24 january 2018

24 January 2018

Published every Wednesday by CXpress 2006 (Pty) Ltd - PO Box 1449, Plettenberg Bay 6600 - 6 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay - Tel: 044 533 1004 - Fax: 044 533 0852 Email: editor@cxpress.co.za / advertising@cxpress.co.za Web page: www.cxpress.co.za Printed by Group Editors

Tragic end

Panga-wielder arrested p3

Seismic survey on p5

Ford’s the word p12

Photo: Andrew Scott

M t EMS K Metro Knysna rescue technician Hilton Roman is hoisted to the AMS helicopter, while Andrew Damp of the Mountain Club SA’s Garden Route section prepares to clear the scene after a particularly technically-challenging recovery operation in Groot River Gorge last Wednesday.

Turn to page 3 to find out more about the terrible event that necessitated this mission.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

24 January 2018

Meet Miss Plett 1970 - who didn’t get to enter, but was chosen as finalist by beach beauty aficionados!

After including the photo of an unnamed Miss Plett in CXPRESS of January 10, we received wonderful feedback from Annette (née Mitchell) Joyce, and share these reminiscences with readers, through the generosity of DEREK FRIELINGHAUS really didn’t expect anyone to remember details around a beauty pageant held so many years ago, so imagine my surprise when the actual Miss Plett responded, saying that she was on holiday in town when the photo appeared.

Annette gave her blessing for me to repeat some of our correspondence here…

--Annette Joyce (AJ): What a shocking surprise to find my photo on page 2 of the first CXPRESS of the year!

I am indeed the lady in question, and the date was December 1970. We have been coming to Plett for 55 years now - every single year.

One of the prizes I won was a two-week stay at Archer’s Rock, which I used as part of my honeymoon a year later.

Shelley Latham (who became Miss South Africa in 1973), was also one of the contestants in December 1970.

As far as I can remember, the competition was held at Archer’s Rock, where Plett’s Whalesong is located today.

The crowning took place there and the photo you placed was taken the next day at the municipal offices.

The competition was interesting, as one did not enter you were chosen on the beach by the crowds, and that evening you had to face the judges!

Another bit of Plett history is very much a part of our lives here in Pretoria: we are currently living in a house previously owned by Mario and Maria Moggia. They were some of the first chefs at the Beacon Isle Hotel, in the years

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THEN AND NOW: Annette Mitchell - pictured as Miss Plett in 1970 aged 21, above at left - is still a beauty nearly five decades later, as she turns 69 this year; she’s pictured below with her husband, Dr Gustav Joyce

from 1957 onwards.

Mr Moggia was also assistant manager with Mr Burns, and later with Mr Taylor. The Moggias then went on to work as chefs at the old Formosa

Inn, I think it was around 1959.

Finally they moved to Pretoria, where they started a famous restaurant namely Lombardy’s.

--Derek Frielinghaus (DF):

When I told Annette that I used to own Monks Supermarket with my dad in the 70s and then bought Melvilles Spar, running it for years before selling it to the present owner, it dredged up more memories of those uncomplicated Plett days.

--AJ: I’m sure we bumped into each other numerous times, as we stayed in Plett 49 (a block of flats behind the area where the Upper Deck is located today) as a young couple, way before the Upper Deck was built.

We knew Monks very well as we just had to cross the street, and later Spar as well.

We did all our shopping there and in the mornings, we waited for the hot bread rolls to pack into our beach basket.

We still have the flat and my children and grandchildren still holiday there every single year, and they are still shopping at Spar!

We come to Plett about four times a year, which still feels as if it’s not enough. Although my husband is still working full time in Pretoria, we have now built our retirement home in Plett - obviously we would love to be there all the time.

PS: Our house was lucky to escape the fires in June, which came right up to our border wall… scary!

(We think being hauled into a beauty contest without entering sounds rather scary, but obviously nothing could deter this dear Plett fan from returning to the town time and again.

Thanks so very much for sharing your stories with us, Annette! - Eds.)

NEWS & VIEWS

24 January 2018

CXPRESS

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Crime fighters and K9 agent catch attacker of traumatised tourist Cooperation between members of the Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association led to the arrest of a panga-wielding robber who accosted a jogger on January 17 - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports LETTENBERG Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said the young victim, an exchange student, had gone for a run from the African Array Lodge in Ladywood

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at dusk when a man with a panga suddenly appeared from nearby bushes.

“He threatened the woman and demanded money.

She told him that he could have whatever he wanted, but that she did not have

money. The student offered the man her cellphone, but he was not interested in it,” Olivier said.

He added that the suspect then shoved the woman out of the way and fled.

“The victim then ran to

Eye-witness reports uniformed school girl’s fatal leap from bridge

Andrew Scott, a mountain rescuer attached to the Garden Route section of Mountain Club South Africa (MCSA), shared these images capturing the technically-challenging recovery operation carried out on Wednesday January 17 after a teenager from KwaNokuthula in Bitou allegedly leapt to her death from Groot River Bridge, about 30km from the town of Plettenberg Bay. The school girl, still in uniform, allegedly hailed a taxi travelling in an easterly direction on the N2, and was spotted standing on the side of the bridge by an eye-witness at 11:45am, before falling into the Groot River Gorge 172m below. Due to the nature of the terrain, MCSA rescuers required the assistance of Knysna Metro EMS members and the Oudtshoorn-based Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS) helicopter crew. “The girl’s remains had to be stretchered over steep, loose ground requiring rope rescue techniques,” explained Scott. “Once transferred to a suitable staging area, the AMS rescue helicopter was used to extract both stretcher and rescuers. Apart from these challenges, it was a very sad incident for everyone involved.” Although CXPRESS enquiries to Plett SAPS elicited no response, we will endeavour to investigate and report on the events that resulted in the tragic death of this young Bitou resident. - Photos: Andrew Scott

the nearest house, which was just a few hundred metres from where the incident took place, to raise the alarm.”

PBCPA members, including Olivier and his dog, Blackie, responded and were on the scene within minutes.

Olivier said they cordoned the area off and went searching for the suspect.

Blackie found the suspect’s scent and they followed it.

“We followed his tracks for

about 2km to the N2.”

Olivier said the suspect had in the meantime taken shelter in a ditch near the road and when he noticed that they were closing in, he decided to make a run for it.

Olivier said that Tubby Will from Smhart Alarms had in the meantime made his way to the N2. He saw the suspect trying to flee and gave chase.

The suspect allegedly tried

to swing the panga at Will, but the latter managed to take the weapon from him and apprehend him.

The suspect was taken into police custody.

Olivier said PBCPA trauma counsellors treated the victim, who was traumatised by the incident.

“Although she was very shaken up about what had happened, she was not injured,” Olivier concluded.

Garden Route Media

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

24 January 2018

Is Plettenberg Bay no longer a prime holiday destination?

Letters and opinions on the past holiday season and local tourism in general, informed on various levels ranging from research to mere hearsay, have featured in the past two editions; in the response below, CEO of Plett Tourism PETER WALLINGTON sets the record straight HE short answer to the question posed in CXPRESS of January 10 in a letter by ‘The Drone’ [read the letter on page 19 of that edition at www.cxpress.co.za] is: Yes, Plett is indeed still a prime holiday destination.

We don’t have data on the season, but anecdotal feedback suggests some operators have done really well, others less so. A mixed bag much in line with early reports from around the country. The tourism industry is not immune to the generally poor economic times.

So, we think, Plett still has plenty of appeal.

But - and it’s a big but, which we have alluded to in our AGM in 2017 and in the Plett Summer magazine* - Plett, like any town, has no divine right to succeed. It has no divine right to being a prime holiday destination.

The visitors who come here have the option of limitless other places to visit, both in SA and elsewhere. The reality of the market place is that visitors - paying customers - have choice. They can spend their money where they want to.

We need to have a clear strategy and plan to make sure we succeed in retaining - let alone growing - our place in the sun.

For our part, Plett Tourism has a clear

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strategy and plan, but one which has been emasculated over the past 18 months by elements within officialdom for reasons that don’t make strategic or commercial sense, by reduced budgets, and by the actions of some operators who choose short term (self) gain over long term (shared) success.

To use the language of today, the underlying logic behind Plett Tourism’s early successes has been captured by elements within officialdom for their own agendas, and this is particularly true in the development tourism space.

As Plett Tourism’s role is sliced and diced, the marketing of individual operations becomes more important than ever - but ultimately will count for little if the town itself loses its shine. And it will, if Plett continues to drift along in a policy-and-enforcement free environment in which ad hoc decisionmaking takes precedence over the collective good envisioned in ‘Brand Plett’.

It’s the old ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ notion. Plett’s skies, waterways, beaches and beachfront areas are all falling victim to the make-it-up-as-you-goalong approach.

The catalogue of woes ‘The Drone’ outlines in his/her letter, whether entirely true or not, is suggestive of a town which doesn’t fully embrace a shared tourism culture.

We brainstorm and angst over Plett’s fortunes every day, but with little legitimacy, we and those other agencies who work tirelessly for the ‘tourism-economy good’ can be ignored or embraced by tourism operators and officialdom as and when it pleases.

And that cannot be good as the town grows, and the demand for services rises.

Plett’s total population has soared from 18,000 in 1996 to around 60,000 in 2016, and is projected to reach 140,000 by 2030.

What will the town look like in, say, 20 years’ time? Will it still be a prime tourism destination? Will the town’s development be built around meeting the needs of the tourists who pay the bills?

Plett is a beach-destination resort, with the environment and adventure as its supporting cast. Zermatt, in Switzerland, is a skidestination resort with the environment and adventure as its supporting cast.

But that’s where the similarities end: in Zermatt, a well-financed tourism agency works

IMPORTANT NOTICE INVITATION TO NOMINATE MEMBERS TO HEALTH FACILITY BOARDS & COMMITTEES The Provincial Minister of Health hereby invites community bodies or persons to nominate individuals to serve on the Boards and/or Committees of the health facilities in accordance with the Western Cape Health Facility Boards and Committees Act, Act 4 of 2016.

In accordance with section 5, 6 and 7 of the Act, the Provincial Minister must appoint members to a Health Facility Board and Committee. Thus nominations are requested for the following health facilities: • Hornlee / Knysna Town Cluster • Knysna CDC • Khayelethu Clinic • Keurhoek Clinic • Sedgefield • New Horizon / Plettenberg Bay Cluster • Kwanokuthula CDC • Crags Clinic • Kranshoek Clinic As per section 7 of the Act, nominees would need to meet the following eligibility criteria: (a) be a South African citizen; (b) be older than 18 years; (c) not be an unrehabilitated insolvent; (d) not, at any time, have been convicted of; (i) an offence for which he or she was sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine; or (ii) theft, fraud, forgery, the uttering of a forged document, perjury, any offence in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act 12 of 2004), or any offence of which dishonesty is an element, whether in the Republic or elsewhere if the conduct constituting the offence would be an offence in the Republic; (e) demonstrate commitment to community service; (f) demonstrate support for the mission and values of the health facility concerned; and (g) demonstrate a high level of personal integrity and honesty.

Nominations must include the following information: 1. Details of the organization or person making the nomination which should include their name, address and signature; 2. The name of the health facility for which the nomination is made; 3. The full name and address of the nominee; 4. A signed copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae; 5. The motivation for considering the nominee as a suitable member of the Board or Committee; 6. A declaration by the nominee of his or her willingness to be a member of the Board or Committee.

7. Furthermore, in terms of section 5 and 6 of the Act, the following information must accompany the nominations: a. The full name and address of the body nominating the individual and a copy of its constitution or other founding document; b. An indication whether the nominee is a member of the nominating body and, if so, the length of the nominee’s membership, and if the nominee is not a member, why the body nominates that person.

Persons or bodies making nominations and nominees must please take note of the following: • The Provincial Minister of Health will appoint members of the Boards and Committees.

• The position of a member is a voluntary one with no remuneration attached to it.

• Members may however be reimbursed for certain travelling and subsistence expenses incurred.

Contact Person: Mr Y Kleynhans, tel: 044 803 2776/2700, e-mail: Yusuf.Kleynhans@westerncape.gov.za Nominations must be addressed to the person identified above and delivered to the nearest health facility or: Attention: Dr E du Plooy, Knysna/Bitou Sub-district, Knysna Hospital, Main Street, Knysna 6570.

Attention: Dr E du Plooy, Knysna/Bitou Sub-district, Knysna Hospital, Private Bag X015, Knysna 6570.

The closing date for all nominations is 28 February 2018.

Copies of the Western Cape Health Facility Boards and Committees Act, Act 4 of 2016 can be obtained from the identified contact person above.

For more information please visit our website www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/health

with the municipality and the private sector to fulfil a strategy. It’s an alliance of interests which is essential to success, and which does not exist in any meaningful way in Plett.

We are stuck in an old paradigm which sees public and private interests moving in different directions. Ideology frames choices, not common sense or even economics, and certainly not a shared vision of a successful future.

And so we are lobbying hard for legitimacy which recognises a properly defined role and relationship with other role-players including Bitou Municipality. Only then will organised tourism have the capability to work, with clarity and certainty, to help deliver Plett’s long-term future.

Put another way, the net outcome of a few officials, operators (and visitors) who do “their own thing” to the detriment of the whole, is a town which begins to lose its compelling leisure proposition to its visitors.

And when that happens, The Drone’s worst fears will be realised. * Visit the Editors’ Desk at www.cxpress. co.za to read the article originally printed in the Plett Summer magazine, and turn to page 11 of this edition for further comments from readers regarding the letter by ‘The Drone’.

Alleged murderer arrested swiftly 51-year-old liquor store owner was gunned down during a business robbery at his liquor store in Nelson Mandela Boulevard, George, on Monday morning.

Theodore B Roman succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained to the chest.

Roman and an assistant were preparing to go to the bank when they were accosted by two suspects at about 9am. When met with resistance, the assailants opened fire on the two. The assistant escaped unharmed but Roman was hit several times in the chest and despite efforts by paramedics to resuscitate him, was declared deceased shortly thereafter.

Due to the vigilance from the community and security agents in the vicinity, police were alerted and responded rapidly, resulting in the arrest of a 43-year-old Eastern Cape man.

Further investigation led police to nearby premises where a firearm, believed to have been used during the robbery and murder, was recovered.

The suspect was due to make his first appearance in the George magistrate’s court today, facing a murder charge.

Anyone who can assist with information that may lead to the arrest of the accomplice should contact Sgt Ralton Mafutu on 044 803 3302 or 079 894 1618, or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

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NEWS & VIEWS

24 January 2018

CXPRESS

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‘Powers that be have made up their minds’, so seismic surveys off our coast now going ahead Basil van Rooyen

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N V I RO N M E N TA L authorisation has been granted to Sungu Sungu Oil (Pty) Ltd to conduct the proposed 3D seismic survey within the Pletmos Basin off the Southern Cape coast.

Stakeholders were informed of this decision on January 11 by Wanda Marais of SRK Consulting, who handled the Environmental Impact Assessment on behalf of Sungu Sungu.

Any appeals, with backing documentation, need to be submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs by Thursday February 1, with copies to the Department of Mineral Resources and the Petroleum Agency South Africa.

What does it mean?

The Pletmos Basin stretches roughly from about Knysna in the west and Jeffrey’s Bay to the east, and extends some 70km offshore, thus including the entire stretch of Tsitsikamma National Park.

This area will now be subject to 3D seismic surveys - geological surveying methods involving vibrations produced artificially by explosions.

Air guns towed along behind ships with cables are

filled with high pressure air and have a mechanism to release them as air bullets that hit the sea surface, causing a seismic reaction that is picked up by pressure-sensitive hydro phones inside the streamer cables.

The hydro phones then convert pressures signals into electrical energy and transmit them to the recording system on board a ship, showing where oil or gas might be located in the land formation below the seabed.

The main environmental concern is the very real potential of noise from the high-energy seismic source to disturb or injure animal life, especially cetaceans such as whales, porpoises and dolphins, as these mammals use sound as their primary method of communication with one another.

Can this process be stopped?

Probably not. Last year, the project went through the elaborate Scoping Report and Environmental Impact Assessment phases.

Numerous organisations and individuals objected and some of their comments were used to strengthen the measures that are supposed to minimise the impact of the explosions on marine life.

While there is still a short

period left for final appeal, and a widely-supported petition is going around to try to influence the decision-making process, one can safely assume anything more that can be said is likely to have little impact.

The powers that be have made up their minds. It is shocking that our government can be so insensitive to the most beautiful and pristine stretch of coastline left in the country.

When are the oil rigs going up?

Not very soon, and perhaps never. It depends on whether any exploitable quantities of gas or oil are discovered - and on the price of oil in the future, of course. Developing oil and gas fields is a long, complex, and expensive process.

Sungu Sungu is an empowerment company based in Johannesburg; it has obtained large concessions in various areas for exploration, but its website contains little information and does not seem to be well capitalised.

• Basil van Rooyen is cochair of Plett Environment Forum. Email vanrooyen. basil@gmail.com or wma rais@srk.co.za for details to lodge your appeal by February 1.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS POLICE

10111 044 501 1900 AMBULANCE Government

10177 Private

072 054 9110 044 533 6444 ER 24 hours

083 320 1199 MEDI CLINIC Plett

044 501 5100 FIRE/RESCUE

044 533 5000 SEA RESCUE

044 533 2744 082 990 5975 PAWS ANIMAL WELFARE PLETT

083 287 9917

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CXPRESS

24 January 2018

NEWS & VIEWS

BUSINESS

24 January 2018

CXPRESS

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Corporate social responsibility: Could you be doing it wrong?

Joanne van der Walt

N his mid-term budget policy statement, Finance minister Malusi Gigaba painted a gloomy picture of SA. Unemployment is at an all-time high, economic growth forecasts have been revised downwards, and business confidence has deteriorated.

A lot of the news was unexpected and sent a shockwave through the private sector. But having the full lay of the land presents businesses with the perfect opportunity to revise their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, to ensure that they’re not only making a difference in their communities but also in SA, and the world.

Box-ticking Often, CSR programmes are implemented through ad hoc, unrelated activities, whose positive effects are short-lived. Once-off, annual events are seen as an extension of marketing activities to show that the business has ticked the ‘good corporate citizen’ box but this approach does not have a lasting impact.

CSR needs to be reframed as a contributor to profitability - and that means treating it like any

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other business strategy: with a plan that outlines what success looks like, measures progress and pivots to meet changing stakeholder needs.

The result is more effective CSR initiatives that have a sustained, measurable impact on society.

Paradigm shift Ways to change your CSR approach: • Know your stakeholders. Your beneficiaries, colleagues, partners, customers and prospects should be at the core of your CSR initiatives because success depends on their support and involvement.

Consider how they will be impacted by every business decision and involve them in each stage of the process. Your CSR strategy should not only align with your business’ values but also your stakeholders’ values, especially since these are increasingly influencing buying decisions.

• Use your unique expertise and skills. Businesses can play a significant role in alleviating SA’s problems if every one of them contributed a portion of their specific expertise and knowledge to the cause.

Rather than just making monetary donations or

trying to make a difference in an area that falls outside of your core business, use what you already know to make an impact.

Sage Foundation, for example, creates products that lessen the admin burden on business owners so they can focus on their core business. By donating its accounting and payroll products to NPOs efficiency - and therefore, impact - is increased.

• Know your purpose.

All CSR initiatives should be purpose-driven if they are to have any impact.

Be deliberate about your mission and try to align it with a global cause.

A commitment to educating underprivileged children aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal to achieve inclusive and quality education for all.

• Formalise your strategy. CSR initiatives need to be integrated into every aspect of the business and should have objectives, deliverables and be measurable.

Continuous assessment of the impact and progress of your CSR initiatives is vital to effectively address issues and to make changes where necessary.

• Communicate and engage. The core purpose of any CSR initiative is to build strong relationships with your stakeholders, who ultimately care about results. Communicate regularly and transparently with executive board members to highlight successes and how your initiatives are impacting profit and/ or public perception.

Consult with beneficiaries to understand their challenges and how you can help. Communicate your strategy to your team and outline their role in addressing societal issues. Ultimately, your CSR initiatives should never separate stakeholder engagement from everyday business.

If any business is serious about impacting the country’s development and economic growth, they need to prioritise their CSR contributions.

The best way to do that is by being interactive, proactive, and reactive. This can be achieved through consistency and focusing efforts on a single, longterm vision, rather than on ad hoc projects.

• Joanne van der Walt is the Sage Foundation Programme Manager for Africa.

ENGAGE AND ALIGN: The best way to strategise CSR contributions is by being interactive, proactive, and reactive

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CXPRESS

INTERVAL

24 January 2018

Classic old age humour for all ages...

HREE 15-year-old girlfriends decided to meet for dinner.

They discussed where to eat and finally agreed on McDonald’s next to the Sea Side Restaurant because they only had R6.50 between them and Bobby Bruce, the cute boy in science class, lived on that street.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 25-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because it had free snacks, there was no cover charge, the beer was cheap, the band was good and there were lots of cute guys.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 35-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the combos were good, it was near the gym, and if they went late enough there wouldn’t be many whiny little kids.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 45-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the martinis were big and the waiters wore tight pants and had nice buns.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 55-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the prices were reasonable, it had windows which opened (in case of hot flushes),

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the wine list was great, and the fish was good for their cholesterol.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 65-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they had an Early Bird Special and the lighting was good.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 75-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the food wasn’t too spicy and it was handicapped accessible.

Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 85-yearolds, discussed where to meet for dinner.

Finally, they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they’d never been there before...

An old age quiz Q: How can you speed up the heart rate of your 65-year-old husband?

A: Tell him you’re pregnant.

Q: How can you avoid getting wrinkles?

A: Take off your glasses.

Q: No, seriously. How can I get rid of these crow’s feet and all the wrinkles on my face?

A: Go braless. It usually pulls them out.

Q: What is the most common remark made by 65 year olds when they browse an antique store?

A: I remember these.

Q: Where can a man over 65 find a younger, good looking woman who is interested in him?

A: Try the bookstore under fiction.

You know why I feel older?

I went to buy sexy underwear and they automatically gift wrapped it.

- Joan Rivers

Q: What can a husband do when his wife is going through menopause?

A: Keep busy. If he’s handy with tools, he can finish the basement. Then when he’s finished, he’ll have a place to live.

Q: Is it a common problem for 65-year-olds to have trouble with memory storage?

A: No. Memory storage is not the problem. Memory retrieval is.

Q: Do people sleep more soundly as they get older?

A: Yes, but it’s usually in the afternoon.

Q: Where should old people look for glasses?

A: On their forehead.

Perks of being over the hill • There is nothing left anymore to learn the hard way.

• Things that you buy

now won’t wear out.

• Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.

• You no longer think of the speed limit as a true challenge.

• You can quit trying to hold in your stomach no matter who walks into the room.

• Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can’t remember them anyway.

• Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the guy on the television.

• People call you at 7pm and ask: “Did I wake you up?”

• In a hostage situation you are the most likely to be released first.

• No one expects you to run - anywhere.

• You are no longer seen as a hypochondriac.

SENIORS I’m speeding because I have to get to where I’m going before I forget where I’m going...

SOCIAL SCENE

24 January 2018

CXPRESS

DON’T RESIST THIS MUSICAL TREAT: Knysna Plett Concert Series presents pianist Muza Rubackyte on Monday February 5. Says Knysna Music Society chair Penny Smythe-Rathbone: “The opening concert for all you music lovers will be this amazingly talented Lithuanian pianist, who will play pieces by Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann.” Muza was born in Lithuania but studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow, winning the Grand Prize at the Liszt/Bartok International Piano Competition in Budapest in 1981. She had been a member of the Lithuanian Resistance Movement and was only allowed to leave Russia in 1989. Muza received the ‘Pro Cultura Hungarica’ Prize from the Hungarian Ministry of Culture for her promotion of the legacy of composer Franz Liszt. She was awarded the ‘Legion of Honour’ for her work in the Resistance Movement by the president of the Republic of Lithuania. “This feisty lady has many talents, one of which is a great gift as musician, so join us on Monday and enjoy a fabulous opening night of musical magic,” says Penny. As always, the venue is Knysna DRC hall in Fichat Street, with tickets sold at the door from 6:45 and the show starting at 7:30pm. Tickets cost R150 or R30 for scholars.

MEET MR MAGGS IN THE BAY BAR TONIGHT: South African TV personality Jeremy Maggs has just published a book called ‘Win! Compelling Conversations with 20 Successful South Africans’.

Said Thuli Madonsela about the book: “A simple and insightful collection of thoughts on success. Its timing in a country hungry for purposeful and confidenceinspiring leadership is impeccable.” The first book launch is taking place in Bitou today from 5:30pm in the Bar Lounge of Plettenberg Bay Country Club, and readers also stand a chance to win a copy of ‘Win!’.

(To enter the competition, email janined9@gmail.com with your cell phone number and physical address.)

Said Jeremy: “The participants are all inspiring people who I have personally met at some point, interviewed, and then admired - not only for their success but for their hard work, commitment, tenacity, and a common decency that runs through all of them. The interviews were done on camera and form the basis of a compelling talk that is designed to inspire and motivate South Africans to once again start reaching for their dreams and realising their full potential.”

MOUILLE POINT MOM HITS HAPPY 100: Plett resident Denise Hugo, flanked at back by sisters Maureen Frost and Lyn Willis, shared this happy photo taken on the occasion of their mother Phyllis Gowar’s 100th birthday on January 3.

Also featured with the birthday girl and her daughters is great granddaughter, Kasia.

Says Denise: “Mom lives in Mouille Point in Cape Town, and we celebrated the grand affair by throwing her an afternoon tea, complete with gorgeous birthday cake gifted

by Pick n Pay Pinelands.”

What a joyous occasion, and CXPRESS wishes this spritely centenarian the best of happiness and health.

DRAWING BRIDGES TO TOMORROW. A simple drawing such as the design of a pedestrian bridge or a road can do so much to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans and also contribute to the health of our economy.

Charles Raphadi is one of the many individuals who play an important role in developing our country’s infrastructure.

He is a Professional Engineering Technician with 13 years of experience and is part of the team working on the Polokwane Eastern Ring Road project managed by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL). He is an assistant resident engineer from Leporogo Specialist Engineers and has been seconded to KBK Engineers, the consulting firm supervising the project.

Civil engineering combines a variety of skills and expertise necessary to build infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, even energy and water facilities such as dams and power stations.

It is an exciting and rewarding profession which offers plenty of opportunities for both men and women to do meaningful work.

At high school, the core subjects necessary for one to qualify as a civil engineer include: Mathematics, Physical Science, English and Geography. At tertiary level, subjects such as Surveying, Geotechnology, Transportation, Construction Management and Mechanics are central to the course of study.

If you’re interested in the exciting world of civil engineering, why not send us your application form and you could qualify for a bursary to study civil engineering or any other discipline within the built environment.

For the application form and for more information on available opportunities, visit www.nra.co.za.

www.sanral.co.za Reg. No. 3790342109421

www.facebook.com/sanralza/

@sanral_za

@sanral_za

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CLASSIFIEDS

24 January 2018

Gerhard van Huyssteen

C: 071 332 2341 | E: plett101@gmail.com

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

ON THE SOAPBOX

24 January 2018

Letters to the Editor

Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600

Don’t drone on about falling numbers if there’s no parking for a mouse I refer to the letter by ‘The Drone’ in your issue of January 10 [turn to page 19 of that edition at www.cxpress.co.za], wherein he raises the issue of the falling numbers of holidaymakers in Plett this past season.

On the few occasions I went to the beach at Robbery 5 and Sanctuary, it was virtually impossible to find parking.

As I trudged along carrying my heavy beach gear, I noticed how many property owners along Beachy Head Drive have encroached onto the road reserve by planting their gardens right up to the tarmac and placing obstructions such as boul-

ders, cement balls, rocks, wooden poles, etc. - obviously to prevent anyone from parking in front of their properties.

Firstly, it is not legal for them to claim public spaces as their own.

Like all property owners in Plett, they have their boundary lines and they should not be allowed to appropriate public land or the road reserves, simply because they do not want the public to park in front of their homes.

They were aware when they acquired these properties that they would overlook public beaches and public thoroughfares. I find their attitude extremely selfish.

Secondly, people who have removed rocks from the Timber Shed to create pavement barriers should be forced to return them forthwith! Although the Timber Shed is falling to pieces, it is a national monument and I am sure that in time it will be rebuilt or restored.

It is an integral part of Plett’s historical heritage and people should not be allowed to go and help themselves. Rocks from the Timber Shed are to be found all over the town and used by people claiming public pavements as their personal property.

I am sure if more parking were made available on Beachy Head, more

people would make use of our Blue Flag beaches.

It’s no fun to trudge long distances carrying heavy loads with small children in the hot sun.

Margaret Matzener, Plett

Dear Drone In the time that you took to drone on ad nauseam about everything that you perceive to be wrong with Plett, you could have fixed the broken tap and/or cleaned up the bird’s droppings in the parking lot yourself!

Gino Noli, Plett

Beach occupancy no yardstick of Plett’s popularity

REMEMBER THAT DECEMBER? Captured during Season ’67 and ’79, at right, these photos show Plett’s Central Beach filled to the brim with bathers and sun-seekers and umbrellas

As can be seen from these two photos of Central Beach, taken in December 1967 and 1979 respectively, the same amount of people - if not more than was the case in December 2017 - enjoyed the beach back then.

This cannot mean that there were fewer visitors this season than 50 and 40 years ago, as suggested

by The Drone; looking at the beach nowadays is not an accurate yardstick of Plett’s popularity.

Back in the day there was

very little else to do other than go to the beach, whereas today there are so many ‘things to do’ that was unheard of in the 70s.

Plett’s seasons have always had their ups and downs; it’s just a normal economic cycle and not

anything to do with lack of tourism brainstorming, as claimed by The Drone.

There are obviously improvements to be implemented, but Plett is still one of the top holiday resorts in South Africa.

Derek Frielinghaus, Plett

Baie dankie vir ons Kersdag donasies Eerstens wil ek graag elke leser ‘n geseënde nuwe jaar toewens.

Christoutreach Ministry is gebasseer in Kranshoek en werk aan ‘n projek genaamd Hope for the Future wat inpak

maak in die plaaslike gemeenskap.

Ons het jaarlikse projekte wat toegepas word in die gemeenskap met minder bevoorregte mense. Ons wil baie dankie sê aan ons donasie skenkers wat

Kersdag 2017 ‘n sukses gemaak het.

Baie dankie aan Uitsig groente en vrugte handelaars, Mr P Crossney, Sylvia Christians, en die wonderlike vroue in ons gemeenskap wat hande

gevat het om te verseker ons Kersdag was suksesvol. Ons het voorsiening gemaak vir 200 mense en kon almal voed op Kersdag. Wees gegroet vir 2018.

Chrystal Williams, Plet

Info on crime stats and trends essential I haven’t seen crime statistics for Plettenberg Bay for ages, and I think all of us need to know what they are, what the trends are, and see the statistics by area and categories of crime.

I would like to suggest that Plett SAPS makes these statistics available to the local press for publication, so our communities know what is going on, and where.

‘The Mushroom’, Plett

082 251 8134

CXPRESS

Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

24 January 2018

SPORT & ADVENTURE

Garden Route hosts ‘bi-centenary’ tour to celebrate legacy of formidable Henry Ford A unique event will be taking place from February 5 to 8, when 52 veteran and vintage cars are due to congregate in the Southern Cape - BOB HOPKIN reports RGANISED by George educator and old car enthusiast Philip Kuscke, entries for the 2018 Ford Vintage and Veteran Tour will feature 39 restored Ford cars, as well as displays of modern products that will include racing cars sponsored by Ford of Southern Africa and local Ford dealers.

The event will commence at Wilderness Hotel with registration on February 5, with the official start in ‘Dakar Rally’ style in the Eden Meander car park at 9am on February 6 (opposite the George Ford dealer).

While many may regard Henry Ford’s motor company as just one of several contemporary automotive mega-companies, the reality is quite different, as it

O

was in the vanguard of vehicle mass production.

The popular anecdotes about ‘Any colour as long as it is black’ and the invention of the production line are both true, but there is much more to the history of Ford Motor Company than that.

The former yarn was justified simply because that colour dried faster than others, so as to keep the production line speed up, but the latter brought its own problems.

Henry Ford was obliged to create one of the first examples of what is known today as ‘vertical integration’.

His first mammoth plants, at River Rouge in Michigan and Dagenham in Essex, produced their own components from raw materials.

Iron ore was imported by

sea and converted into steel for engines and body panels at their own metal works.

Raw latex from their own rubber plantations in Brazil was used to make tyres, hoses and seals, and so on.

The impact of the affordable Model T was also much more than just a means of transport, because the early hundreds of thousands of that model overwhelmed the rudimentary roads that existed at the time, as a legacy of the wagon trains and the great trek west.

This pressure resulted in the federal government having to invest in a structure of national interstate highways, including the now legendary Route 66.

Kuscke explained that the event is not an annual one

but is timed to coincide with significant dates in the history of Ford.

“This year, 2018, marks 110 years since the launch of the Model T and 90 years since the Model A, so we believe this to be a bi-centenary,” he said with a smile.

Kuscke added that the event is not a time trial and is not competitive, but is meant to celebrate enjoyment of the scenic environment of the area.

“Apart from Wilderness, over the four days we will be using Robertson Pass to visit Oudtshoorn, a trip to the old mission Station in Zoar, Cango Caves, Buffelsdrift and through Meiringspoort to Klaarstroom.

And we do welcome spectators!” he concluded.

COMFY SEATS: This 1914 Model T Ford’s plush upholstered seating may make for a comfortable ride

LADY IN THE RED: A 1907 Model S Ford will be part of next month’s participating fleet