9 August 2017

9 August 2017

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

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Mother of four brutally killed p3

Plett water crisis p4

Spread love with a pebble p5

Photo: Oakpics.com

Ladies take the lead!

Kicking off Women’s Month in style last weekend was the Storms River Traverse’s femme-dominated leader board and here, some of the participating ladies show that they’re at the forefront indeed while getting silly in the forest with two male counterparts. Read more about the race on page 12 - and here’s wishing our readers a wonderful Women’s Day.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

9 August 2017

Revisiting the extent of Route’s natural heritage and ‘South Africa’s greatest forest fire’ of 1869

Leigh Dunn

N light of the recent fire devastation and the declaration of Knysna as a national disaster area, I’d like to share some details of Burger Kleyn’s article in a 1949 edition of Het SuidWestern newspaper.

This historic publication was stored safely by my grandma, Bertha, as have many other original news articles about our beautiful Plett and surrounds.

In 1869, it had been recorded that the Knysna forest stretched all the way from Humansdorp to Mossel Bay, and it was a huge fire risk for many reasons.

Bounded on the northern side by the Outeniqua mountain range and on the southeast by the Indian Ocean, by 1949 a mammoth indigenous forest stretched for 110 miles from George to Humansdorp.

The total area was approximately 128,000 acres, 80,000 of which belonged to the State.

Elephants, leopards, and bushbuck were among the wild found in the depths of this immense forest.

Yet, the sounding of the axe was clearly heard for many years amid the sound of the birds, animals, and ocean.

In 1750, the very first woodcutting started in the Plettenberg Bay area. In 1778, a post for the sole purpose of obtaining timber was established here.

It was a woodcutter’s paradise. Yellowwood, stinkwood, and ironwood trees were in abundance. The woodcutters did so well that a certain Captain Jones was sent to Plett in 1811 to fetch stinkwood for the naval dockyards in Cape Town.

He returned empty-handed, however, because there was no stinkwood left in the area.

Then the year 1869 brought the forest fire, proclaimed at the

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time as “the most devastating fire that South Africa had ever experienced”. This sounds very similar to the words of President Jacob Zuma to the media on his visit to Knysna and Plett on June 15 this year.

The 1869 fire started near Mossel Bay and swept with ever-increasing fury to within 20 miles of Plett - a distance of about 60 miles in less than a day. Clouds of smoke were seen as far as Uitenhage.

Beast and bird fled, and man stood helpless at the raging inferno; when it died down, large tracts of valuable forest had been reduced to smoking ashes.

Only then did the authorities sit up and take notice.

In 1873, Captain Harrison was appointed Sole Conservator of the Midlands Forest.

In 1880, Count de Vasselot de Regne, a French forester, was appointed Superintendent of Woods and Forests.

According to Kleyn, it was unnecessary to recount the uphill struggle of these two men - a long story of wisdom and forethought versus ignorance and avarice. Their struggle continued without pause.

In 1930, it was estimated that 182,000 cubic feet of forest would be cut down. Yet, the volume of timber felled in that year exceeded 500,000 cubic feet. By 1914, 631,552 cubic feet was cut and in 1915, another 665,241 cubic feet.

In 1935, approximately 10,000 cubic feet of stinkwood alone was felled. Then the authorities started controlling the felling of indigenous trees. For every tree felled, 20 young trees were planted, and qualified foresters were stationed at various places in the forest. No trees were allowed to be cut down without

their approval.

Constant watch was kept from turrets built at strategic points to ensure that fires were instantly controlled. In addition, nature was aided by the foresters who acted as skilled assistants.

If they did not lend a hand, the seedlings that escaped destructive insects or suffocation by ferns and brushwood would never have been sufficient to fill the gap left by the fallen giants.

Ironwood and yellowwood formed the principal species of the forest, forming roughly 40% of the total stocking, but much of it was destroyed in the fires of 1869. Over 50 different species formed the rest of the forest flora population.

The ironwood trees grew to a high of 80 metres and a girth of roughly 10 feet. They were used mainly for railway sleepers, fence-poles, and in the construction of wagons. The yellowwood was mainly used for kitchen furniture.

But the undisputed giant of the forest was the common yellowwood. They measured from 125 to 150 feet in height.

So the destruction by fire of

these forest presented an invaluable loss in many ways, according to Kleyn.

Mention is also made of “The Big Tree” between Plett and Knysna, which stands 200 feet high, with a base of 45 feet. On this subject, Kleyn says: “He stands there today, as he even stood when European civilization first felt with furtive tentacles on the coast of this dark continent…”

Damage of fires are both detrimental and traumatic, and this brief historic account proves to us that our predecessors were surely faced with similar challenges centuries ago, and that history often repeats itself.

But the prevailing sentiment is the amazing manner in which our people stand together during these times, to lend a hand, support and assist, thereby proving that we still possess that life-important sense of community as well as pride in our natural heritage.

May we continue to preserve our rich history, and rebuild the beauty of our unique area from the ashes, as per the example set by Mother Nature.

Notice Board • It’s World Lion Day on August 10, so YouthForLions and Blood Lions have launched a #WatchToWin campaign to raise awareness around the plight of the world’s most iconic species. Google ‘Blood Lions Competition’ to find out more.

• A presentation by Richard Mckibbin on SA’s cat species concentrating on the leopard and the lesser known, smaller wild cats will serve as fundraiser

for Plett Community Environmental Forum on August 21.

Listen to one of SA’s most passionate wildlife guides at Equinox on Lookout Beach - doors open at 6pm and the presentation starts at 6:30pm. Tickets at R200 include a main course, tea and coffee (cash bar). Contact aconyngham@telkomsa.net or 044 533 5178 to book or buy your ticket from Barney’s Kiosk at The Market Square.

NEWS & VIEWS

9 August 2017

CXPRESS

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Gruesome murder of beloved Kwano mother sees community marching for justice for women Plettenberg Bay men and women took a stand after a well-loved KwaNokuthula woman was allegedly brutally beaten to death by her partner recently - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports group of about 50 residents gathered at the Shell garage in Plett and marched down Marine Way to the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court on Monday where the accused* was expected to apply for bail.

The matter was, however, postponed to August 16.

According to friends and neighbours, Natasha de Lange was allegedly killed sometime between July 28 and July 30 at the KwaNokuthula home she shared with her boyfriend, who was arrested on July 30 in connection with the murder.

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: A significantlysized group of mostly ladies but also local men marched down Marine Drive on Monday to call for justice after the murder of Natasha de Lange Photos: Ewald Stander

It is believed that De Lange was brutally attacked with a spade and her body left locked in the house for days before police made the horrific discovery.

Bitou sub-region ANC Youth League member Samkelo Majo said in a statement that they condemned the brutal killing of De Lange.

“It is not enough for women to speak out on the issue.

For the message to be strong and consistent, women’s voices must be backed up by men’s,” Majo said.

He added that no woman

had to be a victim of physical abuse. “Women have to feel like they are not alone and therefore we called on all our members, NGOs and community leaders to stand behind and support De Lange’s family by coming out in numbers on Monday.

“We all need to speak out against abuse against women in our community and justice must be served. We cannot allow such acts in our community.

“Bitou must unite against women abuse and violence.”

A petition was also drawn up and signatures garnered

against the suspect’s release on bail. Those who threw their weight behind the petition said that they did so in an attempt to show the court that the community did not want the suspect back on the streets.

SAPS spokesman Captain Marlene Pieterse said that

police would release more information about the incident shortly.

Garden Route Media * Two vastly differing names were provided for the accused on Monday, one by the Plett police and the other by local court officials.

This precluded inclusion of

either name since no clarity was provided in this regard by going to press. Another issue not confirmed by police but widely debated by local residents is that some or all of De Lange’s children, aged between five and 11, witnessed the brutal attack on their mother.

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

9 August 2017

A closer look at Plett’s looming water crisis...

There is a strong possibility that Bitou will soon experience a water crisis similar to that in places like Knysna and Cape Town - BASIL VAN ROOYEN and OLIVER RISSIK of Plettenberg Bay Community Environmental Forum report XPRESS readers would have learnt in last week’s issue about Knysna’s dire water situation. It raises the question though: where do we stand in Bitou? The answer makes for grim reading.

Many Bitou residents know that we are in the midst of a drought and that Phase 1 water restrictions have been introduced,

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but few people seem to realise the potential severity of the situation.

To understand the risks, we need some background.

Keurbooms River is the only source of water for the large Bitou municipal area. Many people wrongly believe that Roodefontein is our source of water, but it is in fact only an off-channel storage dam

for water extracted from Keurbooms River - except for a small amount coming from the dam’s own limited catchment area.

Reduced rainfall and effect on dam level The average annual rainfall for Bitou since 1997 has been 732mm per year.

This year from January 1 to June 30, a total of only 98mm fell over a period of

six months, contributing to the conditions that made the recent fires possible.

Long-range forecasts for the latter part of the year are not encouraging.

Roodefontein’s dam level reflects the state of Bitou’s water supply. Phase 1 restrictions were triggered when the dam reached 60% capacity (as opposed to 95% in December).

Phase 2 restrictions, with more severe conditions, will be imposed when Roodefontein Dam reaches 50%.

Due to very low flow in the Keurbooms, virtually no pumping is being done from there. There is provision for Phase 3 restrictions which will only be imposed under severe conditions.

All water now being used is from Roodefontein Dam itself, with a small amount coming from the desalination plant.

Desalination The desalination plant is working at full capacity of two megalitres per day (Ml/day) but will be shut

down for maintenance during August. If the water crisis continues, it will be brought back into use in September.

Boreholes As an interim measure, boreholes are being drilled in the Uplands area. So far three boreholes have been drilled, yielding some 5Ml/ day. A fourth hole is now being drilled.

This water will be pumped directly into the main gravity pipeline to Roodefontein Dam once the boreholes have been equipped and commissioned.

A borehole has also been drilled at the Kurland Village water purification plant. This borehole has a yield of 5l/sec, which hugely alleviates the Kurland supply - it is pure water and does not need to be treated.

Drilling for a second borehole is being considered.

Water usage During normal off-season times Bitou’s water demand is about 10Ml/day.

Since restrictions, the de-

mand has dropped from 9.2 to 8.7Ml/day (June 2017) and is expected to decrease further.

During the 2016 Christmas period, at the height of the visitor influx, the daily demand went up to between 15 and 17Ml/day, peaking at 19Ml/day for a brief period.

If the drought continues, Bitou might face a water situation like that of Knysna come Christmas.

Long term Wadrift Dam, which is to be an off-channel storage dam for Keurbooms River water in the Uplands area above Wittedrift, continues to be plagued by various problems.

This dam is crucial for Bitou’s long-term water supply and will be filled from Keurbooms River in times of high flow. Under dry conditions, like that being experienced now, filling the dam could take several years.

Currently, the deadline for completion of Wadrift Dam is 2022.

Moon eclipse a ‘celestial preview’ to forthcoming solar affair

A partial lunar eclipse took place on August 7/8 - the date depending on where in the world you watched from - and was the second of two lunar eclipses this year. The spectacular photo above was taken around 8pm by Andre Kruger from Storms River Village, who claims the clarity of the image was facilitated by placing a booster lens in front of his ‘old Chinese cellphone’s shutter’!

Last night’s moon was only slightly covered by Earth’s umbral shadow at maximum eclipse.

According to Wikipedia, the moon inside the umbral shadow was a subtle red, but hard to see in contrast to the much brighter majority in the outer penumbral shadow. Now the sky-watching fraternity is looking forward to a solar eclipse on August 21, occurring a mere 14 days after Monday’s spectacle in the same eclipse season. Interestingly, it will be the first total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous United States since February 26, 1979. ‘Contiguous’ refers to the fact that in less than two weeks, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the continental USA, beginning in Oregon and ending in South Carolina (the last time an eclipse touched both American coasts was in 1918). Eclipse enthusiasts say this phenomenon is one of the most spectacular sights in nature. So this week’s partial lunar eclipse, when the moon passed through part of Earth’s shadow, was regarded as a type of ‘celestial preview’ to the forthcoming eclipse on August 21.

NEWS & VIEWS

9 August 2017

Creativity cures: Painted pebbles spread love after recent Knysna fires THIS PLAN ROCKS! Seven-year-old Tiaan Ferreira decided to keep the Knysna Rock he found on Leisure Isle (he could also have chosen to re-hide it, but he loves it too much) - Tiaan’s rock was painted and hidden by Ashley Barnes, founder of the Knysna Rocks project

new, gentle way of reaching out to one another in the aftermath of the Knysna fires is spreading like - well, like wildfire.

“Knysna Rocks is a kind of treasure hunt using painted pebbles,” says Ashley Barnes, the founder of the Knysna Rocks Facebook group, who’s dedicated herself to promoting the concept locally.

“You paint them and hide them for others to find, and if you find one, you keep it or re-hide it for someone else.

“It’s a way of spreading a little bit of joy in the community because, as Mahatma Gandhi said: ‘In a gentle way, you can shake the world’.”

Ashley was inspired to bring the idea to Knysna after a childhood friend, Greta Barber, created a similar group - Tas Rocks for the community in which

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she now lives in Tasmania.

Knysna Rocks attracted nearly 700 members in the first week of its existence.

“I moved to Knysna from a busy corporate life in Cape Town because I wanted to enjoy the beauty and the lifestyle here, and I certainly haven’t been disappointed,” says Ashley.

“But the fires were a traumatic wake up call for all of us - and even though most of the talk now is about rebuilding, it’s sometimes also quite depressing.

“Knysna Rocks is a way of distracting ourselves from that.

“It’s about families enjoying each other, and spending time outside in nature - which is what Knysna’s all about.

“And since I have a background in the arts, I know that creativity cures.

“Being able to express ourselves positively and

uniquely, and being able to recognise that same creative and optimistic spirit in others, is healing,” she says.

Ashley explains the rules of the game are simple: “Paint a rock, and drop it off in a public place for someone else to find - and if you find a painted rock, keep it to cheer yourself up, or re-hide it for someone else.

“But just keep posting whatever you do with the rocks on the Facebook group so that everyone can share the love,” she says.

“That way the creativity and the spirit of solidarity and fun will just keep on increasing exponentially.”

Find Knysna Rocks on Facebook - www. f a c e b o o k . c o m / g ro u p s /1914635948795538/ gets you there.

• Visit www.facebook.com/ groups/304376790030496/ to find out more about the Plett Rocks group.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

9 August 2017

Superfood programme proves vastly beneficial on a multitude of levels IE Sterreweg Day Care Centre in New Horizons reports a significant reduction in absenteeism over the last year, thanks to a generous monthly donation

by Dis-Chem Pharmacies.

Explains Sabrina Love Foundation GM Monique Dokter: “Our quarter-onquarter comparison shows a 79% improvement of school attendance, the kids being healthier and not staying home due to sickness.”

The Foundation has been receiving these Dis-Chem donations - consisting of superfoods, nappies, First Aid items, cleaning materials, meals and therapy equipment - since August 2016.

“It has enabled us to implement a healthy eating programme, incorporating superfoods into a newly designed menu for our children. We have noticed a general improvement in the children’s health daily, with less common ailments like colds, chest infections, or skin conditions.

“Clinic appointments for kids with concerns regarding weight and illness have declined, and our children appear to be in better health now than in any of the previous years,” says Dokter.

Among the food items do-

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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPS: Sabrina Love Foundation classroom facilitator Qunique Smith helps one of Die Sterreweg’s special needs kids to enjoy a healthy breakfast packed with nutrition Photo: Monique Dokter

nated are chia seeds, psyllium husk, and flaxseed. A typical day sees these superfoods included with oats for breakfast; lentil, spinach and tomato soup for lunch, and fruit at snack time.

Sugar has been replaced by honey and fatty oils by coconut oil, so improving the children’s energy levels, digestive systems, and brain function while helping to fight disease.

“Children who attend Die Sterreweg are all moderately to severely cognitively impaired, which excludes them from mainstream education settings. Approximately half of our kids have physical difficulties and many are severely disabled and wheelchair bound with permanent deformity.

“All hail from lower socioeconomic areas, with parents or carers struggling financially to provide healthy alternatives and a diet rich with the correct nutrients,” says Dokter.

With special dietary needs and compromised immune systems, these healthy meals and snacks are the only balanced and nutritious meals they receive.

Concludes Dokter: “These children’s physical and cognitive development is directly affected by their nutritional intake. We gratefully thank Dis-Chem Pharmacies for their ongoing support and generosity.”

• Contact Monique Dokter on 082 330 2088 or at stars@sabrinalove.co.za for additional information.

BUSINESS

9 August 2017

What independent business owners need to know about tax OST independent business owners start their companies thinking they just need to earn enough money to cover their living costs and forget about tax returns.

Frequently the initial growth is so rapid and often unexpected that they find themselves struggling to manage the day-to-day needs of the business as admin piles up.

It all seems to be going so well that they just soldier on, promising themselves that they’ll get to the admin tomorrow, but never seem to have the time. This approach can be a recipe for disaster.

“There are too many cases of enthusiastic entrepreneurs who think their business is going well, but have failed to provide for tax. At the

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end of the financial year, when their provisional tax return has to be submitted, the tax liability can cripple the business,” says Direct Selling Association chair Ernest du Toit.

He suggests getting the right professional advice from the outset.

Ask the company you’re representing, fellow direct sales agents, or the Direct Selling Association, if they can recommend an accountant registered with SARS as a tax practitioner.

“If your expertise is in health and beauty products rather than tax law, it’s worth making a small investment to ensure your tax affairs are covered. It could prevent a nasty surprise later on.

It should also pay dividends as the business

grows,” says Du Toit.

Basic tax tips for micro business owners • All businesses need to register at the start of their business for income tax, and need to submit tax returns irrespective of how little profit the business is making or even if it’s incurring losses.

• Every business voucher, invoice or receipt needs to be kept.

• Write details of expenses on the reverse side of the voucher as soon as the expense has been incurred.

• Maintain a log book for all business travel.

• All business documents should be processed regularly.

• Ensure that the business accounting records are maintained.

• Understand the financial position of the busi-

ness through monthly reporting.

• Plan for any financial requirements the business may have; this needs to be reviewed monthly.

• Project and plan for any cash requirements the business may need.

• Be aware that VAT registration is compulsory for a business with a turnover of a million rand or more. A business may voluntarily register for VAT before the turnover reaches this level.

Administrative procedures include things like keeping track of bank deposits and all business-related expenses. Typically, the most successful direct sellers are those who are meticulous about their administration. It’s the attention to detail that sets them apart.

Jargon buster: here’s what blacklisting is all about LACKLISTING is a catch-all term to describe what happens when someone is denied credit due to a poor credit record - and although commonly used, it’s seriously misleading.

“The term suggests that there’s a central blacklist.

There is no such thing and you can’t get blacklisted.

It’s a lazy way of trying to explain why someone was denied credit and it’s dangerous because it implies there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Marlies Kappers, head of market-

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ing at DirectAxis Financial Services.

The reality is that credit providers, such as banks and finance companies, base their decisions on whether to lend you money on information from credit bureaus. These are companies that calculate your credit score based on your behaviour - positive and negative.

If you pay your accounts on time every month, your credit score will reflect this and credit providers will look on applications more favourably. For example,

you could receive a better interest rate and terms than someone with a lower credit score.

On the other hand, if you don’t settle your accounts, or you skip a month and pay twice as much the next month, this will show on your credit score.

Kappers says that suggesting a low credit score means you’ve been secretly blacklisted by some shadowy organisation is not only wrong, but ignores two important points: you have a right to know your credit score,

and you can do something about it.

South Africans are entitled to one free credit report each year. You can get this from any of the major credit bureaus. The report will reveal your score and you can also check for any mistakes.

If you have a low score and there are no mistakes on your account, you can still improve your credit score over time by settling overdue accounts. This won’t clear your credit record, but will improve your score.

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

INTERVAL

9 August 2017

The son of Keith Richards... frog walks into a bank and approaches the teller.

He sees the teller’s tag reads ‘Paddy Black’ and says: “I’d like to take out a loan, Mrs Black.”

“Certainly,” says the teller, “how much would that be for?”

“One million rand,” replies the frog. “Don’t worry, it’s okay, I know the manager.”

The teller is understandably taken aback by this and asks if the frog has any collateral to cover this.

“As a matter of fact, I do!” says the frog, and he

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reaches into his pocket and hands over a tiny ceramic elephant.

“What?!” says the teller, “this is garbage! I can’t take this!”

“Well, take it up with my father then!” the frog retorts.

“Oh yeah, and who might that be?” The teller is quickly getting more and more annoyed at the frog.

“Why, his name is Keith Richards!”

The frog is waiting impatiently, tapping his toe on the ground. “Now, can I have that loan or not?”

“Wait right here,” the

teller says, as she storms into the back room, looking for her manager.

“There’s a frog out there who claims to know you, and wants a million rand loan. He claims his father his Keith Richards! He even gave me this as col-

lateral,” she says, holding up the elephant. “I mean, what IS this?”

The manager takes a look at the elephant and replies: “It’s a knickknack, Paddy Black, give the frog a loan. His old man’s a rolling stone...”

Your retardation is disadvantageous.

I propound you all vamoose with great importunity.

Oh great! It’s a Thesaurus.

The evils of liquor ITTLE Johnny’s chemistry teacher wanted to teach his class a lesson about the evils of liquor, so he set up an experiment that involved a glass of water, a glass of whiskey, and two worms.

“Now, class. Observe what happens to the two worms,” said the teacher putting the first worm in the glass of water. The worm in the water moved

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about, twisting and seemingly unharmed.

He then dropped the second worm in the whiskey glass. It writhed in pain for a moment, then quickly sank to the bottom and died.

“Now kids, what lesson can we derive from this experiment?” he asked.

Little Johnny raised his hand and wisely responded: “Drink whiskey and you won’t get worms!”

Bragging rights OUR ladies are sitting together talking about their sons.

The first one brags: “My son is a bishop.

Every time he walks into a room, people say: ‘Your excellence’.”

The second lady brags: “My son is a cardinal.

Every time he walks into a room, people say: ‘Your eminence’.”

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The third lady brags: “My son is the pope.

Every time he walks into a room, people say: ‘Your holiness’.”

The fourth lady says: “My son doesn’t have a title. He weighs 200 kilogrammes and is only 1.5 metres tall, but every time he walks into a room, everybody says: ‘Oh my god!’”

Running bull farmer asked the vet to come out to check on his favourite bull, who wasn’t doing well at all.

After checking the bull’s vital signs, the vet reached in his black bag and pulled out a rather large pill.

He forced open the bull’s mouth and crammed the

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pill down his gullet. Suddenly the bull jumped up and took off like a banshee, jumping every fence in his way. The vet exclaimed: “Well, looks like your bull is healed!”

The farmer said: “Now give me one of those pills.

I’ve got to catch him!”

EXTINCTION The truth.

SOCIAL SCENE

9 August 2017

CXPRESS

Photos: Timothy Twidle

People, places & events ROYAL TRIO FUNDRAISER: Trio de Musique of Cape Town played an evening of Glorious Music in aid of the Plett Animal Welfare Service (PAWS) at Ouland Royale on August 5. The trio of Ariella Caira on cello, flautist Thomas de Bruyn, and Albert Combrinck on piano played a selection of contemporary and classical music, interspersed with pieces of jazz, to a capacity audience of 150 people, who gave a standing ovation and demanded an encore that was also greeted with rapturous applause. The function was sponsored by ClemenGold/ANB Investments, who have exclusive rights to the Nadorcott variety of mandarin created in Morocco in 1984 and introduced into SA in 1997. At the start of the evening David Hall-Green introduced Abraham van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer of ClemenGold, who said: “It is a great pleasure for us to support an event of this quality in Plett, where I have enjoyed holidays of fishing and other outdoor activities for over 40 years. I think it’s one of the best places in the world!” Hall-Green explained: “PAWS was founded 15 years ago to provide for the care and alleviate the suffering of animals. Monthly operating cost of PAWS is some R70,000 made up principally of the costs of veterinary services and pharmaceuticals. We rely on fundraising activities, and donations and sales from the PAWS charity shop. We are most grateful for the generous sponsorship provided by ClemenGold.” The success of the evening would not have been possible without the hard work of many people and, in particular, Wilja Reitz of Ouland Royale. The Reitz family, who have been associated with Plettenberg Bay for over 60 years, suffered grievous losses during the horrific fires that assailed large parts of the Garden Route in June and the evening of Glorious Music marked new beginnings for Family Reitz, who are wished everything of the best and much success for the future from everyone at CXPRESS. Pictured above, David and Marsja Hall-Green, second and third from left, share a moment with the Trio musos, from left, Caira, Albert and Thomas, and Elize and Abraham van Rooyen. At right is happy raffle winner, Jill Haysom.

MEET TEAM THAT KEEPS SKI CLUB TICKING: Dirk Sinclair, far left, has been GM at the Plett Angling Association for almost two years and has taken the Ski-boat Club on Central Beach from strength to strength. Over the last few months he has been joined by new floor managers Anne Beale and Janco van Niekerk, left, both of whom are old hands in the hospitality industry. Anne and Janco are there to make sure your club experience is terrific, so chat to either about membership, live music on Sundays, great food specials and, of course, the best members braai venue in Plett. Should you wish to use the venue for small functions, chat to Dirk on 044 533 4147.

AMERICAN BENEFACTOR DELIGHTS: The fifth Knysna-Plett Concert of the year held on July 31 was a benefit concert given by American pianist, Bryan Wallick. A portion of the proceeds was donated to the fund set up to assist those who sustained grievous losses in the horrific fires that ravaged Knysna and environs during June. Above, Bryan - who played works by Johannes Brahms, Johann Sebastian Bach, Isaac Albéniz and Franz Liszt - is surrounded by some of Knysna Music Society’s office bearers.

Standing are, from left, chairman Penny Rathbone, treasurer Dee Reddan, secretary Judy Steele, and committee member Leoni Hattingh. At top right, Viv Leach with Hazila and Dietmar Lenz, all of Knysna, enjoy the benefit event. - Timothy Twidle

DANCING DAMES HAVE A JORL: This happy group of Zumba ladies celebrated Christmas in July at the tennis section of Plett Country Club recently. What a blast - and can you imagine how much fun they’ll have comes REAL Christmas time?! - Photo: Monique Meyer

La Luna

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CLASSIFIEDS

9 August 2017

Paws

Plett Animal Welfare Service

ON THE SOAPBOX

9 August 2017

Letters to the Editor

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

Free-running dogs cause mayhem in quiet Plettenberg Bay neighbourhood I know that the doggie subject of on-the-leash, off-the-leash has been discussed forever and a lot of people are still not clear about it when it comes to walking their dogs on our beaches.

So now we walk our dogs ON the leash and get attacked by dogs off their leashes! Now what?

We let ours go, too.

But this is not what irritates me most - far worse are dogs that are on the loose without owners on a daily basis in our quiet suburb around Dassen Island Road.

Two white Jack Russelltype dogs, a big black Labrador, and a brindle Labrador-type terrorise the street, attacking pedestrians, cyclists and cars, and tearing open rubbish bags.

My dad has been seriously injured and hospitalised as has another elderly lady. Over the past few years, the police have been sent to the owners, as have inspectors, etc.

Yet nothing has changed.

Two days ago, my husband and I walked our dogs past the loose dogs’ property and narrowly escaped injury.

Is this the norm? We argue about dogs not running free when supervised by their owners on the beach while in the suburbs, it seems, you’re allowed to let your dogs run free the whole day unsupervised. Surely this is not ok…

Please could someone help or direct us to a person who can help?

The dogs are not to blame, just sadly their negligent owners.

Verena Holliday, Plett (A video clip of one of the offending dogs messing with a garbage bag was posted under Notifications on the CXPRESS Facebook page.

Along the same lines, but much more disconcertingly, recent reports of a Knysna woman being mauled to death were complemented last week by the case in Kranshoek of a

Parking off in Plett

The intricately-decorated car pictured here was spotted in the Central Beach parking lot two Sundays ago. Said Derek Frielinghaus, who took the pic, when prodded for details on the car’s town of origin or driver: “The registration number was CA and I saw what I thought was the car’s owner at Plett Ski-boat Club - also different looking…” Email editor@cxpress.co.za if you know more about this jazzy recent visitor to the bay.

Thanks for supporting karateka’s Ireland campaign We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Merüska Massyn fundraising drive [see ‘Support Merüska’s Ireland trip and win big’ on page 16 of the June 14 edition at www.cxpress.co.za].

Our raffle’s lucky draw was done as scheduled on August 1 and we didn’t come close to the target of selling 150 tickets to each of the four prizes.

A total of 250 tickets were sold mostly in areas not close to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. The draw for the rugby ball trophy was done at The Biltong Boutique at The Market Square; the midweek holiday in J Bay was done at Plett Tourism; the voucher spon-

sored by Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary was drawn at Plett Primary, and the GM of the BI did the draw for the prize of a two-night sleepover at the resort.

Gert Kemp of Stilbaai bought 77% of the tickets sold, and the four tickets drawn by the different entities as listed above were all registered in Gert’s name - congratulations and a special word of thanks for the huge amount of money spent.

Gerrit Massyn, Plett (Call Gerrit on 072 372 3564 if you would like to contribute to his talented daughter’s participation at the Karate Olympics in Limeric, Ireland later this month. - Eds.)

man allegedly succumbing to his injuries after being attacked by a Pitbull.

Our calls for confirmation from local police spokesmen have not yet been returned but we hope

to shed more light on the issue of dangerous dogs on the loose, and the continued practice of dogs bred for the sole purpose of fighting, in a near-future edition. - Eds.)

Be sure to back Danette’s UK world champs tug-of-war trip Danette Kapp of Wittedrift pulls for South Africa - but SA Sports won’t pull for her when it matters.

Every weekend and midweek she works at Curves; she travels at her own expense to train for her sport, tug-of-war.

She has made the team that will compete at the World Championships in the UK during late September and will travel along with other members (male and female, several weight categories).

And here’s the crunch: at the cost to her of R30,000 - flights, accommodation, food and drink, kit, uniforms, the lot. This is all expected to be done at her family’s own expense, to win medals for South Africa.

Ordinary people are already pulling for her, so pull harder people and please anchor her trip - on www.backabuddy. co.za/champion/project/ danis-dream-campaign - today!

John Johnson, Plett

Khula Africa, not Bitou Municipality, was youth career expo organiser Your item entitled ‘Broadening Bitou Matrics’ Horizons’ [turn to page 9 of the August 2 edition at www.cxpress.co.za] refers.

The career expo was organised by Khula Africa Commercials - a skills training and development based company led

by Phakamile Sebezo under the theme ‘Choose Your Path’.

Khula Africa partnered with Plett Tourism as main funder and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) for the event.

Speakers included Bitou mayor Peter Lobese, who offered opening remarks and motivated the students, and NYDA chairperson Sifiso Mtsweni as keynote speaker.

Students at the expo had an opportunity to talk to industry leaders, and interact with the various institutions of higher learning.

They received study packs, application forms and information on how to apply for funding and bursaries.

For Plett’s first-ever career expo, it was a success, and one that needs to be supported by local businesses and more Western Cape tertiary institutions in future. The organisers have assured that this will be an annual event, and are planning for the 2018 expo to take place in May. Local businesses are urged to take interests in such programmes for the sustainability of Plett’s economy, as these young people must return and be job creators so that the local economy can grow.

Other Bitou high schools will also be encouraged to attend.

Khula Africa has been doing developmental programmes in Plett for the last three years, including Plett Tourism Educational Tours and Kwano Indigenous Games.

If you would like to be part or support such initiatives in whatever form, call Phakamile Sebezo on 072 543 9502.

Wandisile Sebezo, Plett

YOUNGSTERS FIRST: NYDA chairperson Sifiso Mtsweni, right, promised to avail his support for youth-related programmes in need of resources and support - with him from left are Khula Africa’s Phakamile Sebezo and Plett Secondary student Siyabonga Yumata - Photo: Vinthi Neufeld

CXPRESS

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Otter, lighthouse and one podium placing all part of Plett contingent’s Chokka Run HE Best Med Chokka Trail Run was held for the second year out of the St Francis Resort on August 5 and 6. With a variety of distance and great accommodation specials, the race drew runners from all over to tackle the routes.

A large contingent of trail runners from Plett headed through and took part in the 18km, 23km and 30km races. All the runs rounded the lighthouse at Cape St Francis now marked as the south-easternmost point of Africa.

The routes followed the well-used coastal path towards Oyster Bay and then cut inland through the sand dunes and back via the harbour in St Fran-

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OTTER SPOTTERS: The Plett runners - team BUCO’s ‘Lettuce’ and ‘Netski’ in white and orange - were charmed by a close encounter with an otter - Photo: Janet Woodhead

cis. A highlight for the group of Plett runners was a sighting of a Cape Clawless Otter that appeared to be sunning itself a couple meters off the path.

Team BUCO Adventure members James Lettuce and Netski Wylie experienced a strong sense of déjà vu, as they “relived what was the final few kilometres of Expedition Africa, and were able to enjoy the vistas, feeling slightly fresher than three months ago after 490 kays!”

Plett trailie Janet Woodhead was able to fly the flag on the podium, coming in a minute in front of Netski Wylie to claim third spot in a time of 2:59:05 in the 30km run.

Yolande starts Women’s Month with Storms Traverse win TORMS River Village was the quaint hamlet Yolande de Villiers chose to start off Women’s Month in dominant fashion, when on Sunday she claimed a convincing victory in the Glacier Storms River Traverse through the Tsitsikamma Forest.

After winning the first two stages, De Villiers took the final 54km stage in a time of 2:09. She was

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not only the first female rider home, but finished first overall in a time of 6:12 - 36 minutes ahead of the first solo male in Vincent Hill.

“This is for all the women out there. If you can believe it, you can do it,” said a delighted De Villiers, who was using this popular three-day stage race to finish her preparations for next weekend’s Trans

BUCO Plettenberg Bay

Baviaans, where she will defend her Mixed Teams title with Neill Ungerer.

The Glacier Storms River Traverse also raised R50,000 for The Smile Foundation, the official charity of the event.

BELIEVER: Yolande de Villiers dedicated her win ‘to all the women out there, claiming that ‘if you can believe it, you can do it’ Photo: MVM Media

Corner N2 & Rietvlei Road, Plettenberg Bay Tel: 044 501 3800 Fax: 044 501 3850

World champs beckoning for revved up paracyclist In a bid to shine some light on the SA paracycling scene and forthcoming World Champs, Plett native TONI MOULD shared this account of her routine and training and expectations of ‘Maritzburg 2017’

SUNDAY TRAINING: Toni Mould on a pretty winter’s morning down the streets of her home town of Stellenbosch

LIGHTS are booked, accommodation is sorted.

Entry fee and accreditation will be done in the next few days. So all that will be left is to continue the routine: Get up, eat, work for four to five hours (while snacking), have lunch, go to training, do admin, have supper, watch an hour or so of a series, phone mom, and then crash into my bed.

Then repeat about four times during the week…

Weekends are not much different at this point, just with more time to sleep, do admin, and be on the bike. (It’s 10:45am Saturday morning and I have brought my laptop into my bed; I leave for training at 3pm).

Why so much structure, you ask? Well, roughly three weeks from now I’ll be getting warmed up for my last race at the UCI Para Road World Championships.

In 2015, when I competed in my first World Cup in Pietermaritzburg, I heard the World Champs was going to be in the same location in 2017. I love challenging myself, so the goal was set: Get selected for World Champs 2017!

Last year when I was yet again selected for the SA team for the World Cup, I knew I was a few steps closer to this year’s championships.

But it proved to be a bit harder than anticipated. I didn’t achieve the heights I wanted to at this year’s Nationals and

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didn’t make the SA team to go to Europe to participate in the World Cups there in preparation. I tried to get sponsors to go as an independent rider, but was unsuccessful.

Then we received the news that CyclingSA could not sponsor any rider for any competition for the foreseeable future, including World Champs. So when the team for these champs was named, and I had made the list, all funds that I received for a trip overseas was put towards World Champs. (It being held in SA meant it was more affordable even if some fees were to be paid in Euros!)

World Champs are said to be much different than World Cups - in the words of the guy who has been helping me for three years: “You don’t know what you are in for.”

I know it is much larger and has more competitors.

So what are my hopes for my first World Champs? To enjoy every moment - even when my legs and lungs are screaming at me - and to be competitive.

Only once, way back in 2015, did I have competitors in my category and I was left eating their dust. So this time round, riding in the bunch will be enough for this paracyclist.

Some say I have a shot at a bronze medal, but being able to wear the SA kit for a third time at my first World Champs, and the first-ever Para World Champs in South Africa, will be an honour. Any medal would be a huge bonus.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me along my cycling journey, and all those who gave to my online campaign as well. To anyone who wants to support TeamSA from afar, the races will be streamed live on at www. streamit360.tv/ from August 31 to September 3.

• If you read here and would like to support Toni’s World Champs campaign, email toni.mould@gmail.com and see https://tonikm.wordpress .com for additional info.