Kruger2Canyon Vol19.09 by Mark Bishop

Hoedspruit

BOEREMARK

The next Market is on 6 March @ BOSVELD CENTRE 2.2KM out of town on R40

The paper that encourages dreams, supports people and builds the community! Vol 19 Issue 09, 5 March 2021, Kruger2Canyon News, Shop 12, Kamogelo Centre, Hoedspruit. Tel 015 793 2617 email: heidi.lee@mweb.co.za

Farmwatch Big Birding Day 2021

Ian Owtram

Farmwatch Big Birding Day 2021 was a very enjoyable fund-raising event organised by Ron Hopkins to generate some much-needed funds for Hoedspruit Farmwatch. Ron approached me about holding a birding day, and I introduced the idea of using the Birdlasser app to facilitate the whole process. Planning started in 2020 and eventually the Big Day arrived on 20 February 2021. Thankfully lockdown had eased somewhat, and the birding teams were able to travel some distance to find their species. Each team could register up to four members and would then contribute R100/member, which is how the funds were generated, along with the odd donation being handed over too. In total some R8900 was raised. The day itself was a great success with over 20 teams entered, some with seasoned/expert birders and others who were total novices and entering into their first ever birding event. Although some may have felt a bit disheartened initially when they saw that their totals were only a few species by the time the top teams had already gone past the 100 mark, it didn’t dampen their efforts. In total, almost 370 species were recorded in the region on the day, with the top teams registering 250 species, a fantastic effort in anyone’s book. Therewere some interesting records returned which were well ...cont on Pg5...

Enjoy it’s

FREE

5 March 2021 Kruger2Canyon

LOCAL IS LEKKER

Fibroblast Plasma Therapy is here Heidi Lee Smith

It’s a face or skin repair without surgery, or injections. Fibroblast Plasma Therapy is an innovative aesthetic treatment that uses a penlike device to discharge a small plasma current onto the surface of the skin. The current creates small microinjuries to the skin’s surface layer. The tiny plasma micro-injuries encourage tissue regeneration, stimulate fibroblast activity producing collagen and elastin, and causing the tissue to firm up. This therapy can be used to nonsurgically treat aging skin, wrinkles, scarring, stretch marks, age spots and acne. Fibroblast Plasma Therapy is performed by a trained and certified practitioner with the use of a highquality plasma pen. The Plamere Plasma Pen is a premium professional skin rejuvenating device, manufactured in South Korea and FDA registered. A pre-treatment consultation will evaluate your suitability as a candidate for the treatment

is now a certified practitioner based in Hoedspruit. According to Angela: ‘The number of treatments is entirely dependent on the client’s desired result, and can range from one to three treatments,’ she says. ‘The treatment is considered permanent with skin laxity only returning as the aging process

continues. So, no regular monthly top-up treatments are required! Treatment results can often be seen immediately with final results developing over an 8 to 12 week period. Visible surface micro-injuries created during the treatment take between 4 – 7 days to shed. For a further 8 to 12 weeks collagen and

David Batzofin

how hospitable South Africans are. And now is the time to find that out by travelling, not off the beaten track necessarily, but certainly taking the roads less travelled where possible. Back in the day, families used to go on an annual three week holiday. That is now a luxury of the long distant past, with families choosing to take shorter, more frequent breaks. International travel might not be on the cards for a while, but a weekend visit to a guesthouse in Parys might be an option. The Karoo is Big Sky country and the West Coast is an underutilized destination for us… due mainly to the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is freezing. Be open to change… change of venue, change of plans, and even change of destination. Go left when you might normally go right. Who knows what you might discover. Take the less-travelled road and be spontaneous where possible. Stopping off in a small town might just be the boost, however small, that they are looking for. Word of mouth often speaks louder than any marketing campaign can hope to achieve. The Lowveld has hidden gems that offer a plethora of stories to entertain, inform and educate those

elastin continue to develop, creating the final result, which is quite amazing!’ Angela smiles with enthusiasm. ‘I really want to show that this works in an honest way,’ she added. ‘So I have done some before and after shots of myself and other local Hoedspruit people.’ Whattsapp Angela on: 082 922 7071

Time to travel again?

Maureen Lahoud is one of the first people to try out Angela’s Fibroblast Plasma Therapy, and she says she is thrilled with the results.

and the number of treatments required to achieve the desired results. Angela Skea Dennis, who has

a Master’s Degree in Dental Technology, completed her training in Fibroblast Plasma Therapy earlier this year and

“And I can’t wait to get on the road again On the road again Goin’ places that I’ve never been Seein’ things that I may never see again And I can’t wait to get on the road again” Those lyrics from the Willie Nelson hit ‘On the road again’ are more pertinent now than when they were written in 1980. Back then we could travel with our friends, in closed cars, on trains, planes, and boats with no social distancing. When the world was a simpler, better (?) place. Over the past year, travel has slowly opened up, with locals being able to visit places that we were unable to afford before March 2020. This has been both a blessing and a curse for the travel industry and more specifically the lodges in various reserves around the country. But it is not only the lodges that are suffering, facilities in small-town South Africa, like B&B’s and guesthouses, are struggling, or, in many cases, closing down as a direct result. How can locals help? For a start, try a road trip. This gives you control over who you travel with and where you visit. It is amazing just

who usually bypass towns on the way to final destinations Make your journey part of the holiday. Overnight at a destination, you have read about but never visited. Until next time, stay safe and stay healthy.

Contribute to Farm Watch Hoedspruit Farm Watch FNB 622 869 50954 Thank you to all the men & women of Farm Watch - you are appreciated!

5 March 2021

NEWS & VIEWS

Kruger2Canyon

Heidi Lee Smith

Kerstin Nyberg Peart

Kruger2Canyon was told yesterday that ‘Hoedspruit does have water, the problem is that the water is in the river’. But just seconds before going to print we were told the GREAT news that the Blyde River Water Utility Company (BRWUC) has been paid and water in town will be restored! In an interview with Kruger2Canyon, Org Van Rensburg of MBB, contracted for the O&M of the Blyde pipe network, explained the reason for the lack of water in Hoedspruit the past few days. Sixteen years ago, in 2004, the Department of Public

Works (DPW) signed a contract with the Blyde Utility Company, to convey their water to the treatment plant at the Hoedspruit Airforce Base. Org explained that ‘BRWUC only offers the service of a pipeline to convey the water, for which there is a fee’. The water they transport, or pipe, is an allocation to the town from the Blyde River. This is exactly the same process that is used by the agricultural sector in the area. According to Org ‘DPW is by far MBB’s worst client, as they are regularly in arrears and MBB has frequently threatened to terminate their services.’ Org further

reminded Kruger2Canyon that Public Works do have a pump station at the Blyde River with a pipeline of their own, so theoretically they should be able to pump water to their purification plant,’ but, says Org, ‘unfortunately the pipeline and the pump station are not functional.’ The advantage of the Blyde Water distribution network is that it is partially gravity fed, it requires no maintenance from DPW and it is reliable, and according to Org, is probably much cheaper for DPW than having to pump their own water. However DPW has not paid its account for more than four months, and MBB suspended their services after a notice was served on DPW, on 1 February 2021, to state that services would be suspended if there was no payment. The water supply to Hoedspruit was hence suspended on Wednesday 3 March 2021 at 18h00. However because the reservoirs at DPW were full, the town still received water for approximately another 24 hours. In addition to this crisis, the water emergency backup system that has been commissioned and paid for by Maruleng Municipality years ago is debunked. This emergency system which has never been activated includes the water tower in town, numerous boreholes around the Municipality and a fully fledged water purification plant that is stationed in a container at Maruleng. ‘If you are upset about this situation,’ says DA Councillor for the Mopani District Municipality and resident of Hoedspruit Marie Helm, ‘get involved. Start by emailing your opinion to: mariehelm@ hotmail.com and when called on to act, please do so!’ Said Marie.

Sharon Haussmann

The bottom line is: What’s in a deadline & there was no water how do I say farewell?

A day to remember, on an anti-poaching exercise in Balule, with GKEPF

Heidi Lee Smith It’s a perfect day for a turtle to hatch, the sea is a translucent blue and the beach is quiet, but it will only happen when the turtle clock chimes. While the excitement of having turtles literally nesting on the beach where we now live, for the first time in 35 years, is distracting, I remind myself I have timelines of my own to attend to! I am contemplating my to do lists, as usual I have a Kruger2Canyon deadline and that is keeping me focused on who’s who and what’s what in the Hoed. K2C has been a major priority in my life for the past 18+ years. It’s a frightening thought really, for someone who isn’t a journo and more of an artist than anything! I remember the first edition like it was yesterday. What I remember most is how little we knew about what we were heading into. I’ve said it before: it was like taking a

trip in a yellow submarine into unchartered waters without a passport or any of the correct documentation, but we forged ahead and the community supported us six love, thank you Hoedspruit. I am ever grateful. To my amazement the adrenaline of getting all the stories lined up and laid-out still gets me every time, and I’ll just admit, every edition I’ve ever published has felt like a miracle. Once it’s done, I’m never 100% sure how I squeezed everything through that bottleneck that happens at ninety-nine. One year into the start of K2C, our son Jarryd was born with Down syndrome, and so another journey began. It’s been a humbling journey, one where I have been the scholar every step of the way. I am grateful for all the lessons; they have been invaluable and have directed my interest towards a new passion: healing. While my heart will always

be in Hoedspruit, I have embarked on this healing path and have decided to begin extracting myself from my business commitments in Hoedspruit, which include Hoedspruit-info and Kruger2Canyon. I am excited to be able to hand over to very competent new owners, Mark Bishop and Michelle du Plessis, who will bring new energy and a professional edge to both the info centre and the newspaper. I will do a more detailed introduction to each of them in the next edition of K2C. In the meantime, I will be keeping watch on the turtle nests and feeling grateful for my ever-changing life. Counting my blessings for the incredible people who I have in my tribe. I can’t help getting excited and hopeful for the future, despite the world being upside-down, I still have faith in a handful of humans and the magic that’s possible in nature.

Senior Citizen | DISCOUNT (Age 60+)

Every Wednesday @ Hoedspruit SPAR & Tops

7% @ SPAR 5% @ Tops (Applicable on ALL products excluding Promotional Items, Airtime and Data) ID document to be produced Sorry – No ID, No discount!

5 March 2021

Kruger2Canyon

LOCAL IS LEKKER

There is art in the wood

Conraad de Rosner Africa Wood Magic is the brainchild of Wynand de Bruyn who started making large African wood tables and all sorts of special custom-made pieces to order. One night whilst sitting around a bush fire, I noticed amongst the coals a piece of leadwood that had burnt into the shape of a rhino horn. I took the piece of wood out of the fire, and the resemblance to a rhino horn was uncanny, I know because I protect them from poachers. The next day I took the reclaimed wood to Wynand and he was flabbergasted at the piece and how similar it looked to a real rhino. There and then we decided to make more and start selling them at the Hoedspruit Farmers’ Market. We knew these artworks would attract a lot of attention with lodge owners and tourists alike and we agreed to go 50/50 on the venture. I do the shaping and Wynand brings out the character by polishing up the wood. Immediately we began approaching farmers that had cleared land to make way for citrus orchards and asked if we could rummage through the old, cured piles of wood. Very quickly we had a fantastic selection of natural shapes of all sizes in a growing stockpile of potential art pieces in wild olive wood, leadwood, red ivory, knobthorn, zebrawood, and other beautiful indigenous timber. The motivation and driving force behind our art is that fifty percent of all proceeds go straight back into our anti-poaching kitty to buy equipment and fuel for K9 Conservation. As this venture evolved

so have the orders come in and we made approximately R80 000 last year, split down the middle: that is R40 000 that went straight back into the APU (Anti-Poaching Unit). A few of our art works are

on display at Hoedspruit Rame, in the Kamogelo Centre. You can also find us on facebook under: africa wood magic rhino art. For more info on our conservation work visit: www.k9conservation.co.za

5 March 2021

LOCAL FEATURES

Kruger2Canyon

Farmwatch Big Birding Day 2021

...from Pg1...out of range, and were probably a case of finger trouble on a bumpy road or merely a simple misidentification As can be seen from the attached map the circle was an 80km radius from a central point close to Gravelotte. The position gave an opportunity for people from all three major towns, Tzaneen, Phalaborwa and Hoedspruit to compete. Some teams used this opportunity widely and ranged as far

away as Haenertsberg while others stuck to their own reserves and did some local birding. John Davies and his team went on an adventure in the Wolkberg, where they got stuck in a donga for 40 minutes, needed to jog 6kms up the mountain to get to the grassland area they wanted to visit due to fallen trees across their road, and then having to walk back in the dark! That was serious dedication to the cause!

For some the day was all about having fun and getting out there to connect with the birds again while raising funds for a worthwhile cause. For others there was a competitive edge as there were prizes available for the top three teams. 1st Prize: 2 nights for 2 people at River Lodge with game drives: The top prize went to John Davies’ team (A bowl of Fishing Pel’s) with 249 species. That 6km walk in the

dark, or the 40 minutes in the donga could have cost them dearly! 2nd Prize: 2 nights for 2 people at Manor House DBB: Went to Matt Lindberg’s team (GCC) with 229 species. They had a few more species on their list but when they checked it at the end of the day some of these had been recorded just outside the perimeter of the allocated region. They were looking at a total of 250 until then.

3rd Prize; 1 night for 2 people at Manor House DBB: Went to Chris Gregory’s team (The Greater Yellowlegs) with 176 species. Congratulations to everyone

that took part and for making this such a great event. Hopefully, we can start making this an annual event and raise more funds for various worthwhile causes.

lent patch with Thick-billed Weaver, Malachite Kingfisher and Red-backed Mannikin, but we could not figure out the call that initially drew us in. We continued up to Mariepskop. On our return, we stopped again. This time I tried playback of Lesser Moorhen and Allen’s Gallinule, and then it lifted its head up and started calling back. A big well done to Matt ………… Insight into the population of the black-fronted bushshrike, spotted in the Afromontane forest patch, could lead to it becoming a crucially recognised site for them. In the heat of the day, we explored some water areas in and around Hoedspruit. We ended the day on 229 bird species, a personal best for us, and Matt added sev-

eral new species to his list. It was a truly exciting and joyful day. We ended the day with owls around us and the welcome exhaustion of a hard day’s birding. Outside the competitive nature of birding big days, the apparent benefit to exploring sites for future conservation purposes cannot be underrated. Many birding days are often focused on adding as many birds as possible to a 24 hour list. The Farm Watch Birding Big Day bought home the reality that we can do something we enjoy and contribute financially to a fundamental cause, the communal safety in our area. A big thank you to the FarmWatch team for an inspiring day, and we hope there are many more events like this in the future.

A personal experience

Ashwell Glasson As a participant, I must send a big shout out to Ian Outram and the FarmWatch team for setting up Birding Big day. Matt Lindberg from the Global Conservation Corps was a brilliant partner in crime. Like all birding big days, we planned our route and target species we thought we could see. We decided to attempt Mariepskop, hoping that the road would be navigable after the recent splendid rains. Then we would return to the areas around Hoedspruit, to check rivers, pans and the reserves around us. It started as always, with a decent early morning coffee and a fast drive towards Mariepskop. We had an absolute blast. Our route took us up to Mariepskop, which delivered the goods in one birding party. We had an extraordinary sighting, a pair of Black-fronted Bushshrikes. Then on to Grey Cuckooshrike, Yellow-Throated Woodland Warbler, a pair of Olive Woodpeckers and other Afromontane bird species.

Mariepskop is a genuinely unique mountain. It watches over us in the central lowveld, illuminated by majestic early morning light and backlit in our glorious sunsets. Geologically, it is the highest peak (1,947 metres) on the Blyde River canyon along with the Eastern Drakensberg escarpment. It has several biomes or habitat types as we climb from the valley floor. It starts with the savanna, riverine forest, afromontane forest and the

patch of alpine vegetation on its peak. It is an incredible journey in biodiversity, from plants to birds and more. All the cliff faces are a humbling majesty of titanic eroded puzzles, rock-gnawing plants and slithering waterfalls shuddering down sandstone crevices to the lower slopes. Time seems much more still and potent in its spirit here. The scale begins to make a powerful statement. One is literally on top of the world.

Above: Myself (Ashwell Glasson) surveying mountain cliffs with my trusty Swarovski spotting scope, scanning cliff ledges, tree tops, rockfaces and the endless valley below.

An exceptional highlight was locating Allen’s Gallinule in an ephemeral pan. We were driving slowly and heard an unusual call. We stopped and checked out the pan and found an excel-

5 March 2021 Kruger2Canyon

A bird’s eye view

Heidi Lee Smith Are you planning to build, and need to see the lie of the land, or are you a farmer or reserve manager and need more detailed information on the exact dynamics of your reserve, farm or orchard? Then have a chat to Premier Mapping Africa for fast, effective, and highly accurate solutions. Premier Mapping Africa and Premier Aviation are part of the Premier Mapping Group, currently based in Cullinan and supplying services across Southern Africa. Executive Director and CEO Robin Kock is planning to open a satellite office in Hoedspruit. His client base

in the Phalaborwa area has opened up the opportunity to potentially position a permanent drone team in the Lowveld region. He will be available for a cup of coffee and a chat as well as being able to do demonstrations in Hoedspruit from the 9 to 13 March 2021. High tech equipment and information technology make it possible for Premier Mapping to provide clients with fully serviced aerial platforms for data collection, and they are licensed to offer aerial survey services using full-sized aircraft as well as drones, also known as remotely piloted aircraft or RPAS. The company provides

pilots that can fly both manned and RPAS aircraft, thus delivering world-class aerial solutions. ‘We manage entire aerial survey projects from planning to execution and final delivery of survey-grade data,’ explains Robin. ‘Because we have certification for both AOC (Air Operator Certificate) for manned aerial surveys and ROC (RPAS Operator Certificate) for RPAS aerial photography, surveys and industrial inspections, we are extremely versatile. In the field of aerial survey solutions with RPAS, Robin and his team have been specialising in surveys of mines and are moving into agriculture, forestry, reserves, wildlife and various forms of surveillance as well as videography for marketing purposes. ‘The needs of farmers, reserve managers as well as security and surveillance companies in the area need to be established in order for us to create solutions to fit individual needs,’ says Robin. Advanced digital photogrammetric mapping, topographical mapping, 3D Mapping, generation of digital terrain models as well as pit and stockpile volume calculations are all within the scope of our daily operations,’ says Robin. ‘We are even able to do sonar water surveys and underground surveys’. For more info email: diana@ premap.co.za or WhatsApp +27 72 758 4178

LOCAL IS LEKKER

Save your moustache use a Bouffadou

Heidi Lee Smith

Growing up on the edge of a forest meant growing up with an appreciation, love and interest in all things woody, and pretty much everything else in nature for w. Deon, who lives at Blyde Adventure Camp, was introduced to the art of woodturning on a lathe a couple of years ago by ‘Oom’ Chris Huddle and spent a lot of time at his workshop admiring his creations, and learning the basics of turning wood on his machine and under his guidance. ‘I was intrigued by the magic of being able to see into the different layers of a tree; reading a little of its story in a way’ says Deon. When I first saw a bouffadou I was interested in the concept and design but didn’t think much of it. Then more recently while turning some wooden spheres for my wife Ruby, I realised I could turn mouthpieces for bouffadous, and hopefully share some love and appreciation for our beautiful and special indigenous timber, all while helping to get home fires burning. ‘The origin of the bouffadou is attributed to the mountainous region of Central, Southern France sometime during the early 19th century. Originally a length of hollowed sapwood was used as a mouth-bellow to direct air flow to a specific spot in a fire to help get it started while keeping a safe distance between the blowers’ face and the hopefully soon to be burning fire.

And so, saving thousands of beards, moustaches, eyebrows and fragile egos,’ Deon explains in his humorous fashion. Bushveld Bouffadou has taken this ancient piece of genius and brought it to the Hoed. The mouthpieces are individually hand turned on a MacAfric 900 Lathe in the bushveld. Deon also makes other round objects like Cookie Thumpers (better known as rolling pins) and mills or grinders. Deon’s wood is salvaged from maintenance and development of roads and fencing lines on game farms, as well as from trees dam-

aged by floods and storms where fallen trees must be removed. ‘This way we can share the beauty of our indigenous woods with people from all over and help them get the fires burning for a braai, potjie or just to stay warm on those cold nights,’ he smiles. Each Bushveld Bouffadou, Cookie Thumper or Mill has its own Certificate of Authenticity, with a record of the species, common name, key identification points, points of interest, serial number, turned date and signature. The serial number and turned date are handwritten on each certificate and that is how you know it is ‘truly a hand turned piece of indigenous awesomeness that belongs to you,’ says Deon. A photo record is kept at the workshop of every Bouffadou, Thumper and Mill with its CoA so if you ever need a new one, a replacement is possible. The Bushveld Bouffadous and Cookie Thumpers are all turned personally by Deon. Find Deon at all the markets in Hoedspruit! Unfortunately he won’t be at the Farmers Market this weekend, but will be at the Artisan Market at the Wildfig Centre next weekend, and the Kamogelo Market at the end of the month. Deon: 071 480 9105

Deon J Breytenbach, seen at the December 2020 Farmers Market with his handcrafted, fire blowing bouffadous

5 March 2021

LOCAL IS LEKKER

Kruger2Canyon

Find yourself, find the Hidden Valley… Heidi Lee Smith Now this is a little bit of heaven in Hoedspruit. The Hidden Valley is situated in a cool riverine forest on a magical section of the beautiful Blyde River where you will find peace and quiet amidst rare birds and trickling water. ‘We might not have the big five but what we do have is the magnificent Blyde River at our feet, and the freedom to roam without concerns for our safety,’ says Frans Botha The forested valley is home to the rare and elusive Pel’s owl, mountain wagtail, white-backed night heron, half collared kingfisher and African finfoot among others. Hikers and tree lovers will relish the five kilometers of Lowveld Riverine Forest (FOa1) trail which is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ in the comprehensive overview of the vegetation of South Africa by Mucina and Rutherford. The Hidden Valley only opened in December 2020, owned and managed by

8 Raptors Safari Junction | 015 793 1895 email:info@africansummerspa.co.za

Louise King and Frans, who translocated from the Western Cape. ‘We pride ourselves in attention to detail and strive to give our guests a simple yet unique enjoyable experience,’ says Frans. ‘Our

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Advertise in Kruger2Canyon to get a FREE listing on our Business Directory BUSINESS / SHOPS / SERVICES @Home Dog Grooming 083 843 0331 ABC Information Technologies 015 793 0851 ABC Information Technologies 079 875 8888 Abupheli Waterproofing 082 780 3610 Agri Box 082 888 0520 Barefoot Dance Academy 083 785 5354 Blackbird Business Services 082 552 6594 Boek & Pen 015 793 0859 Bureu de Change 015 793 1368 Bushmaster Solar & Electrical 015 793 3540 Cap Company 082 774 5809 Crocodile Printers 087 802 8307 Cudo Point 084 657 5031 Deltec Solar 015 793 2448 Darkie Design Interiors 079 503 0151 Ecologic Degreaser 089 525 9210 Fruitful Living 015 793 3703 Gabriella’s Décor & Events Hire 074 140 6069 Garden & Home 062 278 2724 Godding&Godding (24’ SOUTH) 072 467 3310 Hancolodi 079 432 3505 Hangupz (24’ SOUTH) 082 440 8514 Hi-Q Hoedspruit 015 793 1580 Hobby Box 015 793 0043 Hoedspruit Cleaning Crew 071 879 6416 Howzit (24’ SOUTH) 082 304 9131 Hoedspruit Paws 078 431 3161 Hoeds Wildlife Est Pharmacy 015 793 1427 InterAfrica Money Exchange 015 793 1368 Joburg Online 015 793 0093 Khaki Fever 015 793 0943 Kruger2Canyon News 015 793 2617 Maruleng Municipality 015 793 2409 Mediation & Training 083 253 3675 Moov to Move / Nina 078 778 9014 Must Love Dogs 083 843 0331 Niche Cleaning Service 083 233 9852 Pet Bar 078 819 1336 PicknPay Hoedspruit 015 793 0482 Proforum Accountants 015 590 6761 RadioActive 015 793 0855 Round Da Bend (24’ SOUTH) 078 431 3161 Secure Storage 083 263 7433 Simply Sewing 072 210 7411 SPAR Hoedspruit 015 793 2305 Tops @ SPAR 015 793 2069 Top 2 Bottom Cleaning 073 722 7913 Valencia Fabrics / Nelspruit 013 752 7005 Vehicle License Department 015 793 0838 Woodenways Luxury Furniture 013 590 5018 CONSTRUCTION & INDUSTRIAL BUCO 015 793 0560 Coastal Hire 015 793 0971 Drain Surgeon 015 793 1484 DU Paint & Tool 015 590 3993 Emross Consulting Pty Ltd 082 467 8868 1st Class Electrical 071 657 5305 Hoffmans Thatching 015 793 1530 LED Electrical and Pumps 083 501 8979 Midrand Aircon Hoedspruit 015 793 3337 Pool & Spa specialists 015 793 0166 Rudamans Hoedspruit 015 793 0137 Talisman 015 793 0560 Trellidor 013 752 4022 Wildlife Thatch 015 793 0792 SCHOOLS & EDUCATION Drakensig Laerskool 015 793 3756 Drakensig Pre-primer 015 793 2401 Perspective Training College 082 787 4471 Hoedspruit Christian School 015 793 2067 Lowveld Academy 015 793 3750 Mariepskop Laerskool 079 529 6071 Mariepskop Pre-primer 082 880 7069 Southern Cross Schools 015 793 0590

EMERGENCY – HELP LINES After Hours Emergency Doctors 084 770 1741 Air Force Base Hoedspruit 015 799 2911 Ambulance AFB 015 799 2065 Ambulance Hoedspruit 015 793 1581 Ambulance Tintswalo 101 77 Farm watch/ Plaaswag 072 310 0032 Fire Brigade AFB 015 799 2172 Fire Brigade Maruleng 015 793 0536 Hoedspruit Medical Rescue 072 170 0864 Hospital AFB 015 799 2065 Hospital Tintswalo 013 795 5000 Police Hoedspruit 015 799 4000 Protrack 015 793 2585 MEDICAL & VETERINARY SERVICES Counselling Ronelle Joubert 082 787 4471 DR Van Eeden (Dentist) 015 793 1876 DR Werner Muller (Dentist) 015 793 1894 Hlokomela 072 698 6538 Hoedspruit Clinic 015 793 2342 Hoeds Wildlife Est Pharmacy 015 793 1427 J Coetzee (Clinical Psychologist) 015 781 0012 Marlie Landman (Eye Clinic) 082 803 0369 Med Centre (Dentists) 015 793 0845 Med Centre Emergency No 084 770 1743 ProVet Veterinary Hospital 015 793 0797

intention was to create a small log cabin camp in this heavenly spot, where locals can book the whole camp for themselves with friends or family within easy reach of Hoedspruit’. ‘It has been tough to break into a well-established industry,’ Frans told Kruger2Canyon, and of course Covid has not helped. Taking all this into account we have been extremely fortunate and thankful for all the support we have received from the local community,’ he added.

A range of activities available include: canoeing, tubing, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, birding or just relaxing listening to the river. Tubes, canoes and two mountain bikes are available on site for guests to use at no extra cost. The camp has a comfortable communal deck area where guests can relax and mingle. The two well stocked cabins have been given Airbnb: 5-star rating, they won’t disappoint you! Contact: 0829419441 or infothehiddenvalley@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY Century 21 015 793 1534 Fine & Country 083 377 6622 Pam Golding 015 793 2712 Wildfig Apartments 083 977 9678 RESTAURANTS & CATERING Anne’s Cotton Club Café 079 286 5600 Desperate Housewives 015 793 0820 Silverwings Spur 015 793 0559 Sleepers Railway Restaurant 015 793 1014 Three Bridges 079 912 9416 SPA’S & SALONS African Summer Spa 015 793 1895 Africology Spa 076 339 1035 Godding& Godding Spa 082 808 9203 Hooked on Hair 015 793 0475 StylistiX Hair &Beauty 015 793 2944 TOURISM & THINGS TO DO 24 Deg. South / Old Silk Farm 072 467 3310 Africa Unlocked Tourism Specialists 082 745 0522 Amurala Lapa 015 781 7766 Ashtons Kruger Shuttle 015 793 2617 Blyde Canyon Adventure 015 795 5961 Cheetah Paw 079 563 4463 Daktari Wildlife Orphanage 082 656 2969 Eastgate Airport 015 793 3681 Forever Resort Swadini 015 795 5141 Godding&Godding 082 808 9203 Hoedspruit-info 015 793 2167 Hds Endangered Species Centre 015 793 1633 Jabulani Elephant Interaction 015 7931265 Khamai Reptile Park 087 806 2093 Klasirie Dam (Tersia) 073 463 3148 Kruger Park Shuttle (KPS) 072 667 2231 Moholoholo Rehab Centre 082 907 5984 Roots of Rythms 083 785 5354 Sun Catchers (Hot Air Ballooning) 087 806 2079 Sky-Way Trails 013 737 8374 VEHICLES. SPARES & REPAIRS Cronje Vervoer 079 695 5444 Deltec Batteries Hoedspruit 015 793 2448 JC Plant Hire Hi-Q Tyres 082 804 2502 Laeveld Trekkers 087 806 5616 Supa Quick 015 793 0176

Professional Accountants (SA) Et Tax and Business Advisors Professionele Rekenmeesters (SA) Et Belasting en Besigheidsadviseurs Tel: +27 15 590 6761 | email: hoedspruit@proforumacc.co.za

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www.facebook.com/wildlifethatch

013752 6057 / info@crocprint.co.za

Golf Clinic’s 7th successful event The Hoedspruit Golf Clinic started in August 2019, with two more clinics that year, three in 2020 and the most recent one – the seventh in February this year. The clinics are held over a single weekend (Friday afternoon and the entire Saturday) with coaching by a golf professional. The main idea is to get families to play golf together (kids, moms and dads) and to introduce professional golf lessons to the Hoedspruit community. The Golf Clinic hopes that through their efforts more golfers will sign up as members of the Drakensig Golf Club The clinic started by approaching a PGA AAA, TSI level 3 qualified golf professional from the Gary Player Golf Experience in Johannesburg, who was willing to come to Hoedspruit and help our children, youth players, ladies and men, beginners and advanced golf-

OFFICE: 015 793 1484/5 Main Street Hoedspruit

“No job too deep, too dark or too dirty”

ers alike, to improve their golf game. Since the beginning of 2021 local businesses have helped to make the clinic even better. The sponsors are: The Hat & Creek Restaurant (Cheryl Nel), BUCO Hoedspruit (Bertus Myburgh and his team), Savanha Construction (Richard Braun), and Drakensig Golf Club Golf Shop (Dawie van der Merwe). The clinics were first held at the Drakensig Golf Club Driving Range, but with Covid-19, only club members were allowed access. This year the venue moved to the cricket nets at the back of The Hat & Creek Restaurant. The clinic is always very well attended. At the moment, there is space for 25 one-on-one lessons of 30 minutes each. If there is more interest, a children’s and a ladies’ clinic (10 players each for 60 min-

utes) could be arranged. Clinic participants, as well as interested people, can see what the clinic is

all about on the Facebook group (Hoedspruit Golf Clinic) and Instagram page (@ hoedspruit_golf_clinic).

EMERGENCY: 083 307 9258 www.facebook.com/drainsurgeonhoedspruit

“Quick As A Wink”