Village Explorer 28 February 2017

Village

NEWS NEWS The

28 February 2017

Cape Whale Coast

PEDAL POWER

FREE COPY

BILL DAVIS

African adventurer

ABSA CAPE EPIC

An extraordinary life

Coming to town soon

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ON TOP OF THE WORLD The Northern Hemisphere took the honours and claimed the Ralph Walton trophy at the inaugural Global Golf Challenge at the Hermanus Golf Club on Sunday 26 Febraury. Professional players representing the Southern Hemisphere and captained by Laurette Maritz (South Africa), matched up against a Northern Hemisphere team captained by Switzerland-based Nora Angehrn. Nora and her Spanish Armada, Marta Silva and Carmen Alonso were elated about the result. Read more on P 15.

PHOTO: Maria Beautell for Global Golf Challenge

Community putting the lid on littering De Waal Steyn

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he negative effect of litter, especially plastic, on our society is wide reaching and we as a Municipality are committed to taking hands with residents to limit the impact on our environment,” says Mayor Rudolph Smith.

Anina Lee, Communications Manager of Whale Coast

Conservation (WCW), says although our towns are kept clean and refuse is dealt with in an effective manner, we are still facing an uphill battle.

“The battle against waste is not solely won by clean-up operations, but by making people aware of what they are throwing away and where they are doing it.

“We still find huge amounts of waste that make it into the ocean. Especially plastic bottle

caps, straws and cigarette butts. People tend to think that these are small pieces of rubbish and will not make a difference, especially when it is thrown into drains,” says Anina.

In a statement this week the Municipality urged residents to take note of what is discarded into especially storm water drains. “We appeal to residents not to dispose of materials such as

used cooking oil, motor oil, yard and pet waste, paint, concrete slurry and construction materials or any other hazardous household chemicals into the storm water infrastructure. The Municipality’s storm water network is pivotal to prevent the flooding of roads and houses as it relies on storm water drains to deal with the excess water,” according to the statement.

Unlike the water that goes down the sink or toilet in your home, storm water is untreated and ends up in a river or lagoon and eventually the ocean, negatively affecting the environment and our efforts to maintain our drinking water quality.

This is one of the main reasons not to dispose of cooking oils and grease (or similar) down the drain.

“Given our budget and

manpower, the Municipality is doing all it can to manage our storm water system in such a way that our water quality is not compromised. However, we cannot do this on our own.

We need our residents to work with us and to refrain from littering and dumping inappropriate objects into our storm water,” adds Roderick Williams, Director of Community Services.

Continued on P3

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28 February 2017

Whale Coast an above par destination The inaugural Global Golf Challenge that took place at the Hermanus Golf Club was organised to a tee. With the weather playing along and enthusiastic support from the spectators, there were birdies aplenty to raise funds for Learn to Earn.

The organisers, sponsors and players need to be congratulated on their effort.

Not only has this event put our region in the international spotlight again, it raised close on R40 000 for charity. With some of the world’s best golf

Editorial Comment

thousands of visitors to Hermanus (Read more on P 17).

challenge will also cater for the family with a 5 km fun run.

courses on our doorstep, we look forward to welcoming more golfers to the Whale Coast.

March will see the AfricanX Trailrun taking place near Botrivier, while Benguela Cove will host a fun-filled Tri-Girl event on 22 April, offering women a swim in the Botrivier lagoon, a run on the estate and cycling between the vineyards.

Together with the ever popular First Friday Artwalks, the FynArts Festival, the Wine and Food Fair, the Kalfiefees and the Whale Festival, the Cape Whale Coast can proudly claim its stake as one of the foremost art and adventure spots in the country.

The Global Challenge is the first of a list of sporting events happening this year on our shores. Next in line is the Absa Cape Epic that is sure to draw

Extreme athletes from all over the country have already entered the Walkerbay Xtreme taking place from 29 April to 1 May. This extreme sports

We are truly fortunate to be able to live in this piece of heaven on earth.

By De Waal Steyn

Letters and opinions

This is the good NEWS – Ed.

Send your letter to news@thehermanusnews.co.za Follow us on

More letters on P 4

By-law on dogs and cats lacks clarity Beware of dangerous parasite Following the letter on cleaning up after dogs in the 14 February edition of The Village NEWS, let me share with you my experience and hope that some good may come of it.

As a young child I suffered from blinding headaches and foggy vision in my left eye. We had family dogs and cats, and no-one thought anything of allowing a dog or cat to lick a child's face, or share its food bowl with an inquisitive toddler.

Years of medical tests followed, and my eye was dosed with atropine every day, which made me light intolerant. I was denied books and my parents faithfully kept me up to date with bedtime stories. I wore National Health glasses, blacked out on one side and secured with an elastic band around my head.

The headaches continued and my sight deteriorated rapidly until, at age 21, all sight in that eye had gone and a surgeon diagnosed Toxoplasmosis, an infection with the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii

carried by dogs and cats in their saliva and stools.

A survey of playground sand in the UK some years ago showed an almost 80% saturation of the parasite.

A course of cortisone injections into the eye cleared a small peripheral area and saved the eye, but the damage due to haemorrhaging in the choroid coat was irreparable and today's imaging shows what resembles a volcanic eruption at the back of my eye. I am fortunate. The parasite attacks the brain, the eye and/or the legs, I've been told, so I got off lightly.

The message of this letter is quite bold – dogs and cats lick their bottoms... We, as a growing family, kept dogs and a cat but our children were made well aware of the dos and don'ts of keeping household pets. If this letter helps just a few children, I shall be well pleased. When a playground and beach notice says No Dogs Allowed, it means just that –pity so many ignore it.

Jac Barrow

I refer to two items in The Village NEWS issue of 14 February. Whale Coast Conservation endorses Johann Barnard's observation on Facebook (Congratulations, Hermanus).

The Overstrand Municipality is certainly doing an excellent job keeping Hermanus clean.

We are not yet perfect, but the residents can also do a lot to help. Cigarette butts are still a

big problem. Many smokers believe the butts are organic and will just biodegrade if tossed on the ground, in a planter or down the drain.

Sadly they do not – filters are made of plastic and are in fact toxic waste.

The proposed by-law on dogs and cats (By-law on dogs and cats before council soon) states: "... any dog must remain under the control of its owner..." We

need a clear definition of what this phrase means in practice.

Does it mean that a dog that does not immediately come to heel when the owner calls is not under control of said owner? In whose opinion is a dog not under control? Unless there is clarity in definition it will be impossible to enforce the bylaw.

Dr Anina Lee Whale Coast Conservation

How can by-law on dogs be enforced?

I read with interest the letter in the14 February edition of The Village NEWS from an overseas visitor re dog owners not cleaning up after their animals and the article on the following page about amendments to by-laws, particularly with regard to dogs on beaches.

I wonder how serious the community services are about this as today we, also overseas visitors, walked the Cliff Path from Hermanus to Voëlklip and on three beaches between these locations, despite notices that dogs were banned, we saw no fewer than nine dogs off their

leashes running around on the sand and in the water.

There was no one to admonish the dog owners, and how can this contravention be reported if the owners are not known or approached at the time?

Brian Forman

Speeding on 7th Street a cause for concern Thank you for providing a platform for readers to voice their opinions and concerns.

My concern, and I am speaking on behalf of a significant percentage of Voëlklip residents, is the extreme abuse of 7th Street.

I have written to the authorities concerning this matter, more than once, but still no reaction.

The primary problem is the high traffic speed on 7th Street, which results in deafening road noise for all residents living on 7th, as well

as the danger faced by pedestrians trying to cross the street. Furthermore, when vehicles want to enter 7th Street from the various avenues in Voëlklip, especially during high season, they have to do so at risk because of the abnormally high speed at which vehicles are travelling down 7th Street.

Maybe you will say, "but the speed camera is there". Only during a part of working hours, yes. But after hours and at night, you won't believe the chilling speed of vehicles. I have even seen vehicles

speeding down 7th towards the traffic roundabout, passing the camera on the other side of the street in order to miss being caught.

Now, our plea to the authorities is to put some measures in place to calm down the traffic.

Either 4-way stops at 10th & 7th Avenues, or alternatively traffic lights or speed bumps.

Thank you once again to The Village NEWS for providing a mouthpiece for the public – it is much appreciated.

Nelmari de Kock Voëlklip

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The what, where and how of dumping responsibly Continued from P1

disposed of in the normal household bin or sanitary bins provided by businesses.

• Keep yard clippings out of the street.

• Recycle used motor oil.

• Sweep driveways clean instead of hosing them down. Keep pet waste, leaves, grass clippings and debris out of street gutters and storm drains. Outlets blocked by excessive debris, such as leaves and grass clippings, could lead to flooding of your street.

• Most building materials enter the sewer system when contractors/ builders dump these materials into the sewer through manholes. This causes unnecessary stress on the system.

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ll forms of littering causes problems for the region. Not only does the indiscriminate discarding of cigarette butts and pieces of plastic such as bottle caps and straws create pollution problems in the ocean, the illegal dumping of waste continues to be of considerable concern because of environmental harm and the huge clean-up costs.

Illegal dumping primarily happens to avoid disposal fees; another excuse seems to be the lack of time and/or effort required for proper disposal at landfills or recycling facilities.

Law Enforcement officers and the Municipality’s waste management team have joined hands in various clean-up initiatives focussing on illegal dumping incidents, in issuing fines and handing out clean-up notices.

Where to dump?

There is no excuse for dumping waste illegally in our neighbourhoods or next to the roads as the Municipality provides a highly reliable refuse collection service and drop-off facilities across the Overstrand. As a reminder of where and when you can dispose of general waste in the Overstrand, do keep this list handy.

Any incidents of illegal dumping can be reported to the Overstrand’s control room on 028 313 8000/ 8111. Alternatively send an email to enquiries@overstrand.gov.za with the location or address and any other information that will assist in identifying the person who dumped the waste.

The good news is that Whale Coast Conservation together with the Municipality will host a 6-week Anti-litter Campaign which kicks off with a one-day Expo at the Municipal banqueting hall on Wednesday 1 March to create awareness of this problem. Everyone is invited for the official launch by Cllr David Botha at 10:00.

Here is the news you can use to ensure our drainage systems work.

What causes blockages?

Cooking fats, rags, tampons, hair, roots, sand, newspaper, building materials, oil, stones, plastics, sharp objects, cutlery and disposable nappies are some of the biggest causes of blockages. Even a lawnmower has been found in the drains.

• Fat is a major problem because it builds up inside the pipes. It acts like glue attracting rags, hair, paper, plastics and in no time, a blockage is caused.

• Oil, paraffin, paint, etc. contaminates thousands of litres of sewage and causes serious problems at the treatment works.

Preventative measures The following preventative measures may be taken to ensure

that the sewerage system does not get blocked: • Do not dispose of used cooking oil and grease by dumping it into the storm drain.

• Allow fat (from fatty food when cooking) to cool and congeal or solidify. Once this is solid, wrap it in newspaper or put it in a bag before placing it in the refuse bin which is collected weekly.

• Rags, paper, tampons and disposable nappies should be

Used motor oil can be taken to Walker Bay Recycling in Swartdam Road, Hermanus, where a special bin has been provided for this purpose. Two shipping containers and an array of bins have been provided for hazardous household waste, including e-waste in each administration at the following places: • Kleinmond Transfer Station, Main Road • Hermanus Transfer Station, Swartdam Road • Stanford Drop-off, Rivier Street, Industrial Area • Gansbaai Landfill, Voortrekker Street All of these will accept domestic waste free of charge. Business, garden and industrial waste can also be disposed of here, but may be subject to a disposal fee, depending on the volume and type of waste.

Residents are urged to support the WCC Campaign and to join the Facebook page Whale Coast Going Green.

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28 February 2017

Yanking the chain of the golden throne

he intrepid Yanks had hired a weekend cottage behind The Duck ’n Fiddle, and local wine farmer Druiwe du Toit arranged to meet them that evening in the pub.

He’d heard they planned to cycle to Cairo, and relished the prospect of scaring the hell out of them with tales of the savage, unforgiving continent that is Africa – of vicious, bloodthirsty wild animals that could kill you in seconds, and even more vicious, blood-thirsty wild humans who could kill you in less. Some stories were even true…

Mr and Mrs Yank were perched halfway down the bar counter, between Klippies Combrink (stutter) and the Adams twins.

At the far end Sparky Snyman the local electrician, already on his fourth beer, sat slumped in the corner like an unoccupied

Wit’s End

Apparently one such explorer – a prospector – soon discovered a rich diamond vein somewhere north of the Zambezi. Bearing gifts from across the globe and a portrait of King George, he approached the local king to discuss compensation and was eventually granted permission on one condition: The king wanted a throne just like the one in the portrait.

wetsuit. Druiwe was on his regular stool at the head of the bar counter, where he could pontificate down its length.

“Well now,” continued Druiwe, “that was a gold throne. So the okie had a problem. But he chatted with his team and they came up with a plan, and he promised delivery within one month.”

According to legend, when it did arrive the king was ecstatic. He declared a week of festivities and practiced sitting regally on his sparkling throne. It took pride of place in his huge domed grass hut, which served as his office, courtroom, boardroom and sleeping quarters all in one. To ululating virgins and thumping drums, vast quantities of home-brew and herbal enhancements were enthusiastically consumed.

“They say it happened many years ago,” he started. “King George of England sent explorers into Africa to search for gold or copper or diamonds for the Empire…”

Now the king couldn’t know the weight of the throne, so they’d decided to construct it out of very dense wood and according to the dimensions in the picture, while a rider

The Yanks sat wide-eyed and slack-jawed while Druiwe paused for dramatic effect and more Merlot. Sparky belched quietly into his glass and Klippies – to avoid stuttering –

Murray Stewart

Letters and opinions Grant remembered in Scotland I read with great interest Dr Robin Lee’s article in your 14 February edition of The Village NEWS entitled The Proud Legacy of Alex Grant Pharmacy, which has prompted me to send you this post-script with my tale of him.

I am an elderly, retired Scottish solicitor who, with my wife, has over-wintered in Hermanus for many years. Our home for the rest of the year is in Aberdeen, Scotland.

I first met Mr Grant (no ‘Sandy' for me then) just once, probably in 1987. He was at the checkout in his shop on Main Road.

When he served me he asked if he detected a Scottish tongue. I said “Yes” and in the ensuing short chat we discovered that we both came from Aberdeen.

He had been educated at Robert Gordon’s College, whereas I had gone to Aberdeen Grammar School.

These were and still are the leading schools in our city.

Unfortunately the shop was extremely busy so Mr Grant invited me to return for a longer chat a few days later. As it happened we headed home the very next day, so that meeting never took place. But his friendliness left a lasting impression. He told me that he had a good malt whisky in his office which he would be happy for me to sample!

Sadly he had died by the time we returned a year later. But I am pleased to report that Mr Grant is still being talked about in Aberdeen, nearly 30 years after his death and about a century after he left the city.

was secretly dispatched to Dar es Salaam in search of gold paint. The royal guard then escorted them to a nearby valley where they could set up camp until the big day arrived.

After World War II, former pupils of Gordon’s College in South Africa established a travel scholarship for a top pupil in the Sixth Form of the school. It was called 'The Mackenzie Shield’ and the pupil was sponsored to spend about a month in South Africa, travelling around and staying with former pupils or members of The Caledonian Society.

Quite recently, a friend of mine in Aberdeen, when he heard me mention Hermanus, told me that he was the first winner of The Mackenzie Shield which brought him to Hermanus in 1949. His name is ‘Buff' Hardy and he is very well known in our area.

Buff told me that his marvellous host in Hermanus was fellow former pupil, Alex Grant the Pharmacist. Buff stayed for a few days with, and was royally entertained by, the Grants. He said that Mr Grant was in particularly high spirits because, just before Buff arrived, Hermanus held a Civic Lunch for the visiting All Blacks rugby team, which spent a week of acclimatisation in Hermanus before heading for Newlands to play The Springboks.

Mr Grant chaired that lunch and, in preparation, looked at the guest list. He noted that one of the All Blacks also had the surname of Grant, so he decided to look out for him.

After the lunch the two Grants met, discovered that they both had Scottish connections, that they both came from Aberdeen... and so

it went on. Within minutes Mr Grant realised that he was speaking to a nephew who he did not know even existed. So new-found uncle and nephew chatted at length.

It transpired that the Grant family in Aberdeen was a large one which scattered with The War etc. One son had come to South Africa – Mr Grant the Pharmacist – and another had gone to New Zealand, but he had not kept in contact with his parents or the rest of his family. So Alex Grant knew nothing of his brother in New Zealand until this fortuitous meeting in Hermanus. Buff told me that Mr Grant had been overwhelmed by the encounter and to learn of a lost part of his family.

So a happy event in Hermanus in 1949 was still being talked about in Aberdeen very recently. Small world!

Alastair Mathieson

just kept nodding. Mr Yank leaned forward.

“OMG! What happened?” whined Mrs Yank in American.

“Did the king buy it?”

“Dead. All of them. The roof wasn’t strong enough and the throne crashed down, killing two of the wives. So in revenge his bodyguards stormed the camp and slaughtered the lot” – another dramatic pause – “and ate them!” The Yanks were appalled. Mrs Yank retched a few times but didn’t follow through. Sparky wasn’t as lucky.

“Ja, he did,” said Druiwe, “but there was a problem. There wasn’t enough space for him and his five wives to sleep, and it was too heavy to just move about.”

At sunrise the trembling surveyor was summoned before a rather grumpy king who explained the problem.

The remedy though, was a system of ropes and pulleys, so the throne could be easily hoisted up into the dome of the hut at night. It worked like a charm, and the king waved the team a fond farewell as they headed back to their camp.

“But… what could possibly be the moral in that story?” asked a visibly shaken Mr Y.

“Never saw each other again,” continued Druiwe menacingly.

“In Africa,” explained Druiwe, “people in grass houses shouldn’t stow thrones.”

“Nou ja, you’ll hear plenty more about Africa’s traditions and morals as you ride up north.

That’s just one of them,” said Druiwe.

Send your letter to news@thehermanusnews.co.za Follow us on

Boarding gate bloopers I found Murray Stewart’s column on travel in the 14 February edition of The Village NEWS (The lighter side of modern air travel) entertaining and most interesting, particularly the amusing incident regarding the first-time flyer. It reminded me of my 40 year career in the airline business at Heathrow.

Of the several airlines I worked for, my main career was 30 years with TWA where, after working up the career path from a check-in agent to passenger service manager, I was involved in many incidents, including two most amusing situations.

In the early ‘pre-computer’ days of air travel I was working as a gate agent with a female colleague and, as TWA was the first airline to introduce inflight movies, many of the travelling public were not used to this new concept. On this particular flight our

Article on Alex Grant brings back memories Robin Lee’s article on Sandy Grant brought back memories.

Here are a few.

He glared down from his elevated dispensing counter at the supplicants tendering their prescriptions or seeking his advice, but he knew everyone by name and probably, their complaint! His brogue seemed to get more ‘brogish’ by the year, and his eyebrows bushier. He always had time to ruffle the hair of a young lad on a mission for his mother.

I also remember Hamesworth as a classic example of art deco architecture. It is a tragedy it was allowed to be demolished. And, in the absence of a resident vet, Gertrude tended to the ills and injuries of the town’s pets.

Toby Gawith

passengers were boarding when a little, very English, elderly lady came up to my colleague’s desk and was asked, “Would you like to see the movie?” The little old lady looked at her watch and replied, “I don’t think I’ve got time dear, the flight leaves in half an hour.”

The second incident happened in the early 70s, long before the Lockerbie disaster and 9/11, when security just meant looking for anyone carrying a weapon on board.

Even in in the 70s Afghan refugees were being sent to the US and once a week a group would arrive from Islamabad on Pakistan Airlines (PIA) and connect to the TWA afternoon flight to New York.

On this occasion the PIA flight was running late and their airport manager asked me if we could help with the transfer. I agreed and arranged the two aircraft to be parked next to each other.

I asked my colleague Dave to handle the TWA flight whilst I dealt with the refugees. We arranged for security to be handled at the PIA arrival gate and used our walkie-talkies to keep in touch. I called Dave to advise him as each bunch of about ten refugees were on their way to the TWA flight.

During all of this, I felt a tap on my left shoulder with an inebriated Pakistani national telling me “I’ve losht my ticket!” I asked him to take a seat and said I would assist him after I had dealt with the other passengers.

As the last group of refugees had left me and the TWA flight was almost ready to depart, I assisted the drunken passenger in searching for his ticket, but all I could find was an excess baggage voucher for approximately £500. Dave was calling me to tell me the TWA flight door was about to close so I grabbed the voucher, realising it was worth more than an economy class fare, and ran down to the TWA flight calling Dave all the time. As the man went on board, Dave remarked, “He’s drunk!” to which I replied, “Don’t worry; he’ll fall asleep during the flight.”

The TWA flight took off and we all went home. The next morning my opposite number in PIA came to see me and ask if I had an extra passenger on board the previous evening. I told him the story and only then did I hear that the PIA flight was going on to Paris and when it arrived at Orly airport there was a red carpet laid out with lots of embassy officials who had come to meet the Field Marshall of the Pakistan Army!

Apparently the Field Marshall was due to travel to Washington from Paris on TWA a few days later. I sometimes wonder what he thought when he found that his one hour flight to Paris was quite a bit longer than it should have been and what he did arriving in New York with noone to meet him and no baggage.

Please note that on no account, quite rightly, are inebriated passengers allowed to travel on flights today.

John Saunders

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28 February 2017

A truly epic bike adventure

The good, bad and ugly of our sewerage tankers

Hedda Mittner

W

The sewerage tanker will stay a part of the Overstrand for quite some time still, says the Municipality.

ith excitement building about the Cape Epic that will soon be coming to town, it seems appropriate that a 22year-old student from South Korea made a pit-stop in Hermanus last week as he neared the end of his own epic bike journey – from Dar es Salaam to Cape Town.

Jin Choi looked none the worse for wear after this gruelling trip when The Village NEWS caught up with him at the Onrus home of Raymond and Cherry Stiens, who had invited Jin to stay with them after a chance meeting on the Garden Route.

“We were in Knysna for the weekend and passed this young chap cycling along the road,” recalled Cherry. “My husband and I were wondering where he was headed as he was carrying quite a bit of gear with him.” Later that day, as the couple was leaving Knysna and heading back home, they again passed him on the road.

“We stayed over at a camping ground near Riversdal that evening and were ever so surprised to spot him pitching a tent not far from ours. This time my husband went over to talk to him and that’s how we found out that he’d travelled thousands of kilometres from Tanzania on his bike.”

Cherry and Raymond invited Jin to look them up if he happened to travel through Hermanus – and three days later he arrived in Onrus. “From Riversdal I’d cycled to Swellendam and from there to Cape Agulhas and then Hermanus,” said Jin. He was grateful for a meal and a bed, and thought Hermanus was “very beautiful, with the mountains, the sea and the fynbos”.

Jin, who is studying for a degree in social work at the University of Yonsei in Seoul, is no rookie traveller and has clocked over

Raymond and Cherry Stiens of Onrus with 22-year-old student Jin Choi from South Korea who travelled from Dar es Salaam to Cape Town on his bicycle.

18 000 km on the same Surley touring bike. This is his fifth major tour since graduating from high school.

Route, where he met up with Cherry and Raymond, and on to Cape Town via Hermanus for his flight home on Sunday.

“My first trip was to IndoChina where I travelled through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand; the second was from Beijing to Mongolia when I crossed the Gobi Desert; the third was to South America when I cycled from Lima through Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego; and the fourth was in the Middle East where I cycled through Iran, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey.”

“There will be no time to rest as I have to be back at the university on 1 March,” laughed Jin, who has funded all his trips by earning bursaries for high academic performance.

Jin said he prefers to travel to third world countries, where he does volunteer work for NGOs along the way. In order to realise his dream of cycling through Southern Africa, he had to write his exams early and set off on the 10-week trip in mid-December. After flying to Dar es Salaam with his trusted bike, he set off through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana. From Gaberone he cycled to Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and through the Eastern Cape to Port Elizabeth. From there he travelled along the Garden

Amazingly, he experienced very few mishaps along the way, apart from tyre punctures and a single incident near Port Elizabeth when he was robbed, but fortunately do-gooders swiftly came to his aid. “I was a bit nervous when I travelled through national parks alongside elephants and buffaloes, but fortunately no lions crossed my path,” he grinned. The summer heat and sudden downpours were also challenging while Jin was covering between 80 and 130 km per day.

Did Africa live up to his expectations? “I saw poverty on a scale I had never experienced before,” he said, “and yet the people always looked happy. They were

“

Hermanus is very beautiful... the mountains, the sea and the fynbos...

I would definitely like to come back one day

”

warm and friendly, and often invited me into their homes.”

Jin slept mostly in his little tent, but said he’d also spent the night at train stations, in temples, and police stations.

“When people think of Africa they imagine it’s all the same.

So I was surprised at the diversity and especially in South Africa, there is so such an amazing variety of wildlife and scenery. I would definitely like to come back one day.”

According to a statement the use of sewage tankers remains a problem as the provision of a sewerage removal service poses big challenges across the Overstrand. A number of towns (Fisherhaven, Franskraal, Kleinbaai, De Kelders, Pearly Beach, Baardskeerdersbos, Buffeljagsbaai and certain suburbs in Hermanus) do not have a waterborne sewer network, and are largely dependent on the tanker service.

“Residents from Kleinmond, Rooiels, Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay complain daily about the inconvenience of the system as the waterborne sewer network is only available to some 30% of the total number of households in Kleinmond,” says the Municipality.

According to them complaints are received about the noise that certain tankers make when emptying tanks while others say sewerage tankers are not efficient enough with the routes they follow. On average, Kleinmond Administration receives more than 1 700 call-outs per month for sewerage tanker services and during the December holiday season it goes up to 3 000 call-outs.

“The waterborne sewer network for Westcliff, situated between the Old and the New Harbours of Hermanus, has been included in the longterm Sewerage Master Plan, and will be phased in on the capital budget, while the other areas will be included as funds become available,” says the Municipality.

According to the Sewer Master Plan it will cost more

than R48 million to install a waterborne sewer network in Kleinmond alone. To install such a system in Betty’s Bay, Rooiels and Pringle Bay will cost a whopping R196 million as they do not have any sewerage network infrastructure. This includes a distribution system, main pipelines and pump stations, but excludes the upgrading of the Waste Water Treatment Works at Kleinmond.

“Subject to change, the 2018/19 draft budget allocated R4 million towards the extension of the Kleinmond Sewer Network and a further R5 million for 2019/20. The proposed amount in said draft budget for Kleinmond rehabilitation of the main bulk sewer to the Waste Water Treatment Works is R3 million (2017/18) and a further R3,7 million for 2018/19,” says the Municipality.

The Draft Budget will be open for public comment in March.

The Municipality says property owners in a number of residential and business suburbs throughout the Western Cape have gained from the additional services made possible as a result of Special Rating Areas (SRA).

“The establishment of SRAs promotes public safety and the improvement, maintenance, and upliftment of public areas within the boundaries of the designated area. These areas levy an additional rate, payable by property owners, for the improvement or upgrading of such an area. The additional Municipal services typically include the provision of additional public safety, public area cleaning services, maintenance and/or upgrading of the urban public environment and/or infrastructure and social services that address issues in the area.”

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Library, from 09:00 – 11:30. Author Chris SteynBarlow will be signing 16 copies of her book Publish and be Damned – Two Decades of Scandals, and all proceeds from sales will be donated to Friends of the Hermanus Library.

Wednesday 1 March ■ OAK Movie Night: Overstrand Arts/Kunste will be screening Ben Affleck’s award-winning movie Argo, at the Municipal Auditorium, at 18:00. Tickets are R45 (R30 for OAK members), available at the door. For more info contact René du Plooy on 082 940 4238.

Thursday 2 March ■ 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.

■ U3A Overberg: The first chef to be featured in this new series on Cooking and Cookery Books is Rudolf van den Berg of Burgundy Restaurant.

Rudolf will select three fish from the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative’s green list and prepare them for a food tasting. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Every Saturday ■ 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.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: In the courtyard at HPF cellar, The Village, from 09:00-14:00. Where wine and food lovers both local and international meet.

■ Hermanus Country Market: A favourite

among locals of all ages. Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

Fresh local produce, wholesome goodies, and home-made crafts.

■ Market in the Garden: Set among the trees in the heart of town, at St Peter’s Church in Main Road, from 09:00-13:00.

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

Friday 3 March ■ Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the bottom of Rotary Way at 06:15 for 06:30 every Friday. All volunteers welcome. Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 for more details.

Wednesday 8 March ■ Hermanus Social Club: The guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the South African Association of Retired Persons’ (SAARP) Hermanus Social Club is Fiona Sym, who will be talking about Moon Planting and the Effects the Phases of the Moon have on one’s Life. At the Dutch Reformed Church hall in Onrus, from 09:30 – 11:45. For further information contact Ingrid on 028 316 2390 or 082 081 6889.

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats) to support the Friends of Hermanus Library. New volunteers are welcome and will be much appreciated. At Hermanus Library, every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30.

■ ‘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.

■ CANSA Relay for Life: The 2017 Cansa Relay for Life Overstrand will take place at Kleinmond Primary School, from 18:00. Contact the Cansa office in Onrus to register your team on 028 316 3678.

■ U3A Overberg: The last part of the DVD series on the History of Ancient Egypt: 11. The First Intermediate Period & 12. The Middle Kingdom – Dynasty XI. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 March ■ Flight for Birders: This course will focus on local and regional species and bring new insights into conservation issues in the Overberg and the wonders of birding in the area. New participants will be offered free BirdLife Overberg membership for the rest of 2017. To attend this two-day course at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, contact Elaine at mwjasser@mweb.co.za or 082 455 8402.

Thursday 9 March ■ U3A Open Meeting: Guest speaker Prof John Parkington will give a talk on What do Archaeologists think they know about Khoi and San people? Prof John Parkington is a senior scholar in the Archaeology Department at UCT and has served, among others, on the Advisory Board of the Trust for African Rock Art and the Editorial Board of the South African Archaeological Society. The author of numerous books and articles, Prof Parkington will talk about the folklore of San and Khoi prisoners incarcerated on Robben Island and in the Castle in Cape Town. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 17:30. R10 entry fee.

Sunday 5 March

■ Hermanus First Fridays: Join the 18 art galleries in the centre of Hermanus as they remain open until 20:00 for this month’s Epic Artwalk. Follow the orange as you stroll from gallery to gallery, meet the artists and mingle with fellow art lovers. (Find the HFF map on P 10.)

■ Lemm’s Corner Market: This popular Sunday market also trades on the first Friday evening of the month, from 17:00 – 20:30, to coincide with the Artwalk. You’ll find exclusive fine arts and crafts, locally manufactured clothing, accessories and home décor, as well as delicious specialty foods, craft beers and a wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Road, Hermanus.

Saturday 4 March ■ Style Workshop: Presented by Jackie Burger at Curro School, from 10:30 – 16:00, in aid of Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse. Tickets at R350 pp are available from the school; contact 028 316 4911 or Adriana.l1@curro.co.za

■ Lemm’s Corner Market: Fabulous fine arts and crafts, gourmet eats, craft beers and wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Roads, every Sunday from 10:00 – 15:00.

Monday 6 March ■ Walker Bay Walkers: Join this group every Monday, Wednesday and Friday when they walk three different routes of between 6 km and 9 km each. Meet at the Bowling Club at 07:00. For more information call Lynn on 028 3162007 or Angela 082 445 8376.

■ Hermanus History Society AGM: The guest speaker will be Dr James Gray of the United Church in Hermanus. He will present his acclaimed account of South African soldiers in World War I. At the Catholic Church hall, at 16:00.

Tuesday 7 March ■ U3A Overberg: Dr Pierre de Villiers, chairman of the Hermanus Astronomy Club, will host a talk on Space Telescopes and Space Missions. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

■ Rocco de Villiers: Catch this maestro on piano when he performs for one night only at the Caledon Civic Hall. Tickets are available from Caledon Tourism – contact Weronica on 028 212 3282. Adults R100; children R50.

For more info, call Scott Entertainment on 087 820 0383.

Friday 10 March ■ Kolwyntjie Teetuin Markie: The Service Centre (‘Dienssentrum’) at the Dutch Reformed Church in Onrus will host a market, from 09:00 – 12:00. The cost of a stall is only R20 and can be booked with Joan or Hannie on 028 316 1745.

■ Bhuki Café: Enjoy tea, coffee and eats for only R20 (2 eats) or R30 (3 eats), at Hermanus

■ Jennifer Zamudio: Take your own picnic and a cushion to enjoy a performance by this talented Afrikaans singer. At the Hermanus Primary School Amphitheatre, at 20:00. Tickets at R100 pp are available from Louise on 082 896 5106 / 028 316 4567 or info@sprokkelster.co.za

Friday 10 – Sunday 12 March ■ Reforest Fest Family Weekend: Each year, Greenpop hosts the Reforest Fest over two weekends in the beautiful Platbos Forest Reserve in the Baviaanspoort Hills between Stanford and Gansbaai. To date, nearly 35 000 trees have been planted during the Reforest Fest. The Family Weekend is an opportunity for parents and children to connect in nature while planting trees, to enjoy great family entertainment and participate in activities for all ages. Unplug for some quality family time in the great outdoors and learn lessons about the planet. For more information, visit www.greenpop.org or call 071 573 0140.

Sunday 12 March ■ Charity Golf Day: Mixed 4 Ball Alliance, in aid of Overstrand Hospice. Playing fees are R250 for pre-paid members (includes competition fee & dinner) and R425 for visitors and non-prepaid members (includes green fee, competition fee & dinner). Handicap limits for Men: 30; Ladies: 36 (players must have official handicaps). To book, contact Cheryl Richardson on 028 312 3983 / 082 551 8330 or tamee@iafrica.com. Closing date: 6 March. At Hermanus Golf Club, from 08:00 – 17:00.

■ Fernkloof Holistic Faire: Enjoy an inspirational morning in the company of artists, crafters and therapists in a beautiful environment. Entrance is free. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, at 10:00. For more information, contact Lucia on 028 316 5312 or 082 811 6061.

■ Lemm’s Corner Market: Fabulous fine arts and crafts, gourmet eats, craft beers and wine bar. On the corner of Main and Harbour Roads, every Sunday from 10:00 – 15:00.

Tuesday 14 March ■ U3A Overberg: Ecologist and natural historian Prof Johann du Preez, departmental chair of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State, will present a talk on The Vredefort Dome – the oldest and largest meteorite impact on the earth. More than 150 geologists painstakingly accumulated evidence to reveal the impact of a meteorite the size of a mountain some 2 020 million years ago. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Village

EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ARTS

Tay Dall – Bold, striking and unforgettable nature – one is not so sidetracked. The lighting is also different and there is more atmosphere around me. I paint for the purest pleasure of creation, for the free flow of subconscious thought, for the need to escape the confines of law and order."

Hedda Mittner

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ocal contemporary artist Tay Dall's highly individual work embodies an energy and passion with imaginative mediums, subjects, themes, colours and styles that continue to surpass all expectations of the current art trends South Africa has to offer. Her bold, innovative and highly recognisable style, now more than ever inspired by an emotional confidence and technical maturity, will be on exhibit at Walker Bay Art Gallery from 3 – 19 March.

Tay describes her new collection of work as follows: “The rock and rolls of imagined places, drips and splats, roils of dramatic curves and dancing clouds of mist. Movements of liquid and air melding into an electrically charged interexchange of emotional colours.

Tendrils of weird lines vying for canvas space with floating forms in inky pools of atmosphere… that pretty much sums up what can be expected in my latest exhibition I have called ‘Synergy’.”

Born in Cape Town in 1966, Tay enthusiastically attended art classes from the age of eight years. She graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the Michaelis School of Art at the University of Cape Town before immigrating with her family to Los Angeles, California in 1988.

Here Tay enrolled for Critical Studies in Film at the University of Southern California, followed

A new collection of Tay Dall’s work entitled ‘Synergy’ will be exhibited at Walker Bay Art Gallery this month. by an Interactive Multimedia course at the American Film Institute. She soon rose to the ranks of assistant director, but found film "too collaborative a medium" and began managing an art gallery and producing more of her own work in her free time.

Eleven years in the cultural melting pot of Los Angeles gave Tay more confidence and inspiration, leading to work that was increasingly individual and experimental.

She began exhibiting her work in various venues and it was her eminent success in America that led to a full-time career as an artist.

Tay Dall's art has been shown in more than 90 exhibitions throughout the world during

her 30-year career and her work is represented by 34 local and international galleries.

A longing for her home country and a need to live closer to her roots prompted Tay to return to South Africa in 1995. "It took time to realise I was feeling homesick,” she says. “Your own culture is unique and by living away from it you lose a sense of yourself. South Africa is a beautiful country and there is a rhythm in Africa you can't feel anywhere else.”

Now living in Vermont with her husband and two children, where she paints from her home studio, Tay says: "I feel much more focused and centered when surrounded by

Tay refers to her creative process as “the madness that gets churned and spun in my studio”, but out of it she creates art that makes beautiful sense in a very organised way. “The works that I have chosen for the ‘Synergy’ collection represent the combined power of a grouping of my art styles and themes working together to make a greater, more powerful visual. The collection explores the history of where I am, where I’ve come from and where I’m going as I continue to experiment and explore the myriad possibilities of my imagination and my ability to create,” she says.

“Esoteric subjects and themes presented in these visual offerings may mystify, elude, enlighten, disappoint, inspire, or just shake your head, glaze your eyes, and knock you dead in the cerebral cortex of confusion. Don’t worry, my feeling is that there is no right or wrong way to see art. As long as the work squeezes out a little illustrious emotional response, whether it’s positive or negative, then I am a happy artist.”

For more on Tay Dall’s work, visit www.taydall.com

Think Klink!

Yes, it’s Klink season again and this year two Hemel-enAarde wineries have been nominated for Wine Tourism South Africa’s Klink Awards.

This initiative, now in its sixth year, plays a proactive role in promoting the fast-growing local wine tourism industry.

Unlike other local wine awards, it is consumerdriven, interacting with wine lovers to solicit their feedback via votes and social media indicators regarding their favourite experiences.

Bouchard Finlayson has been nominated in the prestigious category of SA Wine Icons, sharing the nomination with Beyerskloof, Waterford Estate and Groot Constantia.

Creation Wines has once more been nominated in the category Best Food and Wine Pairing and will be competing against Le Pommier, Leopard’s Leap, Stellenbosch Hills and Ormonde Vineyards. Creation has won the award three times in previous years and is regarded as a pioneer in the field of wine and food pairing.

Ever since Peter Finlayson established Bouchard Finlayson in the Hemel-enAarde Valley in 1989, the winery’s name has been internationally synonymous with excellence. Today, it is

no stranger to accolades, having won the South African Wine Index (SAWi) awards for Top Pinot Noir – Galpin Peak (2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016) and Top Red blend (other) – Hannibal (2014, 2015 & 2016), as well as being voted the No. 2 Top overall wine producer in both 2015 and 2016.

Creation Wines, established in 2002 by co-owners JeanClaude and Carolyn Martin, produces an extensive range of award-winning wines. At their tasting room in Hemelen-Aarde Ridge, Creation offers visitors no less than eight pairing options. Among these are the famous Tapas Pairing, the intriguing Secret Pairing, the scrumptious Brunch Pairing and the popular Kids Surprise Pairing.

The latest innovations are Wine and Herb as well as Wine and Flower Pairings and a brand-new Vegan repertoire.

In short, when it comes to Wine and Food Pairing, there’s always something new and unique in the pipeline at Creation.

Members of the public can now vote for their favourites across 13 categories. But voting closes on 10 March, so hurry up and support our local wineries! Go to www.winetourismsouthafrica. co.za or www.klinkawards.co.za

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Village Explorer

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28 February 2017

Claerhout painting goes on auction

s one of South Africa’s most highly regarded artists, Hennie Niemann Snr’s humble spirit and down-to-earth generosity is integral to his life and work.

As devoted to the protection and support of the poor and vulnerable in our community as he is to his art, Hennie is the core funder for the Nika Trust, and also the founder.

The Nika Trust was established in 2014 and aims to improve the lives of those less fortunate, especially women and children. The list of the Nika Trust’s beneficiaries is growing by the day and assistance is provided to those in need by supplying food, school clothes, school fees, university fees, skills training, business start-ups, and sport sponsorships, amongst others.

In order to generate funds for the trust that will enable it to help more people, Hennie has donated a 61 cm x 50,5 cm painting of harvesters by Frans Claerhout which will be auctioned this month. The painting comes from Hennie’s private collection of Claerhout’s work and is an apt choice for the trust’s cause, as the late artist’s mentorship had a profound influence on Hennie’s development as an artist.

Father Frans Claerhout was born in Belgium and came to South Africa as a missionary in 1964. After serving in Bloemfontein, Claerhout moved to the Tweespruit mission station near Thaba ‘Nchu and the two men met when Hennie was

This painting by Frans Claerhout, donated by Hennie Niemann Snr, will be auctioned this month in aid of the Nika Trust. teaching at Tweespruit Agricultural School.

Here, as a priest, Father Claerhout worked closely with the local impoverished community. By using the money he made from his paintings, he funded the building of several homes for the poor, churches and chapels. He also funded vehicles for the transport of pensioners, school children and the sick, and sponsored children’s education.

Claerhout described his art as "an expressionistic pause in the life of a group of people, who by general humanity can be understood and loved". The rough and colourful style of his work, radiating warmth, innocence and his love for South Africa, shows a sensitive view of humanity and reality through the eyes of this caring artist.

Claerhout’s humility and compassion for others had a huge impact on Hennie and a special friendship developed which, years later, inspired Hennie to found the Nika Trust.

Its mission is to improve the livelihood of the poor through the strategic use of tools such as education, economic development, health programmes and capacity building; its vision is to offer ongoing support to beneficiaries through base poverty alleviation, community development and economic empowerment through job creation.

The Claerhout painting will be exhibited at Savannah Café, 25 High Street, Hermanus.

Bidding opens on Wednesday 1 March and will close on 31 March at 12:00. Potential bidders can place their bid via email to nikatrust1@gmail.com or by contacting Teressa Jones on 072 796 2018.

Village Explorer

28 February 2017

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Bill Davis – the life and work of a sculptor and he spent many hours drawing, and visiting cathedrals, museums and art galleries. The following year he went to sea again to pay for his tuition and support himself, this time as mess man on a tanker to the Caribbean.

Hedda Mittner

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nassuming and softspoken, Bill Davis cuts a slight figure which belies the courage, fortitude, strength of character and steely determination that enabled him to endure a harsh childhood and many years of back-breaking work and financial hardship. These same qualities gave Bill the courage to follow his true artistic calling and embark on extraordinary adventures that have enriched his life and his art in untold ways.

Bill’s life story has all the qualities of a work of fiction, starting with his birth in 1933 in Assam in north-east India, where his parents had gone during the Great Depression to manage a tea plantation. His sister Shirley followed three years later and during their early years the siblings enjoyed a typical colonial childhood.

This idyllic existence however was abruptly cut short when, at the age of just five and a half years, Bill was taken back to South Africa and enrolled in boarding school.

Incredibly, his family returned to India without saying goodbye to Bill as they thought it might be too traumatic for the little boy, and simply disappeared from his life. This separation from his family was one of the most traumatic experiences of Bill’s life. World War II broke out during his family’s voyage back to India and it would be four years before he saw his mother again.

The Anglican Bishop’s Hostel in Kimberley where Bill boarded was a strict and unfriendly environment where corporal punishment was routinely meted out. To make matters worse, Bill’s dyslexia was not recognised at the time and his teachers were very hard on him.

Although he displayed remarkable artistic talent from a young age, this was not

After his two years at the Rijk’s Normaal School, Bill was encouraged to apply to the Rijk’s Academie van Beeldende Kunsten and was one of 24 chosen out of 200 applicants. The hours at the Academy were long and hard, and adding to the pressure was a constant lack of money.

Bill was forced to miss evening classes when he took a job working nights as a cleaner at a cigarette factory, which led to an ultimatum from the Academy.

Bill Davis with Braelea Pope at the Mission’s House Gallery in Onrus, where a collection of his work is currently on exhibit. Copies of the beautiful coffee table book Bill Davis - Sculptor: His Life and Work by Ellen Davis and Christopher Gregorowski are also available from the Gallery. nurtured or encouraged as “art was for sissies”.

By 1942, at the height of World War II, the Japanese were poised to invade Assam and Bill’s father sent his wife and daughter back to South Africa for their safety.

“By that time I could no longer remember what my mother and sister looked like and I shyly asked a lady at the Kimberley station if she was Mrs Davis,” Bill reminisces. It turned out she was. He only saw his father again – for the first time in seven years – after the war ended in 1945.

By then Bill was enrolled as a boarder at St George’s Grammar School. His parents settled permanently in South Africa in 1947 on The Grange, a sheep farm near Hopetown

in the Northern Cape. During his high school years, Bill received private tuition in art and after matriculating he enrolled at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 1951. His father, hoping that Bill would join him on The Grange and eventually take over the farm, was furious about his son’s defiance and his choice of fine art as a career path.

Inspired by Lippy Lipschitz, who was one of his lecturers, Bill specialised in sculpture from his second year onwards.

After graduating at the end of 1953, he was determined to further his studies but had to find a way of raising the necessary funds to support himself. Having trained as a sea cadet in high school, Bill decided to join the catcher of a Dutch whaling company, the Willem Barendsz. Working day

and night as a mess-boy on the ship’s Antarctic expedition was rough going and entailed serving food, washing up and scrubbing the deck and washrooms.

But after two seasons on the Willem Braendsz, Bill had saved enough money to make his way to Europe. As fate would have it, the ship’s doctor had a brother who was the head of the Rijk’s Normaal School voor Tekenleraren in Amsterdam. His letter of introduction helped Bill to gain entry and he started his studies at the art school in September 1955.

On student trips and during his holidays, Bill travelled extensively. Bowled over by the cultural riches of the UK and Europe, his sketchbook went everywhere with him

Unable to continue his studies without financial assistance, Bill approached Prof Vroom, director of the Academy, who intervened on his behalf and secured a bursary for the next four years. Things were finally looking up for Bill. And then, in April 1958, he met the person who would change his life forever – a 19-year-old Dutch girl named Ellen Mesman, whom he married in 1960.

In his second year at the Academy Bill again specialised in sculpture under Prof Esser, who was a hard taskmaster. By his final year Bill was one of only four in the sculpture class out of the 24 carefully chosen students who had started out together. After his graduation he had two well-received exhibitions in Amsterdam but felt the need to break away from the restrictive way in which he had been taught and to develop his own style.

With the second of their four daughters on the way, Bill decided it was time to come home and the young family arrived in Cape Town in October 1962. Bill was appointed as art master at SACS High School and began

actively to establish himself as a sculptor. He later also lectured in sculpture at Michaelis and in life drawing at UCT’s School of Architecture, in addition to giving sculpture lessons at the Green Point Art School.

Although they often struggled financially, Bill remained devoted to his art and his work steadily gained critical acclaim.

Regular solo exhibitions followed and he also participated in many group exhibitions in Cape Town as well as other cities in South Africa and abroad. Some of his best known works are public commissions such as the wall relief at the Nico Malan Theatre (now Artscape) and the portrait of Nelson Mandela for the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.

Among the many artists that Bill and Ellen became friends with was Cecil Higgs, who lived in Vermont. Inspired by the natural beauty of this remote and unspoilt area, they bought a plot in 1968 and erected a prefabricated shack where, for the next two and a half decades, they spent their weekends and family holidays. In 1994 they built a new home with a studio for Bill and settled there permanently.

Ellen sadly passed away in 2005, before Bill’s richly illustrated biography was published. It was Ellen who documented Bill’s life and work from the very start of their partnership. In her foreword to the book, Jane Raphaely wrote: “Bill’s spirit has been at work all his life, now captured in this book.”

A collection of Bill’s work in different genres and from different periods in his life is currently on exhibition at the Mission’s House Gallery in Onrus. “With so many amateurs calling themselves artists these days, Bill is one of the last classically trained artists,” says gallery owner Glenda Pope, who has known and worked with Bill for many years. “Not many people know that we have this treasure in our midst.”

Village Explorer

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28 February 2017

New beginnings for reinvented restaurants

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n a recent outing to the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley I stopped off at Spookfontein Restaurant, where I hadn’t been since it changed hands in November last year. I was pleasantly surprised to find the setting as enchanting as ever, the atmosphere super-chilled, the service friendly and welcoming, the food beautifully prepared and the wine top notch.

When previous owner Norah Hudson relocated her ethical eatery to the CBD, this lovely establishment was taken over by veteran restauranteur Francois Barnard. His partner in this new venture is Vaughan van Blerk, who has been working with Francois for 14 years and also manages Harbour Rock.

In charge of the kitchen is Chef Charl du Preez, who worked at Harbour Rock for 5 years before heading off to Spain where he was appointed as a private chef.

On his return he joined the five star Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness and Wellness Retreat in the Cederberg Mountains.

When Vaughan contacted Charl towards the end of last year, he didn’t hesitate to return to his home town of Hermanus, where he’d trained at Warwick’s Chef School and started his career. The Spookfontein Restaurant reopened in midDecember just as the holiday season was gaining momentum – and they hit the ground running.

Francois, Vaughan and Charl make a formidable team and as a guest one certainly feels that one is in good hands. More importantly, they all seem to be enjoying themselves immensely. “We have a great management team at Harbour Rock and I was ready for a new challenge,” said Vaughan. “It was very exciting to start with a clean slate and we had a lot of fun developing the new menu.”

Said menu is small and the dishes have been carefully selected to reflect Spookfontein’s creative and rather

Local ‘Sharklady’ Kim MacLean’s new venture in partnership with Paul Buckingham, The Deck & Galley at Mon Desir next to Misty Waves, has become quite the favourite among locals, tourists and swallows alike. A recent invitation to enjoy Valentine’s evening there with friends turned into a spontaneous party that started with bubbles, followed by an impressive three-course meal, and peaked with a surprise visit by Elvis (aka Antonio da Silva-Swart) who serenaded diners with the king of rock ‘n roll’s greatest hits.

What’s cooking

Restaurant News

By Hedda Mittner quirky take on country food.

Among the tempting starters are yellow fin tuna with corn salsa, English fish cakes with mushy peas, and tomato carpaccio with watercress and parmesan. The mains include beef steak with Bordelaise sauce, South Indian vegetable curry and succulent pork belly with lemongrass broth.

The new co-owners of the Spookfontein Restaurant in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Vaughan van Blerk and Francois Barnard, with Chef Charl du Preez.

Kim is as passionate about music and deejaying as she is about sharks and has definitely brought a new laidback, jazzy vibe to this establishment. The front seating area has been enclosed with a canopy and roll-up blinds and is now sheltered from the elements, and upstairs Kim has turned what was once a storeroom into a cosy lounge bar.

Some of the dishes such as the chicken and prawn tortellini in a prawn bisque (which, by the way, is delish) are available as either a full or half portion.

The wine list offers a small selection of great local wines, including those from the estate.

Vaughan has managed to bring a light touch to Spookfontein which harmonises with the natural materials, curved lines and circular shapes of architect DJ Carr’s innovative design and the mesmerising views.

“There is a different vibe up here on this beautiful farm,” said Vaughan. “It’s a peaceful and relaxing environment – a place where people can get away from it all and unwind.”

The Spookfontein Restaurant is open for lunch six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday.

Also available for private functions in the evenings. For bookings, call 073 067 7936.

While I’m not a particular a fan of either Elvis Presley or Valentine’s celebrations, Antonio’s impersonation was rather fabulous and the cheerful vibe was so contagious that soon everyone was singing along and jiving among the tables with their partners. I wasn’t surprised to hear that the party carried on into the wee hours after I’d left.

Among those who enjoyed a Valentine’s dinner hosted by Kim Maclean (middle) at The Deck & Galley were Dutch ‘swallows’ Len Huiding (left) and Jan Stultiëns (right) with their friends Betty Quarré and Ellen Grÿzenhout. At their service was Stuart Mwale (back).

breakfast to Misty Waves hotel guests daily, The Deck & Galley is also open to the public seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Jazz Sundays are very popular and Kim is also looking forward to hosting special Sunday lunch spit roasts and fish braais, as well as themed dinners around a communal table.

Chef Terry McCarthy, who joined Kim at The Deck & Galley late last year, told me that she hails from Durban, which explains her fondness for cooking with spices. However, her speciality is provincial Italian cuisine, having worked at Fellini Trattoria and Ciao Bella in Cape Town during the nineties.

Terry also worked as a private chef on yachts and as a caterer in the film and commercial industry. Her relationship with Kim goes way back and the two women were business partners for 12 years before Terry left Hermanus five years ago. “I’m back for good now,” she said with a big smile.

The menu offers varied, multicultural dishes and caters for different palates, with everything from Portuguese beef and chicken pregos and tuna espetada to Italian pasta dishes to French Bouillabaisse to Asian chicken to Moroccan linefish. Terry also likes to include typical South African dishes such as skilpaadjies or a proper Durban curry bunny chow, as tourists are always eager for a taste of the local cuisine. The restaurant’s offering changes seasonally and there are daily blackboard specials.

“I realised there wasn’t anywhere in Hermanus where older people could chill and listen to mellow jazzy tunes as opposed to the deafening doef-doef where the younger crowds hang out,” she said.

“When I saw this underutilised space I immediately had a vision of what it could be.”

You’ll find The Deck & Galley at 21 Marine Drive next to the Misty Waves Hotel. To book a table, call 083 746 8985 or join them for Jazz on the Deck on Sunday afternoons. You can also follow The Deck & Galley on Facebook for regular updates.

Kim has certainly transformed the space and added another dimension to the restaurant, which operates as a multifunctional establishment.

Apart from serving a buffet

Send your restaurant news and reviews to hedda@hermanus.co.za

Village Explorer

28 February 2017

Indulge your sweet tooth

W

ilco den Otter’s taartenatelier in Dirkie Uys Street is aptly named as this is no ordinary bakery – it is a cake studio where Wilco’s baking skills are expressed in his artistic creations.

Dunya Cake Delights opened its doors at the end of November last year and is the first and only bakery in Hermanus that specialises in cakes and confectionary, and where everything is freshly baked on the premises.

Wilco hails from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where he opened his own bakery at the tender age of 26. “A cake is usually the centrepiece of a celebration,” he says, “and I enjoy creating a unique cake for each special occasion. Every one is different and handmade.”

After working 100-hour weeks in his bakery for many years, Wilco says he was longing for a more relaxed lifestyle – and that’s exactly what he found when he and his wife, who is a wine importer, visited Hermanus and the Hemel-enAarde Valley. “I just fell in love with this place,” he says. “Life is less complicated here than in a

Wilco den Otter at his new taartenatelier (cake shop) in Hermanus, Dunya Cake Delights. big city. I enjoy the peace and quiet and the fact that I can go for a walk or a swim after work without having to drive far.

There is less pressure and because the workload is more manageable, I’m enjoying it so much more. Having this quality of life is really much more important than making money.”

Wilco bakes early in the morning and opens the shop at 09:00. Here customers can enjoy tea or coffee and get a taste of Wilco’s delicious cake slices, tarts and cookies. A heavenly smell hits you the moment you enter the door

and the little shop has a light, fresh and wholesome ambience. His specialities such as Spekulaas, Jan Hagel, appeltaart, coffee-caramel cake and chocolate-pecan nut cake can be ordered one day in advance and Wilco is happy to discuss his customers’ needs when it comes to that special celebration cake.

Visit Dunya Cake Delights at 7 Dirkie Uys Street. You can also find Wilco at Lemm’s Corner Market every Sunday between 10:00 and 14:00. Call 071 481 6519 or order online at www.dunyacakedelights.co.za

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Village Explorer

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28 February 2017

Platbos and Greenpop planting trees for tomorrow Nelly Roodt

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ut on your highprotection SPF 30, don your sun hat and head for the hills: The Platbos Forest planting season has come.

Approximately 1 000 environmentally-aware citizens will be planting an estimated 8 000 indigenous saplings in the forest during the two Greenpop Reforest weekends in March.

Take your pick from the two upcoming events at Platbos, which is situated on the slopes of the Baviaanspoort Hills on the Grootbos Road, between Stanford and Gansbaai: Either the Family Weekend from 10 – 12 March or the Friends’ Weekend from 17 – 19 March.

“During the Reforest Fest, green-hearted souls get their hands into the soil and plant thousands of Platbos trees back into the lands where they once grew. To date 38 244 trees have been re-planted,” say Platbos Forest owners, Francois and Melissa Krige.

The Kriges bought Platbos,

PRESERVING FOR POSTERITY Join the annual Greenpop Reforest Festival at Platbos this month and lend a hand in planting thousands of saplings to restore Africa’s southernmost indigenous forest.

Africa’s southernmost indigenous forest, in 2004.

Francois, an arborist, explains its uniqueness: “From the exterior, no inkling is given of the age-old trees found within the forest.

to make way for cultivation.

Today, many of these fields stand fallow and they are now threatened by alien vegetation on neighbouring land that poses a grave fire risk to the forest.

harvests the newlygerminated seedlings from the forest floor and rear them in the forest nursery. Two years later they are ready to be replanted to expand the forest.

“The canopy make-up of the forest occurs nowhere else. It has the elements of coastal forest milkwoods. Hard pears, white stinkwoords and white pears give it its special character. There are also wild olives, sea guarrie, rock alders, pock ironwood and bladdernut.”

After purchasing the land, the Kriges came up with a reforestation project called 'Trees for Tomorrow', to restore that which had been. “To manage, preserve and expand this forest is the greatest and most rewarding challenge of our lives," says Francois.

In 2012 Greenpop began collaborating with the Kriges in the reforestation process.

Over the next two weekends it will be hosting its 6th annual Reforest Fest at Platbos.

Like natural forests the world over, parts of Platbos were cleared-felled in days gone by

The project began in 2008.

Since then large areas of aliens have been cleared. Each year in spring the Platbos staff

Greenpop, a social enterprise founded in 2010, has planted over 70 000 indigenous and fruit trees at schools and other urban sites, community farms and forests across South Africa, Zambia and

Tanzania. “Most of our replanting at Platbos now happens during the annual Greenpop Reforest Fest,” Melissa says.

Efforts are focused on the pockets of alien vegetation that have penetrated the original forest’s borders. By combining alien vegetation clearing with a proactive planting regime, the project aims to bolster, stimulate and accelerate the regrowth of the original forest.

Together Platbos staff and Greenpop volunteers plant a combination of pioneer and apex species in dense clusters to allow them the opportunity

to shade out the invasive seed bank in the planting sites.

“The family weekend is for parents and children to connect in nature while planting trees.

The friends’ weekend is for people who would like to make a positive impact on the environment. Fest-goers also enjoy eco-talks, yoga, live music and healthy food. The friends’ weekend activities and talks are more tailored to adults, but all ages are welcome at both festival weekends,” says Greenpop CEO, Misha Teasdale.

Tickets can be bought via www.greenpop.org. Ticket prices vary between free and R500 for one weekend.

Village Explorer

20 December 2016

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Hermanus welcomes new oncologist

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t has always been my dream to live in a coastal town like Hermanus and to be in a position to give back to the community I live in,” says Dr John Duminy of Hermanus Oncology.

The owner of Spec-Savers Hermanus, Chales Gotz, with new optometrists Petré Celliers and Juanita van Tonder.

A new pair of eyes for Spec-Savers Two newcomers have joined Spec-Savers Optometrists in Hermanus, owned by Charles Gotz for the last 17 years.

Optometrist Petré Celliers previously worked in Worcester and Caledon and recently joined Spec-Savers full time after doing locum work three days a week since May last year.

He will be working alongside Charles at Spec-Savers Hermanus in Main Road, while local resident Juanita van Tonder has been appointed the new optometrist at the SpecSavers branch in Main Road, Sandbaai.

Spec-Savers is a nationwide brand and the Hermanus/ Sandbaai franchise forms part of more than 260 branches in South Africa. Known as the “affordable eye care specialists”, Spec-Savers can be contacted

for eye tests, contact lenses, prescription glasses and sun glasses. They regularly have promotions such as the current offer of a free pair of prescription sun glasses with single vision lenses when you purchase an eye test and your first pair of prescription glasses.

“We also act as a gateway for more serious visual problems such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts,” says Charles. “People might not always be aware that there is a problem as some of these conditions are asymptomatic, but with routine eye tests we can pick up on these complications and refer our customers to an eye specialist. That is why it is so important to have your eyes checked at least every two years.”

Hermanus Oncology opened its doors at the beginning of February at the new Medical Village in Westcliff.

“We often visited the Cape on holiday and I always told my family that I would like to move here. When the opportunity arose to relocate to Hermanus and practice as an oncologist I immediately put my hand up and the rest, as they say, is history.”

John and his wife Martie together with their son Adriaan arrived in Hermanus from Klerksdorp in North West at the end of December. Their daughter Liezl is a student at Potchefstroom University, where both John and Martie received their qualifications as pharmacists in the ‘80s.

“After being a pharmacist for a few years I qualified as a doctor at Free State University, after which I practiced as a GP in Leeudoringstad for three years before joining an oncology practice in Klerksdorp 11 years ago.

“Although it was not easy to leave our family and friends I am glad we made the move.

Hermanus is truly a wonderful

GIVING BACK Dr John Duminy of Hermanus Oncology, with Carol Dunsdon, Monica Storm and Jan Lubbe. In front are Martie Duminy, Sr Aggie Booysen, Merle Vaaltyn and Amorie Bloemarts. place and I now realise how lucky we all are to live here,” says John.

He already has some 40 patients who they can treat with chemotherapy in the chemo room under the care of Sr Aggie Booysen. Martie is the pharmacist in charge of mixing the medicine.

According to John he drives patients in need of radiation therapy at his own cost to the Vergelegen MediClinic in Somerset West, where he administers the treatment himself. “I want my patients to receive the same level of treatment and care that they have been used to. I do plan to

install a linear accelerator that will enable us to offer radiation treatment locally, but at a cost of close on R25 million it is still going to be a while.”

area so special. You get a distinct feeling that this is a place where things happen. A place where everything works and where the people are happy.”

In order to offer oncology services to the Overstrand and Overberg regions, John also offers treatment every second Thursday at the Swellendam Clinic.

John says his biggest dream is to be able to offer his services to all residents of the region.

“I would like to extend my practice to include patients from the provincial hospital.

Having access to specialised cancer treatment locally should not only be for people who can afford medical aid.

It is my dream to be of service to the whole community.”

Both John and Adriaan are keen mountain bikers and enjoy the various trails on offer in the region. “Although I work hard, I have come to realise that you must make time for yourself and your family. That is what makes this

– De Waal Steyn

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Village Explorer

28 February 2017

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15 NEWS NEWS Northern Hemisphere on top of the world after win

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t was a thrilling finish to the inaugural Global Golf Challenge this past weekend at the Hermanus Golf Club. In town for the charity invitational, professional players representing the Southern Hemisphere and captained by Laurette Maritz (South Africa), matched up against a team captained by Switzerlandbased Nora Angehrn. Team North took the honours and claimed the Ralph Walton trophy, 11 points to 5.

Day one saw the teams allsquare. While Maritz made no changes to her pairings in this Betterball Matchplay format,

28 February 2017

Angehrn swapped one match pairing. The strategy clearly worked in her favour. “I needed my Spanish Armada in the end in case we needed the crucial point,” she said.

“Although this event may be for charity, it is professionals playing and we take the game seriously. We all wanted to win, and even more so when representing a team – in this case the Northern Hemisphere.

“It was amazing playing the impeccable Hermanus Golf Course, which is in championship condition and I encourage all my fellow

Northern Hemisphere golfing colleagues to come and see it for themselves, as I may call on them for 2018.”

Hermanus Golf Club members, sponsors and spectators were treated to some spectacular golf over the course of the tournament, as the professional players showed just how it’s done.

Angehrn and her team made a total of 49 #Birdies2Earn over the Southern Hemisphere’s 43 Birdies, for a total of 92.

The event was all in the name of charity too, with funds raised and donated to South

African social enterprise organisation, Learn to Earn.

To date a sum of R38 000 has been generated from donations via the website and from the generous support of the sponsors, supporters and spectators who bid on various items, including Rachel Rastaad’s putter – now available to the highest bidder.

With the number of #Birdies2Earn established, those wishing to contribute now have a benchmark against which to set their donations and can do so by going to www.learntoearn.org.za.

“It’s been fantastic to be part of a global initiative that can help highlight and solve a global problem,” said Roché van Wyk, Director at Learn to Earn. “The Global Golf Challenge is sinking poverty with every putt. We can only get bigger and better next year, the year after that and beyond, so we can help even more people, which is what this tournament is all about.

I would like to commend concept director Tania Fourie and the organisers on staging a superb event and bringing it to the world.”

Laurette Maritz, Captain of the

Southern Hemisphere team echoed Van Wyk’s sentiments, saying: “We might be the runners up here this year, but we are all winners for participating in this awesome initiative that can go on to make a difference to so many.”

She also laid down a challenge to Angehrn: “We’ll be back next year to claim the honours!”

On that note Tania confirmed that indeed the event would be back in South Africa in 2018 and summed up the weekend’s activities with her usual passion: “…and I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

TEAM SOUTH IN GREEN: Morgana Robbertze, Bonita Bredenhann, Nobuhle Dlamini, Lejan Lewthwaite, Melissa Eaton, Nicole Garcia, Stacy Bregman, Laurette Maritz (Captain).

TEAM NORTH IN BLUE: Captain Nora Angehrn, Rachel Rastaad, Marta Silva, Carmen Alonso, Carrie Park, Rebecca Hudson, Alexandra Lennartsson, Cecilie Lundgreen.

PHOTO: Maria Beautell for Global Golf Challenge

28 February 2017

To advertise in The Village NEWS, contact Rina de Wet on

083 604 0808

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FynArts 2017 offers food for thought

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ermanus FynArts will be back this year – for the fifth time – from 9 to 18 June, and the final programme is almost in the bag.

Festival director Mary Faure says that if all goes according to plan, the programme booklet will be printed and ticket sales opened early in March.

“I am very pleased with our progress in staging another bumper programme with items in the fields of exhibitions, performances, workshops and demonstrations, food and wine, films, children’s programmes, talks and presentations,” says Mary.

Willie Bester is the FynArts Festival Artist this year with Transformation as the title of the exhibition by this acclaimed artist who works mainly in mixed media. And while the programme is buzzing with other high profile and internationally acclaimed artists, the Talks and Presentations section offers real food for thought.

Appropriate for the current constitutional issues in the country, FynArts has lined up Justice Dikgang Moseneke, former Deputy Chief Judge of the Constitutional Court, who will in one session discuss his recently published autobiography, My Own Liberator, and in another highlight constitutional issues in a Q&A breakfast session.

Presentations on the visual arts include that of Marilyn Martin, independent academic, writer and curator. She has two presentations on The Power of Abstract Art. Marilyn will be joined by Stefan Hundt, curator of the Sanlam Art Collection and Christopher Till, director of the Apartheid Museum, in a discussion on the issues facing the survival of South African Art Museums. Stefan, with artist Lien Botha and Michael Godby,

Emeritus Professor of History of Art at UCT, will in another session discuss the tight rope curators walk in selecting works and curating exhibitions.

Acclaimed actress, poet, playwright, author and one of the few female story tellers in the country, Gcina Mholphe, will entertain art lovers with her talk on the progressive role the creative arts have played as the country strives to deserve the name ‘Rainbow Nation’.

In a fairy-tale presentation, two of the country’s most beloved artists, Gordon Froud and Wilma Cruise focus on Alice in Wonderland in discussing the image of Alice through the ages, followed by a visual exploration of the interface between humankind and animals, using Alice and her dream world as a platform.

Far from fairy-tales and back to harsh reality, Rev James Gray of the Hermanus United Church follows his sold -out talk on the battle of Delville Wood at FynArts 2016 with a talk on The Fall of Tobruk in the summer of 1942. This was an unparalleled military humiliation for South Africa that affected the lives of thousands of young South Africans.

These are a few of the more that 21 talks and presentations which should cater for the diverse interests of FynArts supporters.

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28 February 2017

ABSA Cape Epic: ‘Tis the season for cycling

he 14th edition of the Absa Cape Epic will take place from 19 to 26 March. The event will be as challenging as ever as local and international mountain bikers tackle the demanding eightday adventure through the Western Cape countryside.

Dog Bite, Zig Zag and the UFO; some thrilling descents and great, rugged single track. These include the Good Samaritan Descent, which got its name from the day in 2014 when riders Markus Kaufmann and Jochen Kaess handed over wheels to leaders Robert Mennen and Kristian Hynek after the latter had punctured, thus saving their race.

This year, the 2017 Absa Cape Epic returns to Hermanus for the first time since 2008 for the 101 km opening stage, which starts and finishes at Hermanus High School.

The race must be completed by both members of a two-person team, with only 650 teams and 1 300 entrants allowed to take part. The route changes annually and this year it will lead aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through 691 km of unspoilt scenery and 15 400 m of accumulated altitude – nearly twice the height of Mount Everest – over some of the most magnificent mountain passes in South Africa.

After a 26 km prologue at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville on Sunday 19 March, the race village will move to Hermanus, Greyton and Elgin for the remaining seven stages. The final stage – the Grand Finale – finishes at Franschhoek’s Val de Vie

UPS AND DOWNS Thursday 23 March Stage 4: Greyton – Elgin Distance: 112 km Altitude gain: 2 150 m 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC WINNERS Twelve years after claiming his first Absa Cape Epic title, Karl Platt last year became only the second person to win the event five times when he and Urs Huber (Team Bulls) sealed a dominant victory. estate for the first time.

WHALE TRAILS Monday 20 March Stage 1: Hermanus – Hermanus Distance: 101 km Altitude gain: 2 300 m On the Absa Cape Epic’s opening stage the route heads up Rotary Way and along the spine of the mountain before dipping down into the Hemel-enAarde Valley. After the initial 60 km, competitors will confront the tough climb of the Haarkappers Roete over

the Klein River Mountains when they head up the rugged ascent from Tesselaarsdal. On the Barber’s Cut descent, riders will enjoy views across Stanford down below and the ocean stretching to the horizon.

From the bottom the route turns back west towards Hermanus and riders will finish the day with a fun spin along the town’s urban assault mountain biking section.

A RIDGE TOO FAR Tuesday 21 March Stage 2: Hermanus – Greyton

Distance: 102 km Altitude gain: 2 350 m Stage 2 of the 2017 Absa Cape Epic takes riders north via Shaw’s Pass to a new race village in Greyton.

UFO SIGHTING Wednesday 22 March Stage 3: Greyton – Greyton Distance: 78 km Altitude gain: 1 650 m This stage takes riders on a country meander through nearby Bereaville and Genadendal, followed by a series of climbs including Mad

The fourth stage of the Absa Cape Epic will take riders past the Klipheuwel-Dassiefontein Wind Energy Facility near Caledon and along the twisting trails at Wildekrans before heading across to the old Houw Hoek Pass and on to Oak Valley Wine Estate for a good night’s rest.

ON THE TRAILS Friday 24 March Stage 5: Elgin – Elgin Distance: 84 km Altitude gain: 2 100 m The route covers most of the A-to-Z trail network above the Elgin/Grabouw Country Club and around the Eikenhof Dam, and then the renowned trails on

Paul Cluver Estate and Oak Valley before heading back to the race village.

THE QUEEN STAGE Saturday 25 March Stage 6: Elgin – Elgin Distance: 103 km Altitude gain: 2 750 m When veterans of the Absa Cape Epic were asked about the toughest climb ever in the event their response was unanimous: Groenlandberg. In 2017 the route returns to this rugged track before looping through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve and private farmland.

The last climb from Thandi Wine Estate takes riders back to Oak Valley.

DON’T SPARE THE HORSES Sunday 26 March Stage 7: Elgin – Val de Vie Distance: 85 km Altitude gain: 1 350 m From Grabouw, the route passes the Theewaterskloof Dam, followed by the last major climb of the Franschhoek Pass before the finish line awaits at Val de Vie. In the next edition of The Village NEWS (14 March), cycling enthusiasts can get all the details about the various spectator points along the route of the 2017 ABSA Cape Epic.

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28 February 2017

Ticks: your pet’s deadliest enemy U

nless you’re a particularly vigilant pet owner it may be some time before you discover a tick hiding beneath your pet’s fur, yet that tiny creature is his deadliest enemy.

Ticks are responsible for the deaths of more South African dogs than any other disease.

A parasite transmitted by the yellow dog tick infects pets with biliary, a potentially fatal disease which, if it does not kill, could re-infect again and again.

will show up bright yellow. This is an advanced, very serious symptom of biliary 6. Vomiting and yellow to black diarrhoea 7. Seizures, howling and disorientation 8. Muscle pain and lameness

My Pet Dr Hilldidge Beer

Don’t be misled by the tick’s description though; its appearance is deceiving. It may also appear as a small red tick or the big swollen blue tick we commonly see on pets and both of these also cause biliary. Many of us make the mistake of believing that because we live in cities or the suburbs our dogs and cats won’t pick up ticks, but even housebound pets aren’t immune.

the wooden panels of kennels.

They are especially fond of clinging to unwashed pet bedding. For most of the country, summer is when pet owners should be most vigilant but in the Western Cape with its winter rainfall, tick infestation is prevalent all year round.

Ticks are easily carried on shoes and trouser legs and like to hide between bricks and cracks in paving, and between

What to do As always, prevention is better than cure.

1. Wash bedding regularly and

keep kennels clean. Seal cracks where ticks might hide.

2. All pets should have tick prevention applied every four weeks. There is a range of spot-ons, powders, shampoos, sprays and impregnated collars available from EberVet Vetshops and veterinarians.

These include flavoured chews that are also safe for pups; a collar that offers tick and flea protection for up to eight months; and monthly

topical drops. Ask your veterinarian to assist you in choosing the best option for your pet or ask your Vetshop assistant for advice.

3. Groom your pet regularly; this is when you are most likely to see evidence of ticks.

How do I know if my pet is infected?

Clinical signs of biliary usually take up to 14 days to appear after your pet has been bitten

by a tick. Some common symptoms include: 1. Loss of appetite and lethargy are usually the first signs 2. Anaemia: pale or whitish gums and inside of the eyelids 3. Fever: your dog may pant a lot to get rid of the excess heat though not all dogs with biliary have fevers 4. A very heavy pulse 5. Jaundice: the whites of the eyes, the gums and the urine

Treatment This is not a disease you can cure at home. Don’t wait a day or two to see if your pet feels better. He or she may be dead by then. Get your pet to a vet as soon as possible. Your vet will diagnose tick bite fever via a blood smear under a microscope. It is usually easy and quick to diagnose and the sooner a diagnosis is made, the more successful treatment is likely to be.

It is always easier, safer and healthier to prevent than treat.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Ticks may be tiny but they are deadly to your pet.

*Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group and of EberVet Vetshops

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NEWS NEWS Camphill hosts successful Sports Challenge

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28 February 2017

Tony O’Hagan

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his annual fundraising event took place on Saturday 18 February and drew an entry of around 200 participants.

This was the sixth year that this important fundraiser was held, with entries in the mountain bike rides (12 km and 35 km), trail run (8 km), river run/walk (6 km ) and fun walk (2,5 km).

had by all. The routes, among the most picturesque in the Western Cape, were designed

by Hermanus Adventures under the leadership of Paul du Toit of the Wine Village.

The morning festivities included an exhibition by the Hermanus Line Dancers, while Mayor Rudolph Smith was present to draw the winners of the raffle and conclude a successful and well-organised event.

The weather played its part and the scenic routes through the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley provided tough challenges for those competing in the various disciplines.

The Camphill School thanks the many sponsors and donors of the event, among them RE/MAX Town and Country Hermanus, Kia Motors Hermanus, Pick 'n Pay Hermanus, and Oasis Hermanus.

The feedback from all concerned was positive and a most enjoyable morning was

Camphill School is a member of the world-wide Camphill Movement, with more than

100 communities in over 20 countries. For the past 65 years, the school has provided love, care and education for children with intellectual disabilities, many of whom are also physically challenged.

Camphill School provides residential as well as day care, in the education of 67 children between the ages of 5 and 20 years, mainly from disadvantaged communities.

As a private, independent institution, the majority of the school's income needs to be raised from outside sources with a reliance on donors and the local community. The Hermanus Community has an opportunity to contribute to this worthy cause by supporting the Camphill School street collection on Saturday 4 March.

SA Master Lucas Nel (90) and Frederico Fischer (95) from Brazil just after the start of the 400 m at last year’s WMA. Nel won 5 gold medals in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1 500 m. Fischer was first in the M95 - 99 group.

Masters older but not colder In May, veteran athletes from all over the country will travel to Green Point Stadium in Cape Town to compete in the 2017 SA Masters Athletics (SAMA) championships.

Athletes 35 years and older compete in different track and field events in 5-year age groups. Last year at the World Championships (WMA) in Perth, the South African team of 72 athletes won 44 medals, of which 19 were gold.

Former marathon champ firing again As the winner of the first Cape Peninsula Marathon in 1964, Hermanus resident 74-year-old Dave Wassung was asked to fire the starting gun for the 50th run of the race on Sunday 19 February. The race was not run from 1994 to 1997, but the popular event was back in 1998.

Wassung ran the inaugural race, organised by his club at the time, Celtic Harriers, in a winning time of 2:27:32 (photo left) at the age of 22. He humbly claims his time was “not very good”, but for most people this is unimaginably fast. This year’s men’s winner, Lutendo Mapoto, won in an almost identical time of 2:27:36.

After Dave’s race, there were

rumours that the course was too short as the winning time seemed too fast for a 42,2 km marathon. To make sure, Dave ran it again the next weekend with a measuring wheel, and the distance proved accurate.

He went on to win it again in 1966.

Celtic Harriers is still organising the race and the club is celebrating its 110-year anniversary this year.

There was a good turn-out of athletes from the Whalers Athletics Club who fought the manic Cape winds in both the half and the full marathons. The full marathon runs from Green Point to Simon’s Town, while the half starts in Bergvliet.

– Jeannie De Vynck

What is Masters Athletics?

It is athletics for seniors, but with a few modifications and adjustments to compensate for age. “Friendships are made and form a vital part of this sport. The country and the world beckons those more adventurous souls,” says local athlete Leo Benning.

How did it all start?

In 1966, San Diego civil lawyer David Pain began organizing what he called "masters miles"

at indoor and outdoor track meets, and set the minimum age at 40. It caught on and other events were added, also for women.

The first championships for veteran athletes were held in 1975, in Toronto, Canada. Men and women from 32 nations took part. These championships have taken place every 2nd year since then in various countries around the world.

The 1997 WMA championships took place in Durban and about 7000 athletes from 70+ countries participated.

How did South Africa get involved?

Former South African athlete Danie Burger, a chiropractor who had studied in the USA in the early 70s, met Pain and founded SAMA in 1975. He took 14 invited SA athletes, many former SA athletes including himself (pole vault, hurdles), Fanie du Plessis (discus), Willie Olivier (middle

distances and steeplechase) and Anne McKenzie (sprints and middle distances) to the championships in Toronto in 1975. Also in 1975, Benning founded Western Province Masters Athletics. Other provinces were established and there are now about 600 – 700 registered masters athletes around the country.

Never too late to start Philip Rabinowitz, a walker, started his athletics career at the age of 92 and continued until his death at the age of 104. Rabinowitz took up running soon after his 100th birthday and broke the M100 – 104 world records in the 100 m and 200 m in 2004.

“One is never too old to start, as long as you are reasonably healthy. But do not wait until you are 92,” says Leo. More details are available about Masters Athletics at: leobenning@lantic.net or 028 316 4960 / 071 014 2723.

POOL QUEEN Overstrand Mayor rudolph Smith congratulates Tanya Smit, who works for the Municipality in Gansbaai, on her selection as a referee for the 2017 World 8 Ball Pool Championship from 24 June - 5 in Blackpool, England. Tanya, who acquired her Springbok colours in 2014, was appointed as the representative referee for South Africa by the SA Pool Referee Association. She will be travelling alongside five other women's division players, including team manager Anya Rous, who have all been chosen to represent South Africa in the play-offs.

28 February 2017

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Schools Hermanus High Melodrama rocks audiences

Hermanus High’s annual Melodrama concert, which was held in the school hall on 23 & 24 February, has become a not-tobe-missed highlight on the school’s calendar and was enjoyed by the audiences of fellow learners, friends and family.

ROCKY HORROR Let’s do the time warp again!

BELLAS GONE WRONG performed the song from Pitch Perfect.

MAMMA MIA Members of the matric council performed a medley of classic ABBA songs.

SWEM JANNIE Leon Shuster’s song provided much hilarity.

PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer, Titanium Photography

ITS A WRAP All the performers took to the stage for the closing.

Belgian visitors open their hearts to Masakhane When Chris Vleugels from Belgium visited Gansbaai in 2011, he was touched by the many needs of especially the children of the Masakhane community.

After his return Chris kept in contact with the Gansbaai Tourism Bureau and when he and a group of friends came to South Africa again last week, they ensured that their itinerary would include a visit to Gansbaai. This time they

brought gifts of sports gear, children’s clothing and stationery.

They were taken on a tour of Masakhane, accompanied by Municipal Area Manager Francois Myburgh, Ald Dudley Coetzee, tourism officials as well as ward committee members, Cllrs Xolani Msweli, Siphiwo Kalola and Andrew Komani.

The group visited the Early

Learning Centres and other places of interest arranged by tour guide Ally Msweli, in conjunction with the tourism staff. They enjoyed supper at the Sports Centre where they were entertained by the marimba band from Gansbaai Academia, as well as the Snater Teater dansers from Blompark.

Dr Boecks, one of the group, was recently voted the best doctor in Belgium and

indicated that he will be donating some of his prize-money to projects in the Masakhane community.

Chris Vleugels and his Belgian friends with Gansbaai Area Manager Francois Myburgh, Deputy Mayor Dudley Coetzee, tourism officials and ward committee members, Cllrs Xolani Msweli, Siphiwo Kalola and Andrew Komani.