And saving the best till last, Elize Nykamp in social play achieved another hole-in-one. She has officially overtaken me by recording her seventh – yes, her seventh hole-in-one, last week. Let’s get to double figures, Elize.

Remember play the course as you find it and the ball as it lies.

Julz and the crew

Visit us on www.thevillagenews.co.za for more stories.

Joe Lyon on a visit from Australia rings the captain’s bell signalling the traditional round of drinks after scoring a hole in one on the 13th.

28

www.thevillagenews.co.za

05 December 2018

MY SCHOOL

Juan Erasmus a Grade 10 learner from Hermanus High participated in the Origin of Trials Mountain Bike Challenge at the end of November.

After the first day of racing Juan was placed 3rd overall and on day two 2nd, despite a fracture in one of his feet. Juan achieved 3rd place overall. Juan is coached by Morne Bester of ProCycling and was sponsored during the year by Buco Hermanus.

POP-UP NETBALL The Overberg Netball Federation (ONF) in collaboration with the Western Cape Southern Stings (WCSS) hosted the Overberg’s first ever pop-up netball clinic at Grotto Beach on Saturday 1 December. The WCSS have done pop-up clinics in Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and the West Coast and the Overberg was excited to have them here. 80 girls from ages 6-19 from all over the Overberg participated and each girl received a goodie bag and a pink vest with ‘#weunite’ on the front.

Four players from WCSS did drills with the girls as well as ball skills, balancing and positioning. The ONF is looking forward to hopefully making the clinic an annual event as the girls all enjoyed it immensely.

TECHNO BOFFIN Northcliff House College is very proud of Gabriel Ellis, one of their Grade 11 CAT (Computer Applications Technology) learners, who recently achieved the highest mark in the Overberg District in the Techno Boffin competition. All grade 11 CAT students are entered into the Techno Boffin which is run by the Overberg Education Department and monitored by the school’s subject advisor for CAT, Ms Estelle Goosen.

The final mark is comprised of all the theory examinations throughout the year as well as online tests set up by Ms Goosen from Term 1 to Term 3.

Well done, Gabriel!