The Village News 6 September 2016

Is spring here or not?

Legal battle over Market Stalls comes to an end De Waal Steyn

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fter delays of more than a year the new stalls at Market Square above the Old Harbour can start trading in the next few weeks. This comes after Judge Robert Henney ruled in the Cape High Court that all 23 illegal traders need to vacate the stalls within two weeks.

A curious dassie couldn’t help himself from approaching Tammy Bezuidenhout of Hermanus to inspect what she was holding out. Little did he know he was being photographed on her cellphone and that he would become a front-page model in the first-anniversary issue of The Village NEWS. “Dassie” is the Afrikaans and most commonly name used for this small mammal, Procavia carpensis, meaning “the first guinea-pig belonging to the Cape”. With cloudy skies and rain heralding in the start of spring residents can expect more of the same for the next few weeks. According to www.accuweather.com the average maximum temperatures for the rest of the month will hover at the 20˚C maximum and 10 ˚C minimum mark. During the first weekend of September rainfall in excess of 20mm was measured.

Judge Henney said in his judgement on Friday 2 September that the continued occupation of the stalls is unlawful. All moveable structures, goods and furniture must also be removed. Failure to comply will result in the Sheriff of the Court evicting the illegal stallholders and removing all structures, goods and furniture and either destroying them or selling them to defray the cost of the eviction. The stallholders were also ordered to pay the cost of the legal proceedings.

The legal battle started after the Municipality terminated its lease agreements with stallholders and announced in May last year that the tender for the management of the stalls was awarded to

“ “

It was a conscious decision and a gamble which they took

”

Arrie de Klerk. According to the stallholders, the decision not to renew their leases as well as the tender process was flawed and biased. More than a year has passed since the tender was awarded to Arrie, who was supposed to take over the management on 1 August 2015, and all existing traders had to vacate their stalls before then or reapply.

Judge Henney said: “At the heart of the dispute lies the decision of the Municipality to

not renew the leases of the stallholders. The stallholders, after having been made aware that there might be a chance that the leases would not be renewed, persisted and entered into new lease agreements and took the chance that the Municipality would not terminate the leases. It was a conscious decision and a gamble which they took.”

The judge also stated that the Municipality was entitled in its conduct in terms of the law and the Constitution. “They (the Municipality) were not underhand or capricious in their dealings with the stallholders,” he stated.

Arrie’s vision for the market is to create a proper town’s market aimed at drawing locals and visitors to the CBD. “The market is set to become a business hub that will be a part of the heartbeat of the CBD. The days of cheap, mass-produced, imported flea-market products being on offer should now come to an end. The Market Square must only offer South Africanmade products with an emphasis on locally produced wares.”

Read more on the Market Stalls on P3.

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6 September 2016

The NEWS team De Waal Steyn is a dreamer of note and has turned his passion for publishing into fulfilling his dreams. His ability to crack a joke at the most inappropriate of times is his most unendearing quality.

He finds a challenge that appears to be out of reach highly irresistible.

Hedda Mittner is a wine and food aficionado who has turned her talents for film editing into creating picturesque stories on paper.

She is a firm believer in telling stories as they are and getting all the facts straight.

Her interests include psychology and human nature and she finds wine tastings highly irresistible.

Kathy Mulock-Bentley is a marketing whizz who has turned her talent for embracing life into selling advertising that adds value.

Her ability to cope with the demands of clients under pressure is her most endearing quality. She finds her husband highly irresistible.

Tania Hamman is a genius with numbers and has turned her ability to work with financials into a bookkeeping art form. Her ability to create and understand a spreadsheet is her most endearing quality. She finds invoices and statements irresistible.

Nickey Jackson is a workhorse with an in-depth knowledge of advertising and page design. Her tireless work ethic and ability to laugh at times when tension is running high are her most endearing traits. Her interests include cycling, dancing and reading and she finds most men resistible.

Aly Verbaan is a journalist, columnist and all-round newshound. She has turned her talent for seeing a news angle everywhere into investigative reporting, and regularly clashes with the arms-deal protagonists and owners of corporate newspapers. She finds horses highly irresistible.

The Village NEWS would like to publish your thoughts and concerns about issues that are important to you. All Letters to the Editor should be accompanied with the writer's name and contact details for verification. All letters are subject to editing for newspaper style and clarity, without changing the meaning of the content. Letters should be limited to about 300 words.

We reserve the right not to publish all letters received.

Send your letters to news@ thehermanusnews.co.za

A new lease on life It is with anticipation that we look forward to the Market Square donning a new jacket.

After a delay of more than a year due to legal wrangling over the validity of the termination of the previous stallholders’ lease agreements, judgement was delivered this week in favour of the Municipality.

Market Square is one of the prime trading venues in the CBD and, with pressure on trade in the area set to increase once the Whale Coast Mall is completed, it is of the utmost importance for the town to put its best foot forward.

Editorial Comment

By De Waal Steyn

Although it is unfortunate that some traders will be left without an alternative trading area, it is not unforeseeable that they can be accommodated at any of the many other markets in the

area. But in order for the CBD to revitalise and for local business to thrive, it is important that preference be given to local products.

forget about the gems the CBD has to offer. Fresh produce on our doorstep will also create a healthy alternative to the fast food options.

Market Square is a window on the life of the residents of Hermanus and one of the most frequently visited spots by tourists. It is only fair that this area should be a true reflection of what our town and region has to offer.

Market Square in its new guise will also attract locals to the area. It is often the case that we as locals are so set in our daily routine from work to the large retailers that we

Small business is the largest single employer in South Africa and this sector needs all the support and protection it can be offered. But in order for our CBD to keep on thriving, the mix of business in town must reflect the local offering.

We wish all the new traders the best of luck.

This is the good news. – ED

Letters and opinions

Goodwill is a breath of fresh air What a delightful breath of fresh air to read about the community helping each other in The Village NEWS (23 September). From Sofca, the Lighthouse Ladies and the Sleep Out this Friday, it warms the cockles of my heart to see such goodwill for

humankind. And, just by the way, your Country Kaleidoscope front page photo was indeed breathtaking. Keep up the good work.

Robert Mitchley Fernkloof

Stupidity is not a disability Before I am accused of gender discrimination, I think it is necessary to remind the fairer sex that the community of disabled people knows no boundaries when it comes to gender, age or race. As a member of this often forgotten community, I am sad to say that the very worst offenders when it comes to the abuse of parking and ablution facilities that have been specifically set aside for the disabled are - women!

Many is the time that I have encountered a well-heeled woman parked in the only disabled bay or on some occasions, across two bays.

Furthermore, as much as I loathe having to use public ablution facilities, there are times when one has to when away from home, and once

again the worst abusers of the facilities are women!

There are of course some men who abuse the facilities, but they are in the minority.

In virtually every case, both male and female, when one confronts the guilty party with the question as to why they are using the facility, it is met with a barrage of lies or more frequently aggression and downright rudeness.

Perhaps it needs to be said that selfishness or downright stupidity do not qualify as disabilities and the simple act of demonstrating a little consideration to those people who really need those facilities would go a long way to making life that much easier.

David Strauss

CPF clarifies position on commander The Hermanus Community Policing Forum (CPF) wants to clarify some statements in the recent press release, “Concern over new Station Commanding Officer in Hermanus”, dated 25 August 2016, that might be misinterpreted: We do not state that Lt Col Luthando Nosilela is incompetent to

manage the station, merely that we as the CPF are concerned as the station has been through difficult times recently and we want to ensure that the station is now in capable hands. We will meet with him soon to discuss our expectations of him as Station Commander.

Hermanus CPF

Congratulations to Village Explorer The Village Explorer (23 August 2016) refers. I must congratulate you on an informative and interesting art and food guide, plus the other interesting stories about entrepreneurs, for example.

And Lize van der Walt is to be congratulated on her extraordinary painting on the cover - what a stroke of genius!

Robyn-Jade Hosking Cape Town visitor

Impeding the breeding Has our new, solution-based Mayco made any suggestions as to what the answer to the baboon debacle is?

If not, I would like to propose the contraception of the majority of the adult baboons in each troop, by dart, whilst also tapping into their commercial value in the way of foreign tourism.

Feeding zones could be established, as many have suggested, and the unsuspecting diners could then be darted with a suitable contraceptive perhaps even the reversible option, if viable - while our overseas clientele can foot the bill for the privilege of photographing the feast.

Jacqui Naumann Stanford

Are we alone in the universe or not?

In reference to the letter "Belief kicks in when truth is scarce" (The Village NEWS, 23 August 2016), here are a few questions to ponder. I am not referring to Micro Evolution (Natural Selection), but to Macro Evolution. Naturally (pun intended) the first thing that comes to mind is Archeoptrix, the "missing link" [between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds]. Tests show that it was a hoax entailing hundreds of little bones from different layers of sediment glued together.

As for "Lucy", the bones were that of an ape and found a mile and a year apart. In Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species he states that life evolved millions of years ago in some organic soup. Sounds logical, right? Read it again. I looked it up and found the

chances of it happening is one to a number with 40 000 zeros after it.

Hitler is quoted as having said that "If you tell a lie long enough, often enough, people will believe it". Scary, eh? I noticed that Time is evolution's scapegoat, so in the spirit of reconciliation I put it to you that, given enough time, Macro Evolution will be proven to be the biggest hoax of the 21st Century – IF scientists can admit that the Emperor has no clothes.

Evolution proposes that we are alone in the universe (there is no God) as opposed to the Biblical view of Creation (there is a God). Either we are alone in this universe or we are not.

Both ways - equally chilling.

Anthony Luke Sabbe, 13 years old

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Have no fear, the whales are here to stay this can be rediscovered feeding grounds along the West Coast that are drawing whales. For many years it was thought that the whales do not feed while they are in our waters, but it has been proven that they do eat copepods, which are small aquatic crustaceans.

De Waal Steyn

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here has been much talk in recent weeks on the apparent lack of Southern Right Whale sightings at the start of this year’s whale season. But although there might appear to be fewer whales than in previous years, there is no need to panic over dwindling numbers, says Meredith Thornton, Volunteer Manager and Research Coordinator at Dyer Island Conservation Trust.

“There are large areas of upwelling along the West Coast where huge numbers of copepods are present and therefore the number of whale sightings in those areas have increased,” says Meredith.

“There are myriad factors that influence whale behaviour, but the notion that the whales will not return to our coastline is highly unlikely,” she says.

Meredith, who is also a Research Associate at the Mammal Research Institute of the University of Pretoria, says a factual conclusion on the number of whales in the region can only be made after the data of the annual aerial survey has been collected and analysed.

This survey has been done for the past 45 years and will take

place from 26 September to 10 October this year. During the survey all whale species encountered are identified and counted, and all Southern Right Whale mother and calf pairs along the coast from Plettenberg Bay to Muizenberg are photographed.

Research has shown that whales have a three-year cycle of being pregnant, raising a calf and resting. “It is possible that some of the whales that normally come to our shores may not have had enough food to sustain a pregnancy and will return with their calves in the next

year or two. They always return to the same place to calve.”

According to Meredith, the expected number of cow-calf pairs should be in excess of 250, but the number might very well be lower. “Another of the possible reasons for

According to her, the number of lone whales encountered on the aerial survey has dropped from over 400 in 2008 to less than 20 last year and it might well be that it is these whales that are moving towards the West Coast.

Meredith says it is highly unlikely that boating activities have such a drastic effect on whale behaviour that it would determine whether they decide to return to our coast or not. “Southern Right Whales were hunted almost

to extinction but it never deterred the whales from returning to the areas where they were hunted. Therefore, boating should have no effect on whether the whales return here or not.”

According to figures from University of Pretoria Mammal Research Institute’s Whale Unit, the global Southern Right Whale population decreased from an estimated 70 000 – 80 000 animals in the 1770s to about 300 - 400 when the population received international legal protection in 1935.

This was as a result of openboat whaling initially and then modern whaling thereafter.

Pirate whaling by the Soviets continued into the 1960s but since then the species has made a steady recovery globally. The world population is currently estimated at about 15 000 individuals, 5 000 of which occur in South African waters. Due to the work done on the aerial survey, almost 2 000 recognisable individuals are represented in the South African photo ID catalogue.

What you need to know about the Market Square stalls Residents can expect a brandnew business hub that will attract visitors from all over to the Market Square stalls. What can be expected?

The Trader Mix: The aim of the new market will be to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs to market their goods. Only goods produced in South Africa will be allowed in the market, with special emphasis on locally produced goods. The market will not be a flea market.

Due to zoning restrictions fresh produce such a juices, smoothies, biscuits and rusks will not be available for on-site consumption and will need to be pre-packaged or bottled onsite. No on-site production of

fresh goods or food and drink will be allowed.

Traders will include: • 5 clothing and accessories stalls, including Barry Hilton’s My Cousins and Nou gaan ons braai ranges • Fresh farm produce such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, olive oil and jams • Biscuits and rusks • The Photowalkers – local photographer and photo guide Leanne Dryburgh • Soaps and body lotions • Plants, herbs and spices • South African and African curios • Two art and jewellery stalls • An oyster stall • Neptune Divers – a local diving company offering land and boat based

• • • • •

diving Children’s clothes, soft toys and animal outfits Biltong and deli foods Fynbos and flowers Smoothies and fresh juices The Hermanus Tourism Info Kiosk will stay in its present position

The rentals: Rental of a stall amounts to R3 600 per month. This will include the servicing and cleaning of the public toilets on a par with that of the Village Square, security and marketing of the stalls and stall holders.

According to Arrie this is a more comprehensive package for tenants than they would normally get from

renting formal retail space in the CBD. “The stalls are located in the centre of town and close to the Old Harbour.

It provides exceptional exposure to the tenants and thousands of people are drawn to the area annually.”

The look and feel: No official proposals have been made for renaming or repainting the stalls. “This needs to be a democratic process where all the tenants are included,” says Arrie.

There have been several informal proposals made for rejuvenating the area, including repainting the stalls. This, however, will have to meet with approval from the municipality, the Heritage Committee and other tenants

in the area.

Arrie does envisage an upgrade of the stall area to make it more user friendly during off-peak season, such as the installation of roofs to protect shoppers from rain and wind.

The stalls will also have a marketing budget to inform potential visitors and bring people to the market.

Marketing actions will include a website, continuous marketing on social media and exposure to tourists through Cape Town Tourism and other tourism bodies.

The attraction: The people we want to attract fall into three categories, says

Arrie. “First and foremost we want to offer visitors and holidaymakers to Hermanus a place where they can walk, browse and relax. Secondly we want to attract visitors from ‘over the mountain’ to come and experience our market.

Local travellers make up a huge percentage of our visitors and we want to attract more of them here to the benefit of Hermanus as a whole.

“Lastly it is our aim to bring locals back to the CBD. Many residents to not come to town anymore. Local businesses are dependent on the residents and we want to offer them a place where they can come and visit.”

- De Waal Steyn

6 September 2016

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Be a tourist in your hometown

here is just never a dull moment in Hermanus.

Neither in tourism.

During the past week or two Hermanus has again played host to many international and local visitors.

It is always great when visitors promote our town, as Silke and Rainer Schimpf of Expert Tours did during their two-week stay here. This couple visited Hermanus with a crew of international TV presenters, professional film producers, photographers and free divers.

They spent their days at sea and their nights at our local restaurants.

The aim of the visit was to see if there was significantly different behaviour between the whales observed the previous year in Table Bay and our “local” whales. Legal arrangements regarding permits for operating in Walker Bay were granted by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Rainer had only praise for this department‘s efficiency as well as for the Hermanus Boat Club that helped with some of the logistical arrangements for this trip.

Jean Tresfon, a Capetonian marine conservation photographer accompanied the team. Jean’s work is highly acclaimed and Hermanus can

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Frieda’s Footprints

Tourism News by Frieda Lloyd

rest assured that only the best quality pictures will circulate online. Jean was named Getaway Gallery Photographer of the Year in 2007, he was the winner of the Durban Undersea Club Photo Competition in 2012 and had a commended image in the BBC/Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year for 2012.

Then there were the Australians. The Australian Travel Writers host their Annual General Meeting outside of Australia every two years. This year South Africa was elected for this event and attendees were treated to a pre- and post-AGM tour of

PROMOTING THE CAPE WHALE COAST At the recent Mini Indaba held at Arabella were Tourism Manager Frieda Lloyd, Glenda Kitley (Gansbaai Tourism), Anneline Duminy (Hermanus Tourism), Anecia Abrahams and Nicole Niemand (Kleinmond Tourism) and Abraham Newman (Stanford Tourism).

South Africa. The Cape Whale Coast was fortunate to be included in both itineraries and again we had visitors who documented their trip on camera and paper. If you notice an increase in Aussie visitors in six months time you will know how this came about.

There is no price on word of mouth and the travel writers returning to Australia to write about their experience provide invaluable promotion for our town.

The Cape Whale Coast does not leave all the marketing work for those who visit. Just like the annual tourism Indaba in Durban, there was a smaller, more personal, travel and tourism trade show at Arabella. On 24 and 25 August the second Cape Whale Coast Mini Indaba showcased our region with its diverse and plentiful offerings for travellers. Charmaine Beukes of White Shark Projects took the initiative with this show that brought 70 travel agents to our area.

Local tourism operations were given an opportunity to engage with tour operators with the objective of signing new business.

In spite of a few cold spells, on the whole Hermanus enjoyed great winter weather.

We have all the more reason to look forward to summer with the new Playa Cruises that will be introduced by Kim Maclean, better known as the Sharklady. Watch out for exciting news about these summer cruises that will leave

from the Hermanus New Harbour.

It might seem as if Hermanus is all play and no work but that is certainly not the case. We have just learnt to work harder at enjoying the natural beauty and adventure offered by the beautiful area in which we are privileged to live.

The challenge is always there try to be a tourist in your hometown and enjoy what is offered in such well-presented abundance.

Is it wrong to prefer animals to humans? I think not...

I should be named the patron saint of stray animals. I’m like the Angelina Jolie of animal adoption. I just need some serious cosmetic surgery and a spot at the United Nations.

Alyways

Of course, I had hand-raised it and couldn’t possibly say no. I can also not be trusted near any kind of animal welfare organisation and I don’t even look at adverts that feature homeless animals.

I have so many animals that I can’t even contemplate a weekend away, let alone a holiday. Dog discrimination is rife.

In that way, animals are worse than children because, with precious few exceptions, you can’t take them anywhere.

Aly Verbaan

The dogs are keen on travel but they aren’t allowed in most hotels or B&Bs, and the cats would rather I was flattened by a bus than leave their territory.

dropped animals at my door, sometimes the same people who I had found previously found the animal a home with.

I currently have three cats and two dogs of assorted colours so, no matter what I wear, I always look like a hairball.

One such person even left a note saying that the kitten I had given her was no longer so cute now that it was a cat, like the fact that it had grown up was a surprise to her. Mind

All my life people have

you, she felt the same about her children.

But, despite these precautions, I seem to have acquired another four-legged friend. A handsome hound that hangs out on Kwaaiwater moved in on Saturday and it doesn’t look like he has any plans to move. This is not the first time he has taken advantage of my hospitality.

even friends, come to think of it. Guests are appreciative of your hospitality for a few hours, but soon start whining about the range of your liquor cabinet and quickly tire of tinned food.

This never happens with animals. They also don’t complain about the bedding or the fact that they have to sleep on the floor.

Living like an animal is not a bad thing. Not that any of my menagerie sleep on the floor, but they know it could happen.

with a relish I have seldom seen in my vast experience of stray animals.

He was so at ease that even the cats barely gave him a second glance. Not even the neurotic furball who chews his nails to the quick every time a person comes to visit.

Of course, the new addition is more Fernkloof than Westdene, what with his taste in couches and his head on the pillow and all.

Not so long ago, he joined me on the beach under the umbrella for some cheese and biscuits, although he declined the wine.

I must have made a good impression, because on Saturday he sauntered in off the beach with my two hounds, Hamlet and Haydee, and made himself quite at home on the Pallucci couch.

It was just as we were all settling down for the night that I noticed it. A collar. With silver footprint studs on it.

Of course, a scam-artist. A dog with a good home, just looking for a little variety.

Suddenly I was jealous. I felt like a prospective adoptive parent on a waiting list.

That said, stray animals are better than stray people. Or

At dinnertime, he queued up with everyone else and ate

I pulled out all the stops, serving up grilled lamb

knuckles and chicken strips to the hound dog on the good silver, nogal, and to the others as well so they wouldn’t be jealous. It must have done the trick because he was still on the couch in the morning, patiently waiting for breakfast. I served poached eggs and bacon with a side saucer of milk, which I would never do for a human.

I don’t yet know what the scam-dog’s plan is but if he stays I’m going to call him Frank Sinatra.

He did it his way.

[For pet-friendly spots visit http://www.petfriendly.info/accommodation /hermanus, or http://holidogz.co.za/petfriendly-accommodationHermanus. Europa Restaurant is also dog friendly, as is Sandown Blues in Kleinmond.]

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It’s up to us to find the baboon solution Kim Gordon

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es, it’s baboons yet again: they’re a burning issue - while some residents enjoy watching the social antics of the troop, others find them an absolute menace.

The fact of the matter is that they inhabited this area long before we arrived, so technically we are the ones infringing on their territory.

But are there significant behavioural differences between the two habitat types they spend their time in, that is, nature reserves and suburbs?

Being an opportunistic species, Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) have learnt over time how to take advantage of the relaxed nature of urban homes regarding easy access to highcalorie foods tossed into bins, large bowls of fruit on display in open windows, fruit trees just waiting to be exploited, delicious compost heaps and, of course, vegetable gardens that are too enticing to ignore.

Thus it is best to refrain from growing fruit trees; enclose your vegetable gardens and compost heaps; manage your waste; and avoid putting a monkey’s dream dessert on display on your windowsill.

By following the recommendations for baboon-proofing your home, you are playing your part in helping discourage baboons from entering the suburbs, because if they learn that there is no longer five-star food available, they won’t bother with the energy of the trek.

Unfortunately, not everyone plays by these rules, and the baboons are rewarded for their sneaky tactics often enough to keep them coming back.

Clearly they have out-smarted

us. Unfortunately, they are also shot and killed by the animal-haters who also unfortunately live amongst us.

head. Once they are out, you can go ahead and scream and shout the living bejeezus out of the situation, as your nerves will probably need it.

Baboons are a very intelligent, social species. The females of the troop are the glue - only males migrate to find a new troop when they are of age (for genetic diversity). Males fight for alpha status and can sometimes give baboons a bad reputation for being aggressive, which they are not under normal circumstances. Males also pull their weight in the troop by keeping the females in line and being protectors against perceived threats.

Data collection up to this point shows that during the winter months they range from Hermanus Heights and the golf course across to 13th Avenue in Voëlklip. They also move right down toward the beach at 10th Street and forage deep into Fernkloof Nature Reserve at altitudes of 460 m. They tend to sleep on the golf course or in rocky cliffs and high caves in the reserve.

Even though there appear to be no natural predators of the Fernkloof troop, they are in fact not increasing in numbers, as many seem to think. The troop has actually decreased since the baboon monitors were last with them.

Due to habitat fragmentation, it is already a small troop, considering that some troops on the Cape peninsula number over 100.

By raiding easy targets, it allows them to free up the rest of the day for socialising and resting, instead of constantly foraging to meet their daily nutrition needs. I think most of us would choose the same route, if one had the option.

If they do manage to enter your house, do not make eye contact, as they perceive this as threatening. Remain calm as you usher them out of the house if you can, preferably the same way they came in.

By keeping the situation calm you may also save yourself a nasty clean-up job, because if they are startled or frightened they will defecate in your home, so try to keep a level

It is essential to ensure that the biodiversity of the area is not compromised. Baboons are a necessary part of the ecosystem.

Whereas most fynbos usually requires fire to disperse their seeds, baboons are successful seed dispersers and make a considerable contribution toward this in the absence of fire. Evidence of this can be seen just by looking up at the yellow-speckled hills of Fernkloof Nature Reserve lately; Leucodendron are spread far and wide.

Humans have caused irreversible damage to the natural environment over hundreds of years, resulting in the significant shrinkage of natural habitats, causing more adaptive wildlife to seek out resources in humaninhabited areas.

We are now at the point where we need to learn to live with wildlife and not fight it. Let’s leave the concrete jungles to the big cities, and rather pave the way for coexistence between humans and wildlife in beautiful Hermanus.

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to living with baboons.

‘Virtual fence’ for baboons is next step The termination of the baboon monitors has left many in the lurch.

Councillor David Botha is working on a “virtual fence”, which works by volunteers receiving information on the troops’ whereabouts via GPS on their cellphones. This will indicate where the equipment needs to be activated.

The idea is to collar the alpha male and dominant female of the troop, which will allow their movements to be tracked via cellphones. If they get too close, sound boxes are deployed to scare them away.

The sound boxes play predator calls and alarms, and make use of “bear bangers”, a small pyrotechnic device that makes a loud bang.

Some of the necessary equipment has already been purchased.

The Hermanus Rate Payers’ Association, under the direction of Pam Herd, offered to seek out volunteers to monitor the baboons and coordinate the project.

“ “

A minimum of six volunteers are imperative to the success of the project.

Penalties for hunting a baboon are up to two years in jail or a hefty R10 000 fine, or both.

However, while there are a few willing volunteers, most residents still feel that baboon monitors should be back in place and that the municipality should take responsibility for the dilemma.

David responds: “Yes the baboon problem is of epic proportions, and although the control thereof does not fall under the mandate of the Overstrand Municipality, they are taking the problem very seriously in search of a solution. Currently the municipality is in discussion with nature conservation organisation.”

”

”

Says Pam: “It is important that people are educated about baboons and their habitat, as there are too many people who want to just eradicate them, which is illegal as they are an endangered species.”

If you would like to be a volunteer, contact David on 079 491 6218 or at dbotha@overstrand.gov.za

6 September 2016

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Put a spring in your art step

eptember is Tourism Month and, rather fittingly, this month’s Hermanus First Fridays (HFF) Artwalk took place on the second day of Tourism Month. The event embodies this year’s theme of “Tourism for all”, which promotes universal accessibility.

“HFF is an initiative of Hermanus Tourism that has removed cultural and social barriers and allows for

different communities to integrate in the spirit of art appreciation,” says Cape Whale Coast tourism manager, Frieda Lloyd.

“There is no charge, it is social and it’s fun. Artwalkers enjoy not only the wonderful array of art on display but also wine and snacks on the way. It’s the perfect way to start the weekend. HFF encourages residents to become tourists in their own

town and to enjoy an outing that does not cost a cent.”

Andrew Barlow and Greg Stock. This exhibition will run until 19 September.

September’s HFF coincided with the opening of a group exhibition at Rossouw Modern’s SPACE Gallery entitled 4 000 Hours. The title refers to the four thousand collective hours of work in charcoal, graphite pencil and pastels by six artists - Ruan Huisamen, Henk Serfontein, Frans Mulder, Jono Dry,

The atmosphere at Adèle Claudia Fouché Gallery in Astoria Walk was particularly festive during last week’s Artwalk as Adèle celebrated her gallery’s first birthday.

Artwalkers were treated to tasty snacks and Seven Springs wines poured by the winemaker herself, Riana van der Merwe.

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Two brand-new galleries, Canvas of Life behind Wine & Co. in High Street and Kunskantoor in The Courtyard off Harbour Road, now form part of HFF. Adding the Hermanus Art Circle’s pop-up gallery in the Whale Museum Theatre to the mix brings the total to 18, as opposed to the 11 galleries that formed part of the inaugural HFF in October 2014.

For those who have not

experienced the joy of becoming an Artwalker, be sure to join in the next event on Friday 7 October when the art galleries in the centre of town remain open from 17:00 – 20:00.

Next month’s Artwalk is sure to be a festive event as it will be the second anniversary of this popular and successful tourism initiative.

- Hedda Mittner

Talita Engelbrecht of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, gallery owner Jozua Rossouw and artist Frans Mulder at SPACE.

Marlene Erasmus, Martie Buys, Meryl Smuts and Sandra Boshoff at Originals Gallery.

Artist Adéle Nortje with Gilly Shreeve, chairperson of the Hermanus Art Circle.

Frieda Lloyd and Rehan Pitout at Lembu Gallery.

Adèle Fouché celebrated her gallery’s first birthday with Annelie Barnard, and Roelof and Toinette du Toit.

John de Gruchy of Volmoed with the owner of The Book Cottage, John Morris at Adèle Claudia Fouché Gallery.

Funds handed over to Lize On Monday morning, 22 August, a number of locals, artists and gallery owners gathered at The Art Gallery in Royal Lane to hand over funds to artist Lize van der Walt. In June this year, Lize suffered severe burns to her neck and face in a freak accident whilst operating an ethanol heater at her home studio in Voëlklip.

The art community and people of Hermanus all rallied around Lize and various fundraisers were started to help cover the costs of her treatment.

The "Walk for Lize" charity campaign hosted by the Hermanus First Fridays (HFF) Artwalk in August raised just over R16 000, while Tronel Meintjies of Hermanus Staan Saam donated a further R3 000.

Lize expressed her thanks to all the generous art lovers and galleries who donated artworks that were raffled during the campaign, including Originals Gallery, Walker Bay Art Gallery, Gallery 19, Malcolm Bowling Art, Pure

South, Art Thirst, Lembu Gallery & Studio, Abalone Art Gallery, Jaco Sieberhagen, Anthea van der Pluym, Peter Earle, Gerda Pretorius, Fred Hatman, Sue Gorris, Lawrance and Cathy Brennon, Charmé Southey, Lucia Lamprecht, Paulette van den Bosch and Anneline Pretorius.

“I am so grateful to Jeandré for initiating this campaign,” said Lize, “and to all the people who made donations.

I am overwhelmed by all the love in this town.”

PHOTO: Tanya Tiefenthaler, I Love Hermanus COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE At the hand-over of funds to Lize were two of the lucky raffle winners, with Ed Breedenkamp, Malcolm Bowling, Lize van der Walt, Liz Coates, Jeandré Marinier, Paulette van den Bosch, Annelie and Gerda Pretorius, and Charmé Southey.

WIN AN EASEL DRAW Customers of the Art Shop in Mitchell Street recently had the opportunity to win a professional artist easel to the value of R3 500. Anyone spending R300 or more at the shop before 15 August became eligible for the draw, and The NEWS was invited to pick the names of the 20 finalists. The lucky entrants were invited to attend the final draw on Saturday, 27 August, and enjoy snacks and wine with owner Derek Goosen. The fortunate customer who won the mobile and fully adjustable beechwood easel was Richard Smith, while the other 19 finalists each received a gift from the Art Shop. Richard and his wife, Liane Dutilleux, are both artists who have been living in Onrus for the past 12 years. At the handover, Richard (second from left) celebrated his good fortune with Art Shop assistant, Chrizelle Appel, manager Isabel Greyvenstein and owner Derek Goosen.

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Good reasons to visit Hermanus Flower Festival

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he Hermanus Flower Festival has been showcasing the wonders of spring in our fynbos for over 60 years. This year’s festival will once again take place at Fernkloof Nature Reserve from 22 to 25 September, and there are many good reasons to visit this very special place.

The ‘Fynbos & Fire’ theme of the festival affords an opportunity to see why Fernkloof Nature Reserve needs fire. Visit the area that burned nine months ago and you will be amazed at how green it looks and how much diversity there is in the plant life popping up everywhere. You can take your own self-directed walk or join Whale Coast Conservation’s Eco-experience ‘Fynbos, Fire and Frogs’ on Friday 23 September from 14:30 – 16:00 or on Saturday 24 September from 13:00 – 14:30.

found in Fernkloof Nature Reserve, 60 years after it was last sighted near Houwhoek.

A poster exhibit carefully assembled by author and orchid expert, William (Bill) Liltved, reflects developmental phases of this mysterious reed-like plant.

“Cape Orchids”, the beautiful and comprehensive double volume book set based on 20 years of painstaking work by Bill Liltved and Stephen Johnson, will be on sale. On Saturday morning Bill will be available to answer questions you may have on this very remarkable find.

What about honing your skill in capturing the natural beauty of the flowers in Fernkloof in a fun workshop with thephotowalkers.com? Entitled “Macro and Close-up”, the photographic workshop is from 15:00 – 16:00 on Saturday.

Don’t miss the spectacular display of fynbos in the Fernkloof Hall and the over 300 identified species in bloom in the reserve in September. A wonderful photographic display will illustrate very tangibly the process of regrowth from the fire in December to spring in September.

A very special exhibit awaits all festival visitors this year. A single flowering plant of the very rare Disa forficaria was

There will be something for the youngsters too, with face painting each afternoon look like your favourite flower or how about a butterfly, bee or beetle? A treasure hunt for the little ones on Saturday and Sunday in the morning and a clueless caper for their older brothers and sisters in the afternoon will keep them amused, not to mention Francois and his slithering fynbos snakes.

Regrettably, the fun run on Sunday morning had to be cancelled, but why not join the doggy walk instead? Take your favourite four-legged friend in whatever floral attire takes their fancy - flowery collar, hat or waistcoat or at least a fresh flower necklace.

Hear about the do(o)s and don’ts of walking on a leash and let dog trainer Janina show you how easy it is, hunt for surprise treats in the gardens and enjoy a walk together on the blue route, designated as dog-friendly.

There will be lots to learn from exhibits in the marquee, fresh flowers and environmentally themed items to buy from the Botanical Society stand and a chance to relax over tea and coffee with cake or a light lunch with a glass of wine.

Learners from Hawston and the Hermanus Visual Arts and Design Centre have been hard at work on an art project to represent their interpretation of ‘Fynbos & Fire’. Be sure not to miss the amazing talent shown by this group of young people through their art displayed in the marquee.

Entry fees: Adults R20, under12s free, dogs gratis, pensioners R10 on Thursday.

Bookings for the EcoAdventure: At the WCC stand in the marquee or contact anina.wcc@gmail.com or 083 242 3295. Bookings for the photographic workshop: funtimes@thephotowalkers. com or 083 293 7208.

Celebrate spring at Funky Fynbos The Funky Fynbos Festival is back this year for the third time, from 24 to 25 September. The venue is the beautiful Flower Valley, which will be the start and finish point for the sporting events, with a fantastic area for the entertainment, food and craft stalls. The festival committee has selected the Flower Valley Pre-School as the beneficiary of the festival again this year.

A new 64 km Monster Challenge mountain-bike route has been added to the 45 km Monster to challenge the most experienced rider.

The new route is bigger and better with more single track, fast downhills and funky jumps, surrounded by fynbos and the beautiful countryside.

For families and the not so fit, there are still the very challenging 30 km and 20 km routes and a new 8 km short route so that everyone can

get out and enjoy these spectacular surroundings.

The Fynbos Trail Runs will once again live up to expectations, leaving you tired but exhilarated. Options include the 30 km Trail Run, the 12 km or 6 km. All preentries will receive a goodie bag, and there are fantastic prizes up for grabs. There will once again be two Momsem Fat Bikes to give away in the super lucky draw on the day.

You can expect the unique Funky Fynbos brand of fun and festivities for the whole family to enjoy, including DJ Kim Sharklady playing some funky tunes, local craft stalls, hot coffee, delicious food, ice cold beer, tractor rides, jumping castle, face painting and other children’s activities; along with the MTB & Trail Runs at Flower Valley.

Visit the pop-up restaurant to tantalise your taste buds with

artisanal food, and enjoy wine tasting at Lomond Wine Estate, which will host live music along with a fishing competition at the dam. All the 4 x 4 action will take place at Panorama.

You can also enjoy a farmer’s breakfast or ploughman’s lunch with some refreshing wine and beer while watching the model aircraft flying antics at Groeneweide Farm, which is the venue for this year’s famous Gansbaai Fynbos Display.

Celebrating their 20th year of showcasing our beautiful heritage, Fynbos Joy is not to be missed.

Save the date and be sure to bring friends and family along to enjoy this funky fun-filled festival amongst the fynbos.

For more detailed race and festival information, visit www.funkyfynbos.co.za or contact Karen on 083 784 6628.

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6 September 2016

Restaurant News curious members of the public last week. The M Hotel is now open for business and the first guests have been welcomed.

By Hedda Mittner

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he NEWS is not the only local business that reached a milestone this month. The Milkwood Restaurant & Beach Hut in Onrus is celebrating its first birthday under the new ownership of Jo Campbell and Carol Judge, who opened their doors on 1 September last year after an extensive revamp.

It was a double celebration as the couple also completed renovations to their new guesthouse in Van Blommestein Street, The M Hotel, and opened it up to

Down at the restaurant, loyal supporters and friends celebrated with a glass of bubbly and delicious canapés while admiring Alex Forsyth’s artworks. The exhibition of her work at The Milkwood is entitled Life in Full Colour and includes mixed media and mosaic art. The exhibition will run until the end of February next year.

The restaurant offered different daily specials for the whole week, with the last special on Wednesday 7 September – 2 for 1 cake and coffee or tea. So if you managed to get a copy of The NEWS early this week, you know where to go for your caffeine kick and a sweet treat on Wednesday.

Next month will also see the start of a new chapter for The

Chef Eric Bulpitt will be leaving The Restaurant @ Newton Johnson at the end of September.

Restaurant @ Newton Johnson. After his three-year tenure, award-winning chef Eric Bulpitt will be hanging up his apron at the end of September to open a brandnew restaurant at Avondale Estate in the Paarl Valley.

“Our best wishes accompany Eric and we are excited with him about this new challenge, at which we are sure he will excel,” says Angelique McFarlane from Newton Johnson Family Vineyards.

Taking over from Eric will be Nick Oosthuizen, previous owner of the small guesthouse and award-winning restaurant, Herberg Roosje van de Kaap, in Swellendam.

Nick will bring his own fiery style to the restaurant, using the flames of Newton Johnson’s new wood-burning oven as the source of energy.

Local residents Janine Neethling and Deon Opperman with artist Alex Forsyth at The Milkwood.

Although Nick trained as a lawyer, he has always been a food lover. His partnership with fire began many years ago when he mastered the art of making crisp Roman-style pizzas at the quaint Italian restaurant in Stellenbosch where he worked during his student years.

12 October. According to him The Restaurant will offer an upmarket bistro environment that will attract both locals and international visitors.

“The dishes will be aimed at a broader market but will still retain their fine dining character,” says Nick.

Other changes afoot in the valley include the closure of the restaurant at La Vierge for the next two months – they will however continue to offer wine tasting at the tasting venue seven days a week. According to Paul van Doorn of La Vierge Wines, the restaurant will re-open under new management on 1 November, if not sooner.

We’ll keep you posted.

Congratulations to Petrus and Estelle Hendriksz on the 14th birthday of Fusion. With the final round of Fusion’s eightweek Quiz Nights done and dusted, the Tequila Mockingbird team emerged as the victors for the second year in

a row. The Good News team was hoping to clinch second place but was pipped to the post by half a point by the Valley Veg team. Enough said, except that we’ll be back next year! For those die-hard quizzers out there who are now suffering from withdrawal symptoms on a Thursday evening, why not join Casa Beira-Mar for their fun Quiz Nights on the last Thursday of the month.

Teams of up to four people can take part at only R20 pp.

Apparently there are great prizes up for grabs. Call Ricardo on 063 388 7715 for details and to book a table.

more. The venue is ideally suited for accommodating large groups and there is even space to open up a dance floor.

Members of Percy Heywood’s wine club, the Non-Stop Winers, had the pleasure of being hosted at Source for their last meeting on Monday evening, 29 August, where they were introduced to Lieben Wines. Winemaker Alwyn Liebenberg gave the low-down on his Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Quinta de Sul Vintage Port, which were expertly paired with four courses created by chef Warwick and his team.

Contact Source on 028 125 0025.

At Hemel-en-Aarde Village, Warwick Taylor’s new restaurant, Source, continues to delight and will now also be open on Sundays. Their new operating hours are from 08:00 – 16:00, 7 days a week.

They will however be closed for dinner except for private functions of 20 people or

Speaking of food and wine pairing, Fisherman’s Cottage was the venue on Sunday evening, 28 August for the second in a series of events presented by The Old Harbour Collective. On this occasion chef Anton Verhoogt teamed up with Domaine des Dieux and Vanderbolt Coffee

Theo van Niekerk of Vanderbolt Coffee Company and Bridget Bartleman of Domaine des Dieux with the owners of Fisherman’s Cottage, chef Anton Verhoogt and his wife Nicole, and daughter Nina.

“When I became the innkeeper of Roosje van de Kaap, I first built the oven and then the rooms came after that,” he quips.

Carol Judge, co-owner of The Milkwood with the first guests to book into their new guesthouse, Jacqui and Nigel Green from the UK.

Nick has mustered a new team and they will kick off on

The Non-Stop Winers were hosted by Source for their club’s latest tasting.

Company. Six courses were paired with Domaine des Dieux’s Claudia Brut MCC, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petit Rosé and Syrah Mourverdré, while the talented jazz trio, Alan Cameron and Friends, contributed to the mellow vibe. Chef Anton says they will continue to present a Food and Wine Pairing on the last Sunday of every month. For more details or to book a table, call 028 312 3642.

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Col’Cacchio Hermanus does its bit

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ol’Cacchio Hermanus, known for its traditionally inspired Italian food with a special focus on crisp thin-based pizzas, was opened in December 2012 by experienced restaurant couple, Angela and Ben Clifford, and has become a popular destination among locals and visitors alike.

Locals however, enjoy the added advantage of getting 50% off their pizzas on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (after 16:00) until 30 November. The Cliffords are also looking forward to this year’s Celebrity Chef Series which kicks off in October and sees SA’s hottest chefs presenting their take on a signature pizza. This forms part of a nationwide Col’Cacchio fundraising campaign for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

As a franchise, Col’Cacchio has a strong sense of corporate social responsibility which Ben

and Angela have implemented in the Overstrand by supporting a number of projects that focus on childhood development. With their son Leo being a Grade 6 learner at Hermanus Primary, the couple has become involved in fundraising activities for the school while also assisting nursery schools in the area.

“When we relocated to Hermanus from the UK in 2010, I was amazed to find out how much fundraising is left to private individuals and what a fantastic job the schools themselves do on the very small budgets they receive from Government,” says Ben. “Angela and I thought that we would help out and do our bit.”

Last month the couple sponsored the Col’Cacchio Drive-through fundraiser for Hermanus Primary’s U13 boys and girls hockey tour to the

Garden Route at the end of August. They also donated a rugby ball with the signatures of the U21 Western Province rugby team and their coaches, which was auctioned to the highest bidder to generate additional funds.

Col’Cacchio Hermanus also supports the Little Fishes in Zwelihle and Duifies en Kuifies in Mount Pleasant.

These ECD centres are aimed at improving the lives of children and they are in great need of support. One of the ways in which Col’Cacchio is assisting the centres is by donating all their used paper table cloths and used crayons.

The next time you enjoy a pizza at Col’Cacchio, know that you are not only pleasing your palate but also making a contribution towards helping children in need.

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6 September 2016

Wednesday 7 September • OAK movie: Overstrand Arts / Kunste (OAK) presents a movie night on the first Wednesday of every month, at the Municipal Auditorium, starting at 18:00. This month’s movie is The Judge, starring Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr. Tickets are R45 pp (R30 for OAK members), available at the door. For enquiries, call John Taylor on 079 392 7282 or René du Plooy on 082 940 4238.

Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 September • Elvis Blue Live: Popular singer and winner of SA Idols 2010, Elvis Blue, will perform at the Blêr Teater at Hermanus High School, at 20:00.

Tickets are R150 pp. To book, call Amanda on 082 870 6744.

• ‘Kolwyntjie-Teetuin’: Senior citizens in the area are invited to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at the Service Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) of the Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus for only R30, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30.

Friday 9 – Sunday 11 September • Ride2Nowhere: Experience the local hospitality of McGregor at this three-day MTB Stage Race which caters for the social weekend warriors as well as racing snakes (in hibernation). The event has a relaxed and allinclusive vibe, with lots of food, red wine and local entertainment. Tickets available from entries.ride2nowhere.co.za • Wine, Whales and Music: Join the De Hoop Collection for breathtaking land-based whale watching and a weekend line-up of food and wine pairing, music and whale talks. Booking essential. Contact 021 422 4522 or info@dehoopcollection.co.za

Saturday 10 September

Thursday 8 September • U3A Open Meeting: A talk on the life and works of the colourful, avant-garde French composer and pianist Erik Satie by guest speaker Prof Ella Fourie, entitled Satie – Freak or Genius? At the Municipal Auditorium, at 17:30.

R10 admission. All welcome.

• L2L Practice Walk: The Lighthouse to Lighthouse ladies will have their first practice walk for the big 2017 event, along the beautiful coastline of Hermanus, from 08:00 – 13:00. Registered walkers, friends, family members, walking enthusiasts are all welcome to join. Meet at The Beanery in Gateway Centre at 07:45. The 22 km walk will follow the contour path through Fernkloof Reserve, down to Grotto beach and along the Cliff Path to the Old Harbour and back to Gateway. You’ll need a day backpack with 4l water, snacks, sunscreen and walking shoes. For queries, contact info@lighthouse2lighthouse.co.za

• Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00.

Visitors welcome. Contact Ian Wallace on 082 895 8738 or Metcalf Fick on 082 568 2193.

Friday 9 September • U3A Talk on Rheumatology: U3A Overberg will run a course on the Latest Medical Developments from 9 Sep to 14 October. The first talk will be presented by Dr Clive Pettipher who specialises in Rheumatology. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• Sunset Strings: A quintet of professional musicians from the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra will play a selection of classical and easily accessible pieces at the Stanford Valley Guest Farm, at 17:30, before they head to De Hoop to perform the Serenade of the Whales.

R120 per adult, R80 for children under 18. Bring your own picnic or pre-book a picnic basket.

Cash bar available. To book, contact Stanford Tourism on 028 341 0340.

• OAK Concert: Overstrand Arts / Kunste presents the Melicus Duo from the UK, Marie Vassiliou (soprano) and Nico de Villiers (piano), who will be joined by Corinne Morris (cello). Marie and Nico started their collaboration in 2011 and focus on the relationship between words and music in the art song genre. As part of their SA Tour, the trio’s recital programme will include works by Schubert, Granados, Ginastera, Liszt and Piazzolla. Tickets are R130 (R60 for students). At the Municipal Auditorium, at 19:00.

Call 028 3124988 to book your seats.

Friday 9 & 16 September • Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats at the Hermanus Library for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats), every Friday, 09:00-11:30.

• Shop from my closet Spring Market: Previously loved clothes market, with great quality clothes for great prices. At the De Wet Hall in Onrus, from 09:00 – 13:00.

• Jack & André Live at The Deli: Back home from their European Tour, international musicians Jack Mantis and André Geldenhuys will perform at the Original Deli for one night only. Slightly country, slightly folk... well, book a table and enjoy. R100 pp, starting at 19:00 for 19:30. Call 028 313 2137.

Saturday 10 & 17 September • Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00. Free timed 5 km walk or run come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

• Lemm’s Corner Market: From 08:30, Main Road, Hermanus. Crafts, clothes, jewellery, bags, toys and art.

• Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 10:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

• The Hermanus Country Market: Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:0013:00. Stunning food, fresh and wholesome goodies.

• Market in the Garden: At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, 09:00-13:00. A wonderful market set amongst the trees in the heart of town.

Join the St Peter’s Coffee Morning and enjoy a sweet treat for only R10 and a cup of coffee or tea for only R5. Sit down in the shady garden and enjoy the surrounds.

• Stanford Saturday Morning Market: The Stanford Hotel, 09:30-12:00. Farmers, crafters and hobbyists bring to you homemade and home-baked goodies.

• Swallow Park Market: Browse the new market at Swallow Park between 09:00 and 13:00.

Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 September

• Staalwater Trail Run & MTB Challenge: Now in its seventh consecutive year, Staalwater features both mountain bike and trail running events in the picturesque Caledon area.

Offering routes for everyone, from amateurs to advanced riders and runners, so bring the whole family for a fun-filled weekend! The trail runs take place on Saturday (distances: 15 km & 7 km) and the Mountain Bike Challenge on Sunday (distances: 60 km, 40 km & 15 km).

Enter at www.dirtopia.co.za

Sunday 11 September • Fernkloof Holistic Faire: Mingle with an array of therapists, artists and crafters, at Fernkloof Nature Reserve, for the monthly Holistic Faire from 10:00 – 15:00. Entrance is free. Contact Lucia on 028 316 5312 or 082 811 6061.

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course started on 6 September and will run until 11 October. Episodes 5 & 6 will be presented on Tuesday 20 September.

Wednesday 14 September • Photography Chit Chat: Join thephotowalkers.com for their monthly gettogether at 25 Berg Street, Onrus, from 19:00 – 20:30. The theme is Understanding Tone and how it resonates in Black and White Photography. To book, pop into The Photo Shed on Market Square or contact Leanne Dryburgh on funtimes@thephotowalkers.com/ 083 293 7208.

Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17 September • Agri Mega Week: Experience, touch and smell the sustainability of food security at this popular agricultural expo. At Mega Park, Bredasdorp, Wednesday to Friday from 09:00 - 17:00; Saturday from 08:00 - 16:00. Tickets R80 (adults), R70 (pensioners), R30 (scholars) and children u/3 free. Get all the info at www.agrimegaweek.co.za

Friday 16 September • U3A Talk on Optometry: The second talk in U3A Overberg’s course on Latest Medical Developments will be presented by local optometrist Johan Pretorius. He will be talking about Advances in Optometry regarding cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetes, with the latest research on light, sleeping patterns and cognitive decline. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• The Sound of Movies: Join the Northcliff House College learners as they journey through the cinematic soundtracks of eras past and present. At the Sandbaai Hall; doors open at 18:30 and the show starts at 19:00. Tickets are R50 pp (R30 for u/18s). For more information or to purchase tickets contact Katherine at kliefeldt@hotmail.com.

Saturday 17 September • Photography Workshops: thephotowalkers.com are offering two workshops – the first will be ‘Sunrise on Voëlklip’ from 06:15 – 08:15, at Voëlkip Beach. The second one, ‘My Camera Basics’, will help you understand the basics of photography in a small group, from 15:00 – 17:00 at the Old Harbour.

To book, pop into The Photo Shed on Market Square or contact Leanne Dryburgh at 083 293 7208 or funtimes@thephotowalkers.com

Tuesday 20 September Monday 12 September • BirdLife Overberg meeting: This month’s talk by Anton Odendal will feature the birding delights of the Tankwa Karoo, in anticipation of BirdLife Overberg’s tour to the Tankwa next year. The talk will be illustrated with images of 111 species to be found in the region, of which an astonishing 51 are endemic and 19 nearendemic to southern Africa. Catering at R80 per head. Remember to bring your own drinks and glasses. At the community hall, Mollergren Park, 18:30 for 19:00. RSVP Helé at birding@southernartceramics.com or 073 456 0393.

Tuesday 13 September • U3A Course on Images from the Hubble Space Telescope: Episodes 3 & 4 of this exciting DVD course, revealing dramatic images from our own Milky Way and then out to the Sagittarius clouds and the Eagle Nebula.

At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00. The

• Spring in the Valley: Join thephotowalkers .com on a photographic meander to capture the budding vines and blossoms in the Hemel-enAarde Valley, from 09:00 – 11:00. To book, pop into The Photo Shed on Market Square or contact Leanne Dryburgh on 083 293 7208 or funtimes@thephotowalkers.com • WCC Meeting: Whale Coast Conservation’s Annual General Meeting will be held at The Green House in Vermont at 17:30. The brief AGM will be followed immediately by a talk ‘Ocean Conservation from the Public’s Perspective’ by brilliant photographer and guest speaker Jean Tresfon. Contact 028 316 2527 or 083 242 3295.

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

This is the Good News, says editor

herever there is a pervasive sense of community, a paper that serves the special informational needs of that community will remain indispensable to a significant portion of its residents.

This quote from Warren Buffett, investment guru and one of the richest and most respected businessmen in the world, was the driving force behind the establishment of The Village NEWS, says Editing Publisher De Waal Steyn.

“It has always been my dream to serve the community of which I am a member. As a newspaper man and journalist by heart and training, I am convinced that newspapers reign supreme in the delivery of local news. In the year since the first 12-page edition of The

NEWS was published on 1 September 2015, the paper has become the fastest growing publication in the area.”

Not only has the paper grown from a total of 14 advertisers in the first edition to a loyal customer base of more than 80 advertisers a year later, it has also seen an increase in both reader and distribution numbers.

“As of this edition we are increasing our print run to 7 000 copies every two weeks and we have increased the number of distribution points to more than 100, including large retailers, shops, restaurants, guesthouses, hotels, art galleries and wine farms across the whole region. This now affords us more than 28 000 readers per

edition. With the continued support of our communities, our aim is to shortly publish 10 000 copies every two weeks,” he says. “Readers might notice that from this edition, we are also printing on an even better quality paper that is thicker than the previous editions.”

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Newspapers reign supreme in the delivery of local news

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Apart from this growth The NEWS also embarked on a strong online strategy that has seen its Facebook group growing to more than 6 000 users and the online PDF version of the paper garnering more than 100 000 reads.

Buffett stated that if you want to know what’s going on in your town - whether the news is about the mayor or taxes or the school - there is no substitute for a local

newspaper that is doing its job. A reader’s eyes may glaze over after they take in a couple of paragraphs about politics or crime; a story about the reader himself or his neighbours will be read to the end.

“And this is what we are all about. The Cape Whale Coast is an area where there is an overwhelming sense of community. As the only locally operated and owned free newspaper, The NEWS offers its advertisers the affordable rates they deserve.

We offer our readers not only insightful content but our stories are aimed at educating, informing and entertaining.”

Not only has The NEWS grown in readers and advertising, it has also grown from two part-time to four

full-time and two part-time employees. “The magic of The NEWS is its staff. We are a highly dedicated team with more than 60 years of combined media experience.

On production weekends the lights in the office can be seen burning from the wee hours of the morning till late at night,” says De Waal.

“We all firmly believe in our product and we have fun doing our work. It is sometimes said that working at a newspaper is not a job description but rather a diagnosis. But we take our work seriously and ensure that we add value to both our readers and advertisers.”

The Village NEWS team thanks its readers and advertisers for their continued support and we look forward to spending many more years with you.

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6 September 2016

A Bavarian long weekend by the sea Travel F eel like a break but pushed for funds and time? Tucked away in the shifting sands of the Namib Desert on the barren West Coast lies the enigmatic Bavarian frontier town of Swakopmund, a little piece of Germany within weekend range - only a two-hour flight from Cape Town.

Way back in the midnineteenth century, Bavarian missionaries and traders opened up Namibia’s interior, and in 1884 Germany annexed the country, entrenching Bavarian architecture, culture and tradition.

During these early years Swakopmund served as the main harbour for feeding the growth of the country and became, in effect, a Bavarian frontier village. When the role of principal harbour passed on to Walvis Bay, 40 kilometres to the south, Swakopmund’s unique atmosphere and singular charm ensured that it became Namibia’s premier resort – a position it still holds today.

Its excellent climate and proximity to one of the most dramatic and sensational wastelands in Africa make it a popular attraction for tourists and the town is brim full of excellent accommodation choices at every level.

German architecture, pubs and restaurants, plus an omnipresent sense of history, create a town that is more European than African. The weather here offers respite from the severe heat of

By Roy Watts summer, but the cool winds blowing from the frigid Atlantic onto the warm desert sands create frequent early morning mists that dissipate and make way for glorious weather after 10am.

Swakopmund exists purely as a resort town, and as such is geared to satisfying the aspirations of the large and varied population of national and international tourists streaming through its precincts. In a majestic design adventure, the disused and derelict station was transformed into the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre which would satisfy the highest expectations.

Large contributors to the cosmopolitan atmosphere are the fascinating restaurants on offer. Chief of these is the Brauhaus that could have been lifted straight out of the Munich October Beer Festival. The food is good and the

atmosphere convivial in true German style.

An almost obligatory visit for gourmands in Swakopmund is the Tug Restaurant situated next to the historic jetty which has been an integral part of the town’s history for more than a century. The Danie Hugo ended its career guiding liners into the Walvis Bay Harbour, and was scrapped in the 1980s. A large portion of the ship was used to create an atmospheric eatery with very nautical ambiance. Excellent meals are served in front of a restless sea crashing onto the rocky shoreline directly in front of the building.

Perched at the end of the jetty next to the Tug Boat Restaurant is one of Swakopmund’s more recent bistros.

The pier, built in 1905, was constructed as a landing stage for supply shuttles from the ships anchored further

out to sea. The jetty has been overhauled and reinforced to enable the development of the restaurant, Jetty 1905 – which served its first meal in October 2010. The ambiance is really dramatic and dining in the midst of a storm with wind-driven spray and boiling seas on all sides, could make any meal an adventure in itself.

These are only three of the 45 restaurants that operate in and around Swakopmund, so there is plenty of scope for culinary exploration.

Soaking up the European ambiance of this captivating village is great, but it is the wilderness excursions that are the raison d’être for a visit to Swakopmund. And to service the huge influx of tourists there is an army of tour operators and adventure brokers providing escapades like hot air ballooning, dune sand boarding, quad biking, paragliding, angling and all manner of outdoor activities.

A two hour drive eastwards towards Windhoek will take you to the Spitzkoppe. If God made Namibia in anger as many believe, he must have been really ticked off when he got around to this part of the world. An angry rock superstructure is covered with random boulders, some as big as oil rigs that glow with an orange tint at sunrise and sunset. Stone arches and granite abstracts combine with enormous slabs to present a tableau of breathtaking beauty.

In a process stretching back millions of years, Old Man Orange River has been sweeping vast quantities of sand into the Atlantic Ocean where the Benguela Current carries it northwards and duly dumps it back along the lengthy Namibian coastline.

The wind then kicks in and in a relay blowing sand from one dune onto the next, sets in motion the ongoing and ever-changing abstract work of art that is the Namib

Desert. Subtle symmetry is accentuated by dramatic shadows and hues that deepen from orange to a crimson glow at sunrise and sunset. The intensity of colour is the result of unusually high concentrations of iron oxide, and the shades at any given moment are determined by the angle of refraction from the sun’s rays.

It is easy to assume that the desert is a barren environment, but the Namib is teeming with life. This is due to the moist early-morning mist that blows in from the ocean on a regular basis, and the small animals, insects and plants that have evolved over millions of years to exist within the dune dynamics. ‘The Living Desert Tour’ in the dunes near Swakopmund was a fascinating and unforgettable visit to this remarkable environment.

See more Roy Watts on www.showcook.com

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Hermanus loves Tanya Hedda Mittner

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ith a daily post reach of over 50 000, Tanya Tiefenthaler surely has to be one of the most “well connected” individuals in Hermanus. Her Facebook page, I love Hermanus, reached 362 000 social media users in the month of August alone – informing, educating and entertaining her audience with posts and photographs that celebrate the unique lifestyle of Hermanus.

This is no small feat for someone who has only lived in Hermanus for two years. But according to Tanya, the attraction was instant. She and her husband of 21 years, Richard van der Spuy, had lived in Johannesburg for 16 years before relocating to Ballito, where they stayed for five years before settling in Hermanus in May 2014. “Right from the start, it just felt ‘right’ to be here,” says Tanya. “Hermanus has a magnetic energy and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Whenever I have to go away I can’t wait to get back home.”

With the help of Richard, who specialises in web development and IT support, Tanya started her I love

Hermanus website and Facebook page as online lifestyle platforms to support local businesses. Focusing on tourism-related service providers such as restaurants, accommodation establishments, wineries, tour operators and specialty shops, Tanya soon immersed herself in the community by also joining several charities, organisations and community initiatives. It is this level of involvement that has been crucial to Tanya’s success as the source of local information.

“She’s a natural,” says Richard.

“Tanya enjoys helping people and she just gives and gives – she is completely selfless.”

Visiting local businesses, shops, charities and organisations, Tanya started telling their stories online by creating stylish posts accompanied by high-quality photographs. She also promotes local initiatives and events, and often shares photographs that celebrate the natural beauty of the area.

Without any paid advertising, the page grew organically and Tanya says she saw it as a process of “building up a karmic credit”. Within the first month her Facebook page had garnered 480 likes and

now stands at 16 200. She engages actively with her fans, both local and overseas, on a daily basis and no comment or question goes unanswered.

“It’s all about building relationships,” says Tanya. “I love the community-driven lifestyle of Hermanus, where people still care about each other. It is also a very dynamic town and the diversity of its people creates a cultural mix that is quite unique. Nothing about Hermanus is run-ofthe-mill; it’s a very special place that people fall in love with.”

Tanya’s message that “Hermanus is the place to be” has spread far and wide. Of I love Hermanus’s more than 16 000 fans, only 2 000 are from the Overberg, while approximately 4 000 are from 44 different countries overseas, 4 000 from Cape Town, 1 500 from Gauteng and the balance from other areas in South Africa.

“That’s one of the reasons why I chose to use Facebook,” says Tanya. “Because every action is measured, those insights make it possible for me to monitor the page, set goals and track the growth.”

Hermanus has changed so

All that glitters is fynbos

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deas spring eternal at The Grootbos Foundation. The latest innovation is a range of fynbos-inspired jewellery made from pods and seeds cast in sterling silver, only available at the Grootbos Lodge gift shop and Ralph Walton Jewellers. The pods include buchu, vygies, babartia and sedges.

THE APPRENTICES Zimasa Gobingca and Ziyanda Metsho (below) attend weekly practical skill workshops in Hermanus in close consultation with Heidi and Ralph Walton.

CAST IN SILVER The project is still in its infancy, but aspirations are that the fynbos jewellery will resonate with the many naturelovers of the Overberg, thus giving the ladies a sustainable income.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE The fynbos jewellery project is intended to provide skills for women to better navigate life and business.

Under the Siyakhula enterprise of The Grootbos Foundation, Zimasa Gobingca and Ziyanda Metsho are training in jewellery design under the guidance of Ralph Walton Jewellers, gaining invaluable experience in the art, utilising Grootbos’s horticulture course as a foundation.

Zimasa started as a student at the Green Futures indigenous horticulture course in 2011. Growing up in the Eastern Cape, she was very aware of the plants around her and enjoyed learning more about them.

Ziyanda trained with Growing the Future in 2011, and returned to the foundation in 2014 to learn the jewellery technique. Her aim is to own her own business, something she once thought impossible.

As Ralph and Heidi of Ralph Walton Jewellers enthuse, the fynbos range has presented exciting challenges, not just to Zimasa and Ziyanda, but also to them. “The complexity of the pieces, the details of fynbos, means new techniques - a learning curve for us all.”

This endeavour amalgamates skills development and the love of fynbos, with that added income-generating potential so desperately needed by the foundation - and the aspirant jewellers. Ten percent of any sales go directly to Zimasa and Siyanda, providing them with a small but potentially lucrative kick-back from their labour.

- Aly Verbaan

CHAMPION OF HERMANUS I love Hermanus owner Tanya Tiefenthaler and her husband, Richard van der Spuy relaxing at Café 1904 at Fisherman’s Village. much since she and Richard first visited the town about 20 years ago for a short holiday, says Tanya. “Since then I’ve always wanted to move here, but at the time we were used to the fast-paced lifestyle of Johannesburg and Richard said we couldn’t live in a town where there’s nothing happening! That has certainly changed now – there is so much going on and I am continuously making new

discoveries which I can’t wait to share with the rest of the world. Hermanus is where my heart is.”

It comes as no surprise that Tanya has been nominated for an Achiever of Excellence Mayoral Award for her tireless promotion of Hermanus and its many attractions. Far from being just a much-loved social media celebrity, Tanya is, in the words of one of her

endorsers, “a treasure and a gift to the people of Hermanus”.

The Achievers of Excellence as well as the winners of the coveted Mayoral Trophy for Environmental Conservation and the Overstrand’s Woman of the Year will be announced at the Municipality’s annual Night of Excellence on Tuesday 4 October in the Auditorium. To attend, call 028 313 8000.

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6 September 2016

Meet your Mayco

A wet and chilly homeless night

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ith the temperature plummeting and the rain coming down in buckets on Friday evening, 2 September, only a handful of hardy souls were prepared to see the night through at the Hermanus Night Shelter Association’s (HNSA) first Homeless Sleepover.

“It was wet and chilly,” admits Les Abbott, chair of the HNSA, “but we still had fun.” The Homeless Sleepover was held in the parking area of the Gateway Centre as a fundraising event towards the construction of a shelter for the homeless people of Hermanus.

Residents had been challenged to take part and experience for themselves what it feels like to sleep outside without a warm bed to get into and a roof over your head.

According to Les, eight people spent the whole night out, but they were joined by about 30 supporters who joined them around the braai fires. Live music by Yesterday’s Heroes kept their spirits up while Vanderbolt Coffee Company provided much-needed warmth and caffeine.

“We spent the evening around the fire until about 01:30 and then we went to sleep under

the roofed walkway in front of Alex Grant Pharmacy, which afforded some protection from the rain,” says Les. “When the cleaners started arriving at about 05:00 we were very grateful to pack up and go home. I dare say I slept in for the rest of the morning in my own bed with a new appreciation of the deprivation that homeless people face every night.”

The Homeless Sleepover campaign raised approximately R20 000 for the HNSA fund and Les says they’ll be doing the sleepover every year.

The initial constructions costs for the shelter are estimated at a minimum of R2,1 million and the HNSA committee’s aim is to have the new shelter completed by June next year.

The HNSA is registered as an NPO and approved as a PBO

by SARS, which means that any donations are taxdeductable. Any individual, business or organisation who would like to support this campaign can contact the HNSA 083 232 6138 or nightshelterhermanus@gmail .com - Hedda Mittner

AT YOUR SERVICE At the first new council meeting on Friday 12 August, Anton Coetsee was re-elected speaker. The new council comprises 25 councillors. Here is the newly elected mayoral committee: Mayor Rudolph Smith, Archie Klaas (Protection Services), Elnora Gillion (Infrastructure and Planning, as well as Economic Development), Deputy Mayor Dudley Coetzee, Anton Coetsee (Speaker), Riana de Coning (Management Services), and David Botha (Community Services).

Councillor Archie Klaas (DA) takes over the portfolio of Protection Services. He has also recently been elected Deputy Mayor of the Overberg District Municipality.

This directorate’s main focus is to create a safe and secure environment for optimal functioning of all stakeholders within the Overstrand area.

The directorate’s functions include law enforcement, security services, traffic and licensing services, as well as fire and disaster management. A zero tolerance crusade against all law infringements, including petty crime, has been introduced.

Councillor Elnora Gillion (DA) is mandated with Infrastructure and Planning, as well as Economic Development and Tourism. Elnora is also in charge of Ward 8 (Hawston, Fisherhaven and Honingklip).

This directorate’s focus is the planning of infrastructure, development planning and control, property management, environmental management, building control and the corporate GIS system. This directorate comprises engineering services, environmental services, town planning, building control, solid waste, and electricity services.

Councillor Riana De Coning (DA) takes up the portfolio of Management Services, which provides corporate support to the council and municipality.

The directorate incorporates the departments of communication services, human resources, information and communications technology services, strategic services, social development, legal services, council support services, and TAKS (Tuned Assessment of Skills and Knowledge).

Riana is also Ward 2’s councillor which incorporates Blompark, Gansbaai and De Kelders.

Its function is the maintenance of municipal infrastructure, as well as ensuring that cooperative governance and public participation takes place in decentralised administrations with effective service delivery.

This directorate consists of a three administrations corporate projects, vehicle fleet management, and housing services.

David is also the councillor for Sandbaai (Ward 7) and is involved in baboon management.

Treat our seniors to a ball

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be a night to remember, but also a golden opportunity for the community to work together in making something special happen in our town,” says Janet.

ith only a little more than three weeks to go excitement is building about the Hermanus Village Ball.

This music and dinner-dance event for senior citizens on Saturday 1 October is organised by a community committee chaired by Janet Hugo of Sterling Private Wealth.

CLINICALLY SPEAKING Heavy clouds and light drizzle did little to dampen the spirits of attendees at the official opening of the Haygrove Primary Health Clinic on Thursday 1 September at Haygrove Heaven Farm in the Hemel-enAarde Valley. This first-of-its-kind facility is designed to cater to the health needs of farmworkers. In his opening address, trustee and ambassador for the Cipla Miles for Smiles Foundation, David Grier said, “The value of this unit is significant in that workers will no longer have to waste time and money by queueing at other state facilities for hours on end that could see them losing work days. Here they have immediate access to a professional health facility that can attend to all their primary healthcare needs.” Pictured (from left to right) at the ribbon-cutting ceremony are Kobus Visagie (general manager of Waitrose Foundation), Mayor Rudolph Smith, and Sean Tager (managing director of Haygrove Heaven Farm).

Councillor David Botha (DA) is tasked with the Community Services portfolio.

“It is unfortunate that the older and the younger generations no longer spend much time together. Everybody is so busy with work and school, and getting on with their lives, that grandparents are often only seen once or twice a year. The Village Ball could go a long way towards bridging that gap and building a community spirit that includes the elderly. Let’s all take hands and make this happen!”

“This event is about to become a highlight on the Hermanus annual social calendar. We are inviting senior citizens to a fun, sponsored dinner-dance,” says Janet.

There will be delicious dining, stirring music and fun dancing – with each other or with school students from the Interact Rotary committee, who will host, accompany and support the event.

Janet’s interest was piqued when she heard about a school in Canada that has hosted a senior dance

annually for 28 years in a row.

What makes this dance special is that it is hosted by the learners of the school and brings two generations together that normally have little contact socially.

Thus inspired, Janet contacted the headmaster of Hermanus High School, Greg Hassenkamp, to collaborate with Sterling Wealth on this

project. The school has agreed to let Janet have the venue for this year’s matric dance on Friday 30 September in the Sandbaai Hall. With the venue already decorated, instead of taking it all down the next day, the décor will remain in place for The Village Ball on the Saturday.

“The Village Ball will not only

Anyone who would like to take part in this happy occasion is invited to sponsor an elderly person. Tickets sell at R280 per person, including dinner and live dance music.

Tickets are available from Marietjie Haman at the Sterling Private Wealth office in Mitchell Street. Contact Marietjie on 0861 888 987.

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Hermanus stands together

ronel Meintjies of Hermanus Staan Saam (HSS) has been helping countless residents over the last four years to put food on the table and clothe their children. She has also brought comfort and joy to the elderly, the sick, disabled and dying. Her tireless efforts have seen her organisation grow into an indispensable pillar of support for the vulnerable members of our society.

“It has been an amazing journey,” says Tronel. “HSS has become my whole life.”

Tronel’s compassion can be traced back to her childhood.

“I grew up poor,” she states matter-of-factly. “I know what it feels like to always be wearing hand-me-downs because there is no money for new clothes, and to wear your school shoes to church and Sunday school because it’s the only decent pair you have. Or not being able to attend birthday parties because you can’t afford to buy a present, and missing out on school and sports camps because of the cost.

Being poor makes a child feel ‘different’ and stigmatised.

“There were days when we had nothing to eat at home,

Helping Hand Sponsored by Talisman Hire but my mother never lost her faith and positive attitude. I can remember her praying and not long after someone would knock on the door and bring us some food.”

Tronel and her husband Jannie live in the same house in Westdene where Tronel grew up as an only child.

Along with the house, she also inherited her mother’s positivity. She started HSS with only a small group of five people, and together they collected clothes and food stuffs to distribute among the needy.

Their organisation grew organically, by word of mouth and by appeals made on their Facebook page. They were soon making up parcels and food hampers for some 20 families in need on a weekly basis, in addition to

supplying cooked meals four times a week. “The cooked meals also help people to save on electricity,” says Tronel.

Some of the local businesses that support HSS include Big Joe’s Pies, OK Mini Market in Voëlklip, Valley Farm Stall and Tapas, who donate left-over meals, pies, bread and vegetables, while Agrimark donates items such as toilet paper. Hermanus Gas supplies HSS with two gas bottles per month for the cooking, Penny Pinchers helps out by filling Tronel’s car with petrol once a month for all the deliveries, and BDC wireless supplies her with internet connection for free.

“HSS would not be possible without the community’s generous assistance,” says Tronel. “So many people give of their time and means to help us help others.” And that help has also included raising funds for school children to participate in sport tours, assisting an amputee in getting a new prosthetic limb, and brightening up the rooms of Hawston Hospice.

Helping others seems to be part of Tronel’s DNA, and the difference she makes in

Tronel Meintjies with Cllr Nicolette Botha-Guthrie, our former mayor who Tronel regards as her mentor, at Hermanus Staan Saam’s annual fundraising Festival of Hope which took place at the cricket grounds on Saturday 3 September. people’s lives is all the reward she needs. “To give is to receive,” says Tronel.

“Nothing makes me happier than seeing the smile on someone’s face whose life has been changed by even the smallest of gestures.”

Tronel’s dedication and hard work has not gone unnoticed - she was nominated for the

Overstrand Woman of the Year Award in 2013 and received an Achiever of Excellence Award in 2015.

Hermanus Staan Saam is now registered as an NPO and any individual, business or organisation that would like to support them, can contact Tronel at 082 737 1226 or tronelmeintjies@gmail.com.

Donations can be made to: HSS, Capitec Bank, Hermanus Account no. 1359638669 Branch code 470010 - Hedda Mittner

Supper Club builds bridges Diversity was the name of the game when over 40 local residents gathered at the home of Fikiswa Gxamesi and William Ntebe in Westcliff for the second Supper Club evening on 28 August. While some guests who took part in this event hail from the Eastern Cape and other parts of South Africa and neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Botswana, others originate from further afield, including Holland, Austria, Italy and the USA. The one thing they have in common is that they all now call the Overstrand home.

“That was the whole idea behind the Supper Club,” says Theo Krynauw, the founder of Sparkle Kids, who initiated the event together with his wife Angie, and their friends William and Fikiswa (better known as Fiki), founder-managers of the Zwelihle Youth Café. “Most of the Overstrand’s residents come from somewhere else and this has created an interesting and vibrant mixed bag of people from different races, cultural backgrounds and vocations who live side by

side in the Overstrand towns, from Betty’s Bay all the way to Gansbaai.”

And yet, says Theo, the Overstrand remains one of the most segregated areas in the country, and not enough is being done to bring people together and celebrate this unique diversity. “The Supper Club creates a platform where people can get together in an informal social setting, communicate freely and build bridges across the racial and cultural divide. We leave politics and religion at the door and simply talk from the heart on a human level.”

Starting at 17:30, the guests gathered for a group discussion before supper was served, where amusing stories were told about the stereotypical way in which different groups perceive one another. Another crucial issue that was raised, is the lack of affordable housing and integrated middle class neighbourhoods in the area, especially for residents who exceed the maximum salary

of R3 000 per month criteria for government housing, but not enough to enable them to rent or buy property in more affluent areas.

“We have to nurture the black middle class which has a vested interest in our town,” says Theo. “Their lives are not that different from ours and we share the same aspirations, challenges and hopes for the future.”

Theo says he was delighted that several councillors attended the event, including David Botha, councillor for Ward 7 (Sandbaai) and mayoral committee member for Community Services, Archie Klaas, mayoral committee member for Protection Services and newly elected deputy mayor of the Overberg District Municipality, and Vuyani Macotha, councillor for Ward 12 (Zwelihle). Other prominent guests included Morris Tshabalala, headmaster of Lukhanyo Primary School, Dr. Niells and Sandri van Zyl Smit of Sparkle Kids and Theo de

Wet from the Enlighten Education Trust.

According to Theo, the Supper Club is here to stay and get-togethers will take place on a monthly basis.

“With the warmer weather returning, our next Supper Club might even take the form a picnic on the beach.”

Watch this space for details!

Alternatively, Theo can be contacted on 082 654 4924 and Fiki on 076 969 5830.

- Hedda Mittner Fiki and William will be presenting a Heritage Day event at the Zwelihle Youth Café on Saturday 24 September at 13:30.

Everyone is invited to join in a celebration of our cultural heritage that will entail performances by the local Zwelihle Choir, the Youth Café drama group and dance groups from

Angie Krynauw, Fiki Gxamesi, William Mtebe (holding a friend’s daughter, Nunu-pie) and Theo Krynauw.

Masakhane and Grabouw.

This event will serve as a pre-show of their Whale Festival programme which will include the Miss Indoni Cultural pageant at the Coke Music Stage at Gearing’s Point on Friday, 30 September, a Community Walk in Zwelihle on Saturday, 1 October and the Masikhumbule Embo

Kwaphalo (“Know your Roots”) music and dance performance in front of the Whale House Museum on Sunday, 2 October.

Anyone who is interested in entering the cultural pageant can contact Fiki on 076 969 5830 or visit her at Big Apple Hair Design & Beauty at 5 Long Street in Hermanus.

6 September 2016

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Your choice in colours tells a lot about you. Here’s what the experts have to say. Blue is often associated with feelings of serenity, so those who love it are often able to find peace and tranquility in places where others do not. People who love to wear blue are said to be easy to get along with, reliable, and, for lack of a better word, lovable.

ith the plummeting rand and season (and visitors) coming up, you might want a new look for a room but your budget is limited. Don’t despair pop into a paint shop and breathe new life into your home.

Colourful or decorated walls are trendy right now, and there’s no end to the creativity. You will need to do some research on Google images to see what grabs you and what puts you off. And don’t overdo it - try one room at time.

Although you might think loving green means you love nature, according to colour psychology, those who love green need to feel secure in their finances and relationships. To them, how they are viewed by others is of great concern, and they want to be seen as successful and important.

The internet has myriad examples of easy painting ideas, cool wall designs and creative DIY art projects that promise to be fun too.

Learn how to texture your walls, display your collections with flair, create colourful or stripy walls, and you will feel like you have a new house.

It takes a certain type of personality to prefer yellow to all the other colours. It involves a level of optimism that most people over the age of 10 just don’t have.

Because of this optimism, and the idealism that comes with it, people who love yellow sometimes come off as whacky or aloof, but they are happy idealists who are underestimated far too often.

Psychologically speaking, colours affect everything from your mood to the quality of your sleep. Many surveys have shown that colour makes us happier. Colours that are currently trending include blues, yellows, pastel pinks, greens, and lavender.

REJUVENATION Consider walls as planes of colour, and see how they interact when viewing one next to the other in adjacent rooms. Approach it like a composition: You’re in one room, but you’re going to see a piece of another room through it. So as you’re choosing colours, consider how they will flow from room to room to create your picture. You can do your house in stages, so it doesn’t require much of a financial outlay.

To advertise in

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For some spring ideas have a look at http://www.housebeautiful.com /design-inspiration/a5583/fourspringtime-color-schemes/

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News You Can Use

Phone Kathy on 083 581 7219

Pink is a softer choice that represents compassion and love.

While it’s a very physical colour, it soothes rather than stimulates, and symbolises hope.

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The M Hotel in Onrus opens its doors I f there are two business women in this town who are always up for a challenge, they are Jo Campbell and Carol Judge.

Having won the tender for The Milkwood Restaurant on Onrus beach last year, they embarked on an extensive renovation project to give the iconic establishment a fresh, new look. And last week, exactly one year after relaunching The Milkwood Restaurant and Beach Hut, they opened the doors of The M Hotel in Onrus, the home previous known as Mentmor.

“We started renovations on Mentmor as soon as The Milkwood was up and running,” says Jo. The couple had run a successful boutique hotel in Cape Town, Derwent House, before relocating permanently to their holiday home in Vermont last year.

The M Hotel, which has a four star rating and is managed by Sonette Bester (photo on the right), boasts seven en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, dining room, heated plunge pool and fire pit.

Interior design certainly counts among Jo and Carol’s many talents, and the rooms are all beautifully decorated. Bar service and breakfast are included in their rates, and guests need only take a short stroll down to Onrus beach to enjoy lunch and dinner at The Milkwood.

The M Hotel is situated on the corner of Van Blommestein and Dempers Street, Onrus. Tel: 028 316 2083.

- Hedda Mittner

NEWS How to save a life, to the tune of ‘Staying Alive’ 6 September 2016

Let’s stare the unfortunate truth in the face: there may well come a time when you are required to perform CPR, either on someone close to you, or just a passerby. Yes, it can be scary, particularly if you have no training, but if you know what steps to follow it will be much easier, and you may well save a life. Timeous CPR can double a person’s chance of survival from cardiac arrest.

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PR is a combination of rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to a person’s lungs, and chest compressions, which keep the person’s blood circulating. You must continue these procedures until the person’s heartbeat and breathing return, or trained medical help arrives. Get somebody to call an ambulance immediately (EMR Hermanus on 076 585 0899; or EMS on 028 312 3219).

If you are alone do CPR for a full two minutes before calling.

Lie the person on their back and perform a finger sweep of the mouth to be sure that their tongue or anything else is not blocking the throat.

Place one hand on the forehead and the other hand under the chin, and gently tilt the head back to free the tongue so as not to block the windpipe.

Pinch nose shut - cover mouth with your mouth - and give two breaths (each 1-2 seconds and chest should rise).

Kneel down beside the casualty

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on the floor, level with their chest. Place the heel of one hand towards the end of their breastbone, in the centre of their chest.

Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand and interlock your fingers, making sure you keep the fingers off the ribs. Lean over the casualty, with your arms straight, pressing down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by 5 to 6 cm.

Release the pressure without removing your hands from their chest. Allow the chest to come back up fully – this is one compression. Repeat 30 times, at a rate of about twice a second, or the speed of the song “Staying Alive”.

Give two more rescue breaths and then continue with compressions. If you feel a pulse return, continue with breaths only. If the person starts breathing normally again, stop CPR and put them in the recovery position.

The techniques used to resuscitate adults, infants, and children are similar; one difference is that it’s generally easier to seal your mouth over both the nose and the mouth of an infant or child. Be more careful with a child than you would with an adult. Don’t tip a child’s head back too far, for example, because a youngster’s airway and neck are more fragile than an adult’s.

Kneel down beside the CHILD on the floor, level with their chest. Give five initial rescue breaths before starting the sequence of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths.

Ensure the child’s airway is open. Pinch their nose firmly closed. Take a deep breath and seal your lips around their mouth. Blow steadily into the mouth until the chest rises. Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall.

Repeat this four times more.

Now give 30 chest compressions. Lean over the child, with your arm straight, pressing down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by at least onethird of its depth, making sure you keep your fingers off the

ribs. Lean over the child, with your arm straight, pressing down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by at least onethird of its depth.

Release the pressure without removing your hand from their chest. Allow the chest to come back up fully – this is one compression. Repeat this 30 times, at a rate of about twice a second or the speed of the song “Staying Alive”.

Now give two more rescue breaths.

Carry on giving 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths for as long as you can, or until help arrives. If the child starts breathing normally again, stop CPR and put them in the recovery position.

Recovery position

For some light relief watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5hP4DIBCEE

We all hope we’ll never be put in the position of having to save a baby’s life, but it could happen. Babies can and do choke on food and toys, slip under the water in the tub or a pool, and get caught in drawstrings and curtain cords. The following instructions are for babies younger than 12 months old. Be extra careful with infants - their ribs and lungs are very fragile.

Is the BABY conscious? Flick her foot or tap on her shoulder. If she doesn’t respond, have someone call emergency services.

If you’re alone with the baby, give two minutes of care as described below, then call for help. Swiftly but gently place the baby on her back on a firm, flat surface. Make sure she isn’t bleeding. If she is, take measures to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the area. Don’t do CPR until the bleeding is under control.

Tilt the baby’s head back with one hand and lift his chin slightly with the other. (You don’t have to tilt a baby’s head back very far to open the airway.) Check for signs of breathing for no more than ten seconds. If the baby isn’t breathing, give her two little breaths, each lasting just one second. Cover the baby’s nose and mouth with your mouth and gently exhale into her lungs only until you see her chest rise, pausing between rescue breaths to let the air

flow back out. Remember that a baby’s lungs are much smaller than yours, so it takes much less than a full breath to fill them. Breathing too hard or too fast can force air into the baby’s stomach. If her chest doesn’t rise, her airway is blocked. When you complete 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths. Each cycle of chest compressions and rescue breaths should take 24 seconds.

Repeat the sequence of 30 compressions and two breaths.

If you’re alone with the baby, call the local emergency number after two minutes of care. Continue the sequence of compressions and breaths until help arrives, you find an obvious sign of life, an AED (automated external defibrillator) is ready to use, or you are too exhausted to continue.

Even if the baby seems fine by the time help arrives, a doctor will need to check her to make sure that her airway is completely clear and she hasn’t sustained any internal injuries.

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Andrew Mulaudzi makes things happen - no holds barred Aly Verbaan

M

eet Luvhengo Mulaudzi, betterknown around town as Andrew, entrepreneur extraordinaire, health fanatic, and straight-up shot in the arm.

Andrew’s story is not about trouble and strife, but about discipline, dedication and making things happen.

It’s 19:30 on a Wednesday evening, and Andrew’s Fitness Centre at 971 Masizakhe Street, Zwelihle, is pumping. Sweat and adrenalin are palpable as bodies of all shapes and sizes lift, cycle, box, kick and dance.

The mood is almost euphoric.

This is the gym’s prime time, and there’s hardly room for one more person.

But, as with all obstacles so far, Andrew plans to change that.

He has already bought the stairs to go up a level with an aerobics floor just for “the ladies”, of whom he has 40 members who train five days a week.

PUMPING THOSE WEIGHTS Eco Mjika trains five days a week, focusing on strength and endurance. “After work, this is what I live for,” he says.

IRON MAN Single-mindedness keeps Andrew’s son, Tonny Mulaudzi, at the coalface.

There are now over 70 male subscribers, at R130/month, and numbers are growing steadily. The need to find or build a larger, more permanent structure than this, which is essentially an enlarged shack typical of townships, is patent.

Andrew (38) is originally from Soweto, where growing up in the eighties was “not so excellent, particularly with seven siblings in the apartheid era”. Undeterred, he took a hairdressing short-course at Wits when he was 16 and promptly opened his first hair salon - after school hours, obviously. After matric, he opened his first cellphone shop, which he ran from the salon. But in 2003, on holiday in the Cape for the first time, Andrew spotted an opportunity to relocate his businesses to Zwelihle, which he points out “is much more beautiful than Soweto”.

Says Andrew: “In Zwelihle, I saw that many people had nothing

quick.” Andrew is also planning the “big picture” with his girlfriend, Veliswa Mkolo, who has her own hair salon in Gansbaai, and whom he met at a Dark and Lovely

GIRL POWER Andrew’s female clientele are keen on aerobics, step classes and self-defence.

A new aerobics floor for them is in the pipeline.

constructive to do after work or school, and boredom breeds crime and fights. A gym was perfect: exercise is for everyone, no matter whether you are fat or thin, old or young, man or woman.

In other words, a great business opportunity.”

First, though, Andrew established his hair salon in Long Street in 2005, and then used that revenue to lease premises and buy basic exercise equipment for the gym. Within a month Andrew’s Fitness Centre had

over 40 members and quickly had to be expanded. By 2010 the gym had spread outdoors, and Andrew approached the Municipality for solutions to the space problem, but his appeals came to nought, other than the offer of a metal shipping container. “Imagine the sweating!” laughs Andrew.

“So,the search continues. I want to offer my clients something permanent, something they know will always be there for them. I like to help people, and it

makes me happy to see someone moving up in life, and you need your health to do that. A lot of people don’t believe they can do it, but everyone can. Exercise is for everyone”.

hair competition five years ago.

“More than that I can’t tell you yet. It’s still under wraps,” he winks.

Anyone who would like to help Andrew’s Fitness Centre with building supplies, roofing, or gym equipment, or knows of a bigger space for rent in Zwelihle, email The Village NEWS at news@thehermanusnews.co.za. With an everincreasing waiting-list and opening hours already maxedout from 05:00 to 21:00, any assistance would be appreciated.

Andrew is a keen believer in the healthy body, healthy mind philosophy. That and good service. “Without it, no one will come near your business.

“Service first - the rest will follow. Think big picture, not of what you can get quick-

CUT ABOVE Andrew multitasks between the fitness centre and his hair salon. Here he trims Bilal Javed for a professional look.

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6 September 2016

Hermanus Hockey Club making up lost ground

stablished in 2010 by a what I can only describe as a few hockey addicts, Noel de Kock, Gregory Stock, Jamie Single and Ludwig Shultz (to name a few), the new Hermanus Hockey Club (HHC) set out to create a team that would put the fear of the divine into any and all challengers.

“We had a rocky start at first, barely managing to scrape together a team each week, but those of us who were passionate and willing made an effort each week to get guys together and as a team we dominated our first season,” says the team's captain, Gregory Stock.

Since then the team has been steadily moving up through the ranks and as of last year moved up a league from M4 to M3. An exciting moment for Craig Harris, one of the club's most dedicated players.

This was our most

challenging league so far.

With teams such as WPCC and Northlink to contend with, matches were often fast-paced and intense.

More often than not we lost, but with the inspiring, and sometimes eardrumshattering encouragement of coach Frank Single, HHC members persevered, assured in the fact that the next game would be ours.

Currently situated in the lower half of the league table, HHC has hunkered down and is making up lost ground before the end of the season.

With the introduction of the new Astro Turf, the HHC can finally hone their skills on something other than grass.

It's a welcome and long awaited addition to the Hermanus hockey culture.

The HHC had been traveling to Cape Town every weekend during hockey

season and are therefore delighted at its completion.

“Now we can play our home games in Hermanus,” says Dylan Single, a member of the HHC. The team is hoping the pitch will result in a surge of new members, experienced or not, with the assurance that anyone thinking of joining will have a lot of fun.

If you wish to see the HHC in action, the annual Hermanus Hockey Tournament is just a few months away.

The weekend of 9 December is the date set for clashes of multiple teams, from the local HHC to teams from as far as Paarl.

Situated opposite Hermanus High School, it's easy to find, so come and support! You’ll witness the best hockey the Western Cape has to offer, courtesy of the Hermanus Hockey Club.

– Malcolm Mulope

Gansbaai boy goes for gold

W

e may have a junior Usain Bolt among our midst! Last weekend, 14 children who had been selected from the Grootbos Foundation athletics programme were selected for the Overberg team, and German Lewis just about ran away with the four kilometre, U14 trophy. In addition, young Vasti Pietersen came in sixth in the girls’ U9 event.

As if that weren’t achieve-ment enough, coach Corrie Avenant was selected to represent the Western Cape for the SA schools competition.

The Western Cape championships, held in Worcester on 27 August, showcased athletes from three other Western Cape districts as well, upping the ante considerably, but not enough to catch German.

Those selected at this round go through to the South African Schools Championship on 1 October in Hoedspruit.

Star performer, German, has been part of the athletics programme for the past five years and running is truly his

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS German Lewis of the Overberg takes pride of place on the prime podium, while Jaydon October (Klein Karoo Team) came in second, while Shandon October (West Coast team) placed third. passion. He trains diligently six times a week - and it shows. He was selected Boland Sportsman of the Year for crosscountry last

year, as well as making a clean sweep of the Funky Fynbos 10 km race. German is definitely someone to keep track of.

PREPARE FOR ACTION: Starting in the Winelands of Somerset West, FNB Wines2Whales riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus.

The action will start with the MTB Adventure: Friday, 4 November – Sunday, 6 November MTB Ride: Monday, 7 November – Wednesday, 9 November MTB Race: Friday, 11 November – Sunday, 13 November Each MTB entrant will receive an adidas branded jacket.

Together with Duesouth, the official retail partner of the FNB W2W MTB Events, adidas will set up an exhibitor’s area in the Race Village. Riders and supporters can look forward to a firsthand experience of adidas’ newest TERREX range.

PHOTO: Tobias Ginsberg

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6 September 2016 26 JANUARY 2016

Rugby legend selects his best Springbok and All Black teams Sport

Sport written & compiled

by Tony O’Hagan

H

.O. de Villiers, legendary Springbok fullback, gave us his take on the best players from traditional rugby foes, South Africa and New Zealand. His teams span the era of the late 60s to 2000. H.O. revolutionised fullback play in the late 1960s by running the ball from the back, as opposed to the traditional kicking fullback. He played 14 tests for the Springboks between 1967 and 1970 and would have played many more but for a spate of injuries he suffered at his prime. He was the "darling of Newlands" and spectators flocked to see him in action.

emphasises that selecting a team would vary in accordance with factors such as the opposition, playing conditions and venue but has, nevertheless, selected these players in his best team. After the Springboks’ poor performance in the recent test against Argentina, maybe some of these greats from yesteryear should don their playing kit!

In picking the greatest Springboks, he would top the list of most pundits as our best fullback.

In conversation with H.O., he

Archery back on target in the Overberg A small enthusiastic group of archers gather at the pistol range in Gansbaai on a Saturday morning at 09:30.

Once the numbers have grown sufficiently, the idea is to form the Gansbaai Archery Club with affiliation to both the Western Province Archery Association and the South African Archery Association.

With the closure of the Hermanus Archery Club, this provides an opportunity for archers in the Overberg to join this group and display their skills with the bow and

arrow. Newcomers are welcome to be introduced to the sport. The target distances set up on a Saturday morning vary from 10 to 100 m. Participants are requested to bring their own bows and arrows together with chairs and their own refreshments for the social gathering after the morning’s activities.

The sport of archery provides a fascinating test of nerve and accuracy. The sport made its Olympic debut in Paris in 1900, with women joining

four years later in St Louis.

At the recent Olympic Games in Rio, 128 archers from 46 countries competed in both individual and team events. The sport is popular in many European countries, but the most notable trend has been the excellence of the South Korean archers, who have won 23 out of 34 gold medals since 1984.

Archers and other interested parties in the Overberg can contact Fred de Pauw on 082 957 9698.

New MTB trail at Beloftebos A new mountain bike trail for Stanford will be launched on 17 September with a race in aid of the Stanford Hostel, part of the Okkie Smuts school.

The day’s events, consisting of a 5 km fun run / MTB-race, a 10 km trail-running race, and a 15 km and 25 km mountain bike race, will be held at

Beloftebos, the well-known wedding venue on the Paardenberg farm just outside Stanford. A large part of the races will follow along the river running through the Paardenberg farm.

The 15 km and 25 km mountain bike sections also involve some climbing that

is sure to work those legs.

There will be prizes on offer as well as lucky draws.

Food and drinks will be on sale.

To enter any of these races or to get more details on the day’s events, visit www.countrybiketours.co.za

H.O. de Villiers in action back in the day.

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Schools Kleinskole Sport Day Curro participated at the Rûens Kollege Kleinskole Sport Day on Saturday 27 August.

The Curro rugby and netball teams did the school proud. The U9 and U11 rugby teams won all their matches. Roux du Plessis, Tristan Pearson and Kughle Xhakaliva were the try scorers for the U9 team. The try scorers for the U11 team were Daniel Cornell against Buffelsjagsrivier and Christopher Cook and Iwan Vorster against Rûens Kollege. The U11s with their coaches, Gustav van Wyk and Jacques Venter, ended this term on a high

BRIGHT SPARKS Learners from Curro performed excellently at this year’s Eskom Expo for Young Scientists that was held in Stellenbosch on 26 August. Maryke Hoogenboezem won a gold medal and the award from University of Stellenbosch (US) for the best project in electronic and electrical engineering. Fransie Streicher won a gold medal for best reseach project by a boy and the award from US for best project in chemistry and biochemistry. Jana Bierman won a silver medal. Both Maryke and Fransie have been elected to represent the Stellenbosch region at the IFS National Science Expo in Kempton Park from 4 to 7 October.

Kughle Xhakaliva scores a try.

The Curro U9 rugby team in action.

The Curro Netball U12 team

Tristan Pearson of Curro avoids a tackle.

note as still being unbeaten. The results were: Netball U7 Won both their matches U9 Lost one and won two matches U11 Lost both matches U12 Lost and won one match U13 Lost and won one match Rugby U9 Won both their matches U11 Won both their matches