The Village NEWS 07 Oct - 14 Oct 2020

THE VILLAGE

NEWS

7 OCTOBER 2020 YOUR FREE COPY #ALLOVEROVERBERG The next issue of The Village NEWS will be out on 14 October 2020.

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Whale survey findings published

Local photographer Dave de Beer recently went along on one of Southern Right Charters' boat cruises and took this beautiful photo of a whale in Walker Bay. An abundance of marine life including seals, dolphins, sea birds and even penguins were also seen on the trip. Find 'Hermanus Whales' on Facebook to see more of Dave's photos. A print of this photo is available to The Village NEWS readers at a discounted price. Contact hermanuswhales@gmail.com for more information.

PHOTO: Dave de Beer

W

e have been fortunate that on every whale watching trip we have seen whales. In addition there are sharks, penguins, seals and an abundance of seabirds thrown into the deal,” says Wilfred Chivel of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust and whale and shark watching companies, Dyer Island Cruises and Marine Dynamics.

This follows the publication last week of the findings of the 41st annual aerial survey done by the Whale Unit of the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute. The survey found that it has been a slow season in as far as our visiting sea mammals are concerned.

The 2020 survey, which monitors the South African population of southern right whales, was conducted under the watchful eye of Dr Els Vermeulen, Research Manager at the Whale Unit based in Hermanus, between 27 and 29 September.

All southern right whales observed along the stretch of coastline between Nature’s Valley and Muizenberg were counted, and photographs were taken of the unique callosity pattern on the heads of all individual females with calves, as well as all individuals of a brindle grey colouration or white blaze.

A total of 12 hours and 52 minutes of flying time, spread over 3 days, was required to complete the survey, using an Airbus EC120B under charter from Silvercross Helicopters. In total, 136 females and calves (68 pairs) of southern right whales were counted and photographed, as well as 29 adult whales without a calf (so-called ‘unaccompanied adults’), bringing the total to 165 southern right whales between Nature’s Valley and Muizenberg. Most female-calf pairs were observed in De Hoop Nature Reserve and Walker Bay. “Although these numbers mark the second-low-

est number of right whales along our shores in October in the past 32 years, we must remember that the population of southern right whales is increasing annually by 6.5%,” says Vermeulen.

“So while we are seeing fewer whales, their worldwide numbers are increasing. In 2018 a large number of whales were counted along our shores with many females mating. The gestation period is three years, so we can make an educated guess that there will be an increase in whale numbers in our area over the next couple of years.”

It has been found that females return to where they were born to calve, hence the return visits every year.

Despite the lower counted numbers there are still numerous sightings reported every day via social media. The Overberg Whale and Dolphin Group was started on WhatsApp to assist in alerting

residents and visitors to sightings. To join the group simply send a message with your name and number to 082 746 5579 .

According to Vermeulen, this year’s number is also slightly lower than the 142 females with calves (71 pairs) counted at the end of August of this year between Hermanus and Witsand, re-indicating female southern right whales continue to limit their residency time in the South African breeding ground, with possible negative effects on the chances of calf survival.

The number of ‘unaccompanied adults’ (males, resting females and receptive females) also remained low, as it has been since 2009, indicating that non-calving right whales are still not migrating to the South African coast as they used to do before 2009.

Continues on P2

2

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

Findings point to changes in the Southern Ocean From P1 “In general, successful calving and migration in southern right whales rely on having an adequate body condition (blubber thickness or ‘fatness’), and thus energy reserves, which is directly influenced by their feeding ‘success’. It is therefore believed that a decrease in their feeding success lies at the heart of these anomalous trends.

“As our research continues, this hypothesis is being confirmed by our scientific data, which indicate strong correlations between the southern right whale prevalence along our shores with climate conditions in the Southern Ocean and fluctuations in food availability. In fact, new data reveal that the South African southern right whales have drastically changed their feeding locations in the past two decades, suggesting that their previously productive feeding grounds have changed over time,” says Vermeulen.

These findings point toward largescale ecosystem changes in the Southern Ocean, likely impacting several different oceanic top predators. Data further indicate that while this shift in foraging locations may be an attempt to keep up with a changing ocean, the changes may not be sufficient to ensure an adequate body condition

is obtained, negatively impacting the success of their calving and migration.

“In this regard, we are further investigating the whales’ nutritional condition using overhead drone images and analysis of blubber stress hormone levels. These results should be available at the end of this year,” she says.

Very similar trends are being recorded in South America and Australia, resulting in the MRI Whale Unit co-leading the Southern Right Whale research theme under the Southern Ocean Research Partnership of the International Whaling Commission.

racy, assess their overall reproductive success. These aspects are vital to monitor the recovery of the South African population of right whales, increasing at a rate of 6.5% per year, since the international protection of the population against whaling.

The analyses will also allow us to investigate further possible causes and consequences of the concerning decrease in sightings along our shores in recent years.”

through the adopt-a-whale programme, in which everyone can join the community by symbolically adopting a whale, this way supporting whale research and conservation in South Africa. “All raised funds go integrally to cover the costs of fieldwork. For more information, please check www.adoptawhale.co.za. You can also follow our activities through our Facebook page at MRIWhaleUnit,” says Vermeulen.

Stay updated on the status of our southern right whale research

For further enquiries please contact Dr Els Vermeulen (Research Manager

at the Whale Unit) on 060 9714301 or Chris Wilkinson (Technical Manager at the Whale Unit) on 083 580 8247.

It was also reported that nurdles, small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil that are used to make nearly all plastic products, have resurfaced in our area.

According to marine expert Meredith Thronton, more than 7 kg was collected at Cape Infanta on Monday. She says nurdles that have been dumped in the ocean make their way from the substrate onto our shores as the winter swells shift sand on the beaches.

Now that the survey has been completed, all photographs taken will be analysed in the coming weeks for individual identification, and compared to the Whale Unit’s southern right whale photo-identification catalogue which contains over 2 300 recognisable adults from the previous 40 annual surveys. This analysis will be done with a computer-assisted image recognition system, followed by final matching of the whales by eye.

“Through such analyses, we will be able to determine which females calved this year, how long it took them to produce a new calf, their individual distribution and movement patterns and, with considerable accu-

New management for Market Square stalls Writer De Waal Steyn “I am very excited about the future of the Hermanus Market Square and all the stalls. I have been a trader in Hermanus myself for the past 25 years and know how much it takes to run a successful business.”

So says Jolene Nel, who last week officially took over the management of the Market Square stalls (often referred to as the red, or pigeon sheds), after she was granted a 10-year management contract by the Overstrand

Municipality.

According to documentation that served before Council on 30 September, the tender process was started in November 2019 and was awarded to Nel in August this year by the bid adjudication committee. The tender document called for the lease, management, maintenance, and sublease of 34 of the stalls, as well as the upkeep of the ablution facilities. Only one tender to the value of R76 840 per month was received.

The previous management tender,

awarded in 2015, was bedevilled with legal problems, as some of the then tenants, who leased their stalls directly from the municipality, questioned the validity of the management contract and refused to vacate their stalls.

A lengthy legal battle ensued, resulting in the previous managing agent, Arrie de Klerk, not being able to take up his duties until a year after the tender had been awarded to him. In September 2016, the Western Cape High Court ruled against the traders and found that the management

contract could be implemented.

With the ruling in place, the stage was set for reimagining the look and composition of the various stalls, but poor economic trading conditions, the devastating riots in 2018 and the Covid-19 lockdown have made life very difficult for the traders since then.

However, Nel says she is optimistic about the future of the Market Square. “Being a trader myself and being familiar with the industry is a great advantage. Yes, we are all

suffering due to the lockdown and various other factors, but we intend to keep the stalls going. We will work hard on maintaining a clean and friendly environment.

“First and foremost, we want to offer visitors and holidaymakers a place where they can walk, browse and relax. The Market Square is located in a prime business area and we want to ensure that there is something for everyone there. I am passionate about trading and I am looking forward to serving the stall holders and clients over the next decade,” says Nel.

3

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

The jeweller and the winemaker’s journey where he remained for three valuable years.

Writer Elaine Davie

I

f this sounds like the title of a European children’s fable, in a way it is, complete with the reassuring ending, ‘and they all lived happily ever after’. Except that it is deeply rooted in South African soil. For Geta and Peter Finlayson are as much a product of the Hemel-en- Aarde terroir as Peter’s award-winning wines are… the perfect pairing in fact.

As the founder of the globally-recognised Bouchard Finlayson Winery and South Africa’s Pinot Noir pioneer, Peter Finlayson has been named by well-known wine writer, Tim Atkin in his latest South African Wine Report as the Winemaking Legend of 2020. After more than 40 years of active participation in the Sport of Wine, as he calls it, Peter feels deeply honoured by this acknowledgement, which he considers “a lovely thank you note”.

But let’s scroll back to the beginning of the journey. Peter and Geta, a refugee from the Free State, completed their degrees at Stellenbosch University, hers in jewellery design, his in agriculture, specialising in oenology, and both were afforded the opportunity for further study in Germany. Having just got married, they were dismayed to find that the towns in which they were to be based were three hours distant from each other by train. “So for the first eight months of our married life,” remembers Geta with a wry smile, “we only saw each other over weekends.”

For her the learning environment was less satisfying, with large classes conducted in German and no facilities for practical work, but for Peter it was an inspiring experience. He was able to immerse himself in 600 years of classical wine culture and for the first time encountered vineyards growing on sloped mountainside terraces. After they returned to South Africa, he was appointed as winemaker at Boschendal,

And then came the move which was to change their lives forever and, indeed, to dramatically transform the trajectory of farming in the Overstrand region. In 1979 Peter was appointed by Tim Hamilton Russell, an advertising executive, as the first winemaker on his newly-acquired farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. “We arrived here with a two-year-old son,” remembers Geta “and found ourselves completely isolated on this godforsaken farm.

We had no electricity and the dirt road through the valley was so shockingly bad that you thought several times before going into town.”

“In any case there wasn’t much to go into town for,” Peter picks up the story. “Shopping for even basic necessities was hopeless – there was one grocery store and the Cypress Tea Garden. And at that time, there was no farming of any significance in the valley. A few people picked wild flowers to sell; that was it. In fact, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley was known as poor man’s country and Tim Hamilton Russell was considered an eccentric Engelsman who would soon burn his fingers with his mad idea of growing grapes and producing wine there. For me, it was a sharp learning curve, starting with a clean slate and having to make something of it.”

After 10 years, the Hamilton Russell Winery was pretty well on its feet and Peter had the opportunity to buy a neighbouring farm in 1989. In partnership with Frenchman, Paul Bouchard, a wine shipper from Burgundy, whose family had been in the winemaking industry for 13 generations, the Bouchard Finlayson Wine Estate came into being. “I had a feeling from the beginning that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay would do well in this area and this proved to be correct,” says Peter. “From Paul I learnt the importance of careful management in the making of fine wines and this has stood me in good stead through the years.”

And what of Geta, meanwhile? She continued producing fine jewellery at her workshop on the farm and participating in exhibitions in Stellenbosch from time to time, but most of her pieces were bespoke, carefully matched to the personality and lifestyle of the client. When the time came for their two little boys to go to

Welcome to the VILLAGE INSIDER family!

Let’s keep independent positive community journalism alive in the Overberg. www.thevillagenews.co.za

062 837 3122 raphael@thevillagenews.co.za

Although our online readership has grown exponentially since the lockdown, we have also been inundated with calls and messages from people who want to know where they can get access to a printed copy of our weekly newspaper.

We are printing as many as we can afford to at the moment, but to keep up with the demand we need your help to print and distribute even more.

school in Hermanus, they bought one of the old fisher cottages in Aberdeen Street (where the Barefoot Cook was later located and local artists Lize van der Walt and Jeandré Marinier have now set up shop with the Lifestyle Studio) for the exorbitant sum of R13 000.

“I set up my workshop there and the two children could be with me after school,” she relates.

“After I took occupation, we noticed that there was a strange notch in a branch of one of the trees in the garden. Apparently the house had belonged to Meester Paterson, the original school teacher in the village and we were horrified to learn that he was in the habit of hanging naughty children in a sack from the tree!” A salutary lesson for all naughty children.

Those were the pioneering days for the Finlaysons. Since then, new wineries have sprung up all along the Hemel-en-Aarde region, and Walker Bay area is recognised as one of the Western Cape’s prime wine-growing regions.

As Peter says, “Of course the terroir has always been there, for thousands of years it has been here, all it needed was to be brought to fruition.” And one might add, people with the vision and flair to create some of the best wines of their kind in the world.

Of course both designer jewellery and fine wines are luxury goods and are affected by swings in the economy, and as Peter emphasises, competition – mainly against oneself. As far as Bouchard Finlayson is concerned, Galpin Peak Pinot Noir, of which approximately 15 000 cases are produced each year, is still its flagship wine, eagerly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors world-wide. However, its Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs and Mixed Blends are also regular gold medal winners.

In 2000 Peter sold the winery to the Tollman family, owners of luxury hotels around the

little as R50 per month and help your proudly-local newspaper to continue bringing you the Good News every week.

Contact Raphael on 062 837 3122 or on raphael@thevillagenews. co.za for more information.

Alternatively you can get all the information you need by visiting our website, www.thevillagenews. co.za.

THE VILLAGE

NEWS

world, and although Chris Albrecht has taken his place as winemaker, the winery is collaboratively run by himself and Victoria Tollman. He remains Cellar Master, with a particular responsibility for the Pinot Noirs.

For her part, Geta continues to run her jewellery workshop and gallery, now in the heart of the art district of the old town, with the help of two assistants. She no longer makes annual pilgrimages to Hong Kong to buy stones, and although she has kept up with changing trends, her real interest at the moment is designing what she calls memory necklaces, incorporating a client’s old reworked pieces.

Both she and Peter now have more time to spend on their hobbies. For Geta, it’s painting, her first love which she neglected during the busy jewellery-making years and for Peter, it’s wildlife photography, or hunting with a camera, as he describes it. He has travelled throughout Africa with his lenses, sometimes combining wine tasting with photographic expeditions. Some of his magnificent prints are to be seen in Geta’s gallery. He has always had a passion for environmental conservation and on the wine estate, only 22 ha out of the total 125 are under vines, the rest is maintained as a conservation reserve, winning him the title of WWF Conservation Champion.

Mostly, though, the Finlaysons are proud parents and grandparents, grateful to be fully involved in the lives of their offspring. Both of those little boys who spent so much time in Geta’s workshop and amongst Peter’s vines, grew up to be artists in their own right – Andrew becoming an architect and Peter-Allan the winemaker at Gabriëlskoof, as well as developing his own label, Crystallum. Each of them have two children of their own, a new generation to keep the Finlayson dynasty alive in this corner of Heaven and Earth. Cheers to that!

THE VILLAGE

#ALLOVEROVERBERG The next issue of The Village NEWS will be out on 7 October 2020.

Become a VILLAGE INSIDER from as

The Village NEWS comes out again next week on 23 September 2020

This atmospheric photograph by Mark Jago was recently taken at sunset at Onrus Beach, a popular spot for local surfers and body boarders. The water quality of the Onrus Lagoon however has again come under the spotlight as high levels of bacteria necessitated the closure of the estuary on 11 September. Find more of Mark's photos on Facebook and Instagram by searching for 'Jago Photography'.

The Hermanus Waterfront was buzzing with visitors and locals enjoying the beautiful weather on Heritage Day last Thursday. The air was filled with the sound of children laughing, music and muted chatter as people enjoyed drinks and meals at the Waterfront’s restaurants. Providing the music for most of the day was Ilitha Lelanga Marimba Ensemble, a vibrant marimba band from Cape Town.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

Long weekend a success Writer De Waal Steyn

B

y all accounts, the Cape Whale Coast had a highly successful long weekend with thousands of out-of-towners enjoying all the area has to offer.

“Most accommodation establishments reported good occupation numbers, with self-catering establishments leading the way. It seems that groups of visitors from over the mountain opted to make use of the option to rent holiday homes for the weekend,” said Frieda Lloyd, Tourism Manager of the Cape Whale Coast.

According to her all the markets along the coast did brisk trade on Saturday, with the Farmer’s Market in Gansbaai reporting that goods at some stalls, including the Clivia booth, were sold out by the afternoon. The first Sunset Market in Stanford since February also attracted scores of shoppers and at the Harold Porter

Botanical Garden the plant sale was a huge success. The garden also reports that bookings for free guided tours have been received all the way up until the end of October. All the major towns in the area reported remarkably busy roads leading up to and during the weekend.

The weekend also saw several accommodation establishments and restaurants opening their doors for the first time since the lockdown began. The Arabella Hotel and Spa reported that they were fully booked during the long weekend and forward bookings for the rest of the year were picking up, especially over weekends.

Despite the inclement weather on some days, many visitors took part in outdoor activities.

Both whale-watching and shark-cage diving boat operators said they were busy and that although they were still some way off from the normal number of passengers, there was a marked increase over the weekend as locals took to the water with them.

Brenda Walters from Marine Dynamics in Gansbaai said they undertook a number of trips during the weekend. “On some days the weather did not play along, but we are happy that people are coming to see the whales and sharks. We are offering special deals to locals and due to Covid-19 restrictions cannot accommodate as many people as before. This does have an impact on our business, but we are certain that we will bounce back. While we are looking forward to international travellers returning to our shores, we invite locals to make use of our special discounted rates,” she said.

According to Brenda, their Great White House restaurant had a busy weekend with many visitors from across the mountain.

The popularity of our wine farms was also evident, with scores of people visiting for a meal and a wine tasting. Carolyn Martin of Creation said they were busy during the course of the whole weekend. “We unfortunately had to show

some people away as we have limited capacity due to the lockdown restrictions. We urge visitors to make reservations, especially over weekends, to avoid disappointment,” she said.

According to her the restrictions in terms of mask wearing and social distancing bring with them new challenges. “Especially on days when the weather is not so good, it is difficult to seat everyone and still ensure safe distancing between people. But we are learning to adapt every day and we keep on improving. We are happy that tourists are returning, and we can start seeing business increasing.”

Sebastian Beaumont of Beaumont Family Wines in Bot River echoes her sentiment. “It is great to see our tasting room full again and it is heartening that so many locals are buying local wines.

We look forward to many busy weekends in the near future,” he said.

Continues on P3

Pollution causes a stink of the water.

Writer De Waal Steyn

A

public outcry followed the decision once again to close the Onrus lagoon for recreational use, after a sewage spillage resulted in high levels of E. coli and Enterococci bacteria.

According to Ward 13 Councillor, Jean Orban, the decision by the Overberg District Municipality (ODM) to close the lagoon was not taken lightly. “There was a sewage leak into the lagoon on 19 August during a power outage. Due to the outage, the pump station was disabled and the backup generator did not kick in because of a technical fault. This led to a build-up of sewage in the system and the resultant spill,” he said.

Shortly after the high levels of bacteria were detected a notice board was erected next to the lagoon, warning members of the public of the dangers and requesting them to steer clear

According to Liezl de Villiers, Senior Environmental Manager of the Overstrand Municipality (OM), a second water sample was taken as prescribed by the legislation. “While the results of the test are awaited, the lagoon must be closed for recreational use,” she said.

But, according to the Onrus River Estuary Forum (OREF) the problem runs much deeper than just this spill.

In a statement, OREF said since its inception it had been in consultation with the municipality to address the problem. “We have repeatedly raised the alarm about shortcomings in the management of the municipal sewerage system and previous sewage leaks into the Onrus Estuary, resulting in high bacteriological test results. Responsible action by the municipality would have avoided the need to close the estuary on 11 September,” reads the statement.

EACH EACH

Simply click on the search icon and type in: Dear Village NEWS reader, then click on the link.

#ALLOVEROVERBERG

www.thevillagenews.co.za

www.thevillagenews.co.za

949 3999

Together we can do this!

16 SEPTEMBER 2020 YOUR FREE COPY

NEWS

30 SEPTEMBER 2020 YOUR FREE COPY

the right products

for every job.

GAS HEATER 2.2KVA PETROL 1278771 GENERATOR • Roll about 1335364 • Excludes 9kg gas • 4-Stroke cylinder • Recoil start • Full body • LIV2200R

But while on the face of it, the management of the estuary should be a straight-forward task, it is in reality so fraught with bureaucratic redtape that it makes the head spin.

The management of estuaries in the Western Cape falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. In turn, CapeNature is the official management authority on behalf of the province, except for certain estuaries that do not fall within their mandate. In the Overstrand, the Onrus and Buffelsrivier estuaries are not managed by CapeNature.

In the case of these two estuaries, the ODM takes responsibility for their management in such a way as to protect the health of bathers, and there is a strict set of standard operating procedures for the management of sewage spillages.

At the same time, the Overstrand Municipality is responsible for the management of the sewerage network. In addition, the Worcester-based

259

EACH

PARAMOUNT PVA 1000159 • White • 20L

1199

EACH

Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA), on behalf of the national Department of Water Affairs, conducts bacteriological sampling, in addition to the testing done by the ODM. The BGCMA also undertakes a monthly chemical analysis of the waters of the Onrus River and its estuary.

It is this overlap of bureaucratic responsibilities and a lack of clear communication that allows for the spillage to hit the proverbial fan, says OREF Chair, Peter van Niekerk.

According to him, OREF has been unsuccessful in its endeavours to persuade the municipality to accept the role of responsible management authority (RMA).

“We asked the municipality a year ago to request the delegation of authority, but we have had no feedback since then. At this stage, it is unclear if the OM has a policy about accepting the RMA role,” he said.

Continues on P3

16475

PER PACK

KN95/FFP2 FACE MASK

8 PANEL DOOR 1091743 • 813 x 2032mm • Semi exterior • Mixed timber • Hardwood finish

• 1335366, 5.5KVA PETROL GENERATOR, 4-STROKE, ELECTRIC START, LIV5500ES,

VALID from: 15 sep - 04 0ct 2020 18927BKA

VILL GE Insider NEWS

ABOVE: Recently named Winemaking Legend of 2020, Peter Finlayson celebrates at the Wine Glass with wife, Geta and a magnum of his flagship Galpin Peak Pinot Noir.

BELOW: Geta Finlayson still derives great creative satisfaction from her bespoke jewellery designs, but now has more time for painting as well.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

1336932 • 4 Layers non-woven • 95% Filtration efficiency • Comfortable nose foam • EN149:2001 + A1:2009 • GB2626:2006 compliant

pack of

5

7999 EACH

BUCO HERMANUS: GATEWAY CENTRE, C/O MAIN & SWARTDAM RDS, HERMANUS, TEL: 028 312 1131 Prices applicable at the BUCO Hermanus store. Prices are valid from 15 Sep - 04 0ct 2020 or while stocks last. Promotional stocks are limited. Prices include vat.

Non promotional products and prices may vary from store to store. Selected products may not be available at all stores. Actual products might differ slightly from images represented. No traders. Savings are calculated using average market-related selling prices. Errors and omissions excluded.

Shop the full promotion in-store and online at buco.co.za

HUGE DEAL! 32.95

Equates to per mask.

This item is only sold in a pack of 5.

BUCO South Africa www.buco.co.za

4

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Hermanus

We’ll pay you

R10 000 to keep you safe this spring

7 October 2020

Being bad-mouthed on Facebook Let's talk Law

By Jonathan de Jager

I

Dial *120*310*14# now and choose the best security for your home.

n this new series of columns by local attorney Jonathan de Jager, legal issues that ordinary citizens may encounter over the course of their daily lives will be highlighted, explained and discussed. Each column will be devoted to a different topic.

This week we look at the common issue of being victimised on social media.

her former husband and his new wife were bad-mouthing her on Facebook. The judge found that although the former husband was not the author of the postings, he was tagged in and knew about them and allowed his name to be coupled with that of his new wife, thus creating liability jointly with the author of the postings.

Valid from 1 Sep 2020 - 31 Oct 2020

Question:

086 12 12 306 | adt.co.za

After my boyfriend and I recently ended our relationship, he badmouthed me terribly on Facebook. Now all our friends think it was all my fault. Are there any legal steps I can take against him?

As in this case, you could potentially have a claim for defamation against your ex-boyfriend but should consult an attorney as to the merits of your case. If he continues with his ‘badmouthing’ conduct you could also consider obtaining an interdict against him to stop this conduct.

Sign up with us today to get 3 months free home security and a chance to win R10 000.

Ts & Cs apply

Dial *120*310*14# and follow the prompts. *Standard USSD apply.

SMS “Hermanus”to 45238 *SMS charged at R1. Free SMSes do not apply.

Answer: Despite the many benefits of social media, these platforms also create opportunity for abuse or misuse and can frequently bring out the worst in people, often without thought to the consequences of their actions.

Many people lose sight of the fact that the moment something is posted on a social media site, it is considered “published” and is therefore subject to the laws applicable to traditional media, such as newspapers, making claims for defamation a very real possibility.

Defamation can be defined as the wrongful, intentional publication of words or behaviour in relation to another person which has the effect of injuring his status, good name or reputation.

Our courts have recently set a new legal precedent after it granted a Facebook user an interdict preventing a friend from posting about his personal life after she defamed him on the platform.

In another case a woman was awarded R40 000 in damages after claiming that

Keeping you safe, securing your assets.

Again the advice of an attorney is imperative in this regard. Also have a look at the terms and conditions of the site he is using to badmouth you on – it may be that he is in violation of the site T’s and C’s and you could also lodge a complaint with the site administrator and/or have the infringing posts removed.

In short, internet users must generally be aware that their online conduct could give rise to litigious action and that it is advisable that all social media users take note of the following: • Make sure about your facts before posting anything and ensure that you can back your comments with substantiating evidence and factual information. Accordingly, making a comment about a friend on a matter that is not in public interest could be defamatory even if it is true.

• Regularly check your social media profiles to ensure that your name is not being linked to defamatory statements of others.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether you would be willing to say something out loud in a room full of people or colleagues. If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t consider posting it on social media.

7 October 2020

5

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Dissatisfaction over Onrus ablution plan

FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER TO TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2020 (excluding Monday)

MAIN THEATRE SECRET GARDEN

Animation/Comedy PG V PPS

11:00 MULAN

14:00

Action/Drama 10 - 12 PG P V

Writer De Waal Steyn

A

second public meeting has been called for this week in Onrus after residents expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed new ablution block at Onrus beach.

This comes after a public meeting was held on 1 October to try and find answers to the many questions concerned residents had. The meeting was adjourned after no consensus could be reached on the proposed plan and Cllr Jean Orban promised a second meeting.

The dissatisfaction comes after architect’s drawings of the proposed development were published on social media in August by Orban.

In the post he said the sketches were the culmination of much planning and hard work.

“The total project cost is R1.5 million, which is additional to our ward specific funding of R500 000. Since Onrus beach was included as a pilot Blue Flag beach last year, we have to make sure that our facilities are on par and suitable. Our beach is very busy and the tiny facilities next to the Milkwood Restaurant just didn’t cut it anymore. They will remain in place as facilities for the disabled only.

“None of the milkwood trees will be removed, and the design has incorporated the tree tunnel. There will be a beach kiosk, men's and ladies’ facilities as well as a storeroom for life savers’ equipment. The five parking bays at the lower section will be removed but the loading

zone, motorcycle parking and disabled parking bays will remain. There will be access from Wylle Park with a bridge to the roof of the facility, which will double up as a look-out point with benches. There will be steps going down to the lower section, which will join up with the other pathway. The lockdown has caused a small delay, but the project will soon be advertised for tenders etc. I will keep the public up to date with the progress of this project,” reads the report posted on Facebook by Orban.

In the wake of the post many residents expressed their dissatisfaction at both the location and design of the ablution facility. At the meeting last week residents demanded that additional plans should be considered and that answers must be given as to how public participation and a needs analysis on the project was done. The cost of the project was also questioned.

updated. The IDP is the wants and needs of our ward, this in turn gets compiled with all the other wards to form the municipal IDP. All these organisations are meant to work with their constituents and then represent them on the ward committee. The ward committee also has four public meetings every year. So, in that sense, extensive public participation has taken place. Also, I have reported on this various times in the past. There is no public participation on the exact design of the building,” Orban said.

However, committee members shot back, saying that while the necessity of an upgrade to the ablution block to meet Blue Flag criteria was mentioned to the Ward Committee during their ward tour last year, they never received any further feedback.

According to Orban the project has been part of the independent development plan (IDP) for Ward 13 for a number of years. He said that it was up to the Ward Committee members to inform their constituents of the plans and therefore proper public participation had taken place.

Committee member Caroline Gabb said: “At no stage were we consulted, nor have we had any input into this project. The first we saw of it is the same as everyone else, on the social media post. To suggest that extensive public participation has taken place is a bit misleading in my opinion. It has not been presented to the Ward Committee in context and we have not had an opportunity to comment.”

“Public participation has taken place in the form of ward committee meetings. The ward committee is made up of member organisations in the ward such as the Onrus Estuary Forum, the Onrus Homeowners’ Association, OnVerWag, and Vermont Ratepayers Association. Every year the ward IDP is compiled and

Hennie Greeff of the Onrus Homeowners' Association said it was proposed to Orban that the project be suspended, subject to a proper needs analysis, and also to further engage with residents and business owners. “It was also requested that a working group be established to address the issues at hand,” he said.

50 years down the road…

PHOTO: Supplied

After more than 50 years, during which infrastructure slowly came to Sandbaai, Galjoen and Perlemoen Streets were the very last two Sandbaai streets to be tarred.

This event was celebrated on Monday 5 October by Ward Councillor David Botha, the Ward Committee and the responsible officials. The ceremonial ribbon was cut by Lenie van Wyk, whose late husband was an Overstrand Mayor many years ago. As a Ward Committee member up to 2016, Lenie made it her task to campaign for funding to tar all the streets in the suburb.

At the same time, a one-way system was introduced to reduce the number of accidents at the intersection of Galjoen and Kabeljou Streets. “It is now time to move on to other worthy projects such as more street lighting, traffic calming measures and the upgrading of various parking areas along the Sandbaai coast. By the end of 2020 the Tekkies Poel parking area at the very southern end of Main Road will also be completed,” said Botha.

TROLLS

Drama/Fantasy 7 - 9 PG D H V

FORTHCOMING

17:15

BEANBAG THEATRE TROLLS

MULAN

Animation/Comedy PG V PPS

Action/Drama 10 - 12 PG P V

11:30 SECRET GARDEN

14:30

Drama/Fantasy 7 - 9 PG D H V

17:45

FORTHCOMING

6

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Importance of public participation The next edition of The Village NEWS will be available on 14 October 2020. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points in the Overberg.

De Waal Steyn

PUBLISHING EDITOR E: dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 700 3319

Hedda Mittner

CONTENT EDITOR E: hedda@thevillagenews.co.za T: 083 645 3928

Raphael da Silva ONLINE EDITOR

E: raphael@thevillagenews.co.za T: 074 125 5854

The controversy surrounding the planned new ablution facilities at Onrus beach is a textbook example of the importance of proper public participation.

This issue is but one of many examples in the Overstrand of the extent to which residents choose to be part of the planning processes of local government. Other examples that spring to mind include the Fernkloof Management Plan, the safari park near Kleinmond, the De Mond development and the Hermanus Bypass, to name but a few. Residents need to familiarise themselves with the public participation policy of the municipality. It can be found under the Policies tab on www.overstrand. gov.za.

One of the cornerstones of this policy

Sugar & Spice

Elaine Davie JOURNALIST E: elaine@thevillagenews.co.za T: 084 343 7500

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

Charé van der Walt MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE E: chare@thevillagenews.co.za T: 082 430 1974

Nickey Jackson

A

is the Ward Committee system, which has proven to be successful if properly run by the local government, with the buy-in of civil society organisations such as homeowners’ and ratepayers’ associations and business chambers.

As a matter of fact, the Western Cape is one of the only places in the country where Ward Committees have proven to be successful. But while this system does work, it also has its shortcomings. Often Joe Soap has very little idea of what is on the agenda at these committee meetings and even less knowledge on what projects are contained in the Independent Development Plans for their suburbs. While it is the task of the committee members to, in turn, inform their constituents as to what is being discussed and planned, the system is not infallible.

And while there are great expectations of the municipality to ensure public participation, there is only that much they can do to inform residents.

For this very reason, The Village NEWS has over the years often reported on public participation projects in order to bring it to the attention of residents. It forms part and parcel of our duty to inform our readers.

But between the Ward Committees, newspapers, social media and various other means of communication, it often happens that information does not reach those who expect to be informed about certain issues.

For this reason we urge our readers to become active citizens and make a point of reading Council and Ward Committee agendas, to interact with the various community pages on

social media and to support their business chambers, homeowners’ and ratepayers’ associations and any other civil society organisation.

Make it your business to know what is happening in your town; it is your right and your duty. In the same breath, Ward Councillors and the Municipality must ensure that they are continuously in discussion with their constituents. The importance of newsletters, social media groups and WhatsApp forums cannot be stressed enough. There needs to be continuous and clear communication from the side of local government on all issues that are of concern to residents.

Let us talk and listen.

This is the good NEWS – Ed

Things I know for sure… but who knows?

So here goes: Things I know for sure. I'm not going for the obvious, like SAA is and will remain a dodo. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

By Hélène Truter

long, long time ago when printed magazines were still a thing, Oprah Winfrey used to write a column: . And Oprah is a woman we should listen to.

She has enough money to save Eskom, bail out PRASA, pay maintenance for the 15 or so remaining Mrs. Zumas...

You get the picture.

Recently, I tried to get hold of her. No, not to ask for a loan. I wondered what she would write about the year 2020.

Sadly, I couldn't get near her, even though I used my Madiba connection.

(Of course I'm connected. I've met Zelda la Grange, hello!)

If Oprah can know things, so can I. Why not? We're very similar, except that she's African American and impossibly rich. For the rest... she's practically my sister from another mother.

Let me start in my hometown. One thing I now know for sure… If you want a successful, enjoyable Heritage long weekend, (even mid-pandemic) don’t organise a Whale Festival!

It was wonderful to welcome visitors who actually came to see the whales, and support our restaurants and local businesses. I did not miss the traffic jams, or the smell of grilled chicken and booze, and the camping in parking lots.

Now that more people may attend social gatherings, why not stock up on essential supplies such as cocktails, chocolate, glitter and host a masked ball? Not only will 2020 be the Year of the Mask, but the other fashion trend, 'Orange is the new black', will soon be adopted by some of our more prominent... what shall we call them... civil servants?

Yes, it will get better. December will be a bumper season. Families will spend more time with each other. For some that is wonderful news; for others, well... maybe social distancing isn't such a bad thing? Any future movies dealing with viruses or pandemics or global disasters will be total box office flops. We have lived it, okay.

There goes my potential award-winning Netflix movie. And the follow-up series as well. Not to mention the mask merchandise. April Fool's Day will never be the same again. We didn't even have one this year. Because no one could actually come up with a prank that could compete with the crap we were dealing with. Not even Stephen King can top such a plot. (Just a quick reminder: it will get better. No, I can't promise that. But a girl can hope.)

I know for sure... If he's hot, always smells good, leaves you feeling happy and satisfied, he's not your man, he's a pizza. Forgive me, I'm a South African survivor. We get through crises by making bad jokes. If you don't get

that, you are quite possibly a foreigner, maybe even an extremely rich African American talk show host. I know for sure that Mr. Trump will have to do some fancy tapdancing since he tested positive. I know for sure that no one has a damn clue about who's going to win the American election. I know for sure that it will be chaos, no matter what the outcome.

I know for sure that journalists and stand-up comedians will have much less to write about should the current cabinet be dissolved. (Again, a girl can only hope). Recently one of our upstanding MPs confidently declared: What's good for the goose, is good for the duck. Hey, I'm not judging, English isn't my first language either and I've come up with a couple of beauties myself. Don't look a gift horse in the face. No one's going to pull the wool over my head. Idioms were clearly not my strong point at school.

Who knows, I might even make it to Parliament. Actually no, that will never happen. And that I know for sure.

HERMANUS: SEVEN-DAY WEATHER AND TIDE TABLE Wed | 7 Oct

Thurs | 8 Oct

Fri | 9 Oct

Sat | 10 Oct

Sun | 11 Oct

Mon | 12 Oct

Tues | 13 Oct

13°/17° Cloudy

13°/16° Some Rain

12°/14° Some Rain

11°/14° Some Rain

10°/18° Clear

10°/18° Mostly Clear

13°/15° Cloudy

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE E: nickey@thevillagenews.co.za T: 079 408 7722

ADMIN & FINANCE

E: admin@thevillagenews.co.za

HIGH LOW HIGH LOW 11 208 audited weekly circulation

05:40 11:39 17:48

LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

00:06 06:15 12:15 18:27

LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

00:52 07:09 13:11 19:30

LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

Proudly Sponsored By

02:12 08:49 15:04 21:29

LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

04:14 10:52 17:08 23:18

LOW HIGH LOW HIGH

05:40 12:03 18:17

HIGH LOW HIGH LOW

Weekly Rainfall Not Available Last week 1mm

00:23 06:34 12:51 19:05

Talisman Tool Hire

De Bos Dam Not Available

Weather: www.yr.no / Tides: www.tide-forecast.com

Last week 88.31%

7 October 2020

7

www.thevillagenews.co.za

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

Enjoy our paper. Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za.

Pedestrians need to be educated, too I wholeheartedly agree with Willy Vanderhoeven regarding a need for education pertaining to traffic circles in Hermanus. In addition to his plea to educate drivers, there is a huge need to educate pedestrians, too.

The pedestrians in Hermanus seem to almost challenge motorists at the circles, seeming to delight in trying to force them to stop. They obviously do not know the traffic rules regarding circles, and the general public needs to be educated.

If pedestrians are at the legal crossing point, vehicles approaching/entering the circle must stop. However, if a vehicle is exiting a circle, a pedestrian at the legal crossing point must wait for the vehicle to pass. This makes sense, as it would otherwise result in a vehicle suddenly having to stop in the process of navigating

Abandoned De Mond is an ‘eyesore’

and exiting the circle – a massive potential for impact from behind.

My view is that there should not be any pedestrian crossings at traffic circles at all. Nobody knows the (complicated) rules, and the potential for accidents is way too high. However, if the authorities persist with the misplaced pedestrian crossings, please embark on an education process – especially with pedestrians – to ensure that everyone is able to negotiate the circles safely.

D Stoltz Voëlklip For an article and diagram on how to correctly navigate a traffic circle, as well as an article on pedestrian safety and responsibilities, turn to the next page. – Ed

Roundabouts designed to slow down traffic The letter of Willy Vanderhoeven, Traffic circles don’t work in Hermanus (The Village NEWS, 30 September) refers.

The remark, ‘’Most drivers treat it like a three- or four-way stop i.e. braking instead of maintaining speed, whether traffic is oncoming or not,” explains why the writer is so frustrated by the conduct of other drivers. If his expectation is that drivers approaching a circle must maintain their speed whether traffic is coming or not, he will be disappointed every time.

Traffic circles (the preferred term is roundabouts) are designed to induce slowing down and yielding to traffic on the circulatory road (in the roundabout). Even without traffic in the roundabout, drivers have to slow down to negotiate the geometry: the curved splitter island that forces a turn to the left followed by the inner circle that forces the turn to the right.

The discussion on how to use a roundabout should start with the legal requirement on right of way as contained in the National Road Traffic 1996, Act 93 of 1996.

301. Right of way at certain road junctions The driver of a vehicle on a public road shall, when he or she intends entering any portion of a public road which constitutes a junction of two or more public roads where vehicular traffic is required to move around a traffic island within such junction, yield the right of way to all vehicular traffic approaching from his or her right within such junction, unless his or her entry into such junction is controlled by an instruction given by a traffic officer or a direction conveyed by a road traffic sign requiring him or her to act differently.

If the driver approaching the roundabout deems it necessary to stop at the yield line in order to observe traffic on the circulatory road or traffic that may enter from the preceding entry road, he/she is driving responsibly and reasonably. I suspect that Hermanus drivers have learned to act in this way to avoid the risk of collisions, because there are some other local drivers that maintain speed (through the roundabout), whether there is traffic or not.

Louis Roodt Stanford

One of Hermanus’ great assets stands today sadly forlorn, neglected and apparently abandoned. A major eyesore with broken buildings, piles of building rubbish and blown over trees.

That is the current state of De Mond Caravan Park at the eastern end of Voëlklip.

Many coastal towns in our country have a campsite where those who cannot afford a hotel, guesthouse or B&B accommodation, or those who simply enjoy the camping and caravanning lifestyle, can enjoy a family holiday

by the sea.

The location is ideal and the basic infrastructure was there. Would it not be worth the municipality’s while to consider cleaning it up and providing the necessary facilities that will bring an income and that everyone can enjoy?

Let’s share this lovely place with people from all walks of life.

Sal Carter Voëlklip

Thank you to HAWS ‘angels’ We recently adopted a dog from HAWS and I want to make special mention of two ‘angels’ who work behind the scenes to make these types of adoptions possible – Razah and Amanda.

Glenda Pope and her grandchildren on the beach with their HAWS rescue dog, Waffles.

Razah, who has the gift to help lost and badly abused animals, especially dogs and cats, to return to health and build up trust in humans once again, if possible, enabling them to find ‘happy ever after’ homes. Also Amanda, always so friendly, encouraging and helpful with all the admin.

The Covid-19 lockdown was a very busy time for the kennels with so many pets being rescued and surrendered due to economic and other reasons. Terribly sad, but luckily our community has such a super team working tirelessly to help where they can.

One such surrender gave our family the chance to give a happy and loving home to ‘Waffles’, who belonged to a local vagrant and is well known by shop owners and customers at the Sandbaai Engen Centre.

He has enriched our lives with his gentle, loving nature. Many recognise him when we are out

walking or on the beach. We cannot imagine life without him now. Thank you, HAWS for the ongoing work by so many to help our fourlegged friends. It is much appreciated.

Andrew & Glenda Onrus

8

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

How to correctly navigate a traffic circle F

or the majority of drivers, one of the most confusing driving laws is the correct use of a traffic circle. In fact, many motorists do not know that there is a difference between the larger traffic circles and the mini traffic circles, other than their size. Can you really be frustrated if someone cuts you off at a traffic circle if you don't know the rules? Let's have a closer look.

What is the difference between the two circles?

A traffic circle is classified as large when it has a minimum diameter of about 16m and a 1.5m to 2m flattened curb which allows heavy vehicles to drive onto a small section of the circle. A mini traffic circle is normally not more than 7m to 10m in diameter and the entire circle is mountable for heavy vehicles.

Are there differing rules for each?

Yes. The rule of thumb is that mini traffic circles, which are usually found in residential areas, have the same rules as a four-way stop - first come first served. For larger traffic circles, which are usually found at busy crossings to assist with the flow of traffic, you must give way to the right.

Rules to remember at a large traffic circle: 1. Slow down as you arrive at a large traffic circle and indicate your direction. Traffic coming from your right in the circle has right of way, regardless of how many cars there are.

2. Wait until there is a safe gap in the flow of cars and then ease slowly into

the traffic circle.

3. Watch out for other traffic in the circle and be aware that they may not be using their indicators correctly/at all. Stay in your lane.

Give way to pedestrians at a crossing

4. Keep a look out for and give way to pedestrians at crossings.

5. Use your indicators: • Signal when you are going to turn switch your indicator on immediately after passing the exit prior to the one you intend taking.

• If you are taking the first exit (i.e. you're turning left), then flick on your left indicator and keep in the outside/ left-hand lane.

• Keeping in the outside/left-hand lane also works well if you're continuing straight ahead as your exit is very close. After you've passed the left turn exit and yours is next, signal left and you're free.

• If you're turning right or performing a U-turn, keep in the inside/ right-hand lane. Only signal left and change into the left-hand lane once you've passed the other exits and only yours is ahead.

Stay in your lane - do not overtake Stay right if going straight or turning right

Correctly navigating a traf c circle If exit is missed, going around again is allowed Stay left when turning left, or if going straight

Rules to remember at a mini traffic circle: 1. Slow down when approaching the circle. The first vehicle to cross the line has right of way, so it works on the same principle as a four-way stop or yield sign.

Yield when approaching, then indicate your direction.

Car to your right has right of way.

2. Proceed in a clockwise direction around the circle.

Sources: iol.co.za; businesstech.co.za

How to correctly navigate a traffic circle

Pedestrian safety and responsibility Source: www.arrivealive.co.za Part 1: Pavements 1. The law states that where there is a pavement, no pedestrian should walk in the roadway. Pedestrians are advised to make use pavements where available.

2. Where there is no pavement, walk as far to the right-hand side of the road as possible, facing oncoming traffic. That way you cannot be surprised by a car and have enough time to step even further away from the road.

3. When you use the pavement, remember to share the space with others. If other pedestrians have to step around you and into the street you could cause them to be involved in an accident.

Part 2: Street Crossing Many pedestrians are killed or injured by crossing the road carelessly. There is one simple rule: stop and look before you cross.

1. Look right, left and right again for any oncoming traffic. Cross only when the road is clear, looking in both directions and listening for oncoming traffic. When you cross, walk briskly but don't run.

2. When crossing the street at a bus/ taxi stop, make sure that the section

of road you choose to cross at is clear of packed or stationary vehicles. Drivers will not be able to see you in time to stop. Controlled crossings are still the safest places to cross the street.

3. When crossing at an intersection (like at the traffic lights) be sure to: • Keep between the solid white lines and watch for moving vehicles • Cross briskly, but do not run • Beware of drivers and cross only when the pedestrian light is green • If the pedestrian light turns red while you are in the middle of the road continue crossing, but do not cross if you are still on the pavement 4. Where there is no special place to cross, such as in rural areas, look for a straight stretch of road away from sharp bends or anything that blocks your view such as bushes, hills, slopes or rises. When you cross, you must be able to see clearly in both directions.

Do not cross the road diagonally.

5. "See and Be Seen" is always the rule for crossing the street. Make sure that drivers see you first and then take all the usual precautions before crossing the road.

6. Vehicles suddenly coming out of concealed driveways are always a danger. Be aware of what is happening around you.

7. You are always safer at a marked

Pedestrian road safety education

pedestrian crossing, but even then, do not expect drivers to stop for you.

They may not notice you or may not be watching properly. Make sure the traffic has stopped before you start crossing (once again, don't run).

Part 3: Visibility 1. If you are out at night, wear white or light coloured clothing. In areas where there are no street lights, motorists cannot see you. You can also make yourself more visible to traffic by carrying a white object in your hand.

2. Where there is no pavement, walk as far as possible to the right-hand side of the road facing oncoming traffic.

Part 4: Alcohol and Drugs Alcohol affects every part of the brain, as do most drugs. What you see and what you think you see become totally different things. Even ordinary movements, like getting up and walking, become difficult and hazardous.

You are not in control of what you do - or of what is happening around you.

1. If you have been drinking or taking drugs or medication, do not drive or walk on the road. Stay over where you are or get a lift home with someone sober. Alcohol has a negative effect on your coordination, hearing, sight and ability to judge speed and distance of oncoming vehicles.

I

t is the responsibility of both motorists and pedestrians to be aware of one another on the roads to ensure that no one gets seriously hurt.

We all know the rules for motorists, but do you know the rules for pedestrians?

The following two exerpts are from a document on road safety education compiled by the Department of Transport (which can be found at www.arrivealive.co.za): Duties of pedestrians • Whenever a sidewalk or footpath abuts on the roadway of a public road, a pedestrian shall not walk on such roadway except for the purpose of crossing from one side of such roadway to the other or for some other sufficient reason.

• No pedestrian on a public road shall conduct himself or herself in such a manner as to or as is likely to constitute a source of danger to himself or herself or to other traffic which is or may be on such road.

• A pedestrian may cross a public road only at a pedestrian crossing or an intersection or at a distance further than 50 metres from such pedestrian crossing or intersection.

Pedestrian's right of way in pedestrian crossing • Where a pedestrian crossing is situated in conjunction with a traffic signal, a pedestrian shall not enter such crossing except in accordance with the indications of such traffic signal.

• A pedestrian on a public road which has no sidewalk or footpath abutting on the roadway, shall walk as near as is practicable to the edge of the roadway on his or her right-hand side so as to face oncoming traffic on such roadway, except where the presence of pedestrians on the roadway is prohibited by a prescribed road traffic sign.

• The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a pedestrian crossing when the pedestrian is upon that half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is travelling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.

• No pedestrian shall cross a public road without satisfying himself or herself that the roadway is sufficiently free from oncoming traffic to permit him or her to cross the road in safety.

• No pedestrian shall suddenly enter a pedestrian crossing and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

• A pedestrian, when crossing a public road by means of a pedestrian crossing or in any other manner, shall not linger on such road but shall proceed with due despatch.

• Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a pedestrian crossing to permit pedestrians to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not pass such stopped vehicle.

Local expertise, national presence and international audience

R 9 450 000 FINE & COUNTRY FEATURE SANDBAAI, HERMANUS, WESTERN CAPE

Hear the Sea – Smell the Sea – Relax by the Sea We are proud to present one of the last seafront plots now on the market in the Western part of Sandbaai, right where the land meets the sea.

This stunning vacant stand is approxamitely 1208sqm and situated in Sandbaai, the ideal place to design and build your dream family or holiday home with never-ending magnificent sea and mountain views.

Hermanus has grown to become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, it’s rustic charm and natural beauty preserved and intact.

As a breeding ground for the Southern Right Whales, Hermanus is one of the World Wildlife Fund’s top 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. In addition, there is no shortage of fine restaurants, wine tasting, beautiful beaches, art galleries and all the important amenities on your doorstep. Situated between the ocean and the magnificent Overberg mountains, Hermanus is the perfect place for rest and relaxation.

Jenny Küsel 083 262 7578 WEB 1381698

Hermanus Office 16 Hope Street, Cnr Dirkie Uys, Hermanus, 7200 +27 (0)21 205 7135 hermanus@fineandcountry.com

Park Lane Office 119/121 Park Lane, London, W1 +44 (0)207 079 1515 admin@fineandcountry.com

Regionally 20 offices throughout Gauteng Nationally 50 offices across South Africa Internationally Over 300 offices globally

www.fineandcountry.com

10

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

MY ENVIRONMENT

The magical world of fireflies

By Dr Anina Lee

O

ctober brings firefly magic. No matter how often you have seen their fairy lights, they never fail to delight. It is now the fourth year that I plan to go and see them and to take with me anyone who would like to share the spectacle and learn more about the lives of fireflies.

In The Village NEWS editions of 16 and 23 October 2019 I wrote about the life cycle of these little beetles and explained what bioluminescence is and how fireflies control their light flashes. (These articles are also on the Whale Coast Conservation website under CHAT.) Flashiness vs substance Fireflies are the flashy stars of the insect world. At night, each little beetle shines like a lamp – and, appropriately, they belong to the family Lampyridae.

The ‘lamplight’ of fireflies is a cold light, produced by a biochemical reaction. Fireflies produce light in special organs in their abdomens. They do this by combining four elements: chemicals called luciferins, enzymes called luciferases, oxygen and the fuel for cellular work, ATP. Fireflies control their flashing by regulating how much oxygen goes to their light-producing organs – which, in turn, depends on the production of nitric oxide, the same chemical produced by Viagra.

Spring heralds romance for these magical insects. While courting on-the-wing, male fireflies attract females' attention with their bioluminescent flashes. If a female is impressed by the initial flashiness, she will flash in reply.

Now here's an interesting thing. Research by biologists at Tufts University reveals that, after the lights go out, female fireflies prefer substance over flash. They seem to choose mates able to give them the largest ‘nuptial gift’ called a 'spermatophore'. This is a high-protein sperm package that helps them to produce more

eggs. But the next night these females are likely to mate again with a different male. And males will mate with other females.

After a female has mated with several males, the big evolutionary question becomes: which male gets to pass along his genes to the next generation of firefly babies? How much of a male's success – in both mating and fathering offspring – depends on his flashes or on his nuptial gift offering?

Not unlike human romance, love remains a mystery among fireflies, and first impressions are only part of the story. While a female's initial assessment of potential mates is based on males' luminescent flashes, the Tufts research shows that once a pair makes contact, sexy flashes no longer matter. Instead, it's those males that have larger nuptial gifts to give that win out with higher reproductive success as their gifts contain more sperm. At this point, the females have little regard for flashiness.

Males with limited resources may face a tradeoff between investing either in sexy flashes or in costly gifts.

The darker side of romance This all sounds very romantic and beautiful. But there's a dark secret: some female fireflies dupe the males of another species with false flash patterns – then, when their amorous would-be partners approach, they attack and eat them. The femme fatales aren't doing this from malice or hunger: they're trying to ingest a toxin that will keep them safe from predators.

agriculture to feed the growing world population.

With increased agriculture comes the increased use of insecticides designed to kill insects, including fireflies. The use of snail and slug bait destroys the firefly larvae's main prey species.

Firefly larvae can remain in the soil for up to two years, so they require undisturbed habitat under leaf litter, and an ample supply of all things slimy, like worms, snails and slugs. Yes, their prey is much larger than they are themselves.

They have a vicious bite, then inject digestive enzymes into the victim, and suck up the resultant 'smoothie'.

With humans comes artificial light at night. Firefly mating rituals depend on their light display, and artificial light, primarily bright white LED lights, interfere with their mating rituals.

Even a smallish town like Hermanus produces significant 'night glow'. One of my best firefly experiences was during an evening of load shedding. When the lights went out, the stars suddenly appeared twice as bright and the fireflies sparkled like jewels in the pitch dark. What a memorable sight!

Join one of Whale Coast Conservation's firefly walks. Contact anina.wcc@gmail.com for more information.

For an excellent tutorial on fireflies and a video go to https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/great-smoky-mountains-firefly-event/ or click the play button on the right.

As the saying goes, "You are what you eat."

In this case, a Photuris female eats a Photinus male to get chemical defences that are present in his blood. The toxins deter predators like birds, spiders, ants and others. These potent toxins are steroids similar to the heart poison generated from the foxglove plant, Digitalis.

Fireflies under threat Sadly, firefly species, just like most other insects, are under threat. These days it's unusual to see them ‘at the bottom of the garden’. Habitat loss, pesticide use and, surprisingly, artificial light are the three most serious threats endangering fireflies across the globe, raising the spectre of extinction for certain species and related impacts on biodiversity and ecotourism.

As the human population grows across the world, more and more firefly habitats are consumed by urban spread and land cleared for

TOP & ABOVE: Fireflies are the flashy stars of the insect world. At night, each little beetle shines like a lamp – and, appropriately, they belong to the family Lampyridae.

PHOTOS: fireflyexperience.org CIRCLE: Spring heralds romance for these magical insects. While courting on-the-wing, male fireflies attract females' attention with their bioluminescent flashes. If a female is impressed by the initial flashiness, she will flash in reply.

PHOTO: Radim Schreiber

11

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

T

essary to enable the school to keep offering the high quality of education it has become known for.

The tourism sector has been especially hard hit, and those who have managed to remain open have had to adapt their business models to focus more on domestic tourism.

The result is the collaborative WOES Virtual Concert on 6 November – an event hosted by WOES presenter, Jaco van Dyk that will include several famous South Africans such as actor Neels van Jaarsveld, singer Leah, and sports heroes Duane Vermeulen and Marais Erasmus as speakers. Hermanus Primary principal, Barry Cilliers, will represent the school.

he Covid-19 pandemic has caused havoc for economies across the globe with millions of people losing their jobs due to lay-offs and businesses having to close their doors for good.

But it’s not just businesses and non-profit organisations that are facing many challenges due to the pandemic – it has also affected our schools. Due to social distancing rules and restrictions on the number of people allowed to attend events, schools have been unable to host any of their usual, annual fundraising projects.

One such school is Hermanus Primary, which has had to go back to the drawing board to come up with ideas to raise the funds nec-

The event will be live streamed and in between the talks there will be a live auction of five different lots, aimed at shining the spotlight on the many tourist attractions in Hermanus and surrounds. The lots include magnificent experiences, such as a two-night stay in the Gabrielskloof farm cottage for six people, a boat cruise on Southern Right Charters and a meal prepared by Chef Frans Groenewald with Gabrielskloof wines at the

Duane Vermeulen

Marais Erasmus

Neels van Jaarsveld

Leah

Hermanus Primary's live event aims to raise funds and assist local tourism

estate’s restaurant. Another confirmed lot offers eight people the opportunity to spend two nights at High Season Farm, as well as a wine tasting by Anthony Hamilton Russell and a lunch prepared by Olive Hamilton Russell at their homestead, Braemar.

Other lucky draw prizes are being raffled at R50 a ticket on tixsa.co.za.To buy a raffle ticket, simply click on 'Buy Tickets' and search for 'Woes 6 November 2020'. Follow the link and select 'Get Tickets'. All the lots and prizes have been sponsored by local businesses.

The live stream can be accessed for free on WOES's Facebook page and YouTube channel by anyone who wishes to support this initiative. WOES is a broadcasting and media production company which started during lockdown to give performers an opportunity to earn an income while they were unable to perform live, and to help schools and other organisations and institutions to raise funds.

Besides raising much-needed funds for the school, Hermanus Primary aims to use this event to promote local businesses and the experiences they offer. “We hope the event will encourage more people to visit our beautiful area,” says Gr 5 teacher and one of the organisers, Niel Botha. “As a community we need to support each other during these unprecedented times, which is why the hashtag for the event is #sterkersaam (#strongertogether).”

The live stream starts at 18:30 on Friday, 6 November on Facebook (@lekkerwoes) and YouTube (Woes). The prizes for the raffles will only be announced on that Friday. For more updates on the auction and the event itself, as well as opportunities to market your business during the livestream, keep an eye on Hermanus Primary School's Facebook page. If you have any queries, contact Niel on 072 426 4829 or Lilly on 083 781 3321. Alternatively you can email lilly@hermanusprimary.org.za.

– Taylum Meyer

Overstrand Munisipaliteit is ’n dinamiese sentrum van uitnemendheid waar die gebied se besonderse potensiaal binne ’n pragtige omgewing ontsluit word. Ons taak is om ewewigtige groei en ontwikkeling binne ons natuurlike omgewing tot voordeel van al ons mense in hulle onderskeie gemeenskappe te bevorder. Die Munisipaliteit sluit die Hangklip/Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford en Gansbaai areas in.

Overstrand Municipality is a dynamic centre of excellence combining great potential with a beautiful setting.

Our task is to bring about growth and development to the benefit of all our people in their different communities, whilst maintaining a balance with nature. The Municipality includes the areas of Hangklip/Kleinmond, Hermanus, Stanford and Gansbaai.

Overstrand Munisipaliteit nooi bevoegde en selfgemotiveerde mense asook kandidate uit die aangewese groepe wat uitdagings geniet, om deel van ons topspan te word en vir die volgende pos aansoek te doen:

Overstrand Municipality invites competent and self-motivated people as well as people from the designated groups who enjoy challenges, to join our leading team and to apply for the following vacancy:

SUPERINTENDENT: MEGANIESE WERKSWINKEL

SUPERINTENDENT: MECHANICAL WORKSHOP

(HERMANUS)

(HERMANUS)

• Direktoraat: Gemeenskapsdienste (Verw.: WC0321620)

• Directorate: Community Services (Ref.: WC0321620)

• Salaris: R330 024 per jaar plus ’n selfoontoelaag

• Salary: R330 024 per annum plus a cell phone allowance

Sluitingsdatum: Vrydag, 23 Oktober 2020 om 15:00.

Closing date: Friday, 23 October 2020 at 15:00.

Besoek asseblief ons webtuiste by www.overstrand.gov.za vir die volledige advertensie en inligting oor die aansoekproses. Die pos kan ook op die kennisgewingborde by die onderskeie biblioteke en munisipale kantore besigtig word.

Please visit our website at www.overstrand.gov.za for the detailed advertisement and information about the application process. This position may also be viewed on the notice boards at the respective libraries and municipal offices.

www.thecandocompany.co.za

140553 VILLAGE NEWS

12

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

WHAT'S COOKING

What to enjoy at The Marine this October Johnson, Raka and Paul Cluver. And the little ones have not been left out – a special children’s menu offers wholesome child-friendly options of mains, side orders, beverages and desserts.

By Hedda Mittner

T

he Marine Hotel, which reopened a month ago, is slowly coming back to life as domestic tourists, especially from Cape Town, come to enjoy not only this iconic establishment’s gracious hospitality, but also the wide open spaces and healthy champagne air of Hermanus.

The Marine, along with its sister hotels, The Plettenberg and Cellars-Hohenort, is also well-known for its excellent cuisine. Heading up the kitchen is Tronette Dippenaar, a charming and down-toearth boeremeisie, albeit one with a sophisticated palate, who has been working for The Collection since 2008, when she was appointed as Chef de Partie at The Marine. After three years, Tronette transferred to The Plettenberg, where she became head chef before moving on to the Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein. She returned to The Marine in 2017 to take over as executive head chef.

Most businesses in the hospitality industry have had to adapt to the ‘new normal’ – and The Marine is no exception. Deciding to keep the Origins restaurant closed until visitor numbers start picking up, all meals are now served in the beautiful Pavilion dining room, which overlooks Walker Bay on the one side and the swimming pool courtyard on the other. With her charismatic and energetic approach to food and service, Tronette has also streamlined the menu, while ensuring that there is enough variety to satisfy all tastes.

In addition to the main menu, which features all Origins’ signature dishes such as the grilled grassfed Beef Sirloin, the Walker Bay Fish Curry, Origins Salad and Franschhoek Salmon Trout Poke Bowl, there is a separate Vegan menu and a Vegetarian menu, complete with starters, mains, side dishes and desserts. The wine list offers overwhelmingly local wines, from celebrated producers such as Beaumont, Bouchard Finlayson, Creation, Newton

Join us at Ficks, 7 days a week, for your favourite pinchos, wine & cocktails. We also have a range of crispy flammkuche available as well as a delicious selection of desserts.

We are situated at 8 Marine Drive, Westcliff , overlooking the historic Ficks Tidal Pool. We have wheelchair access to the left side of the parking area.

Please visit our website to view our full menu.

EMAIL: info@ficks.co.za

TEL: 0283124082

Now is the ideal time for locals who have not experienced the relaxed elegance of The Marine to pop in for sundowners, high tea, lunch or dinner, or even breakfast. The latter is a joy when it’s a sunny day and you can tuck in al fresco next to the pool. With The Marine’s famous buffet breakfast on hold for the moment, you can pick and choose from the a la carte breakfast menu, which includes deliciously healthy immune-boosting shots and freshly-squeezed fruit juices, a selection of pastries and cereals, and traditional hot breakfasts.

Among the specialities you’ll find Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale, Eggs Florentine… all of which is served daily from 07:00 – 10:30. (And for those who think luxury and quality are unanimous with expense, the prices will come as a pleasant surprise.)

During the month of October, the Friday Special at The Marine is Fish & Chips – an ample portion of decadent craft beer-battered hake and triple-cooked hand-cut potato chips, served with pickled onions and caper aioli.

This popular crowd-pleaser can be enjoyed for either lunch or dinner at only R135, every Friday until the end of October.

And what better way is there to spend a Sunday than by indulging in a traditional Sunday Roast dripping with meaty juices and accompanied by plump Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables – comfort food personified! Make your Sunday special with a long, leisurely meal that will allow you to spend quality time with friends and family. The Sunday Roast is available for either lunch or dinner at a cost of R185 per person.

Bookings are essential. Contact The Marine on 028 313 1000.

ABOVE: The grand old lady of Hermanus, The Marine Hotel, enjoys a wonderful position on the cliffs overlooking Walker Bay. PHOTO: Supplied BELOW: Chef Tronette Dippenaar with The Marine’s Friday Special of fish ‘n chips. In the circle is the Sunday Roast, with all the trimmings.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

WHAT’S ON

OVERBERG 7

7 OCT – 18 OCT 2020 www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson

13

Wednesday

Overberg Pop-in Market Join Afdaksrivier Nursery for their Wednesday markets and get farmfresh veggies, freshly-baked sourdough bread, microgreens, jams, pies, gluten-free cookies and other sweet treats to enjoy and take home. For every R1 000 spent on plants (total can be accumulated) you will receive an entry into the Lucky Draw to win another R1 000 worth of plants. The competition runs until 9 Oct and the winner will be announced on 10 Oct. You’ll find the turn-off to Afdaksrivier at the red harvester on the R43 between Fisherhaven and Benguela Cove. For more info call 082 673 4446 or 083 656 7063.

Afdaksrivier Nursery, Karwyderskraal | 09:30 – 14:00

8

Free guided hikes Harold Porter Botanical Garden is offering free guided tours, every Tuesday and Thursday until end of October. Booking is essential and numbers are limited to 10 persons per tour. The normal entry fee will still apply. For more info, contact Loretta or Etienne on 028 272 9311 or L.Floors@sanbi. org.za or E.Smith@sanbi.org.za.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden, Betty’s Bay | 08:00 – 16:30

14

Thursday Talks @ Harold Porter Ebraime Hull is presenting a series of free talks at Harold Porter, every Thursday during October. The topic of discussion on 8 Oct is ‘How to propagate fynbos plants’ and on 15 Oct ‘The pruning of plants’. The normal entry fee will still apply. For more information contact Ebraime on 028 272 9311.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden, Betty’s Bay | 11:00 – 12:00 Wild Women Drawing Workshop Join local artist Gillian Hahn online for her ‘Drawing with Confidence’ workshop via Zoom, every Thursday

Wednesday

Wild Women creative drawing workshop Join local artist Gillian Hahn online every Wednesday afternoon for her creative writing and story-telling workshop via Zoom. You’ll find all the info at www.gillianhahn.com/workshops/ or contact 076 181 2964 or gillianhahn14@gmail.com Virtual event | 14:00 –15:00

Thursday

Free guided hikes Harold Porter Botanical Garden is offering free guided tours, every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of October. Booking is essential and numbers are limited to 10 persons per tour. The normal entry fee will still apply. For more information, contact Loretta Floors or Etienne Smith on 028 272 9311 or L.Floors@sanbi.org.za or E.Smith@sanbi.org.za.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden, Betty’s Bay | 08:00 – 16:30

Tuesday

afternoon. You’ll find all the info at www.gillianhahn.com/workshops/ or contact 076 181 2964.

Virtual event | 14:00 –15:00

9

Friday

Wine Down Friday Celebrate that TGIF feeling at The Wine Glass at the end of a busy week!

Enjoy the vibe and get two for the price of one on selected wines, beers and nibbles. This special offer now also extends to Super Saturday at the same time, from 16:00 –18:00. Book via www.thewineglass.guru or call 082 082 0007.

The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Rd, Hermanus | 16:00 – 18:00 (Fri & Sat)

10

koek, soet koekies, sout koekies, lewer koekies? A peaceful place to while away Saturday mornings, glass of wine in hand, with Woefie lying at your feet? Olives, freshly shucked oysters and other nibbles made by real people? Served on real porcelain, using real cutlery, sipping wine from a real wine glass? Then you’ll want to hotfoot it across to Die Markie at Hermanuspietersfontein. Here safe parking is a doddle and life is easy.

Hermanuspietersfontein Wine Cellar | 09:00 – 13:00

Saturday

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, homemade crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music.

Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00 Die Markie Looking for koek? Vetkoek, panne-

Stanford Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats’ cheeses to woodfired ciabattas, pastries and pies, farm-fresh vegetables, free-range eggs, flowers, preserves and deli delights (including gluten-free, wheatfree and vegan goodies) to tantalise your taste buds! #Nomasksnoservice.

Stanford Hotel Stoep | 09:00 – 12:00

Junktique Market One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Pop in and give new life to a previously loved item. Treats and nibbles also available for you to snack on while you browse. R50 per stall. To book contact 028 341 0340 or book@ stanfordinfo.co.za.

Stanford Tourism Office Courtyard | 09:00 – 12:00

Gansbaai Farmers’ Market Specialising in organic, homemade and home-grown products such as fresh farm produce, oven-fresh bakes and pastries, local wines and craft beers, and indigenous plants and herbs. No plastic or polystyrene packaging; only eco-friendly wood, paper, glass and earthenware used to display goods. For enquiries and more information, contact 028 384 1439 or doulene@gansbaaitourism. co.za Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00

18

Sunday

Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Practice Walk Join the L2L Ladies for the first in a series of four practice walks before the main event in 2021. This walk will cover a distance of 22 km in Fernkloof Nature Reserve (duration: 7 hours) and the terrain will include coastal path and fynbos bush track.

The dress code is pink in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Register on quicket.co.za (search for Practice Walk 1 - Fernkloof ).

Meet at The Beanery, Gateway Centre | 07:00 Brewery2Brewery 2020 Entries are open for this year’s beer & bike fest which will see MTB riders tackle the route from Greyton to Hermanus. Early registration at Old Potter’s Country Inn, Greyton from 14:00 – 17:00 on Saturday, followed by a beer fest with live bands performing. Event day registration at Old Potter’s on Sunday morning at 06:00, with the 85 km B2B race setting off at 07:00 and finishing at The Brewery.

For tickets and more information, go to brewery2brewery.co.za Greyton to Hermanus, finishing at The Brewery between 11:00 – 15:00

14

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

MY HOME

Should the days of show boards be numbered?

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

provision of more facilities would encourage more informal settlements, however, informal settlements come about in South Africa as a result of insufficient provision of social housing, and not because people particularly want to live in informal settlements.

uring the course of my career I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively outside our borders. From world cities with histories going back centuries to scenic rural towns across both Europe and Africa, one of the issues that all these inhabited areas have in common is the proliferation of waste and litter generated by the human species.

But what has this got to do with real estate in the towns and areas served by this newspaper?

Driving behind a car in Johannesburg recently, my vehicle was “assaulted” by the packaging of a meal provided by a well-known take-away outlet. That same afternoon I was viewing a property with a colleague and en route we passed an informal settlement where a pile of waste had accumulated to the extent that it was encroaching on the road. In the latter case the settlement probably had no formal refuse removal service, yet I could not help but wonder if there was not a potential quick win for a local politician if the municipality could be persuaded to provide a garbage dumpster in a central location. That would at least enable the people living in that informal settlement to keep their environment cleaner.

Any estate agent knows that exposure is important in order to ultimately attract a potential buyer to a property. We spend the majority of our marketing expenditure on presenting the property correctly, and then ensuring maximum exposure through the utilisation of as many channels as possible. Placing a home on show is obviously an important part of the process, but in today’s technological age, is it really necessary to direct a client through the use of pointers to a home that they have probably loaded on one of the many freely available map applications?

D

Some people will undoubtedly argue that the

This last weekend I was driving through Hermanus on a Saturday morning when I came across more of this urban litter that we as estate agents seem to think are required in order to sell a home. I am of course talking about show boards.

Most residential estates do not allow the use of show boards within the estate itself. This is because they recognise that the professional estate agent is able to correctly direct prospective clients to the home, without the use of direction-

al show boards. Does the lack of show boards within estates limit the ability to sell? Absolutely not. Before the onset of the internet, the largest form of advertising was the placing of show day advertisements in the Saturday press.

These ads would typically direct the prospective buyer to follow the boards from the corner of a particular set of roads. In addition, it was not always possible to advertise all available homes, and show boards were also used to bring buyers to homes that had not been advertised in the local press.

In today’s technological age, where every home is advertised on the company’s own and third party portals, where show days have been reduced to limited hours on a Saturday and Sunday, and where the pointers themselves often do not indicate the times of the show day itself, is there really any point in still displaying them from noon on a Friday till noon on the Monday?

What is the purpose behind creating an “eyesore” on certain corners in our town, week in and week out? Advertise your show days on your own and third party portals, provide the address, and the result will be the same. Those buyers who are interested in a particular home will find it during the time allotted to the show day.

My colleagues and I will actively support the abolishment of show boards from the areas in which we work. We see no sense in our towns allowing unpaid advertising on a broad scale on every weekend. Professional and efficient estate agents do not rely on a chance buyer who followed a board in the hope that this board would lead to the home of his or her dreams. The days of urban littering should be numbered.

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

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

15

and they willl come Writer & Photographer Raphael da Silva

B

uild it has opened its first separate showroom in South Africa where customers can come and choose everything they need to finish their homes, all under one roof.

The showroom, located opposite Build it Gansbaai is the brainchild of co-owner brothers, Dylan and Clayden Burger, who were looking for a way to keep local residents from going over the mountain to Cape Town or Somerset West to buy their lighting, bathroom, tiling, kitchen, appliance and flooring needs, while also inspiring them with ideas to finish their own homes.

“We also have opening solutions, all your aluminium and wooden windows and doors for every entrance.

We have solutions for your braais and fireplaces as well. In short, we offer comprehensive solutions for the entire home,” says Dylan. Similar in concept to what multinational retailer IKEA offers, Build it

customers will be able to sit down in the showroom over a cup of coffee with a consultant and, using a tablet, be able to look at designs and use the online catalogue to order. “What you see in the showroom isn’t even ten percent of what is available for customers to choose from,” said Dylan at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. “We also guarantee that our pricing is going to be competitive.”

Dyan said that more and more residents are choosing to build their own homes themselves in order to save money. They have also noticed an increasing trend in the number of people who are doing home renovations themselves.

So if you are in need of one shop where you can find everything you need instead of going to different stores to separately buy what you want for your kitchen or bathroom, for example, you know just where to go!

Find their new showroom at 27 Industry Cir, Gansbaai Industrial Area, or call 028 384 1200.

Eddie and Silvana Burger (left) cut the red ribbon to celebrate the opening of the Build it Showroom in Gansbaai, the first of its kind for Build it in South Africa, surrounded by family, friends and employees. Eddie and Silvana are the founders of the Build it franchises in Gansbaai and Hermanus and have passed on the business to their two sons, Dylan (standing behind his parents) and Clayden (front right).

16

www.thevillagenews.co.za

MY WELLNESS

Change your look, feel the difference All that dedicated attention – and careful thought – will take only a few hours of your day and Erna charges an hourly rate. This is a small change for a re-energised, rejuvenated you – and, if needs be, she’ll help you shop for your new wardrobe.

homemakers. She believes the consumer studies course is worth doing by anyone – male or female. “It teaches valuable life skills like cooking, nutrition, fashion design and interior design, as well as small business enterprise development.”

A domestic science – now called consumer studies – teacher by profession, Erna’s creative flair and sharp eye for detail will put new life into your wardrobe. And you’ll be among celebrities such as the late Margaret Roberts, South African herbalist and author of many books; Sandy McCormack, Miss South Africa 1986; and Keith Kirsten, South Africa’s bestknown gardener, who have all benefited from Erna’s understated insight. Corporate clothing for the Protea Hotels group is also on her resumé.

Remember, gents, Erna has vast experience in changing men’s wardrobes, too. In fact, that’s where her talent first revealed itself. A straight-talking person, Erna told a friend that the way he dressed needed attention – that, in fact, it left much to be desired. He told her to do something about it.

Erna’s response to being asked for a few hints on style was: “Don’t follow fashion, follow your personality, in colour and style. Don’t colour your hair and, remember, with a good haircut you can get away with anything. And you (looking intently at me)… you need eyebrows!

“I did, and I was astonished by his transformation,” she said. “People commented favourably on his new look, he grew in poise and in confidence – and I knew that this was my calling.”

“Oops,” she apologized, “I get excited and then I come across a little heavy-handed – but you’ll think about it?” (I did…)

Asked how she goes about her consultations, she explained:

Born and raised in Gauteng, Erna studied at the Potchefstroom College of Education and, as a single mother of three children, she used her skills to keep the home fires burning.

Writer Olivia Schaffer

A

t a time when money is in short supply and you need a change, Erna Vroom of Hermanus is a valuable person to know.

“I like to sit and chat with the client, preferably over a cup of coffee, to get a good feel for her or him. Prior to our meeting, I request that all the seldom-used clothes be taken out of the cupboard, so that I can look at the colours and styles and assess whether or not they enhance the client’s shape and personality. Together, we mix, match, alter, add to, take from – and voilá we have a new, exciting wardrobe of clothes that promises to reawaken vitality and uplift morale.”

“With teaching, alterations, dressmaking and colour-coding, I managed to provide for my daughter, who is now in Thailand, as well as my twin boys, one in London and the other here in Hermanus,” she explained. “My days were long and tiring, but that’s all in the past now.”

Naturally, Erna’s children are also competent

Erna has made an impact on many people’s lives. She has taught at numerous schools (is currently a tutor for Grade 12 learners), runs dressmaking classes and does alterations as well as dressmaking for private clients.

You’ll find her at ernavroom@gmail.com or 072 380 0440.

Erna Vroom explains how a soft feminine top can transform blue jeans into smart-casual wear.

PHOTO: Olivia Schaffer

7 October 2020

18

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Get your paws to the HAWS shop A t a time when several shops have been forced to close their doors, the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) took the bold step of opening their second charity shop at Gateway Centre on Friday.

“We questioned whether this was a wise move,” said HAWS chair Pamela Quinn at the opening, “but we simply had to do something – and the response from the public was overwhelmingly supportive.”

Pam went on to explain how difficult it had become since the lockdown to raise funds. “As an NPO run by dedicated volunteers, we don’t get any government assistance and are entirely dependent on donations and fundraising in order to continue doing the work we do.

"Unfortunately the lockdown meant that our biggest charity event of the year, the annual golf day, could not be held, and on top of that our charity shop in Mitchell Street had to

close for two months.”

With their new shop now up and running, HAWS is hopeful that the public will support them by popping in and browsing their diverse offering of quality used goods, ranging from clothing and accessories such as scarves, ties, bags and shoes, to home décor such as lamps, vases and ornaments.

7 October 2020 Pam Quinn, Marlene Deneeghere, René Dewar, Takesure Razah and Peter Hansen of HAWS all worked tirelessly to get the new HAWS charity shop ready within a month. “We would like to thank the Gateway Centre management for their cooperation and all the volunteers who helped us with the sorting, pricing and setting up of the shop,” said Pam.

The shop also stocks a good selection of kitchenware and tableware, including crockery and glassware, bedding, linen and towels. For the little ones there are baby clothes and toys, along with puzzles and books.

There really is something for everyone, so do have a look at what’s available before you rush out to buy something new. All the carefully selected used goods in the shop are in excellent condition and there are great bargains to be had. Plus you’ll be helping HAWS to continue caring for the vulnerable animals in our communities.

At your service: Shop assistants Dorcas Chawanda and Progress Mhonda with manager Natasha Leaf-Wright.

PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner

We know it's hard to say no But every time you share a table snack with your pet, you're increasing his risk of life-threatening diseases like diabetes, heart disease & arthritis Make that 'no' a lot easier by stocking up on healthy yet delicious pet-friendly treats Check out the wide selection at EberVet Vetshops.

HERMANUS ONRUS HERMANUS 2 Wybo Newmark Rd Checkers Centre Whale Coast Mall tel: 028 312 1453 tel: 028 316 2904 Station Mall tel: 028 312 3028

20

www.thevillagenews.co.za

7 October 2020

Good luck for your final exams!

MY SCHOOL

Awards for Gym Genies

G

ym Genies Gymnastics Club celebrated their fourth birthday in September. Boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 15 from Hermanus, Gansbaai, Bredasdorp, Napier, Greyton, Kleinmond and Pringle Bay train at this artistic gymnastics club with coach Madelein Wrigley.

“We were very disappointed that, Due to Covid-19, no provincial competitions are allowed,” she says, “so to help keep our gymnasts motivated we hosted our own club competition. We evaluated our gymnasts on SAGF (South African Gymnastics Federation) Fun Gym

and Kids X disciplines.”

According to Madelein, 35 of her Grade 1 – 7 gymnasts completed Fun Gym One and a total of 2 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze certificates were achieved. Ten of the club’s pre-school gymnasts also took part in SAGF Kids X and did extremely well, with everyone qualifying for their certificate.

“It is of the utmost importance to keep our children fit and healthy, both physically and mentally. The benefits from taking part in gymnastics are endless,” says Madelein.

Back: Mila Ferreira, Lanika Mostert, Emma Lemmer, and Amelie Botha. Front: Leah Duvenhage, Lienke Lemmer, and Lienke van den Berg.

Generation Schools Hermanus held a function on Friday morning for seniors and their parents to wish the learners good luck for their Cambridge exams at the end of October. These examinations are known to be one of the most rigorous and prestigious academic assessments of any school system in the world. The exam papers will be sent to the UK to be moderated, along with those of students from across the world. Wishing their learners all the best for the formidable task that lies ahead of them, Generation would also like to make special mention of Kyle Saville, who is busy studying towards a full B Comm degree through Cornerstone University, and also wrote his AS Levels in Mathematics and English. Despite his huge workload, he managed to secure straight As, finishing first in both subjects across the entire school group. Well done!

Curro Hermanus held their Valedictory on Friday, which also marked the last ‘normal’ school day for their matrics. Academic and cultural awards were given out for outstanding performance in the different subjects to very deserving learners. Curro Hermanus and The Village NEWS would like to congratulate Jean Weight on a 100% mark for Mathematics, and wish the Grade 12s all the best for their final exams as well as health and prosperity for their future. During the Valedictory, the new student council (SRC) for 2021 was also announced. Congratulations to (listed in alphabetical order): Jennifer da Fonseca, Marc de Villiers, Kerin Helmbold, Stephanie Hodson, Jaco Hoogenboezem, William Howe, Nadja Jasprica, Declan Lind, Elizabeth Montgomery and Jabez Strauss. The head boy and head girl for 2021 will be announced next week.

Hermanus High School and The Village NEWS would like to congratulate the learners who were chosen to represent the 2021 student council.

They are Zoë Eyberg (head girl), Vion Wium (head boy), Pinky Mananga (deputy head girl), Owen Wagenaar (deputy head boy), Adi Wessels, Anna van Zyl, Cade Ingles, Caitlyn Otto, Connor Pedro, Francois Theron, Hanno Scheepers, Jordan Theron, Kelsey Block, Kian Carstens, Maia Bellingan, Megan Nepgen, Mia le Roux, Mihle Sonqayi, Misha Horn, Naude van Dyk, Nina de Kock, Sonay Oelofse and Xanti Mgoqi.

We also wish all the matrics good luck for their final exams.