Franschhoek Tatler - April 2018

April 2018

FRANSCHHOEK New flower girl Page 6

Scan the QR code to read the Tatler online

New La Motte chef Page 8

Q&A Thierry Haberer Page 17

From Groendal to Gothenburg The KUSASA Stars to travel to Sweden A group of 19 very fortunate 12-yearold boys from Groendal will be travelling to Gothenburg in Sweden to take part in the Gothia Cup 2018.

The Gothia Cup, also known as The World Youth Cup, takes place in Sweden annually and is the largest football tournament in the world. The opening ceremony takes place in the Gothenburg Olympic Stadium and is often attended by over 40 000 spectators.

Logistically the Gothia Cup is impressive.

Over a period of a week, from 15 – 21 July, around 1700 teams from 100 nations will play 4500 games on 110 fields. It is however the teams and participants from all around the world that make the tournament a unique meeting place for the world’s youth – irrespective of religion, skin colour, or nationality with football as the common denominator.

The 19 KUSASA Stars, as the team is called, will depart Franschhoek on 13 July on what promises to be an unforgettable and life-changing trip. Organisers hope that the trip will open their eyes to the world of possibilities that exists beyond their everyday experience.

All the team members have been selected on merit by coaches from South Africa, Sweden and the UK. Criteria used in selection included football ability and the flexibility to adapt into a team.

Each boy has been provided with a training programme in order to prepare them for the 10-day trip to Europe, while all match and training kit has been provided by generous sponsors in Sweden.

In a related development 450 pairs of football boots have been donated by Swedish boys and girls teams from Stockholm. These have been distributed to not only the KUSASA Stars team, but also other football

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The KUSASA stars and their coaches

and rugby teams in the Groendal community.

Team leader and tour organiser, George Frett, has already obtained passports for all the boys and the two South African coaches. George says that fundraising is continuing in order to defray costs related to the purchasing of visas, flights, food and accommodation.

George is already working with local charities The KUSASA Project, Hope Through Action and SCORE to try to make the trip to the Gothia Cup an annual one for deserving boys from Groendal.

The KUSASA Stars are: Phiwe Alveni, Somilangaye Mphahle, Liyabona Lamani, Luntu Mangamane, Chulumanco Mphefu, Mgadeni Siseko Justice, Kamva Mgidlana, Sirala Mihle, Milisa Ndzongana, Sifuba Kamva Phillip, Anele Sotha, Lindile Ngubethole, Athenkosi Mene, Kearabetswe Kenneth Masiy, Akhanya Mvikweni, Minati Qalekiso, Asenath Va, Sihle Makhala, Emihle Zazaza, Bongumusa Xulu, Dumisa Molose and Jeffrey Tomson.

Anyone wishing to assist The KUSASA Stars is welcome to contact George Frett at george1958@ postmaster.co.uk.

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Nolan Hoffman won the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour, for the third time, bringing great joy not just to himself and his BCX Team, but also to Franschhoekers, “Because he’s from here”. He told the Tatler, “It was wonderful to win again. Every year the race brings different challenges and different competitors; preparation for the race definitely comes down to hard work.” His inclusion in the SA team for the Commonwealth Games inspired him to push his training to a higher level, both physically and psychologically and thankfully it paid off.

Nolan enjoys the local feedback after the race and is particularly grateful for the backing he gets from Daniel and Tanya Maingard at Lavender Farm, reiterating how important the support is and what a big part it plays in his success. We all wish him well.

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Photo: Toby Ginsberg

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Nolan celebrates victory

La Motte Tasting Room Mondays to Saturdays: 09:00 – 17:00 Food and Wine Tastings on Fridays: 10:00 – 11:00 (reservations essential) Contact: 021 876 8820 | tasting@la-motte.co.za Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant For lunch: Tuesdays to Sundays For dinner: Thursdays to Saturdays Winelands Tea: Tuesdays to Sundays Chef’s Table: Thursdays to Saturdays (reservations essential) Contact: 021 876 8800 | pierneef@la-motte.co.za La Motte Museum Tuesdays to Sundays: 09:00 – 17:00 Historic Walks on Wednesdays: 10:00 – 11:00 (reservations essential) Sculpture Walks on Thursdays, 10:00 – 11:00 (reservations essential)

La Motte invites you to experience its beautiful Franschhoek Valley setting, historical charm, stylish offering in the enjoyment of wine, cuisine and the arts, its environmental care and, above all, its people’s warm spirit of sharing.

We look forward to welcoming you to La Motte!

La Motte Hiking Trail Mondays to Saturdays: 09:00 – 17:00 Contact: 021 876 8820 | tasting@la-motte.co.za

Visit our Farm Shop for a take-home reminder of La Motte.

Join us for one of our monthly Classical Music Concerts.

Visit www.la-motte.com for more information.

www.la-motte.com

2 | April 2018

Public invited to participate in the Boreholes for Africa development of the Bergrivier Camino

to visit over the next 10 years.

Bergrivier Camino Now we bring the concept to the communities along the Berg River. This is an invitation to participate in the development of the Bergrivier Camino. If we all work together in developing this project, we can create a wonderful Camino Route.

There are endless opportunities for: agri-tourism, communities, individuals, ecology, cleaning the river and myriad creative initiatives. Our vision is Peace, Unity and Sustainability.

Our Invitation: We’d like to identify all interested parties and role players. We are seeking the broadest possible participation: organisations, municipalities, landowners, land tenants, communities, individuals and tourism role players.

If you are interested in participating please contact us at: bergrivier@capecamino.co.za

Bottle tops and bread tags get Jason a wheelchair

Jason Jefthas, a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, who lives in Mooiwater in Franschhoek, was the recipient of a wheelchair that was earned through the collection of bread tags and bottle tops by the Bridge House School community.

Last year, Bridge House took up the challenge of collecting bottle tops and bread tags to exchange for a wheelchair. The project was driven by Bridge House art teacher, Dave Fuller, and is facilitated by the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs organisation. The school provided a large container at its entrance and thousands of bread tags and plastic screw-type bottle tops were collected. These were bagged and delivered to Bread Tags for Wheelchairs who then gave the go ahead for the purchase of a wheelchair.

Jason’s dilapidated buggy was replaced with a customised wheelchair which will change his life significantly, allowing his parents to push him further afield than just in his immediate surroundings.

There are many more people in the community who need wheelchairs and Bridge House intends stepping up the collection pace. The collection of these plastic pollutants, which are recycled, is not only helping to save the planet but will also change the lives of people living with restricted mobility. Bridge House appeals to the community to help them with this project by dropping off t bread tags and plastic screw-type bottle caps at Bridge House.

Gill Malcolm www.breadtagsforwheelchairs.co.za

Jason Jefthas in his new wheelchair with his parents and Bridge House pupils Christiaan Cloete (who launched the bread tag collection) and Bastienne Babl at the presentation of the wheelchair.

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filling/topping up of swimming pools, is strongly discouraged in order to preserve groundwater resources in the current dire drought situation.

Borehole/wellpoint water should rather be used for toilet flushing.”

• “Borehole/wellpoint/irrigation water must be used efficiently to avoid wastage and evaporation.

Borehole/wellpoint/irrigation water users are strongly encouraged to water/irrigate only on Tuesdays and Saturdays before 09:00 or after 18:00 for a maximum of one hour.”

• “All properties where alternative, non-drinking water resources are used (including rainwater harvesting, greywater, treated effluent water, irrigation water and spring water) must display official signage to this effect clearly visible from a public thoroughfare. Registration and the obtaining of official signage is free of charge.”

The restrictions notice also includes the provisions of the 12 January 2018 DWS regulations.

Applying for permission and registering a borehole Stellenbosch Municipality’s Water bylaw dictates that permission must be obtained from Stellenbosch Municipality before drilling a borehole. New and existing boreholes – for domestic use – must also be registered with the municipality. (Boreholes for commercial use have to be registered with DWS.) The municipal application and registration forms are available on the municipality’s website – www. stellenbosch.gov.za.

The information required in addition to the application form includes: • A location plan indicating the position of the borehole and drilling tower must be submitted to the Director: Infrastructure Services; • A drainage plan indicating of how the sludge/ soil emanating from the drilling activities will be disposed of must be submitted to the Director: Infrastructure Services; • Geotechnical information to your avail (borehole design and soil formation); • A Traffic accommodation plan must be submitted should the activity take place in the road reserve; • The Department: Transport, Roads & Stormwater must be informed of the starting date of the drilling activities and once the drilling activities have been completed.

The by-law also states that the municipality “may require an owner or occupier who has an existing bore-hole that is used for water supply services to: (a) obtain approval for the use of the borehole for potable water supply services in accordance with Sections 6, 7 and 22 of the National Water Act; and (b) impose conditions in respect of the use of a borehole for potable Water Services.”

So, what do I have to do?

• Apply for permission from Stellenbosch Municipality before drilling a bore hole for domestic use. (Required by the Stellenbosch Water By-law.)

• Once permission has been obtained and the bore hole has been drilled, register it with Stellenbosch Municipality. (Required by the Stellenbosch Water By-law.)

• Install a metering device and report the weekly usage to DWS before 12h00 on a Monday.

(Required by the 12 January 2018 DWS regulations) • Continue to use all water, irrespective of source, sparingly.

In conclusion Ground water is not an infinite resource and the more boreholes are drilled the more pressure there is on aquifers – particularly if the winter rains again don’t materialise and the aquifers are not replenished. Uncontrolled use of groundwater could lead to aquifers drying up, which could in turn lead to land subsidence and, in areas close to the sea, the intrusion of salt water into aquifers rendering them useless.

Water is life, use it wisely..

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The team behind the Cape Camino are currently developing a Bergrivier Camino and the Franschhoek Community is invited to participate. (Ed.) What is a Camino?

It is a long distance walking route. There is one on every continent and the most famous one is in Spain called the Camino de Santiago. It has been going for 2000 years, but has become particularly popular since the 1970s. Hundreds of thousands of people travel from all over the world to walk it, every day, throughout the year.

For many people the route provides a space to be alone and reflect. For some it is a way to travel, explore the region, meet the locals and other walkers. Or, a way to get fit, heal, lose weight and much more. It is so many things for so many people.

What does a Camino do for the hosting country or region?

It provides endless opportunities. The country that hosts it proudly showcases the sacred and cultural ways of its peoples. Visitors come from all over the world to walk their journeys in our heritage. Think of it as expanding diversity while enjoying unity.

Cape Camino We walked the Camino de Santiago in 2011 and were deeply inspired. So we brought the concept to Cape Town and initiated the Cape Camino. It is up and running and visitors are coming from all over the world. On every 7-day package, 45 local, micro businesses are supported by one walker.

And we expect hundreds of thousands of walkers

Private boreholes are springing up all over the village and more and more questions are being asked about the impact of all these new boreholes and what regulations apply to them.

A variety of legislation and regulations exists at different levels of government relating to bore holes – and they don’t always appear coordinated.

National Water Act of 1998 The most pertinent points of the National Water Act (NWA) are: • Despite what people say one does not actually register a borehole, but rather the groundwater use resulting from the borehole; • No permission to drill a borehole or use groundwater for Schedule 1 use (explained later) is required; • Groundwater use above Schedule 1 use and not exceeding the General Authorisation limits, must be registered; • A license is required for all groundwater use above the General Authorisation limits.

• A land owner, or the legal occupier of the land, has a right to reasonable use of water taken from an aquifer on their property. This ‘reasonable use’ is defined in Schedule 1 to the NWA as: • ‘reasonable domestic use in that person’s household’; • ‘small gardening not for commercial purposes’; • ‘the watering of animals (excluding feedlots) which graze on that land within the grazing capacity of that land’.

Then it all changed…

On 12 January 2018 the Director General of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) published new regulations in the Government Gazette. These regulations provided, inter alia, that: • “Taking water from groundwater resources for domestic and industrial water use is curtailed by 45% in the Berg -Olifants and Breede- Gouritz water management areas.” (Effectively these two management areas encompass the entire Western Cape.)

• “Taking water from groundwater resources for agricultural water use is curtailed by 60% in the Berg -Olifants and Breede -Gouritz water management areas.”

• “The curtailments in points (1) and (2) above are measured against the water demand of the users as per their five (5) year average for the period 2010/11- 2014/15.”

• All water users, including groundwater users, are required to “install electronic water recording, monitoring or measuring devices to enable monitoring of abstractions, storage and use of water”.

• “Records of metered volumes abstracted shall be provided with effect from the date of publication of this notice in a format specified by the Department and continue such recording, and reporting data weekly to the Department by Monday 12h00 to metering@dws.gov.za.” (Information to be supplied is: meter reading, name & surname, physical address & erf no. and contact telephone no.)

Level 6B water restrictions The level 6B water restrictions currently in force in Stellenbosch Municipality include several provisions relating to the use of groundwater and/or boreholes.

Generally, and in some eyes problematically, these provisions are worded as strong recommendations rather than requirements. E.g: • “Facilities/customers making use of borehole water, treated effluent water, spring water, irrigation water or wellpoints are strongly encouraged not to water/irrigate within seven days after rainfall that provided adequate saturation” • “All boreholes and wellpoints must be registered with the Municipality and must display the official Stellenbosch Municipality signage clearly visible from a public thoroughfare. No borehole may be drilled without prior permission from the Municipality.”

• “The use of borehole/wellpoint water for outdoor purposes, including watering/irrigating and

April 2018 |

Robertsvlei to Theewaterskloof bypass?

A bypass around the village – especially for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) – has been discussed on and off for more than 20 years. Lately, it has emerged from discussions between stakeholders that the provincial government has become more favourably disposed towards the idea.

Planning for the bypass centres on the Robertsvlei Road. This means that HGVs, and other road users that so choose, will be diverted off the R45 onto the Robertsvlei Road and re-join traffic at the Huguenot Monument intersection. This proposal would involve paving the Robertsvlei Road, construction of a new dual lane bridge over the Franschhoek River and various other road improvements.

Criticism of this proposal has included that it will disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the Robertsvlei Valley and fails to address traffic safety concerns caused by HGVs on the Franschhoek Pass.

In a new development the Tatler has learned that a

potential second phase is being explored. This involves using the maintenance tunnel that runs parallel to the water tunnel from the Theewaterskloof Dam to the upper reaches of the Berg River catchment for road traffic.

The little known maintenance tunnel is sufficiently large to accommodate both cars and SUVs. Its width however only allows for one lane, meaning that the direction of traffic flow would have to be switched periodically. The surface of the maintenance tunnel is currently gravel and is only used by a battery-driven buggy belonging to the Department of Water and Sanitation that is used to transport engineers on inspection trips.

Technical challenges that would have to be overcome to implement this scheme include providing sufficient ventilation to deal with exhaust fumes and the location of access roads in the sensitive natural areas at both ends of the tunnel.

Enlarging the tunnel to accommodate HGVs doesn’t currently appear to be on the agenda.

Pearl Valley a top five course, says Golf Digest

La Motte shines in 2018 Drinks International Wine Tourism Awards

No stranger to international acclaim for the quality of its wine tourism offering, La Motte Wine Estate has again been acknowledged as Best Food and Wine Matching Experience in the 2018 Drinks International Wine Tourism Awards.

Comments from the judging panel included: “Great wine and food experience, fun, interesting and exciting – makes you want to visit.”

“The complete food and wine experience, very impressive.”

“Every opportunity has been taken – so many experiences including a history walk and demonstration kitchen.”

The La Motte tasting room and the estate’s Pierneef à La Motte restaurant offer comprehensive and innovative food and wine experiences. From dedicated food and wine pairings to authentic local cuisine, the novel La Motte food and wine experience extends to the estate’s comprehensive tourism offering and is included in themed pairings and dinners, classical music concerts, educational walks such as the historic or sculpture walk, a guided mountainside hike, art experiences and the charming farm shop. Food and wine are also celebrated through seasonal events such as an interactive harvest experience and the popular Evening

La Motte CEO Hein Koegelenberg celebrates with Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche and Chef Gregory Caci

of Vintage Wine & Venison in winter, to name but a few.

“In today’s world, experience is at the essence of what we do. Sharing our passion for quality food and fine wine in an inventive way, keeps our guests intrigued”, says La Motte CEO, Hein Koegelenberg. “We are honoured and very pleased to receive the international acknowledgement.”

The Drinks International Wine Tourism Awards aim to recognise the estates that successfully implement wine tourism to support their focus of wine making. This is the fourth time La Motte has won this prestigious award after also receiving top honours in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

Discover the vineyards of Franschhoek...breath-taking scenery, world-class cuisine, fine wines and a three hundred year history The Franschhoek Wine Tram hop-on hop-off tour is one of the best ways to discover the true essence of the Franschhoek Valley.

Passengers aboard the hop-on hop-off tour will experience a unique and leisurely way to see the Franschhoek Valley as they journey through rolling vineyards in a doubledecker tram and open-air tram-bus stopping in at some of South Africa’s oldest and most distinguished wine estates.

Now offering direct and exclusive transfers at affordable rates from Cape Town and surrounds including all hotels and guest houses.

www.cabriere.co.za | +27 21 876 8500 | reservations@cabriere.co.za | Lambrechts Road, Franschhoek |

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the golf course and working closely on a long term sustainable plan with the Jack Nicklaus Design Team in the USA.” “We congratulate our dedicated golf team, Pearl Valley Hotel by Mantis and the estate’s Home Owner’s Association for this achievement. The Drakenstein Municipality has been a great partner amidst the current dry conditions, and we thank them for the role they played. We are fortunate to be working with the dynamic Golf Data team who has been instrumental in the design and maintenance of the course and continued support from Franschhoek Wine Valley and Paarl Tourism is also greatly appreciated,” said Neethling.

As part of the greater Val de Vie Estate, the golf course is part of an unrivalled lifestyle offering in the heart of the Winelands. The estate has been rated by New World Wealth as the top residential estate in South Africa in 2015, 2016 and 2017. With the reputation as the safest estate in Africa, Val de Vie offers pristine polo fields, vineyards, world class equestrian facilities and lifestyle centres fitted with state of the art gym equipment.

Neethling further added that “in sport, as in business, the real challenge is to stay at the top and to keep reinventing your offering.” Future plans for the course include reducing the cutting corridor, coverage of bunkers and irrigation sprinklers. The design will remain on championship level and minor alterations will ensure that higher handicaps also enjoy the course.

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Golf Digest recently announced that Pearl Valley, Val de Vie Estate’s Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, has been ranked as the 5th best golf course in the country. The course was also ranked as the Best Conditioned Golf Course in the Western Cape.

The biennial ‘Golf Digest Top 100 Courses in South Africa’ is one of the most influential rankings as far as golf in South Africa is concerned, and Val de Vie Estate takes great pride in the 2018/2019 top five placement. Two years ago, Pearl Valley was ranked at number 8 by Golf Digest, and this marked improvement is mostly attributed to Val de Vie Estate amalgamating with Pearl Valley Estate in 2016.

“The potential of our Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at Pearl Valley has been realised over the past two years. Recognition for our hard work from leading sporting publication Golf Digest is a great honour,” commented Ryk Neethling, Marketing Director of Val de Vie Estate.

Damian Wrigley, Director of Golf at Pearl Valley, believes that the combination of operational restructuring and course conditioning resulted in moving up the ranks: “Some of the course changes implemented over the past two years included bunker reshaping and capillary lining on holes 3 and 16, focusing on the consistency of the greens and surrounds as well as over seeding the rough.

Operational changes included a full revamp of the Pearl Valley clubhouse, exceptional marketing of

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The Jack Nicklaus designed Pearl Valley Golf Course

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4 | April 2018

Môreson

Rickety Bridge Winery

Dr Reason Why 2017

Shiraz 2015

The Dr Reason Why is a unique expression of Môreson being the only unwooded wine on our portfolio that manages to capture the purity of Chardonnay fruit. Bottled under screwcap, the wine appears very shy in the first few months after which it reveals a plethora of lemon and lime pithiness together with elderberry flowers.

Opulent dark forest fruit with aromatic notes of spice, white pepper and dark chocolate. The palate is textured and layered, showing elegance and refined structure. Fresh, juicy and balanced acidity, subtle oak with hints of clove and mulberry lingers on the finish.

Cellar Price: R125 per bottle Môreson 021 876 3055 sales@moreson.co.za

Cellar Price: R160 per bottle Rickety Bridge Winery 0021 876 2129

Bread & Wine

Paulina’s Bistro

Seared yellowtail, pap, salsa verde

Beef Fillet

Salsa verde - Ingredients: 100g parsley ; 1 gherkin; 1 shallot; zest & juice of 1 lemon; 100ml olive oil; 12,5ml capers Method: Finely chop all of the above, mix & season to taste.

Pap - Ingredients: 500ml milk; 500ml pap; 1 egg yolk Method: Infuse the milk with coriander seeds, bay leaf, fennel seeds, thyme and bring to the boil. Strain, then bring to the boil again, whisk in the pap and cook until thick. Whisk in the egg yolk, season to taste. Turn onto a tray and allow to cool. Shape into balls when cool and then pan fry till golden on the outside.

Asparagus: Allow two stems per person and a handful of shaved courgette, pan fried.

Yellowtail: Allow 150g of cleaned fish per person Pan fry to order, season and finish with a squeeze of lemon

Matured fillet of beef, cooked to perfection served with creamed potatoes, wilted spinach and baby garden vegetables

Bread & Wine

Paulina’s Bistro

021 876 4004

breadandwine@moreson.co.za

021 876 2129

info@ricketybridge.com

restaurant@ricketybridge.com

How to enter

Who is the new chef at Pierneef à La Motte?

Send your answer to: tatlercompetition@gmail.com. The winner will be informed by return mail before 15 March 2018. Prizes have to be collected from the Franschhoek Info Office before end March 2018 or be forfeited.

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April 2018 |

New flower girl

Cellar Chat

Stefane Kruger, known as Stef, is not new in Franschhoek, but her work with flowers is. Known for Roots Lifestyle, she has now started a new venture in Franschhoek called Steffi’s Floral Theories. It is a business by which she provides flowers and decoration to private homes, offices, restaurants and even big events.

Being a creative person Stef says she saw a need “To show clients that less can be so much more if well designed.”

Water scarcity and high temperatures have led her to use flowers that are not too thirsty and to be smart when sourcing. “I can always fall back on Fynbos instead of roses and tulips,” she explains. She sources locally as far as possible and has agreements with farms in the valley and surrounds. Asked about a signature style she emphasises that improvising and simplicity are important to her. “There is nothing more beautiful than a King Protea, it’s timeless, in fact my wedding bouquet was just one King Protea.”

Stef does not shy away from taking on the role of event organiser if the need arises. It’s work that impacts on family time, but she finds satisfaction in organising and bringing everything together in time, within budget.

As a child, Stef spent many happy hours watching her grandmother work in her florist’s shop in Colesberg. It was called Steffi’s Bloemiste. Gran was also the mayor of the town! Since then the relationship

Mark Tanner We are lucky – no spring frosts to ruin the harvest as in France, for example. In fact, compared to many wine producing countries we have a benign climate.

As a country we produce good wines and, thanks to the wine police, it is almost impossible to produce a bad one. Fair enough, some folk may decide that a particular wine is definitely not for them whole others sing its praises. On balance therefore wine sales are fairly safe, certainly from quality-related drops in demand.

I have yet to hear of a wine that has as little chance of appearing in Mr Platter’s excellent guide as Takis’ window boxes have of gracing the cover of Garden and Home. Even in France, largely recognised as the benchmark for everything vinous, one can find wines that do not fit the bill.

This might have something to do with winemakers sporting a smouldering Gauloises between their lips as they bend over fermenting juices, but I doubt it. Those familiar with France’s wine regions will remember the availability of ‘vin ordinaire’ served from dispensing pipes into your plastic container at the rear of the ‘Co-op’. I repeat: we are lucky.

On one occasion while in France I visited a private family cellar beneath the vintners’ house. Here were some 12 barrels of Chardonnay illuminated by candles. There were four of us. With a pipette ‘thief ’ the good man drew samples for our glasses.

The fellow next to me whispered, “Stand to attention when you taste this, it is liquid magic”. He had a straight tongue, it was absolutely exquisite.

The vintners’ method of identifying his barrels was simple; instead if using chalk or a card he had placed varying numbers of pebbles from the floor on each barrels’ side. In this day and age it seemed archaic, but it turned out that he was illiterate. My new friend whispered again, “It’s all pre-sold to the 21 Club in New York.” The world of wine can be full of surprises.

“This is a cheeky little number, sort of creeps up on you from behind,” explained the inevitable wine snob describing his latest find. I find such folk amusing. They have realised that they have only to know a little more about wine than the next person to be hailed an expert. They pontificate ad nauseam until they trip up, usually when faced with a question requiring a techno-scientific

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answer. Unable to explain the complexities of malolactic fermentation they do their best to return conversation to their own level. Being good actors the only indication if discomfort is the sweat on their brows.

To the person who stopped me in the street to ask if I really was going to attend the royal wedding in May, my apologies. Had time allowed me to chat I would have explained thus: Such events can be tiresome. The congestion and queues entering the designated VIP parking, not to mention the same at exit time, and the request that you arrive two hours before anyone says anything of importance, are all negatives. Nearer the time I need to check my diary to see if it will be convenient. If not, I am sure that Harry will understand. They will get their wine gifts in the end.

Stefane Kruger

with flowers has – well, blossomed.

This flower girl is a working mom who regards herself as more artistic than agricultural, but she will probably – well, dig in, and learn to also be a good gardener one day. Working with flowers is a passion and so her focus in Franschhoek comes naturally and keeps her in a really happy place. rootslifestyle@gmail.com

Pre-dinner Craft Gin Tasting

Saturday, 28 April 2018 from 17h00 to 19h00 Showcasing 6 South African Craft Gin Distilleries R150.00 per person. Limited space available. Pre-booking is essential.

email: info@siegies.co.za or directly at our shop on 28 Huguenot Street, Franschhoek

FRAN SC HHOEK

FRANSCHHOEK WINE & CLOTHING

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 24 dirkie uys street · tel 021 876 4304

www.davidwalters.co.za

HANDMADE IN FRANSCHHOEK designer craftsman · ceramic studio · gallery

23 HUGUENOT ROAD TEL: 021 876 3185 www.fhfeeling.co.za

6 | April 2018

In ‘13 Questions’ the Tatler combines the serious with the silly. We start by posing our subjects ten random questions from our ever-growing database. They then get to ask themselves a question, before the interview concludes with two questions from the editor.

with Alisha Erasmus Default drink of choice?

Bubbles, bubbles always bubbles. If it is local, it is even better What keeps you up at night?

I have 3 Jack Russels, a cat, an 8-year-old boy and a husband. Do I ever sleep…

The strangest place you’ve ever been to & what you did there?

If I may replace strange with random I’ll go with this one…

Once upon a time, in faraway Brazil, arranged by Susan Huxter, Chris and I went for a very random bike ride with French chef Claude Troisgros.

Every 15 minutes in the middle of the big green forest, surrounded by only wilderness, there were little hidden gem spots, where we did not rest to have water, but instead a Caipirinha. From intense cycling and breathing – us versus nature – we went to being calm and having a cocktail every 15 minutes for about an hour and a half. It was the best workout ever on a strange but breath-taking mountain.

What book has made the biggest impact on you?

The Amazing Adventures of Captain Underpants, that I read with Liam before bedtime, for life is just too serious to read intense grownup books/ novels. I quote from chapter 3, “Now I take to the sky, and fly like an ostrich.”

What was the unluckiest moment in your life?

My reply to this question might be cheesy, but I really have never experienced an “unlucky moment”; but, yes, so many bad hair days!

What was the luckiest moment in your life?

The day Chris flirted with me in High School, when I was 16. Two years later we dated, and now 22 years have passed and I am still the luckiest girl.

What would you like to change about Franschhoek?

I love this village and its people, so there’s very

little that I want to change, but definitely no more big trucks or busses in the main road please, and no chain restaurants.

Do you collect anything? Why? O yes I do, I collect Issey Miyaki, but I am running low on stock, so for anyone who would like to add to my collection, please do.

You’re stranded on a desert island. What five foods would you want with you?

Anything that is unhealthy, for who needs to diet if you are stranded on an island anyway. Chocolate tarts, loads of charcuterie, big fat greasy burgers, some more chocolate tart, followed by – I know it is not food – bubbles. It could be food, it’s my island, so therefore my rules.

Worst movie you’ll admit to have ever seen?

TED, I love Mark Walhberg, but I just cannot stand that bear.

What first brought you to Franschhoek?

When?

We lived in London for 3 years, when I told Chris I want to go home, to mountains, trees and family. A month later he had an interview with Margot Janse at LQF. We both fell in love with the village the minute we arrived. The smell, the look, the people and just that “at home” feeling. We both grew up in a small towns, and after living in many cities after school, I think Franschhoek is that perfect in between. We have been “Franschhoekers” and very proud of it since 2003. This is it for us, home sweet home.

What do you enjoy most about managing a gallery?

I am surrounded by beautiful creations all day.

I absolutely love what I do, and I love to be inspired by South African talent. Every day is a new adventure Are you getting more ink?

Yes of course, I’m far from done! Who wants to join me?

April 2018 |

Moderne Suid-Afrikaanse kookkuns floreer by Grande Provence

Sjef Guy is nie ‘n voorstaander van vaste restaurantaanbiedinge nie en pas sy spyskaart gedurig aan.

“Ek glo nie daaraan om ‘n vasgestelde spyskaart vir langer as een seisoen te hê nie. Daarom moedig ek my sjefs aan om hul idees na vore te bring. Ons verander ons disse gereeld om nuwe seisoenale bestanddele in te sluit,” sê Sjef Guy, wat daarvan hou om gereelde kinkels by sy spyskaart te voeg om sy eie en sy span se energievlakke en kreatiwiteit te stimuleer.

Nóg ‘n belangrike aspek van Sjef Guy se kosfilosofie is die gebruik van die beste seisoenale bestanddele en die noue samewerking met plaaslike verskaffers en boere: “Ek hou daarvan om te weet waar die bestanddele vandaan kom, wie dit geplant het en hoe hulle dit gedoen het. Dit is belangrik om te weet waarmee ek werk én dat etiese gebruike toegepas is.”

Grande Provence se restaurant is daagliks oop vir middag- en aandete. Die à la carte spyskaart word bedien met ‘n driegang middagete teen R450 per persoon, en ‘n viergang-aandete teen R725.

021 876 8600 | reservations@grandeprovence.co.za

C ILQAUS UAER · L I LY P O N D V I L L A R E S TA U R A N T · C A P CCAL P ASS E SCIEQL L

C A P C LPlease A S S I Qmake U E Cyour E L Lreservation A R · O R Aat NG E R I E R Restaurant E S TA U R A for N T Lunch, · L I LYHigh PON D VILLA Orangerie Tea

or join us for a delicious slice of one of our speciality cakes.

Please make your reservation at Orangerie Restaurant for Lunch, High Tea The Tasting Room is open for Cap Classique tastings, canapés and sales. or join us for a delicious slice of one of our speciality cakes.

The Tasting Room TASTINGS is open for Cap Classique tastings, canapés and sales. · LUNCH · HIGH TEA Mon-Sun 10:00-17:00 TASTINGS · LUNCH · HIGH TEA Mon-Sun 10:00-17:00 Orangerie Restaurant 021 100 3464 Lude Cellar 021 100 3465 Le Lude Cellar 021 Le 100 3465 · Orangerie Restaurant 021 100 3464 Lambrechts Road Road Franschhoek Franschhoek Lambrechts info@lelude.co.za ·· www.lelude.co.za www.lelude.co.za info@lelude.co.za

IN FRANSCHHOEK

claire horn & associates @ 48 VILLAGE ARTISAN

claire horn & associates

The first building on the left (at the Stop street) Paintsmiths

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Pam Hammond Studio

ST

48

1d esi g A Str ligni n 48 A ate ng gie s 48B

‘n Passie vir plaaslike bestanddele, die samewerking met mede-sjefs en die energie van die Suid-Afrikaanse kosgemeenskap vorm die kern van Sjef Guy Bennet se nuwe kosstyl by The Restaurant at Grande Provence.

Sjef Guy, wat reeds sedert die einde van verlede jaar aan die hoof van Grande Provence se kombuis is, beskryf sy kookstyl as “hedendaags Suid-Afrikaans”.

Te danke aan sy grootwordjare in Kaapstad word sy kos onmiskenbaar beïnvloed deur plaaslike bestanddele én sy omgewing. Hierdie invloede vind uiting in liplekker ongekompliseerde disse wat pragtig aangebied word met ‘n wye verskeidenheid smake. As kreatiewe sjef, steel sy koskunstigheid behoorlik die kollig met elke bord – van ligte Franschhoek-forel delikaat in jenewer berei en vars Saldanha-oesters tot smullekker kool-ensampioenrisotto of Karoo-lamsnek met sweserik.

Die invloede van oorsese sjefs is ook sigbaar met proesels internasionaal geïnspireerde teksture en geure soos kromeskie, miso, labneh, dukkah en wasabi wat moeiteloos saamsmelt om ‘n ondersteunende rol tot die plaaslike bestanddele te speel.

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CAB

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VISIT

GATE INTO VILLAGE ARTISAN

021 876 4234 · 082 582 1029

8 | April 2018

Le Chocolat Pinotage joins the flight of angels at Grande Provence

Eric Bulpitt new Executive Chef at Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant

A new angel has taken flight at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate with the launch of their Angels Tears Le Chocolat Pinotage. This easy-drinking red wine is blessed with a heavenly twist of chocolate and generous splashes of ripe plums and red berry fruits.

The wine owes its seductive flavour profile to the careful use of well toasted French oak during and after fermentation. The oak imparts rich toasty notes which lend wonderful chocolate and coffee flavours to the wine which combine with ripe plummy and red berry fruits typical of the Pinotage grape.

“Off course no chocolate or coffee is allowed in winemaking,” quips winemaker Hagen Viljoen, explaining that the use of toasted French oak is a skilful and natural way to bring out these appealing

La Motte Wine Estate has announced the appointment of acclaimed Chef Eric Bulpitt as the new Executive Chef of Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant. He will commence duties on 1 May 2018.

With a passion for modern cuisine, he will be bringing a fresh focus and new excitement to Pierneef à La Motte’s concept of heritage cuisine, while sharing the estate’s principles when it comes to authentic Cape Winelands hospitality, local produce and sustainably sourced ingredients.

Bulpitt will be replacing Chef Michelle Theron who has resigned after 8 years in the Pierneef à La Motte Kitchen.  pierneef@la-motte.co.za | 021 876 8800

flavours for wine and chocolate lovers everywhere.

“This profile of Pinotage makes wine more accessible and pleasing to a broader consumer base,” adds Sales and Marketing Manager, Ivan Oertle.

Be sure to seek out the new Le Chocolat angel when next you visit Grande Provence in Franschhoek and experience their tempting ‘Taste of Heaven’ Angels Tears pairing with handmade nougat.

The Angels Tears wines are available country-wide and sell from the Grande Provence cellar door at R55 per bottle. The wines can also be purchased online from the estate’s website. Purchases of 24 bottles or more qualify for free delivery anywhere in South Africa. www.grandeprovence.co.za | 021 876 8600

Chef Eric Bulpitt

Vivino users rate Bellingham Chenin highly

Digital-savvy wine lovers have voted in the annual Vivino Wine Style Awards and reviewers have recognised Bellingham’s The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc as one of the top 10 Chenin Blancs from South Africa.

Vivino is the world’s largest wine application (app), allowing a global wine community to buy, rate and review wines.

This popular wine app has more than 20 million wine lovers, worldwide, who use the app to grow, and share, their love for wine.

Yearly, Vivino recognises the world’s most popular wines, in 147 categories, from Argentinian Malbec to Bordeaux Red to California Chardonnay and South African Chenin – and everything in between – in the Wine Style Awards. This year’s winning wines were determined

by Vivino’s active community and the millions of wine ratings they’ve submitted over the past year. To determine the top-rated wines of the year, Vivino’s developers select the top ten best-rated wines with at least 50 ratings from the past year – resulting in this platform’s

Top Lists, as rated by the most important wine judges in the world: the public.

With 564 ratings to its name, and an average rating of 4,1 stars, Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc is officially considered as one of the top wines from South Africa.

Reviews by Vivino users included praise for the wine’s complexity: “More complex than a Chris Nolan film about time travel,” said local blogger Jono Le Feuvre. Several reviews also praise the wine’s generous fruit-character: “Tropical and citric, fully flavoured, good acidity. Very pleasant mouthfeel, delicate spices added. Huge on pineapple. Very good wine,” says wine enthusiast Piotr Kowalski.

Bellingham Chief Winemaker, Richard Duckitt, said: “Year-on-year Bellingham performs well in the Vivino Style Awards, and it is recognition the wine team particularly enjoys receiving – as it is rated by the public. This acknowledgement by a global and modern community shows us that we are meeting our goal of making truly enjoyable wines.” www.bellinghamwines.com

☎

MAKE WATER FROM THIN AIR! Aquacello, meaning “sky water”, is driven to bringing clean drinking water to all while focusing on saving water as a resource. Clean drinking water is essential for your health.

Atmospheric water generators use refrigeration techniques to condense moisture present in the air. It is filtered, condensed and processed through an additional multi-step filtration system, producing purified great tasting water. Aquacello offer a variety of water producing machines, ranging from 20 litres per day up to 20 000 litres per day.

Service Centre and Showroom Unit 2, 10 Sycamore Crescent Atlas, Gardens Business Park Contermanskloof, Durbanville Telephone: 021 012 5240 • Leanne Bredenkamp 083 323 5588 Illana Kruger 082 829 0894 info@aquacello.co.za

• Huguenot Square, opposite Woolworths

April 2018 |

Sauna, Heated Indoor Pool Weights, Cardio Equipment Personal Training Spinning

FRANSCHHOEK

health club

Yoga & Pilates designed by hf desigfns • wwwhfdesigns.org

Earn Discovery Vitality Points

Corner Cabriere & Fabriek Street Tel: 021 876 3310 www.franschhoekhealthclub.co.za

Franschhoek Chiropractic Dr. Glynn Till - Chiropractic Clinical Specialist DC, FCCS(Can), FCASA(Hon), FSAHA(Hon) Treatments offered: Spinal & Extremity joint manipulation | Shock wave therapy | Low level laser therapy | Graston technique | Dry needling | Massage | McManus traction | Rehabilitation exercises | Strapping & Taping Conditions frequently treated: Back & Neck pain | Sprains & Strains (muscles, tendons and ligaments) | ITB, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff, tennis & golfers elbow, Achilles tendonosis, bursitis | Trigger points (myofascial pain syndromes) | Sciatica & Brachial neuralgia | Sports injuries | Headaches | Arthritis 57 Cabrière Street, Franschhoek, 7690 | Cell: 073 227 1851

Design: HF Desigfns • www.hfdesigns.org

FRANSCHHOEK PHARMACY Dedicated to offering excellent service, personalised attention, a friendly atmosphere and a product selection to meet your health and lifestyle needs.

Link Pharmacy clinics offer a range of services to help you achieve and maintain good health, such as: • Blood pressure, Cholesterol and Glucose testing

• Vaccinations

• Family planning

We will be Launching our Loyalty Card this APRIL

10% OFF all Treatments for the month of April 2018 Clients will be entered in to our BIRTHDAY Giveaway Draw The only thing ‘old-fashioned’ about us is our service.

T. 021 876 2261 | Emergency Number. 084 555 2400 E. franschhoekpharmacy@gmail.com Mon - Fri: 08h30 - 17h30, Sat: 08h30 - 14h00, Sun: 10h30 - 13h00

** For Instant Bookings ** Download the Booksy App ** beautybarfhoek@booksy.com Shop 13, Place Vendome, Huguenot Street, Franschhoek, Cell Phone: 083 560 9997 OPEN = Tuesday - Saturday

9

10 | April 2018

Tatler Motoring Michele Lupini

Quick Shootout: Peugeot 208 1.2T GT Line & Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT 1.0 TSI Here’s an interesting pair. The Peugeot is the latest slant on the popular little 208 that benefits from a few cool new styling tweaks and the Volkswagen is the allnew Polo Vivo. Which means it’s the old Polo that has been kept on, to keep cost conscious buyers happy.

The Peugeot first arrived in 2011 and has been refreshed twice since, the second update arriving in SA last month. The Polo 6R came in 2011, won the World Car of the Year and benefited from a midlife nip and tuck in ’15 and was replaced by the new one in January, leaving old faithful to take up VWSA’s bestselling Vivo mantle.

208 has benefited from its punchy 81kW 205Nm turbo 1.2-litre 3-pot since its facelift and Vivo carries VW’s impressive 81kW 200Nm 1-litre over from the old Polo. So, they are both pretty well matched and both are called GTs. The perfect match too.

Look inside and the 208 is really impressive – its latest avant-garde finishes bring a certain French chic, while Vivo may be Teutonically dowdy by comparison, but it is still a great place to be. If you never sat in the Peugeot, of course.

The Pug is also a little better equipped inside than the Volksie – it has four power windows versus Vivo’s QUICK SHOOTOUT: Engine: Drive: TESTED: 0-60km/h 0-100km/h: 0-160km/h: 400m: 80-120km/h 120-160km/h CLAIMED: VMax: Fuel: CO2: LIST PRICE: RATED:

Image: Michele Lupini

BABY GT TIT FOR TAT

two and there are one or two other advantages. But then Vivo has six gears versus 208’s 5 and the further you get into their spec, the more you see that it’s a case of tit-for-tat – one is better somewhere and the other better elsewhere and so on…

Fire them up and both possess a splendid triple thrum – they are easy to operate and feel good on the road. The Peugeot is a little stronger from the get-go – its stonking bottom-end is actually quite noticeable. The Polo starts softer – perhaps thanks to its 200cc deficit, but it becomes noticeably stronger as the power band plays out to deliver a performance advantage across the board – take a look at the figures,

there’s not much in it, but Vivo gets there quicker.

Both possess incredible race-bred pedigrees too – think WRC, WRX, Polo Cup and the rest – and it comes across on the road in both cars too. The Peugeot and the Volkswagen are a pleasure to drive – shockingly torquey, just stick it into top gear and get on with it; while around town, you can potter around a ratio or two up on what you may have been used to in these cars’ grandparents.

Back in the day you needed a 1.6 or 2-litre to achieve such levels of in-gear performance, considering these cars’ minute engine capacities, they have some pretty stunning go versus those old dog predecessors too…

Peugeot 208 1.2T GT Line 81kW 205Nm 1199cc turbo petrol I3 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT 1.0 TSI 81kW 200Nm 999cc turbo petrol l3 6-speed manual FWD

Giordano’s grind

4.28 sec 9.65 sec 23.57 sec 16.8 sec @ 133km/h 6.72 sec 12.35 sec

3.92 sec 8.74 sec 23.34 sec 16.3 sec @ 137km/h 6.55 sec 11.80 sec

190km/h 4.5 l/100km 104 g/km R259 900 84%

196km/h 4.6 l/100km 109 g/km R245 000 84%

Franschhoek’s Giordano Lupini was happy to at least take some positives home following a crunching weekend in Class C of the BurlyPro GTi Challenge at Killarney’s second round Wingfield Power Series on 10 March. The Bridge House matriculant had proven extremely competitive in practice and was keen on a strong start before a broken hub took him out of qualifying to make it an uphill weekend from there.

“We were looking really good in practice and then I had to stop before I even put a lap in in qualifying so we had to start from the back,” Giordano rued.

“But that’s racing! “I fought back to fifth in class to score two crucial points, but it went from bad

But the really impressive part of it is how cleanburning and fuel-efficient these cars are – you can genuinely achieve high-four or early-five litres per hundred in both in reasonably mixed driving and both boast tax-busting emissions. Now that’s progress!

So, which is better? We told you that it’s a matter of tit-for-tat and we reckon it’s impossible to split them and we scored them even, so I suppose it comes down to personal choice in the end. What better tickles your fancy – Gallic flair with a bit of spunk or Teutonic precision with a GT badge on the boot? There you go – that’s your winner!

Lupini in the wars at Killarney to worse when I was caught up in a turn 1 melee at the start of the second race to be one of five cars eliminated from the race.

“Overall it was a really tough day, but we now know we have really good pace and I can’t wait to get back — hopefully have a clean weekend to show the winning pace we know we have next time out — we will be back with a pretty car at last as it is going in for a new coat of paint and some much needed panel beating at acciDent Guru and I’d like to thank my team — Brian and the lads at MRD, my folks and my sponsors — Accelerate 102, CIR Construction and La Vie de Luc. “We’ll be back — see you at Killarney 19 May!”

April 2018 |

FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM LOVE ACTUALLY During March, FMM was pleased to welcome two descendants of former South African motor racing champion John Love.

Siobhan, his daughter by his third marriage, was visiting Southern Africa from her home in Arizona, USA during which time she visited relatives in John's native Zimbabwe to discover details of her father's background and motoring exploits. She then came to Cape Town to meet up with her nephew Bart to learn more of the family history, and together with Bart's two children, Samuel and James, the pair paid a visit to FMM to view the large collection of John Love’s daughter, Siobhan, and nephew, Bart, and his two young sons visited FMM. John's trophies and memorabilia that the family had previously donated to the During his career John drove a variety of museum. Siobhan was greatly impressed with single-seater and sports cars. He competed in what was on display, which included old racing the SA Grand Prix from 1965 to 1972 and was overalls and a helmet. As a surprise – and to actually leading the 1967 race in his Cooperthe delight of the boys – John's Team Gunston Climax when a misfire forced a quick pit stop Chevron was fired-up in the display hall. that caused him to drop behind the works John Love was born in Bulawayo, Cooper-Maserati of Pedro Rodríguez and Rhodesia on 7 December 1924 and started finish second. John won the SA F1 racing Triumph motorcycles before switching Championship six times in succession from to a Cooper-Norton Formula 3 car. In the 1964 to 1969, as well as winning the early-1960s he raced a Formula Junior Rhodesian GP six times Cooper-Austin in Europe for Ken Tyrrell. A John died from cancer in Bulawayo in crash at Albi resulted a in a badly broken arm 2005, aged 80. The family thoroughly enjoyed that effectively put paid to him racing in F1, but their visit to FMM, Siobhan's last port of call he did substitute for Phil Hill in a works Cooper before flying back to the States. in the 1964 Italian GP.

FMM SLOTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2018 FMM Slot Car Championship got underway in March under a new format.

There are two categories, Touring Cars and Sports Cars, with modern and historic classes within both. The challenging two-lane track was designed by experienced slot car organiser Jon Lederle. Competitors race against each other over two time-controlled heats, one in each lane, and the aggregate laps determine the finishing positions. Points are awarded to every competitor based on their finishing position, and a bonus point is awarded for the fastest lap in The slot car racers are gathering again at FMM. each category.

The season got off to an excellent start with category, Jon Lederle's Audi RS5 DTM won some very close and competitive duels taking overall after an intense battle with Donny place. In the Touring Car category, Joe Inus' Tarentaal's similar car, which recorded the Fiat Abarth TC1000 was the surprise package, taking overall victory over Pieter Venter's rapid fastest lap of the night.

Jaguar XK-R. Thys Roux set the fastest lap Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of with his Maserati MC Trofeo. In the Sports Car each month, and racing starts at 19h00.

D-J DELIGHT The 2018 Durban to Jhb Motorcycle Rally ended on 11 March. FMM curator Wayne Harley took part on the ex-Ian Brodie 1934 Triumph 350 3/1. “Another great D-J with few problems other than me not turning on my GPS logger and getting a little lost on Day 2,” says Wayne. “Marius prepared the Triumph perfectly and it hardly missed a beat. The fellowship on this event is just awesome, everyone is so helpful and competitive but in such a sporting way. I've never experienced an event that can come close, and the people in the background are just stars.” Wayne bettered his previous year's 61st position on the Triumph by finishing 42nd.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY FOOTBALL CLUB Wayne’s trusty Triumph 350 3/1.

Text & Images Mike Monk

MUSEUM OPERATING HOURS: Visiting is currently by appointment only – phone 021 874 9002 to make a reservation. There is ample secure parking on site. Motorcycles and buses larger than 23-seaters should park at Anthonij Rupert Wyne from where visitors will be transported to and from the museum by charabanc.

Opening hours are – Monday to Friday 10h00 to 17h00 (last admittance 16h00), Saturday and Sunday 10h00 to 16h00 (last admittance 15h00). The museum is open on most public holidays except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

ENTRY FEES: R80 adults, R60 pensioners and motor club members (with membership ID), R40 children (ages 3-12).

Guided tours are available upon request at no charge. An on-site Deli offers refreshments and a selection of wines produced by Anthonij Rupert Wyne.

Tel: 021 874 9000 Fax: 021 874 9100 Email: fmm@fmm.co.za Web: www.fmm.co.za

www.franschhoekvalleyfc.co.za

11

12 | April 2018

Fleur de Lis Nuus

FRANCO Focus

Leigh Reabow

Jane Bewsey

On 7 March 2018 the NG Church Ground was filled with live music, great food and smiling faces as we celebrated the Fleur de Lis AmaKierieKierie Sportfees.

We had six Residential Facilities for the Elderly enter this year from various locations in the area and, as always, it was a massive success. Our over 65s were not shy to throw a bean bag, lift a smartie with a straw or “spoeg ‘n bokdrol”.

The “gees” was also brought in great abundance and there was no shortage of balloons, streamers, whistles and bursts of colour. Conversations flowed freely and the friendships formed will be everlasting.

We would like to congratulate all of our individual and overall winners. Everyone put in a lot of effort and deserves mention. Big congratulations to Ons Tuiste (Bellville) for being the overall winners and also winning the “Gees” Award.

A massive thank you must go to everyone who

FRANCO office has moved

Much fun was had by the AmaKierie-Kierie

helped and supported, both leading up to, and on the actual day. A wonderful event like this would not be possible without the love you have for the elderly.

We salute you!

See you next year for the AmaKierie-Kierie Sportfees!

Rotary News

Supporting a world-class Franschhoeker

When Rodney Cornelissen went to Budapest to compete in the World Kickboxing Championships he received financial assistance from FRANCO (Franschhoek Resource and Network Co-ordinating Organisation). Melisa Hanekom, manager at FRANCO,

says “We decided to support Rodney because he had clearly displayed his talent and ability in his homeland and yet could still not find all the support he needed to perform on the world stage. This is what FRANCO has been aiming to do for the last thirteen years, i.e. identifying resources (in this case Rodney) and then, if appropriate, connecting the resource to where it can be effectively used (in this case the World Championships where he and his homeland both benefited). His achievements are very encouraging and to us and to the community at large.”

SPCA News

Mark Tanner On 17 February a large gathering of townsfolk enjoyed the Rosenthorn Cello Trio’s captivating sunset concert at the Huguenot Monument.

Another Rotary endeavour, this semi-classical event raised over R60 000 for projects in our community.

23 February was Rotary Day and was celebrated in Franschhoek by flying the Rotary flag at the town hall.

For information on local Rotary activities, and how you can help, please contact Mark Tanner on 082 773 9217.

Graeme Comrie

Hospice News

Colleen Douglas

The annual Bridge Drive on Friday, 23 February, was a tremendous success. The players had a great time, and Franschhoek Hospice raised R25 000.

Thank you to the residents of Domaine des Anges; your beautiful venue provides a perfect setting. Thank you to Lynn de Villiers for facilitating the Bridge Drive, and for your valuable contribution to every aspect of the event. Thank you to all the bridge players, without whom this event would not be possible. Your continued support is very much appreciated.

We are sincerely grateful for the support from both Franschhoek businesses and individuals. Raising funds enables us to carry out our mission to improve the quality of life of patients and their families in the Franschhoek Valley.

Thank you to: Allora, Big Dog Café, Franschhoek Boutique Hotel, Franschhoek Skin Care Clinic, Franschhoek Villa, Fromages de France, Good Food & Co, Grande Provence, Helen’s Accommodation, Huguenot Fine Chocolates, Jade, Le Bon Vivant, Leopards Leap, Mostert Groente, Petite Jourdan, Ruan du Plessis, Rose Cottage, Tallulah’s, Three Streams, The Diamond Works and Vendange.

We truly appreciate the donations from Kathy P and Sheenagh T and are grateful to all our loyal and hardworking volunteers – in the kitchen, Carol, Hilary, Kathy M, Liz A, and Olga – the braai chefs, André, Ashley and Marelize – the barmen, John A and John M – all the other volunteers who assisted with coffee

The FRANCO office is now situated in the ACVV building at 5 Mark Street Groendal – in fact on top of the ACVV offices.

Our entrance is at the back of the building and we will have our new FRANCO signs up shortly.

Anyone wanting to make applications for funding should contact Melisa on 071 891 2294.

FRANCO is very involved with the Cleanup of the Stiebeuel River project and so is requesting donations of any old garden tools such as metal rakes, spades, forks as well as loppers and clippers.

These would be gratefully received by Melisa at the office or contact Jane Bewsey on 083 654 8870 and she will collect them.

Bridge Drive prizes

and the raffle, Ann, Liz M, and Yvonne.

Lastly a special ‘thank you’ to the Hospice staff for all their hard work at this event.

UPCOMING EVENTS in aid of Hospice • Saturday, 15 April – Nik Rabinowitz Comedian Nik Rabinowitz presents “FORTYFIED”. Haut Espoir wines @ R50 per glass.

19h00 at NGK Hall. Tickets @ R200 p.p. available at Hospice House Monday to Friday 08h30 – 14h30, or call Colleen at (021) 876 3085 • Friday, 18 May & Saturday, 19 May – Books and Croissants During the Literary Festival we’ll be selling books and delicious freshly baked croissants with salmon trout and cream cheese outside Hospice House.

• Saturday, 30 June – Annual Winter Dinner Enjoy a scrumptious 3-course meal at Café Bon Bon. There will be a complimentary drink on arrival, and a cash bar. Tickets @ R350 p.p. available at Hospice House Monday to Friday 08h30 – 14h30, or call Colleen at (021) 876 3085.

As you read this we will have just completed our financial year as at the end of March. On reviewing our efforts we once again feel very proud of the achievements of the SPCA team over the past 12 months. In particular, our sterilisation drive, which accounts for a major portion of our expenses, show an increase of 65% in the number of animals sterilised over the prior year. We believe that this is having a significant positive impact on the number of distressed dogs and cats that we find visiting our twice-a-week clinics. In addition we continue to have a renewed emphasis on outreach programmes through actively patrolling the residential areas, enforcing the need of water, shelter and feeding amongst owners.

For the new financial year we have made plans to start it all over again: • more sterilisations, • more clinic treatments, and, • more of everything to the benefit of the animals of the valley.

We want to continue to reach out to the valley community to provide support and to spread the message of animal care.

Your support in the past has been greatly

Probus Club Mark Tanner We have no speaker in April as this is our AGM month. The actual AGM takes up very little time and is followed by fellowship amongst members and friends. We are always looking for new members so the door is open and visitors are most welcome.

We are endeavouring to secure some speakers who can enlighten us on current affairs and matters of importance to the community.

What is probus all about?

In South Africa there is a rapidly growing number of Probus Clubs, which offer retirees the facility to manage successfully the transition from high pressure executive, professional and other vocational activity

appreciated and we hope that we can again count on it in the future. In addition to any financial or “in-kind” contribution that you could make, we would also appreciate your contribution as a volunteer or as a committee member as we move into the new financial year. Our AGM will be held in the next months and your attendance, support and guidance would be most welcome at that AGM. Please contact either the Chairman, Graeme Comrie (graemecomrie@mweb.co.za), or the Secretary, Anne Stone (076 524 9400), should you feel you could help in any way.

to a calmer way of life.

This is achieved through these features of membership: • Opportunities to extend compatible social contacts and maintain an interest in the topical issues of the day.

• Nurturing positive attitudes to ageing through group recreation and the sharing of information on issues of concern to Senior Citizens.

• Support in grief and illness.

• Speakers at monthly luncheons who provide a fresh mental challenge and stimulation.

• We are a-political and non-sectarian • We are mindful of the fact that costs are an important consideration. Membership fees, therefore, are kept to a minimum; while monthly luncheon costs vary.

• Probus is not a Service/Fund Raising organization.

For more information please contact Mark Tanner on 082 773 9217.

WWW.FRANSCHHOEKHOSPITALITYACADEMY.CO.ZA

April 2018 |

Letters

info@franschhoektatler.co.za Country Garden Club Dear Editor The Country Garden Club was started in 1974 by a handful of us in the Franschhoek Valley. It all began at Gladys Hullse’s home, Avignon, near the Berg River Bridge. Each month there was to be an outing to a garden or a talk on horticulture. The first talk took place in 1975 at my farm, La Chataigne. About 60 people turned up to an amusing and most interesting talk by Vim Tijmens. For many years we held an art competition with a botany subject for all the coloured schools in the valley and at an annual prize giving. We were often amazed at the talent it produced!

During all these years, the Club has flourished and has had a large membership. However, times have changed, and in February it was decided to close it due to lack of attendance. As I am the only surviving founder member, I would like to pay homage to the committee and especially to Margie Bertram, who has been in the Chair for seven years, and to Gill

Dehning, a wonderful secretary for fourteen years, keeping us all so well informed. It has been a most worthwhile project, but now will become a part of Franschhoek history.

Shirley Parkfelt

Dr Patricia Burton Dear Editor Dr Patricia Burton’s many friends in Franschhoek will be sad to learn of her death in the UK on 19 February this year, due to myocardial infarction provoked by a severe influenza B infection. She was the beloved wife of John Burton for 53 years. They had been ‘swallows’ to the village for 3 months each year for more than 20 years, and were one of the first homeowners in Victoria Village in Reservoir Street.

She and John have been an active and integral part of life in Victoria Village, and will be particularly missed by their good friends and neighbours when that time of year comes around again. There are 3 children and grandchildren in the UK. Anyone needing any further information can contact the writer or John Burton direct.

Liz Lawrie

Kopano – it’s local

The Franschhoek Hospitality Academy invited guests to trial the Kopano Experience

Earlier this year we reported on the new Franschhoek Hospitality Academy & Learning Centre (PBO) where 20 local students from disadvantaged communities are given an almost free education. On completion of the training a qualification from this establishment will give them employment prospects previously regarded as unreachable.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch though. “It costs us R4000 per student per month which is why we needed to come up with a clever and different way to raise funds, while exposing our students to real-time training,” says Tarryn Corlett, Co-Founder of the Academy.

The Academy looked for a way to cover their costs and a new tourist experience was born. They call it Kopano, the Sotho word for gathering. Kopano will serve both as fundraiser for the academy and provide training for the students in aspects ranging from cooking to customer care.

The Kopano Experience offers something rather different for visitors. A shuttle picks those who have booked up in the village for a walking tour through the Langrug informal settlement with a friendly and knowledgeable guide. Athi Ndita knows the area and history well, having grown up there. Athi continually points out places and things of interest, explaining how water is supplied, refuse is removed, communal facilities operate and how informal houses are constructed.

After an eye-opening walk through the streets and past the shacks, guests stop at a shack to do, actually just sample, what the community does there; they sit on benches along the wall and drink umqombothi, a traditional township beer, sipping (carefully) from a big communal tin. They then continue their walk to Batho’s Place where the Academy staff and students meet them. The JMP Foundation entertains the guests with traditional music and the students prepare lunch of traditional South African dishes – think Pap & Wors, Chakalaka, Pumpkin stew and Vetkoek. Wine, beer and soft drinks are served in enamel mugs. After a suitable time of eating and making merry, the guests are picked up by the shuttle and delivered back to the village.

On 7 March, the Academy, joined by their Ambassadors Reuben Riffel, Margot Janse and Chris Erasmus, trialed the Kopano Experience by taking a group of invited guests on the proposed tour. The group thoroughly enjoyed themselves and declared it a clever fund raising initiative and a good addition to tourism in Franschhoek; extra points are scored for assisting in developing the youth and supporting local communities.

Tickets for Kopano will only be sold online via the academy’s website and will not be available in any other way. www.franschhoekhospitalityacademy.co.za

Editor’s Letter

Siegfried Schäfer

Dear Readers I recently came across an article in The Atlantic that, even though it’s mostly about the Napa Valley, raised a number of issues that are just as pertinent to parts of the Cape Winelands. The author was James Conaway and his article was entitled Rich People Are Ruining Wine.

Conaway explores the phenomenon of the ‘lifestyle vintner’, a person that he describes as “a type of hobbyist investor who makes money in another field and then buys into wine, mostly for the social and financial cachet.”

The first example Conaway uses is that of teetotaller Donald Trump who bought a vineyard in Virginia because, according to his son Eric, “wine’s sexy”. Much as I dislike the application of the adjective ‘sexy’ to anything other than a person I do think that we’ve seen the effects of wine being ‘sexy’ all over the winelands. I’m sure most people have lost track of how many Boland fruit farms have been converted into wine farms in the Cape Winelands.

Conaway, like me, is clearly a bit of a traditionalist.

To him “Vintner is a word that implies knowledge of vines, husbandry, and winemaking, and a significant amount of physical labour. Not so the lifestyle vintner. It is a somewhat deprecating honorarium for mostly wealthy individuals with none of the above. Their surnames hover artfully on bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, all deeply punted and impressively expensive.”

Here he raises another wine industry phenomenon that regularly riles me – the eponymous wine. I can respect an eponymous wine if the name on the bottle is that of a true vintner, but Trump Winery Cabernet Sauvignon? I certainly won’t buy it, irrespective of how good it might be. And this particular example certainly won’t pass my lips, even if it were given to me. I’d rather use it to kill weeds in my driveway.

Conaway philosophises, “These bottles are social entrées of a sort, often representing a quick, handy makeover. Former labels – oil man, developer, sports mogul, tech entrepreneur, financier – are jettisoned for a new title redolent of European nobility. Those defined by their accumulation of money turn their backs on that past, benefiting from a kind of lay transubstantiation in which wine washes any previous grubby associations away.”

Can anyone think of some Cape examples?

Turning to Napa, Conaway says that he’s “watched this increasingly glamorized culture change the nature of the valley for the worse. The wines have become – with notable exceptions – standardized, and the gap between real agriculture and the glamorized version has grown.” He does, though,

13

concede that despite the erosion of the area’s traditional character – which some would refer to as inevitable progress – revenues from the industry have risen and that employment has been created.

“Thanks to the rise of the lifestyle vintner, the market is now glutted with new wines in a numbingly similar style,” Conaway continues. “Critics generally favor them, most costing well over $100 a bottle, and as a result many of the richest American palates have developed a taste for alcoholic, overripe Cabernet.” I certainly can think of a Cape winery, or two, that I feel the same way about.

The impact of lifestyle vintners on Napa’s landscape doesn’t escape Conaway’s attention either.

“Most refer to themselves with straight faces as ‘farmers,’ even as ‘environmentalists,’ while more trees are cut on surrounding mountainsides for yet more vineyards. They loudly praise the valley’s exemplary past and glorious future while exploiting its present.” What Conaway is referring to here is the loss of thousands of acres California oak woodlands.

I believe the Cape wine industry is generally quite environmentally conscious and am not aware of thousands of hectares of fynbos being uprooted to make way for vineyards. Climate change does however pose a challenge here, as it does in Napa. Back to Conaway: “There’s been a clamor over similar [cooler, high-lying] plots of land as a changing climate has prompted vintners to get the most out of Napa before possibly having to move on to the Pacific Northwest or the Rockies.”

We all know that there are many parts of the Western Cape where large areas, both flats and slopes, are infested with alien trees. If these areas weren’t allowed to return to natural fynbos I have to admit I’d rather see them under vines than pines.

Conaway also turns his attention to the relationship between lifestyle vintners and the local community in Napa. “Many lifestyle vintners are developers who resent objections to their [vineyard expansion] plans by members of the community …

After several disputes like this, social discord has grown steadily in the valley. Thousands of Napans signed a petition to put an initiative on the 2016 ballot to increase regulation of timber cutting in the hills … Locals fear that mansions will follow, as they so often do in California ... The industry’s sway was clear when the county disqualified the initiative on a technicality. … A similar initiative is back on the ballot this year …”

As more 1000 acre vineyards belonging to ‘lifestyle vintners’ and corporations leave their mark on the Napa landscape Conaway regrets that the influence of the ‘true’ vintner is receding. He quotes Rich Salvestrin, vintner at his own 18 acre Napa property: “‘We’re at the tipping point. This place should be about the wine.’ More and more people are thinking just that.”

Are the Cape Winelands still about the wine? You be the judge!

Until next month Deadlines - May 2018 Issue: Ad Bookings: 16 April 2018 Artwork: 16 April 2018 Editorial: 16 April 2018

Another fabulous Poached Rhino annual charity ball

Irma Joubert besoek Fhk Leeskring

Everything came together to make the ball a stunning success

Die skrywer Irma Joubert, en Elkarien Fourie, voorsitter van Franschhoek Leeskring.

Die Franschhoek Leeskring het weer ‘n baie vrugbare en gesellige vergadering gehou op 8 Maart. Die gevierde skrywer Irma Joubert het ons kom toespreek. Ons was baie dankbaar om haar hier te ontvang, aangesien sy in Bloemfontein woonagtig is. Sy het ons meer as ‘n uur geboei met haar borrelende vertellings oor haar werkswyse en

geskiedkundige navorsing. Lank na haar praatjie het ons nog gesellig saam gekuier, rondom die tee en koek tafel.

Ons sien uit na ons April samekoms, wanneer die romantiek om Parys bespreek sal word aan die hand van veskeie skrywers soos Ernest Hemingway en Marita van der Vyver. Almal is welkom.

The venue at Franschhoek Cellars was packed with over 120 people in attendance for this year’s James Bond-themed ball. MCC, wine and other libations flowed liberally along with a 3-course dinner, followed by the raffle, auction and live music. For the third year running, thanks to the generosity of the attendees, Poached Rhino smashed through the R300 000 net profit target and another R10 000 was raised for their nominated charity the Franschhoek Theatre project.

Prizes ranged from culinary delights with Chefs Duncan Doherty, Reuben Riffel, Pierre Hendricks and Chris Erasmus to holidays in Portugal, Paris and Limpopo and amazing experience such as sky diving, flying with Matthew Gordon and a spitfire flight in UK.

The R40 000 diamond donated by Tracey’s Diamonds was won by Fred Van Alpen, who – in an amazing first – proposed to Sam in front of the stunned audience. A roar of approval went up when she answered ‘Yes’. It seems diamonds really are forever!

All-in-all it was a glamorous, fun and exciting night and the trustees would like to thank everyone for their support, donations, sponsorship, help and generosity.

This money will go a long way in helping us to stop the illegal poaching of the iconic South African rhino.

Poached Rhino have now raised over R2 million in the last 4 years to help keep these beautiful animals alive on our land.

Graeme Oliver

14 | April 2018

PROMOTIONAL ARTICLE

PostNet’s Elsa Post on being in business in a small town

thinks outside the box and addresses all her jobs with detail and dedication. She even surprised me last year when she showed me her Xmas present, which was successfully passing an additional course she had enrolled in. She had done this in her own time and we are extremely proud of her. Margaret is efficienct in everything she does and focusses 100% on every job she does.

Sylvia Mgweba started working for me at my wine shop. I met her as the friendly waitress that served me coffee at a coffee shop. When the coffee shop closed, she became part of my life. After working for me at the wine shop, she decided to follow me to Postnet when I sold the wine shop. She has been a fast learner, never scared to take on any job I shove in her direction, setting high standards... she has a fast smile and infectious laugh.

Culsem Ramjan is the new kid on the block who showed her determination by insisting I keep her CV, despite me telling her I did not have a position for her. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt

Build It Celebrates It!

Franschhoek Build It has been trading in the village for fifteen years, which is quite a birthday. Jonathan and Maryse Peach started as Franschhoek Hardware in 2003 in the spot which is now a car park behind Absa. In 2004, after trading there for some time, they changed their store to Build It. Same business, same owners, same service.

When bigger premises became available further down the road, they moved Build It to its current location; that was in 2009. Rosie and Lizette who were working for the business at the time moved with them and are still there. Rosie started as cashier and is admin manager today, a position and responsibility she loves. You’ll find Lizette when you walk in, she now runs the shop front.

Asked about highlights, Jonathan thankfully remembers that they survived an armed robbery in the early years. He also mentions the time when Ruth April won the ‘Jack up your Shack’ television competition

The PostNet ladies: Margaret, Culsem and Sylvia

and appointed her for a trial period. Suffice to say, she worked herself into an unmissable part of the allgirl Postnet team. She still has a long way to go, but with fellow staff like Margaret and Sylvia showing her the ropes, she is learning fast and proving her worth on a daily basis.

In my years at Postnet I have seen and realised the crucial need for Franschhoek locals and Franschhoek businesses to support other Franschhoek businesses.

It is vital for growth and sustainability. Franschhoek with its “swallow” community and seasonal trade, is

Elsa Post

a very difficult market for small business. I invite all locals and business owners to contact me personally for a large cup of coffee, so we can discuss how Postnet Franschhoek can be of service to you.

I urge every person to read the following article written about how local spending boosts your community economy.

Let’s use our wealthy valley to enrich our whole community. (http:// ti.me/1pD4PO0) franschhoek@postnet.co.za | 021 876 3025

Western Cape grows the cycling economy

with Build It as her entry store and supply partner.

They have subsequently begun a partnership which has become the successful second hand furniture shop, ‘Peaches and Scream’, next door. Then there is the Under-13 Soccer Tournament that Build It sponsors.

It’s a source of pride and joy for the sponsors and a highlight for the kids in the community.

Jonathan cannot emphasis enough how valuable it has been having Maryse in the family business all the time.

She has held everything together and been of invaluable support to the store and the staff. The Peaches add personal success to their business success, having celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in March.

Local support grows continually. The best-selling lines are cement, plumbing and electric requirements and paint, which sounds good for a hardware store looking forward to their next fifteen years in Franschhoek.

Susan Charlesworth ATTORNEY NOTARY CONVEYANCER

Areas of practice:

Estate and succession planning | Commercial Law Administration of estates, trusts & curatorships Engineering & Construction Law Antenuptial contracts | Conveyancing The Franschhoek Cellar Offices, Main Road, Franschhoek, 7690 Tel: +27 (0)21 876 2592 Fax: +27 (0)21 863 1495 Email: susancharlesworth.law@telkomsa.net Also at 342 Val De Vie, Paarl www.susancharlesworth.co.za

WE HAVE MOVED!

With the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the world’s largest individually timed cycle race and the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup both having taken place on the weekend of 10 & 11 March, the Western Cape is well on its way to achieving its goal of becoming the premier cycling destination in Africa.

This goal was set by Minister Alan Winde, as part of his Project Khulisa economic strategy.

On Saturday, 10 March, the first leg of the UCI MTB World Cup took place in Stellenbosch. The event has a major international following and was televised on Riders taking part in the 2018 Bestmed Tour of Good Hope Red Bull television internationally, make their way up the Franschhoek Pass. and Supersport locally, promoting Cycle Route – a scenic cycle touring route from the Western Cape’s cycling and tourism offering to a Plettenberg Bay to Stellenbosch. global audience.

“The Cross Cape is set to boost the number of The Cape Town Cycle Tour, which took place on riders heading to the province for multi-day gravel Sunday, 11 March, saw 35 000 riders line up at the riding, and will have a significant impact on small town race’s new starting point at the Grand Parade in economies as riders make use of tourism, hospitality Cape Town. The tour, which attracts about 4000 and business services along the way. international riders to the city, contributes about R500 “Our aim with Project Khulisa has been to grow million to the province’s economy each year. It also tourism jobs in the province by 100 000. Cycle makes substantial donations to charity. tourism plays an important role in our drive to meet In the run up to this weekend, the province also these targets,” Minister Winde said. played host to the Best Med Tour of Good Hope, Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris said that cycling allowed a 5-day stage race which took place in Paarl and for visitors to enjoy the diversity of experiences that Franschhoek, and the Cape Roleur, which attracts 160 the Cape has on offer. riders, many international, to the region each year.

“Cycling allows people to get out of the city and Looking ahead, the province will also hosted 600 explore and the length and breadth of our beautiful teams of two from 18 – 25 March for the Absa Cape province. In doing so, it can act as an economic Epic, which garners around R300 million for the stimulant in small towns, helping create jobs where provincial economy. they are needed most.”

Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, “Major cycling events also help promote our said: “The combined contribution to our economy province. Images of our breath-taking scenery are of these events alone is estimated at over R1 billion. broadcast to the many cycling enthusiasts who watch These events are huge cash injections for our cycling around South Africa and the world. It is for this and hospitality value chains, as accommodation, reason that Wesgro, in line with Project Khulisa, is a eateries, local bike shops, health practitioners, and proud sponsor of the UCI MTB World Cup, the Cape many other small businesses play a role in meeting the Town Cycle Tour, and the Cape Epic,” Harris said. needs of these travellers”.

Minister Winde also commended the events for He continued: “The impact on development cycling remaining water neutral. is also an important part of these events as young “The Cape Town Cycle Tour showed real leadership and local cyclists are exposed to the sport and its last year by being water smart. This year, they will be superstars. There is also benefit through the various completely water neutral. The UCI MTB World Cup charitable drives associated with specific races”. also did not use any municipal water for their event,” For those with less of a competitive streak, Minister Winde said. the province has developed the Cross Cape

Anyone can give advice, but independent advice is priceless PSG Wealth Winelands offers • • •

Portfolio management Stockbroking Investment advice

Contact us at WINELANDS | T +27 (21) 863 3770 | E dawid.botha@psg.co.za | psg.co.za Klein Amsterdam, c/o Main Road and Berg River Boulevard, Paarl PSG Wealth Financial Planning (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider. FSP 728

Photo: Robert Ward/Bestmed Tour of Good Hope

When we came to Franschhoek in 1994, Franschhoek was a very small rural farming community with lots of gravel roads and open space.

I rode horses for most of my day and at times even drove my carriage into town! Then the kiddies happened (Gavin and Jenna were born 2000 and 2001) and horses had to make way for kiddie duties, challenges and responsibilities.

Postnet Franschhoek opened its doors on 1 November 2005. As with most things that I do it meant jumping in with both feet, without too much investigation into the venture I was entering… And boy what a learning curve it has been…

My greatest blessing and assets are my absolutely dedicated and loyal staff. Anybody that has ever been to Postnet can attest to their friendly manner, their attention to detail in completing tasks and job requests from clients. Clients are their absolute focus and they thrive on jobs well done.

Margaret Valentyn joined Postnet Franschhoek in 2006. She is the quiet one who has an easy smile,

April 2018 |

Business Leadership Tony Frost

Presentism and Making Sense of Our World We are all subject to the didactical error of trying to make sense of the past by applying the morals, knowledge and intellectual constructs of the present to our analysis and understanding of history. Things were very different in centuries gone by.

If one accepts this argument as the starting point of a discussion it then makes little sense to argue about whether some of these events were right or wrong; good or bad. They were what they were.

Take colonialism, for example.

It is a fruitless argument to try moralising about it.

It happened and at the time that it was happening in a big, planned way it was the thing to do. Of course, some of the practices engaged by the colonisers were completely unacceptable through the eyes of our current, sometimes, questionable morality. But colonisation happened. The world as we know it today is a result of migration. Look at Africa. Many of the areas we call countries today would not be countries without colonisation, and perhaps should not be countries at all, because their size and position makes them inherently unsustainable on their own.

But they are what they are.

How will future generations view the current wave of refugees seeking refuge for a variety of reasons in many countries and regions around the world from Europe to Africa to Asia?

To moralise about something now which was the rage when it was happening a few centuries ago and to blame the current state of affairs for the circumstances we now have is pointless. It will also not change one iota of our current reality. At best it may give us some perspective and understanding, which, of course, helps somewhat but it will not change history and will not provide solutions to some of our current truly vexed questions. It would be impossible to unglobalise our globalised world as much as some, including Donald Trump, would seem to want to do. We are all products of this past. It is what defines us and our consciousness; it has given us the prism through which we examine and moralise about the world we live in.

Imagine what would have to happen if we did try to turn the clock back – we would have to depopulate the world; get rid of billions of people; send people back to their origins; but how far back would we have to go? Everyone back to the Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng? Those of European origin back to Europe, but to which part of Europe? My ancestors came with the colonising Vikings to conquer Britain and then in the early 19th century to South Africa. The Nguni people back to central Africa, or where?

Clearly these are not even close to feasible ideas and will never happen.

So what would be the most effective use of our present perceptions and paradigms?

We are not good at learning the lessons of the past.

We tend to allow, or even make, history repeat itself.

Each of us, as individuals and as communities, has the capacity to change the trajectory of history. This requires us to examine the past for understanding and to learn its lessons.

The most important part of the process is not to spend time agonising over what happened, what could have happened and what if it did or did not happen; but rather to use all the lessons of the past to approach the future with the confidence and knowledge necessary to improve the future for everyone. This is not rocket science. It requires emotional maturity; it requires vision; it requires a commitment to make the future better than the past; it requires substantial levels of selflessness; and, most of all, it requires a determination to work together with everyone, especially those who are most different from us, the ones we call ‘them’.

It is this commitment that will enable us to truly harness the value of the diversity all around us for the benefit of all. This means adopting an attitude of what can I add to those around me with what I have; and not one which says what do ‘they’ have that I can take away from them. If we all focus on giving of ourselves for the greater good then we will be on a winning track and we will be able to use our past for a future better than most of us can imagine.

Success comes from taking the first step. We will not change everything overnight, but with a clear vision of the future we want all we need to do is to start by taking the first little steps in the direction of that vision. Once we begin to do this we will build momentum and slowly at first, but more quickly as we gather momentum, this approach will become the new normal and quite soon we will be on track to being the winning nation we have the potential to be and an example of what is possible.

But it starts with us. tony@siroccostrategy.com

Le Naturel: all-natural luxury

Multi-talented Franschhoeker, Lea Botha, recently launched her own luxurious range of natural products for the body and home. The range is scented with indigenous fynbos and other oils.

Lea says “My parents have always been fascinated with plants. My own fascination with plants only developed much later – I was too busy surfing, travelling, getting married and having 4 kids. I guess it all started when I smelled a natural perfume for the first time. I couldn’t fathom that nature could smell so good – I was so used to synthetic and artificial fragrances. I wanted to know more, so I did my research and pretty soon was making my own perfume. The rest followed naturally.”

The name Le Naturel is a homage to both Franschhoek’s French heritage and the natural knowledge of the valley’s original San inhabitants who were able to find all they needed in nature.

Lea and her two assistants, Myrtle and Mary, produce small batches of Le Naturel products – paying exacting attention to detail and using only the finest oils derived from indigenous fynbos and other plants. Plant oils used include: Cape May, Cape Chamomile, African Lemon Bush, Cape Snowbush, Buchu, Geranium and African Wormwood.

The oils are blended with specific therapeutic actions in mind and added to a range of high quality base products – ranging from shampoo to body oil. What you will not find

in any Le Naturel products are petrochemicals, parabens, sulphates and artificial fragrances or colourants.

Le Naturel products are elegantly packaged in amber glass bottles to filter out blue and ultraviolet light and extend the shelf life of the product. Lea says the elegant packaging design “reflects the simplicity and timelessness of the naturally nurturing, healing and uplifting qualities of fynbos.”

The range currently consists of body & bath oil, body & room mist, shampoo, conditioner, hand & body lotion and hand & body wash and can be purchased online. www.lenaturel.co.za | 060 526 5307

Financial Matters Celia McGuinness

You and Budget 2018: It could have been worse!

In the Medium Term Budget Speech (MTBS) last October, Finance Minister Gigaba laid out some frightening numbers – tax revenue was not rising as predicted and expenditure was inexorably increasing.

The forecasted spending ceiling was breached and the message for Budget 2018 was clear – “Expect substantial tax hikes”.

In the end, there are indeed R36 billion’s worth of tax increases, but also the Government will put in place spending cuts of R85 billion over the next three years. The combination of tax increases and spending cuts is an important step towards restoring fiscal credibility.

The big story – VAT increasing to 15% Many commentators called for an increase in VAT, but were doubtful that Government would push through such an unpopular and regressive (regressive in the sense that it impacts more on the poor than the rich) measure so close to an election. Yet a 1% increase from 1 April headlined the Budget. This is the first VAT increase in more than 20 years.

The two other main contributors to tax revenue – company and individual tax – are already at high levels and further increases would likely prove to be counterproductive, again leaving Government short of its revenue target. Lower income groups will also benefit from an increase in thresholds for the bottom three personal income tax brackets.

Globally, the world is increasingly moving towards indirect taxation as it brings more certainty to the fiscus in that it is a relatively simple and robust collection process.

In the past few years, the affluent have been inundated with tax increases. VAT is paid by all consumers and so spreads the load of the tax burden. The concern remains that this regressive tax will impact adversely on vulnerable households despite the existing zerorating of basic food items and despite the cushioning effect of an above-inflation increase of 7% in social grants. On the other hand some economists support it as increasing fairness in our tax system and as the tax least likely to damage the economy.

For business, the VAT rate change will however mean more costs as a result of extra administration in changing your systems and stationery. Start preparing now!

The major increases and how much tax they will raise • Personal Income Tax brackets are not adjusted for inflation so any increase in your salary could push you into a higher tax bracket.

• Excise Tax on cigarettes is up 8.5%, whilst alcoholic products will see excise tax increase by between 6% and 10%.

• Ad Valorem rates will increase on luxury goods from a range of 5% to 7% to a range of 7% to 9%.

• Estate Tax is levied on the dutiable value of an estate at a rate of 20% on the first R30 million and at a rate of 25% above R30 million. Donations tax is increased by 5% in line with that.

What will Government prioritise on the expenditure side?

Over the next three years: • Basic education will receive R792 billion whilst tertiary education gets R324 billion (R57 billion for free education including R12 billion this year). This follows President Zuma’s concession to the Fees Must Fall campaign.

• Health Care gets R667 billion.

• Social grants R528 billion.

• Basic services to low income households R205 billion.

• R129 billion for public transport.

• R126 billion for water infrastructure and services.

The key ratios and what they mean for us Analysts, ratings agencies and investors look at economic ratios as part of the process in determining how a country is performing.

• Together with an improved growth outlook, the proposals will reduce the consolidated budget deficit to GDP from 4.3% in 2017/18 to 3.5% in 2020/21 – as best practice is close to 3%, this is a good trend.

• Net debt to GDP was forecast at over 60% by 2023 per the MTBS and is now expected to fall to 56.2%, also a positive indicator. Generally, this should be below 50% but this is now heading in the right direction.

• Inflation is expected to be benign for the next three years and contained within the 3% to 6% mark.

• GDP is estimated to increase by 1.5% this year, by 1,9% in 2019/20 and by 2.1% in 2020/21. As our population is growing at 1.35%, this means that real growth per capita is projected to rise in the medium term.

All of these ratios will hopefully give comfort to investors and ratings agencies. It remains to be seen how achievable they are but our new President seems to have substantial credibility.

Other important changes • The Carbon Tax will be effective from 1 January 2019. As this is expected to be complex and will require considerable set-up time, start preparing for it now.

• Another point of interest is that government departments and parastatals are mandated to pay suppliers in 30 days – failure will result in management facing charges. That’s good news for suppliers struggling to keep their cash flows positive.

• The Minister mooted several retirement reforms such as that pension and provident preservation funds will be allowed to make transfers to a retirement annuity fund (after the retirement date of an employee). This was excluded in the retirement reform proposals of 2017.

What about Junk Status and investor confidence?

Moody’s is the only major ratings agency not to have fully downgraded South Africa to junk status.

Government’s commitment to getting financial discipline back into the budgeting processes plus the bold decision to raise VAT will hopefully be welcome news to ratings agencies.

It should also be attractive to potential investors – something needed to grow the economy and jobs.

The bottom line In tone, this is a Budget which builds on the rising hope the nation has experienced since our new President was sworn in. It confronts corruption head on (for example, the proposed reforms to procurement rules), tackles tax administration and declining tax morality and clearly seeks to contain expenditure, plus relaxing regulations where possible.

Above all, it was pragmatic and in increasing VAT seeks to spread the burden of tax increases. Not nearly as ‘bad news’ a Budget as some feared it might be!

Franschhoek wins big at the Seeff Country Awards

Seeff Franschhoek were big winners at the annual Country Awards held at Kronenberg Wine Estate on 22 February 2018.

The partnership of Marianne van der Merwe and Tania van Deemter were honoured with Achiever Agent Status along with Dawie Pretorius.

Winners in the category Top Agricultural Agents in a Partnership were Tania van Deemter and Marianne van der Merwe while Dawie Pretorius was the winner of Solitaire Agricultural Agent.

Tania van Deemter and Marianne van der Merwe were also crowned the winners of Regional All Divisions.

Seeff Franschhoek rental agent Kat Roth received the Newcomer of the Year Award along with a runner up position in the Smart Academy Division.

According to the Seeff Franschhoek agents it was a very special occasion and they are thrilled to have been recognized for their “hard word and commitment to providing an excellent and personal property service in our beautiful and extraordinary town”.

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Samuel Seeff with Tania van Deemter (left) and Marianne van der Merwe (right) who were honoured with Achiever Agent status.

Kat Roth received the Newcomer of the Year award.

16 | April 2018

with Thierry Haberer, winemaker at Holden Manz Estate For which varietals is the Holden Manz terroir most suited?

One of the reasons I was attracted to the Holden Manz Wine Estate was the concentration of four different soil types in a relatively small 22 hectare farm. I was fascinated to observe that the southern end of the farm receives more rain and wind and is noticeably cooler while the northern section is dryer and hotter and the southwestern corner is sheltered from the wind and as a result is hot and humid.

There is not one terroir on the Holden Manz Wine Estate, but four quite different expressions broadly correlating with four different soil types. The two best soil types are Tukulu, which produces fantastic Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; and Dundee, which produces concentrated small berries of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

What is your most important focus in the production process of your ultra-premium wines?

Holden Manz currently produces 3 reserve wines – Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The most important part of the production process for these wines is the vineyard selection of the berries. This is a laborious process that is continuously evolving and involves regular walking through the vineyard,

Book Review Charlotte van Zyl

Under Glass

By Claire Robertson Publ: Umuzi Press 298 pages The most apt word to describe Claire Robertson’s new novel is “stylish.” The tone is set by the eye-catching cover, with its profusion of plants, chameleons, snakes and insects swarming round a steel cage. It continues with endpapers with botanic studies etched in white on coppery paper. The publishers have honoured her with an extremely handsome book.

This theme of stylishness is carried through by the language she has chosen for the narrative.

In the same way that she devised (or created) an appropriate language for the story of the eccentric builder in The Spiral House she has chosen to tell this story in the language of Jane Austen. Even the main character is known simply as Mrs Chetwyn, like Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.

In some ways it is a risky undertaking, telling a story in the language of another century. The writer is bound by the limitations of the knowledge available in 1857. No Freud, no Marxism, limited Darwinism. This is especially frustrating because the narrative takes place in the early years of Natal, with its connotations of colonial conquest, acquisition of native land by force, the capitalism involved in the development of the sugar industry

identifying where soil type changes, taking berry samples for laboratory analysis and most importantly, continual tasting. Numbers guide us but ultimately tasting rules! This rigorous process allowed us to identify the merlot vines capable of producing our first Merlot Reserve in 2015. Picking grapes in such a highly selective, methodical way allows microvinification of 300kg batches of grapes which undergo spontaneous fermentation in French oak barrels.

What are the biggest challenges you face every season and on what can you always depend?

Unpredictable weather – heat, wind, rain! I can always depend on the great team at Holden Manz, strong viticultural and cellar practices and the fun of harvest!

Many wine lovers sing the praises of your Big G, Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc signature wine; what makes it so good?

Firstly the Cabernet Franc grown at Holden Manz is exceptional. In addition not only do the components for the Holden Manz Big G grow next to each other in the vineyard, but they combine well in the bottle.

We have adjusted our vineyard practices over the last few years to ensure optimal phenolic ripeness and know from experience which grapes from which specific terroir to blend to ensure the best blend.

Can you name your favourite Holden Manz food and wine pairing?

Wildebeest prepared by Chef Ricardo in our Franschhoek Kitchen paired with Holden Manz Merlot Reserve 2015. Not only was this our first Merlot Reserve, but it was grown during the exceptional 2015 vintage. It is a big Merlot in the Pomerol style with juicy plums, blackcurrants, soft tannins and a scent of mocha. From a pairing perspective Chef Ricardo serves the wildebeest medium rare allowing the mild gamey flavours to mingle with the earthiness of the Merlot.

Your association with vineyards started in Corsica. How does the South African experience differ?

I was born in Corsica, where my father was a wine maker in Corsica until his retirement two years ago. I

and the underlying sexual tensions between husband and wife and wife and lover.

The story begins when Mrs Chetwyn arrives in Durban from India, where she had been left stranded by her impulsive husband while he tries to make a living for them in Natal. He eventually summons her and she arrives with a girl child and her Indian ayah in tow. Her husband is somewhere in the hinterland and, in his absence, she establishes a household in a makeshift tent of wattle and daub.

Finally, her husband joins her and the family’s new life begins for real.

Chetwyn brings with him a mysterious Zulu man who has chosen to leave his tribe and work for the whites. He is part slave, part companion.

Three more girls are born and the details of Mrs Chetwyn’s home-building would not be out of place in The Swiss Family Robinson, although the gentility of her language and thought underplays the grim realities.

Indeed, grim realities intrude when her husband’s father imposes strict conditions on the couple through his lawyer (with the Dickensian name of Mr. Meager). They may only be given the power to inherit the steadily growing sugar farm if Mrs Chetwyn produces a male heir. This seems unlikely, as she has only had girls.

However, luck seems to favour them as a fifth child called Cosmo is born, who seems to be the male heir they need. At least the paternal grandfather thinks so and releases the farm to them. In the meantime Mrs Chetwyn is acquiring a frighteningly encyclopedic amount of knowledge about local flora. In this she is assisted by a rather odd red-haired botanist who is pursuing a lonely life

grew up surrounded by wine and winemakers. Corsica and South Africa are pretty similar in many regards – stubborn people and stubborn weather!

You studied in France and worked in America and Bulgaria. What drew you to South Africa?

I came to South Africa for the first time in 2005, sent by Michel Rolland to work at Anthonij Rupert wine cellar... I think I fell in love with the country on the first day! So much so that I found the love of my life – my wife! I was also drawn by the opportunity to work with good terroir and the potential to make great wines.

What is the most memorable bottle of wine you have ever had and why?

Chateau Palmer 1970. Located adjacent to Chateau Margaux, Palmer was only ranked in the 3rd growth of the 1855 classification but it is renowned as one of the consistent high-quality Bordeaux producers.

I tasted this wine in 2010 at the house of my colleague and mentor, the renowned oenologist,

Michel Rolland and the famous French wine critic, Michel Bettane. Following some debate the three of us organised a blind tasting in which we compared Petrus 1982 from Pomerol and Chateau Palmer 1970.

Both are exceptional wines but you always have to prefer one: For me the Chateau Palmer won hands down – I can still recall the depth and character of this stunning wine.

Who are the members of your family?

I have a South African wife who works for a tour operator and we have two children, a boy aged 11 and a girl aged 4.

What is your favourite time of the day, you favourite colour, your favourite sport?

My favourite time of the day is the late afternoon barrel tasting in the cellar. My favourite colour is any one that comes out of a bottle. Favourite sport is rugby, which I played for 20 years, although neither my home team of France nor adopted team of South Africa is playing too well right now!

dedicated to the cultivation of natural plants useful to the community. He and Mrs Chetwyn enjoy their mutual botanical interests. During the development of an open-air public arboretum their friendship turns into an intensely romantic relationship.

The theme of a female botanist’s fascination with sex, along with the growth of an equally consuming obsession with seeds, grasses, mosses and flowers has already been beautifully described by Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love fame) in The Signature of All Things. However, in Under Glass the central interest of the story lies in the character of Cosmo, the heir to the family’s fortune.

Coincidental with the author’s oblique reference to the hot question of land acquisition is her even more oblique exploration of the hot LGBT topic.

I cannot reveal any more at the risk of flouting the spoiler alert principle of every reviewer, except to say that the eighteenth century novel style used by the writer suppresses a great deal of fascinating material, in a very stylish way.

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April 2018 |

Music Alchemy James Stewart

Bieber, Elvis, The Beatles. Whatever.

According to anecdotal evidence, while his left hand theatrically swept his almost shoulder length mane across a sweat-beaded forehead, his right hand chopped and flew impossibly up the keys in octaves climaxing finally a semitone sharper than antipated; a jarring note even the most tone deaf present could not mistake as seriously awkward. Whether a slip of the finger or lapse of concentration – or intentional, Franz Liszt paused ever so briefly to acknowlege the moment with an insouciant smile before replaying the whole piece from the beginning in the revised key.

How. Cool. Is. That?

That Franz Liszt is the original rock star there can be no doubt about. A once-in-an-epoch anomaly without peer or modern (or any other) day comparison. As a pianist he commanded the keyboard with prodigious authority, style and emotion. As a composer, together with Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin he reshaped the plausible on the piano. To complete the package (because the gods choose to favour some above others) he was bestowed with broody and aristocratic good looks. Together with a visceral understanding of the potency of his combined powers, a showman and performer the likes of which had never been witnessed before erupted into the salons and

concert halls of mid-19th century Europe. You’ve got to dig; “Lisztomania” was an actual thing. Fan hysteria may be commonplace in recent years, but was a seismic freak out in a time not known for such musical excitement.

Perhaps it was a contagion of the closed hall filled with countless wax lights and several hundred perfumed, powdered and perspiring human beings, but we’re talking genuine old-school pandemonium – fainting, screaming, throwing of jewelry and near riots over the white gloves he would ‘absentmindedly’ leave on the piano in the tumultuous vacuum created after the withdrawel of his celestial presence from the stage.

Perhaps an extra-terrestrial visitation somewhere in the central bit of Europe in around 1760 was the only credible explanation for the freakish gifts to the world of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Wagner, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Haydn and the man of the moment; the irresistably talented and enigmatic Franz Lizt. Cosmic plasma strikes in the same area for 50-odd years. Conspiracy theory?

Maybe. Maybe not. But let’s run with it as tenable, in which case time-travel can quite reasonably be accepted as within the realms of possibility. What is music anyway if not the mystical sorcery of a parallel realm (say that five times fast) summoned into this one?

Anyway, that’s one hell of a music festival line-up – Ludwig, Wolfgang and the lads on the same bill. And, Colonel Tom Parker, the shadowy impressario who discovered a young Elvis Presley in a future post-war United States is there, scouting for talent with which to set the world alight. ‘If I could find me a Hungarian pianist who could play like a Pole and didn’t look like the back of an Austrian bus, I’d make me a million dollars.’

Liszt was totally his man.

The Culture Vultures had a firm booking, with all the accoutrement of a Franschhoek culture group going to the theatre, to see King Kong in January. When the Fugard Theatre cancelled the show a day before the time they were not put off their stride, they rallied. A new booking was made for the next month, along with the necessary adjustments, and off they went.

Leopard’s Leap MCC and wines had been chilled and snacks had been packed by the time everyone gathered to board the comfortable bus that took them to King Kong in Cape Town. The group was thrilled to be at the Fugard Theatre again and had a delightful evening out. Among the Culture Vultures were some who could remember the original production with Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba!

There was general agreement that in this production Andile Gumbi was a great (handsome) King Kong

Community Events SPORT Franschhoek Cycling Club Outrides: Regular road rides on Saturday mornings from BP garage to Stellenbosch/Jonkershoek and back (75 kms) followed by coffees. Meet at 08h00, winter months, 07h00 in summer. To check times in shoulder seasons contact Paul Barkley. 083 302 9096.

Franschhoek Tennis Club: Social tennis is played at the club on Fridays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 08h00 and on Tuesdays from 16h30. For more information contact Ross. 078 278 4843.

Parkrun: Saturdays at Rickety Bridge Wine Estate.

Time: 08h00. Cost: Free. Register at www.parkrun.co.za

CHURCH SERVICES Methodist Church: Sunday service 09h00. Rev Nuno Vergueiro. 021 872 3580 or 082 662 4509.

NG Kerk: Sondagdienste 09h30. Geen aanddiens.

Ds Peet Bester. 021 876 2431. Besoekers welkom.

New Apostolic Church: Le Roux Street, Groendal.

Sundays 09h00, Wednesdays 19h30. Rector: Charles Leibrandt.

Roman Catholic Church: Mass every 2nd Saturday at the Methodist Church, Bagatelle St, 073 488 6816.

Shofar Christian Church: Services: 09h00 English service at 7 Lambrechts Street. 18h00 Afrikaanse

diens by Franschhoek Rugbyklub, Groendal. Pastor Richard Wade. 083 225 8529. All welcome!

St George’s Anglican Church: Groot Drakenstein.

Sunday Services: Holy Communion and Sunday School 10h00. Rector Fr Joe Humbles. 073 560 3566.

Trinity Church: Anglican Communion Service Sundays 10h00. Weekday Communion with Prayers Wednesdays 10h00. All services at L’Hermitage Chapel. Fr Gavin Mitchell. 083 799 0726.

Uniting Reformed Church: Sunday service 09h30.

Dr Shaun Burrows. 021 876 2632. Visitors welcome.

ALSO ON Nik Rabinowitz: Saturday, 15 April at 19h00 in aid of Franschhoek Hospice at the NG Church Hall.

Tickets R200 p.p. from Colleen on 021 876 3085.

SPCA Charity Golf Day: Thursday, 10 May at Pearl Valley Golf Course. R5200 per fourball. 12h00

Good bus, great show

shotgun start. Contact Joan-Anne Harris on golf@ southernstroll.com or 082 442 6545.

Book Sale and Croissants: Friday, 18 May & Saturday, 19 May at Hospice House.

An autumn music weekend

(Ezekiel Dlamini). In spite of what in the end is a sad story, it was a wonderful show with a wonderful professional cast! There was much discussion about the fact that the original music was local, written by Todd Matshikiza, and that the singing was superb.

The happy group of 19 Culture Vultures were safely back in Franschhoek by midnight and waved goodbye to Edward – their dependable driver – as they made their way home.

If you would like to receive information on future outings, please send your name, email address and cell phone number to news@franschhoektatler.co.za

IN AID OF FRANSCHHOEK HOSPICE 19h00 at the NG Kerk Hall - R200pp Tickets available at Hospice House Monday to Friday 08h30 - 14h30 Call Colleen: 021 876 3085

HAUT ESPOIR WINES FOR SALE AT R50 PER GLASS

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Christopher Duigan and friends return to the village over the literary festival weekend, 18-20 May 2018, for a series of concerts.

Three 70 mins concerts will take place in the NG Church. Tickets are R120 and available from www. webtickets.co.za and at the door.

Friday 18 May 19h00 – Romantic Music for clarinet and piano: Shelley Levy (clarinet) & Pavel Timofeyevsky (piano). The duo play Brahms, Chausson and Bernstein.

Saturday 19 May 11h00 – From Beethoven to Piazzolla: Tertia Visser Downie (piano), Cheryl de Havilland (cello) & Matthew Reid (clarinet) play Beethoven,

Klezmer music and tangos by Piazzolla.

Sunday 20 May 11h30 – The Magical Musical World of Claude Debussy: Christopher Duigan plays an exploration of music by Debussy on the 100th anniversary of his death in 1918, including ‘Clair de lune’ and ‘The Sunken Cathedral’.

Two candle light soirees featuring “The Gershwin Songbook” will take place at Café Bon Bon at La Petite Dauphine. The first on Saturday, 19 May, at 19h00 and the second on Sunday, 20 May, at 13h00.

Both include a three-course meal. The cost is R600 for Saturday and R500 for Sunday.

Bookings are essential on 021 876 3936.

FINE ART GALLERY AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN SPACE SHOWCASING THE BEST IN SOUTH AFRICAN ART, CRAFT, BESPOKE FURNITURE AND INTERIOR DÉCOR 32 HUGUENOT STREET, FRANSCHHOEK | +27 21 876 44 77 4 BORDEAUX STREET, FRANSCHHOEK | +27 21 876 26 16 WWW.EBONYCURATED.COM | INFO@EBONYCURATED.COM

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18 | April 2018

Gardening in April

EasyPlant of

the Month

Natie Ferreira

Frankie Brookes

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Never have I written an article with so much anticipation, hope and faith. April is the first full month of autumn and brings with it the promise of the start of the rainy season. It has always been said that Easter weekend brings the first rains of the season.

And there may well be some cosmic reasoning behind this – Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the full moon following the autumnal (spring in the Northern Hemisphere) equinox. But the weather does not always work on fixed schedules. Blame it on climate change, natural cycles, solar activity or whatever you want; we have seen a major shift towards a much later start and far shorter winter season than what we are used to in the Western Cape. Winter rain has always been a surety with an entire agricultural industry built around this guarantee. Let us pray that this year will live up to the expectations and that, when the rain comes, it will be met with gratitude.

So, as a man of faith, I will go long on rain again.

Let us assume that we will have a wet Easter weekend and that the garden will be lying ready for major interventions when you come back from your break.

By now you should know which plants survived the drought. Those are the plants that you should concentrate on. A walk in the neighbourhood, a visit to a water-wise nursery or attending a water-wise gardening talk can all inspire you and give you a larger plant palette to work with. Plan next summer’s garden around tough plants that will effortlessly survive our summer heat and drought. Autumn is a great time for flower bed preparation. Work in large amounts of well rotten manure – up to a 10cm layer. Feed the soil with bone meal, chicken manure pellets and lime (if

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acidic). Cut away dead branches – your garden will need some light and sun in winter. Feed the lawn with a balanced fertiliser like 2:3:2 and agricultural lime.

Identify shrubs and trees that you want to transplant – that is best done in May. Autumn is also the time of increase in the garden. It is the best time to divide perennials like agapanthus, daylilies, irises and summer flowering bulbs. Share, swop and spread your proven varieties so that we can build up land races of tough plants in the Western Cape.

If the flower garden does not keep you busy enough this month there is plenty to do in the vegetable garden. Planning is key – most crops you plant now will occupy their garden space for a long period. I am thinking cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, peas and broad beans. Prepare your planned winter beds well now and get some seedlings from a nursery – or grow from seed if you have the patience. I would keep the last of the summer crops like tomatoes, green peppers, okra and pumpkins in the ground for now to still try and get some crop off them. These beds can lie fallow through winter with a good cover crop mix sown into it. Even just letting the weeds grow is a good idea – as long as you mow it down regularly before it sets seed. Sweet peas can be sown onto your pole bean trellises and along borders to pretty up the garden during early spring.

April is family time in my house. The Easter season is a time for reflection, quietness and re-focusing on what is important in life. And for us that means food and family time. Slow-cooked stews, oven-roasted vegetables, broths and potjiekos are the order of the day. I am still blessed with an abundance of tomatoes – these get softened in large pots with basil, oreganum and whatever herbs I feel like, blitzed with a stick blender and reduced to a thick consistency. I bottle most of it, but it can also simply be frozen in yoghurt containers for use through winter. This is a staple in my house – we use it for pizza concasse, pasta sauce and as a base for stews and potjies.

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No flower garden should be without calendulas in winter; it’s the only way to guarantee a little burst of sunshine when the weather fails you! Whether it’s a sweep of golden blooms or a vivacious display in a pot, calendulas are a golden ray on a cold winter day. What’s more, even the most inexperienced of gardeners can grow them easily.

Calendulas are one of the most versatile flowers to work with, especially as they are so easy to grow.

Whether it’s in a bed, a pot or a vegetable garden, calendulas add a reliable touch of warmth to any garden. Calendulas tend to grow well in rich soil, but can also tolerate average to slightly poor soils.

Water your calendula plants once or twice a week but remember that they do not like standing in wet, soggy soil so plant them with compatible plants.

Position them in partial shade or in an area that

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receive a full dose of sunshine every day. These 8will plants will flourish in nearly every light condition with

the only exception being deep shade. They do best, however, if planted in sunny locations with rich, welldrained soil. Don’t forget to deadhead your plants by removing the dying flower heads to encourage them to keep on flowering more and for longer!

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YOUR FAVOURITE SPOT IN FRANSCHHOEK!

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Rainfall 2 Figures 1 4

January February March April May June July August September October November December

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mm/year

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2015 2013 2014 1471mm 1033mm 661mm

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2011 2012 830mm 1079mm 2016 754mm

2017 501mm

Dam Levels

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MONTH

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28 1 11 19 17 136 58 87 25 55 54 10

28 29 40 59 76 212 270 357 382 437 491 501

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Measured at La Cotte/Nerina Street

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Steenbras Upper Steenbras Lower

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15.4%

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Berg River Dam

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49.8%

Total Storage

23.5%

Total Storage this time last year

30.7%

c ⃝2005-2018 http://www.PrintSudoku.com COOKING CLASSES

W I N E C O C K TA I L S

F O O D & W I N E PA I R I N G

W I N E TA S T I N G

SHOPPING

www.leopardsleap.co.za Facebook: Leopard’s Leap Wine | Twitter: @LeopardLeapWine Tel: 021 876 8002 | Address: R45 Main Road, Franschhoek

April 2018 |

Very hard

Guardian cryptic crossword No 27,445 set by Pan Cryptic Crossword

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Susan Charlesworth SnipeliskyDown & Killian

021 876 2592/072 402 9469 083 250 0943/021 876 2084

BURGLAR ALARMS 1 Mate taking money into shelter

Pepler Alarms

021 876 3308

(8) 2 PoleClub in charge of sticky stuff (6)3031 Boland Bridge 021 876 Franschhoek Tennis Club of democracy 078 3 Real centre on278 4843 Franschhoek Trust & RPA 021 876 3460 Greek island (8) Grt. Drak Games Club 021 874 1906 is 876 not Lions4 Minor embracing exercise021 3775 CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS

Stellenbosch Masonic Lodge (Chris) Franschhoek Rotary Club Franschhoek Probus Club COMPUTER SERVICES

Franschhoek IT Services Solid IT Solutions Apple Tech Support (John)

EXCAVATIONS

021 876 4431/082 972 5755 072 3408518

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5 4 8 6 3 1 7 9 2

INTERNET ACCESS

Franschhoek Photolab PostNet OPTOMETRIST

Marelise Bester

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Claire Horn PLUMBERS

Franschhoek Plumbing PUBLIC SERVICES

Hospice Library Post Office Welfare (ACVV) SPCA

021 876 2261 021 876 3310

028 840 1716 021 876 3640 021 876 2612/072 347 5355 021 876 3921 021 876 3025 021 872 3530

021 876 4234/082 582 1029 021 876 3759 021 876 3085 021 808 8406 021 876 2342 021 876 2670 021 876 4808

Easy

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Clock Repairs Lighting & Accessories Ria Pools (Franschhoek)

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Franschhoek Pharmacy Franschhoek Health Club

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Magic Sudoku

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Andrew Schmidt Burger Excavations

HOUSE & GARDEN

082 823 7119/021 876 3640 021 876 2120/083 309 2923

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Franschhoek Electric Rensburg Electrical

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ELECTRICAL

082 356 0226 084 015 8808 081 361 7228

Medium

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Sudoku #4603

072 211 9991 082 773 9217 021 876 3179

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ATTORNEYS

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Useful Numbers

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Solution of Sudoku #4603

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Solutions

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Across Across 55Work hard on aon newa catchphrase (6) Work hard new catchphrase 6 Composition for soprano working (6) with Australian tenorfor andsoprano alto (6) working 6 Composition 9 Heartless publisher to get rid and alto (6) with Australian tenor of French author (6) 9 Heartless publisher to get rid of 10 Oscar trophy found(6) in tin by French author actor’s third tenant (8) 10 Oscar trophy found in tin by 11 Buffet always includes dairy product (4) actor’s third tenant (8) 12 Unpleasant character found by retired 11 Buffet always includes dairy cops merrymaking in empty clink (6,4) product (4)agreed with the police (11) 13 Beaten miner 12 Unpleasant character by 18 Italian woman cautious aboutfound wine (10) retired cops merrymaking in 21 Juicy drink (4) empty clink (6,4) 22 Bullets containing iron used by tribal 13 Beaten miner agreed leader in hard-fought battle (8)with the police (11) with special signal (6) 23 Save soldiers 18 Italian woman cautious 24 Pout about extremely expensiveabout hairwine product (6) (10) 25 Crafty married 21 Juicypoet drink (4) Iris (6) 22 Bullets containing iron used by tribal leader in hard-fought battle (8) 23 Save soldiers with special signal (6) 24 Pout about extremely expensive hair product (6) ACCOUNTANTS Tax25 ShopCrafty poet married Iris (6) 021 876 2676

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because criticizing others creates bad feelings and you want to help others by being useful, which makes you feel good.

Libra, 23 September – 22 October: With the Sun in the fires of Aries, the scale of the zodiac tends to engage in contests and arguments – enjoying being pitted against someone else in one-to-one encounters. When you do not concern yourself with the consequences, then alone you may freely express your impulses.

Scorpio, 23 October – 21 November: Jupiter is the planet of expansion and whatever you discover in life, your feelings and emotions will always be an important means to greater understanding. It is the belief which in its perfection becomes faith and you will realize that the attribute is not important, but the possessor of the attribute is important.

Sagittarius, 22 November – 21 December: Many planets in fire signs declare fights for justice in the affairs of this world and those who fight for ever will never find it. What virtue is that, o righteous man, which gives no happiness? The one, who is not moved to dance by the movement of an innocent person, has not yet risen from his grave.

Capricorn, 22 December – 19 January: A unique planetary alignment which presents itself only every 30 years is present. Saturn and Mars like to express in a positive trait with practicality, orderliness, attention and a strong drive for significant achievements. The negative side of bitterness or repressed anger is usually not justified.

Aquarius, 20 January – 18 February: Even though you are attracted to new ideas, you don’t readily change your thinking once you have made up your mind. This may confuse other people, who interpret your interest in everything new and different as evidence of a very changeable mind.

Pisces, 19 February - 20 March: With your sensitive feelings, you want to make sure that others won’t hurt you before you really accept them as a friend. But even though you are shy, you need other people, for without them you feel lonely, even in your own world. You will know the truth when it becomes alive in you.

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Capricorn and is exalted there, The Mars and Saturn energy are a force of note which should not be underestimated.

Powerful ambitiousness and a willingness to work very hard are the tangible result. Disciplined and responsible practicalities are the golden key through this time.

Taurus, 20 April – 20 May: Venus is travelling through Aries and wants to set your loving feelings free.

Understanding of the balance between your own right and the rights of your loved ones is difficult if you always want things your way. When a loving heart manifests righteous action it is like sweet milk turning sour.

Gemini, 21 May – 20 June: The winged messenger of the heavens is in Aries as well and stimulates the quick mind with new ideas. It also engages in debates and argumentation. The danger is that you may leap to conclusions too quickly. The only lack that you find in life is the lack of will, and all the blessing that comes to you, comes by the power of will.

Cancer, 21 June – 22 July: Feelings are more important to you than logical thinking, which makes you get attached to certain ideas, points of view and even objects, for reasons which others do not always understand. To love is one thing, and to own is another thing. By loving, one melts one’s own heart, by possessing; one loads the heart of another.

Leo, 23 July – 22 August: The Sun in Aries is considered as exalted, energetic and high spirited. This may cause you to become totally wrapped up in yourself, simply because you are not willing to relate with others. You resent it fiercely when others try to impose their methods on you.

Facts lose their colour in the face of truth.

Virgo, 23 August – 22 September: When you see something wrong in someone or something, you don’t hesitate to point it out. Be considerate when you do this,

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Down in good shape (6) 15Mate taking money into shelteroutside (8) Dish found in scenery 2 Pole in charge Globe (6) of sticky stuff (6) 37Real centreleaving of democracy on Greek island (8) Setter injured American’s 4 Minor embracing exercise is treatment for bruises (6) not in good shape (6) 8 Old German revolutionary tucked 5 Dish found scenery into dishinof fruit outside (11) Globe (6) 7 Setter leaving injured American’s 14 Philosopher stops working to get treatment for bruises (6) hold of Socrates’ second book (8) 8 Old German revolutionary 15 Difficult universal and timeless tucked into dish of fruit (11) tale is deceptive (8) to get 14 Philosopher stops working 16 Ski lodge in Switzerland hold of Socrates’ second book (8) rented outcult after the beginning 15 Diffi universal and timelessof April tale(6) is deceptive (8) 17 Problems in editions?

(6)out 16 Ski lodge in Switzerland rented 19 covering unacceptable stew afterCloth the beginning of April (6) (6) 17 Problems in editions? (6) 19 Cloth covering unacceptable 20 Flipping badger eatingstew root(6)of 20 Flipping badger eating brassica plant (6) root of brassica plant (6)

SCHOOLS

Bridge House School Franschhoek High School Groendal Primary School Groendal Secondary School Wes-Eind Primary School Dalubuhle Primary School

021 874 8100 021 876 2079 021 876 2448 021 876 2211 021 876 2360 021 876 3957

Franschhoek Storage

021 876 2174

Info Office Winelands Experience Huguenot Memorial Museum

021 876 3603 021 876 4042 021 876 2532

c ⃝2005-2018 http://www.PrintSudoku.com

Magic Sudoku Aries, 21 March – 19 April: Mars has moved into

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STORAGE

TOURIST INFORMATION & SERVICES

TRANSPORT GOODS

Gerald Fourie VETERINARY

021 876 2940/082 821 5234

Franschhoek Animal Clinic (plus surgery) 021 876 2504 Emergencies/Weekends 021 863 3187 or 082 8089 100 EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Stellenbosch Fire Dept. (Buildings on fire) 021 808 8888 Cape Winelands Distr.Muni. (Bush & veld fires) 021 887 4446 021 886 9244 Police 10111/021 876 8061 Eskom 086 003 7566 Omnipage Farm Watch 021 852 3318 Plaaswag 021 876 2346 N1, N2 & R300 Emergency number: 021 946 1646 DENTISTS

Dr Schalk du Plessis Dr Rob Hammer

021 876 3070 021 876 2634

Dr Karin Eksteen Dr Shelley Hellig Dr Alexander Heywood Dr Hannes Van der Merwe Dr Nicolas Els

021 876 4622 021 871 1063 021 876 2474 021 876 2304 021 876 2561

Audiologist Tracy-Ann Morris

084 264 0000

DOCTORS

AUDIOLOGIST

EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE

Medicare EMR

MUNICIPALITY

074 363 7744/021 876 4316

(Ward 1) Councillor Frazenburg (DA) (Ward 2) Councillor Petersen (DA) (Ward 3) Councillor Manuel (DA) (Ward 4) Councillor Johnson (DA) Municipality (Office Hours) Municipality (afternoon only) Municipality 24hr Service

021 808 8490 082 404 5055 074 686 2364 021 808 8019 021 808 8700 021 808 8890 021 808 8700

Source: www.ewn.co.za

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20 | April 2018

Smalls

Smalls R30. Text only, maximum of 30 words Leave, with payment, at Franschhoek Pharmacy before 15th of preceding month

BOOK BINDING AND BOOK REPAIRS. Contact 021 876 4129 or info@ thearmchairexplorer.co.za ASSISTANCE OFFERED: I am a caring, friendly older woman who can assist you in your house, shop or office. I can run errands or drive you around. Available afternoons, evenings or weekends. 083 270 9555.

CHANGING TO A SALT WATER SYSTEM? Let us advise & quote for you! Call RiaPools: 072 347 5355 LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL BOOK and can’t find it? Call us at the Armchair Explorer, we will source it for you. Contact 021 876 4129 DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT POOL LEAK? Loosing water all the time? Let us quote and take care of the problem! Call RiaPools: 072 347 5355 RE-FIBRE GLASS YOUR POOL in any colour you like. Call RiaPools for a quote: 072 347 5355 PET SITTER/HOUSESITTER/ CARETAKER. I am a responsible, mature woman who adores animals. I can also supervise domestic staff, pool/garden maintenance, car care etc. You can trust me with your precious pets and belongings.

Franschhoek only. Contact Sue 083 270 9555.

EXCESS BOOKS? Shelves creaking, moving house or just thinning out your collection?

Contact 021 876 4129 PROFESSIONAL POOL SERVICE REQUIRED? Keep it local! Get a quote. Call RiaPools: 072 347 5355 POOL PUMP PROBLEMS? Noise? We quote and help you out! Call RiaPools: 072 347 5355 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND SHORT TERM LETTING service and hosting. Frans 081 858 2966 Bill 076 598 4099 JOB WANTED: Restaurant / Garden /

Maintenance Work / House Keeping / General Work Wanted: I am a 27 year old church-going Malawian man. I am honest, reliable, intelligent and experienced. References available. Contact Jannah on 062 605 1617 or 078 816 6613 or email: patie2lajab89@gmail.com JOB WANTED: Housekeeping, garden, maintenance work, restaurant (general).I am an honest, reliable, intelligent, church-going Malawian man. 30 years of age, living in Franschhoek. Reference available. Contact Allan on 074 487 3055.

JOB WANTED: Carpenter & Joinery (Builtin Units, Cabinet Making & Kitchen Units), Painting (General Work). I’m a 39-yearold church-going Malawian man. Honest, reliable and intelligent and 3 years’ experience.

References available. Contact # 083 640 8399, email brightaustings1900@gmail.com.

HANDYMAN: Dean Frazenburg for household maintenance, repairs & odd jobs. 078 357 7614.

HOUSE TO SHARE WANTED: 2 Ladies looking for a house to share from mid-June. We do have dogs and caged birds. Please contact Pat on 0732557636 or Charlene 0824478664.

SHARED ACCOMMODATION from 1 May needed for single, quiet education professional.

Contact Nomandla on 061 101 3611 JOB WANTED Restaurants, gardening, plastering, housekeeping and general works.

I am a young Malawian man, aged 25 and am reliable, honest, experienced and hard working.

If interested or you have a position, please contact me, Mathews Kamdidi on Whatsap/call 063 492 5227 JOB WANTED I am looking for a job as a housekeeper. My name is Rose. I am 32 years of age, and married. Please contact on 084 963 3289 SORE BACK, SCIATICA? Phone Irma 081 475 7515 for a stress release (fully clothed) Qualified in Psychology, Body Stress Release, Theta healing and Scio. I am in Franschhoek every week. R400 JOB WANTED My name is Memory, I am a Malawian lady looking for domestic work or housekeeping. I am currently staying in Franschhoek and am available anytime you may need my services.

My contact number is 084 943 9577

Copyright: All rights reserved, reproduction in whole or part prohibited. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Publication of editorial or advertising matter does not imply endorsement or warranty in respect of goods or services therin described.

QUALIFIED FABRICATOR/WELDER I am looking for a job. I do small maintenance work, mechanical and construction. Steel/wood.

I’ve got technical experience, reference & with own tools. Contact numbers 064 340 4650 or 071 994 0697

FRANSCHHOEK’S

FOR BUILDING • GARDENING • RENOVATING SITUATED BEHIND BP GARAGE • WE SPECIALISE IN: TOOL & EQUIPMENT HIRE Brush Cutters, Lawn Mowers, Chain Saws, Concrete Mixers, Drills, Compressors, Pumps, Jackhammers SERVICING & REPAIR Light Industrial Equipment RUBBLE & REFUSE REMOVAL DELIVERIES LIGHT DOMESTIC MOVES PORTABLE LOOS CLEANING of businesses and other premises

always at your service

072 378 1916 or 021 876 4123 Email: onhireo@gmail.com

April 2018 |

FLOODLIGHTS FOR SALE

Email: floormasterstell@gmail.com

+27 (0)21 876 3640 Unit A, Fabriek Nationale No 1, 9 Fabriek street, Franschhoek 7690 herman@franschhoekelectric.co.za www.franschhoekelectric.co.za

074 313 7829

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22 | April 2018

FRANSCHHOEK

Life.

HOME

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Everything you need to keep up with all the exciting events, special offers and memorable happenings that make the Franschhoek lifestyle so desirable is at your fingertips with Franschhoek Life.

Whether online, in print or on social media, Franschhoek Life is the most convenient way to stay acquainted with all the not-to-bemissed experiences that the FranschhoekValley has to offer.

MATTHEW MOLE Franschhoek Cellar

April

22

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www.franschhoeklife.co.za ALL EVENTS >

UPCOMING EVENTS

fridays

daily

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April 2018

April january 2018 2018

8, 15, 22, 29

6, 13, 20, 27 April 2018

FOOD & WINE TASTING

UNIQUE CELLARDOOR WINE PAIRINGS

LIVE MUSIC

LA MOTTE ESTATE 10H00

FRANSCHHOEK CELLAR 10H00 - 18H00

STATION PUB & GRILL 17H00

April 2018 |

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24 | April 2018

Should you sell your investment property?

A decision to sell a long term asset such as a property can sometimes be a challenging decision for an investor, more so for a novice investor.

“Every property investor will be confronted with this question at some point in their investment journey. Therefore, knowing when to sell or hold your investment property is essential when building a portfolio,” says Praven Subbramoney, CEO of Private Bank Lending at FNB. “Due to the long-term nature of the property investment journey, the general rule is that property should at least be held for five to ten years to allow the investor enough time to study market conditions and further assess the viability of their portfolio,” he adds.

Subbramoney unpacks some of the reasons why investors end up selling their properties: Exit strategy – some investors venture into property having already developed an exit plan, which consists of selling the properties and using the funds for alternative business interests.

Recycling equity – this involves selling a property and using the equity to buy a better performing one.

When going for this strategy, it is essential to take into account the costs involved in selling and acquiring a new property and whether the returns will be better in the long-term.

Poor performance – if a property fails to provide

good rental yield and capital returns for at least five to 10 years, it may be considered to be performing poorly and eventually sold.

Diversification – property investors may sell some of their properties to unlock capital and diversify their financial risk into another asset class, such as listed equities.

Deteriorating neighbourhood – selling property due to unfavourable changes in the neighbourhood is common for inexperienced investors who did not conduct proper research when acquiring the property.

This could also have been the investor’s former place of residence, which they decided to rent out after moving out.

Life changing events – major life changing events like getting married or having children may lead investors to sell their properties and seek a new direction in life.

Market timing – new investors who do not adequately understand how the property cycle works may be tempted to sell when market conditions seem unfavourable.

“There are many circumstances and underlying factors that may lead you to consider selling or holding your investment property. The decision should ultimately be based on your current circumstances, investment strategy and what you aim to achieve,” concludes Subbramoney.

Seeff launches Real Estate Learnerships for aspiring estate agents

The Seeff Property Group has launched over 200 Real Estate Learnership opportunities countrywide.

Ronel Bornman, Seeff ’s National HRD Manager says that these are rare opportunities to enable those looking to enter the real estate profession, especially BEE candidates to get into the industry.

The Seeff Training Academy has secured bursaries from the Services SETA which will enable candidates to navigate their one year internship period and receive training, guidance and preparation to ultimately enable them to obtain the FETC: Real Estate NQF Level 4 qualification.

The Seeff Structured Intern Programme is an integrated programme which Ms Bornman advises covers all aspects of the real estate business, from an understanding of the real estate environment to relevant legislation, all aspects of marketing, selling and leasing, all documentation and

contracts pertaining to real estate transactions and communication and self-development.

The programme assists learners throughout the internship period including preparation of the required Log Book and finally helps them prepare for the Professional Designate Exam (PDE).

Ms Bornman says that Seeff has run a number of these programmes over the last five years with great success and many of the candidates have remained with Seeff and have gone on to achieve great success. The opportunities are across the board covering all aspects of real estate, whether you ultimately want to go into sales, rentals or even commercial property.

Candidates will undergo a screening process.

To book your place, contact the Seeff Training Academy on telephone 087 809 0546 or email cheri. vdl@seeff.com.

Franschhoek Property® The professionals in property management

Leaving your home for the winter?

Need professionals to care for it?

We are registered specialists in property management, short and long term letting.

We know Franschhoek.

Phone us. We have a selection of prime commercial and residential properties for sale and to rent.

Bill Sargeant 076 598 4099

Frans Baerveldt 081 858 2966

Part of Just Property Winelands

LUXURY COUNTRY LIVING IN FRANSCHHOEK An excellent purchaser development opportunity in the heart of Franschhoek.

R4.3m Land Only & common facilities.

Estimated building completion cost at approximately R6.2M depending on purchaser’s selection of fixtures, fittings & final finishes. House Size Approx 400 square meters.

North-facing plot with exceptional views onto established vineyards extensive sense of space and various mountain vistas.

The Barn House Village, Franschhoek For Sale R4,3m View YouTube ‘The Barn Franschhoek’ Contact Adell Ferreira 083 964 1155 adell.f@harcourts.co.za Melina Visser 082 419 9928 melina.v@harcourts.co.za

This development home is ready for the discerning buyer to step in and add their own finishes and decorating touches.

Comprises 4 en suite bedrooms, double garage, all upstairs rooms with views. A separate cottage with own entrance above the garage great for short or long term letting.

This niche barn style development is well secured, has borehole off the grid, communal entrance and driveway with central courtyard.

Levies approx. R2500 per month. Only two blocks walk from centre of town.

Winelands 4 Bordeaux Street, Franschhoek T 021 882 8136 winelands@harcourts.co.za www.harcourtswinelands.co.za

Exper ts in home finance.

April 2018 |

R5 950 000

Designer Home Lovely home with modern interior. This home offers 4 bedrooms (all en-suite), living/dining room, open plan kitchen, family room, and two single garages. Situated in the beautiful secure La Petite Provence Estate which also offers a communal tennis court, club house and swimming pool. Magnificent mountain views from all areas of the house.

4 bedrooms • 4 bathrooms • Double garage • Erf size : 536m² • Building size : 300m²

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R30 000 000

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Janice Hicks 072 991 6272 janice.hicks@rawson.co.za

Vacant Land Guest House Approval It is seldom that such a prime piece of real estate comes onto the market so close to the village. This property is 8.3 Ha in extent and it comes with pre approval to build an 11 room Guesthouse/B&B. It has small seasonal river running through it together with a servitude offering additional water rights. It is accessed via 2 roads and has a gentle slope on the land. The property has 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and although there are some vines planted it is not a working farm.

Janice Hicks 072 991 6272 janice.hicks@rawson.co.za

R 1 150 000+ VAT

Place Vendome This is an elegant lifestyle centre with great retail outlets and lovely mountain views. The ideal venue to dine outside in summer months. this is an excellent retail space opportunity. • Building size : 44m²

Janice Hicks 072 991 6272 janice.hicks@rawson.co.za

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26 | April 2018

F RA N S C H H O E K RENTAL

Office: 021 876 2100 / winelandsint@pamgolding.co.za / pamgolding.co.za/franschhoek

Ref# FWL1359575

Franschhoek / R39,000 per month Bedrooms 4 / Bathrooms 4 / Garages 2 / Family home to rent. Magnificent home in secure Fransche Hoek Estate, comprising 4 bedrooms en suite, open-plan living and dining area with sliding doors to patio and rim-flow pool with easy-to-maintain garden. Enjoy effortless entertaining with the Caesarstone gourmet kitchen. All comforts on offer. Incredible views from every angle. Available long-term lease, occupation 1 May 2018. View by appointment only.

Brigid Moore 084 665 0119

Ref# FWI1358039

Franschhoek / R5.75 million Bedrooms 3 / Bathrooms 2 / Garages 2 / Beautiful, renovated cottage set within the sought-after Franschhoek Village. 2 Bedrooms en suite, with brand-new shower rooms. Stunning garden with newly-laid high-quality Astro-Turf grass, for a water-wise exterior. Price includes all furniture, fittings, equipment and alarm system.

Exclusive agents: Jeanine Allen 082 410 6837 / Doug Gurr 072 610 72085

Ref# FWI1364614

Ref# FWI1363632

Franschhoek / R6.5 million

Franschhoek / R3.95 million

Bedrooms 2 / Bathrooms 2 / Garage 1 / Picture perfect. Well-designed home with quality finishes in the heart of the village. Generous master bedroom with en suite bathroom, built-in cupboards, air-conditioning and under-carpet heating. Double-volume open-plan lounge and dining area opening onto a patio ideal for outdoor entertainment and relaxation. Fully-enclosed, low-maintenance garden.

Stylish furniture included.

Bedrooms 2 / Bathrooms 2 / Garage 1 / Parking 1 / Modern village townhouse. Set in an exclusive security complex, this townhouse is located in the heart of the village, just a few minutes’ walk to restaurants and shops. Bright and airy open-plan lounge and dining room with gas fireplace. Modern kitchen with granite tops. Undercover patio and swimming pool within a private, paved garden.

Excellent finishes, with underfloor heating and air-conditioning. A wonderful, easy-to-maintain property.

Exclusive agents: Jeanine Allen 082 410 6837 / Doug Gurr 072 610 7208

Exclusive agent: Shelly Schoeman 083 301 8833

April 2018 |

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28 | April 2018

Local expertise, national presence and international audience

FRANSCHE HOEK ESTATE

R6.5M EXCL VAT

ARCHITECT DESIGNED 3-BEDROOM HOME Secure living in a well thought-out home on Fransche Hoek Estate. This new build offers great flow and has been finished to a very high standard with attention to detail and offers a ready-made home just waiting for its new owner.

Tom Clode 079 955 3114 Terry-Lee George 082 650 9194

FRANSCHHOEK

WEB: 201280

R5 500 000 EXCL VAT

THREE BEDROOM COTTAGE, SITUATED IN THE PICTURESQUE VILLAGE OF FRANSCHHOEK. Recently renovated property features 3 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Spacious open plan kitchen and living/dining room and a separate study. There is a covered verandah, stunning mountain views and a small plunge pool. Double garage & off street parking. Exclusive Instruction.

Tom Clode 079 955 3114 | Terry-Lee George 082 650 9194

WEB: 202184

FRANSCHHOEK

R5 950 000

FIVE BEDROOM VILLAGE HOME WITH HUGE POTENTIAL Set on a large corner plot close to the high street.The house is in great condition. Little investment needed to bring it up to date. Exclusive instruction.

Tom Clode 079 955 3114 Terry-Lee George 082 650 9194

WINELANDS ESTATE

R10 400 000

4-BEDROOM VILLA ON LARGE 1.08 HA SMALLHOLDING ON THE SECURE WINELANDS ESTATE. This gorgeous villa, one of only 35 homes on the exclusive Winelands Estate, offers breathtaking views as far as the eye can see towards Franschhoek, Paarlberg and the towering Du Toitskloof mountains. A highly desirable position on one of the rare 1.1 hectare smallholdings, sets this unique property apart from the others, offering privacy and exclusivity while still benefiting from the agricultural management and excellent security available to all homeowners Tom Clode 079 955 3114 | Terry-Lee George 082 650 9194 WEB: 204381

Head Offi ce ce Franschhoek Offi 29 Autumn Rivonia, 7690 23 Huguenot Street,Street, Franschhoek, JHB, 2191 +27 (0)21 876 3322 +27 (0)11 234 6545 franschhoek@fi neandcountry.com support.sa@fineandcountry.com

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

FRANSCHHOEK

WEB:175245

R15 990 000

CONTEMPORARY HOME ON SECURE ESTATE Stunning, architectural masterpiece, six bedrooms en-suite, designer kitchen, dining area, TV lounge, and double garage and swimming pool.

Tom Clode 079 955 3114 Terry-Lee George 082 650 9194 WEB: 202662

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

www.fineandcountry.com