The Village News 7 August - 13 August 2018

NEWS NEWS

Village

The

7 August 2018

Cape Whale Coast

FREE COPY

FCJ Independent Newspaper of the Year

EXPLORER EXPLORER The Business

ALL YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS Inside

BALCONY BUILDING

100 years of history

P9

NEWBORN This Southern Right female and her young calf were spotted in Walker Bay on Sunday. With the annual Kalfiefees kicking off this week and preparations for the Whale Festival in full swing, Hermanus is once again the place to be for whale watching, be it from land, sea or air.

PHOTO: Kürt Krause, MAKU Visuals (Facebook/Instagram/YouTube)

New De Mond resort coming soon T

being finalised and residents can expect construction to start within the next few weeks. The development follows the signing of a 45-year lease agreement between the Municipality and the Pretoria-based Pohl Property Development Group (PPDG).

According to Town Planner Riaan Kuchar, the last legalities with regards to the De Mond development are now

According to Edmund Pohl, CEO of PPDG, a number of features of this brand-new holiday resort will be completed in time for the December holiday season. “This includes a De Vette Mossel restaurant at the Prawn

De Waal Steyn wo large developments planned for Hermanus will soon see construction get underway. This includes the redevelopment of the old De Mond Caravan Park in Voëlklip and the mixed-use housing on the Sandbaai common.

Flats slipway and brand-new camping sites that are open for bookings and will be ready for occupation by October. De Vette Mossel is a brand of informal seafood restaurants that have been successfully trading in Mossel Bay, Hartebeespoort Dam in Gauteng and Parys in the Free State and we foresee that it will be highly popular with locals and holidaymakers alike,” says Edmund.

The De Mond resort, once completed, will also include self-catering units, an international hotel, con-

ference facilities and a wellness spa.

Approval of the development follows a tender process that lasted more than a year. The caravan park was closed in 2013 and made headlines when several long-time residents were forced to move out.

According to the development proposal, the project entails a mixed-use resort with the design taking into account the sensitive environmental area. According to the developers the Milkwood forests, beach areas and heritage conditions dictate the

proposed layout of the resort.

“The project will cater for a variety of clients, ranging from weekend visitors from Cape Town to corporate clients and wine and adventure tourists. Conferencing facilities, a wellness and fitness centre, as well as an exclusive restaurant form primary anchor points that will attract not only the local community, but also a wider community of national and international tourists,” says Edmund.

Continues on P 3

3

7 August 2018

Mixed-use housing for Sandbaai From P 1 “Because the development is situated in an environmentally sensitive area between the ocean and the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the development’s architecture will entwine with the natural environment while the Cape roots of Hermanus will be echoed through a contemporary vernacular of Cape-Dutch architecture,” he says.

A main feature of the development will be a boutique hotel which will serve as the heart of the development and host various public facilities. Edmund says there are several hotel groups that are interested in being part of the development.

“From the hotel the density lowers concentrically as the chalets will be integrated into the natural landscape. The building orientation is centralised around sea views to the south and mountain views to the north, and will be interspersed with areas of natural vegetation.

The development also allows for pedestrian access and movement along a scenic promenade that will link resort facilities with the chalets. Our aim is to let the luxurious architecture together with the look and feel of the development celebrate the uniqueness of the area.”

The development site consists of various portions, including the old caravan park which comprises approximately 9,74 hectares of

vacant land and the Klein River Lagoon Park, which measures 6 279 m² and has basic sewer and water services and access roads.

The Prawn Flats portion includes a boat launch site with two boat ramps and a separate entrance.

village is expected to start soon, as demand for affordable housing for middle-class families continues to increase. “We are busy completing the rezoning of some parts of the commonage and an environmental impact assessment is being done at the moment,” says Riaan.

Selkirk Cottage, situated on the Prawn Flats, is a fenced, stand-alone historic building which is listed on the Heritage Register and thus has to be preserved. The developers will include the cottage in the site development plan and look after its preservation. Excluded from the development are the lagoon edge, the See & Sand area and the Voëlklip solid waste drop-off.

According to the development plan, the estate will be situated on 39 ha of land behind Curro School and offer mixed-use housing, with entry level homes starting under R1 million, as well as a retirement village. The estimated development cost will be in excess of R1 billion. The estate will offer access control and the design will be reminiscent of traditional Hermanus architecture. There will also be plenty of greening, children’s play areas and facilities for communal activities.

According to Riaan the Municipality obtained the land (also known as The Fishery) in 1942 by way of a Crown Grant. “The Crown Grant stipulated that the land may not be sold and must be used for a public resort or recreational purposes. The primary goals of the development will be to provide public resort facilities that will increase visitor numbers to Hermanus, especially during the traditional low and mid seasons, and create much needed job opportunities (primarily for members of the local community) during the construction and operational phases.”

Riaan says several options are being considered for access to the new development. “One of the options proposed by the provincial authorities makes provision for slipways along the R43 to a traffic circle underneath the existing bridge over the Onrus River. The road will run underneath the current bridge and offer easy access to and from the R43. These slipways as well as access from Onrus will make use of the old Onrus road that still runs parallel to the R43,” he says.

Sandbaai Commonage Contracts for the sale of the Sandbaai Commonage have been completed and the development of houses and a retirement

The development of the parcel of land commonly known as the ‘circus grounds’ near the Gateway Centre by Massbuild will start next year.

The Kalfiefees is back As in previous years, the 2018 Kalfiefees will bring a variety of theatre productions, music performances, actuality and literary discussions and an art exhibition to Hermanus.

This annual cultural highlight will kick off on Wednesday evening with a gala event in the Sandbaai Hall, followed by the Women’s Day Celebration with Jakkie Louw at The Classroom on Thursday morning.

A more serious note will be introduced by Waldimar Pelser, editor of Rapport newspaper and presenter of the actuality TV programmes Insig and Verslag in Gesprek, when he presents a political overview of the current and future state of affairs in South Africa in the Municipal Auditorium on Friday morning. The banquet hall of the auditorium will also be the venue for the Kalfiefees Art Exhibition that opens on Wednesday.

Woodenways in Hemel-en-Aarde Village (nextdoor to Hermanuspietersfontein winery) will be the venue for three literary discussions when author Elsa Winckler from Betty’s Bay, the mother of well-known singer Heinz Winckler, talks about her latest romance novel on Thursday, while award-winning playwright Pieter Fourie will discuss his work on Friday, and Milan Murray, the popular youth author, actress, singer and television presenter will talk about her latest work on Saturday.

Among the theatre productions to choose from are Mike Behr’s Die Reuk van Appels, Soebatsfontein with the evergreen Sandra Prinsloo and Weerkaats by Retief Scholtz. There will also be children’s productions and comedy shows by Marc Lottering, Moerkoffie is Boeretroos with Karen Viljoen, 3 Susters starring Lizz Meiring, Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck and Anel Holm, Mike en Mavis with Wilson Dunster and Elize Cawood, and State Fracture by Mike van Graan.

The music performances are always very popular among festivalgoers and this year they can look forward to the likes of Corlea Botha, Elvis Blue, Danièle Pascal, Luna Paige and Elandré Schwartz, amongst others. The highly acclaimed Stellenbosch University Choir will also return this year with a choral programme that will appeal to all ages.

At the heart of the festival is the Kalfiefeeskuiertent, a marquee next to the De Wet Hall in Onrus, where festivalgoers can relax between shows and enjoy some refreshments. Tickets are available from Computicket and the full programme can be found at www.kalfiefeeshermanus.co.za. For enquiries, call the Kalfiefees office on 028 316 1687.

4

7 August 2018

‘It takes a village to raise a child’ ment has launched a debriefing initiative at some of the schools for both the teachers and the learners, and private therapists have made their services available to all members of the community, including parents.

Toekie confirms that many of the children will need kind and compassionate support for a long time to come.

Elaine Davie

W

e are all familiar with this African proverb. But what happens when the psyche of the entire ‘village’ is wounded?

In the aftermath of the recent violence, as efforts are made to reach out to the children to ameliorate the trauma they have experienced, it becomes obvious that this is a highly complex situation with no ‘one size fits all’ solutions. The entire Hermanus population has been shocked to its core and everyone is suffering from either primary or secondary trauma.

Of course, the children are always the most vulnerable in a violent disruption of this kind, but they are also often unexpectedly resilient if given the kind of reassurance, respect and support they need. This is the opinion of Lianna Morrison, an educational psychologist who, in addition to running a private practice, visits six local primary schools on a scheduled basis throughout the year on behalf of the Enlighten Education Trust to counsel children who are experiencing a challenge at home or at school that they find difficult to deal with on their own.

Since the uprising in Zwelihle, she has been called upon to assist many more children, even as far away as Stanford, to understand what has happened.

“The children are left with a whole range of issues to process,” she explains. “Some of them find it very scary that their parents were also frightened and powerless; but equally, some of them are very angry with their parents: they ask why they couldn’t just talk to each other, instead of fighting. Another issue that emerges very strongly is a sense of mistrust: ‘I thought my neighbours were my friends, but then they threw a rock through my window – who can I trust now? How do I know who is my enemy and who is my friend?’

“Children who have strong emotional support may come to terms with their feelings quite quickly, but others may still have flash-backs 10 years from now,” she adds. “Children often model their behaviour on that of the adults in their lives. Their ability to process trauma effectively therefore frequently depends on the example that is set for them.”

Ashleigh Temple-Camp, a process art facilitator at Enlighten and Camphill School endorses these sentiments and adds another factor: the complex behavioural responses of the children to the event itself.

“Some of them hid under their beds in terror, others were simply bored at having to stay indoors and not play with their friends and yet others were either coerced into joining the protests or did so voluntarily, because ‘it was fun’. Now they need to be able to step

Both Lianna and Ashleigh agree with her that giving the children an opportunity to talk about their experiences and feelings in an open, empathic, non-judgemental space, or encouraging them to write about or depict their emotions through art are very helpful strategies.

Art facilitators Karin von Maltzahn and Ahsleigh Temple-Camp with a group of primary school learners from Zwelihle, who created a mandala to help them express the feelings they experienced during the protests.

into one another’s shoes and try to understand their friends’ behaviour.

There are just so many layers of complexity, it’s difficult to unravel them. Perhaps one of the things they seem to find most difficult to deal with, though, is the fear that it may happen again.”

“In fact,” says clinical psychologist, Toekie Oberholzer, “the situation in Zwelihle can be compared to an extreme form of bullying, where the child is victimised and descends into a world of darkness and fear. Because the adults are also traumatised and can no longer be depended on to help and protect them, they have no one to turn to. The only way out of the darkness is for the children to become empowered through sharing their stories and emotions in a safe and supportive environment.”

Complicating the situation in the schools is the serious trauma experienced by the teachers. Lianna says she finds herself spending almost more time working through the teachers’ challenges than those of the learners.

“They have their own fears to deal with, whilst at the same time trying to be there for the children. They are always in a state of high alert and anxiety. Any sudden noise, the sound of a siren or the smell of smoke will trigger an adrenalin rush. Then, of course, they are under enormous pressure to catch up on the schoolwork they have missed.

“As if that were not enough, they have to deal with the parents’ issues: their world has been completely shaken up, some of them have lost their jobs or their small businesses and now have no source of income.

It’s a really bad time for everyone.”

Fortunately, the Education Depart-

A window on a child’s view Two small children, a nine-year-old girl and her little brother, aged six, peep through a crack in the drawn curtains of their house. Their eyes are round as saucers and they shake uncontrollably. They first heard the shouting and the singing of strange, unfamiliar songs. Now they see lots of people that they don’t know, toy-toying right outside their front door.

And then they see people breaking down the front door of the house opposite, hear the wood splintering. All the furniture and clothes and TV; everything is being thrown into the street. Next moment, a bright red flame leaps from the heap of broken furniture and the people are dancing and shouting in excitement and the fire is burning every single thing, until there is only a pile of ash on the street.

In panic, the children run to their gogo. “Are they coming to break down our door, too, and burn all our stuff?” sobs the little boy, whose nickname is Squirrel; “Will they kill us?” His grandmother tries to comfort him, but he is inconsolable, terrified. His sister just stands there, her eyes huge and uncomprehending. “Can these people break and burn other people’s stuff just because they went to work?” she manages to get out. She has hardly slept since the rioting began. If she hears a sound during the night, she shakes her grandmother and whispers, “Wake up, Gogo, they’re coming.”

There is a sense of relief when the police arrive. But then come the sounds of shots being fired, of people screaming and running and then the smell of tear gas, seeping in under the doors and making their eyes sting. For two weeks they lock themselves into the house; no one goes out, not to buy electricity, not to buy food, not to see what’s going on.

They are in the heart of the war zone. They are also in the dark, because the electricity is used up; and they are running out of food. Even when there was electricity, they didn’t switch the TV on, because they didn’t want anyone to know they were there. But at the same time, they were terrified that the people would think the house was locked because the owners had gone to work, and it would be torched.

When, eventually, it was safe enough to go back to school, little Squirrel clutched his grandmother and refused to budge. Not only was he nervous of venturing out of the house, but he was afraid of what his Grade R teacher was going to say about his missing so much school.

“It hurt me to have to say to these young children that I hoped this would never happen to them again, but sadly, it might, and they should always be alert and prepared for anything; and most important of all, avoid any kind of violence,” says the grandmother. “Unfortunately, it is always the innocent bystanders who are hurt. We are grateful for the actions the police took to re-establish law and order, but there must be some way of separating the victims from the perpetrators, so that not everybody is treated like a criminal.”

Ashleigh recently presented an art class in which the twelve Grade 4 and 5 learners were asked jointly to draw a mandala – since ancient times, a symbol of wholeness and healing – with each child listing the feelings they experienced during the protests.

Most of them came up with words like bad, scared, shock, panic, anger.

And then they were asked to think about the qualities they could develop in themselves to help them deal with a similar situation if the need arose, and the words they produced were love, faith, prayer, unity, hope, understanding.

“When they arrived for the class”, Ashleigh says, “most of them were very stressed, nervous and anxious, but the project helped them see that they could create beauty out of something negative and they left feeling lighter, more relaxed, proud of what they had created together, laughing.

“During the exercise they had been able to bond with their classmates once more and exercise patience, tolerance for an opposite view to theirs, co-operation and understanding. It was a good experience for all of us.”

Lianna and Ashleigh emphasise, though, that all sections of the Hermanus community have been traumatised by this event and it will take determination and pro-active effort on everybody’s part to build a new, inclusive community.

In Ashleigh’s opinion it is a humanitarian crisis which will only be resolved by a spirit of non-judgemental tolerance and understanding on all sides.

Lianna feels that creating a project in which all members of the community are able to participate together on an ordinary, non-threatening, person-toperson basis, would help to break down the walls of anger, mistrust and fear that now seem to characterise the population of Hermanus.

In the words of the late President Nelson Mandela: “Children are our greatest treasure. They are our future.

Those who abuse them, tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.”

5

7 August 2018

A slam dunk for people’s poetry

E

ver wondered what slam poetry is, or perhaps you’ve never even heard the term?

Well now’s your chance to make upfront and personal acquaintance with it. In Hermanus, nogal.

Four young Zwelihle men are presenting the first ever (as far as we know) slam poetry competition in our town on 10 and 11 August.

Closely related to hip-hop or rap, minus the music, slam is spokenword poetry and its attraction is as much about its high energy presentation as its content. Not only does it sharpen the poet’s skill at manipulating language, but it involves rhythm and movement and offers the opportunity for self-expression and developing self-confidence.

These four enterprising young Zwelihle residents, Spiwo Mlanjana, Olwethu Mfanekiso, Ronwyn Watala and Khonzie Karim Kibido have been friends since they were at pre-school together. Instead of relying on entertainment from outside, they want to showcase the enormous talent they believe lies right here on home soil, waiting to be discovered. And they love the idea of uniting the community around poetry, they say.

Their own passion for the performing arts started when they were all part of a Drama Group at Quayiya Secondary School in Zwelihle and they have continued to perform ever since leaving school. Now, with little more than a dream and the energy to carry it through, they have formed a company, Spairo Tainment (Pty) Ltd, with the goal of eventually establishing a Performing Arts Academy in Hermanus.

Although, individually, they are both writers and performers of plays, poetry and music, the plan is that, together, they will pass on their skills to the next generation of youngsters, starting with this month’s poetry slam which is entitled the Imbiza Yochuku School Poetry Slam Festival which they hope will become an annual event.

For Spiwo, in particular, this is a dream which seemed dead in the water before it even got started. In September last year he suffered a stroke as a result of meningeal tuberculosis, which left him paralysed and unable to speak. It has taken sheer determination on his part, together with intensive medical treatment, to get him back on his feet and on the stage. And to feel that, supported by his good buddies, he could go ahead with this project.

Before the date of the festival, the guys are

REARING TO GO: Three of the organisers of the Imbiza Yochuku School Poetry Slam Festival which takes place on 10 and 11 August. From left are Olwethu Mfanakiso, Ronwyn Watala and Spiwo Mlanjana. (Not on the photo is Khonzie Karim Kibido.) hoping that the schools (both primary and high) of the region will ask them to come around to demonstrate this exciting genre and inspire the learners to start writing and working on an act of their own. They are planning for about 30 participants, with each school limited to 5 representatives. In addition to the competition, they have invited a number of performing artists from Cape Town to the event to warm up competitors and audience alike with music, magic and poetry. They will also act as judges.

The theme of the event is ‘Voice Out/Thetha’ and each competitor is required to perform two poems, one with their own choice of theme and one representing the festival theme. Entry is free for the participants, but tickets to the show will be sold at R30 for one day and R40 for two days. So, come on Hermanus, this is your chance to share in a unique event, which is guaranteed to be bursting with a high-energy, positive vibe. Our young people need all the support they can get. Sponsorship for refreshments and other overheads will also be greatly appreciated.

The Festival takes place at the Enlighten Education Trust Hall on Friday 10 August from 16:30 – 19:30 and on Saturday 11 August from 12:30 – 19:30.

Tickets will be available at Enlighten in Swartdam Road, at the Village NEWS offices at 6 Royal Street and from Khonzie Karim Kibido (Tel 061 709 2490). For further information email Taylum at taylum@thevillagenews.co.za - Elaine Davie

Bertus van Zyl of Hermanus Waldorf School (second from right) with the generous team from Build it: Andre Serdyn, Heinrich Herbert, Herbert Shoko, Themba Gumbi and Tinus Langenhoven.

Waldorf School says thank you ‘It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good’ is a saying that we at the Hermanus Waldorf School experienced firsthand recently. The school was vandalised during the recent unrest – the fence broken in a few places, classroom windows broken and a curtain set alight,” says Ninky Matthee of the Waldorf School.

“But these events resulted in us experiencing the amazing courage, generosity and support of the community surrounding the school.

The members of the SAPS, Safe Security, Sandbaai Neighbourhood Watch and other members of the Sandbaai community rallied around the school, and prevented any further damage to the buildings.”

“Then there are the businesses who came to our assistance: Build it and Glassmen helped to repair the fence and replaced the broken windows at no cost to the school.

“From all the teachers and learners at the school a big thank you to each and everyone!

We appreciate your commitment – you have restored our faith in the intrinsic goodness of human beings.”

Hermanus Waldorf School would like to specifically thank the following individuals: ■ Mr Williams of Safe Security who went beyond the call of duty and helped to put all their important documents into the fireproof strongroom.

■ Richard Hammond of Hermanus Breweries and Robyn Diedericks and family from PostNet who took the school’s mini-bus and kept it safely on their property.

■ Hennie van Niekerk for being on standby and willing and able to assist at all times. Also Alan Thain, Herman Breedt, Patrick Lotter and other anonymous benefactors.

Ronnie Kivetts from Glassmen repairing the school’s broken windows.

6

7 August 2018

Let’s Talk

THE

NEWS

THE

NEWS

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Spend and support local On the surface all has returned to normal after the two-week long protest that rocked our seaside village to its core.

Reflections on creativity Thank you for publishing my letter in The Village NEWS of 31 July (Reflections on stupidity). The letter was contrived in a distinctive way, not only to make a point, but to expose the prejudice and bigotry that sadly seem to creep around our beautiful town. Most of the people who responded remarked that the letter was profound and thoughtful.

Positive comment came from many corners of the community – Hawston, Zwelihle, Voëlklip.

I fully expected many angry responses to my letter, otherwise I would not have written it in that style. My intention was to expose prejudice. Prejudice is universal, it makes us intolerant; it is possibly an inherited human trait, there for protection. It makes us think and act stupidly. Evaluating our own prejudices requires foresight and rigorous self-discipline. Our worst excesses as humans are because of our mindless prejudice. We must question everything, particularly reports of what is happening out of sight.

Clearly, many were too prejudiced to read what was written in my letter carefully. Examples of prejudice and pre-conceived ideas were from people who posted that I lived in the idealist, comfortable world of a rich man and therefore did not know what was going on in Zwelihle. But these people had not bothered to question how I earned my living.

I am happy to work in dangerous and unpleasant places, countries at war, beset with abject poverty, corruption, crime, treacherous roads, unsafe mines, defective aircraft, rampant malaria and extreme climate (Chad, DRC, Central African Republic, Peru, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Colombia, India, Siberia, the Amazon Basin, Alaska etc.).

Most people are back at work and businesses are open, trying to recover from the economic shock. Talks with several business owners in town last week brought to light the enormous economic impact the unrest had.

Most businesses say turnover has dropped by between 20% and 40% compared to the same time this year, with most reporting that trade already slowed down in March this year when the first unrest started.

One gets paid very well for that kind of existence. Geologists work in the bush, travel constantly, live in grubby hotels, mine and field camps; they see and experience the life-threatening stuff up close, hardly the lifestyle of an idealist living in isolation.

This lifestyle constantly reminds one that the veneer of civilized behaviour is very thin indeed.

Further, nobody has the complete narrative of the Zwelihle unrest but that does not stop anyone questioning our community’s behaviour, and by “our community” I mean every one of us who lives in Hermanus.

However, my letter had a flaw; it was not constructive. No single person has the answer on how this problem is to be resolved. All the letter did was point out how stupid we tend to be. Fortunately, we humans are also supremely intelligent. Therefore, one would expect that there are visionaries in our midst who, if we let them, will drag us all into a new era of total Hermanus Renewal – that must include Zwelihle Renewal.

It is extremely difficult to be creative, make sensible and objective proposals, when we revert to becoming selfish, chattering, yelling, destructive masses. The thrill of being creative, having foresight, building things that we can all admire, share and profit from is the greatest thrill of all.

There is proof that Hermanus can do it.

In the middle of July, an excellent paper was presented in Johannesburg at the Congress of the Geological Society of South Africa that described the groundwater aug-

OPINION Matters

With businesses struggling due to the lower turnover, we as a community need to stand together and support local business as much as possible. When you are out shopping, make that extra effort to support local even if it is just a cup of coffee or a light lunch.

Sandbaai

The challenge over the next few months for our region will be to regain its reputation as a tranquil and safe place to spend your

holiday. Nationally and internationally our name has been tarnished and with our summer season starting soon, we will need all hands on deck to ensure that visitors return to our shores.

One of our biggest annual events, the Whale Festival, is around the corner and we urge the organisers to ensure that all local businesses will be the biggest benefactors. A successful festival is not measured by the number of people but by the amount of money spent locally.

Local businesses must make use of the opportunity and work together to draw the thousands of visitors that will flock to our town.

Rumours doing the rounds that Zwelihle Renewal will disrupt the festival were quashed by their leadership this week as untruthful propaganda. According to them they understand the importance of the festival for our economy and support it. We as a town will keep them to their word.

This is the good NEWS – ED

Zwelihle

mentation that has operated successfully in the Hermanus area for almost 10 years and has provided protection against drought to the local Overstrand Municipality and its residents.

treme. Working on solutions passionately, thoughtfully and selflessly by ALL of us, but avoiding the negative contributions that reflect the divisive, self-serving behaviour that defines modern politics, should produce some solutions. We then will no longer be acting stupidly.

Hermanus residents have noted the bemused questioning of the considerably milder water restrictions in Hermanus by the citizens of Cape Town. The point is our water supply system is held up as the best water management system in South Africa and proves that there are visionaries in Hermanus. These visionaries are in all our Hermanus communities; they should be identified and be given a chance not only to speak but to be creative.

The basic problem is illustrated in the Google Earth photographs above. The photographs illustrate the demographics in two areas of identical dimensions, only 450 metres apart, covering a very small area of a quarter square kilometre (the red squares). The area above is a portion of Sandbaai, the one below a portion of Zwelihle.

The solutions are not simple, in fact they are complex in the ex-

If the intensely overcrowded, poorly serviced living conditions

illustrated in the lower map are not upgraded and redeveloped, then one can confidently guarantee that destructive and expensively debilitating unrest should continue for a long time. Dishing out more small pieces of unoccupied land that are already in a very confined space to very few people will just expand the ground coverage of these cramped living conditions.

It is likely that the solution requires a major change in thinking; moving from the concept of demanding land to the radically different concept of demanding access to suitable, healthy accommodation (living space). This change in thinking would present many more possible solutions. It’s time to get clever.

Keith Kenyon Northcliff, Hermanus

Proudly brought to you by:

Weather forecast for the next week & De Bos Dam level www.yr.no

Tuesday 7 August

Wednesday 8 August

Thursday 9 August

10°C / 12°C

7°C / 13°C

7°C / 15°C

Rain

Partly cloudy

Clear

Friday 10 August

8°C / 14°C Clear

Saturday 11 August

9°C / 16°C Cloudy

Sunday 12 August

10°C / 13°C Rain

Hermanus

Monday 13 August

10°C / 15°C Partly cloudy

De Bos Dam Level

44.5 %

7

7 August 2018

The Team

Clearer vision and inclusivity required

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

028 312 2234

I refer to various articles published in recent editions of The Village NEWS and Cape Times as referenced:

population, unemployment and resentment of foreigners taking the few job opportunities from indigenous population groups.

Dr Braam Hanekom (Hermanus in crisis, TVN 17/7/18) gave an excellent exposé and suggestions for a way forward regarding the recent crisis in Hermanus resulting from the protests of the Zwelihle residents. The issues underlying these protests are indeed complex.

But above all it is the absence of strong, cohesive leadership, vision and a value-driven strategy by the Overstrand Municipality, and an inability to enforce bylaws on all its citizens, which is distressing.

To date no clear statement has been given by the Municipality as to the underlying causes of the unrest, so I therefore concur with Dr Hanekom that they include: poverty, hopelessness, unsustainable housing policy, political speak and personal agendas, lack of education and health facilities leading to poor discipline, a lack of proper communication and a deterioration of social capital.

This has been exacerbated by ingress of jobless people from other countries and South African provinces into Hermanus, with all the underlying problems of over-

Hermanus is foremost a tourist, holiday and pensioner destination from which it draws its income. In The Village NEWS of 24 July 2018, ‘Slaavid’ wrote a very good letter detailing the need for an overarching strategy for Hermanus with clear, long-term vision and Key Performance Indicators for meeting targets in a robust road map for the defined future.

Inclusivity is paramount, without which Hermanus will not attract revenue from the global community, which is key to its economic growth. Zwelihle itself should become an economic hub and attraction for global tourism just

as much as any other suburb of Hermanus.

It is therefore an imperative to transform Zwelihle from its current poor state to one which all residents of Hermanus could be proud to live in, with an enabling environment (water, sanitation, health care etc.) to allow itself to attract visitors to its eateries and other attractions so sought after by overseas visitors.

From an environmental perspective this provides opportunity for an eco-village, which would necessarily incorporate the Milkwood forests, renewable energy solutions, as well as desalination (water purification and sewerage disposal).

Most importantly, Hermanus cannot operate without workers form all communities. Such workers require adequate and affordable housing close to their workplace, transport, primary health care and access to water and sanitation.

Some of the costs, to the value of

R40 million, to repair the damage caused by the protests in Zwelihle have been mentioned by Mayor Dudley Coetzee.

It is my opinion that some of these expenditures are superfluous. The fence is there to protect children from speeding cars. To stop speeding a few speed humps may be adequate, saving R0.4M if the fence is not replaced. Is there not already a library in the town? All residents can benefit from using this library, saving the need to replace the one lost to fire and saving R5.8M. The swimming pool appears to be a luxury which can be carried over for a later period and this space used more appropriately, saving R6.3M. The total saving: R12.5M. Further, there has been so much to-do about (to my mind a completely superfluous expenditure) a bypass road. Could not this money be used for further development of low-cost housing.

A Far Kraai

He claimed her snoring was so raucous, the neighbours complained that it terrified their kids. He had also grown tired of her quaint Spanish accent, which was alluring at first but now got right up his nose. In addition, she had little time for their daughter Mary, so to Henry these were perfect grounds for divorce. Unfortunately, the Pope saw things differently.

And so, as has happened for centuries with powerful leaders, Henry VIII began his personal collection of wives.

Sadly for the fairer sex, this practice dates back to biblical days when various wives begat from different begetters, as covered in Genesis. In many Middle Eastern and African cultures, having multiple wives is still the norm, whereas in the west apparently, only kings, presidents and cult leaders seem to beget willy-nilly.

In the 12th century, Genghis Khan believed the strength of a man was defined by how many children he left behind. He had thousands of women in his harem and it is estimated that around 8% of all Asians carry his bloodline. That’s some begetting.

Attila the Hun’s hunting grounds were from the Black Sea to the Med, and he too was no slouch. His escapades went viral, and his partners – although not all technically wives – begat left, right

YOUTUBE: Cheers4Ears

Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

and mainly centre.

Since then, many a cult leader has somehow managed to convince the women in his flock that, on direct orders from Above, he could marry and beget with as many of them as he wished. He obviously plucked the pick of the crop and sadly, or perhaps fortunately, some of them were spared the ordeal.

place came the love of his life, Graça who nurtured and nursed him till his passing. All very dignified and presidential.

Our most recent ex-President however, makes interesting reading. Not to be outdone by Henry, Big Jake also had six wives, and has already paid lobola for number seven, 24-year-old Conco, a strong advocate for virginity testing and abstinence till marriage.

Well, she begat in April this year, so we presume he’ll set a date for the wedding sooner or later.

The Angry Orange in the White House doesn’t do too badly. He’s only had three wives, but as a serial begetter with a penchant for fondling felines, heaven knows how many other ladies begat little naartjies with cartoon hair, tiny hands and Messianic delusions, and were paid to keep them hidden under lock and key in the pantry. One can only shudder at the prospect of some of them escaping to further infest the planet.

Don’t count on it though. In 2002 he paid lobola of 10 cows for a Swazi princess, but must have forgotten about it because she’s long since climbed down off Jacob’s ladder and eaten the lobola. He claims to have around 25 offspring but is uncertain of the exact number and just chuckles when asked.

Our own first President also had three wives, but there was no whiff of infidelity – not from him anyway.

Evelyn, his first wife was a shy, country lass with little appetite for the limelight of cut-throat politics, and quietly faded into the shadows.

Winnie, number two, welcomed the limelight, loved throats, but adorned them with necklaces for good measure. She had to go, and in her

There’s a village in the remote hills of Humla in Nepal, where women have multiple husbands, but this form of inverse polygamy is virtually unheard of today. Most wives find it arduous enough having to pamper their ‘better halves’ as it is, never mind catering to the whims and foibles of two. Bigamy is having one husband too many. To some wives though, monogamy is the same.

Content Editor Hedda Mittner 083 645 3928 hedda@thevillagenews.co.za

Design and Layout Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickey@thevillagenews.co.za

Steven McFadzean, Pr. Eng.

The perks of polygamy: Begat or be gone Henry wasn’t a happy chappy. Apart from casting a lecherous eye over Anne at the office, he was fed up with his wife Cathy, who he said couldn’t cook and didn’t give a darn about the holes in his socks.

Publishing Editor De Waal Steyn 083 700 3319 dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Manager Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Representative Laetitia Prinsloo 082 738 3765 ads@thevillagenews.co.za

Flash mobs have become a craze over the last decade. Bet you’ve never thought you’d see Verdi’s AIDA played on a Harley though.

This is a gem from the Savaria Symphony Orchestra in Bucharest who seem to just pop out of the woodwork when needed.

One to remember. Just type in Aida+Harley.

- Pieter

Journalist Elaine Davie 084 343 7500

Photography & Social Media Taylum Meyer 084 564 0779 taylum@thevillagenews.co.za

WHERE TO FIND US The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, now well into her seventies, stood in as an unlikely replacement for Pavarotti in this epic rendition of the classic aria

by Puccini, Nessun Dorma. A box of tissues is required for the ending, which will move even a grunge-metal drummer. Just type in Nessun Dorma+Aretha and choose the Grammy version.

- Mik

The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 14 August. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

MEMBER OF

8

7 August 2018

Tourism – let’s make it happen It was with appreciation that I read Slaavid’s letters regarding tourism and the suggestions made for tackling tourism differently. The references to Copenhagen and Singapore provided best practice input and I take to heart the notion mentioned by the author to improve “the fortunes of our community”.

Yes, a new tourism road map is indeed required for a better future for all. For this we need involvement and dialogue.

We need to do things differently and this new approach needs collective

input. I am very happy to rip up the current Cape Whale Coast Tourism Strategy as was suggested but need more contributions from individuals, businesses and organisations before doing so.

Our Cape Whale Coast name gives us identity, recognition and meaning. Changing our brand name to Cape Blue Coast should be no quick decision and we need to weigh up the value of Blue versus Whale.

There is no argument that the

Cape Whale Coast is about more than whales. We go to great efforts to promote our scenic region as one of adventure, wine and romance. Yet, our Marine Big Five sets us apart. The combination of nature, good food and wine with adventure, penguins, dolphins, seals, sharks and whales makes us unique.

On improving our website I can only respond with a resounding ‘Yes, Yes, Yes!’ This requires a different type of budget and a lot of assistance but offers fast gains

THE

NEWS

Let’s Talk

and is very doable.

There are issues raised under the heading of Tourism that stretch way beyond Tourism’s jurisdiction.

These include the points made by the author on passing as many bylaws as possible in terms of conservation; offering residents a 10% discount at restaurants and shops; rainwater recovery incentives; National Department of Public Works funding to be rechanneled into training; standards for the rations of house prices; moving the centre of the Whale Festi-

val to Zwelihle; and asking Nation-al Treasury to offer tax incentives for township development.

Taking a next, new step, and in the spirit of collaboration, I would like to invite the author and all other interested parties to a discussion about how we proceed in these challenging times. Let’s put collaboration to the test and set a date. A time and venue for the meeting will be published in the next edition of The Village NEWS. Frieda Lloyd, Manager: Cape Whale Coast Tourism

Local author exposes secrets of the past

A

llegations of shocking crimes committed during the dying days of the apartheid regime have been brought to light by local author Chris Steyn, who has made national headlines in the past two days with the publication of her new book, The Lost Boys of Bird Island.

Independent Newspapers Investigative Unit. Her hard-nosed style of reporting landed her in a fair share of trouble during the final years of the apartheid regime, which is described in her autobiography, Publish and be Damned, and makes for riveting reading.

Subtitled A shocking exposé from within the heart of the NP government, the book was co-authored by Mark Minnie and published by Tafelberg/NB Publishers, with a foreword by well-known journalist Marianne Thamm.

Chris and Mark, a former policeman who was working as an agent for the SA Narcotics Bureau, were both investigating the events described in The Lost Boys of Bird Island during the late eighties, but their paths only crossed briefly.

An embargo on the book was lifted on Sunday 5 August, unleashing a media uproar both in print and online media, with Rapport carrying the front page headline ‘Magnus Malan was ‘n pedofiel’ (Magnus Malan was a paedophile).

The sensational revelations in the book include allegations that Malan, then Minister of Defence and arguably the second-most powerful man in the land, along with two other prominent ministers in Pres P W Botha’s NP cabinet, regularly abused young boys on Bird Island, just off the coast of Port Elizabeth.

This sex network allegedly included

Author Chris Steyn in her bookshop on Sunday, when the embargo was lifted and she could finally open the boxes from the publishers containing copies of her new book, The Lost Boys of Bird Island. A front page story on the book also featured in Sunday’s Rapport newspaper.

NP Minister of Environmental Affairs and a good friend of Malan, John Wiley and a wealthy businessman and police reservist, Dave Allen. Both were found dead only weeks apart in 1987 with bullet wounds to the head shortly after Allen was arrested on charges of sexual misconduct. The name of the third former minister involved in this scandal is being withheld on legal advice as he is still alive today.

Chris, a seasoned and fearless journalist and author who now lives in Hermanus and is the co-owner of a bookshop, spent many years since the early eighties uncovering sensitive political and criminal scandals for The Citizen, Rand Daily Mail, The Star, Cape Times and The Times of London.

During the final years of her journalism career she was the editor of the

Thirty years later they were brought together again by the book’s publishers, Tafelberg, and started collaborating to, as Marianne Thamm writes in her foreword, “finally connect the dots to rip the veil of secrecy off the tragic and shocking story of abuse, criminality, cover-ups and official complicity in the rape and possible murder of a number of children, most of them vulnerable and black”.

Due to the traumatic content of the book, Chris says it was difficult to write. “It was like reopening a coldcase investigation. Several of the role players had died in the intervening years or gone missing, but for-

tunately new information from reputable sources also came to light, with even more shocking revelations. With the publication of this book, Mark and I have taken the investigation as far as we could – but the story is not over yet. I am hoping that it will be a catalyst for the victims to come forward and tell the full story.”

According to Maryna Lamprecht, a nonfiction publisher at Tafelberg/ NB Publishers in Cape Town and commissioning editor of The Lost Boys of Bird Island, the story is important because it further exposes the depravity of the apartheid system. "It dehumanised people in every possible way, even to the point of exploiting vulnerable children sexually to satisfy the needs of powerful politicians."

The Lost Boys of Bird Island (and the Afrikaans translation Die Seuns van Bird Island) retails at R285 and signed copies are available from The Book Collector, Royal Centre, 141 Main Road, Hermanus.

Contact 078 120 0120 or thebookcollector@hermanus.co.za - Hedda Mittner

HERMANUS

EXPLORER EXPLORER

Business

The

Life and times of the Balcony Building

Dr Robin Lee

T

he Balcony Building (numbers 58 - 62 Main Road) is today mainly associated with the Hermanus Factory Shop, which was opened in this building in 1983 by a Swiss national, Jörg Friedrich who managed the business for 30 years.

The present owner, Fransien Koegelenberg took over in 2013 and has since expanded the business, which now occupies most of the building, both on the ground floor and first storey.

At present a real estate corporation named Homes International is on the corner of Main Road and St. Peter’s Lane. Fabio’s Ristorante, which opened for business a decade ago, is around that corner and faces onto the Lane, but structurally it is part of the Balcony Building.

The Balcony Building was constructed in the early 1900s, perhaps as early as 1906. The work was done by Robert Walter MacFarlane (1874 - 1955), son of one of the original settlers, who was also named Walter MacFarlane. Many of the men in the family were named Walter, so Robert Walter was generally known as Wattie. He constructed the Ocean View Hotel at about the same time as the Balcony Building. Wattie served as Mayor of Hermanus from 1923 - 1926.

The Balcony Building was almost certainly the largest commercial building in Hermanus at the time it was built, and was well-situated, at the junction of the two most important streets in Hermanus, and adjacent to the Anglican Church. It was also diagonally opposite the Victoria Hotel which belonged to Walter MacFarlane, Senior.

There are no records of ownership and tenants until the 1920s. By that time, the most notable feature of the

PHOTO: Hermanus History Society

PHOTO: Old Harbour Museum

The Balcony Building today (above left), minus its original gable and open balcony, which are clearly visible in the photograph on the right, taken in the 1920s. building was a roller-skating rink. I assumed that this could only have been on the ground floor, as the weight of dozens of skaters and the noise created would have been dangerous and disturbing for any business beneath it.

However, there is oral evidence that the rink was on the first floor. Peter van Dyk told the late historian S J du Toit that in the 1950s: We loved the Balcony Tearoom where we could sit on the balcony and see the street panorama below. This was the place where the young people congregated, chatting and listening to the juke box.

On the right side in the big hall was a roller-skating rink, later converted into offices. This seems to suggest that the tearoom and rink were on the first floor.

Peter van Dyk confirms the existence of the hall in the Balcony Building: The Balcony was the main hall in the village. The BESL (British Empire Service League) held their annual Christmas function in the roller-skating hall. The

Grobbelaar Hall was not yet built…

Another regular user of the hall was the annual ‘wild flower show’. Longstanding Hermanus resident Nancy Okes recalls the event in the 1920s: …the flower show was held in the great room above Sandy Grant’s chemist shop… three long sets of trestle tables, covered with starched white cloths stretched down the room.

On these were vases and pots and bowls of fynbos… Onlookers spoke in hushed tones. The scent was overwhelming… When in later years I read about the ‘upper room’ my mind always returned to the flower show…

For nearly 60 years, Alex Grant Pharmacy occupied one shop on the ground floor, fronting on to Harbour Road. It now forms part of the Factory Shop. It was opened in the early 1920s as I Davies Pharmacy, the first pharmacy in Hermanus and a branch of the same business in Caledon. As there was no training institution for pharmacists in South Africa at that

time, Mr Idris Davies, in need of an assistant, advertised through South Africa House in London. The opportunity caught the eye of a young man named Alexander Grant, a Scot from Aberdeen, but working at the time in London.

Born in 1899, Sandy Grant (as he was always known) was only 15 when World War I broke out and lied about his age in order to join the war. He was trained as an ambulance man, carrying wounded soldiers from the battlefield. In 1917 he suffered severe consequences of mustard gas and had to spend an extended period in hospital.

Keen to get away from these memories, he sailed for Cape Town aboard the RMS Windsor Castle in 1928. On the voyage he met Gertrude Hartington, who had taken up a teaching post in Grahamstown. As Sandy was going to Hermanus, their shipboard romance ended when they left Cape Town.

However, by one of those coincidences that seem to occur regularly in Hermanus, it so happened that teaching at Gertrude’s school in Grahamstown was a Miss Jean Luyt, daughter of P John Luyt, owner of the Riviera and Marine hotels. Gertrude came for the holidays to Hermanus, her romance with Sandy was reignited and soon after, they were married.

Sandy worked for Mr Davies from 1928 until 1931, when he was able to acquire the business and change the name to Alex Grant Pharmacy. For the next 45 years the Grants developed the pharmacy into a profitable business and were a feature of every aspect of Hermanus life. Gertrude died in 1975 and Sandy continued to live in Hermanus in their art deco home ‘Hamewith’ until his death in 1988. He had sold the business in the 1980s and today it continues to serve the Hermanus public from the Gateway Centre.

Continues on P 10

10

7 August 2018

From P 9 The shops on either side of Alex Grant Pharmacy changed over time. An image from about 1925 shows three of these shops. On the right of the pharmacy as one faced it was a business called the Anglo-Parisian Store. It advertised itself as selling French model gowns and novelties. So far I have been unable to find out more details about it. Much later this area housed a branch of Foschini, and more recently of Total Sports, before they moved to the mall and Homes International took over the premises.

To the left of the pharmacy in the 1925 photograph you can make out the name of a branch of a bank which has the word “National” in its name. This was almost certainly a branch of the then largest bank in the country, the National Bank of South Africa Ltd. Established in the Eastern Province in 1838, this bank later merged with others to form Barclays Bank. Later still, it became FNB and now has much larger premises across the road from its original branch.

This branch of the National Bank, now taken over by the Factory Shop, was one of the businesses that left physical evidence of its operation – in this case, the walk-in safe. The door of the safe is still in fine working condition and revealed some interesting information. The manufacturer of the safe was a firm in London by the name of John Tann. The firm was the oldest safe

makers in England, having been estab-lished by Edward Tann in 1790.

They boast multiple awards and ‘by appointments’ and were considered the best safe makers in the world.

Someone has written a date on the door: 1938.This was probably when the safe was installed. Obviously, no expense was spared by the bank, even in a small branch such as Hermanus.

There is no clear detail of all the other businesses in the Balcony Building over the decades. However, we do know that at one time the firm of Beunderman’s Electrical was next to Alex Grant Pharmacy, facing on to Main Road, and, on the other side, was a business belonging to the Nigrini family.

The owner was Malita (Bunny) Nigrini and correspondents describe it as a toy shop with a bicycle shop at the rear. Later, a women’s clothing shop known as Leonie’s operated from this spot. On the St Peter’s Lane side of the building there was a leather goods shop called Hakhak Leather, followed by two restaurants in succession (one was a Greek restaurant fondly remembered by many) before Fabio’s Ristorante opened 10 years ago.

Most of the rest of the first floor was partitioned into a fairly large number of offices. There are 13 original windows facing onto St. Peter’s Lane and it is reasonable to assume that each

ventilated one office. There is clear evidence of a passage along this section so it is reasonable to assume that each office with a window was partnered with an office internal to the building, giving a maximum of 26 offices.

We know that a photographer had a studio in the building. He was Arthur Wilson. S J du Toit describes him as a favourite for portraits, family and wedding groups. He had to contend with formidable competition from T D Ravenscroft whose studio was a short distance away, in Main Road, where the post office boxes are now.

Scotsman Sandy Grant was the owner of Alex Grant Pharmacy on the ground floor of the Balcony Building for almost half a century.

A dentist, Dr Seeliger had his rooms there as well. A long-standing Hermanus resident sent me this sketch of her experiences of visits to Dr Seeliger: … I am sure (Dr Seeliger) was a very nice person, but we dreaded having our teeth drilled with that oldfashioned jackhammer. Neither I nor any of the locals in the village are likely to forget the sight of one of my cousins, who shall be nameless, being dragged, kicking and screaming up that flight of stairs at the very thought of having a filling.

Sandy’s wife Gertude played a big part in several charities in Hermanus for many years.

The owner of the Hermanus Factory Shop, Fransien Koegelenberg has worked in the building since 1992 and learned many of its ins-and-outs from the originator of the shop. She has never had sight of formal plans, so the idea of how the building was laid out originally has to be deduced from renovations and changes in materials used.

Two other businesses Fransien identified were Maddock’s (accounting) and her father-in-law’s business (J W Koegelenberg & Kie, also in accounting.) The Sheriff of Hermanus in the latter part of the 20th century, Jannie McLachlan, also had his office in the building.

There are three sash windows under the gable, which has itself unfortunately been removed. These windows probably provided ventilation for the Balcony Tea Room.

Sandra Groenewald told S J du Toit in 2006 that, The Balcony was the favourite place for young people. They often danced there to tunes from the juke box. [I] remember the wide skirts and the colourful petticoats that had to be stiff, showing from under the skirts.

In 1944, during World War II, Berdine Luyt from the Marine Hotel exper-

HERMANUS

ienced another use for the Balcony Building: We have had a strenuous time lately, chiefly raising money for War Funds.

Gertrude Grant decided she wanted something “different” as a “do” in aid of St Dunstan’s, and after many discussions over gin and tonic on her sunny stoep, she decided on a one-night Night Club. She got the loan of the Balcony Hall from Mr Fourie, per-suaded Dulcie Howes to do a cabaret, and started organising. Gertrude ranks close to Mother when it comes to energy, but there is no one to touch her for charity – the real kind, the charity that is a loving compassion and is so beautifully described by St Paul.

The evening was a great success. Chairs and tables were packed round a small dance floor, the lights were dimmed and camouflaged and spot-lights rigged by the R.A.F. from the Bot River camp. The cabaret was the main attraction. Dulcie Howes very kindly brought some dancers down from her Cape Town studio, and they did a series of shows throughout the evening. The girls were wonderful and coped cheerfully with the small temporary dressing-room and restricted space.

There were seats for 225 people, but many more crowded in, and grills were actually served to over 300, with Chef Hess [Head Chef at the Marine Hotel] in the kitchen.

The Hermanus Municipality occupied considerable space in the Balcony building from its inception in 1904 till the War years in the 1940s. Most Municipal business was conducted there. Then, for the duration of World War II, the Municipal Offices were removed to 9 Westcliff Road, to suit the Mayor Ms. Bebas Smuts. In 1951 the Municipality moved to its current offices.

In the 1970s the Jehovah’s Witnesses used the large room for services and gatherings. S J du Toit describes this period as follows: …meetings were held in houses until the acquisition of the old recreational hall in the Balcony Building. The old place, covered in layers of dust was cleaned out with great zeal and turned into a pleasant place of worship… When the stairs at the Balcony Building became too steep for some members, the congregation met at the Botanical Hall in Fernkloof…

The author would welcome inputs and/or photographs from readers in relation to the Balcony Building.

Please email them to robinlee@hermanus.co.za

H

omes International Real Estate Corporation is the world’s premium emerging real estate brand for selling, buying or renting residential, commercial, agricultural or retail properties, with the company’s first SuperBranch™ in South Africa opening its doors right here in Hermanus.

With the South African headquarters based in Cape Town, the company was founded by real estate and media industrialist Mark Hewett (President of the international holding company RealCorp® & CEO of WISION® Global Enterprise Corporation), and expanded together with his experienced, key business partner Poenie de Kock (Director Principal of South Africa & Owner of the agricultural-arm African Farms Properties).

With global augmentation reaching as far as the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom, this sophisticated, proudly South African brand has stamped its eastern coastline landmark beautifully in the middle of our town, on 58 Main Road, to connect buyers and sellers from all over the world.

Another one of their category leading solutions and an unique offering for worldwide property transfers, is provided together with their UK-based private International Money Transfer partners, which secures upfront financial exchange rates that will beat rates of all, if not most banks directly through their London offices, whether from or to Rand, Yen, Dollar, Pound, Euro, and includes all major currencies in the world.

Whilst Homes International South Africa activates broad-scale growth initiatives and have identified

further area-expansions in Gauteng and the Western Cape for branch and SuperBranch™ licenses, each Homes International franchise or branch is 100% dedicated to and involved in its community.

Homes International Hermanus franchise has appointed area-based Res Donovan and Denis Helfrich as Principal and Vice Principal respectively, offering clients their vast knowledge of the industry together with a combined 50 years’ experience in the Hermanus area.

These two dynamic colleagues, together with their team of top-class consultants, can be found at the elegant Homes International offices at 58 Main Road, where the truly impressive global-spec interior design and shop fitting was contracted to locally-based Studio Agrafrica for the Hermanus franchise.

Arie Steyn (BCom Hons), Group Chief Financial Officer and Gauteng-based partner in the Hermanus franchise, has allocated resources to ensure Homes International Hermanus invests substantially in support of the greater Hermanus community.

Focusing on servicing the entire Overberg area and its visitors, Homes International Hermanus has already partnered with the likes of the Kalfiefees and Coastline Events, to support and sponsor exciting community and family initiatives such as the social Kalfiefeeskuiertent this week, the splendid Vine to Valley Trail Run series, the much-anticipated end-of-year Summer Music Colour Run event, the new and exciting WalkerBay7s Tournament next month, as well as the outdoor Dodge-ball Arena coming to our sunny summer shores in December (Arena included in

WalkerBay7s & Summer Music Colour Run events).

Hermanus-based Gillian Coetzee has also joined the company as Editor-In-Chief for the soon-to-be-released Homes International Magazine, rumoured to be the pre-eminent standard for the national property industry.

As their striking Let Us Show You Hermanus marketing campaigns suggest, and having visited their friendly and professional team at the Hermanus offices, one can see why Homes International is fast becoming a firm favourite for those who are looking for anything property related.

Mark Hewett, RealCorp® President, says: “In addition to the Homes International business position being uniquely aligned for global development, the reason for Homes International’s superb growth is because our brand symbolizes more than just real estate expertise and our internationally partnered solicitors; we truly believe in what we do and how we do it, we thrive on top performance in our duties to each other within the organisation, and moreover, to our stakeholders and clients. There is a passion for our business that is necessary on all levels within our corporate hierarchy, and as such, we ensure our clients know they are receiving a truly friendly, professional and eager dedication for their property needs.”

CONTACT: WEBSITE EMAIL HERMANUS NATIONAL

| www.homesinternational.co.za | info@homesinternational.co.za | 028 312 1877 | 0861 007 700

-

14

7 August 2018

Die Bloubakkie is on the move again His family has always been supportive of his business, his mother helping with the book-keeping and his brother, who has a professional career in Cape Town, often assisting in the shop on a Saturday. Indeed, it is his brother who has made the Bloubakkie’s next move possible, having bought one of the old houses in Second Street (right next door to his first tiny shop, in fact) and converted it into state-of-the-art premises for him.

It is much bigger than he could have imagined possible and his eyes shine with excitement when he talks about the new opportunities it presents.

Elaine Davie

W

hat are the chances that a humble fruit and vegetable shop would become synonymous with the town in which it is located, or that the owner’s trademark greeting, “Hullo Kustamirr” would have been imprinted on its psyche? Yet, this is the status enjoyed by the Bloubakkie and its owner, Johan Olivier. It doesn’t seem possible that there may once have been a time when they were not part of the Kleinmond landscape.

Although Johan’s family had acquired a beach house in Kleinmond where they would spend their school holidays when he was still a child, it was only in about 1996 that the ‘blou bakkie’ (blue pick-up) rolled into town to find a permanent, start-up home. In fact, the premises in Second Street were so small that they were hardly bigger than a wide passage. When one or two customers were in the shop, those outside had to wait their turn to find their way between the boxes and crates of produce inside.

One person’s passage is another’s penthouse, though, and for the blou bakkie this was the epitome of luxury.

It began its life parked on Church Square in Worcester where Johan grew up. Having graduated with a BCom at Stellenbosch, he just couldn’t seem to find his niche in the business world, so while he was thinking about his future career, he started selling vegetables.

He would buy most of his stock from a farmer from Nuy. And this oom, De Vos Rabie, drove a blue Chevvie bakkie!

In due course, Johan took over the blue bakkie and it became a wellknown sight on Church Square, with its load of fresh fruit and vegetables from the surrounding farms. Then, one night, tragedy struck. “In the morning I looked out of the window, and there was an empty space where the bakkie was parked,” he remembers. “I couldn’t believe it was gone, stolen in the

The owner of Die Bloubakkie, Johan Olivier, with one of his customers, Susan Engelbrecht in front of his store in Kleinmond. Bloubakkie will move to new premises in Second Street next month. night!” He mourned its loss and then, given the nature of his business, was obliged to buy a new one. Unfortunately, it was white. But so much of a landmark had the old bakkie become that his customers continued to refer to it as the blue bakkie! The people had spoken and the business was duly registered as Die Bloubakkie.

However, its challenges were not over yet. Johan was still searching for a ‘proper’ career. He went on a web design and computer programming course and worked part-time for a printing business, followed by several years teaching at the Drostdy Technical School in Worcester; meanwhile, the Bloubakkie was relegated to the odd weekend gig. In the meantime, though, the family continued to come to Kleinmond for their holidays and Johan would load up his bakkie with fresh fruit and vegetables and sell them to the holiday-makers and residents.

Eventually, he accepted the inevitable. He loved visiting the farms and had established a wide network of suppliers; he loved the interaction with his customers and he had acquired a new, second-hand bakkie (yes, a blue one), so why not?

His heart was drawn to the seaside town in which had spent so many happy summers and so, discovering the enlarged passageway at the core of the old part of town where most of the permanent residents lived, he decided to give the Bloubakkie a permanent home; his vision to bring the bounty of the land to the sea.

After a few years, he identified a larger shop about a block away, opposite the Spar Centre and was able to spread his wings, increasing the variety of produce he stocked and adding items like baked goods, dried fruit, yoghurt and cheese.

However, the expansion of his business has imposed a punishing

schedule on his life. Three times a week (every day during the season), he hits the road, now in a much larger vehicle, with his devoted little Maltese, Soekie as his co-driver, and calls on farms as far away as Ceres, Wellington, the Klein Karoo, Robertson, Swellendam, the Koue Bokkeveld, and Worcester, of course, where he has a storage facility. Once a week he visits the Market in Cape Town to purchase tropical fruit, like bananas, mangoes and pawpaws – whatever is in season.

He has had a long relationship with most of his farmers and he knows they will give him a fair deal and good quality produce. As he says, “You can taste the difference; it’s fresh; it hasn’t been in cold storage.”

This life on the open road has become second nature to him and he expresses his gratitude for the beauty of the area, and for being able to return to his peaceful place by the sea.

“For the first time, I will have a cold room,” he smiles, “and we’ve installed solar panels which will help a lot with the cost of electricity. And then, did you notice how nice and wide the stoep is? It’ll be wonderful for displaying the goods. We’re going to have a real farm shop here; maybe even serve coffee and rusks on the stoep.

And just look how much parking there is…” There is no curbing his enthusiasm.

He will also be closer to many of his faithful customers, like the old tannie who has become too blind to cross the main road, but who lives just round the corner and can walk to his new shop.

“Ja,” says Johan, “it’s all good. Life has been good to me. I’ll never be wealthy, but my riches lie in the wonderful privilege of being invited into people’s lives, of hopefully contributing to the quality of their lives. And then, of course, who wouldn’t want to live in such a beautiful place?

“Nouja, okay, Kustamirr,” he grins, “remember, 1 September! I’m looking forward to seeing you in my new Bloubakkie; we can sit on the stoep and drink a coffee, hey?”

The new Bloubakkie opens in Second Street, Kleinmond on 1 September. Contact Johan Olivier on 072 8516836 for further information.

15

7 August 2018

12

3 US 28 N A 0

55

33

e RM er

HE th

s

ke a T

u yo

Good Guide

Wednesday 8 August

Friday 10 August

■ SAARP Club Meeting: Dr Robin Lee will be the guest speaker at the Hermanus Social Club of the South African Association of Retired Persons’ monthly meeting. He will do a presentation on Fascinating people and places in Hermanus history. For more information, contact Ingrid Green on 028 316 2390 or 082 081 6889 / 082 552 0655 or send an email to ingridgreen@ hermanus.co.za. In the Sandbaai Hall, from 09:30 – 11:30.

■ Big Lion PAWty: On 10 August it's World Lion Day and you are invited to join Panthera Africa’s special fundraising PAWty for a relaxed evening of fun. There will be live music, a raffle and a silent auction. For more information email marketing@pantheraafrica.com At Stanford Hills, at 18:30.

Wednesday 8 – Sunday 12 August ■ Kalfiefees: The annual Kalfiefees kicks off with the opening concert featuring Coenie de Villiers and Mauritz Lotz on Wednesday evening, followed by a full programme of theatre productions, music performances, book discussions and an art exhibition. Get all the information at www.kalfiefeeshermanus.co.za and book your tickets at Computicket.

Thursday 9 August ■ Benguela Cove High Tea: Executive chef Annie Badenhorst will be hosting a special high tea event in aid of the Hermanus Night Shelter Association, of which Penny Streeter OBE, owner of the Benguela Collection is the patron. While enjoying an array of delicious treats, attendees will be invited to listen to a talk by Penny on the story of her life and how she went from being a single mother of three living in a shelter to becoming a successful business woman. The cost is R150 pp. To book, contact Leila on 087 357 0637 or leila.bardien@benguelacove.co.za. At Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate, at 11:00.

■ Pink High Tea at The Marine: Celebrate Women’s Day with a delightfully decadent high tea in beautiful surroundings. You’ll be welcomed with a glass of bubbly, followed by traditional and contemporary eats. The Pink High Tea at R150 pp is available all afternoon but booking is essential. Contact 028 313 1000 or bookings@themarine.co.za. At The Marine Hotel, between 12:00 and 17:00.

■ Rewind: Join Soul Café every Friday night and relax to the tunes of their resident band as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. R50 pp. Call 028 313 2137 to book.

At Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus, at 20:00.

Friday 10 – Saturday 11 August ■ Craft Beer Weekend Festival: This twoday festival, hosted by Fraser’s Folly Brewery, will kick off with the Fraser’s Folly Reserve Range Dinner on the Friday evening at 19:00.

It will include a seven-course meal accompanied by craft beer, stand-up comedy and more. Tickets at R300 pp are available from www.webtickets.co.za. The Tap at the Tip Craft Beer Festival on the Saturday will feature more than 40 craft beers, great food, and live music from the Brothers Remedy. Tickets are R120 pp and include a free tasting glass. There will also be a Homebrewing 101 event at 11:00, when Fraser’s Folly’s Fraser Crighton and the Helderberg Home Brew Club share their brewing secrets with the ‘class’ at R180 pp (which also gets you into the Tap at the Tip Festival, starting at 12:00). To book, go to www.frasersfolly.co.za.

At the Black Oystercatcher venue near Elim.

Saturday 11 August

Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 August ■ Educational Photo-Tour: Join The Photowalkers for a four-day photographic tour of Arniston and the Overberg over the long weekend and explore the small towns and backroads of Napier, Arniston, Elim, Malgas, Witsand, Barrydale, Grootvadersbosch, Suurbraak, Swellendam, Greyton and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

You will be taking in the beauty and incredible history of the area whilst learning how to take your perfect shot. Shared transport and accommodation options available – get all the details at thephotowalkers.com/arniston-overberg-912-august-2018/ or contact Leanne on 083 293 7208 or tours@thephotowalkers.com

■ Cape Winter Trail Series: This is the 4th and final race in the series, hosted by Trail Series and Wildrunner.co.za. Experience the best of both worlds with a mountainous route accompanied by lovely ocean views. Runners join a rocky single track next to the shore early on in the race followed by a hectic climb up the mountain and a technical descent to the finish. Enter online at www.trailseries.co.za. In the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, from 07:00 – 12:00.

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

Set off from the Overstrand Training Institute (OTI) farm on Camphill Road in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 08:00.

cultures and comprehensive notes to take home. The cost is R500 pp and full payment will secure your spot. For bookings, contact jeanne@smart-health.co.za. At C Beyond Health at Hemel-en-Aarde Village, from 14:00 – 17:00.

■ The Brothers Remedy: Gypsy jazz duo Nick Becker and Riaan Smit aka The Brothers Remedy are the acclaimed duo of the powerful six-piece party band from Cape Town, Crimson House.

They use multiple instruments and loop tricks to create their massive sound and the flavours of the day will be acoustic guitar, baritone vocals and sexy saxophone. Tickets are R80 pp online, available from www.quicket.co.za or R100 pp at the door. At Stanford Hills, from 18:00 – 22:00.

Sunday 12 August

■ Hermanus Country Market: A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome.

You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Market in the Garden: Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00.

■ Fioré Country Market: Browse this new country market in Bot River for homemade crafts, books, local treats, fresh fruit and more.

Stands are free and in the event of rain the market moves indoors. For enquiries, contact Debbie Randall on 028 284 9220. At Fioré Garden Centre & Coffee Shop, Bot River, from 09:00 – 14:00.

■ Botrivier Hotel Market: For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. At the Botrivier Hotel, every Saturday, from 10:00 – 14:00.

■ Fermentation Workshop: Join C Beyond Health and Smart Health’s Cultured Kitchen to learn all about the health benefits of ferments.

In this hands-on workshop you will explore Water kefir, Milk kefir, Jun (kombucha) and fermented veggies, as well as Kvass, Rejuvelac, Ginger Beer and Tepache. These ferments optimise your health by unlocking important nutrients, boosting your immune system and assisting in detoxing your body. Each participant will receive a goodie box of

■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market offers exclusive arts and crafts, and handmade local products. At Fisherman’s Village (between Cattle Baron and Fisherman’s Cottage), from 10:00 – 15:00.

■ Organ Recital: Visiting Hungarian organist, László Almásy, will perform works by Mendelssohn, Liszt as well as two Hungarian composers, Zoltán Kodály and Frigyes Hidas in this inspiring 60-minute programme. Tickets at R70 will be available at the door. At the Hermanus Dutch Reformed Church, at 11:00.

Monday 13 August ■ The World’s Greatest Geological Wonders: U3A Overberg will present two 30-minute lectures, The Himalayas – Mountains at the Earth’s Roof and The Ganges Delta – Earth’s Fertile Lands from this DVD course that explains some of the world’s most spectacular geological wonders and the forces that created them. In the Catholic Church Hall, at 10:00.

■ BirdLife Overberg Monthly Talk: Guest speaker Prof Ian Glenn will be talking on one of his specialist topics, The life and times of François Le Vaillant. Author of the six-volume Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique, published between 1799 and 1808, Vaillant collected 2 000 specimens of birds, some of which still exist in European museums, and his contribution to ornithology in Africa was immeasurable. R100 pp for the talk and dinner or R30 just for the talk. Remember to bring your own drinks and glasses. Reserve your spot by contacting Helé via SMS on 073 456 0393 or email birding@southernartceramics.com. At the Mollergren Community Hall, at 18:30 for 19:00.

■ Astrophotography: Join the Hermanus Astronomy Centre for a presentation on Image Processing. Contact deonk@telkomsa.net for more information. At Deon Krige’s house, at 19:00.

16

7 August 2018

Car deals for locals too good to miss

B

HERMANUS

eing part of a community is taking the good along with the bad and always showing your willingness to assist. That is what we aim to do over the next few months with our Incredible Local Deal offer,” says Branch Manager, Johann Grobbelaar.

According to Johann most businesses in Hermanus and the Overstrand have been under pressure the last few months and by default so have consumers. “With several trading days lost due to the unrest many people are forced to look for the best deal possible, especially when making a large purchase like a car.

“For that very reason Hyundai Hermanus has decided to make life a little easier by offering at least one new vehicle per month at a dealership discount and 10 second-hand cars at dealer cost. This amounts to huge savings for the customer and will allow them to keep their wheels running smoothly.”

Johann says dealer cost means that the dealership takes no direct profit from the sale. “This gives the consumer a lot of breathing space as they are buying a guaranteed used car for less than the normal trade price – indeed an opportunity not to be missed.”

But according to Johann there is more in store for buyers than just the discount. “We have also decided to pay it forward with every sale we do. I have seen many small businesses over the last few months struggling to make

Johann Grobbelaar, Branch Manager of Hyundai Hermanus. ends meet. By running a business myself, I know how difficult it is to keep your doors open when there are few feet coming through your door.

“To assist these businesses, we have decided, on advice, of the buyer and our media partner The Village NEWS, to donate R1 000 after the purchase of any vehicle that forms part of the Incredible Local Deal to a shop of the buyer’s choice. This business will then use that money to offer a special deal of its own. A coffee shop can for instance use it to subsidise free coffee for everyone who orders a slice of cake at their establishment.

Or a small shop owner can use it to offer discount on their merchandise in order to attract more feet through their doors,” says Johann.

He adds that any other businesses in town are more than welcome to join this initiative, as it is aimed at assist-

ing our economy and helping entrepreneurs to stay afloat.

Added to this Hyundai Hermanus will also donate R1 500 to a charity of the new owner’s choice when a new vehicle is sold that forms part of the Incredible Local Deal.

“This is our way of thanking our loyal customers and for giving back to a business community that is under pressure. The Whale Coast is known across the globe as a community with a big heart and we are proud to be part of it.”

The Incredible Local Deal is only available to residents of the Overstrand and the Overberg. “We do not want to see buyers travel over the mountain to buy a car when the local offering is too good to pass by. And it is important for us as local consumers to spend our money with local businesses,” says Johann.

Pop into Hermanus Pick n Pay this week and win with their birthday celebrations. As part of their celebration the store brought loads of fun and laughter to children with activities such as face painting, a colouring in competition and cupcake decorating. Here is Candice Martin of Pick n Pay, Natrasha Laing as Sleeping Beauty with some of the children who spent the day with them.

17

7 August 2018

Consider tax-free savings accounts for your investment tool box Savings Month recently came to an end, and it is worth exploring the different savings vehicles available. A good investment vehicle to consider or add to your existing investment portfolio is a Tax-free Savings Account (TFSA).

DANIE OLIVIER, Portfolio Manager at PSG Wealth Hermanus, gives more insight into this addition to your portfolio.

What exactly is a TFSA? In a bid to encourage long term, disciplined saving, National Treasury introduced TFSA’s in2015. These are savings products where all returns (dividends, income distributions and capital gains) from the product are taxfree in the hands of the individual owner. Investors are thus able to grow their capital without paying tax on investment growth.

TFSAs are only available to South African residents. TFSAs can only be held by natural persons, including children and therefore parents/ grandparents that want to invest for their children’s higher/tertiary education fees, could consider investing in a TFSA on behalf of their minor children.

Are there any restrictions on TFSA’s?

Contributions: Yes, there are restrictions with regards to contributions to a TFSA. Currently, individuals can con-

tribute up to R33 000 per tax year, with a lifetime contribution limit of R500 000. You should keep track of all contributions made, because additional contributions can’t be rolled over to a following tax year and any amount that is invested above and beyond the R33 000 p.a. or R500 000 lifetime limit, will be taxed at a rate of 40% in that tax year. Also, keep in mind that investors will not be able to “replace” any contributions they withdraw. I.e. if you invest R33 000 in the 2019 tax year, but you withdraw R20 000, you will not be able to contribute a further R13 000 in the 2019 tax year.

Contributions are flexible and can be made as a lump sum or on a monthly basis. The majority of investment platforms allow a minimum contribution of R500 per month.

Also remember that you invest with after tax money and that contributions aren’t tax deductible (like with

retirement annuities).

Access: No, there aren’t any restrictions on withdrawals and the funds can be accessed at any time. However, any payments made upon withdrawal will be paid to a bank account, held in the name of the investor, in whose name the TFSA is issued.

Underlying instruments: TFSAs allow access to a wide range of underlying investment unit trusts, both local and offshore feeder funds.

Stay disciplined and stay away from your savings pot All good things come to those who wait, and it’s no different for an investor in a TFSA. As there is no tax on interest, dividends and capital gains the longer an investor remains disciplined and invested, the greater the long-term tax-free returns. Aim to stay invested for 10 years and longer

and avoid the temptation to dip into this savings pot!

TFSA next time you speak to your financial adviser.

A viable add-on Many investors prefer not to invest in a retirement annuity product, due to the very strict retirement rules. A retirement annuity typically does not allow the investor access to their savings until age 55, and then the investor has access to only 1/3 in cash, the remaining 2/3 will be used to purchase a living- or guaranteed life annuity, which provides a regular income to the investor. A TFSA can make a valuable and flexible addition to your retirement plan. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s not one or the other, Retirement Annuities have a number of advantages not applicable to TFSA).

The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of PSG. The information is provided as general information. It does not constitute financial, tax, legal or investment advice and the PSG Konsult Group of Companies does not guarantee its suitability or potential value. Since individual needs and risk profiles differ, we suggest you consult a qualified financial adviser, if needed.

The benefits of tax-free investments are self-evident and a viable longterm option as part of a diversified investment portfolio. So consider a

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

Send your financial questions to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

18

T

7 August 2018

Regaining your health starts in the gut

here is no doubt that we live in a stressful world, in stressful times.

Even more disturbing is the fact that we grow addicted to stressful emotions – and randomly taking handfuls of supplements is not the answer to help us cope with the challenges presented by our modern lifestyle.

THE

NEWS

which was pioneered by Sevenpointfive in South Africa since 1997. A pinprick of blood taken from your finger is placed under a microscope and analysed to give you an instant snapshot into the functioning of your body.

MY Health

Ferdi is then able to have a close look at imbalances, deficiencies and problems in your body. Unique to Sevenpointfive, is the before and after process they follow to ensure that the recommended course of action is working. Supplements and gentle lifestyle changes will be recommended and when follow-up samples are taken, the pictures clearly demonstrate the differences exhibited in the blood after treatment.

“Stressful situations trigger the fightor-flight response and the constant surge of cortisol and other stress hormones are just as toxic to your body as, say, an unhealthy diet or substance abuse,” says Ferdi.

That is why he and his partner Charmaine have made it their mission to make health care more accessible and to empower people to change their lifestyle. Previously operating from an office above the Wine Village as a Sevenpointfive franchise, they have now relocated to bigger premises on the ground floor (where Ralph Walton Design used to be). This new space is as homely as it is stylish, with doors opening on to the delightful garden of the well-run Hemel-en-Aarde Village centre.

While Sevenpointfive remains their lead brand, they have expanded their services to include wellness coaching and a whole range of retail health products. To signify this expansion of their business, they also have a brandnew name – C Beyond Health.

Ferdi has a thoughtful, gentle and softspoken demeanour. As a certified life coach he started his journey by studying Psychology and attaining a BA (Hons) degree in Psychology. In his pursuit of high performance and healthy living, he also immersed himself in the study of various alternative modalities, including Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Timeline Therapy and Life Coaching.

But it was not until Ferdi was confronted with his own health crisis which inexplicably left him drained of energy and crippled by anxiety that he embarked on a quest to find an explanation for his condition, which conventional doctors were unable to diagnose or alleviate. He finally came to hear about Sevenpointfive, made an appointment with a consultant to have his blood tested – and was astounded by the results.

“My homocysteine level was sky high,” he reminisces. For those of you who have never heard of homocysteine, it is an Amino acid (one of the building blocks of protein) and elevated levels

How to attain balance and regain your health Central to the efficacy of the Sevenpointfive suite of products is Ionic Coral Calcium, which comes in sachets that are added to water. Ionic calcium is the most absorbable form of calcium and is essential in maintaining the delicate acid/alkaline balance of the body and restoring it to optimal performance.

Charmaine and Ferdi in front of their new premises in Hemel-en-Aarde Village. Previously trading as a Sevenpointfive franchise, they have expanded their services and retail offering under the new name of C Beyond Health. are detected in the bloodstream when proteins break down and the metabolism of methionine to cysteine is impaired.

rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cancer and even the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Restoring the body’s pH So what is the link between elevated homocysteine levels in the blood and the body’s pH level? Ferdi explains that one of the side-effects of ageing, an unhealthy lifestyle and the use of chronic prescription drugs is that the stomach does not secrete enough digestive acid. When that happens, the pH in the stomach and intestines rises (and acid levels decline), which means that nutrients cannot be absorbed properly. In order to compensate your body will leach nutrients from elsewhere, specifically your bones and teeth.

The body’s pH can also influence our emotions, and vice versa, because serotonin and dopamine are created in the gut and an imbalance can lead to debilitating conditions such as anxiety, depression and ADHD.

Without the proper nutrients, your homocysteine can easily accumulate to toxic levels and an incorrect pH has been linked to at least 150 different diseases, including hypertension, heart attack and stroke, deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, osteoporosis,

How C Beyond Health can change your life Ferdi immediately started on a regime of Sevenpointfive supplements, which have been carefully designed to return the body to its ideal pH level, which is about 7.5, slightly alkaline. “We all know that supplementation is a minefield,” says Ferdi, “but I realised that nutrition is a core component in achieving wellness and high performance levels. My condition started to improve immediately.”

Ferdi has since stopped taking all medication he was using before and has been using only supplementary

products and maintained a predominantly alkaline lifestyle for years. The astounding results inspired him to undergo the training and open a Sevenpointfive franchise in Hermanus last year in order to help others who are struggling with fatigue, stress, digestive problems and other chronic diseases.

Having realised what a big role physiology plays in wellness of the body, mind and soul, Ferdi’s coaching includes psychological, emotional and nutritional components. By utilising various coaching tools and techniques, the aim is to assist clients in improving not only their physical energy levels but also mental focus and spiritual agility. Every client he sees has unique challenges and the course of treatment will vary from person to person. The starting point is to get your body back to its ideal pH level to assist in regaining optimal functioning. As Ferdi says, “Everything starts in the gut.”

What is Live Blood Analysis?

The first step is a Live Blood Analysis,

Elemental calcium, found in most supplements, is very difficult for the body to absorb (only about 20 – 35%) whilst ionic calcium is almost 100% bio-available. The absorption of all nutrients is dependent on sufficient calcium and other alkaline minerals.

Each box of sachets is supplied with pH strips and a pH scale to test your own pH, with instructions on how to use them. The Coral Calcium will be recommended in conjunction with a tailor-made regime to target your specific health challenges.

Both Ferdi and Charmaine have spent many years in a corporate environment and have extensive experience in both HR and Strategy. They also apply these skills to deliver transformational coaching experiences to businesses and teams, equipping clients with the tools to break through personal barriers, and create opportunities for growth and brand activation.

Contact us C Beyond Health is situated in Hemelen-Aarde Village. They are open daily from 09:00 – 17:00 and on Saturdays from 09:00 – 13:00. Call 082 928 1965 to book a consultation. Visit their new website at www.cbeyondhealth.com and follow them on Facebook.

– Hedda Mittner

19

7 August 2018

I

Brigadoon Village opens its doors

t started with a dream and a childhood memory. Liezel Nel and her sister, Elsaline Rorich had once spent a special holiday with their parents at a resort near the penguin colony at Stony Point, in Betty’s Bay. When, many years later, they heard that this heritage site (an old radar station dating back to WWII) was for sale, they were determined to buy it and create a refuge for people whose memories were slowly fading away.

walls. However, residents will be encouraged to bring some of their own beloved possessions to personalise their new homes.

A spacious, light-filled communal sitting/dining room leading on to an outdoor deck commands a magnificent view of the ocean. With comfortable armchairs in shades of seagreen, blue and grey, it will be a friendly meeting place for the residents. Staff have been trained and appointed and it’s all systems go for the first residents.

They, together with partner JC Hanekom, had already established Brigadoon Lodge, a centre for people living with dementia in Durbanville and now they saw the opportunity of creating a similar facility in these idyllic surroundings by the sea. And that is how the idea of the Brigadoon Reminiscence Village for Dementia was born. Many months of hard work finally led on Saturday 4 August to the official opening of the first phase of the new village.

The partners are determined to ensure that the residents will have the opportunity to continue leading meaningful lives and a variety of sensory, physical and therapeutic activities will be arranged for them.

Qualified nursing staff will be on duty 24/7 and meals will follow strict nutritional and dietary requirements.

The centre consists of 13 two-bedroomed flatlets, accommodating 26 residents, together with a four-bed sickbay. Each flatlet, comprising a sitting room, with a small dining table, a shared bathroom and a mini-kitchenette has been individually furnished in soft, warm colours and beautiful photographs of the surrounding sea and fynbos by Lien Botha adorn the

As Elseline cut the ribbon on Saturday, she declared “This business is now open for business.” But for the caring partners this project is far more than a business, it is the fulfilment of a dream to care for people who deserve to be honoured, respected and given the opportunity to live the remainder of their lives in dignity, peace and tranquillity.

ALL SMILES! The vision becomes reality for the three partners of the Brigadoon Dementia Village at Stony Point, Betty’s Bay which celebrated its Official Opening on Saturday 4 August. After months of hard work, the Village is ready to welcome its first resident this week to this spanking new home by the sea. From left are Elseline Rorich, JC Hanekom and Liesel Nel. Contact details: Email info@brigadoongroup.com or call 083 6070347.Website: www.brigadoongroup.com

20

T

7 August 2018

Hermanus property market takes a tumble

he property market in Hermanus has seen a significant slowdown since the first unrest started, in March this year.

According to several estate agents many potential investors have decided to rather not invest in town because of the uncertainty with regards to political stability.

Principal of Chas Everitt on the Whale Coast, Dean Meijer says several sales in town have fallen through as investors are taking their money elsewhere. “To some extent the smaller towns on the Whale Coast such as Kleinmond, Bettys Bay and Pringle Bay have benefitted from this. Some of the buyers decided to rather invest in properties in the smaller towns near Hermanus. They still see it as a good investment as they have easy access to Hermanus for their shopping and medical needs.”

THE

NEWS

“Property owners wishing to sell their properties are still slow to adjust however, and in Hermanus in particular prices remain inflated at a level receiving strong resistance from potential buyers, who then move their searches to other towns in the Overberg that offer better value.

MY Home

property prices are largely driven by sentiment and that the negative portrayal of Hermanus in the last few months have had a detrimental impact on sentiment. Over and above this there is also the uncertainty with regards to the South African economy, as well as the land expropriation issues that are hindering foreign nationals from investing.

According to Dean the majority of potential buyers who decided not to invest in the Overstrand have decided to rather invest in towns on the West Coast. “The West Coast also offers good property investment opportunities.”

“Foreign property investment has been a big driver of our market and we have seen a definite decline in interest from overseas,” says Dean.

He says that reasonably priced properties in Hermanus still sell at a brisk pace if the sellers are willing to drop their prices. “There has been a bit of a property bubble in town, with prices climbing year on year. The uncertainty in the region has however put a damper on the growth and we are seeing that prices are declining. One must remember that

Nicola Lloyd, Manager of Pam Golding Properties in Hermanus, Onrus and Elgin, says the property market in Hermanus needs to adjust to national economic and political influences and there is no doubt that the land issue has introduced some uncertainty into the investor market here and in the entire province.

“That said, where sellers adjust their asking prices to more realistic marketrelated levels, these properties sell quickly, showing that there is still a healthy demand. I think sellers underestimate the amount of information easily available to a buyer these days and consequently how educated they are about value. But we remain positive,” says Nicola.

In 2017 more than 1 200 property transactions worth a total of over R2 billion took place in Hermanus in the first nine months of the year – the highest rand value ever recorded for the town. Until recently, Hermanus was one of the most dynamic coastal property markets in the Western Cape and performed well above expectation, despite the poor economic climate. The town and its surrounds have become a sought-after property destination, with luxury properties reaching prices of R20 million to R40 million.

A 2017 Lightstone Property report showed the median price for property in the area increase by about 12% over the preceding two years. In fewer than five years prices have increased by more than 40%.

7 August 2018

SCHOOL SPORT

21

HERMIES VS STRAND: Hermanus High School had a tough sports day against Strand on Saturday 4 August, with all their rugby, netball and hockey teams competing. The U14A teams had an extremely good day and won their matches. The most impressive match of the day had to be the U14A rugby team’s when Hermies beat their opponents 65 - 7. All of the rugby Ateams once again proved their skill in the sport as they won all of their games. The netball girls had some intense competition, with the U15 and U16 A-teams also winning their games. The U17 and U19 teams narrowly lost and drew their games respectively. The U14A and U16A boys and girls hockey teams also did Hermanus proud with their wins, the U16A hockey boys beating Strand 7 - 2 in a nail-biting game. The U19A boys and girls teams were not so lucky but the boys team still managed a draw. This year’s high school interschools between Caledon, Bredasdorp and Hermanus will be hosted at Hermanus High School on Saturday 18 August.

PHOTOS: Luzaan Botha

J’hanco Botha tackles a Strand player before he has the chance to pass the ball to his teammate.

Jeanette van Romburgh fights to keep possession of the ball as the opposition tries to take it from her.

Earl Bruintjies (first team rugby) from Hermanus scores a magnificent try for his team in their game against Strand.

22

SCHOOL SPORT

7 August 2018

CURRO SPORTS FESTIVAL: Curro Hermanus held its annual Sports Festival at their sports grounds on Saturday 4 August.

Sixteen schools from the Western Cape participated, including local Overberg schools such as Okkie Smuts, Gansbaai Primary, Kleinmond Primary, Generation Schools Hermanus and Waldorf. Children from the ages of 6 – 12 took part in rugby, netball, hockey and chess. The day was well planned and the fields and courts were packed with parents and officials from the different schools. Curro Hermanus played especially well and won nearly all of their matches.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

A Kleinmond Primary U7 rugby player falls face first shortly after managing to run through his Curro Hermanus opponent.

Spectators were very entertained by the U7 netball girls. Here the centre from Curro Hermanus passes to her team mate from the centre circle.

The Curro Hermanus U7 Goal Defence saves the ball from getting into the goal circle, stopping the opposition’s chance to score.

Curro Hermanus takes a shot on goal after managing to get through the opposing team of Cannons Creek from Cape Town.

Greyton House tries to steal the ball from an U11 Curro Hermanus player (red band) just outside the goal circle in an attempt to prevent Hermanus from scoring.

This Kleinmond Primary U7 rugby player dodged through the entire Curro Hermanus team and scored a try.

23

7 August 2018

G

Busy time ahead for Hermanus Golf Club

reetings to you all again. As we are almost hurtling towards season I’ll be highlighting a few upcoming events this week. Here at the club, as with many businesses in our town, we do experience a slump during the winter months and then pandemonium in the summer. Well, this month we are waking up with a bang!

The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw

On 12 August we’ll host our Hermanus Junior Closed, a Boland sanctioned junior event, which will see some of our best youngsters pegging it up. Then close on their heels comes the Round Table golf day on the 24th, followed on 9 September by the Hermanus Open, a 36 hole stroke-play tournament that attracts players from all over the Province. This year we have secured a generous sponsorship from Rola VW which as part of the prize from the club includes a year’s membership. Now that’s worth winning!

October brings lots of club golf and then, in November we have the big ones in our calendar, starting with the Ladies Global Challenge on 10 and 11 November. We have heard that this year the event will also be televised. This is a great initiative that has some of the world’s best female golfers coming to our shores. Then, from a club perspective we have the Walker Bay Classic later in the same month. This week of golf is always great and includes our premier event. So as you can see there is lots of

Scores at a glance SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER 28 JULY Betterball medal 126 players Winners: Frans Esterhuyse and Tony Runkel - nett 58 Runners-up: Jannie Englebrecht and Johan Krog - nett 59 Ball pool paid to 66 10 two clubs Jackpot was won by Glyn Davies TUESDAY LADIES’ 31 JULY This week it blew a gale and the ladies played a 9 hole competition 4 ball alliance Winners: Alison Toombs, Heather Rabie, Kim Davies and Elise Nykamp - 48 points Runners-up: Lyndsay Henderson, Pam herd, Alison Buckmaster and Lee Musgrove 46 points WEDNESDAY MEN’S 01 AUGUST Betterball Stableford 103 players Winners: Danie Calitz and Simon O’Sullivan - 48 points Runners-up: Tony Runkel and Peter Bouwer - 46 points C/I Ball pool paid to 43 Best gross Simon O Sullivan - 71

Simon O Sullivan, shot a personal best of one under par 71 and took the accolade of the best gross score of the day

action on the horizon and anyone who wants to be playing in those events must get their practice shoes on!

a decade ago. Through perseverance and practice and lots of the traditional 19th hole he has come a long way. Well done indeed.

And lastly, two special mentions: firstly to Simon O Sullivan, who on Wednesday shot a personal best of one under par 71 and took the accolade for the best gross score of the day. Simon has never broken par and was one of my first customers as a complete novice when I arrived here in Hermanus over

And then to someone who is an example to us all: one of our senior lady members, Lee Musgrove, who at the sprightly age of 85 managed to par one of the longest holes on our super course. At 450 metres for the ladies, the 27th is a long old slog, 4 shots pin high and one tremendous putt. Well done, Lee.

FLEX THOSE MUSCLES! August is an important month for those competing in the fitness industry.

The two main body building federations in South Africa, PCA (Physical Culture Association) and IFBB (International Federation of Body Builders), both host their provincial shows this month. The first show, PCA Western Province, took place on Saturday 4 August in Cape Town where two Hermanus competitiors won gold in their categories. The rest of the atheletes will compete in the provincial IFBB shows that take place towards the end of the month. From left at the back are André Joubert (IFBB WP), Annamarie Barnard (IFBB WP), Gerhard Ferreira and Caroline Ryan (who both won gold in the PCA WP show on 4 August), Donovan van der Merwe (IFBB Gauteng) and Natasha Byleveld (IFBB Gauteng). In front are Nic Lotter (André, Annamarie and Caroline's trainer) and Daniel Bishop (Natasha's trainer).

24

THE

NEWS

7 August 2018

MY Sport

Giving young people a sporting chance

L

ord’s Taverners South Africa (LTSA) was established in 2015 as a chapter of the UK charity. The initial brief from their UK parent body was to establish a game called Table Cricket at schools for the disabled.

Table Cricket gives disabled children an opportunity to play a sport, many for the first time in their lives, thus giving credence to the charity’s slogan of “Giving Young People a Sporting Chance”. The game improves hand/eye coordination, concentration, numeracy and selfesteem. It also creates an element of fun, team spirit and competitiveness.

Currently 26 games have been donated to schools throughout South Africa and have been welcomed by all schools. The charity needs funding to expand the reach of the game as well as to create inter-school competitions.

Games are available for sponsorship at R10 000 a set, which includes the game, a table tennis table and six weeks of coaching for both teachers and learners, plus the sponsor’s logo/name.

As part of Lord’s Taverners SA’s fundraising efforts and, in keeping with the sporting characteristic of the charity, several competitions are run around the four Golf Majors as well as the Ryder and President’s Cup in alternate years.

This year The Ryder Cup will be hosted by Le

Golf National in France from 25 – 30 September and everyone is invited to take part in a fun competition.

All you have to do is to select four players, with a minimum of one player from each team. Participants will earn points on the foursomes/four balls as follows: 1 point if your player is selected; 3 points if he wins his match; 1 point if the match is halved; 5 points if he wins by 5 holes or more. In the singles, points will be awarded as follows: 5 points for a win; 2 points for a half; 5 points if he wins by 5 holes or more.

The entry fee is R300 pp and the deadline is Friday 21 September. Contact David Ralph on 083 455 7555 or at davidr@lordstaverners.org.za to confirm your participation.

Banking details for EFT payments: Lord’s Taverners, Nedbank Hyde Park, Acc. 1119546052. Use your name and Ryder Cup as reference.

R50 from each entry fee will be donated to the charity. The entrant with the highest number of points wins and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The pool prize will be calculated from the total entries and split as follows: 1st 60%; 2nd 30%; and 3rd 10%. For e.g. if there are 25 entrants, the total pool will be R6 250, with a first prize of R3 500, second prize R1 800 and third prize R600.

Hermanus Netball ended their 2018 Overstrand Netball Federation League season on a high note by winning all their matches in the different leagues on Saturday 4 August. The 1st team, Hermanus Magics, ended the season 2018 undefeated and were crowned Super League Champions. In fact, the ladies were so good, for the first time ever they beat an all-male Eastcliff Men’s side 61 – 55. The 2nd team also won all their matches on Saturday and was named as 1st League winners. They will now move up to compete in the 2019 Super League Division.

Hermanus Netball now boasts two Super League teams for the 2019 season. The 3rd team also won their final match of the season and won 1st place in the 3rd League. They will move up to compete in the 2019 2nd League Division. Truly something to be proud of as a club.

The club was also well represented at the Overstrand Sport Awards that was held last month. Three members were nominated: Bianca le Roux (left) Captain of Hermanus A for Team of the Year, Marsha Yawa from Caledon for Player of the Year and Lizelle Munnik as Coach of the Year.