The Village NEWS 20 - 26 March 2019

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Proposal for Schulphoek

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20 MARCH 2019

What's On

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L2L: What it takes

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Matt Beers and Alan Hatherly of team Specialized Foundation-NAD during Stage 1 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race. The first day was a tough 111 km which started and ended in Hermanus on Monday 18 March. Prologue winners Annika Languid and Anna van der Breggen increased their lead in the women’s race with a dominant performance, while the all-Swiss pairing of Nino Schurter and Lars Forster (Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing) won the men’s race after a tough battle. The eight-day Epic adventure moved on to Elgin on Wednesday and will end at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl on Sunday 24 March. PHOTO: Nick Muzick, Cape Epic

Historic moment for Hermanus Writer Elaine Davie

W

ered, the grand old building at the entrance to the Hermanus CBD has been given a new ‘lease on life’ as the administrative hub of Hermanus Varsity. More changes will become apparent in the days and months to come, as the project progresses.

As audience members discov-

In August last year at the height of the protests, three men dreamed the impossible dream and set about turning it into reality. They were Theo Krynauw of Sparklekids, William Ntebe of the Youth Café in Zwelihle and Emeritus Professor John de Gruchy of the Volmoed Retreat Centre.

hat a buzz! What a meeting of minds! What a celebration! Saturday 16 March was an ‘epic’ day in Hermanus, not only because of the many cyclists who came to town, but because the Hermanus community turned out in force on a beautiful late-summer’s morning to celebrate the opening of the Hermanus Varsity (HV) campus in the historic Old Synagogue building.

The dream was to create a facility where local youngsters could obtain a tertiary education without leaving home, and which would equip them with the skills to earn a decent and meaningful livelihood close to home.

the Overstrand, as well as top management at a number of universities, confirmed that it could be done. A Convenors’ Group was established and the Hermanus Varsity Trust registered.

At the launch of Hermanus Varsity last Saturday John de Gruchy outlined the process that had led to this moment in an unbelievably short seven months.

Amongst others, the Universities of Stellenbosch and Johannesburg and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology agreed to come on board as active partners in accrediting courses and generally supporting and assisting the project.

Extensive consultations with local stakeholders, including the more than 70 retired academics living in

What the organisers found particular-

ly energising, however, was the level of encouragement they received from ordinary Hermanus citizens.

The vision is that it will create opportunities for newly-matriculated students with the correct exemptions, working professionals and civil servants to study part-time and upgrade their skills, and, in the not-to-distant future, be a home for post-graduate marine studies.

Continues on P 3

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20 March 2019

‘Transformation occurs through education’ From P 1

D

r Michele Serfontein, on behalf of the Academic Committee confirmed that the first modules of the first certificate course ofered by the Varsity would begin in July this year. “We need to go slowly at the beginning, to go fast later,” she emphasised.

“This will be a pilot project to help us refine the model, before we go full steam ahead.” The course is a 10-module higher certificate course at NQF 5 level in Local Economic Development, which is ofered by the University of Johannesburg and will take about two years to complete.

Registration will be restricted to 50 students per module. HV would soon be calling for applications, she said, and the Varsity would provide the students with every possible assistance in handling the application and registration processes.

Phase 3 of the initiative, which starts in the second quarter of 2019, will include needs’ surveys to ensure that courses and curricula not only serve the academic development of students who register, but also the needs of local industry.

The academic hub must also still be equipped with both IT infrastructure that will enable students to take the online courses of the academic partners, and places where tutors can meet their students. A large number of retired academics who have volunteered to serve as tutors will be one of the strong features of the Varsity.

Before cutting the ribbon and opening the doors of the Old Synagogue to a new lowering of learning and culture in Hermanus, Dr Sindiwe Magona – writer, educationist, cultural ambassador, social activist – elegant in the colours of the Varsity, threw down the gauntlet to all who wanted to pull themselves out of poverty and ignorance to self-fulfilment and transformation.

“This is your time,” she declared, “your time to become what you were meant to be, to fight for the future.

Forget about the past and forget

about joining the crowd to burn down schools and libraries. We need to learn to grow, not to destroy.

So stand up for yourself, think for yourself and decide ‘I will do this for myself’ – then feel proud of your achievements.” Transformation, she emphasised, occurs through education and it is at places of higher learning that we discover both ourselves and others. And it is through the transformation of one person at a time that we transform a nation.

She had a message, too, for those in the community, who build their walls higher and higher to protect themselves against violence and disorder.

“You don’t need higher fences,” she pointed out. “You need more people living worthwhile lives, like you. You need people who see a way out of the indignity of poverty through high quality education, determination and hard work.

"As things are, society is breaking down people, not building them up.

And we are all in this together: when so many people live lives of hopelessness and desperation, it has a direct efect on all of us. We can certainly not rely on politicians to bring about change: they only talk, they never do.

“But in the establishment of this home-grown varsity, Hermanus has the opportunity to create a model for the rest of the country to follow – in 50 years’ time there could be similar institutions all over South Africa. We should not be modest about our fight for education – drug dealers are not modest, pimps are not modest, ‘skollies’ are not modest when they hang around the school gates recruiting our children. Neither should we

Dr Sindiwe Magona (left) cuts the ribbon with Deputy Mayor Elnora Gillian and Ward Councillor Kari Brice at the opening of the Hermanus Varsity on Saturday.

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer be modest; we should wake up and recruit our children for education, for change. Let all of us walk together and work together for transformation!”

The second part of the launch function, in the evening, was both a networking opportunity, to introduce the business community to the local academic community and an opportunity to get the all-important fundraising programme of the ground.

John Maytham, from 567 Cape Talk, who is the Hermanus Varsity Trust’s Ambassador was a guest speaker for the evening’s event. John encouraged the guests to help meet the Varsity’s financial needs with a silent auction of a special bottle of wine donated by Hamilton Russell Estates and though a pledge drive. Three pledgers will have the opportunity to be recognized as the ‘Founding Donors’ of the Varsity, with a special place on the roll of donors.

Various funding options are available to facilitate the Varsity’s vision of economic and community transformation through education.

For more information visit the Hermanus Varsity website at www. hermanusvarsity.co.za

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20 March 2019

www.thevillagenews.co.za

Design proposal for Schulphoek housing development Writer De Waal Steyn

SCHULPHOEK CONCEPTUAL VISION

I

f agreement can be reached that all stakeholders will work together and there will be no more land occupation in Schulphoek, then the provincial government will do the necessary to acquire the land,” said Premier Helen Zille at a meeting in the municipal auditorium on Monday.

A draft concept design of the housing possibilities that can be developed on the Schulphoek land was presented at this multi-party housing stakeholders’ meeting.

Although the design as presented was rejected by some of the attendees, the decision was taken that it would be used as a starting point from which to work towards a future development plan. All stakeholders will be given the opportunity to present their concepts of a possible design plan for the site at a meeting next Monday.

Architect Mokena Makeka of Makeka Design Lab said the proposal is what an ideal community for Schulphoek may look like in the next five years.

“This is only an initial idea and a lot of work needs to go into the planning of a final development, but the basic principle is that the development caters for the provision of afordable housing in the area.”

The proposal was informed by the Conradie Better Living Model being developed in Pinelands, Cape Town.

The concept behind the Model is to make well-located, afordable housing available in an area where the upmarket section of the development will assist in subsidising the lower-priced units.

“The higher density in the proposal for Schulphoek allows us to improve the ecological diversity of the space and create a sense of place. The suggested design was informed by the public and ecological development plans of the municipality drawn up over the past 14 years. We took into consideration the developmental, ecological and archaeological importance of the site and incorporated that into the proposal,” said Makeka.

PHOTO: Leijla Steyn

According to the proposal, there will be both a recreational node with sports fields, as well as an archaeo-cultural facility where the importance of centuries-old middens in the area will be emphasised.

It also includes a multi-storey, mixeduse zone consisting of both retail and housing space, a beach-facing residential area, seafront promenade, pedestrian avenue, milkwood forest corridor, mariculture facility and a desalination plant.

There will be just over 1 000 housing units in the development. “If you take into consideration that two to three people can be housed per unit, this already makes a dent in the housing need,” said Makeka.

Premier Helen Zille said although the proposed development at Schulphoek will not solve all the housing problems of the area, it will

go a long way towards solving the problem of afordable housing in Zwelihle. “What we need to make Better Living developments a reality, apart from all communities working together, is large pieces of land that are unoccupied.

“Schulphoek is already partly occupied and we need agreement that no further shacks will be erected on the site. If the land is occupied no development can take place,” she said.

Gcobani Ndzongana, leader of Zwelihle Renewal, said they would undertake to ensure that no more shacks will be erected. “While we are not happy with the proposed design, we will go back to the community and get their input. At the moment the proposal creates division and many of the people will not benefit from it.”

by all parties that Schulphoek was not conducive to the erection of shacks and that it must be used for afordable housing. “The shacks that are currently on the land will need to be removed and reblocked so that development can take place. The way the shacks are stacked at the moment makes it impossible to develop or put in services,” she said.

According to her, the idea behind the Better Living Model is to encourage

economic growth and give the middle class an opportunity to move into their own homes.

“This is the beginning of the public participation process. We need all the input we can get from all interested and afected parties so that we know that we are on the right track. It is, however, impossible to please everyone and therefore we as leaders will have to take ownership of the project and drive it forward.”

Outline of the Better Living Model: • • • • • • • •

A high-density, high-rise, residentially-led development; Commercial and retail business opportunities; A safe and secure environment; Active streets, low car dependencies and walkable living spaces; Parks and other well-designed recreational spaces; New schools; Integration of diferent communities and income groups, and Government and public services brought closer to citizens.

Zille said it was previously agreed

LEFT: Members of Rotary Hermanus and the Interact group PHOTO: Gys Malan of Hermanus High School painted a 4m Rotary Wheel on top of Rotary Way as part of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Fly Over competition that takes place every year.

The town showing the most gees is awarded the Best Town Spirit Award. Hermanus won this award in 2017 when the Epic visited our shores.

Here are Rotary members Frank Mathee and Dave Wright (kneeling in front). Behind them are (from left) Patrick Macphail, Anneke Harms, Adré Smit, Ann Wright, Johan Augustyn and members of the Interact Club. ABOVE: Local cyclist Gys Malan admires the completed artwork on Rotary Drive.

20 March 2019

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www.thevillagenews.co.za

Hermanus Siyakha is launched T

he issues of land and housing have been in the forefront of the news over the past year, but not much has been said about addressing the issue of poverty and the tremendous wealth gap between those who have financial resources and those who live in poverty.

Hermanus Siyakha is being launched in the belief that those who have, are eager to assist those who have not, if only: • they know who to help • they know how best to provide that assistance • they are assured that 100% of their contri bution will reach the recipients Hermanus Siyakha addresses this desire to assist by tackling one of the biggest challenges that the poor face: how to obtain small loans to improve their circumstances, when they don’t have savings, collateral or a regular salary that would qualify them for a traditional bank loan.

All evidence indicates that access to finance is one of the major barriers to lifting people out of poverty and enabling them to enjoy a decent standard of living. Hermanus Siyakha provides a vehicle whereby members of the Overstrand community can support micro-business enterprises in the region with small interest-free loans. These loans are provided in order to enable small businesses to grow, develop sustainable infrastructure and create additional employment opportunities.

All loan applicants are linked to an experienced mentor who assists in the preparation of the loan application and provides ongoing guidance and support.

The mission of Hermanus Siyakha is simple and direct: “Transforming communities by building relationships and growing businesses.”

What distinguishes this initiative from others is that the funds for small business loans are provided by residents of the Overstrand, and the recipients of these loans are also residents of Hermanus and surrounding areas. But it is about more than just helping small businesses access funding. Given the historical divides that still plague Hermanus and the Overstrand region, this initiative seeks to connect communities and build relationships between their members. The operating model affirms the dignity of all involved by giving a sense of purpose and worth to both lenders and borrowers.

This is how it operates: Hermanus Siyakha, working with partner organisations and members of the community, identifies suitable projects, and with a team of experienced mentors, develops a loan application together with the applicant. Once the application

Phillip Parsons (front right), with the Steering Committee of Hermanus Siyakha at the RDP Centre in Zwelihle. has been assessed and approved, the project is posted on the Hermanus Siyakha website (hermanussiyakha.org.za) to enable members of the community to contribute towards the requested loan.

This crowd-funding website model has the advantage that the decision to fund a particular project rests with the individual lender; if the amount of the loan is raised within the specified period, the loan is granted, based on an agreed monthly rate of redemption over a reasonable period. If insufficient funds are pledged, the loan will not be granted. Lenders loan to a specific project and anticipate repayment at the end of the loan period. While no guarantee of repayment is given, international and SA experience indicates that repayment rates are generally in excess of 90%.

The website will showcase approved projects and contributors are invited to select the project to which they would like to contribute, and the amount that they would like to loan.

All amounts contributed go to the beneficiary by way of the loan; Hermanus Siyakha administrative costs are covered by donations.

The minimum loan contribution is R500, which means that, assuming the loan is repaid in full, the actual “cost” to the contributor is the loss of interest on that amount for the loan period, which is probably equivalent to the price of a cup of good cappuccino.

Once the target amount has been reached, the loan is disbursed; the recipient is assisted and regularly monitored throughout the loan period by the mentor assigned to the project. At the end of the loan period the original

contributors have their contributions repaid, or they can allocate these amounts to other projects of their choice.

The initiative enjoys the support of churches and community members whose representatives, together with a number of retired business executives, make up the Steering Committee. Hermanus Siyakha is also actively engaged with other organisations providing entrepreneurial training and grant funding.

Financial accountability is provided by the registered non-profit company, Hermanus Siyakha NPC (Registration Number: 2018/455604/08), through which all funds are administered. The company has three directors: Jerry van Niekerk, Nigel Thatcher and Phillip Parsons, who all reside locally and serve in a voluntary capacity.

As this microfinance initiative is launched, all residents of Hermanus and the Overstrand region who want to make a real difference in our society are encouraged to take up the Hermanus Siyakha challenge: • Do you want to be part of transforming the Hermanus community?

• Do you have R500 or more that you could loan to a deserving project?

• Visit hermanussiyakha.org.za to see the var ious projects that are requesting interest-free loans.

• Consider whether you want to be part of this exciting new initiative by making a financial contribution to one or more of them.

If you would like further information on this initiative, please contact Phillip Parsons at philpars@telkomsa.net or visit hermanussiyakha.org.za.

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LET’S TALK

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

Enjoy our paper. - The Editorial Team

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Conservationists’ objections are ‘ill-founded’ This letter is in response to the recent editorial and letters from the EMS Foundation and the Animal Justice Lead of SAFCEI, criticising the proposed Lamloch Game Farm.

According to the EMS Foundation, visitors come to the Overberg to see wild animals in their natural state and “this is the area’s bread and butter… on which the local economy and job’s turn”. Excuse me! I have been living in Betty’s Bay for 12 years and, besides the couple of baboon troops in the Hangklip vicinity, I am yet to notice any other wild animals in their ‘natural state’ which would be freely available for sighting by the tourist.

We occasionally see the odd shy grysbok in the evening, we sometimes hear the nocturnal porcupine rustling its quills in the middle of the night on its quest to find the bulb of an arum lily, and a shy leopard came down from the mountains a couple of years ago to feed on a penguin. But, as far as ‘wild animals’ go, that is it – definitely not enough to attract tourists seeking wild animals.

I am assuming that the EMS does not classify sharks and whales as ‘wild animals’ - if this is the case, then it is in the wrong vocation. The issue about whether it is a game park or a sanctuary is purely semantic and not worth commenting on.

CapeNature said it does not support, condone nor encourage non-essential human/wildlife contact or interaction. Presumably CapeNature’s above-mentioned protocol excludes the control of the Stony Point penguin colony at Betty’s Bay. Here the tourists are granted access, by the busloads, to daily troop through the penguin colony – the only presence from CapeNature is the official who eagerly collects the entrance fees.

The colony is getting so crowded that on any given evening one will find a penguin waddling along Disa Road in search of a more private nesting area.

As for the Cape Whale Coast Tourism Manager’s comments about its responsible tourism practices, the following queries arise: Regarding whale watching, how many ‘tickets’ were issued in 2018 to boats/craft for contravening the statutory minimum distance to be kept from the breeding whales?

The ‘chumming’ of the sea to daily attract the great white sharks off Dyer Island is morally reprehensible but lining the pockets of the shark boat operators is obviously paramount, over and above the long-term well-being of the sharks, especially seeing that sharks don’t pay taxes.

It is proposed that this outcry from conservation groups regarding this particular project is subjective and totally over the top.

The Arabella Hotel Group wanted to proceed with Phase 2 of their development some eight years ago – it would have covered the area on the mountain side of the R44 opposite Arabella. A group of wannabee conservationists vehemently opposed the development on alleged environmental grounds and eventually obtained a restraining order in the Cape High Court. Arabella abandoned the project and voila! Look at the area today – a hopelessly overgrown mess of aliens, including gums, black wattle, rooikrans and the evil Port Jackson.

The development proposed by Craig Saunders would lie on non-arable land infested by aliens. His development plan is low key and well suited to the area, and will undoubtedly create both temporary and permanent

employment opportunities for the local population. It would be a shame if Saunders decided to abandon his development on the grounds of the unjustified criticism levied by the objectors.

The public, in general, is understandably very sensitive regarding the protection of our much-threatened elephants. Craig Saunders has 25 years’ experience in dealing with elephants and currently owns other well-run developments in our country. There have been some incidents in the past 10 years involving the elephants, but very few statistically in comparison to the incidents that take place in the wild.

Of importance is the consideration that the development is to take place on private property with limited and controlled access. The public/tourists will visit there by choice - there are a vast number of other private game parks in SA which are not subjected to these ill-founded objections.

The conservation groups hammer on about the ideological possibility of elephants roaming ‘free’ in the ‘wild’.

Theoretically great but, due to the excessive culling of elephants for their tusks, the practical possibility of elephants ever roaming free again in SA, is a definite non-starter.

It is strongly felt that, by introducing elephants to the Lamloch game park, together with the other endemic animals, as already approved by CapeNature, Craig Saunders would be playing a major role towards the much-needed conservation and preservation of this beautiful, threatened species.

John Carroll Betty’s Bay

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TOP 6 = 77% of all responses For the FULL RESULTS, visit our Facebook page. LIKE & SHARE our pages too!

Not all businesses opposed to upgrades Overstrand Municipality, please note: we, the lucky denizens of the Hermanus CBD, are not ALL in accord with the letter in The Village NEWS last week (Upgrades could hardly come at a worse time) signed by a number of business owners in the Main Road/ High Street hub, who want a twoyear postponement of very necessary upgrading of the area.

“Things” might get better over a period of two years or they could get worse; one thing is sure – there is no certainty in our situation! So, surely it makes more sense, however hard to face, to get the work over and done with while there are so few feet around anyway? Then, next year, the tourists and loyal swallows who come here will be able to return to

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Waiting is a kind of short-term relief of unknown value from an inevitable disruption which could cost businesses more dearly in two years than it will in the present economic downturn. So, we should grab the money before it’s “Offer Withdrawn!’'

Let’s bite the bullet – plant the trees, improve the signage (“High Street?

Where’s that?”), put an end to the flooding – and grit our teeth while smiling into a better future for the CBD. Jenny Jackson, High Street

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OPINION MATTERS The good times are coming... be prepared The good times are coming, When they come, I'll be there, With my both feet firmly planted in the air. - Lyrics to ‘The Good Times Are Coming’ by Mama Cass, 1970 The skinner going around the Overstrand is that “somebody” has added “something” to our champagne air.

It's a new superbug that residents are catching. You see it in the way they behave.Their gait is lighter, their voices merrier and their eyes brighter.

It is very contagious. Do we need to alert the authorities? Call in emergen-

A Far Kraai

cy services? Leave town? The answer, thankfully, is no. Optimism seems to have infected us and it is multiplying!

Maybe it’s the opening of the Hermanus Varsity? Or the Absa Cape Epic having returned to town? Or the HiTec Walkerbay Xtreme and FynArts just around the corner? Perhaps the progress being made on housing in the Overstrand by Premier Helen Zille is contributing to this positive mood?

Whatever the reasons, it really feels like we have turned a corner. No one,

of course, is naive enough to believe that there aren’t a few surprises lurking. But, for many, the proverbial light can be seen at the end of the tunnel.

We may be moving into winter but it already feels as though spring has sprung. The good times are coming.

The question we must ask ourselves is: “Are we prepared?” As business owners, have we gotten our house in order? In times of trouble, our natural inclination is to tighten the purse strings. But we usually also make the same mistake of not loosening them

soon enough; catching the tail of the wave instead of the crest.

As individuals, are we prepared to turn the page on the past year and accept that there is so much more positive in the book, our community, than the page we were stuck on?

Perhaps, in the end, what is fueling this optimism in the air is the realisation that we have collectively come to the understanding that our future success is 100% under our control.

This is good NEWS - Ed

Barking mad: on or off the leash

By Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

Dog wars have been unleashed on the letters’ pages: The Duck investigates…

According to the song, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. This is all well and good, but despite no songs being written about them, it was decided that a dog – any dog – would be a man’s best friend. Period.

Ever since they were invented, dogs would hang around outside caves and snack on the scraps discarded by the cave dwellers’ evening braais.

This suited both parties. The dogs’ function was refuse disposal. They were well supplied with mounds of bones, and this drew the flies away from the humans at their dinner tables. Win-win.

Some of the wild canine cousins of these scrap-dogs were called wolves or jackals. They prowled the shadowy perimeters and preferred their meat off the bone and raw anyway. Sadly though, by missing the gravy-train, they’re only seen in

movies these days…

Fairly soon cats, chickens and rabbits arrived, but the humble hound remained man’s constant companion. Over time they taught us many skills, like how to hunt and retrieve properly, the perils involved when sniffing people, and (also for women) how to look nonchalant when peeing against a pole.

Most mothers threaten severe consequences when ranting on about their kid’s bedroom looking like a dog’s breakfast. This is both derogatory and degrading to dogs for a start, but presuming that Mom’s bark is worse than her bite is downright insulting to Rottweilers, Boerboels and Dobermans who’d love to prove otherwise.

Anyway, due to all the braais, dogs were now part of the family furniture, and pretty soon their quirks and mannerisms were noticed and incorporated as figures of speech or idioms into our primitive languages.

A few of those terms have endured till today, although some are less charitable to man’s BFF than we’d expect.

Why only dogs were deemed to have dog-breath is rather mean considering they ate exactly what the Flintstones ate, yet you never hear about Fred-breath. And although being banished to the dog box by the missus is intended to be a punishment, it is sometimes a welcome good-night’s-sleep to a hen-pecked husband. (Rover doesn’t snore.)

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To take a hair of the dog that bit you was originally thought to cure rabies, but it didn’t. Then, over time it was claimed to cure hangovers, but it doesn’t. Despite this, most drunkards own dogs as a backup. This is commendable, but we all know there’re only two ways to avoid a babbelaas, and neither involves dogs, getting bitten, or chewing hair.

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But let sleeping dogs lie while we move on to the feline variety of domestic pets and their idioms that have evolved over time. It’s claimed that once the scalded cat on the hot tin roof has been let out of the bag, there’s apparently more than one way to skin it, and although it has nine lives, let’s hope that curiosity killed the cat good ‘n proper prior to the skinning.

But why rooms have to be big

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enough to swing a cat in beats me when you could just as easily swing it outside – among the pigeons.

However, we did uncover a rare observation, somewhat complimentary to animals. Although anatomically scattered, the cat’s whiskers, the bee’s knees and the dog’s bollocks all mean the same thing.

Once rural animals like pigs, cows and horses were invented, they too popped into our compendium of colloquialisms, but are too many to mention. Beavers have quite a selection, but they’re a bit rude, as is Trump’s penchant for felines. However, to make an ass of oneself refers to a brainless burro (dumb-ass), and doesn’t mean dressing up as a pair of buttocks.

Nostradamus famously advised: “You can take a gift horse to the slaughter, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sleeping dog’s breakfast. Therefore, cast not pearls before mutton dressed up as lamb in wolf’s clothing, but separate the sheep from the bull in a china shop.”

Oops! Got sidetracked. No space for the dog-leash investigation… sorry.

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20 March 2019

www.thevillagenews.co.za

LET’S TALK

Lamloch owner answers critics The owner of Lamloch, Craig Saunders, responds to the letters published in last week’s edition of The Village NEWS as follows: The tone and wording of Peter Hodgskin’s letter, Public should object to Lamloch sham(e), as published in the 13 March edition of The Village NEWS, paints a picture of me that is fundamentally inaccurate and defamatory.

The Fernkloof Nature Reserve Cableway initiative grew out of discussions with the Chairman of the Fernkloof Advisory Board. I proposed an environmentally low-impact cableway system as a funding platform for the long-term management of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, enabling it to generate additional revenue for the maintenance of the hiking trails, for alien management and fire controls etc. as well as an initiative to create jobs for members of the community.

Hodgskin’s inferred that the management plan was “doomed” because of the environmental impact. However, the fact that the proposal was vetoed, does not mean it was a bad idea, proposed by a bad person, but rather an idea which was thought to be viable by some and unacceptable to others. The fact that the proposal was rejected was simply one of two possible outcomes.

It may be worth noting that a cableway does not necessarily have a negative environmental impact.

The Table Mountain Cableway is an excellent example of a world-class tourism facility that operates in line with responsible and commendable environmental practices in a highly sensitive area.

For what reason does the writer feel the Lamloch proposal “should elicit even greater outrage from our community”? A proposal is an idea or a concept or a view – surely a person is entitled to express or explore initiatives. The writer’s reference to “the same man” indicates a somewhat prejudicial stance. Has

the writer ever put forward or driven an initiative that promotes business, development or job creation? Or is his stance purely one of preservation and “maintaining the status quo” without addressing the practicalities of the financial funding required to maintain the environment in a completely hands-off, “look but don’t touch” orientation?

The writer’s objection to the single advert, the inaccessibility of the documentation and the 30-day commentary period for the public, is fair comment but should not be attributed to me in a negative fashion, as this process is determined by the government and has nothing to do with me.

The writer’s view that the “desirability” of the “safari park / wildlife sanctuary / game farm” should be in question, is subjective. As to the environmental point of view being questioned, that is the whole purpose of the Nature Conservation application process and all the studies and requirements being addressed over the past four years.

The writer’s statement that “the impact on the region from an economic point of view will be extremely negative” is indicative of a lack of knowledge and understanding of tourism, and the impact of this type of tourism on the economy.

Despite the writer’s assumption that everyone should feel as he does regarding animal tourism, elephant activities rate in the top ten tourism activities on TripAdvisor (a major tourism booking and evaluation platform). Our other facilities were voted by visitors as the number one tourism activities in Plettenberg Bay and Hartbeespoort Dam and the number 2 tourism activity in Hazyview (despite being geographically located less than 5 km from the Kruger National Park). This would indicate that tourists are combining a close-up elephant interaction at a “sanctuary” with a viewing of ele-

phants, at a distance, in the wild from a vehicle driving through a public game reserve.

The writer shows understanding of the need for a thorough analysis of the elements that make up an initiative such as this, but shows little respect for the authorities whose education, positions, experience and protocols are in place to consider and evaluate the many intricacies, details and implications involved in projects of this nature. These projects, albeit new for this area, are not new within South Africa, and the Nature Conservation and various authorities are well versed in following due process.

The writer need not feel pressurised to have to do a thorough evaluation of all the material. This has already been done by professionals.

As to the comment regarding canned lions, I have no connection to this practice and any inference to it is unfounded. With regards to the wild horses “captured” on Lamloch “due to the electrified fences erected by Saunders”: It may be useful to note that it is a landowner’s legal right to fence his property.

I have worked personally on removing alien plant species and rehabilitating the vegetation at Lamloch over a three-year period. The success of this drive is evident in the fact that Stellenbosch University conducts field trips to Lamloch to meet with me and share in my experience of successful alien management.

It is noteworthy that the National Director of Environmental Affairs commended me at a presentation in 2018 at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens for my alien management programme at Lamloch.

The result of this successful rehabilitation of the natural vegetation caused the wild horses to spend most of their time on the Lamloch property as the grazing was preferable to that of Rooisand and the neighbouring properties which are unrehabilitated.

The horses moved freely prior to and

during the erection of the fence. At the point where the fence was finally closed to allow the release of game, the horses happened to be inside Lamloch.

It was never in my interests to have the horses on my property, as the grazing impact of the horses reduces the carrying capacity of the land for game (kudu, eland and springbok).

So what appears to be a case of me trying to “capture” the horses is not the situation at all.

The writer has the right to desire and have a preference for the region to

remain untouched and undeveloped, however Lamloch is NOT land belonging to Nature Conservation and is therefore not in a public zone or jurisdiction. It is privately-owned land that the landowner has the right to develop, inhabit and utilise within the parameters of the laws of the land and the governance of the country, all of which he has complied with.

The nature of the industry a person chooses to operate on private property cannot be dictated by others simply because they don’t agree with the practices or ethos of that industry.

Letter Shortened - Ed

Thank you for supporting L2L The committee of the 2019 Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Ladies Walk in aid of Camphill School Hermanus, would like to thank each and every one our sponsors for their valuable contribution to our charity walk this year.

Our organisation would not be the success that it is if we did not have the continued support of our local community to donate to our project.

Our motto at Lighthouse is ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’ and nothing was too much or ever a problem for any of our sponsors. It was such a pleasure to work with all of them over the months leading up to the walk – right up to and including the days that we walked. We really thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us to make a difference in our community again.

L2L LADIES WALK 2019 SPONSORS: SPAR Western Cape (main sponsor), Gateway Spar, Eastcliff Spar, Gansbaai Spar, The Beanery, CapeNature, Cape Union Mart, Checkers, Colourpix Graphic Design, Crazylicious Cookies, Caprichem, ChillGuru, Elgin Free Range Chickens, Fusion, Food Lover’s Market Hermanus, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Healing Touch Massage Therapy, Hermanus Toyota, Hermanus Packaging, Heritage Cottage, Julia Barlow, La Marchand, La Pentola, New Media Publishing, Pear Tree, RO3 Oasis Water, Ocean Basket, Ocean Eleven Guesthouse, Overberg District Municipality, Overberg Packaging, Pierre Brink (venison and lamb), Refine Anti-Ageing Clinic, Sanlam, SANPARKS, Solitaire Free Range Eggs, Southern Right Charters, Stock Tents, Ten of Cups Party Hire, The Eatery, The Village NEWS, The Marine Hotel, Walkerbay Adventures, Whale Coast Mall Centre Management, Wine Hoppers, Windsor Hotel, White Shark Projects, Xpedient. Wines from: Ataraxia, Beaumont Wines, Bouchard Finlayson, Creation, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Hermanuspietersfontein, Newton Johnson.

- The Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Committee 2019: Ronelle, Simone, Isabel, Marlinda, Carien and Estelle

THE VILLAGE

EXPLORER

THE HOME OF FINE BOOKS

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028 313 0834

The little rooster struts his stuff in Washington DC Writer Elaine Davie Photographer Niki Daly

J

ust over 20 years ago, wellknown children’s book writer and illustrator, Niki Daly, now living in Kleinmond, had a book published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in America.

It was called Bravo Zan Angelo and it told the story of a little boy growing up in 16th century Venice who was determined to carry on the family tradition of becoming a Commedia dell’Arte clown, despite his grandfather, Zan Polo’s objections.

Niki first became aware of the Commedia tradition of mediaeval street theatre when he came across the marvellously detailed drawings, called Divertimenti, by Italian artist, Giandomenico Tiepolo. He was

fascinated by these strangely-dressed street performers and started to find out more about them. The plays they presented featured stock characters – wearing quite scary-looking masks – and followed set plots, with some variations.

The individual troupes travelled from town to town and performed in central squares, with some of the most popular performers taking on celebrity status. Punch and Judy shows which are still occasionally seen today are direct descendants of the Commedia tradition and listening to the squeals of laughter from children in the audience, we can imagine how much this form of slapstick humour appealed to its Renaissance audiences.

At that time Niki was working for David Philip Publishers in Cape Town

and establishing children’s book imprint Songololo Books. He was lucky enough to attend the famous Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, Italy and took with him a dummy of a book about a little boy and his dancing dog in a Commedia setting.

One of the publishers he approached commented, “It’s a great idea, darling, but lose the dog!”

Back he came to Cape Town and did much more in-depth research into this form of physical theatre, before Bravo Zan Angelo finally emerged, in which the determined little boy eventually appears in his grandfather’s production as a little red rooster. Because he had decided to set it in Venice, which he had never visited, he accessed an old map of the period, so that he could navigate his characters around the town. Years later, after the book was published, he did visit Venice and was happy to see how accurate he had been.

“It was almost like déjà vu”, he remembers. “It felt as if I’d been there before and could anticipate what would be round the next corner.” He was able, on that occasion to present the librarian of the Venice Library on the Piazza San Marco with a copy of his book.

Niki acknowledges that, despite receiving good reviews, this book was not his most popular, and when, in due course, it went out of print he was happy to let it take a back seat on his bookshelf. Imagine his surprise when about a year ago, he received an email from a young man who introduced himself as a member of the Faction of Fools Theatre Company attached to the Westchester University Drama School in Washington DC.

An illustration from Niki Daly’s Bravo Zan Angelo, showing an array of the Commedia dell’Arte characters in Zan Polo’s troupe.

In the email, John Bellomo asked

Author Niki Daly holds a copy of his 1998 children’s book, Bravo Zan Angelo.

Niki’s permission to adapt Zan Angelo for the stage, to be presented as a student production. Niki was happy to agree, on one condition, that any profits accruing from the performance would be paid to the Kleinmond Boys’ Home. After this initial contact, he heard nothing more and assumed the project had been abandoned.

Then, about six weeks ago, another email came saying that the World Premiere of Bravo Zan Angelo would be taking place at the Galludet University’s Eastman Theater in Washington DC from 23 - 25 February, to coincide with International Commedia dell’Arte Day, commemorating the day on 25 February 1545 when the Ser Maphio troupe became the first professional theatre company in the world!

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This would be a workshop production with the students, he said, with few if any props, costumes or scenery and would feature a Q and A session afterwards, with full audience participation. He attached a copy of the playscript for Niki to read and indicated that they were planning a full-scale production of the play later in the year, and in any case, he would notify other children’s theatre companies in the US about it.

By all reports, the workshop was a great success with the full and uproarious involvement of the audience, so we await news of Zan Angelo’s further adventures with excited anticipation. “From Kleinmond to Washington DC and back again, it’s already travelled full circle”, laughs Niki. Bravo Zan Angelo! Give our regards to Broadway!

WHAT’S ON

OVERBERG Wednesday

www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson

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Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll ind wholesome goodies, homemade crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music.

Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00

OnVerWag AGM All locals are invited to the 4th annual general meeting of the Onrus-Vermont Neighbourhood Watch. Let’s work together to ensure a safe and crime-free environment. For more information or to become a member, contact 079 419 9276 or visit www. onverwag.org.za Onrus Dutch Reformed Church, Berg Street, Onrus | 18:00

Die Markie Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll ind real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people.

Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00 – 13:00

Bird Club Meeting Join the Hermanus Bird Club for a presentation on Birds in Folklore and Popular Culture by guest speaker David Muirhead, author of The Bedside Ark and Cat among the Pigeons. Since time immemorial, a huge and varied body of folklore has grown up around birds, permeating every culture on every continent. David will take a light-hearted look at some of the myths and legends which colour our view of birds and add to their endless fascination. Come at 18:00 and enjoy a glass of wine for a R10 donation before the presentation.

Fernkloof Hall | 18:30

Thursday

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Fun Run The Pringle House Eco School is hosting a family-friendly 5 km Fun Run on the edge of the beautiful Bot River lagoon. Each participant will receive a token of participation after the race.

There will also be a lucky draw and prizes for the best-dressed family, man woman and child. Entry is R50 pp. Registration between 07:30 and 08:30. For race entry forms and EFT payments, go to events@epicbeyondordinary.co.za Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate | 09:00 The Singing Cook Pensioner’s Special Do a good deed and take a senior out to lunch at this special venue, where the cook will even sing you a song as your meal is served. R135 pp. Book by calling 072 462 4271.

The Singing Cook, Rivendell Wine Estate | from 12:00

Stanford Saturday Morning Market Come and sample the artisanal delights on display, from home-made sheep and goats’ cheeses to cured meats, farm-fresh vegetables and deli delights to tantalise your taste buds!

Stanford Hotel Stoep | 09:00 – 12:00

Spider Survey Join Whale Coast Conservation on an eco-adventure with our local ‘spiderman’, Dr Vic Hamilton-Attwell, who will instruct you on how to hunt for spiders in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. This event is suitable for both adults (R120 pp) and children 6 years and older (R60). All proceeds go to environmental education. Booking is essential. Contact Anina on 083 242 3295 or anina.wcc@gmail.com Fernkloof Nature Reserve | 17:30 – 19:00 Rotary Club of Hermanus Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings, every Thursday.

Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to conirm your attendance.

Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus | 19:00

Friday

Bhuki Café Everyone is welcome at Friends of the Library's Bhuki Cafe where a cup of tea or coffee and delicious eats will cost only R25, every Friday. Each cup helps to raise funds for new books.

Hermanus Library | 09:00 – 11:30

HERMANUS

SABC as public broadcaster Join U3A Overberg for a presentation

by Wynand Harmse, former CEO of the SABC on its role as a public broadcaster: Key role player or endangered species?

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

able on www.quicket.co.za Platbos Forest Reserve | 14:00 Tapas live music Dale Collins and Wayne Pauli will be performing live at this popular latenight venue for two nights, on Friday and Saturday. Enjoy some brooding blues by guitarist/songwriter Dale and singer/songwriter Wayne, who were among the original members of the Boulevard Blues Band. Call 028 312 4840 for more details.

Tapas Food & Wine Bar, Market Square, Hermanus | from 20:00

Saturday

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Hermanus parkrun Meet for the weekly 5 km timed walk or run, come rain or shine. Run for your own enjoyment at your own pace. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

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

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Hermanus Hacking Group Volunteers are welcome to join the HHG, every Friday morning, on Rotary Way. For more information contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 or charlynvosloo@gmail.com Rotary Way | 06:45 – 09:00

MANUFACTURERS OF SIMULATED STONE PRODUCTS

Kolwyntjie Teetuin Enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum), every Friday morning.

Onrus Dutch Reformed Church | 09:30 – 11:30

Reforest Fest Friends Weekend Greenpop’s Reforest Fest is Africa’s largest annual reforestation festival! Each March, they bring people together in Platbos Forest for a weekend of camping under the stars, planting thousands of trees, dancing to live local bands, and learning with sustainability leaders. The Friends Fest from 22 – 24 March hosts adults and teenagers who want to make a positive impact on the environment and have a great time while doing it! You’ll ind all the details on www. reforestfest.com and tickets are avail-

Betty’s Bay parkrun Join this free weekly 5 km timed run (or walk) where it’s only you against the clock. The whole family is welcome. Grab a post-run coffee in the Red Disa restaurant with fellow parkrunners.

Harold Porter Botanical Garden | 08:00 Market in the Garden Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden.

St Peter’s Church, Main Road, Hermanus | 09:00 – 13:00

Gansbaai Farmer’s Market Specialising in organic, homemade and homegrown 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, contact 028 384 1439 or doulene@gansbaaitourism.co.za Kapokblom Street, opposite Gansbaai Tourism | 09:00 – 14:00 Build your own pizza Bring the kids to this child- and pet-friendly venue where they can learn to build their own pizza with The Singing Cook, Antonio da Silva-Swart. Only R55 per child, every Saturday. Book by calling 072 462 4271.

The Singing Cook, Rivendell Wine Estate | from 12:00

Book launch Foorprint Press invites you to the launch of Will to Win, the Life Story of Henri Kuiper, as told to David Hilton-Barber. Henri Kuiper is remembered as a wunderkind, a pilot, advocate, newspaper mogul, merchant banker, chairman of companies, farmer and educationist. In his late-eight-

Cobbles

Cladding

Coping

Pavers

Landscaping

Tiles

ies, Henri and his wife Ghanie started the Enlighten Education Trust in Hermanus which earned them a Mayoral Award for their ‘Lifetime dedication and excellent, unselish contribution to the community of the Overstrand’.

At the launch, Henri Kuiper will be in conversation with Colin Hall and David Hilton-Barber. RSVP: david@ hiltonbarber.co.za Walker Bay Art Gallery | 12:00

blues by guitarist/songwriter Dale and singer/songwriter Wayne, who were among the original members of the Boulevard Blues Band. Call 028 312 4840 for more details.

Tapas Food & Wine Bar, Market Square, Hermanus | from 20:00

Sunday

Monday Watershed Live Relax at the beautiful Stanford Hills while enjoying a live concert by Watershed, South Africa’s top acoustic rock band. There will be food and drink available and a large picnic area. Doors open at 13:30 and show starts at 16:30. Tickets are available at www.quicket.co.za at R180 per adult

Home Industries Market Get your fresh micro-greens, home-processed and home-baked goodies at this family- and pet-friendly market, every Wednesday. New vendors are welcome. Contact Lani on 082 679 7819 or visit www.afdaksrivier.co.za Café Tango & Afdaksrivier Nursery | 09:30 – 12:30

Thursday

(bring your own wine) includes a delicious meal and a R50 donation to the trust for the upkeep of Stanford’s beautiful Wandelpad. To book, contact Marian on 083 303 4330 or email stanfordconservationtrust@ gmail.com Stanford | 18:30 for 19:00

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Think & Drink Join Stanford Conservation Trust’s fun quiz evening. Only R150

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GOT AN EVENT? The Ancient Greeks The second lecture in U3A Overberg’s new series on the Ancient Greeks will cover the following topics: The Mycenaeans, The Trojan War, Classical Greece, The Golden Age of Athens and Classical Greek Drama.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

What’s on at

Send us an email to events@thevillagenews.co.za or send us a WhatsApp to 067 770 7629.

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Wednesday

Terry Takura Live Our resident Zimbabwean muso – singer, songwriter, guitarist, percussionist, performer and rapper Terry Takura – will perform live at this popular late-night spot. Call 028 312 4840 for more details.

Tapas Food & Wine Bar, Market Square, Hermanus | from 20:00

24 March: Takura

Tapas live music Dale Collins and Wayne Pauli will be performing live at this popular latenight venue. Enjoy some brooding

Geological wonders of the world Join U3A Overberg for a presentation on Ha Long Bay, Vietnam and Bryce Canyon, USA by Gert Claassen.

Catholic Church Hall | 10:00

Summer Fun in the Courtyard Enjoy oysters and bubbly, local wines, craft beer and tapas-style plates, every Sunday. For more info or to reserve a table, call 082 082 0007.

The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Road, Hermanus | from 12:00

22 –23 March: Dale Collins & Wayne Pauli

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20 March 2019

Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse: Walking in my shoes Writer & Photographer Taylum Meyer

W

hen I began working for The Village NEWS and irst heard about the Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse Ladies Walk, I was in awe of their incredible efforts to raise funds for local charities. This year I was thrilled to be able to join the courageous and determined L2L ladies on their four-day, 100 km coastal hike in aid of this year’s beneiciary, Camphill School Hermanus.

The journey was mentally and physically challenging but also enriching in ways I could never have imagined.

Day 1: On Thursday, 7 March I was off to Gateway Centre at 05:00 with my luggage. Freshly-brewed coffee awaited us at Spar, which had opened its doors early so that we could do any last-minute shopping.

At 05:45, the L2L patron, Nicolette Johnson, wished us farewell and good luck and by 06:15 we were on the bus to the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, where our 100 km walk would begin.

Members of Spar Western Cape, Camphill School Hermanus and SANParks were waiting for us on the ield below the lighthouse when we arrived. We were all full of excitement and for those of us walking for the irst time, also slightly nervous as we wondered if we would be up to the task.

We set off from the lighthouse into Agulhas National Park just as a light drizzle started to fall. The scenery was breath-taking and the terrain consisted of gravel roads, beach (sandy and stony) and a coastal footpath. Police kept an eye on our progress for the irst two days as certain areas along the coast were well-known hotspots for poachers. Elaine Bayer from The

Beanery set the pace which was brisk, but we were all able to keep up and were blessed to have a dry lunch break. Shortly after that, however, the rain and wind really picked up and we were battered for the rest of the walk. We were all soaked to the bone by the time we reached the Spar lags marking the end of day one’s walk at Brandfontein Farmstead.

Our wonderful bus drivers were waiting at Brandfontein to take us to Die Dam Resort, our accommodation for the duration of the walk. We were relieved to get back to camp where hot coffee from The Beanery and banana bread from Food Lover’s Market awaited us. It was bitterly cold and I couldn’t wait to get my luggage, have a hot shower and change into dry clothes. Dinner consisted of a delicious lasagne made by The Eatery, followed by koeksisters and more coffee.

It was a sociable evening where we had the chance to mingle and get to know our fellow walkers. Back in my chalet I found myself falling asleep very quickly on what felt like the most comfortable bed in the world – which I supposed any bed would be after an 18 km hike in the rain!

Day 2: On Friday morning we met at 06:00 for breakfast and by 06:45 we were on the busses once more, heading back to Brandfontein to start the second day’s walk – 19 km along the beach, coastal footpaths and jeep tracks. Although the day was overcast, we were blessed to have a light drizzle only here and there. We were left to inish the walk at our own pace for the last 5 km as it ended at the camp. I took advantage of this and slowed down to enjoy the scenery and take some photographs which I hadn’t been able to do on day one because of the rain.

For many of the ladies it was a chance for introspection and meditation.

For those struggling – both with the physical demands of the walk and emotional stresses they may be dealing with back home – veteran Lighthouse walker, Les Clarke, wrote a message in the sand a few kilometres before camp that read: The tide washes away my pain – my feet carry me forward in faith and hope. She was a role model to many women on the walk, with her constant positivity, care and support.

After dinner that evening – a delicious hot potjie made by The Eatery and roosterkoek made by two ladies from Buffeljagsrivier – there were also prizes for the best blisters (eight was the record), best fall (we later found out she had hurt her ribs) and for perseverance. By now the ladies had bonded and there were many laughs to be heard around camp and many stories told by the ireside.

Day 3: Saturday 9 March entailed a 29 km walk to Pearly Beach and was by far the hardest day for me, both physically and mentally. The terrain was extremely challenging with rocks, soft sand, jeep tracks and coastal footpaths to overcome and we had to have a few breaks along the way. One of our longer breaks was at Quoin Point where another lighthouse could be seen next to Jessie’s Bay. The ladies who already had blisters were struggling and I could feel one of my own beginning to develop as well.

At more or less the halfway point, we reached the old ishermen’s community of Buffeljagsrivier where we visited the town’s Seesterretjies Crèche. After saying goodbye to the children, we left for the second half of our journey to Pearly Beach and

that is where I found myself starting to struggle physically. I could feel that I had deinitely developed at least one blister on my toe and my right ankle was starting to hurt due to the slight incline of the beach and the rocky terrain – and I wasn’t the only one. This is where the true spirit of L2L came to the fore, as the ladies all encouraged and supported one another to keep going.

I had ladies checking to see if I was all right, whilst others offered me pain medication or words of support.

When we stopped again for a brief break, I was given deep heat from one lady and a bandage from another for my ankle, which was strapped by yet another lady (a physio from Cape Town, who also strapped it for me the following morning). I was simply blown away by all these caring women.

The toughest part of the four-day walk for me was undoubtedly the last 10 km to Pearly Beach. I am truly grateful for all those who encouraged me to push myself on that last stretch. I am especially grateful to L2L committee member, Simone Heunis, who was there for me every step of the way. I had never been so happy to see those red Spar lags marking the end of the day’s walk as I was that day when we reached Pearly Beach.

The ladies who had already arrived, clapped hands as each of the walkers made it to the end of this gruelling day’s walk.

After dinner – a tasty chicken pie made by Spar with chicken from Elgin Free Range Chickens followed by brownies for dessert – those of us with blisters had them injected with methylate (which burns like you will not believe) and wrapped in medical tape for the next day’s walk. We all

went to bed early that night as many of us could barely keep our eyes open after the long day.

Day 4: By Sunday 10 March I felt like I was walking with family. We had all grown so close over the past few days, especially with those with whom we had shared our chalets. We had 27 km to cover, but the terrain was easier and we were all excited to be going home that afternoon. We made a number of stops along the way and also crossed a lagoon by Uilenkraalsmond.

From Kleinbaai to Danger Point Lighthouse we walked with a view of the lighthouse in sight, which kept us going, even when it didn’t seem to be coming any closer! Upon arrival (inally!) we were greeted by staff members and a group of children from Camphill School, as well as representatives from Spar and the Overstrand Municipality. L2L patron, Nicolette Johnson congratulated us and hung a medal around each walker’s neck with the help of Camphill School staff member Genevieve Linney. We posed for the traditional group photo in front of the lighthouse before being transported to Grotto Beach where friends, family and members of the Hermanus community were waiting to welcome us back.

We walked the last stretch from the Klein Rivier Lagoon at Grotto Beach to Dutchies as one group before family members of the ladies ran up to greet their loved ones. It was an extremely emotional time for all the ladies as they said goodbye to their fellow walkers and returned to their “normal” lives with their families. I, too, was overcome with a mixture of relief and pride – and above all, gratitude for the opportunity to have been part of this inspiring journey.

EVENTS | 17 15

20 March 2019 The cover of the elegant programme booklet for this year’s FynArts Festival features an artwork by Phillemon Hlungwani, who is the 2019 FynArts Festival Artist. An exhibition of etchings by Phillemon, recognised as one of the most accomplished contemporary artists now working in South Africa, will be on display at the FynArts Gallery during the festival.

Get your Early Bird tickets now

T

icket sales for this year’s Hermanus FynArts Festival from 7 – 17 June are progressing at a brisk pace and festivalgoers should hurry to book their Early Bird tickets, available until 24 March, for this annual cultural highlight.

According to Festival Director, Mary Faure, some of the events are already fully booked and, where possible, arrangements are being made for additional seating or for events to be repeated.

The 2019 FynArts Festival will once again present a kaleidoscope of events for art lovers, including concerts, talks, workshops, demonstrations, food and wine, and children’s events.

Close on 30 visual art exhibitions will be hosted at different venues in and around Hermanus, including the ever-popular Sculpture on the Cliffs exhibition at Gearing’s Point and the tondo exhibition in the Bouchard Finlayson barrel cellar.

The series of more than 20 performances offers a rich choice of music, dance and theatre, ranging from the opening concert, Mostly Mozart to the Dixieland Classic Jazz closing concert, with a programme of star-studded performances in between. These include the Cape Town City Ballet, the inimitable Pieter-Dirk Uys, rising star Sima Mashazi, celebrity pianist and

foodie Charl du Plessis, superstar Karen Zoid and award-winning actor and comedian, Alan Committie.

The Stephan Welz series of talks and presentations features around 25 entertaining and respected presenters on a variety of contemporary issues, while the very popular workshop series ranges from jewellery design, ceramics, calligraphy, writing, botanical art, poetry and cellphone photography, to sushi making and cake decorating. There will also be entertaining demonstrations by well-known chefs in the FynArts pop-up kitchen and the Wine Plus series of tutored tastings by nine presenters, supplemented by a number of other tastings including pairings at lunch, tea and supper events.

Programme booklets are available at Hermanus Tourism, the FynArts Gallery, Hermanus Library, selected galleries, restaurants, and other businesses in Hermanus. The full programme can also be viewed at www.hermanusfynarts. co.za.

Booking for Early Bird tickets is now open to the public (until 24 March) and can be done online via the FynArts website or www. webtickets.co.za, at Hermanus Tourism, Pick n Pay branches nationwide or by calling 028 312 2629 during office hours.

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The opinions expressed in this column are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of PSG and do not constitute advice. Although the utmost care has been taken in the research and preparation of this column, no responsibility can be taken for actions taken on information in this article.

Always remember the prudent way is to consult your portfolio manager before investing.

MY WEALTH Financial Q & A:

Preparing for retirement in uncertain times

By Theo Cloete, Wealth Manager, PSG Wealth, Hermanus

G

iven all the uncertainties in the financial markets, would I not be better off just putting my money in the bank and earning interest?

Equity markets are unpredictable and react to a number of factors, ranging from macro- and micro-economic, to geopolitical, company fundamentals and sentiment. This may create a lot of “noise” and “clutter” for investors over the short term, making them nervous and uncertain about their investments.

However, in order to beat inflation over the long term, or in other words, to keep the purchasing power of your money intact, one has to be invested in growth assets (like shares and property) to the appropriate extent.

Cash alone, although it may perform better than equities over short periods of time, is not able to sustainably beat inflation over the long term, especially not after tax (the interest

earned on cash is taxable).

I have a pension plan. Isn't this designed to make sure I have a livable retirement income?

Pension plans, in whatever format, are designed to provide for income after “retirement”. The various plans and products normally also have certain tax incentives and benefits to encourage individuals to save for retirement. However, merely contributing to a “pension plan” does not guarantee a “livable” income, once your regular income needs to be replaced (at retirement, for instance). You need to contribute sufficiently during your working years (i.e. save) in order to create enough capital which can provide this required income.

It is therefore imperative to have a long-term investment/retirement plan and to execute on it. According to the National Treasury, only 6% of South Africans can retire without having to significantly lower their standard of living. Speak to an adviser to help you implement a workable long-term investment plan.

markets perform over the long term, shouldn't I be looking at other options to secure a retirement plan? Property perhaps?

Given how badly overseas markets have performed in the past year, is it still a good idea to invest abroad?

2018 was a difficult year for the majority of financial markets across the globe, including South Africa.

Unfortunately periods of low or even negative returns are inevitable, but they are nevertheless painful when they arrive. Investors must however guard against basing long-term asset allocation decisions, such as investing a portion of their portfolio offshore, on short-term market performance.

Investing offshore is an integral part of the diversification process, allowing investors to spread their risk across different economies, geographic regions and a broader selection of companies. In addition it also offers protection against political and social unrest, as well as a depreciation of the rand. South Africa contributes less than 1% to the global economy, so from a diversification and geographical point of view it makes sense to invest globally.

Growth assets consist mainly of equities (shares) and property, in other words assets of which the capital value can increase (or decrease) over time. In order to identify the appropriate allocation of assets at a certain life cycle, you can almost split the funds into three different “buckets”: Income, Preservation and Wealth Creation.

The first two buckets are driven by a client’s income needs over the short

I'm over 50 years old. Given that stock

As a result of the present drawn-out period of weak performance in the stock market, many advisors are now advocating that long term should be defined as a period of at least ten years. Whilst property (especially listed property) is an important part of a diversified portfolio, investors should guard against allocating too large a portion of their portfolio to any single asset class. Over-allocating to a specific asset class will result in a poorly diversified portfolio prone to volatility.

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Investors need holistic long-term investment plans that act as roadmaps to guide them through uncertain times. Risk management should be at the core of any sensible investment strategy. Diversification is one of the best tools that investors can use to achieve this – the only free lunch in investments. Investors need to be invested in a diversified portfolio of growth assets in order to beat inflation over time.

to medium term. This ensures that stable assets support income withdrawals in the near future, allowing the selection of more volatile growth assets in the long term to manage inflation risk. In the past most advisors defined short term as the next three years, medium term as the period from year four to six and anything longer than that as long term.

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MY WELLNESS

Wave those bingo-wings goodbye!

Writer Dr Michelle Emett, Refine Clinic, Hermanus

T

hinking back on my battle of the bulge with regards to my arms, I remember the humorous way it began one Sunday after lunching with my gran. As I watched her waving goodbye, I was fascinated by the wave formation her bingo-wing arms created. Her upper arms could have flattened any Sumo wrestler. With a slap, slap, slap of the curtain of skin and fat against the air, she gesticulated, most likely happy to see the back of us so she could have her afternoon nap.

I tell you this, intending no disrespect to my gran who is approaching her 100th birthday this year; but rather to illustrate that genetics can be cruel and time, her sinister best friend.

My punishment for the childish fascination with my ran’s bingo-wing arms was the inheritance of those self-same arms. I now have to endure the good-humored laughter of my nieces as they make me wave my bingo-wings around, while they slap about, making slurping sounds. They innocently ask, “But why, aunty Mich, do you have such fat arms?” Out of the mouths of babes!

Having been through menopause and being in the Aesthetic industry, I have no shame in admitting that my sister and have become less judgmental and more embracing of the option of liposuction to our arms.

However, on a visit to our local plastic surgeon, Dr Peet, he explained that if I were to have liposuction, then the excess skin would also need to be excised, resulting in a scar from armpit to elbow. Being most ethical, he advised me not to consider surgery yet.

So what are the non-surgical options for bingo-wings? Fortunately, having been on the hunt to expand the already-popular facial one-stitchmini-lift, I did a course in a new generation thread which can be used for various “saggy” body parts.

The Aptos suture is inserted in a similar way to the facial threads. The doctor assesses the problem area and designs the best directions of threads to lift. In the arm lift, threads are inserted partially around the arm, drawing skin and fat from the triceps area (bingo wings), to the biceps area which often becomes thinner as we age. The mechanics of the thread is to lift and tighten. Over time, the thread is replaced by collagen, leading to natural tightening of the arm skin.

What else is available or important to assess, when examining arms from an aesthetic point of view? We should also look at the volume of fat in the arm. If there is excessive fat we would most likely first inject the fat with a fat-dissolving fluid followed by heat treatment (Tripolar). The tripolar distributes the fat-dissolving agent and the heat helps to further break down fat and tighten the skin. Like all aesthetic treatments, combination treatments lead to the best results. So we get rid of fat and thereafter insert the threads. If, on examination, we assess that arm cellulite is the main problem, we would use carboxytherapy (carbon dioxide injections), which is a potent anti-cellulite treatment.

As always, if the skin envelope is papery thin and needs rejuvenation, a combination of IPL (superficial laser for red veins and brown spots) as well as LED lights is sure to do the trick. We also use LED in the clinic after a peel to calm the skin, or to boost a treatment. So one can begin to understand that when treating arms, LED lights are a great way to boost whatever skin treatment is being done. It means that should the patient have extensive sun-damage to the forearm in the form of brown spots, the new technology is to sim-

ply do a full forearm peel, followed by the calming, soothing LED lights.

Some patients have very wrinkled skin around the elbow area. This is simply a result of sun-damage, loss of collagen and loss of fat and muscle.

These patients may usually be slim and have a smaller specific area of the arms which requires intensive treatment. In these patients, we have had great success with a combined Dermapen/Peel package.

So in conclusion, bingo-wings are nothing to be ashamed of! And something minimally-invasive can be done to lift and tighten those bingo wings. In March and April we are focusing on arms. Should you think

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Chad Gordon: Epic body mechanic Writer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring

O

n Sunday, 1 300 riders and their bikes converged on Hermanus for the irst two stages of The Absa Cape Epic, an eight-day mountain bike stage race in which competitors put bike and body on the line. It is a bone-jarring, muscle-tearing and mentally tough race as riders take up the challenge of steep ascents and technical downhills with long hours in the saddle taking their toll.

To survive requires months of prior training and a strong back-up team to mend both bike and bodies on a daily basis. Hermanus chiropractor, trail runner and mountain biker, Dr Chad Gordon is excited to be part of the Pro Investec/Songo Specialized team. The team comprises last year’s winner Jaroslav Kulhavy (out to defend the title) teamed with rookie Sam Gaze (winner of this year’s 109 km Cape Town Cycle Tour), with their back-up team of seasoned professional and ive-times previous winner Christoph Sauser (Swiss), Matt Beers (SA) and a second back-up team of Simon Andreassen (Denmark) and Alan Hatherly (SA).

Also in his care is the formidable women’s

team of multiple Cape Epic winner and ive-times world mountain bike champion, Annika Languid (Danish), teamed with world-rated Anna van der Breggen (Dutch), Olympian gold medallist and a two-times Giro d’Italia women’s road race winner.

In his role as the team doctor and soigneur (French cycling term for one who provides care), he and his team are on hand every day to ensure their riders are in top condition. He compares it to preparing a Formula One car for a Grand Prix. It comes into the race highly tuned, so much so that the slightest imbalance or breakdown could spell disaster, and so it is with the highly-trained human body – everything must be in balance and functioning optimally.

As an athlete himself, Chad understands the critical balance between mind and body required for peak performance. As a chiropractor he has the skills required to keep both mind and body working in harmony. When I spoke to him a few days before the start of the race he was clearly enthusiastic about the task ahead and thrilled to be representing Hermanus as part of the team behind the top six riders.

Chiropractic work focuses on maintaining spinal

health which is directly related to the optimum functioning of the muscular and nervous systems, essential to athletes performing at the top of their game.

As the team chiropractor and “body mechanic”, it is his responsibility to keep these athletes working to their maximum potential for the full eight days. As riders come in at the end of every stage a mechanic will grab the bike to prepare it for the next stage. Chad will take care of each rider. Liquid nutrition and hydration are the irst priority, then an overall assessment of their body, particularly if there has been a fall, of the spine and joints.

Then those aching muscles will get attention. A special cream containing a natural anti-inflammatory (Traumeel) is used to get rid of lactic acid and speed up muscle recovery. Top riders need fresh, whole, raw and high-energy food, so special meals are delivered to each stage. “In the elite section of the ield where seconds count, we cannot run the risk of them being exposed to any form of food contamination, so we keep all nutrition in-house, so to speak,” said Chad.

Over eight days there isn’t much that doesn’t get pounded so it’s up to the support team, comprising the team manager, team doctor and three massage therapists, three bike mechanics, a photographer and a social media manager, plus a runner, to keep it running like clockwork.

As a rider Chad’s passion had led to a natural involvement in the cycling industry. With some of the top professionals coming to him for treatment, it wasn’t long before he found himself in demand by the top racing teams. He was initially with a Swiss Pro team before going to team BMC. When BMC dropped out, Specialized jumped at the opportunity to get him on board.

Chad treats Anna van der Breggen on the eve of Stage 1 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic at the Hermanus Race Village.

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Skin & Body Clinic

Chad (centre) with the Specialized team of 'body mechanics', JP Jacobs, Werner Faust, Brad Copeland and Jumanji Friesen.

Local chiropractor, Dr Chad Gordon with last year's overall winner of the Absa Cape Epic, Jaroslav Kulhavy.

The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day stage race classed as "hors catégorie" by the Union Cycliste Internationale, making it a highlight on the professional racer's calendar, while attracting aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best.

When not indulging in his passion for

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sport, Chad runs a family-oriented practice in Hermanus where the emphasis is on providing an integrated approach to health and well-being.

While using the latest chiropractic principles to treat patients, he also believes in educating patients about the importance of a healthy lifestyle that includes optimal food choices and exercise, along with maintaining a healthy spine.

Once a month we offer the services of Dr Joseph Huskisson, one of SA’s leading aesthetic practitioners who specialises in anti-ageing aesthetics, Botox, derma filler, voluminising and liquid face lifts.

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MY HOME GAS INSTALLATIONS

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

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Hermanus and the Cape Whale Coast – what’s not to like?

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

O

n a quarterly basis Rand Merchant Bank and the University of Stellenbosch’s Bureau for Economic Research release the business conidence index. This index presents the results of business executives' rating of current business conditions, together with their expectations in the short- to medium-term.

This information has over time been shown to be extremely reliable, based on the historical high level of correlation between this index and the formal statistics. From a layman’s perspective, when business conidence increases, we expect to see improved short- to medium-term economic conditions, whereas a decrease in conidence normally points to a more negative expectation.

The latest business conidence index

was released last week and reflected a fall of three points to 28 in the irst quarter of 2019. As reported in the national press, the results indicate that more than 70% of business people are dissatisied with current conditions, and economic sentiment has reduced in four of the ive business sectors that form part of the survey.

This is truly not very positive. The index has a scale of 0 to 100, with the highest recorded result being 92 in the 3rd quarter of 1980, and an average of approximately 44 for the recorded period of 1975 to 2019. The current result is only slightly higher than the lows reached in the 2nd quarter of 2017, eclipsed only by that same low of 27 which was reached in the 1st quarter of 2009, following the dramatic events of the global inancial crisis of late 2007 and 2008.

Real economic growth is required in order to increase employment levels, which leads in turn to an increase in general spending power, which again, in turn, boosts the economy.

own properties to nonetheless experience the joy of living here.

On the ‘nature’ front, the Hermanus cliff paths are an absolute joy to experience and what better way can there be of ensuring that those 10 000 steps a day are achieved. The region’s beaches are accessible, clean, and varied enough to cater for any coastal-based activities. The modern malls and personalised speciality shops work side by side to provide any required shopping experience.

The Hermanus CBD is reminiscent of a bygone era, with the correct steps being taken to ensure that CBD decay does not occur.

If business leaders are saying that they are less conident of real growth than they have been in many years, then even the currently predicted 2% growth in the economy for the current year appears to be at risk.

Doom and gloom aside, at times like this the “glass half full person” needs to keep the positives in life at the forefront of his/her daily existence.

We live in a country that has experienced extreme highs and terrible lows throughout our interesting history. Those of us who are, however, privileged enough to live and work in Hermanus and the surrounding towns should celebrate that which is good in our lives – not ignoring the problems, but staying positive that they will be resolved over time.

Notwithstanding the high capital cost of owning your own home, the region has a large and expanding rental property base that allows those who do not wish to own their

Yes, by developed market comparisons, public transport (or the lack thereof ) is a significant negative, to say nothing of the lack of dedicated cycle lanes and provision for non-motorised transport in general, but it is a relatively short commute to Cape Town International Airport, along a coastal road and through the mountains that can only be described as a truly scenic route.

Staying in the positive vein, it would be remiss not to mention two of the prime assets of our country and our region: the people and the weather.

South Africans are by nature full of the joys of life, with a wonderful sense of humour, and a caring attitude that extends beyond the norm.

We love to help, we enjoy a good chat, we love our food and drink, and we are passionately proud of our country. We also live in a country where the weather lends itself to enjoying all the natural beauty that abounds, typically for most of the year. The days that the sun does not appear are limited, which is sharply in contrast to other parts of the globe where the sun can go into hibernation for weeks at a time!

Let us all focus on the positive aspects of our lives, as only by emphasising these will we in time overcome the negatives arising from the current economic situation and political climate. I don’t profess to have a crystal ball that can reveal the future, but following the elections in May, the country will again have a president elected by the people, giving him the mandate to firmly place the country on the path to economic growth, with an improvement in business confidence as a result of better economic growth forecasts. And the effect on the residential property market – only positive!

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Leave no-one behind this water day F riday 22 March is World Water Day – an annual United Nations observance day that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of fresh water resources.

The theme for World Water Day 2019 is ‘Leaving no one behind’ and is aimed at addressing the reasons why so many people do not have access to safe water.

The theme is an adaptation of the central promise of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainable development progresses, everyone must beneit.

Sustainable Development Goal 6 includes a target to ensure availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. By deinition, this means leaving no one behind.

According to the UN, billions of people are still living without safe water – their households, schools, workplaces, farms and factories are struggling to survive and thrive. Marginalised groups – women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, disabled people and many others – are often overlooked, and sometimes face discrimination, as they try to access and manage the safe water they need.

Tertiary education institution, Monash South Africa’s Water Node has compiled some water-saving tips

and strategies which can be adopted either as an individual, family or organisation to assist in creating an environment where everyone has access to safe water.

Installation of water-saving shower heads Research has shown that a water-saving shower head uses up to 50% less water than a regular free- flow shower head.

Taking shorter showers (five minutes or less is best) The US Federal Plumbing Standards specify that shower taps have a flow rate of not more than an equivalent of about 8.3 litres per minute. If our taps were to adhere to this standard for a ive-minute shower one would use close to 42 litres of water! However, with a water-efficient shower head you can save almost 40% of this.

Installation of water-saving aerators on your taps Bathroom and kitchen sink taps account for about 20% of water used in an average home. By installing water-efficient aerators one can save up to 40% of water used by sink taps.

As a way of enhancing the use of water-efficient taps the relevant authorities ought to develop plumbing standards with regards to water-flow rates for sink taps. In the United States of America Federal Plumbing Standards specify that kitchen taps should use no more than an equiva-

lent of about 9.5 litres per minute.

Use a shut-off nozzle on your garden hose How many of us have illed a bucket of water until it overflowed, and we had to dash back to the garden tap to shut it off? If we were to use the US standard flow-rate above, almost 10 litres of treated water can be lost in a minute! The savings that result from installing a shut-off nozzle will offset the initial cost.

Water your garden and outdoor plants early or late in the day to minimise evaporation The low ground and atmospheric temperatures in the early hours of the day allow for a much longer water retention time, thus resulting in a higher rate of water percolation.

This is also true when you water your garden later in the day. The less intense sunlight will reduce the rate of evaporation, hence more water retention.

Use a broom, not a hose, to clean your driveway Using a hose to clean your driveway can be fun and it gives that instant look of “cleanliness”. However, the practice is irresponsible and discouraged. It wastes water for a task that can be accomplished just as easily with a broom.

Turn it off Turn off the tap when scrubbing dish-

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es and pots; turn off the water when soaping your hands or brushing your teeth. When you are not using it, shut it off! As in the previous example, you can lose close to 10 litres in a minute. This loss is even worse if you don’t have water-efficient aerators installed. The longer your taps are running, the more water you lose which could otherwise have been saved.

Effective flush Install toilet cisterns that use less water per flush (less than 5 litres is best).

Wash only full loads when using washing machines

Not only does this save energy, but it also saves water. A full load translates to a more efficient washing cycle in terms of water and energy use.

Do not fill swimming pools A swimming pool can lose water to leaks. However, when swimming pools are exposed to the elements, they lose more water through evaporation. Add this to the amount of water used to top up the swimming pool at regular intervals, and water-usage of about 24 kilolitres would not be unrealistic – for the pool only!

This pushes your water bill up into the higher tariff bands.

KEY FACTS • Approximately 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home • One in four primary schools has no drinking water, resulting in pupils using unprotected sources or going thirsty • More than 700 children under ive years of age die every day from diarrhoea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation • Globally, 80% of the people who use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas • Women and girls are responsible for water collection in eight out of ten households with water off-premises • For the 68.5 million people who have been forced to flee their homes, accessing safe water services is highly problematic • Around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams • Around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year • An estimated 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

Source: United Nations

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Bright lights, Big Apple for dance stars Writer Sarah Taylor

T

wo young dancers from Hermanus who were selected this month to attend the prestigious New York-based American Academy of Ballet (AAB) Junior Summer School of Excellence in mid-June 2019 are on a funding drive to pay for their trip.

Lulu Botha and Alianna Isaacs, both aged 12 and pupils at Generation Schools Hermanus, have won a partial scholarship to attend the summer school but still need to raise about R66 000 to cover their flights, taxi fares, class fees and accommodation at the school.

Their dance teacher, Anene Schreuder-Engelbrecht, says the audition was technically very advanced and fast-paced, and she was very proud of how well her girls did. AAB New York’s Laurence Kaplan, son of AAB founder Mignon Furman, was the adjudicator.

Mignon, who passed away in 2012, was a South African who also founded the Cape Town City Ballet and the University of Cape Town Youth Ballet.

“The auditions in Cape Town were quite scary but I also enjoyed the experience a lot. I’d definitely do it again,” says Lulu. Alianna agrees that the 10-girl audition was an extremely difficult class. “It was very intense but was also thrilling.”

While Lulu has previously travelled to Dubai and the United States, this will be Alianna’s maiden flight and her first trip outside of South Africa. The girls will be accompanied by their mothers during their two-week stay in the ‘Big Apple’.

The girls are not new to performing on stage and both received honours for modern dancing at last year’s Cape Town Eisteddfod.

Anene, a contemporary, modern and ballet dance teacher, says the late Mignon started the American Academy of Ballet (AAB) to provide children with more opportunities to perform outside of the rigid grading system offered by the Royal Academy of Dance. Mignon’s son Lawrence now runs AAB New York. “The AAB has since grown into a substantial organisation, represented in 13 countries,” says Anene.

The AAB invites dancers to compete against one another through a series of 12 levels. Lulu and Alianna will be doing Level 5 AAB Performance Awards in Cape Town in May. “Anyone can participate in the AAB Summer Schools. You don’t have to be linked to the AAB,” says Anene, who is the only teacher in Hermanus qualified to teach the AAB syllabus. For Lulu and Alianna it has been a big step.

Anene opened her school, dance@

studio15, last year and Lulu and Alianna were among her first students.

A professional dancer who previously worked with the North West Dance Company and who studied at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Anene teaches a range of dance styles including African, interpretive, gospel, contemporary, modern jazz, American ballet and hip hop.

“I believe that dancers need to be flexible. They can’t just do ballet.

That’s not reality,” says Anene. “When you audition for a company, they look for all-rounders. But you should have a foundation in classical ballet - that’s definitely the springboard.”

Alianna’s mom, Abigail Isaacs, who is also a dancer, says: “I am extremely proud of Alianna. She is hard-working and is always trying to better herself in everything she does. She is extremely competitive and enjoys a challenge. I just smile when I think that I was five months pregnant with Alianna when I did my last stage performance. I am so excited for her and cannot be more in awe of her passion and drive at this age.

“My husband and I know these are tough economic times and the exchange rate is not in our favour.

Therefore we would be even more grateful to anyone who contributes or sponsors anything to make this opportunity of a lifetime become a

Dance teacher Anene Schreuder-Engelbrecht with students Lulu Botha and Alianna Isaacs, who have made the grade for the American Academy of Ballet New York Summer School.

PHOTO: Sarah Taylor reality for Alianna and Lulu.”

anene8@gmail.com

AAB New York, home to 24 worldclass instructors, will cover a range of dance styles, including ballet intensive, modern jazz, contemporary and Spanish during the summer school.

“This summer school will give the children the best training ever as it’s world class!” says Anene.

• Donations for Alianna’s trip can be made to the following Standard Bank savings account: AL Isaacs, account number 185585728. Contact her dad Larenzo Isaacs on 076 370 8236.

• Donations for Lulu’s trip can be made to Standard Bank: AV Botha, account number 10004404309. Her mom, Angela Botha can be contacted on 084 564 5936. She also has a Go Fund Me campaign, Lulu’s Dancing Dream.

For more information, visit www. american-academy-of-ballet.com or contact Anene on 082 416 4533 or

20 March 2019

Putting Pirate

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Benevolent Golf Day turns 21!

By Julian Shaw

G

reetings to all. Another week has flown by and this weekend we had the pleasure of hosting the Benevolent Golf Day. This charity event has been running for 21 years and it is always a lovely festive day for all involved.

This is the one day when the Hermanus Golf Club gets right behind this fundraiser every year and donates the golf course to charity. All the proceeds are donated to the four nominated charities - Huis Lettie Theron, SOFCA, The Seniors Centre and Hermanus Provincial Hospital. Over the years the amount of money raised is really terrific, averaging between R30 000 and R40 000 per charity, so the tremendous effort put in by the organisers is really significant.

For those of you who might not know, these wonderful organisations, SOFCA and Huis Lettie Theron provide residential care facilities for the elderly, while the Hermanus Seniors

Centre offers care for the elderly in the community and delivers meals to them.

This year the main lady behind the day was Lizel Kuchar, the admin officer for the Hermanus Seniors Centre (which is a programme of BADISA).

I have organised many golf days and the one thing I know is that the success of the event involves nonstop stress and strain for at least two months! So, from someone who has done it before, I’d like to congratulate Lizel on her excellent efforts to make this a fantastic day.

Many thanks to all the sponsors of the day. As we all know, an event like this doesn’t just happen without the generosity of local sponsors, so well done to Hermanus Kia, Hermanus Toyota, PSG, Feedem Pitseng, Lemon Butter, Walker Bay Grill, Walker Bay Manor, Oasis, Cape Asphalt, The Hire Centre, and Spookfontein. I hope you received some great coverage!

We also thank the local businesses and especially the wine farms in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley which donated prizes.

The format of the day is quite unique in that we have a morning competition and an afternoon competition; both are Alliance Stableford competitions and both are super fun!

This year we had two gentlemen who are well used to the lime-light doing the prizegiving. For the morning’s play we had the pleasure of international comedian and Hermanus resident, Barry Hilton and in the afternoon, well-known resident and member of Hermanus Golf Club, Jacques Retief.

Many thanks, Barry, for donating your time and entertaining the players with your usual sharp wit – it was much appreciated.

The winners of the afternoon field on 76 points counted in, from left: Shaun Smith, Rick Oosthuyzen, and Simon O’Sullivan (Jake White was absent when the photo was taken). Counted out on the same number were Anthony Zeederberg, Baldy Baldwin, Duncan Fletcher and Andrew Gunn.

Well done again to all the organisers for a super day!

Until next week, have a great one and remember: play the ball as it lies and the course as you find it.

Julz and the team The winners of the morning won on 79 points and were presented with their prizes

by Ilse Lourens (left). Next to her are Johan de Jager, Dave Rade, Dave Brittain, presenter and MC Barry Hilton and on the far right, Ian Wilson. Well done, gents!

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an ORDINARY MEETING of the OVERSTRAND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL will be held in the BANQUETING HALL, CIVIC CENTRE, HERMANUS on WEDNESDAY, 27 MARCH 2019 at 11:00.

KENNIS GESKIED HIERMEE dat ʼn GEWONE VERGADERING van die OVERSTRAND MUNISIPALE RAAD gehou sal word in die BANKETSAAL, BURGER SENTRUM, HERMANUS op WOENSDAG, 27 MAART 2019 om 11:00.

OKU KUKWAZISA ukuba INTLANGANISO YESIQHELO yeBHUNGA LIKAMASIPALA WE-OVERSTRAND, iza kuba se BANQUETING HALL, KWIZIKO LOLUNTU, eHERMANUS ngoLWESITHATHU, Umhla we 27 MATSHI 2019 ngeye-11:00.

MUNICIPAL MANAGER / MUNISIPALE BESTUURDER / UMPHATHI KA MASIPALA

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Personal supervision - Guaranteed workmanship On Thursday 14 March, the Hermanus High School first team rugby boys received kit sponsored by Ford Hermanus and Peter Buttner Sports. This is the second year that Ford Hermanus has sponsored the kit for the rugby team. The boys’ coach, Graham Bellingham, estimates that Hermanus High has had close on forty or fifty U16 and U18 provincial players in the last six years. The team is also attending the 40th annual Oakdale Rugby Week in their new kit which started on Saturday 16 March. Here are the 24 first team rugby boys with (in the front row) Graham Bellingham (coach), Wikus Niemand (Ford), Greg Hassenkamp (principal), Tank Coetzee (Ford) and Peter Buttner (Peter Buttner Sports).

PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

The agony and the ecstasy of the Absa Cape Epic

A rider smiles as he passes photographer Justin Coomber during the first stage of the Cape Epic.

PHOTO: Justin Coomber, Cape Epic

An amputee team takes a break after the first stage on Monday which was hosted in Hermanus.

PHOTO: Xavier Briel, Cape Epic

Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini of team Cannondale Factory Racing.

PHOTO: Greg Beadle, Cape Epic

A humorous straw sculpture along the route of Stage 1 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race.

PHOTO: Dwayne Senior, Cape Epic

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