3
Steps to connect Cliff Path
5
26 JUNE 2019
Pangolins in peril
14
We are taking a winter break and will be back on 10 July
Local artist on the rise
#ALLOVEROVERBERG We’ve Got You Covered
YOUR FREE COPY
FCJ Independent Newspaper of the Year
Samantha McCarren, who hails from Germany and is a Masters student at the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, was hiking in the Vogelgat Nature Reserve recently in the early morning to collect data for her project on the nectar-feeding Sunbirds of the Cape. She suddenly saw this Klipspringer family on the trail in front of her and says they appeared rather bewildered by the unexpected encounter! “Klipspringer pairs form strong bonds and often spend their whole lives together, living in the same territory and raising one or two young per year. In the picture you can see the male, an almost grown-up youngster and the female (left to right).” PHOTO: Samantha McCarren
Boost for law enforcement Writer De Waal Steyn
W
hile the public meetings by the Western Cape Police Ombudsman got off to a slow start in the Overstrand with fewer than 15 people attending the first meeting in Kleinmond, the office of the Ombudsman has indicated that more than 200 submissions were received via email and post in the weeks preceding the public meeting.
efficiently and effectively it was announced last week that an additional 1 000 officers will soon be deployed to police stations in the province.
In addition to the formal investigation by Ombudsman, Johan Brand, to determine if police stations in the Overstrand are adequately staffed and resourced to carry out their duties
In April this year Western Cape Premier Alan Winde declared a formal intergovernmental dispute with Cele over the shortage of some 4 500 police officers in the province. Winde,
This follows a meeting between Western Cape Community Safety MEC, Albert Fritz and National Police Minister, Bheki Cele to address policing needs and priorities in the province.
at-the-time MEC of Community Safety, said the province urgently needs more police officers as the province was “dramatically under-resourced compared to other provinces'.' At the time, Winde said that the ANC government had given the DA-led province fewer resources to fight crime, compared to other provinces. He said, while one officer must protect 375 people on average nationally, the Western Cape ratio was 1:509. Fritz, who succeeded Winde, said last Tuesday's
meeting with the minister had been "conducted in a cordial spirit of collaboration and co-operation", with both agreeing that "building safer communities requires immediate and priority attention". Cele expressed his willingness to engage further on the proposals made by the Western Cape Government to alleviate the work of police and in particular the funding which was made available by the Western Cape Government in the amount of R5 million. Continues on P3
Village Square, Hermanus | 028 312 3411
was R799 NOU R399
JACOB Stretch
Mans Langmou en Denim Hemde vanaf
R199
(Mans & Dames)
was R199 NOU R99 *Beperkte voorraad en groo�es
Uitgesoekte voorraad. Voorraad beperk.
50% AF
Guess Bootcut
50% AF
DENIM SALE! Tot 50% af op Fox & Rip Curl hoodies en tops UITGESOEKTE VOORRAAD VOORRAAD BEPERK
26 June 2019
3
www.thevillagenews.co.za
Another step to connect Cliff Path the highwater mark in Poole’s Bay or secondly a concrete path with the same specifications entirely below the highwater mark of the sea in Poole’s Bay (except for the connection points to the existing Cliff Path which is above the highwater mark).
The connection of the Cliff Path in Hermanus has come another step closer with the start this week of a public participation process for the basic assessment for environmental authorisation. What this means in layman’s terms is that the environmental consultants Ecosense have been appointed as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAP) responsible for facilitating the basic assessment process for the proposed pedestrian path to connect the two sections of the existing Hermanus Cliff Path via Poole’s Bay.
The document states that due to the locality of this project, no detrimental impacts to the environment or affected parties are expected; on the contrary, this proposed activity will strive to enhance social impacts.
According to Ecosense the applicant is the Cliff Path Action Group (CPAG), which will facilitate and implement the connection of the Cliff Path, should it be approved by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. The public participation document states the proposed pathway would be located in Poole’s Bay and will connect to the existing Cliff path in the West at Sea Road and in the East at Mickey Way next to Mollergren Park. “The current proposal is for a path built from concrete with a rough aggregate to encourage staining and seaweed / mussel shell growth. There would be no materials that could be damaged in high storm seas. It would consist of spanning, doweled and steppingstone or slab sections to accommodate the biophysical constraints of this area. The spanning sections will rely on a shifting, reusable formwork profile with replaceable shuttering. Steel-reinforced concrete will allow for spans between concrete column supports and the rough aggregate surface will be trowelled to achieve an organic, rounded curvature,” according to the document. It is further foreseen that the doweled sections would follow a similar structural principle,
The 850 m strecth of coastline at Poole's Bay that is not connected to the Cliff Path. but would be anchored into the existing rock, rather than being supported by columns. The steppingstone / slab sections will be cast in place using an adjustable formwork, which will allow for precise, neat and environmentally friendly pouring. Some sections which are accessible along the beach may only require subtle demarcation for users of the path to refrain from entering private property. Because the walkway would mostly be built on the seaward side of the highwater mark, there would be times when it would not be safely accessible, and appropriate signage would be required to advise the public to be aware of sea conditions before using this part of the walk. The document states that the intention of CPAG is to facilitate safer access to this part of the coast in the least disruptive and most practical way. The proposal would result in the optimal
utilisation of the site with minimal adverse impacts on the ecological environment. It is also seen as an enhancement of the world-famous Hermanus Cliff Path and would therefore be in line with the goals of the municipal planning frameworks and integrated development plan. It would further be in line with the strategies and the objectives of the National Environmental Management Integrated Coastal Management Act which aims to provide the public with safe and equitable access to coastal resources to the public. Currently, in the pre-application phase of the development, two layout alternatives are being considered, which are being informed by the topography of the land: First is a concrete path with various dowelled, spanning and steppingstone / slab sections, following the topography of the coast and erf boundaries as far as possible, which may in some cases, be above
“Impacts normally associated with construction activities include disturbance, outside construction footprint, noise, littering, etc. In order to mitigate these impacts, specifications have been included in the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), which must be adhered to. These include demarcated restriction of construction activities on the site to minimise any potential disturbance to the surrounding area; following an integrated waste management approach during construction and operation; the rehabilitation of disturbed areas must take place after the completion of construction and environmental awareness training must be given to construction staff. Members of the public are invited to participate in the process by providing comments. The Basic Assessment Report will be available at the Hermanus Public Library from 24 June 2019 and online at www.ecosense.co.za/documents-for-public-review. The participation process closes on 24 July 2019. The application reference number must accompany any correspondence and comments. Should you wish to register as a stakeholder or have any further queries or comments, please contact Kozette Myburgh of Ecosense at PO Box 1426 Knysna, 6570. You can call her on 021 161 0258 or send an email to kozette@ecosense.co.za.
Good news for security in Overstrand From P1 Both parties agreed that this money should be invested for maximum impact on the efforts by both governments to create safer communities. Fritz said that dialogue with interested stakeholders to find solutions was vital and both parties committed to follow-up dialogue sessions on a regular basis for this purpose. “We now look forward to building a solid, constructive and productive relationship with Minister Cele and his team going forward with
the aim of ensuring that the ongoing surge in crime in this province is ended and every possible means is provided to assist the South African Police Service in achieving this goal,” said Fritz The ombudsman investigation team is currently visiting the Overstrand for public meetings and engagement with the various communities with regards to policing in the area. Some of the issues raised at the meeting in Kleinmond concerned poaching with many locals turning to this practice as there are very few employment opportunities that will allow
them to earn a living in a legal way. Some spoke about corruption of officials around the quota system, as well as DAFF/SAPS officials colluding with organized poaching syndicates and the numbers gangs.
means that the different types of crime are attended to on the priority levels defined by SAPS. There is a concern that poaching for example, is a category B crime and not considered a top priority by SAPS.
The issues of substance abuse and various other social ills resulting in the increase in criminal activities such as house breaking and burglary, theft, domestic abuse, assault, rape, and murder were also highlighted. The community felt that there were not enough SAPS / Law Enforcement resources to manage or contain these crimes. The lack of personnel and vehicles for instance,
The next round of public meetings will take place in Hawston at the Thusong Hall on 25 June from 11:00 to 13:00, Gansbaai at the Masakhane Community Hall on 25 June at 14:00 to 16:00, Hermanus on 27 June at the Municipal Banqueting Hall from 11:00 to 15:00 and Betty’s Bay on 1 July at the Crassula Hall from 11:00 to 15:00.
4
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Rotary honours those who help make a difference T he weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Hermanus turned into an especially joyous occasion last Thursday evening when the club’s President, Ann Wright handed over a number of special awards.
First up were the ‘unsung heroes’ of the club, whose dedication and hard work behind the scenes are often overlooked, but without which the club would not be able to function. The recipients were Carl van Heerden, Frank Matthee and Lorraine Cain. The Rotary Hermanus Civic Award went to Mark Robson, Estelle van Graan and Lynne Powers of Cuckoo Tree, who was again responsible for the delicious dinner that was served. The prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award went to Past President Ian Wallace and Carolyn Martin of Creation for the extraordinary contribution they have made to humanitarian and educational programmes in Hermanus. And finally, the District 9350 Public Image Award was bestowed on The Village NEWS and Hermanus Times for their promotion of the various community services provided by the Rotary Club of Hermanus.
Carolyn Martin, who was the driving force behind the establishment of the Hemel-en-Aarde Pebbles Project, was praised by Ann as someone “who gets things done”. Realising that there was no facility for most of the pre-school children of farm labourers in the valley within 20 km from their homes and no transport to get to one, Carolyn arranged meetings with local farmers to gain support for her dream of establishing an ECD preschool and after-care centre for these children. When Anthony van Hoogstraten offered some of his farm buildings at Bergplaas for this purpose in 2016, she contacted The Pebbles Project, an educational trust and non-profit organisation in the Winelands and explained her vision for these children. They agreed to assist and after extensive renovations, an ECD centre was opened in a small farm building next to the main farm house, where the after-care facility is housed. The Pebbles Project Trust also provided resources and well-trained staff. With the facility up and running and providing a refuge for dozens of children who previously had no access to
education, it soon became apparent that the project was in need of additional classrooms to accommodate the growing number of children. Carolyn again approached the Rotary Club of Hermanus, which had already contributed to the acquisition of a bus to transport the children, to assist with the renovation and conversion of another farm building. At the awards ceremony, Carolyn thanked Ann and Past President, Ian Wallace for “immediately coming on board” and enabling her vision to become a reality through the support of a Global Grant from the Rotary Foundation. Thanks to the expertise of architect Andrew Finlayson, structural engineer Eward Grobler and the builder, Barry Coombe, the historical value of the derelict barn was preserved while turning it into three modern ECD classrooms. The building also houses a bathroom and an office, with a fully-equipped playground outside. “This project just goes to show what can be done if we don’t stop dreaming,” said Carolyn. - Hedda Mittner
What’s on at UNTIL 28 JUNE
Ann Wright, President of Hermanus Rotary (left) with Past President Ian Wallace and Carolyn Martin of Creation, who both received a Paul Harris Fellow award. BELOW: The renovated barn at Pebbles ECD Centre that now houses three additional classrooms.
The Caledon
! Wat the5100 O N or 14
2 .za 8 OedKon.cioon | 02 O t B cal ep at l Rec te
Ho
Marc Lottering THE CHOICE IS YOURS
NOT A MUSICAL
6 JULY 20H00 R100PP
basket R109PP
PLAY SLOTS OR TABLES
IN CASH & CARS
Rules with complete offer available at thecaledon. co.za or at the Customer Service Desk. The vehicles advertised and/or displayed are not necessarily the actual models to be won
EXCLUSIVE TO REWARDS MEMBERS
at the Satellite Bar
UNTIL 30 JUNE
AND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A SHARE OF OVER
R600 000
Snack MONDAY – SUNDAY
FROM 10H00
SAVE FROM
10% 16 Ts & Cs Apply
AGE RESTRICTION
TSOGO REWARDS MEMBERS ENJOY INSTANT DISCOUNTS
10%
15%
20% CASINO, HOTEL, SPA AND ENTERTAINMENT
CASINO, HOTEL, SPA AND ENTERTAINMENT
thecaledon.co.za LICENSED BY THE WESTERN CAPE GAMBLING AND RACING BOARD. TSOGO SUN GAMING PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAMME. WINNERS KNOW WHEN TO STOP. ONLY PERSONS 18 YEARS AND OLDER ARE PERMITTED TO GAMBLE. NATIONAL PROBLEM GAMBLING COUNSELLING TOLL-FREE HELPLINE 0800 006 008
5
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Pangolins in peril Writer Dr Anina Lee
PHOTO: Keith Coleen Begg
Sr Theanette Staal of APSS during the necropsy.
M
ost of us have probably never seen a pangolin in real life. They are fairly pre-historic looking – something like a walking pinecone or an artichoke with legs. They’re the only mammals covered in scales, which can protect them from predators. When threatened, they roll up into a tight ball baring their sharp scales which they can use like a saw. They are pretty well protected from all predators – except humans. Ironically, it’s these scales that are the driving force behind the illicit pangolin trade, commanding huge prices on the black market. This has put all pangolin species at high risk of extinction. They are now the most trafficked mammals in the world – more than rhinos, elephants or tigers. We do not have reliable estimates of how many pangolins remain in the wild. It’s thought that over a million individual pangolins were taken from the wild between 2000 and 2013. Currently it is estimated that 10 000 pangolins are illegally taken per year, compared to 200 tigers and 1 000 rhinos. Pangolin scales are used in traditional Asian medicine, particularly in China and Vietnam. They are believed to have curative properties; however, pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material that makes human fingernails and hair, and has no proven medicinal value. Pangolin meat is also considered to be a delicacy in these countries. The
high price of pangolin meat (which you can order to be killed at your dining table in restaurants) makes it a very desirable status symbol. Pangolins are often confused with anteaters and armadillos, but they are actually more closely related to cats and dogs. There are four species of pangolin in Africa (and another four in Asia), but only one, Smutsia temminckii, or Temminck’s Ground Pangolin, has a range that extends into the northern parts of South Africa. Pangolins feed mostly on ants and termites, which are gathered up either from the ground or in trees. Termite nests provide larger and more concentrated sources of food. Pangolins can dig termites from mounds with their specially adapted claws. Because they are toothless, they use their extremely long tongues to collect their prey. Large salivary glands coat the long tongue with a gummy mucus to which ants and termites stick. A pangolin’s stomach is also specially adapted for grinding food. This process is helped along by the small stones and sand pangolins consume with their ants. Pangolins’ insatiable appetite for insects gives them an important role in the ecosystem: pest control.
PHOTO: CNN.com
Estimates indicate that one adult pangolin can consume more than 70 million insects annually.
Grisly murder solved
Pangolins reach sexual maturity at two years of age. The gestation period for Temminck’s is four months. Most pangolins give birth to a single offspring. Their scales are soft and pale, and begin to harden by the second day. A mother will protectively roll around her baby when sleeping or if threatened. Babies nurse for three to four months, but can eat termites and ants at one month old. At this time, the baby begins to accompany the mother outside of the burrow, riding on the base of her tail as she forages for insects.
Writer Concerned Correspondent
A ban on global trade in all pangolin species was introduced in 2016, but it has not been enough to stem the demand for these shy animals. Unlike the poaching of elephants and rhinos for their tusks and horns, the hunting of pangolins is still not widely known.
The motto is easy: reduce, reduce, reduce. Reuse, reuse, reuse; only then, recycle.
To read the full (and horrific) inside story about the pangolin trade go to https://edition.cnn.com/ interactive/2014/04/opinion/sutter-change-the-list-pangolin-trafficking/
The body of a murdered juvenile African penguin was recently discovered on Grotto Beach in Hermanus. After a thorough forensic investigation the death was ruled as suspicious. After a necropsy by Sr Theanette Staal of the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary the murder weapon was identified as a piece of plastic in the stomach of the victim. The weapon was most probably disguised as a shrimp and caused the unfortunate youngster to die of starvation. A spokesperson for the Penguin Police stated that there are approximately 57 million suspects in South Africa, many of whom are habitual criminals. “We would like to urge members of the public to remove themselves from the suspect list by refusing to use single-use plastic,” the spokesperson said.
#PlasticFacts Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to ingesting plastics because most species feed at or near the ocean surface. They forage along eddies and oceanic convergence zones – the same areas where marine plastics accumulate. • Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than one million bags are used every minute; • A plastic bag has an average “working life” of 15 minutes; • Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century; • What we see floating on the surface is just 5% of the plastic pollution in the ocean – the other 95% lurks below the surface, according to Ocean Conservancy.
Whale Coast Conservation is privileged to host a showing of the documentary, Eye of the Pangolin on Saturday 29 June at the Green House in Vermont. The documentary will be introduced by Helena Atkinson and Catherine Ritchie of the NGO, Pangolin.Africa, co-producers of the movie. The Whale Coast Conservation Green House is on the mountain side of the R43 opposite the Lynx Avenue turn-off to Vermont. Children are most welcome. Entrance is free, but a donation is always appreciated.
Take less 20% on all
and
throws scatters
from 26 June - 2 July
028 050 0589
www.woodenways.co.za
6
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
FROM THE EDITOR Clarity needed on Schulphoek land One step forward. Two steps backwards. Three steps forward. One step backwards. The net result of this is not a foxtrot, but rather confusion. This seems to be the only way to describe what has been happening with the Schulphoek land issue in Hermanus.
to issue an eviction order in winter, and to allow the occupiers' lawyer additional time to put together a case to oppose the eviction. This is the second postponement the court has granted. In February 2019 a postponement was given until 18 June to give the occupants time to file answering affidavits.
Last week the Cape High Court postponed a decision on whether to grant an eviction order against the illegal occupiers of Schulphoek, which they have renamed Dubai.
The postponement of the case until shortly before the start of the summer season leaves those on both sides of the fence with a sense of unease. Those living on the land do not know what the future holds and those looking forward to seeing a mixed-use
The reasons for the postponement were that the judge did not want
development arising are also left in the dark. Add to that the fact that the landowner’s lawyer stated in court that the authorities will no longer be buying the multimillion-rand sea-facing property and the confusion increases enormously. For months, the narrative from the municipality and the Western Cape Government has been that the land would be purchased and a Better Living model development would be constructed on the site giving hundreds of middle class families the opportunity to own a home in Hermanus.
What is urgently required now is clarity from the authorities as to the long-term plans for this controversial site. A repeat of the protest action of last year cannot be afforded, not by those living in squalor nor the business community. Do not keep kicking the ball down the street, take action and fulfill the renewed mandate given to you by the residents of the region. The development of an inclusive, affordable neighbourhood has the support of a multitude of political parties and interest groups. This is the Good NEWS - Ed
Winter: To pee or not to pee? No question
A Far Kraai
By Murray Stewart
they chase things like bears.
thevillagemuze@gmail.com
This strenuous pursuit through kneedeep snow not only keeps their bodies warm and trim, but if they catch up to the beast, apart from eating it, they can also use its skin for even more warm clothing. Triple whammy! Stay fit, fed and clothed. This is where the term ‘hunting for something to wear’ originated.
Most Scandinavian houses have saunas these days. Sometimes the whole house, or at least the lounge/dining area is one huge, toasty steam-room – so it’s normal for friends to strip off when visiting. It’s polite to bring your own towels though, especially to sit on at dinner parties.
Although very effective in Alaska, we don’t have that many available bears to shoot around here, and anyway, wearing all those layers of fur to weddings and wine pairings (although toasty), would be considered a floater in the sartorial punchbowl.
Now and then they cool off by rolling in snow, or plunging into a frozen lake, and this butt-naked socialising is regarded as perfectly natural. However, it sometimes leads to other ways the Scandinavians keep warm – for another column though.
So, staying up north (to the right of the pole), let’s examine another race of cold people, in the mystical land of Oden.
Well, there aren’t many volcanoes around here, never mind the water shortage to create the steam, so it didn’t catch on either.
These Nordic types have a completely different approach to staying warm – by stripping. They couldn’t give a fig about the cold. And why? Well it all started when their ancestors invented volcanoes. They realized that molten lava and boiling rocks made clouds of warm steam when water was added, and bearing this principle in mind, it
But in the land of ‘n boer maak ‘n plan, we have our own ingenious methods of warding off winter’s shivers.
Now that winter has snuck in under the back door, it would be churlish not to share some valuable insights into the art of staying warm. For the next few months, get set for chilly winds, short days and shrouds of pewter clouds leaking shivery showers. Some folks delight in the brisk freshness – others deplore the damp and hibernate miserably. But fear not, oh miserable ones. Research has unearthed some gems from a book on how to stay warm, cunningly titled How To Stay Warm, where the author claims that to fully understand how to get properly warm, one has to first get properly cold. This determines our personal thresholds, apparently. To achieve this, he reckons, we need go no further than the North Pole. Up around there – just to the left – a race called the Inuit have it pretty sussed. They, like our San, are hunters, and end up doing a lot of running around after their prey. Over there
wasn’t long before they created the sweat-inducing sauna.
Firstly, lock the bedroom door and undress completely. Make sure the curtains are closed. Then – as in the movie Withnail and I – rub Deep Heat or Wintergreen all over your
entire body, being particularly careful around the eyes and unmentionables – and don’t pick your nose. Those tingles you experience all over are the chemicals in the lotion stimulating your red blood corpuscles into a frenzied cadenza of molecular agitation, creating a temperature increase and leading us to the next step – containing the heat. First prize is a rubber wetsuit for snug insulation – warmth in, cold out. Perlemoen smugglers swear by it and often go one step further. Although somewhat unsavoury to non-divers, they pee while inside the wetsuit, creating a layer of body-temperature liquid between the rubber and the chemically aroused skin. This allows them to stay longer in the water and poach more perlemoen. An added advantage is that wetsuits can be worn under your normal clothing at functions, and nobody will be aromatically offended if you make sure the Wintergreen overpowers the pee. A ‘must have’ this winter – leak-proof family packs available from the editor @ R85.74 – while stocks last!
Proudly Sponsored By
WEEKLY WEATHER & DE BOS DAM LEVELS
Talisman Tool Hire
Wed | 26 June
Thu | 27 June
Fri | 28 June
Sat | 29 June
Sun | 30 June
Mon | 1 July
Tue | 2 July
13°/16° Partly Cloudy
9°/17° Partly Cloudy
13°/14° Rain
17°/17° Partly Cloudy
11°/18° Clear
12°/15° Partly Cloudy
15°/16° Rain
De Bos Dam 38.6%
04:02 10:00 16:10
High Low High Low
05:22 11:24 17:30
High Low High Low
028 313 0144
Weekly Rainfall 3 mm Tides sourced by www.tide-forecast.com
WEEKLY TIDE TABLES High Low High Low
Contact Us
00:01 06:29 12:34 18:36
High Low High Low
00:59 07:22 13:28 19:31
High Low High Low
01:47 08:07 14:15 20:19
High Low High Low
02:32 08:49 14:59 21:03
High Low High Low
03:13 09:29 15:41 21:46
7
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Healthy and robust debate is crucial for democracy. TheWise Village NEWS firmly PHOTO: Photographics believes in freedom of the press as well as the right of individuals to freely express themselves, as long as they don’t infringe upon the rights of others. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Village NEWS. Letters may be shortened and/or edited for clarity and style. Send your letters to letters@thevillagenews.co.za
LET’S TALK
Enable local bodies to manage Fernkloof The editorial comment in The Village NEWS of 5 June 2019 (A FAB idea for Fernkloof) refers. This makes the excellent suggestion of a Public- Private Partnership (PPP) for the management of Fernkloof Nature Reserve (FNR).
current human resource structure and capacity is not adequate to ensure that FNR is managed effectively and able to meet its Management Goals…” Currently the FNR-dedicated staff amounts to a senior field ranger.
It is clear from the latest iteration of the Protected Areas Management Plan (PAMP), now released for public comment until 30 June and available on the Overstrand Municipality (OM) website, that managing FNR is beyond the capabilities of the OM.
This section also notes that posts that have been requested have either not been approved or have not been filled.
The Environmental Management Section (EMS) of the OM, under which the management of FNR rests and which is responsible for managing environmental issues for the entire Overstrand, is woefully under-resourced, both in terms of staff, and also budget. The PAMP recognises that inadequate resources are available for managing FNR, stating that “the
The PAMP also gives no budget, despite a broad brush budget being a management basic, but states that the EMS and the Fernkloof Advisory Board (FAB) must appeal to Council for a FNR-specific annual budget. Mr Stephen Müller, the Director of Infrastructure and Development Planning, under which the EMS is housed, states that only after the PAMP is approved will a budget be drawn up. This statement should be read in the context
of a general Overstrand budget that makes inadequate provision for the environment – the R250 000 provided for control of invasive alien vegetation is totally inadequate even to control the spread on municipal nature reserve land. The PAMP also proposes that areas of municipal ground be incorporated into FNR. All these areas are degraded and infested with alien vegetation. The budgetary implications of addressing these inclusions are obvious. The PAMP wants FNR to generate its own income through providing tourist-related infrastructure and opportunities, in accordance with the outdated concept of “sustainable development”. FNR generates income for the town as a whole by attracting visitors through and to its unspoilt and tranquil presence. Generating income is not a requirement for the beaches – why should it be so for FNR? Providing adequate funding to maintain this tiny and highly biodiverse reserve in as pristine a state as
possible should be the proud responsibility of the OM. Although the PAMP lists an inordinate number of actions that must be undertaken to manage FNR, there is again no indication of the resource or budget requirements for any of these. So with no resources, either staff or monetary, how is FNR managed at present? Much of the day-to-day management of FNR is undertaken by the Hermanus Botanical Society (HBS), which has been doing so for decades, using a largely volunteer workforce and raising money where needed for specific projects. The OM should recognise the clear advantages that formalising this highly cost-effective and efficient way of managing the reserve hold; HBS (possibly strengthened through the involvement of other local environmental organisations in a consortium) should manage the reserve and the OM should provide the funds to do so. Pat Miller
Public transport would boost FynArts Festival was living conditions for all another big hit I fully support the ideas expressed by Stephen de Stadler in his MY HOME column in The Village NEWS of 19 June (Hermanus would benefit from public transport). A number of positive initiatives emerged from the negative actions of worker strikes, road closures and damage to facilities at the beginning of last year, such as the plans for the mixed-housing scheme in Schulphoek, the micro-finance and mentor support scheme for small-scale business ventures and the start-up of the Hermanus Varsity services. A further necessary action to improve living and working conditions for the inhabitants of the Greater Hermanus area will be the introduction of a public transport service. Anyone travelling towards Voëlklip on the main road from Fisherhaven, Hawston, Onrusrivier, Mount Pleasant, the industrial and central business area, will observe the number of people begging for lifts. At the same time a number of taxi buses are parked in the central business area.
My request is that the Hermanus Business Chamber engage the Overstrand Municipality on ways to introduce a daily public transport service on the main road, running at advertised intervals.
On behalf of the FynArts team, it is my great pleasure to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all who contributed to the success of, and new benchmark figures for, FynArts 2019.
From experience in other cities, such a service will normally require some subsidies from the municipality, which in principle can be funded from modest increases in the rates and taxes of business and private property owners.
More than 400 South African artists, presenters and performers were invited to participate in the programme of more than 150 items this year.
Another approach might be to contract taxi owner(s) to start the service until a municipality-funded and -managed service can start to operate. I am hopeful that members of the business community and general public will support the idea of a public transport service in Greater Hermanus which will certainly further boost the positive living conditions of all its inhabitants and visitors.
Prof André de Villiers
Pre-Register for
FIBRE
REGISTER TODAY
www.hermanusfibre.co.za
The festival was truly a bumper fusion of our unique brand of arts festival and winter school as witnessed by the record number of ticket sales. Thank you to the participating local galleries, restaurants and accommodation establishments for supporting the festival and for going out of your way to meet the tastes and needs of FynArts goers.
8
1 6
3 5
The local media has excelled in reporting on our programme and for keeping readers in Hermanus and beyond, informed and up to date. And, of course, without the support of our sponsors there would not have been a FynArts 2019. A full list of sponsors and Friends of FynArts is on the website at hermanusfynarts.co.za. We are deeply grateful to all of you for making it possible for us to present the Festival this year. You might be pleased to know that we are already at work planning for a FynArts 2020 programme that will surpass the one of this year. We welcome your comments on FynArts 2019 and suggestions for next year’s festival. Please forward these to me at fynarts@hermanus.co.za.
Our gratitude also goes to the Overstrand Municipality, other community stakeholders, numerous dedicated committees, Friends of FynArts, volunteers, and staff for making FynArts
6
2
the success that it was.
8 9
5 1 9 8 4 1 3 4 3 6 2 8 3 7 2 9 7 3 4
9 5 7
3
Warm FynArts greetings, Mary Faure Festival Director
6 2 9 8 6 5 2
7 1
6
4 5 9
3 2 6 9 7 3
4 8
7 2 9
10 8
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
LET’S TALK FOLLOW US ONLINE www.thevillagenews.co.za If you have not been on our website in the past week, then you have missed out on these great stories. Go online to the Wellness section of www.thevillagenews.co.za to find: Spending two hours a week in nature is linked to better health and well-being.
Population growth is the biggest threat to the environment The concluding comment by Dr Anina Lee regarding plastic in the oceans being consumed by turtles and other sea creatures (The Elephant in the room, TVN 19 June 2019) refers: But the most pressing issue is that there are too many people… on a finite planet. Human fecundity, together with our desire to preserve human life at all cost, is the elephant in the room that we cannot talk about. As most thinking and educated humans know, at the heart of the world’s need to protect the environment and to produce increasingly larger amounts of human consumerables (money, food, energy, housing, water, etc) is the alarming rate at which humans are procreating.
Why cheese may help control your blood sugar.
In many societies children are regarded as a source of wealth and therefore valued and consequently produced without sufficient thought to the implications and consequences. Cultural values and norms are not cast in stone and change over time in every society. Such change is necessary to help people to adapt to changes in societal / environmental as well as personal circumstances. To conscious-
ly alter one’s values requires, amongst other things, ongoing education at all levels, for all ages. Such education must be driven more by rational thought than by tradition. The time to take the elephant by its tusks is long overdue. We must begin and continue to talk about causes, consequences and ways of coping with – and controlling and limiting – the human growth rate. If sufficient political will could be fostered, a critical look at some social welfare policies would be an appropriate short-term strategy.
Dr Mike Weekes (Retired Social Worker)
Never give up! This story is one of those that bears telling. I bought a second-hand bicycle to get some exercise by riding it around my suburb. Now, it is a 50's model like the Baby Boomer lady who rides it - a red Western Flyer, and I enjoyed feeling exhilarated while getting around. However, one day I made the mistake of parking it on the passenger side of my garage. As I reversed, not noticing the wheel jutting out, it caught
Happiness may be a choice – except that it’s constrained by vested economic interests.
Humans cannot be allowed to continue to ignore this issue because of the possibility that it would cause great embarrasment, sadness or arguments or because it is simply taboo, as Dr Lee explained the expression, ‘The elephant in the room’.
the edge of the wheel and was so buckled that I could no longer use it. I took it to one bike shop but they just shrugged and said the rim could not be fixed and the model was just too old to find parts for it. Well, by some miracle I found out about the little bike shop next to the mower shop, and took it to Steve. After numerous phone calls around the country, and two months of searching, he phoned me last week to tell
me that my bike was fixed and I could come and fetch it. He had managed to find an original Imprerial rim (26X1 3/8 inch)! I just want to thank Steve at the bike shop for going the extra mile for his customers and restoring my faith in local business. Well done, and may you prosper in your business. Verna Watton, Sandbaai
Speeding on Main Road I live on the Main Road in Hermanus and saw a poll about a month ago on The Village NEWS Facebook group. The poll addressed the issue of speeding on the stretch of road from CTM to the Police Station in town. The speed limit on this road is 60 km/h.
stretch of road also runs through residential areas such as Mt Pleasant and Northcliff. Shouldn’t cameras or speed bumps be installed to help enforce the speed limit? Or could more traffic cops be present on weekends when speeding is a bigger problem?
There are often traffic cops stationed at the Sandbaai intersection and in the parking lot across from the old Synagogue, but there is nothing (and no one) to stop drivers from speeding or driving recklessly into town. This
I have been living in Main Road for eight months and during this time I have heard and seen two accidents. The most recent one happened just this past weekend when someone hit Aloe House’s outer wall at just
past 01:00 in the morning. The wall is pretty much gone and the property’s fence is mangled beyond repair. Luckily, I believe that the driver is alright. There are also many people walking along the road at night. Will we have to wait for something really serious to happen before this matter is addressed? Why aren’t traffic cops enforcing the speed limit?
Emily Drew
SCAN ME! Scan the QR Code to go directly to the Wellness section of www.thevillagenews.co.za. https://thevillagenews.co.za/ category/my-life/wellness/
DOCUMENTARY FILM Introduced by Helen Atkinson
Saturday 29 June 2019 16:00 @ The Green House 067 770 7629 | theagency@thevillagenews.co.za
R20 donation to environmental education
THE VILLAGE
EXPLORER ART | FOOD & WINE | PEOPLE
THE HOME OF FINE BOOKS 028 313 0834
A celebration of young, artistic talent There was great excitement at the prizegiving of the annual Violet & Anne Bellingham Art Awards, hosted yet again at the picturesque Sumaridge Wine Estate in Hemel-enAarde on Saturday, 15 June. This is the largest student art competition of the Overstrand region, with entries having poured in from several local schools, including Hermanus High School, Northcliff House College, Hawston Secondary and Overberg High School. The competition is open to learners from Grade 9 – 12 and the categories include Visual Art; 3-D Art; and Fabric, Textiles & Design. In addition to these prizes, another category was added this year, the
Public Choice Award, which gave members of the public the opportunity to vote for their favourite artwork. The Tasting Room at Sumaridge was buzzing on Saturday as visitors admired the artworks on display and rushed to get their votes in before the cut-off time at 18:00. The standard was particularly high this year and it was no easy task for the judges to select the winners. They were Michaela Lawrence (Visual Art Award), Matilda Pillay (Fabric, Textiles & Design Award) and Kristen Ganz (Daval Award for 3-D Art), all three from Hermanus High School. The Public Choice Award went to Neil Bosch from Northcliff House College.
Jozua Rossouw and Terry Kobus of Orignals Gallery at the prizegiving ceremony at Sumaridge.
Kristen Granz of Hermanus High, the winner of the Daval Award for 3-D works of art, with her winning sculpture.
SOUL CAFE - BACKSTAGE
RELAUNCH PARTY
JUNE 28 @ 18:00 Soul Café 181 Main Road Hermanus Come hungry and ready to party...
Congratulations to all the winners, as well as those learners who achieved second and third places, ‘highly recommended’ and ‘most dedication’. Jozua Rossouw, one of the organisers, said the aim of the competition is to become even more inclusive. “The Anne & Violet Bellingham Art Awards are not only aimed at discovering, encouraging and rewarding artistic talent among our local youth, but also to build bridges between communities and people of different cultures, races, ages, and lifestyles. The one thing that brings people together in a multi-cultural society like ours, is the love of art.” – Hedda Mittner
Matilda Pillay from Hermanus High won the Fabric, Textiles & Design Award for this exquisite dress which was inspired by the pattern on Madiba’s shirt in the photograph she is holding.
Art teachers Jeandré Marinier and Vivienne Mitchley with Hawston Secondary teacher, Denzel Jacobs, who have joined forces to offer weekly art tuition to Hawston learners. PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner
The principal of Northcliff House College, Gerhard Coetzee (right), with Neil Bosch, the winner of the Public Choice Award.
The winner of the Visual Art Award, Michaela Lawrence of Hermanus High, with art teacher Vivienne Mitchley.
A FREE welcoming cocktail as well as a FREE Savanna with your meal
R110 per meal Sponsored by Distell
12 10 | FOOD
What's Cooking
26 June 2019
Special winter offerings at The Marine cial event such as a birthday or a baby shower.
ORIGINS By Hedda Mittner
O
riginally built in 1902, The Marine was one of several hotels that sprang up in Hermanus during the early decades of the 20th century, a period that saw a surge in the popularity of hotel holidays. But among them – just think of The Astoria, Royal, Riviera, Bay View – The Marine is one of the few that has stood the test of time and not only endures to this day but has become an iconic landmark in our town.
HIGH TEA
Perched on the majestic cliffs overlooking Walker Bay, The Marine has continuously reinvented itself and grown with the times through various extensions and renovations. Today, the original hotel, which had 21 rooms without any electricity or running water, has evolved into a modern, elegant establishment that offers luxury accommodation and a host of culinary delights. Especially during the chilly winter months, The Marine serves up various tempting offerings that make this the ideal venue for cosying up with family or friends. Winter Breakfast Special Start your morning with the most important meal of the day in the stylish Pavilion with its edgy black-and-white décor reminiscent of the roaring 1920s. If the weather is good, you can even breakfast al fresco in the courtyard next to the pool. Enjoy a hot ‘Marine Breakfast’ and have your pick from the mouth-watering continental buffet, all at the special price of R145 per person. The breakfast special is served daily between 07:00 and 10:00.
SUNDAY ROAST
High Tea The Marine’s High Tea is served in the Sun Lounge and Bar, where you’ll be welcomed by a cosy fire on cold days. There is nothing that oozes old world charm more than a High Tea, with its tiers of delectable bite-size morsels, served alongside those classic crustless sandwiches and oven-fresh scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Guaranteed to make you feel like a princess! Choose from an array of teas and coffees and proceed at a leisurely pace, as the offering might appear dainty but actually amounts to a whole lot of food. On the late morning that I tucked in, I’d skipped breakfast and was still sated when lunch time rolled by. High Tea is served daily between 11:00 and 17:00 at R155 per person. I can’t think of a better way to treat a special friend or relative, or to celebrate a spe-
Weekly Winter Curry Nothing chases the winter blues away faster than a hot, aromatic curry. Choose your favourite from three delicious curries, all served with steamed basmati rice, chutney, raita and poppadum. Your options are either a Green Chicken Curry with Thai Flavours; a Cape Malay Lamb Curry; or a Coconut, Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry. Available for lunch or dinner at Origins Restaurant, Monday to Thursday until the end of August, at R170 per person. Fish & Chips Friday Friday is Fish & Chips Day at The Marine. At only R120 per person, this is your chance to indulge in a decadent, craft beer-battered hake with triple-cooked, hand-cut potato chips, caper aeoli and pickled onions. Available for lunch or dinner at Origins Restaurant, Monday to Thursday until the end of August. Sunday Roast For their traditional Sunday Roast special, Origins dishes up a scrumptious plate of roast beef with crispy potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The meal is also accompanied by the obligatory Yorkshire pudding, which I found surprisingly light, crispy and tasty – it changed my opinion forever of what I used to think of as a rather pointless lump of baked batter. A gorgeous jus rounded the meal off beautifully. This is a great way to enjoy a Sunday meal and quality time with family and friends without having to slave away in front of the stove. Available at Origins Restaurant for lunch or dinner, every Sunday, at R170 per person. Food & Wine Dinner Series The Marine’s series of four food & wine pairing dinners will feature three award-winning Hemel-en-Aarde wineries: Creation, Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell Vineyards. The fourth dinner featuring all three of these wineries will be an exciting seven-course pop-up by Greenhouse Restaurant. The series kicks off at The Marine on Saturday 29 June with Creation winemaker Jean-Claude Martin and Head Chef Tronette Dippenaar joining forces to present a four-course menu paired with Creation wines. This will be followed by the second dinner, hosted by winemaker Peter Finlayson on Saturday 27 July, and the third, hosted by Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell, on Saturday 31 August. The series will culminate in the Greenhouse Pop-Up event on 28 September. This is a culinary journey not to be missed!
FOOD | 13 11
26 June 2019
WINE & DINE
Soup, Soup, Sip, Sip Sundays ... How to make your Winter Sunday Lunches an enjoyable and interesting flavour experience? Join us for a soup and wine tasting and savour the taste combinations pairing our three Winter Menu soups with wines recommended by our partnering winemaker from Hermanuspietersfontein.
Enjoy Tomato and Basil soup and melted cheese crouton with a purring Kat met die Houtbeen | Taste how Zucchini and Gorgonzola soup and garlic toast compliments Bloos | Savour the perfect taste combination when French Onion soup, cheese crouton and Kleinboet meets. .
An experience designed for an enjoyable and interactive lunch with a difference.
R100 per person | For bookings please call 082 082 0007 Wine Partner | Hermanuspietersfontein The Wine Glass, Harbour Road, Hermanus
World Cup Cricket & Super 15 Rugby. Enjoy a cold one while supporting your team
Happy Hour Specials Cold Beers and Tasty Bar Snacks Showing Live Sport 8 Harbour Road | 028 313 0629
Ons verwerk alle soorte Wildsvleis Biltong, droĂŤwors, braaiwors, maalvleis en meer
Koelkamer beskikbaar vir stoorplek 71 Main Road, Hermanus 028 312 1621
CALL TO BOOK. OPEN 24HRS
0846 885 885 Affordable transport door to door.
WHAT’S ON
OVERBERG Thursday
www.thevillagenews.co.za/whatson Walker bay Fynbos Conservation. For more details, contact info@lomond. co.za or 082 908 0099. Lomond Wine Estate | from 09:00
27
Whalers Athletics Club Join the Whalers for their weekly time trials, every Thursday afternoon. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. Choose between a 3 km, 5 km or 8 km route. Meet at Hermanus Country Market | 17:30
Eikenhoff Open Day Come and wander through the nursery, where beautiful Cymbidiums and other orchids will be on sale. Admission is free and tea / coffee will be available. Please note that Eikenhoff is a working farm and unfortunately no pets are allowed. For further information, contact admin@eikenhoff. com or 076 292 5267. Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery, near Stanford | 09:00 – 14:00
Think & Drink Join Stanford Conservation Trust’s fun quiz evening, every last Thursday of the month. Only R150 (bring your own wine) includes a delicious meal and a R50 donation to the trust for the upkeep of Stanford’s beautiful Wandelpad. Get friends and family together to form a team of eight or join a table on the night. To book, contact Marian at stanfordconservationtrust@ gmail.com or 083 303 4330. Tikka Palace, Queen Victoria St, Stanford | 18:30 for 19:00 Rotary Club of Hermanus Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings, every Thursday. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm your attendance. Mollergren Park, Main Road, Hermanus | 19:00
Friday
28
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 | 07:15 – 09:30 Panthera Africa Enrichment Visit Enjoy a two-hour excursion where you’ll get to work with an animal keeper to create small enrichment items, which will be given to the big cats to play with. Your passionate host will take you around the big cat enclosures and tells you their inspiring stories, and why Panthera’s enrichment programme is so beneficial to them. R750 pp (only 16 years and older). Pre-booking in advance is essential. Contact Chantel on 082 514 9658 or marketing@pantheraafrica.com Panthera Africa | 08:45 for 09:00 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 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 Village Cycles Night Ride All riders are welcome to join The Village Cycles for their monthly social night ride in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Enjoy coffee and snacks from MondayMonday before setting off on your adventurous ride. For more information follow their social media pages @mondaymondayroastingworx or @thevillagecycles or contact 028 316 3418. The Village Cycles, Hemel-en-Aarde Village | 18:00
Soul Café Relaunch Party This popular establishment is under new management and will be relaunched as Backstage Café & Grill. The community of Hermanus is invited to join in the festivities and indulge in a set menu at R110 pp. All guests will receive a welcoming drink and a free Savanna with their meal. There will also be a lucky draw hamper giveaway every hour, thanks to the sponsors, Distell. To book, call 028 313 2137. Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus | 18:00 Jo Martin Live Enjoy the honest heartfelt music of this popular musician when he returns to The Gecko for a live performance. Contact 028 312 4665. The Gecko Bar, Hermanus New Harbour | 20:30
DEFRAG THERAPY DJ DAN LEVIN PRESENT
SHAKE I
R150; U18s R70. For more info, contact Dan on 082 074 8500. De Wet Hall, Roos St, Onrus | 18:00 – 21:00
Saturday
29
Civvio Vine to Valley Trail Run Ignite your passion for the great outdoors and discover your inner trail runner. The second event in this year’s V2V Trail Run Series will be hosted by Wildekrans Wine Estate in Botrivier, offering two scenic routes of 6 km and 10 km. The cost is R120 for the 6 km, R150 for the 10 km, R70 for kids 10 – 18 years, and free for kids U10. Tickets are available at www.quicket.co.za Wildekrans, Botrivier | 08:00 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 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
EUPHORIC
FRID A Y 28 JUNE
|
6 - 9 PM
DE WET H A LL , ONRUS R150 Adults / R70 Under-18
Last Friday Dance Music therapist / DJ Dan Levin invites you to come alive through music and free dance. Put on your fitness gear and get ready for an evening of stress release and renewed power! Feel your body’s euphoria through dub, swing, house, trance and psy. Adults
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 Hermanus Country Market A favourite among the locals. Young, old, two-legged and four-legged family members are all welcome. You’ll find wholesome goodies, home-made crafts, local produce, beers and wine, speciality foods, coffee and live music. Next to Hermanus Cricket Field | 09:00 – 13:00
Die Markie Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people. Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar | 09:00 – 13:00 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 Junktique Market One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. If you have unwanted goods to get rid of, then book a spot. Every last Saturday of the month. Contact 028 341 0340 or office@stanfordinfo. co.za. This will be the last Junktique Market before it returns after a winter break on 28 September. Stanford Tourism Courtyard | 09:00 – 12:00 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 Lomond Conservation Adventure Lomond Wine Estate is hosting an adventurous fundraising event for the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Brace yourself for fynbos safari drives (every hour), a sunset picnic cruise, 5 km farm walk/run, wine and fynbos pairing, live music and a photographic exhibition of unique Overberg fauna and flora. There will also be a lucky draw and spectacular prizes up for grabs. Funds raised will go towards fire-fighting equipment for
Hops at the Hills Now in its seventh year, this popular annual craft beer festival is hosted by Stanford Hills Estate. In addition to the full range of Stanford Hills Estate wines, a selection of the best local craft beers are available for tasting and purchase. There is also a variety of delicious food options available from food stalls, and lots of fun activities for the kids, including a trampoline, jungle gyms, jumping castle and rodeo bull. Live entertainment this year includes well-known local reggae band The Rivertones, followed by a popular range of covers by the BackPocket band. It's a great day out for the whole family! For more info call Leigh-Ann on 072 639 6135. Stanford Hills Estate | 12:00 – 20:00 Eye of the Pangolin Whale Coast Conservation is proud to present a screening of Eye of the Pangolin, the ground-breaking documentary produced by two award-winning South African filmmakers who travelled the continent to find the elusive African pangolin, the most trafficked mammal on earth, and to document the race to save these shy animals from being poached to extinction. Prized for their meat, which is considered a delicacy in China and Vietnam, around 300 pangolins are victims of poachers every day. The 45-minute film will be followed by a Q&A session with Helena Atkinson and Catherine Ritchie from film production partner and conservation NGO, Pangolin. Africa. R20 donation to environmental education. For enquiries contact anina.wcc@gmail.com or 083 242 3295. The Green House, R43 Vermont | 16:00
LIVE MUSIC Des Bosch: Friday 5-9pm Marcia Moon: Saturday 2-6pm Des Bosch: Sunday 1-5pm
Come and enjoy our Winter Wood Fire Grill Specials in our beer garden, taproom or restaurant 028 316 4626 | info@hermanus.beer www.hermanus.beer/
Grape Expectations Enjoy The Wine Glass’s ‘Sumptuous Saturdays’ with Crystallum Wines. Arrive to welcoming drinks and canapés, followed by a talk and tasting presented by winemaker Peter-Allan Finlayson. Come and hear all about the backstory and philosophy of Crystallum Wines and taste the fruits of Peter-Allan’s labour while indulging in scrumptious dishes from The Wine Glass kitchen. R395 pp includes three courses with wine, plus dessert. Early reservation is essential as the event is limited to 40 tickets. Contact foh@thewineglass.guru or 082 082 0007. The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Rd, Hermanus | 18:30 Creation Food & Wine Pairing Dinner The first of The Marine’s series of four Food & Wine Pairing Dinners in partnership with award-winning Hemel-en-Aarde wineries will feature Creation Wines. Presented by winemaker Jean-Claude Martin, with a menu developed by talented head chef Tronette Dippenaar, the evening will commence with pre-drinks and canapés, followed by four delicious courses paired with Creation Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Creation Chardonnay 2017, Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 and the Creation Cape Vintage 2017. The evening ends with a lucky draw and great prizes to be won. The cost is R495 pp and booking is essential. Contact 028 313 1000 or bookings@themarine.co.za The Marine Hotel | 18:30
Monday
1
POP-UP IN HERMANUS MONDAY 1st JULY 66 Luyt St, Eastcliff 10:00 – 16:00 Beautiful cashmere Wonderful clothes, jewellery and more! Love to see you
Shari Dickinson: 082 490 6317 sharidickinson@gmail.com Duplicate Bridge All who enjoy playing bridge are welcome to join in, every Monday. For more information, contact Riekie Louw on 028 314 0662. Fernkloof Hall | 13:00 Cosmology Join the Hermanus Astronomy Centre for a presentation on Natural Philosophy: Science for the non-Scientist. Contact pierre@hermanus.co.za for more information. Catholic Church Hall | 19:00
couple. To book, contact 028 313 2007 or wilna@lavierge.co.za B’stro @ La Vierge | from 18:00
Sunday
7
Sax, Blues & Rock ‘n Roll Renowned international recording artist, Andrew Young has been hailed as 'a saxophonist with a ton of technique and funky soulfulness'. Born in Liverpool, England and now residing in Vienna, Austria, Andrew performs across the globe to audiences as far afield as China and the Far East, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. Accompanied by Hermanus’s No. 1 party band, Rewind, this virtuoso 'Sax Man' will weave a magical act with his inimitable sound and style. Tickets at R150 pp are available online at www.whalecoasttheatre.com Whale Coast Theatre | 18:30
Monday
Tuesday
2
Fernkloof Meditation Join a weekly meditation group hosted by yoga and meditation teacher, Fiona Sym, in the beautiful surrounds of Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Every week different meditation techniques are taught, followed by relaxation and half an hour of silent meditation. All are welcome at a donation to cover the cost of hall hire. Fernkloof Hall | 17:30
Wednesday
3
Graze Farmer’s Market Reduce your carbon footprint and get your fresh veggies – always seasonal, always fresh. Stay for coffee and breakfast. For more info, call Tabby & Alex on 076 243 1930. Graze Slow Food Café, Stanford | 09:00 – 12:00 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 Grape Expectations Enjoy ‘Easy Wednesdays’ with The Wine Glass and get up close and personal with Gabriëlskloof Wines. Arrive to welcoming drinks and canapés, followed by a talk and tasting presented by winemaker Peter-Allan Finlayson. R195 pp includes two courses with wine, plus dessert. Early reservation is essential as the event is limited to 40 tickets. Contact foh@thewineglass.guru or 082 082 0007. The Wine Glass, 2 Harbour Rd, Hermanus | 18:30
Thursday
4
Hermanus Bird Club For their monthly outing, Bird Club members will be visiting the Greyton area. Bring your own picnic lunch and refreshments. Meet at the Onrus Trading Post (OK Minimark) to commute to the meeting place in Greyton. For more information, contact Lester on 078 593 8977. Onrus Trading Post | departing 07:30 Whale Coast Wiz Quiz The mother-in-law of pub quizzes kicks off at four venues simultaneously. Take your pick and join in the fun at VB’s in Sandbaai, Fusion in Hermanus, Jolly Rooster in Stanford or The Brewery in Hemel-en-Aarde Village. Round up your brightest friends and make up a table of six. The cost is R120 pp (or R720 per team) for the full six weeks, every Thursday evening, culminating in the grande finale, when the winning team from each of the four venues will compete for the title of Overall Wiz Quiz winner in August. For bookings or enquiries, contact Pieter on 083 457 8235 or Janet on 082 456 8091 or email stargazer4promotions@gmail.com VB’s, Fusion, Jolly Rooster, H & A Brewery | 18:00 for 18:30
Saturday
6
Nissan Trailseeker MTB Series The Nissan Trailseeker returns to the magnificent Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, with its diverse array of mountain biking trails catering for all levels of riders. Exciting new additions to the route, with panoramic views of vineyards surrounded by majestic mountains and glimpses of the coastline, will ensure a memorable time on the bike for all. Riders can choose between 10 km, 20 km, 40 km and 70 km routes. Get all the details at trailseekerseries.co.za Sumaridge Wine Estate | 08:00 – 11:00 Onrus Market A real community market in the heart of Onrus, every first Saturday of the month. Enjoy some tasty home-baked goodies and beautiful arts, crafts and plants. For enquiries, contact Charlotte Swanepoel on 079 494 4554. De Wet Hall, Roos Street, Onrus | 09:00 to 12:00
8
Orbit: July to the December solstice U3A Overberg resumes its activities this week with a full programme, starting with the screening of Orbit: Earth’s Extraordinary Journey, a threepart documentary by Kate Humble and Dr. Helen Czerski, who go on a mission to chronicle the Earth's voyage around the sun. For one complete orbit, 584 million miles, Humble and Czerski discover why the planet tilts and how this results in such weather events as monsoons. They also find that some of the smallest changes in Earth's movement caused ice ages and that another glacial period could happen in the future. In Episode 1 they travel from July to the December solstice, experiencing spectacular weather and the largest tides on Earth. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00
Tuesday
9
Voyages of Discovery U3A Overberg presents a new DVD series, Voyages of Discovery. The title of the first lecture is The Earliest Explorers and covers the following topics: The Polynesian Settlement of the Pacific Islands; The Phoenicians; and the Scientific Voyage of Pytheas the Greek. Presented by Robin Richards. Catholic Church Hall | 10:00
La Vierge Dinner Dance Enjoy a delicious three-course dinner and dance the night away with live music from Hermanus’s No.1 party band, Rewind. R500 pp or R900 per
EIKENHOFF
ORCHID NURSERY SATURDAY 29 JUNE 2019
OPEN DAY 09h00 - 14h00 Eikenhoff Farm Stanford 7210 / S34, 26.69 E19, 33.54 For further information 076 292 5267 / admin@eikenhoff.com
14 16 | ART
26 June 2019
Kosie Thiart: Finding sublimity in chaos on after his release. “It was the skull of a wolf and I remember how I tried to just finish one tooth a day…” On some deep level Kosie identified with the wolf, the common ancestor of all domesticated dogs, as he buckled under the pressure of society to be ‘tamed’ and domesticated.
Writer Hedda Mittner
O
ne of the many pleasures of having grown-up children is being able to observe them (from a safe distance) negotiating life as independent adults. I often marvel (and admittedly, sometimes despair) at the surprising choices they have made, the habits and interests they have developed and pursued, and the people they have become. This is true not only of my own offspring, but also of their friends.
When he wasn’t working in his studio in the backyard of his family home in Northcliff, Kosie went on solitary excursions to the Drie Damme, to Grotto Beach, Klein River Estuary, Fernkloof Nature Reserve. “Nature was my saving grace,” he says. Drawn to images of ruin, chaos and decay, one of the places that still holds a morbid fascination for him, is the deserted De Mond Caravan Park.
One such individual is Kosie Thiart, who I got to know as an endearing boy with mischievous eyes and a mop of unruly dark hair. Both a rebel intent on bucking the system and a beloved member of a tightly-knit group of friends, Kosie marched to his own drum throughout his high school years – and it was almost impossible to predict the direction his life would take. Kosie, whose parents have lived in Hermanus for four decades, is as local as they come. He grew up here, attended Babbel & Krabbel, Hermanus Primary, Hermanus High School. Never much interested in artistic endeavours, that all changed when Kosie was knocked over by a car while dashing across the road to the primary school. He sustained serious injuries, including a fractured pelvis, and was bedridden for many weeks. Thoroughly bored – he was after all only eight years old – he started drawing to pass the time. Art became one of his favourite subjects (with wellknown local artist, Shelley Adams as his teacher) and after matriculating, he studied Fine Arts at the Free State University in Bloemfontein. Here Kosie made a whole new set of friends and he readily admits that they not only worked hard but partied hard. During the four years he was away, his occasional visits were always a highlight. Returning to Hermanus after his graduation, Kosie’s life started to unravel in a rather alarming fashion. He was battling alcohol and drug abuse, depression, anxiety, paranoia, OCD and, finally, psychosis. “When I came back to Hermanus, I felt like a complete outsider,” he recalls. “It struck me what an insular community this is and I didn’t feel that I fitted in with any of the ‘clicks’.” Yearning for a sense of belonging, of purpose and direction, it was only after a stint in a psychiatric hospital in Cape Town that Kosie started to turn his life around. “I found that illness can be a trigger for creativity and a catharsis for illumination,” he muses as he recalls the first artwork he started working
ABOVE: Kosie Thiart working in his studio on a charcoal drawing of a coelacanth. LEFT: 'The Great Expansion'. BOTTOM LEFT: 'Decay'. BOTTOM RIGHT: 'T-Rex'.
“Walking among the debris left behind when the residents had to evacuate, I feel like the last survivor in a post-apocalyptic landscape, which resonates with my feelings of being an outcast living on the periphery of society. There is also a tangible sense of the passage of time, almost like being in a time machine, as you are confronted both with what is and what was – and what could have been.” While he may at times feel like some romantic character rejected and banished from society, Kosie experiences these images of ruin and decomposition as something sublime, from which a new Garden of Eden is arising. “Chaos is not necessarily bad and I see it as a benign, even positive, force. Too much order, security and predictability can not only be stifling but actually be the cause of anxiety. Too much order is what I can’t cope with!” Kosie’s preferred medium is charcoal which he uses to draw natural objects, including the dead animals and fossils that he collects. The painstaking detail in his work reflects the high degree of structure and assembly that characterise living creatures. Although most of his subjects are presented in some stage of decomposition, he says he does not have a fascination with death, but rather with the various shapes that life takes on. “By drawing these creatures I celebrate the rise of organic form, structure and pattern, but also its disintegration as molecular structure yields to chaos. I find beauty in the repetition of pattern, and in its demise,” he says. At the age of 30, the ‘feral’ Kosie’s private life may have settled down to what he calls “mundane chaos”, but he remains fascinated with the concept of universal chaos, and the unifying principles of physics, chemistry and biology. “We have lost touch with chaos and decided to give it a bad name,” he says. Although the second law of thermodynamics
For more information contact: 028 050 2300 efficientelements@gmail.com 133 Main Road, Hermanus (above Tekkie Town) Hours: Mon - Sat 08:00 - 17:00
JULY WINTER SPECIAL 45min Back, Neck and Shoulder Hot Stone Massage Receive a free Hot Chocolate after treatment!
17
16 | PEOPLE 18
26 June 2019
A liquorice allsorts kind of place Writer Elaine Davie
I
t takes all sorts to make a world and sooner or later, a large proportion of them will probably have found their way to the Zoete Inval (‘Sweet drop-in’) Travellers’ Lodge on the Main Road of Hermanus. Recalling the old coaching inns of previous centuries, it is warm and welcoming, with a bed for everyone. And what a land of mystery and discovery it holds for children!
There are staircases and secret passageways everywhere in this three-storey building and its separate loft. Not just one single staircase that leads from one floor to the next in an unbroken trajectory; no, there is a kind of joyful excess of staircases inside and out, some twisting and steep, some lazily sauntering between floors. Then there are long passages and short, with rooms of every configuration leading from them, some with two beds or three, some with multiple beds and bunks. All the staircases and passages eventually lead to the cosy library though, stuffed with a treasure trove of books and memorabilia, like an old wooden aircraft propeller and a typewriter of roughly the same vintage. And all that’s just inside the buildings. In the garden, there’s a mini-forest to explore, a strelitzia bush of giant proportions and a beautiful forest waterfall built single-handedly by mine host, Jan van der Velden. Strung beside it is a double hammock, just waiting for someone with a book to climb up and sway to the sound of the cascading water. And who would have guessed one could make the most comfortable outdoor chairs out of recycled car tyres, with riempie seats of washing-line cord? Of course,
along the way, the intrepid traveller is bound to come across Dotty, the guard cat who keeps a watchful, proprietorial eye on all the comings and goings. Unlike most of the other guests, she ‘dropped in’ one day, and recognising a good thing when she saw it, refused to leave. But any house is just a husk without the people at its heart, the people who created and continue to maintain it – Jan and Marilyn van der Velden. Jan was born in Holland, where his father was in the Dutch underground during WWII. After the war, with very few jobs available in a bomb-blasted Europe, the family immigrated to South Africa with just one suitcase. Jan was only three years old when they settled on a smallholding near Brackenfell. Always an avid reader and passionate about conserving the natural environment, he went on to complete a BSc and then a medical degree. But his interests went beyond this: a former rock climber, a pilot and traveller, he was also a keen amateur photographer and has had a life-long love affair with baboons and whales. His knowledge of this part of the world goes back many years to his childhood when the family had a small holiday home in Onrus, then a tiny village by the sea with one tarred road, where everybody knew everybody else. After completing his medical studies, a locum brought him back to Hermanus and while working here, he obtained his pilot’s licence at the old airfield. His love of flying and his medical degree took him far and wide, including North America – which he flew coast to coast four times. It also saw him carrying out a locum in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, home to a young kindergarten teacher called Marilyn. They became friends and after he left, remained in touch. It took several more years of travelling on both sides, including three years in Japan for Marilyn, but at long last, as in all true fairy stories, they found their way back to each other, married and are living happily ever after in Hermanus. When the Hermanus Provincial Hospital opened in 1975, Jan was one of only five doctors employed there.
He loved being able to do everything, from trauma work to surgery and obstetrics. In those days specialists were few and far between and he regrets the fact that now there is more emphasis on treating the disease than the person. After a break of several years working in other parts of South Africa, when he and Marilyn finally returned to Hermanus, they bought a single-storey house on the Main Road of preWWI vintage. Since the plans included a second storey which had never been built, and as the thatched roof would have to be replaced anyway, they decided to resurrect the original plan. But why stop there, they thought, let’s add an attic as well. “So there we were with this huge house,” laughs Marilyn, “and just the two of us rattling around in it, so we started thinking about what we could do with the excess space.” In 1994 Zoete Inval opened, and a procession of travellers that she thinks of as Liquorice Allsorts began to stream through its hospitable doors from all over the world. As if running a guest house of this size (it can accommodate up to 42 people at capacity) were not enough, they each continued to follow their many other interests. While Jan carried on working at the hospital until he retired, he was also deeply involved in tourism and conservation issues, serving on the tourism committee for eight years. The matter of baboon control is one which particularly exercises his mind. “I love baboons,” he says. “I love to just sit amongst them in the fynbos. I have never felt in any danger and am always very much entertained by their powers of mimicry, especially the youngsters; but people keep messing things up when it comes to their control.” Jan was also the prime mover and shaker in the creation of a whale sanctuary, spending hours with officials, scientists and politicians to convince them of the need for one. He is also proud to be the longest surviving member of the Vogelgat Conservation Society. “People are too quick nowadays to sacrifice wildlife for financial gain,” he says. “I get very angry about that.” Marilyn, on the other hand, is an inveterate recycler, a legacy from her mother who is about to turn 100. Everything that can be recycled at the guest house, is, from the water to bottles and plastic and when, a number of years ago she was involved in getting the Yomelelani ECD
ABOVE: Marilyn and Jan van der Velden. BELOW: Zoete Inval Traveller's Lodge on Main Road, Hermanus. Centre started at the old airfield, she conceived of the idea of getting other pre-schoolers to recycle for their own benefit. “At first I used to go round to each of them in Jan’s old Cressida and exchange the recyclable materials they had collected for items like soap, toilet paper and towels, when I realised they couldn’t even be taught about personal hygiene when the centres didn’t have access to these essential items. It was a lot of fun – the crèches competed against one another and they would get prizes and go on exciting outings, to reward their efforts.” The Recycle Swop Shop eventually acquired a permanent home at the old airfield and Marilyn remained its driving force until about five years ago when Nerina Howard took over its management. Both Jan and Marilyn have a strong belief that everyone has an important role to play in any community. Says Marilyn, “Life is all about listening to and respecting one another for who we are and what we have to offer. In a symphony orchestra, all the instruments have something to contribute to the beauty of the music, but things get into a terrible mess when the drums try to drown out the rest.” The lives of this couple from very different corners of the globe are a living testimony to this philosophy where everyone matters. For more information contact 028 312 1242 or email info@zoeteinval.co.za. You can also visit www.zoeteinval.co.za.
19 17
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Multi-billion dollar trafficking exposed
The Illegal Abalone Trade - How It Works
Restocking the Money Supply Precursor Drugs
Writer John Grobler ying the Abalone
The Illegal Abalone Trade - How It Works
Precursor drugs such as ephedrine, a central nervous system stimulant used to make Tik and also used in the abalone industry to speed up development of the seedlings to cut growth time from 5 toAbalone 3 years are also purchased and sent to a Buying the neighbouring country where they are smuggled into South Africa andfrom processed. Chinese business person buys abalone
03 05
A
erson buys abalone from crackdown on Chinese, cash-only, busind pays with either drugs ness practices would be the only way to and cash. Poachers sell ggie - enough for one hit, terminate the multi-billion, international oximately R10,000 a kilo. contraband market, said a senior South wildlife The Feiqian system is used to ensure that no African state prosecutor. money needs to be transferred internationally to This, after an ancient but highly sophisticated, smuggle the abalone out balone intotrade-based, Hong financial-settlementofscheme, South Africa or to Kong as Chinese Flying Moneypurchase known or fei qian, Chinese-made good for export back to emerged in the ostly in dried form, moves as the key enabling mechanism South Africa.. it can be smuggled into a annual USD$260 billion, international, wildlife, destination is Hong Kong. contraband market. Illicit commodities, funcasses through Hong Kong or R10,500-11,500 a kilo. as a form of currency, allegedly support tioning
01
01
02
massive wealth transfers outside the regulatory oversight of the international banking system. A former Singaporean finance expert, whose name is being withheld for his protection, explained: "The deception behind fei qian is that the money never actually leaves China. It's just the commodities that get moved around." This is part of a longer payment chain within the Chinese diaspora, worldwide. The seamless nature of global trade and massive volumes of shipping containers handled daily, allows the fei qian business to ‘hide in the open’, shifting containers with contraband between Africa and the Far East. In effect, it is a form of invisible and untaxed trade that gives Chinese business an edge in Africa's construction sector – the untraceable income used to under-bid local competitors and grease ‘high-up’ palms for contracts. At its most benign, it is a low-cost and trusted method of remitting money, much like the Islamic hawala system. In its simplest form, Chinese Flying Money uses an established Chinese account holder abroad as a channel to add smaller amounts to a supplier’s official invoice. The supplier then pays out the extra amount in cash, on the receiving end. Unlike straight barter trade, fei qian is not a straight swop, but rather an exchange in stored value that leaves no paper trail, except in the books of the operators of these secretive underground Chinese banks. What makes it even more impenetrable is that it appears to be operated, in the main, by older, well-established women in a closed-off network of mutually trusted contacts. A year-long investigation established this and it is the single, biggest obstacle in investigating organised, wildlife and related crime, such as the drugs-for-abalone trade in the Western Cape.
poachers for R200 a kilo and pays with either drugs Restocking the Money Supply (Tik) or a combination of Tik and cash. Poachers sell Goods from China Tik at R100 for a plastic baggie - enough for one hit, equating to approximately R10,000 a kilo. With the money from the sale of abalone, undervalued and under-declared goods for South Africa are purchased and sent by container where they are sold to generate cash.
Restocking the Money Supply Precursor Drugs
03 05
04
02
03
01
Smuggling the Abalone into Hong Moving the Abalone into China. Kong
Couriers come from mainland China and move the The illegal abalone, mostly in dried form,inmoves illegal abalone their suitcases, being careful to around Southern Africa until it can bewithin smuggled into a limits they are allowed. In stick the duty-free container whose ultimate destination is Hong Kong. China the retail price will increase to at least Over 95% of abalone passes through Hong Kong R14,000 a kilo. where it sells for R10,500-11,500 a kilo.
01
The Feiqian system is used to ensure that no money needs to be transferred internationally to smuggle the abalone out of South Africa or to purchase Chinese-made good for export back to South Africa..
02
04
02
03
Note: This is a continuing investigation to uncover all the links, processes and methods used by the Chinese community to evade detection by the authorities.
head of enforcement at the, then, Economic Affairs and Fisheries (DEAF), who is now an international fisheries consultant. During his stint, DEAF could convict only one syndicate run by whites and partially disable one Chinese syndicate in an elaborate Value Added Tax (VAT) scam, despite huge amounts of cash, evidently, being passed around.
Regionally, it has become visible in the surge in hardwood smuggling from any African country with deep forest resources but non-convertible currencies, weak administration, poverty, and entrenched corruption. Deeply indebted countries have suffered profound, ecological and economic damage wrought by the destructive hardwood trade.
"So, who has the cash and where was it all coming from?" Following the money as a means of identifying the main Chinese players yielded zero results. "We could never find the [source of the] money," he said, adding that the reason was because making water-proof evidence for the court that relies on formal paper trails was a major practical and legal challenge.
When the 2014 oil-price collapse saw foreign banks refusing to sell Angola any US dollars until the country had settled its outstanding debts, the Chinese traders in Angola started converting their worthless kwanzas into rosewood logs that were (mostly) smuggled out via Namibia to China, where they were sold for very convertible yuan.
It occasionally appears as a gaping hole in individual countries' balance of payments account with China, as Namibia discovered in an ongoing R3.1 billion import tax-fraud investigation involving Jack Huang, a friend and business associate of President Hage Geingob.
"How do the poachers get paid for hundreds of tons of abalone?" asked Marcel Kroese, a former
The contraband found its way into the fei qian payment chain by the way small Chinese traders operate everywhere in Africa – cash only, and most of it off the books. In practice, this amounts to systemic tax fraud. Chinese operators routinely and massively under-declare the value of cheap goods, which are then sold for undeclared and unreported cash. The fungible nature of all precious contraband, such as gold or US greenbacks, makes fei qian suited to smuggling. Every kilogram of rhino horn, ivory, abalone, shark fin, or log of precious hardwood can be divided into smaller parts to make those parts more trade-able, at lower prices and smaller volumes. This singular characteristic is a major clue to what has been partly responsible for the surge in poaching of rhino and elephant in Africa, since 2008. Not surprisingly, rhino horn became more valuable than gold – not for its inherent value, but for its exchange value. When, in 2009, several African countries were allowed a once-off sale of their ivory stockpiles to drive down black-market prices, the poaching in Africa surged, wiping out a massive 60 percent of elephant herds in East and Southern Africa. This was a simple illustration of fei qian and the Law of Price Demand. Making a scarce and valuable commodity more readily and cheaply available will increase demand and, as a result, increase the price for that commodity.
Where the smuggled abalone ends up in Hong Kong: one such shipment, traced to an industrial building in the New Territories, Hong Kong. PHOTO: Alex Hofford
Restocking the Money Supply Goods from China
With the money from the sale of abalone, undervalued and under-declared goods for South Africa are purchased and sent by container where they are sold to generate cash.
Moving the Abalone into China. Couriers come from mainland China and move the illegal abalone in their suitcases, being careful to stick within the duty-free limits they are allowed. In China the retail price will increase to at least R14,000 a kilo.
Note: This is a continuing investigation to uncover all the links, processes and methods used by the Chinese community to evade detection by the authorities. buyers stockpiled it because actual demand Directorate
Over the past 10 years, fei qian has morphed into something much more dangerous, becoming increasingly visible in the surge in the wildlife contraband trade. This is due to a global shortage of hard currency that has forced Chinese traders to resort to the system, first developed 1 200 years ago as a rice-trading method during the Tang Dynasty.
It was also visible in the multi-billion South African rand drugs-for-abalone trade. This non-linear payment system has thus far defeated all attempts at linking specific, intercepted, illicit drug or abalone shipments to specific Chinese buyers, known to have been operating in the Western Cape since the early 1990s.
Precursor drugs such as ephedrine, a central nervous system stimulant used to make Tik and also used in the abalone industry to speed up development of the seedlings to cut growth time from 5 to 3 years are also purchased and sent to a neighbouring country where they are smuggled into South Africa and processed.
According to TRAFFIC – an international wildlife trade-monitoring organisation – instead of selling their newly acquired ivory, the Chinese
for ivory in China was static or declining. Yet poaching exploded, driven by individuals such as the notorious ‘Ivory Queen’ Yang Feng Glan (69), convicted to 15 years in jail by a Tanzania court for her part in smuggling USD$6.5 million in poached ivory to China, over the past decade. Glan, however, was only convicted for 1 889 kgs of ivory – about 350 elephants' worth – while investigators such as the late Wayne Lotter, assassinated two years ago in Dar es Salaam, believed she was handling much more ivory than that. Most of Glan's business was conducted via shipping containers. So how many of the thousands she had dispatched to China contained other contraband, and how much of that was for her own account? In court her stoic defence gave nothing away but left the impression that she was protecting something bigger and more important than only herself. With millions of containers being stored and trans-shipped, annually, through free ports including Coega in South Africa, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Tanjung Pelepas and Kelang in Malaysia and China's Hong Kong, a container holding contraband could never cross any customs point while ownership, on paper, passed through half a dozen hands, in as many countries. Containers at sea (or stored in a port), due to changing bills of lading and destinations of shipping, was expensive but it was a very common practice in business, said a veteran Walvis Bay-based shipping agent. The middleman would not want his client to know who his supplier was for fear of being cut out, and would, therefore, do a ‘Switched Bills of Lading’ to hide the origin of his goods. While such shipments from suspect ports are often red flagged by customs officials, the volumes passing through trans-shipment ports are so enormous, it amounts to chasing one needle through six mega-haystacks. "If you know the shipping routes, as any halfway-decent shipping agent would, you could play ping-pong with that container [of contraband] between the trans-shipment ports forever," said the veteran shipping agent. Disrupting the fei qian practice will be difficult – until Chinese in Africa play by the same rules as everyone else. As with Al Capone, nailing them for undeclared income might be the simplest and most costeffective way.
20 18
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
MY WELLNESS
Four foods that fly under the nutrition radar but shouldn’t
Foods that can help arthritis symptoms A
ccording to the Arthritis Foundation of South Africa 1 in 5 South Africans could be living with arthritis and at least 50% of those people are unaware of their status. The joint pain associated with arthritis often becomes worse during the winter months. Although there are many medical remedies and treatments for those who suffer from arthritis diet, plays one of the most important roles in managing the illness. While diet won’t cure arthritis, the right food choices can help by controlling the inflammation that wreaks havoc in the body, delivering nutrients your body needs and helping you maintain a healthy weight. That’s important because excess weight adds to pressure on achy joints and can make certain medications less effective. What’s more, body fat produces proteins called cytokines that promote inflammation. Studies show that a Mediterranean diet, with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats is a good choice for people with arthritis, especially those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here’s a look at some foods you should be eating.
Fatty fish Salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and other cold-water fish are rich in omega -3 fatty acids, which may help control inflammation. Your body needs a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Researchers have found that a greater ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is associated with an increase in chronic inflammatory diseases like RA. So, it’s important to reduce omega-6s – which may provoke inflammation and are found in meats, certain oils and in fried and processed foods that contain those oils – and increase omega-3s. Fruits and veggies Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which help stabilize molecules called free radicals that can trigger inflammation and damage cells. They’re also packed with vitamins and minerals the body needs
and in polyphenols, all of which may help lower C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation. To get the greatest health benefits, eat several types of fresh or frozen fruits each day, but watch out for sugar content in frozen options. Eat a colourful variety of veggies to get the most nutrients. Aim for two cups of fruits and two and a half to three cups of vegetables per day – fewer if you get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day and more if you’re more active. Whole grains Oats, whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa and other whole grains may lower levels of CRP and reduce the risk of heart disease, which is elevated in people with RA. Whole grains are higher in nutrients and fibre than refined grains. Plus, many products with refined grains contain ingredients that are not healthy, such as add-
•
“White” bread. Whole wheat and whole grains are typically higher in fibre and other nutrients than refined grains. But don’t diss white flour. White flour is fortified with folic acid, which helps break down homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that may promote atherosclerosis – the build-up of artery-clogging plaque, which can be common in those with RA.
•
Mushrooms. Think of them as more than a salad garnish. They are a great source of key dietary nutrients – including copper, which helps the body produce red blood cells, and potassium, which benefits the heart, muscles and nerves.
•
Chocolate. This crowd-pleaser is not only rich in flavour, but also in flavanols – antioxidants that may help keep arteries clear, reduce the stickiness of blood platelets to minimise the risk of heart attack and lower blood pressure by improving blood vessel elasticity.
•
Popcorn. The savory whole-grain snack offers more inflammation-fighting antioxidants, known as polyphenols, per ounce than fruits and vegetables – up to 300 mg per 4-cup serving. Popcorn is also a good source of fibre, which can help relieve the gastric issues often associated with rheumatoid arthritis. But make sure it’s air-popped – and not doused in butter – to keep tabs on fats and calories.
ed sugars and saturated fats. Read labels and choose breads, cereals and other products that specify a whole grain as a primary ingredient. Peas and beans These legumes are a great source of protein, which is important for muscle health – and people with RA are prone to muscle loss. What’s more, peas and beans are practically fat free, contain antioxidants, and some are rich in folic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium, all known for their heart and immune-system benefits. Black, garbanzo and red kidney beans and black-eyed peas are good choices. Nuts Full of healthful monounsaturated
fat, nuts are recognized for their heart-protective properties and important nutrients. Try pine nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds. Walnuts are particularly good for people with RA because they’re high in omega-3 fatty acids. (Ground flaxseed is another good plant source of omega-3s.) But don’t go overboard eating nuts; they contain healthy fats, but they are also high in calories. Olive oil Use olive oil instead of other oils and fats. In addition to healthy monounsaturated fat, it contains a compound called oleocanthal that reduces inflammation and acts like ibuprofen in alleviating pain. But eat it in moderation; as with all oils, it’s a fat that can lead to weight gain.
55 Main Road, Hermanus
DR MICKEY FAUEL & DR HANRE ZEELIE WE OFFER ALL TYPES OF DENTISTRY INCLUDING IMPLANTS DONE DAILY BY DR MICKEY FAUEL ORAL HYGIENIST | BLEACHING ON SITE DENTAL LAB VISITING ORTHODONTIST DR D MURPHY
Tel: 028 312 1213 Emergency 084 791 3721 Nood Mon - Fri 08:00 - 17:00 mcfauel@mweb.co.za | jpzeelie@telkomsa.net www.tooth-implant.co.za | www.whalesmile.co.za www.hermanusdentalstudio.co.za
1st Floor, Arundel Medical Place C/o Church and Arundel Street, Hermanus olivia@hermanushearing.co.za
Battling with
HEARING LOSS? Call: 028 313 1723
21 19
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019 HERMANUS
ONRUS
HERMANUS
CALEDON
Pick 'n Pay Centre Main Road 028 312 1453 Mon-Fri 9-18:00 Sat 9-14:00 Sun & p/h 10-13:00
2 Wybo Newmark Rd 028 316 2904 Mon-Fri 8.30-18:30 Sat 8.30-14:30 Sun & p/h 9-13:00
Checkers Centre, Station Mall cnr Royal & Lord Roberts Rd 028 312 3028 Mon-Fri 9-18:00 Sat 9-15:00 Sun & p/h 9-13:00
Shop 9, Victoria Mall 028 214 1112 Mon-Fri 9-18:00 Sat 9-14:00 Sun & p/h 10-13:00
EberVet Vetshops www.ebervet.com
MY PET
Protect your pets against cancer Writer Dr Hilldidge Beer
W
e tend to think of cancer as a ‘human’ disease but, like humans, pets are living longer and are at increased risk of cancer. In fact, one in three pets will get cancer. Cancer in pets can occur in many forms. Firstly, it is important to understand what cancer is. It is any cell in the body that begins to grow abnormally. It could be a skin cell or a liver cell and it could be malignant or benign. Malignant cells spread to other areas of the body. This is known as ‘metastasising’. Benign growths tend to occur in one area only and don’t spread. How do I know if my pet has cancer? Pets don’t complain, and they mask pain far more effectively than humans so you’ll need to be particularly vigilant as your pet ages. Watch out for the following signs and symptoms: • Any growth on the body – lumps or bumps
• • • • • • • • •
either on, or under, the skin Abnormal swelling Wounds that won’t heal Weight loss Loss of appetite Bleeding Lethargy Paralysis Difficulty eating, defecating or urinating Obvious signs of pain when handled
How can I protect my pet from cancer? 1. The most effective form of protection for both male and female pets is sterilisation. Mammary, uterine and testicular cancers are common in unsterilised pets. Spaying before the first heat is recommended as the risk of mammary tumours developing increases dramatically after each heat (oestrus) cycle that the dog goes through: from virtually 0 if she is spayed before her first heat to 8 percent if spayed after her first but before her second heat, to 26 percent after her second and before
her 3rd heat. If only spayed thereafter, her chances are greatly increased. Veterinarians usually recommend that dogs are sterilised at 5-6 months for smaller breeds and 6-8 months for larger breeds. 2. Regularly grooming your dog (brushing, combing and bathing) creates the ideal opportunity for examination of your dog’s skin and entire body. As you rub your hands and the brush through his fur, feel for lumps and bumps. If you find a lump or bump, don’t ignore it. The sooner your vet tests the lump the greater the chances of having it safely removed. 3. Brushing your dog’s teeth will help to eliminate cancer-causing bacteria that enter the bloodstream via gum disease. EberVet Vetshops stock pet-friendly toothbrushes and paste (human toothpaste is toxic to pets). 4. Protect pets with white ears and noses from the sun. Try to limit their outdoor exposure to
early mornings and evenings. 5. Vaccinate cats against Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV). The sooner you act the better your pet’s chances. If you see a growth, unusual behaviour or any of the symptoms described above, get your pet to the vet as soon as possible. The sooner we act, the better the prognosis and, as always, early treatment is significantly more cost-effective than when a disease has progressed. It is also kinder to your pet to act immediately. Putting off having that growth seen to or ignoring your pet’s lack of appetite will only prolong his suffering. What appears to be a small growth on the skin’s surface could in fact be an indication of a much bigger problem that only a proper veterinary examination can identify.
Local expertise, national presence and international audience
WESTCLIFF
R2 950 000
WESTCLIFF
R2 350 000
4 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR SALE IN NELSON’S WAY
3 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR SALE IN THE YARDARM
Double-storey home with spacious garden situated in the secure Mariners Village Estate. Open-plan entertainer’s kitchen with scullery and laundry. Living areas open to a covered patio with a built-in braai. Double garage has direct access to the home.
Beautiful home situated in secure Mariners Village. Offers open-plan living areas and kitchen with separate scullery and laundry. Spacious living areas lead to a veranda with built-in braai and enclosed garden. Single garage has direct access to the home.
Stephen De Stadler 082 441 0120 Jenny Küsel 083 262 7578
Stephen De Stadler 082 441 0120 Jenny Küsel 083 262 7578
WEB: 1362152
WESTCLIFF
WEB: 1383283
WESTCLIFF
R2 250 000
R1 750 000
2 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR SALE IN SCOTTS COVE
3 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR SALE IN BEATTY’S COVE
Double-storey home in Mariners Village, offers spacious open-plan living. Kitchen with separate scullery and laundry has quality finishes. Stairway leads to loft opening on a balcony with sea and mountain views. Single garage has direct access to the home.
Newly built modern single storey home situated in secure Mariners Village. Offering open-plan gourmet kitchen with scullery and laundry and living areas with sliding doors that lead onto a patio with a built-in braai. Double garage has direct access to the home.
Stephen De Stadler 082 441 0120 Jenny Küsel 083 262 7578
Stephen De Stadler 082 441 0120 Jenny Küsel 083 262 7578
Hermanus Office 16 Hope Street, Hermanus, 7200 + 27 (0)21 205 7135 hermanus@fineandcountry.com
WEB: 1383284
Park Lane Office 119/121 Park Lane, London, W1 +44 (0)207 079 1515 admin@fineandcountry.com
WEB: 1362126
Regionally 20 offices throughout Western Cape Nationally 50 offices across South Africa Internationally Over 300 offices globally
www.fineandcountry.com
24 20
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
MY HOME
A positive reputation helps grow a business By Stuart Cohen CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists
I
t takes no more than a few conversations across Hermanus to pick up on a business dynamic that does not bode well for the economic state in which we all find ourselves. There is so much dissatisfaction between service providers and consumers that an inquisitive, analytical mind like mine has to look deeper into what the problem is, and what can be done to rectify the status quo. At the outset, it is critical to state that – while we are all feeling the pinch in what is a protracted, economically-tight, and politically-tainted period – one would think all business people would be doing their utmost to win business and, in turn, provide a quality service that would be the basis of future referrals. One of the basic principles of good business is that you leverage previous successes to promote your busi-
ness and capability. Yet, and this is a generalisation, the problem seems to start at the outset.
a consumer should expect is a pro-active, advisory approach. And this would secure the business against so much competition.
We, and many people we know, have been the recipients of numerous quotes from a range of service providers, who have been either recommended by people who had a positive experience, or whose marketing approach was so highly visible that they were asked to supply a quote. The most eye-opening dynamic from a business perspective is that, in almost all cases, quotes are provided and never followed up on, by the service provider.
Yet it is these same service providers, who are constantly building the gripe ladder about how tough business is and that they are suffering for a whole lot of reasons that are textbook examples, and not necessarily applicable in a town with dynamics like ours. Business is tough for everyone here, with very few exceptions, so surely one should pull out all the stops to try and edge out the competition.
There is almost no attempt to clarify the client’s actual need and, in doing so, getting closer to winning the business; no suggestions or recommendations, based on their experience to assist the potential clients in their decision making; and very little sign that they are even interested in putting in an effort. In a market where there is a complete oversupply of certain services (landscapers, irrigation, building and renovation contractors, cleaning and laundry services – the list is endless), the least
On the other side of the fence is the consumer who often takes the approach that the cheapest solution is the one to go for, and any differential in quality of product and service that a service provider could provide is not worth the paper those statements are written on. Recommendations are often requested on the likes of Facebook, and the inevitable statement follows: “Mustn’t cost an arm and a leg” or “Mustn’t break the bank”, yet the consumer has an expectation of a service and
end-product quality that far exceeds the realms of reality, considering how few people want to pay for a service that, in some instances, is an expert service backed by plenty of knowledge and experience. Make no mistake, there are some exceptional service providers here, with well-deserved track records as they provide the level of service that one is prepared to pay proportionately more for, to ensure the end result doesn’t require someone else to fix it. The number of instances of “re-work” that we have witnessed at both clients’ builds and our own, leaves one with a desire to find a punch bag to let loose on, just to find an outlet for the frustration of seeing basic business principles thrown out the window. I have often used the Afrikaans adage: “Goedkoop is duurkoop”, or its English derivative: “You get what you pay for”, and I have yet to see that proven wrong in the medium-to-long term.
service delivery, particularly in a multiple-project situation such as a new build or major renovation. Our recent experience in that regard is a clear message to all suppliers out there – if your piece of the operation is integral to other contractors meeting their deadlines, make sure you meet yours to ensure you are not left with a bad reputation among your customers and other contractors. While you cannot measure the impact of that, do not be surprised if business slacks off after a few bad hits at doing what you were contracted to, in the stated timeline. So where does the happy medium lie? Do we all continue to moan and whinge on both sides of the fence about the tough business climate, bad service experience and costs involved, or do we find a way to go the extra mile and make a concerted effort to win business and reputation – and provide a quality end result to the consumer’s satisfaction?
Another aspect of service provision, which is a whole different conversation, is the impact of bad or slow
• Shutters • Awnings • Blinds
“Good days start at night”
028 312 2616 6 Adam Street Whale Park Hermanus
Décor and Security Shutters Pergola, Fold Arm & Aluminium Awnings
FREE delivery in Hermanus
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM • FREE QUOTES Cnr Mimosa & Steenbras Street, Hermanus Industrial Tel 028 312 3214/5
Hyundai
Visit our shop for quality and affordable beds
CTM
Toyota
SANDBAAI
HARDWOOD
• We do emergency call outs • Friendly experienced staff • We can source parts
HOURS: Mon - Fri 08:00 - 17:00 Sat 08:00 - 13:00 Bergsig Business Park, Unit 4 Bersig Str, Sandbaai 028 050 0587
• Blinds • Awnings • Shutters • Durador • Flooring • Decking • Dustless Sanding
www.theinstaller.co.za
FLOORING
028 313 1839
25 21
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Business is a vital part of estate planning
W
hile most people acknowledge the importance of comprehensive estate planning as a vehicle for protecting the financial wellbeing of their loved ones if they pass away, the same care is seldom taken by business owners in terms of planning for the continuity of their company should they die. This type of failure to plan for the business continuity, or the appropriate disposal of your interests in a business, can create massive headaches for any business partners who survive you and even for your spouse or partner after you are gone. And it’s not just these immediate individuals who can be negatively impacted by a failure to plan for business continuity; if your company employs people or has suppliers who depend on it, they can also experience significant financial problems if you don’t have the right plans in place. While a comprehensive business continuity plan, that forms part of a broader estate planning process, requires the close attention of a qualified financial adviser, there are a number of essential aspects that you must consider if you own, or have a stake in a business. The first, and arguably most important, aspect of effective business continuity planning is to identify and appoint someone who has the necessary skills, experience and acumen to immediately take over the day-to-day running of the business if you pass away suddenly. Too many business owners simply leave the business, or their share of it, to their spouse or life partner. While this may seem like a logical and easy estate planning decision, unless that partner has been actively involved in managing the business alongside you, it is likely to cause them, and your surviving business partners, untold headaches. For one, if your spouse or partner has not been involved in your business while you are alive, it is unrealistic to expect them to get involved in it after you die. What’s more, the person you leave your share of the business
to may find it very difficult to accurately calculate the fair value of that share should they want to dispose of it. So, simply stating in your will or estate planning instructions that your spouse gets the business could severely jeopardise their chances of getting the sale value you would have liked them to receive. With this in mind, a much better approach would be to consider entering into an agreement with any business partner you have in which the future ownership of each of your business interests, and the method of calculating or valuing those interests, is clearly spelt out in a legally binding contract. This should also be supported by some form of financing arrangement, which will provide sufficient capital for the buy-out of your business interests should you pass away. This could be as simple as a life insurance contract with an annual escalation for each business partner, but depending on the ownership structure, it may require a more complex legal and financial arrangement that can be drawn up with your financial adviser.
MONTH-END PRICE MADNESS ! Valid until Sunday 7 July 2019 - While stocks last
SOUND BAR HOME THEATER SYSTEM
32” HD READY LED was R1 299
R999
- HS201
- with Bluetooth
now only
- AW320
x3
R1
x2
799
HAND VACUUM CLEANER - 14.4 Volt - Wet & Dry suction
was R699
VIVA COLLECTION AIRFRYER
R599
- Up to 80% less fat - 1400 watt
Then, it’s also very important to consider any current or future financial liabilities you have to the business, like outstanding debit loans as well as anything the business owes you in the form of credit loan amounts. In both cases, the executor of your estate will be tasked with settling these amounts, and you need to ensure that you have the means in place to settle debit loan balances without these payments negatively impacting on the people who depend on your estate after you die. Of course, the opposite is also true, and if you have a credit loan account with your business, the executor will recover this money from the business to add to your deceased estate. Unless you and your business partners have made appropriate arrangements to cover these amounts should any of you pass away, the business could suffer massive financial strain if it doesn’t have the funding required to cover the loan obligations when they arise. – Johan Strydom, FNB Fiduciary
Brigadoon Village Dementia Assisted Living and Care Contact Liesel Nel 083 607 0347
Where anything is possible
- Black
13-FIN OIL HEATER was R1 199 - 2000 watt - 3 Power settings - Energy efficient
was R3 199
R999 R2
399
42L
5kg AUTODRY TUMBLE DRYER DTD258
- 2 Heat settings - White - 3 Year guarantee
42L MICROWAVE OVEN MFS4245SOS
- 1100 watt - 6 Auto cooking functions - LED display - 3 Year guarantee
was R1 999
R1
599
was R3 500
R3
199 LAMONT BAR CHAIR - Fabric - Beige or grey
90cm GAS / ELECTRIC COOKER
was R899
- Multifunction Electric Oven - Double Layered Glass Oven Door - ThermoFan Cooking - Catalytic Cleaning - 3 Year guarantee
R630 75cm also available @R1120
was R9 999
R7
R1
999
60cm VANCOUVER was R1 549 BAR CHAIR
085
- Metal frame - Seat 40×35
info@brigadoongroup.com | www.brigadoongroup.com Brigadoon Village, 30 Wallers Way, Betty’s Bay TATIANA 3 SEATER EMERY PLASMA UNIT 1.6M - Smoke grey
was R6 299
R4
410
- Deep buttoned settee - Grey fabric, linen type - 230 x 95
was R11 999
R8
MAX2 BEDSETS
Double
R4
999
DREAM-AIR BEDSETS
Double Queen
was R5 549
R5
Queen
was R6 699
499 R5 999
HERMANUS - 028 426 0014
TRADING HOURS:
Entrance 4, Whale Coast Mall, (opp. Food Lover’s Market)
Mon-Thu Fri Sat Sun
Email: hermanus@applianceworld.co.za
400
09:00 - 18:00 09:00 - 19:00 09:00 - 17:00 09:00 - 15:00
was R7 249
R6
All major Credit Cards accepted DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE - E & OE
www.applianceworld.co.za
799
TV LICENCE & ID REQUIRED WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY TV
26 22
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
Share your sport news with us! It has never been easier. Send it to admin@thevillagenews.co.za and we will gladly consider it, whether it be competition results, a friendly rivalry, a once-off feat or a major tournament.
MY SPORT
Cricketers' earnings on the rise eight franchises playing in this league. Star players like the Indian trio, Virat Kohli,
By Tony O'Hagan
M
odern-day cricket stars are raking in big ‘bucks’, primarily via limited over cricket played around the world. Over the years, sports such as football, golf, tennis and the traditional American team sports have been at the helm when assessing an athlete's earnings and net worth. However, cricketers are closing the gap. As an example of increased monies in cricket, one has only to look at the increase in prize money on offer at this year's Cricket World Cup being played in England and Wales. Total prize money amounts to $14 million (around R200 million). The winners will take home approximately R73 million, the runners-up R30 million, and a win per game for every team in the group stages brings in R700 000. A team winning all pool games would amass over R6 million.
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma all earn, including bonuses, above R30 million for this six-week event. Foreign stars, Steve Smith, David Warner and our own AB de Villiers are also in this bracket. South Africans, Chris Morris and Colin Ingram rake in about R13 million for their stint at the IPL, while someone like Kagiso Rabada would come close to R10 million, including bonuses, for his participation in this league. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers retired from international cricket last year and is plying his trade in the short form of the game around the world. He is in the top bracket of earners in the cricket arena. Mr.360, as he is known, is a global cricketing icon and the face of many prominent brands.
The prize money at this year's World Cup represents an increase of 40% over the previous World Cup, played in 2015. At the World Cup, played in South Africa in 2003, total prize money was R60 million with no money for group stage wins. Despite all the above, cricketing icons make the majority of their money from the many T20 tournaments played around the world and, in particular, the Indian Premier League. Similar leagues, not quite as lucrative, are played in countries that include Australia, the West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa. Cricketers suited to the shorter form of the game are those
According to Sport Maza, players contracted to Cricket South Africa are paid annual salaries in the region of R1.5 million. These include national players, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock.
According to Sportskeeda, AB de Villiers has a net worth of approximately R300 million, which has been accumulated via T20 cricket worldwide, mainly the IPL, and endorsements. He is the face of brands like Mont Blanc, Puma and Audi. He has properties in prime locations around Durban, reported to be worth R85 million, and drives an Audi Q7 and BMW X5. He gives back, donating and participating in charities such as the Make a Difference Foundation. The Foundation aims at providing education for under-privileged children in our society. benefitting from these leagues, as the various franchises bid for their services. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is played over a period of around six weeks and provides a major source of income for those chosen to represent the
WHALERS ATHLETIC CLUB TIME TRIAL RESULTS 20 June 2019 3 km Runners: 1. John Brink 12:42; 2. Theo Malan 13:15; 3. Michelle Blom 14:06; 4. Peter Wallace 14:34 PB; 5. Heidi Kotzé 16:50; 6. Matie Stander 17:16; 7. Carol Wallace 18:08 PB; 8. Abbi Romburgh 19:29 PB; 9. Koos Wessels 20:10; 10. Lisle Geldenhuys 21:45; 11. Yolandi Wallace 22:20 3 km Walkers: 1. Ronél Bootha 24:14; 2. Ben Bootha 24:14; 3. Jean Grant 24:18; 4. Basil Cumming 24:23; 5. Kim Romburgh 26:40; 6. Theresa van Zyl 26:40; 7. Willie Loedolff 30:19; 8. Gareth Griffiths 30:46; 9. Michelle Griffiths 30:46; 10. Lionel Griffiths 30:46 5 km Runners: 1. Thomas Browne 18:12; 2. Frank Gillion 22:09; 3. Etienne Barnard 22:22; 4. Michael Kotzé 23:32; 5. Johann Kotzé 24:30; 6. Glynn Eager 25:22; 7. Emile Engel 25:22; 8. Lester van Groeningen 27:00; 9. Mariska Erasmus 27:24; 10. Lourie Kloppers 27:25 PB; 11. Daniël Nel 27:34; 12. Gerrit Oosthuizen 27:35; 13. Sharon Sleigh 27:35; 14. Mikki Milne 29:15; 15. Mariaan Griffiths 29:15 SB; 16. Roly Willmore 29:50; 17. Gavin Turner 30:28; 18. Les Hanna 31:26 5 km Walkers: 1. Arlene Ehrenberg 42:05 SB; 2. Monica Hamman 42:05 SB 8 km Runners: 1. Calvin Sangurakani 34:50; 2. Tom Stabler 43:53; 3. James Sleigh 43:53
Encouraging our children to become proficient at wielding a cricket bat or sending down a cricket ball could result in a lucrative income one day!
BASIC ASSESSMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS Proposed public pedestrian path to connect the Hermanus Cliff Path via Poole’s Bay in Hermanus DEA&DP Pre-application reference number: 16/3/3/6/7/1/E2/15/1135/19 Notice is hereby given in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998) and the Environmental Impact Regulations, GN 982 of 2014, as amended: Project Proposal: A pedestrian path built in concrete, with a rough aggregate, to encourage staining and seaweed/mussel shell growth; consisting of spanning, doweled and stepping stone or slab sections to accommodate the biophysical constraints in this area. Alternatives are being considered. Location: A section of approximately 850m along Poole’s Bay, Hermanus, mostly between the High water mark (HWM) and Low water mark (LWM). Application for environmental authorisation to undertake the following: Listing notice 1: activities 15, 18, 19, 52 (GN No. 983, as amended), as well as the adoption of a Maintenance Management Plan for future maintenance within 100m of the HWM of the sea and the crossing of the freshwater stream on the shore. Opportunity to participate: You are hereby invited to participate in the process by providing comment on the proposed project. Should you wish to register as a Stakeholder or have any further queries or comments, please contact Ecosense. The Basic Assessment report will be available at the Hermanus Public Library from 24 June 2019 or on our website http://www.ecosense.co.za/documents-for-publicreview/ . You have the opportunity to participate in the process by providing comment until 24 July 2019 (30 days). The application reference number must accompany any correspondence and comments. Contact details: Kozette Myburgh : PO Box 1426 Knysna,6570 Tel: 021 161 0258, Fax: 086 547 4221, Email: kozette@ecosense.co.za Web: www.ecosense.co.za
27 23
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
A plunge a day keeps the doctor away H
ermanus’s intrepid early-morning swimmers have become a familiar sight at Voëlklip beach as they take to the frigid waters at 07:30 every morning, come rain or shine. Ranging in age from 84 years all the way down to teenaged grandchildren, the group has now grown to over 40 swimmers. Not all of them are there every day and they usually average around a dozen.
mers appear to be in excellent health and insist that their daily habit keeps them in tip-top shape – not only their bodies but their minds too.
“Last year there were only a few of us who swam every day right through the winter, but so far we are doing well this year,” says Jock Sparks, who has been coming to Hermanus since he was 12 and has lived here permanently for a decade. During this time, he has not missed a single morning’s swim, regardless of the weather.
The ladies in the group usually bring coffee and rusks which they enjoy after their swim, and during the summer months they often have breakfast on the lawn on a Friday morning. And if there is cause for a celebration, be it a birthday or the recent winter solstice, they may even crack a bottle of bubbles – and drink to a long and healthy life. – Hedda Mittner
The swimmers now have a WhatsApp group on which they post details such as the daily water temperature and conditions, the weather and air temperature. Not that anything seems to put them off – according to Jock, the water temperature was recently a freezing 8.5°C. The swim-
“It’s exhilarating and you start the day feeling great,” says Nickie van der Walt, who also tells me that they have a cold shower straight after their swim. “That really gives you an adrenalin rush,” he laughs.
Jock Sparks and Nickie van der Walt after an early-morning swim at Voëlklip beach last week. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
Services 30 th June
08:30 Ken Jackson 10:00 James Gray 09:45 No Lighthouse or Gen-Z during the school holiday. HOWEVER Kids will be looked after in the Lighthouse. 18:00 – 19:30 Evening Service
ACHIEVER EXCELLENCE
www.seeff.com
Amelia van der Merwe In-depth experience of current market complexities Solutions based expertise Longstanding reputation of excellence Hermanus-based free evaluation Awarded National Rand Value Top Achiever Awarded Regional Rand Value Top Achiever Top Branch Agent: Hermanus Branch 15+ years selling Real Estate
@ United Church for Pre-school to Grade 6 accompanied by their parent/s There’s CRAFT; there’s FOOD; there’s SINGING & STORIES R.S.V.P via Whatsapp by 11 July 072 416 8527
HOT PROPERTY! www.seeff.com Web Ref. 3474984 028 313 0390 | 082 441 9874 amelia.van@seeff.com
TENDER NO. SC 2000/2019
TENDER NO. SC 2000/2019
UQIKELELO- XABISO NO.SC 2000/2019
Tenders are hereby invited for the Construction of Bulk Stormwater Infrastructure in Blompark, Gansbaai.
Tenders word hiermee ingewag vir die Konstruksie van Grootmaat Stormwater Infrastruktuur in Blompark, Gansbaai.
Kucelwa isiniki-xabiso: Ukwakhiwa kweziseko zemibhobho yamanzi esiphepho eBlompark, eGansbaai.
Tender documents, in English, are obtainable from Monday 24 June 2019, at the offices of the Supply Chain Management Unit, Overstrand Municipality, Magnolia Avenue, Hermanus from Ms Rita Neethling; Tel. 028 313 8064, between 08h30 and 15h30 upon payment of a tender participation fee of R 757-00 per set.
Tenderdokumente, in Engels, is verkrygbaar vanaf Maandag, 24 Junie 2019, by die Voorsieningskanaalbestuurseenheid, Overstrand Munisipaliteit, Magnolialaan, Hermanus, vanaf Me Rita Neethling, Tel. 028 313 8064 tussen 08h30 en 15h30 na betaling van ‘n tenderdeelnamefooi van R 757-00 per stel.
Amaxwebhu, abhalwe ngesiNgesi, ayafumaneka ukusukela ngoMvulo 24 Juni 2019, kwi-ofisi yoLawulo Lweentengo, kuMasipala we-Overstrand., eMagnolia Avenue, ku Nkszn. Rita Neethling eHermanus; Nombolo. 028 313 8064, phakathi ko 08h30 no 15h30, usakuhlawula intlawulo yokuthatha inxaxheba kwisiniki-xabiso eyi R 757-00 iseti.
Sealed tenders, with “Tender No. SC2000/2019: Construction of Bulk Stormwater Infrastructure in Blompark, Gansbaai “clearly endorsed on the envelope, must be deposited in Tender Box No. 5 at the offices of the Overstrand Municipality, Magnolia Avenue, Hermanus. Bids may only be submitted on the bid documentation issued by Overstrand Municipality.
Verseëlde tenders duidelik gemerk “Tender Nr. SC2000/2019: Konstruksie van Grootmaat Stormwater Infrastruktuur in Blompark, Gansbaai” op die koevert, moet geplaas word in Tenderbus Nr. 5 by die kantore van die Overstrand Munisipaliteit, Magnolialaan, Hermanus. Tenders mag slegs ingedien word op die tenderdokumentasie verskaf deur Overstrand Munisipaliteit.
Isiniki-xabiso esitywiniweyo kwabhalwa, Isiniki-Xabiso No. SC 2000/2019: Ukwakhiwa kweziseko zemibhobho yamanzi esiphepho eBlompark, eGansbaai.” Ibhalwe ngokucacileyo kwimvulophu, mayifakwe kwi Bhokisi yeZiniki-maxabiso 5Kwii-ofisi zikaMasipala wase-Overstrand, Magnolia Avenue, Hermanus. Amaxhwebhu Oniko xabiso anikezwa ngu masipala maka buyiswe ngohlobo abhalwe ngalo.
Slegs plaaslik vervaardigde produkte met ‘n aangeduide minimum drempel vir staalprodukte (100%) vir plaaslike produksie en inhoud sal oorweeg word.
Kuzakuvunyelwa imatheriyeli ezishicilelwe neveliswe kwalapha ekhayeni ngokwa manani avumelekileyo okuvelisa ekhayeni.
Only locally produced or locally manufactured products with a stipulated minimum threshold for steel products (100%) for local production and content will be considered. Bidders should have an estimated CIDB contractor grading of at least 5CE or higher.
Tenderaars moet ʼn geskatte CIDB kontrakteurgradering van ten minste 5CE of hoër hê.
Abanini be thenda kufuneka babene CIDB enobukhulu obu 5CEokanye ngaphezulu.
A compulsory information session will be held at 10h00 on Tuesday, 09 July 2019 at Preekstoel Water Treatment Plant, Hermanus (S34 24 31.0 E19 12 23.9).
‘n Verpligte inligtingsessie sal gehou word om 10h00, op Dinsdag, 09 Julie 2019, by Preekstoel Watersuiweringsaanleg, Hermanus (S34 24 31.0 E19 12 23.9).
Iseshoni yolwazi enyanzelekileyo izakubanjwa ngentsimbi ye 10h00 ngoLwesibini, 09 July 2019 kwiNdawo yokuNyanga Amanzi iPreekstoel, eHermanus (S34 24 31.0 E19 12 23.9).
The closing date and time of the tender is on 19 July 2019 at 12h00 and tenders will be opened in public immediately thereafter in the Supply Chain Management Committee Room, Hermanus Administration.
Die sluitingsdatum en -tyd van die tender is 19 Julie 2019 om 12h00 en tenders sal onmiddellik na afloop van die sluitingstyd in die openbaar oopgemaak word in die VKB Komiteekamer, Hermanus Administrasie.
Umhla nexesha lokuvala kweziniki-xabiso yi 19 Julayi 2019 ngo 12h00 kwaye ziya kuvulwa ngokukhawuleza kwiGumbi leKomiti, loLawulo Lwetyathanga Lwentengo, kuLawulo lwase Hermanus.
Please refer enquiries to Mr. G Jansen at telephone number: 021 469 9100.
Navrae kan gerig word aan Mnr. G Jansen by telefoonnommer 021 469 9100.
Nceda unxibelelana no Mnu. G Jansen ngayo naphi na imibuzo kule nombolo 021 469 9100.
DIRECTORATE: INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING
DIREKTORAAT: INFRASTRUKTUUR EN BEPLANNING
UMONGAMELI: WEZIBONELELO EZISISISEKO NO CWANGCISO
28 24
www.thevillagenews.co.za
26 June 2019
MY SCHOOL
Curro National Sports Tournament Curro Hermanus took more than 60 learners to the University of Cape Town (UCT) in April to take part in the annual UCT Mathematics Competition. Approximately 6 500 learners from schools across the Western Cape participated this year. Jean Weight in particular excelled in the competition, winning a Gold Award and finishing third in Grade 11. Another seven of Curro's entrants won Merit Awards, and the combined scores of its learners resulted in Curro Hermanus winning the UCT trophy. This prestigious award is given each year to the school that has entered the competition for a maximum of three years and achieved the highest total for their top 30 learners. In the centre are Jean Weight and Mr Pierre van der Westhuizen, holding the trophy.
The U13 and U18 Curro Hermanus rugby teams took part in the Curro National Sports Tournament in Johannesburg over the weekend of 14 June. Luke Grindley-Ferris (ABOVE) and Gershwin Hendricks (BELOW) were selected for the U18 Curro National team which will be touring the Boland in August. Luke was also chosen as the captain of the team. PHOTOS: Supplied
Haus of Performance (HOP) Dance Studio competed at the South African Body of Dance (SABOD) Hip Hop Provincial Hip Hop Championships, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 15 June. A total of 30 dancers from Hermanus competed in different categories and achieved outstanding results: The 11 years and under formation group won silver for their performance, ‘Mini Groove’; the 12 – 15 years formation won silver for their performance, ‘Bounce Squad’; and the 16 years and over formation walked away with gold for their winning performance, ‘Illusion Force’ (photo above). HOP also entered a number of solos and duos, achieving great results, from 2nd to 7th place. Estian Jansen van Rensburg of HOP is very proud of all his dancers. Well done!
COASTLINE
SOUTHERN AFRICA
flooring specialists
t. 028 312 1543 f. 028 312 1530
HERMANUS
Proud suppliers and installers of the Best Quality Artificial Grass Welcome to your green future: www.artgrass.co.za • No watering • No maintenance • No harmful chemicals • UV-tolerant product • No mowing • Child & pet friendly • No feeding
FREE QUOTE PEET: 083 229 4453
E: hermanus@artgrass.co.za Wonderland lifestyle nursery Cnr R43 & Main Road Sandbaai
• Wall to Wall Carpeting • Solid Bamboo Flooring • Vinyl Flooring • Laminated Flooring • Underfloor Heating • Natural Flooring • Blinds Hermanus Business Park, Whale Park Unit 1, Adam Street, Hermanus, 7200
www.coastlineflooring.co.za eurika@coastlineflooring .co.za