The Village News 18 October 2016

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NEWS The

18 October 2016

Cape Whale Coast

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FLYING THE BLUE FLAG WE WIN AGAIN (P5)

PHOTO: Tanya Tiefenthaler

Residents rallying in the fight against crime

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reenergizing of neighbourhood watches in Fisherhaven, Zwelihle, Kleinmond and Gansbaai.

With several areas in the Overstrand being named as crime hot-spots, several suburbs, including Westcliff and Voëlklip, have indicated their willingness to establish neighbourhood watches. This follows the establishment and

In recent weeks the neighbourhood watches, Hermanus Policing Forum (CPF) and the civil rights organisation AfriForum have been working together to ensure the safety of residents.

According to CPF projects manager Eddie Holloway,

esidents and community organisations have taken hands in the last few weeks in the fight against crime.

residents cannot claim that they are fighting crime if they do not look after each other in the first instance. “By looking after each other we become a community that is committed to eradicating crime.” (Read more on P3.)

The success of the Onrus Vermont Neighbourhood Watch (OnVerWag) and the resolve of the newly elected executive of the CPF have also

inspired communities to come together in fighting crime.

According to Caroline Gabb of OnVerWag, they encourage all holidaymakers and residents to take extra precautions.

“Lock your windows and doors if you are not in the immediate vicinity. Lock up if you go for a quick walk or even if you are having a braai around the back. Do not leave valuables where they are

visible through the windows and don’t leave valuables in your cars. Park vehicles on your property if you can, or in well-lit areas. Arm your alarms.

Leave outside lights on at night. Report all incidents to the SAPS.” Last week, Eddie met with members of the Zwelihle Neighbourhood Watch (ZNW) to discuss the ways in which they can be assisted.

Michael Sitshixo of the ZNW said their meeting was very productive and that the Hermanus CPF fully understands how rife crime is in Zwelihle. “Besides foot patrols, the answer is to install cameras in the area,” says Michael. “It is rather dangerous for anyone to be patrolling Zwelihle at night, but we are training some volunteers, with the help of the CPF, OnVerWag and AfriForum.”

18 October 2016

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NEWS Trekking in the right direction GOOD

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6 Royal Street Hermanus

dewaal@the hermanus news.co.za

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e are speeding toward the end of the year with intermittent warm days enticing us to leave the warm clothes in the cupboard and venture to the beach.

But as always, the end of the year means the busiest time for our towns. With the thousands of visitors who come to relax on our shores, so too comes an increase in crime. As a close-knit community we as residents have an obligation to ensure not only our own safety but also those who visit here.

The establishment of

Editorial Comment

By De Waal Steyn neighbourhood watches, of which OnVerWag (the Onrus Vermont Neigbourhood Watch) is a shining example must be lauded. By working together, establishing clear lines of communication between the various law enforcement agencies and sending a clear message to

criminals that they are not welcome here, we will ensure a happy and safe festive season for all.

The Community Policing Forum and the civil action group AfriForum need a pat on the back for their assistance in setting up and training members of the neighbourhood watch in Zwelihle. Only by breaking down the barriers between communities can we work together as a unit. (Read more on P3.)

Apart from being a popular holiday destination it seems

Letters and opinions Content Editor

Hedda Mittner 083 645 3928 hedda@hermanus.co.za

Marketing Manager

Kathy Mulock-Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@chartwellsupport.co.za

Design and Layout

Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickeyjackson.hermanus@gmail.com

Journalist

Aly Verbaan 060 700 0542 alyverbaan@icloud.com Ombudsman The press exists to serve society. Its freedom provides for independent scrutiny, and is essential to ensuring democracy. It enables citizens to make informed judgments, a role that is recognised by the Constitution. The Village NEWS subscribes to the South Afri can Press Code and thus to the South African Press Council and the South African Press Ombudsman. Should you feel our report ing is not fair, free or unbiased and without prejudice, or that serious errors have been made, you are welcome to lay a complaint with the Ombudsman on 011 484 3612/8, or e-mail pressombudsman.org.za or pay a visit to www.ombudsman.org.za

Parking fees - valid suggestion or not?

I was rather surprised this morning when I parked at the Woollies car park, only to be noted by the attendant - the chap normally on duty during the week and on Saturdays.

As soon as I parked, I noticed an irate lady protesting the cost of her parking ticket. I enquired about it and the attendant told me that since 1 October, parking is now charged on Sundays at the normal weekly rate of R3 per 30 minutes. Was this something I overlooked?

There is no sign up around the parking area stating times and charges.

I certainly don't have a problem with paying my way, but I do have a problem with how this entire parking payment system in Hermanus is being operated and managed.

There have been endless discussions around this and the unhappiness with it expressed by local residents.

We are on the brink of the festive period, when (if I understand correctly) approximately 250 000 visitors will inhabit our little town. Is there truth in the statement that we might be better off going over the mountain to shop because at least there will be parking for us? I have the idea that it is time for the Municipality to

instate a "Residents Parking Permit" system. As residents, we can then opt to pay an annual parking fee. Specific parking spaces will be allocated for permit holders only in convenient areas of the town.

A permit sticker will be displayed above the licence disc on the windscreen. The parking spaces will be marked as "permit holders only".

The population of Hermanus seems to be growing much faster than the town itself and action needs to be taken without delay to remedy the parking situation that we have endured for far too long. The majority of Hermanus residents contribute to the upkeep of this beautiful town. It would be very nice to know that the Municipality acknowledges it and works towards solving the ongoing issue of parking fees and lack of parking debated by local residents.

The permit holder system is one that works successfully across Europe, where small towns have to prioritise the needs and requirements of their residents. Why not here too?

Emilia Knight via Facebook (www.facebook.com/ groups/capewhalecoast/)

Invest in living artists I refer to Patrick Chapman’s art column, ‘Buy? Hold? Sell?’

(The Village NEWS, 4 October).

In a town of some 20 art galleries whose owners spend their lives (successfully) promoting works of artists who are very much living at the moment, would ex-banker Mr Patrick Chapman perhaps consider

enlarging his recommended portfolio of investable artists from just the "dead" ones to the "dropping-off-the-twigany-time-now" ones?

I, personally, would be grateful and look forward to a surge of eager investors through the doors of my High Street Gallery.

Jenny Jackson

that Hermanus might soon be visited by not only sport enthusiasts but also those coming on a “medical safari”.

As strange as this concept might seem, the new Hermanus Medical Village will, amongst other things, cater for tourists who will have their cosmetic surgery done here.

This, it seems, may lead to visitors and patients enjoying our champagne air alongside their champagne brunches.

(Read more on P20).

But the Medical Village will also play an important role in the fight against cancer as it will function as a regional

oncology unit. The number or people suffering from cancer increases year on year. The oncology unit will go a long way in assisting patients and in making a trip over the mountain for care unnecessary.

Read more about the scourge of this disease as presented by the U3A on P21.

And, while we are talking about the U3A, read about their series of talks on Star Trek on P4.

What a wonderful town we live in where the terms ‘retired’ and ‘Trekkie’ are not mutually exclusive.

This is the Good News. – Ed

D-day warrior inspires I found your story on Albie Götze, ‘The Sky Warrior who survived D-Day’ (The Village NEWS, 4 October 2016) very interesting.

Congratulations on a splendid publication!

Wishing you all the best, Werner Zybrands

Maintaining segregation with artificial mountain I refer to a report which appeared a short while ago, stating that Hermanus had the unenviable and, in my opinion, shocking status as the most segregated town in our so-called “new” South Africa.

In this respect, and as someone who wholeheartedly supports initiatives such as the Supper Club started recently by Theo

and Angela Krynauw, William Ntebe and Fikiswa Gxamesi which, as you know, is aimed especially at building bridges between our different cultures, I wish to propose that you investigate the artificial mountain ridge allowed by the Overstrand Municipality to be created in Schulphoek Road.

construction to separate Sandbaai from Zwelihle, please inform the public if this forms part of the Municipality’s determination to maintain and even enhance the shameful and disgraceful reputation of segregation or if there is some other (let’s rather sweep it under the carpet) explanation.

Using the ground being excavated from the new mall

Theo de Meyer Sandbaai

Learning to sew and earn I love sewing and have been and active sewer for the last 65 years (!), having also worked for Elna for 13 years.

It was very soon after we moved here three years ago that I got to know Learn to Earn and in particular the class that teaches sewing, mainly to Zwelihle ladies.

This is quite a short course and, naturally, as soon as they have completed it, they want to start earning.

However, that is impossible without owning a machine and an overlocker, the cost of which is in the vicinity of

R9 000 for both. This is totally out of the possible range for these women.

Living in a retirement village, where I do alterations for the residents, I soon realised that many of the ladies here had been sewers themselves. But many no longer had the ability to do their own sewing – it was much easier to get someone else to do it – so their machines and overlockers were not being used, and were unlikely ever to be used again.

After advertising the need for second-hand machines, some have been donated or sold to

me for a small fee and I then had them serviced, as many had not been used for 10 or more years.

So far, I have been able to help four women get the machines they need – one is making tracksuits for a local school and another is making items for sale in her spare time.

Anyone who has a sewing machine or overlocker to donate can please contact me on 028 316 2296, 082 563 6642 or hedges@mweb.co.za.

Many thanks, Rosemary Hedges Onrus Manor

Make new foster home a reality We are currently busy with the establishment of our third foster home, which will operate the same way as Jubilee Haven and IKhaya Le Zibosisi. The house will cater for children who are removed from their parents/caregivers due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

or December at the latest.

We bought the house and it seems that all the paper work will be sorted by November

For this dream to come true, you can help us by making a financial contribution or

We would like to have our official opening in January before the schools open. It is a three-bedroomed house with a lounge and kitchen. It will accommodate six children and the house mother/carer.

donating furniture, bedding, curtains, towels and cutlery.

For further inquiries feel free to contact me on 028 313 0830/1 or arona.childwelfare@gmail.com Thanking you in advance.

Geradine Skots Child Welfare Hermanus

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“Community involvement before self-interest!”

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ne can secure one’s own home as much as you like, but if you don’t also look after that of your neighbour you have made no real contribution”, says Eddie Holloway, who was recently elected to the Hermanus CPF, after first serving as an additional member for two months.

Eddie and his wife returned to their family home in Onrus recently after spending some 17 years living and working abroad. Being involved with Community Policing Forums is nothing new to him, as he was the chairperson of the forum for Garsfontein in the late 80s, before their nearly two decades overseas.

While in the United Arab Emirates he was also a member of the South African Business Chamber, serving on the executive for several years.

“Shortly after getting back I became involved with OnVerWag, the neighbourhood watch for the Onrus and Vermont areas and

Westcliff or Zwelihle, and not by words only but by actual deeds.”

Eddie’s specific portfolio on the CPF is that of Projects and as such the long-delayed Adopt-a-Cop and Junior CPF, for primary and secondary learners respectively, will receive much more attention.

Eddie Holloway of the CPF is working closely with the chairperson of OnVerWag, Abner Inghels, to roll out neighbourhood watches in several residential areas of Hermanus. quickly realised I was amongst like-minded people, fellowresidents who agree that each of us has a part to play if we want to live in crime-free surroundings and not just spend our days complaining that it is somebody else’s problem to solve.

“That, plus the professional and structured way the organization was being run immediately impressed me,” he continues.

“Subsequently I have experienced first-hand how this allows OnVerWag to reach out to encourage and support other communities as well, be it

The recent arrival of the newly appointed Hermanus SAPS Station Commander, Colonel Luthando Nosilele, has also already given new impetus to interaction by the police and CPF with the youth of Hermanus. A very successful drug awareness presentation was conducted at the Zwelihle Primary School last month.

“We aim to extend this to all schools before the end of this school year, so as to get as much traction as possible before we really get to work and engage our learners on all levels in the first quarter of next year.”

From Paris to Gansbaai by bicycle Adventure couple Scott and Sarah Harvey love being on their bikes, and two years ago they decided to take the plunge and cycle all the way from France to South Africa.

Departing from their home in Paris on 23 August 2013, they left behind their known world to discover parts unknown. Riding through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria, all the way to Turkey, they finally reached the African continent a year later. Scott and Sarah did the whole trip on

their bicycles, except for the boat crossing from Turkey to Egypt, via Cyprus.

“We’re riding slowly, meeting as many people as we can, seeking out new experiences,” Sarah wrote on her blog, which readers can follow at www.nofixeddestination.com.

From Egypt they cycled through Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, before crossing into

Sarah and Scott pushing through a sandstorm in Namibia.

South Africa on 17 August. By then, they had covered more than 27 000 km and visited 24 countries.

Travelling along the West Coast and Little Karoo to Cape Agulhas and the Overstrand, they arrived in Gansbaai on 13 October and stayed with a couple they had met along the way in Lambert’s Bay. “South Africa has challenged our legs in many ways – since entering the country we have climbed over 20 mountain passes, usually on gravel roads. The views were

worth all the effort though!” Sarah wrote on their Facebook page, No Fixed Destination.

According to Gansbaai Tourism manager Glenda Kitley, the couple thoroughly enjoyed their time in the White Shark Capital, especially the whale watching boat trip that brought them into close contact with whales, sharks, seals and penguins. Scott and Sarah left our shores on Saturday for their end destination of Cape Town, from where they will return to France at the end of the month.

The intrepid cyclists at the southern-most tip of Africa en-route to Gansbaai.

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18 October 2016

Beam me up Scotty - but don’t forget where we parked

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recisely half a century ago, at 20:30 on NBC, America received its first glimpse of what was eventually - and almost rather unlikely - to become a legend.

Star Trek made its debut that night, and the world was never to be the same. Now Trekkies worldwide are celebrating the half-centenary of the cult movie series it ultimately became.

And here in Hermanus we have our own Star Trek aficionado, Robin Lee, who knows from memory the exact dates of all the broadcasts, the character formations and developments, and every little-known fact of the series there is to be known.

Of course, it came to South Africa in a bizarre format, says Robin: “We didn’t have TV in 1966, so we got it on 16mm film that you rented, along with a projector and screen, or you simply used a white wall to watch it on.”

The original show was commissioned in 1966 for three series - some 52 episodes, the first being broadcast on 8 September 1966. The show received less than spectacular ratings and closed in 1969, with most people happy to see the back of it. It was the most wildly successful failure in television history. Only, it wasn’t the end.

A Trekkie fan base had been spawned and the studio tried to resuscitate its investment by syndicating the episodes. This meant the television station, or distributor or the cinema screening the episode could show an episode as often as they liked for a fixed fee and market it in any way they wished. By the early 1970s Star Trek was being syndicated in more than 60 countries. It was calculated that

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franchise ever, valued at over six billion dollars, says Robin.

And this year the muchanticipated thirteenth movie, Star Trek Beyond hit the box office and has grossed R2,21 billion worldwide to date.

Reviews have been decidedly mixed, but it is clear that the numbers speak for themselves.

Aly Verbaan

TREKKIE Dr Robin Lee retired to Hermanus in 2001. Prior to retirement he held jobs in academia and in the non-profit sector. His PhD is in English literature.

From the start he was interested in Hermanus as a community and in its history. In 2003 he was instrumental, with others, in starting a chapter of the University of the Third Age. at least one episode was being broadcast or screened somewhere in the world every day. Only then did the series command the reputation it deserved.

Suddenly there were annual conventions and a massive cult following, and by the ’70s Paramount Pictures rolled out an animated version aimed at a younger age group, and popularity rose still further.

Thus, the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released in 1979 by Paramount. Since then, five more series comprising some 700 more episodes were produced, as well as 13 films and over 70 million books to accompany them. Since the advent of the internet, more than 200 websites devoted to Star Trek have been propagated, and it is now the highest-grossing

But Star Trek has never been a run-of-the-mill science fiction programme. One might find great difficulty in trying to compare it to other television science fiction series, like Space: 1999 (which competed with Star Trek during its run in syndication), or series produced in the 1980s, like Battlestar Galactica or Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Star Trek is an iconic pop culture phenomenon whose storylines pushed gender and racial boundaries

DO YOU SPEAK KLINGON? The original Dr Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy. Spock’s mixed human-Vulcan heritage serves as an important plot element in many of his appearances. Today’s Spock is played by Zachary Quinto, who has won a number of awards for this role.

Comparison is difficult because Star Trek is not simply a far-out science fiction programme - it is a science fiction programme that reflects the America of the 1960s. Indeed, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, during one interview is quoted as saying, “I have no belief that Star Trek depicts the actual future, it depicts us, now, things we need to understand about that.” (www.ibiblio.org) Of course not every single episode makes a social commentary, but throughout the series, characters, themes, motifs, and of course, individual episodes make strong comments on sexism and feminism, racism and improving race relations, as well as militarism and peace, all major social issues during the late 1960s, and to a different degree, social issues of today.

As Robin opines: “Star Trek has all the elements of an Aristotelian tragedy - logos, rationality, pathos and ethos - each character represents a trait.”

Furthermore, technology that we now cannot imagine living

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Zoe Saldana plays the current Lieutenant Uhura, and is a translator and communications officer who specialises in linguistics, cryptography, and philology. She was an important part of the original series’s multicultural crew and one of the first characters of African descent to be featured in a non-menial role on an American television series.

without, that being the cellphone, originally made its appearance on Star Trek.

Likewise, the stun phaser from the series is now closely replicated by the American Defence Force as the Pulsed Energy Projectile. Although considered unsuitable as a nonlethal weapon, PEP-like technology has been taken on

by US Special Operations Command; they’re developing it to shoot down small unmanned aircraft. Other nonlethal weapons taking their cue from Star Trek include the chunky laser rifle known as “Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response,” or PHaSR. This incorporates two different lasers: one is a distracting “dazzler,” the other an infra-red device which heats up the skin causing a “repel effect.”

All we’re waiting for now is the famous “transporter”, which will do away with all currently known modes of transport!

For Trekkie gurus and amateurs alike, Robin Lee’s six-session course will boldly take you where no man - no one - has been before.

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Here’s the six-session agenda, to be held at the Catholic Church Hall at 10:00 on the following Tuesdays: • 18 October: Warp Speed: Destination Planet 1966.

The culture into which Star Trek was launched: Introduction to Series 1: Episode 3: The Man Trap.

• 25 October: The conceptual base: high culture, popular culture, science fiction and the economics of a television series: images and excerpts from several sources • 1 November: Make It So: Main themes in the Series: Voyager: Season 4 Episode 2: Title: The Gift.

• 8 November: Beam Me Up, Scotty: Characters in Star Trek: captains, first officers and science officers: The Next Generation: Series 3: Episode 26: All Good Things.

• 15 November: Resistance is Futile: The Aliens of Star Trek, from Vulcan to Jaylah: Deep Space 9: Series 1: Episode 1: The Emissary.

• 22 November: Live Long and Prosper: Technology, science and possibility in the series: Excerpts from several series and episodes.

Fernkloof, Hoy’s Koppie and all that ...

ome wasn’t burnt in a day, you know,” Druiwe reminded everyone.

“Sure, it’ll take time, but a stitch in time waits for no man, and if we get the contract now it’ll be finished before the whales arrive next year.”

Here, inside the pub at The Duck ’n Fiddle, a group of businessmen from Heaven’s Valley were fine-tuning their presentation. Next week they’d be tendering for the licence to film the whales in Woqua Bay. By using drones, which could hover mere metres above the water, these stunning visuals would be sold worldwide and beyond. Ka-ching!

Locally, however, the concept had been approved to construct a circular, domed auditorium with huge screens the size of beer trucks around the walls. In the middle would be a wine bar offering

Wit’s End

Murray Stewart the full range of local cultivars. Here, whatever the weather, busloads of tourists could lounge on the dozens of couches and watch the whales being whales in the bay below. They could also get sloshed because they came by bus.

There’d be a coffee bar for drivers.

Druiwe looked through the fog to the far end of the pub where his sidekick Klippies Kombrink had just met Peter Payne to brief him on the glass requirements for the colossal domed roof.

“How many has he had?”

Druiwe asked Henrico the barman, who held up four fingers. “Good,” he smiled.

Klippies needed a few down the hatch before he could finish a sentence without stuttering and blaspheming, so he was sure the briefing would go smoothly.

Peter Payne, the elderly glass contractor, was a man of many parts. He sported an artificial eye and had more pins in his hips than a bowling alley. In the murky gloom of the pub he also had what looked like two right ears, but was only an old-

school hearing aid. Klippies was in a quandary. Which ear should he aim at? Was the left one deaf too - but Payne had only one hearing aid - or was it the good ear that didn’t need one? He was also unsettled by the glass eye, which looked real enough but occasionally darted around uncontrollably like a pinball trying to escape its machine.

Klippies decided that it would be foolish to wear that ridiculous earpiece if it didn’t work, so he planned to lean in and yell towards it.

Unfortunately this was Payne’s blind side too, and the more he turned to face Klippies, the more Klippies shuffled round to aim at the hearing aid. Payne had been warned about Klippies’s stuttering problem, and in

translation mistook it to mean he must speak very slowly and shout. This flung Klippies into stammer-mode, and resulted in their circling each other and yelling in monosyllables, till Sparky sat them down at a table and brought Klippies another Kraaifontein Cocktail.

With the tikkiedraai under control, Druiwe sallied forth.

“The licence for the drones is easy,” he said dismissively.

“But the Whale-o-Dome needs to be in the best location to overlook the entire Woqua Bay. I bet my wedding vegetables that no one would have thought to erect it there.”

Sparky Snyman the electrician was daunted by the size of the project. He still couldn’t believe that the local and

regional authorities had sanctioned it. Hoy’s Koppie was, after all, a treasured asset to Harmony.

“So how much is coming off the top?” he asked.

“About a third, so it’s lekka flat. Then we can throw a slab with all the pipes and electric things so it can set during summer.”

“A third? Where are we going to dump six thousand tons of earth?” asked Henrico.

“F…f…f..” started Klippies from the far end.

“Fernkloof,” interjected Druiwe, stopping Klippies on the cusp of a cuss. “The kloof in Fernkloof is just a huge donga with bushes and kak. We can fill it in and compact it lekka flat.

Maybe make a quad-bike track or a Drive-In…”

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Triple blue for our beaches (and boats) C lose on 60 Blue Flags will be proudly flown at coastal sites around the country during the South African Blue Flag season, which opens on 1 November, and three of them belong to the Overstrand. Grotto, Hawston and Kleinmond beaches scored big yet again. This year was the 16th consecutive time Grotto Beach has been awarded this status, while both Hawston and Kleinmond beaches have received the flag on 11 consecutive occasions.

The Western Cape achieved the highest number of Blue Flag sites, with 29 of the beaches, all eight boats and four of the five Blue Flag marinas falling in the province.

An additional 22 beaches across the three coastal provinces have been given Pilot Blue Flag status – an important developmental stage for potential Blue Flag sites, during which the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) works with beach managers towards the longer term goal of achieving full status.

Blue Flag is an international annual award given to beaches that meet a standard of excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness,

tourists can enjoy pristine beaches along our stretch of coastline.

The Blue Flag programme offers many benefits: improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, increased awareness of the coast and capacity building of coastal municipalities.

The Blue Flag programme provides both local beachgoers and holidaymakers with the assurance of worldclass beaches offering safe, clean and well-managed facilities.

PHOTO: Dyer Island Cruises PERMISSION TO RAISE THE FLAG In a new Blue Flag development, boating operators now have the opportunity of being accredited. The Dream Catcher owned by Dyer Island Cruises in Kleinbaai is one of eight South African boats to pass the test. Dream Catcher is the first boat in South Africa to be designed and custom-built specifically for whale watching. It complies with all the safety regulations set out by the SA Maritime Safety Authority and is licensed for 50 passengers and six crew. It has an observation deck, PA system and even an hydrophone. environmental information and environmental management. According to the World Tourism Organisation, the international Blue Flag, operational since 1987, is the most well-known ecolabel of its kind.

Currently more than 40 countries across the globe are

participating in the programme and interest continues to grow, with almost 4 300 Blue Flag beaches, boats and marinas around the world.

The strict criteria of the programme are set by the international coordinators of the Blue Flag campaign in Europe. South Africa was the

first country outside Europe to be granted Blue Flag accreditation for its beaches.

Municipalities must apply annually to renew the status, and according to the local Blue Flag coordinator Lauren Rainbird, the Overstrand Municipality has done everything in its power to ensure that locals and

Minister of tourism Derek Hanekom, speaking at this year’s launch event, said: “We need to double our Blue Flag coverage to protect our natural heritage as this creates tourism and tourism creates jobs. The project is about looking after our precious coastal resources and marks the beginning of the Working for Tourism programme.”

Some 200 participants are to be employed in the role of “beach stewards” and hosted by local coastal municipalities at Blue Flag sites. The participants will also receive accredited training in

environmental education and practical work experience, with the ultimate aim of developing them for further employment in the coastal tourism sector, also known as the “Blue Economy”.

Another development in the Blue Flag programme internationally has also been the expansion of Blue Flag accreditation to acknowledge sustainable boating operators in the tourism industry.

In the past, sustainable boating operators have simply signed a code of conduct with Blue Flag to operate sustainably, but now operators offering boating activities – such as bird, seal and whale watching, cage diving, recreational diving and recreational fishing – can be awarded formal accreditation if they comply with Blue Flag’s newly defined set of strict boating criteria.

South Africa is at the forefront of this new development as one of only three Blue Flag member countries to have received accreditation for sustainable boating operators in the 2016/17 season - the boats Whale Whisperer and Dream Catcher, both owned by Dyer Island Cruises, and the Slashfin owned by Marine Dynamics, made the cut.

Countdown to Wines2Whales Adventure

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ountain bike enthusiasts are counting down the days to 4 November, when the 2016 FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) MTB events get underway. Also on board are the Rotary Club of Hermanus and learners from Hermanus High School, who will offer marshal support and manage the water points during Stage Three of the W2W Adventure, Ride and Race.

“We started working with Wines2Whales in the event’s second year,” says Johan Augustyn, Hermanus Rotary Club treasurer. “Over the years we’ve seen the event grow from strength to strength. It is one of the premier MTB races in South Africa and we are proud to be associated with it. The W2W is also one of our major fundraising events. We have many new projects that need

support and can’t do this without funds that we raise through our involvement with W2W.” Anneke Harms, teacher and Grade 12 head at Hermanus High School, says: “Approximately twenty of our learners are granted the opportunity to work with the Rotary Club at the annual FNB W2W MTB Events. They learn how to be of service, while improving both their people skills and problem-solving techniques. They enjoy being outdoors, watching the bikers and being part of the events.”

TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT Riders race to the finish line across Onrus Beach during last year’s W2W MTB Adventure. This year’s event will again finish at Onrus on Sunday 6 November.

Starting at the picturesque Lourensford Wine Estate in the Winelands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains,

historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus, at the Onrus Caravan Park.

The three events are: • W2W MTB Adventure: Friday 4 November – Sunday 6 November • W2W MTB Ride: Monday 7 November – Wednesday 9 November • W2W MTB Race: Friday 11 November – Sunday 13 November For more information on the FNB W2W MTB events contact Chris on 083 760 3158, e-mail race@wines2whales.co.za, adventure@wines2whales.co.za or ride@wines2whales.co.za or visit www.wines2whales.co.za

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18 October 2016

A Santa Shoebox is so much more than a box

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his year’s Santa Shoebox Project marks the 10th anniversary of an initiative that has become one of South Africa’s favourite ways to give over the festive season.

From a humble 180 shoeboxes donated in its first year, the project has now notched up more than half a million thoughtful Santa Shoebox gifts donated to underprivileged children across South Africa and Namibia.

Pledging for the annual Santa Shoebox Project opened on 1 September. On the first day, over 13 140 boxes were pledged – and this number is growing by the hour.

What makes the Santa Shoebox project a favourite with family, individual and corporate donors is that it is highly

Helping Hand Sponsored by Talisman Hire

be loved and spoiled, just a little. A Santa Shoebox is all about acknowledging the potential within every child to become the next great entrepreneur, maverick, philanthropist or even Olympic gold-medal winner!

personalised. Donors choose “their” child/ren by name, age and gender, and are encouraged to remember that a pledge is a promise.

This year’s theme of ‘More Than Just a Shoebox' alludes to how each of the eight prescribed contents of a Santa Shoebox impacts profoundly on the life of an

underprivileged child. The toothbrush and toothpaste hold the promise of dental health and a confident smile; the facecloth and soap ensure good personal hygiene and health; the school supplies support a quality education; the outfit of clothing encourages self-esteem; and the toy and sweeties reinforce that every child deserves to

The Anima Therapy Centre in Sandbaai, an NPO that provides remedial development intervention to children, was the focus earlier this month of The Village NEWS’s Helping Hand column, sponsored by Talisman Hire. Since the article was published, several people have contacted her with offers of assistance, says principal Jenni Coetzer.

While she is extremely grateful for any support, however small, Jenni says the centre faces enormous financial challenges and its survival is dependent on donations and sponsorships.

This year the Santa Shoebox (SSB) Project again aims to donate 100 000 boxes to underprivileged children throughout the country. In addition, the SSB Pipeline will be offering donors the opportunity to purchase a Little Sun solar lamp which, after charging for only five hours, provides more than 50 hours of light – ensuring more time to read, draw, play and do homework, and no more breathing harmful emissions from nonsustainable light sources.

Anima offers a safe haven and a loving, stimulating environment for children of exceptional special needs, such as Down syndrome, autism, spina bifida and cerebral palsy, to mention just a few. These children need permanent care, various therapies, medication and special diets. Together with educational aids and equipment, the centre’s expenses are daunting. “The children benefit enormously from different therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dance, music, drama and speech

These will be available as and when individual Drop Offs become fully pledged.

Given that the project’s main sponsors cover all operating costs of The Santa Shoebox Project, all other donations contribute towards the SSB Legacy. The funds are used for community upliftment projects, with the focus for 2016 and 2017 on water and the distribution of Hippo Rollers to communities who don’t have the luxury of running water in their own homes.

Drop Offs are when donors, who have pledged online, deliver their specially made shoeboxes to specific venues on specific dates around South Africa and Namibia.

Drop Offs take place at the

therapy, but we have to rely on volunteer specialists,” says Jenni. “If anyone would be willing to sponsor the fees of any of the therapists, we would be most grateful. The donor would even have the option of paying the service provider directly.”

Jenni says the centre has a very long wish list and they are quite desperate for support with any of the following: rental and utilities, building maintenance, school chairs for the older children, fire extinguishers, a medical aid kit, a vehicle for

end of October / beginning of November each year.

The Hermanus Drop-Off is at Hermanus Primary School on 28 October, from 15:00 – 19:00, and on 29 October, from 09:00 – 14:00. Contact Henriette Biesenbach on 082 444 2519 or henriette. biesenbach@gmail.com Register online now as a donor to receive notifications and information: www.santashoebox.org.za The Santa Shoebox Project is an initiative of the Kidz2Kidz Trust, a registered Public Benefit (PBO 930 031 301) and Non-Profit Organization (NPO 102-098) with Section 18A status and is a Level Four BBBEE Contributor. PwC are the official auditors of the Santa Shoebox Project.

transporting the children on outings, and some form of branded clothing “so that the children can also feel they belong and can be proud of their ‘school’.” This could take the form of a branded T-shirt and shorts for summer, and a track suit and anorak for winter.

Jenni can be contacted on animacentrehermanus@gmail.com or 078 873 1125. Please donate to: ANIMA THERAPY CENTRE, ABSA Hermanus, 406-944-4778004-172 NPO

GOOD

NEWS

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2618 JANUARY October 2016 2016

Keeping Hermanus healthy Hedda Mittner

L

ooking ahead to its 30th birthday, the Hermanus Pharmacy recently underwent an extensive revamp. On the day I visited owner Brenda Kotzé, I was bemused to see several customers walk in and, looking a bit disorientated, exclaim: “Oh, it looks all different!”

And indeed it does. The interior of this historic old shop has been opened up and reconfigured – it is now spacious, bright and light, with laminated wooden floors and a fresh coat of blue paint on the walls. “When I saw the transformation taking shape, I had tears in my eyes,” says Brenda. “I realised it was no longer the shop I’d started and was now ready to be passed on to the next generation.”

The next generation refers to Brenda’s son, Philip-Ben, who has been working alongside her for the last 12 years. Not that Brenda has any immediate plans to retire – “I don’t know what I would do all day!” she says, laughing. “This pharmacy has been my life for almost 30 years and I’ve loved every moment. This is not work to me – it’s my passion.”

Brenda’s association with Hermanus stretches back 65 years to her childhood, when she spent her holidays here with her family. “We had a holiday home on Marine Drive since the fifties and Hermanus was a different place back then.

I used to drink milkshakes at the tea room where the pharmacy is now. The building belonged to Coena Haman and also housed the Royal Hotel on the one side and the bioscope on the other.”

Born in Caledon, Brenda matriculated from Overberg High School and already started working in a pharmacy co-owned by her father in Caledon during her school years. After graduating from

they said they trusted us more than the doctors over there!”

pharmacy school at the Cape Technikon, she worked as a locum at several pharmacies as well as the Louis Leipoldt hospital pharmacy before getting married and moving to the West Coast.

Brenda has a particular interest in history and when she is not working she enjoys reading, cooking and travelling with her husband, Frans van Rensburg.

He had briefly been Brenda’s boyfriend during their student years back in 1970 and, several years after his divorce and the death of Brenda’s first husband in 1995, they got married in 2000. Along with her loyal customers and staff, Brenda attributes much of her success to the support of her family.

“My mother, in particular, was a pillar of strength when she came to live with me after my husband died. She is now 91 and is still involved in the dayto-day management at home.

I was also fortunate with loyal staff over the years and credit is especially due to Dawn Whiting, who has been my right hand as pharmacist’s assistant for the past 25 years.”

Two children were born – Philip-Ben, now 35, and his sister Lisa, 31. The family lived in Hopefield while Brenda ran her first pharmacy in Vredenburg. “The children practically grew up in the pharmacy,” she laughs. All the while, Brenda and her husband entertained the hope of one day moving to Hermanus.

“When the tea room’s premises became available, we immediately jumped at the opportunity to open a pharmacy,” says Brenda. “We relocated to Hermanus in 1987, renovated the premises and turned it into the Hermanus Pharmacy.” A year after opening their doors, Brenda also purchased the Alex Grant Pharmacy in Harbour Road (where the Hermanus Factory Shop is now), which has since relocated to the Gateway Centre, followed by A Stewart Pharmacy a few years later.

Collectively, these three pharmacies became known as The Hermanus Pharmacies.

YOUR FAMOUS FRIENDLY PHARMACIST Brenda Kotzé is the epitome of compassion and confidentiality.

With the retirement of Alex Grant’s pharmacist, Ingrid Grundling, Brenda recently decided to close the A Stewart Pharmacy at Pick n Pay, and amalgamate the two, with pharmacist Arnold Nepgen taking over the reins of Alex Grant Pharmacy at Gateway at the end of November.

Brenda recalls the long hours she worked, seven days a week, to establish her business. Instead of customers having to be served at the counter, she introduced self-service and also stocked gifts along with cosmetics and toiletries. “We provided a free 24-hour service and because there

BRIGHT BLUE The new-look Hermanus Pharmacy is light and modern. was only one hospital in Hermanus at the time, we received many more calls after hours back then from people in need of medication,” she says.

“I remember many nights when I had to get out of bed and rush to the pharmacy to

help out a customer, even if it was just to supply a dummy to a screaming baby.”

Not that Brenda minded. In fact, it is her relationship with her customers that is the best part of the job for her. “We have wonderful clients,” she

says. “Many of the regulars have been coming here for many years and now their children and even grandchildren have become clients. I’ve even had old customers who emigrated to Australia but still called me to order their medicine because

According to Brenda, she has seen an increase in stressrelated illnesses over the years, but on the upside screening methods have improved and health problems are detected earlier. “Previously people often died of heart attacks without having been aware of any cardiac problems and a cancer diagnosis was often a death sentence because it was only detected at a very late stage.” The Hermanus Pharmacy has a full-time clinic and, if anything of concern is picked up, patients are referred to a doctor or specialist.

As a brand, Hermanus Pharmacy is the caring onestop health-shop for its clients – and the face of that brand is its remarkable owner: the dedicated, empathetic and professional woman who keeps Hermanus healthy. As one of her clients recently commented: “When you need medicine or advice, you do not say you are going to the pharmacy; you say ‘I am going to Brenda’.”

18 October 2016 Tuesday 18 October

featuring the well-travelled Youth Orchestra of The Hall Boys Preparatory School in London, who will be joined by Enlighten’s own Strings Ensemble. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 11:00. There is no charge but donations are welcome. For enquiries, contact 028 313 0974.

• U3A Course on Star Trek - The Final Frontier: Presented by Dr Robin Lee, the course studies the phenomenon of Star Trek and looks into considerations of art and culture, high culture and popular culture, the value of science fiction and the economics of popular television. The topic of the first of the six sessions in the course is Warp Speed: Destination Planet 1966. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

Thursday 20 October • Rotary Club of Hermanus: Weekly meetings every Thursday at Mollergren Park, at 19:00. Visitors welcome. Contact Ian Wallace on 082 895 8738 or Metcalf Fick on 082 568 2193.

Friday 21 October

• 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.

• Market in the Garden: At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, 09:00-13:00. A wonderful market set amongst the trees in the heart of town. Join the St Peter’s Coffee Morning and enjoy a sweet treat for only R10 and a cup of coffee or tea for only R5.

Sit down in the shady garden and enjoy the surrounds.

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

• Goozi Arabesque Pop-up Kitchen: Join Eunice Rademeyer at Goozi Kitchenshop in Mitchell Street, at 10:00, for her monthly Pop-up Kitchen where you will learn all about cruciferous vegetables and a most wonderful way of preparing cabbage.

Eunice will demonstrate how to make the traditional Lebanese dish of Malfouf, and participants will be given the recipe to take home.

This interactive demonstration will entail refreshments, tempting tastings and lots of fun.

R100 pp. Call 028 312 4979 to book.

• U3A Course on Gothic Architecture: Of all religious architectural styles, the Gothic style is the most successful, most prevalent, and most iconic.

Witness the birth and development of Europe’s magnificent Gothic cathedrals with up-to-theminute 3D film techniques. The topic of the first session covers the Romanesque style and vaulting of these architectural wonders, presented by Gert Claassen. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• BotSoc Monthly Meeting: Chris Whitehouse, a botanist who has worked for the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK, will reveal the science behind the patterns that plants produce, at the Hermanus Botanical Society’s monthly meeting at Fernkloof, at 17:30. This not-to-be-missed talk was a sold-out event at the FynArts Festival in June. Contact Ann on 074 857 4432 for more info.

Friday 21 & 28 October • Hermanus Hacking Group: Meet at the bottom of Rotary Way at 06:45 for 07:00 every Friday to join the hacking group in clearing aliens until 09:00. All volunteers welcome. Contact Charlyn Vosloo on 082 558 8731 for more details.

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

• ‘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.

Saturday 22 & 29 October • Hermanus parkrun: Meet at Hermanus Forest in Camphill Road, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at 08:00.

Free timed 5 km walk or run come rain or shine.

The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome.

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

• The Hermanus Country Market: Next to the cricket field, Fairways Avenue, from 09:00-13:00.

Stunning food, fresh and wholesome goodies.

NEWS

GOOD

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

Sunday 23 October • OAK Concert: Overstrand Arts / Kunste will host a cello recital performed by our very own Tobias Kotzé, accompanied on piano by Elna van der Merwe, who is well known as one of the Blondes Duo. Tobias, who matriculated at Hermanus High and studied music at the University of Stellenbosch, now lives in Italy and recently graduated cum laude with a Masters’ Degree in Music Arts Performance at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland.

The program will include works by Bach, Boccherini, Brahms, Sibelius and Prokofiev.

At the Municipal Auditorium, at 15:30. Tickets are R130 (R60 for students), available from Bellini Gallery in the Village Square. Call 028 3124988 or 082 940 4238 to book your seats.

• Hermanus Comedy Club: Join your host Barry Hilton for this month’s Hermanus Comedy Club which promises to have you laughing out loud with hilarious sets from popular Cape Town based comedians Gino Fernandez, Dalin Oliver and Nkosinathi Maki. At The Classroom Restaurant at The Village, at 18:00. Tickets are R100 pp and can be bought from www.barryhilton.com, at the Nou Gaan Ons Braai Stall opposite Oskars or by calling 082 731 1311.

There will be no door sales. Seating is unreserved.

Easy-eating meals and a full bar will be on offer.

• U3A Course on Gothic Architecture: The topic of the second session of this course is Romanesque at its best and Saint-Denis Cathedral, presented by Gert Claassen. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• Forest Fun Run: Forest Adventures presents a fun evening for the whole family, at the Forest Theatre on the Camphill Road in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, from 17:30 – 22:00. Choose between the Fairy or Scary 5 km Trail Walk along the parkrun route. The cost is R40 pp and all proceeds go to Camphill School and the Overstrand Training Institute. Remember to bring along headlamps or torches. There will be food and refreshment stalls, and entertainment for the kids to enjoy before the race starts at 19:00. There will be prizes for the best dressed and all participants will be entered into lucky prize draws after the run. For more info contact 082 5653 627 or michelle@camphill-hermanus.org.za

Wednesday 26 & Thursday 27 October • WCC Eco-Adventure: Join Whale Coast Conservation on their Firefly Forest EcoAdventure in Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 19:00 – 20:30. Fireflies are light-emitting beetles that display their spectacular mating ritual for only a few weeks in October. Explore the small Afromontane forest that remains in the kloof to see the fireflies’ spectacular light display and learn more about their secret life. Adults R100; children R50. Booking essential. Contact 083 242 3295 or anina.wcc@gmail.com

Friday 28 October • Sketchcrawl: The Country Sketchers will get together at Dutchies on Grotto Beach for this month’s plein air Sketchcrawl, at 08:30. Artists and sketchers are welcome to join them every last Friday of the month. For more info, contact Charmé Southey on 082 773 9125.

Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 October

• Greyton Rose Festival: This year’s Greyton Rose Festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary and loads of fun activities have been planned for the momentous occasion. Besides the masses of beautiful roses on display (in every shape, size, colour and form) there will be live music, a Saturday morning farmer’s market and of course the exquisite open gardens that attract rose enthusiasts from all over the country and are only open to the public during the fair. For all the details, contact 082 886 4093 or greytonrosefair@gmail.com.

Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 October • Koos Kombuis: Catch popular singer / songwriter Koos Kombuis live at the Blêr Theatre, Hermanus High School, at 20:00. Tickets are R110 pp. To book, contact Amanda on 082 870 6744.

Friday 28 & Saturday 29 October • Botriver Challenge: The Botriver Education Foundation (BEF) presents the 12th consecutive MTB Challenge, starting and ending at Botriver Primary School. There will be a 5 km night run/walk on the Friday evening at 19:00; and on the Saturday there will be fun runs/walks, two trail runs and three MTB events. The distances are 55 km, 40 km and 15 km. Online entries at www.entrytime.com close on 24 October; you can also enter at the school from 15:00 on Friday and from 05:00 on Saturday. For more information, contact 083 773 25 74 or 083 324 1846.

• Elgin Open Gardens: There will be 20 open gardens in the Elgin and Bot River districts over this weekend and the next on 5 & 6 November, open to the public on both days from 10:00 – 17:00. A number of gardens will have plants for sale, and offer teas and light meals, in addition to the many other restaurants and food gardens in the area.

There will also be various art exhibitions, and the many wine estates making up the Elegantly Elgin Wine Route will be open, with many offering special events. Full details with a map can be downloaded from www.elginopengardens.co.za.

The leaflet can also be picked up at any major Western Cape nursery and in the Elgin area on the Open Days.

Monday 31 October • Coastal Clean-up Hike: Meet Antonio da SilvaSwart at the Danger Point Lighthouse at 09:30 and join him on another coastal hike along the I&J Abalone Farm to collect some of the plastic debris that is polluting our ocean and coastline. The hike will end around noon. Contact Antonio on 072 462 4271 or antonio@bfound.co.za

Tuesday 25 October • U3A Course on Star Trek - The Final Frontier: The topic of the second session is The conceptual base: high culture, popular culture, science fiction and the economics of a television series, with images and excerpts from several sources, presented by Dr Robin Lee. At the Catholic Church hall, at 10:00.

• Oldies but Goldies: James Marais and Monique Cassells will be performing the best music of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, taking the audience on a trip down memory lane with legendary songs by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Hollies, The Eagles, Cher, Queen and many more. At the Sandbaai Hall, at 20:00 (doors open from 18:00). There will be a cash bar and food on sale. Tickets are R100 pp. To book, call 083 270 3590.

Tuesday 1 November Saturday 29 October • Hermanus Social Dance Club Workshop: All dancers and wannabe dancers are invited to this exciting hip-hop workshop, from 09:30 – 12:30.

Presented by Kay-roc and QT, the choreographers of So You Think You Can Dance.

Tickets are only R190 per session for this worldclass event. Kids, teens and adult sessions planned. Call Lani on 072 316 5787 for details.

• U3A Course on Star Trek - The Final Frontier: The topic of the third session is Make It So: Main themes in the Series, presented by Dr Robin Lee at the Catholic Church hall at 10:00.

Wednesday 2 November

• Enlighten Youth Orchestra: The Enlighten Trust is proud to present an orchestral concert

• OAK Movie Night: The next monthly movie to be screened by Overstrand Arts/Kunste is the spy action-comedy, Kingsman – the Secret Service, starring Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong and Michael Caine. At the Municipal Auditorium, at 18:00. Tickets at the door are R45 (R30 for OAK members). For enquiries, contact John Taylor on 079 392 7282 or René du Plooy on 082 940 4238.

Village

EXPLORER The

FOOD • WINE • ART

Benguela Cove is ready for lift-off Hedda Mittner

E

xciting things are happening at Benguela Cove Wine Estate on the Bot River lagoon, not least of which are the construction of a state-of-the-art winery and the appointment of one of South Africa’s most highly acclaimed winemakers.

After 10 years with KWV in Paarl, Johann Fourie has traded the corporate environment of this leading wine brand to settle with his family in Hermanus and start a new chapter as head winemaker of a boutique wine estate.

Purchased by OBE Penny Streeter and husband Nick Rea in 2010 when they realised the winemaking potential of the estate, Benguela Cove now has 70 ha under vine. And while Johann might be new to the area, he is already familiar with the grapes it produces and has been working with Benguela Cove’s grapes for the last five years.

“I was in the fortunate position at KWV to work with the very best grapes from wine-growing regions across the Western Cape, from the Swartland to Breedekloof, Elgin and Walker Bay,” he says. “Given the quality of these grapes, together with the support and opportunities that KWV afforded me, it was that much easier to produce fine wines.”

This is something Johann clearly excels at, having won a seemingly endless string of

local and international accolades and awards over the last decade, among them the 2016 Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year, both the General Smuts and Pietman Hugo trophies at the 2015 Young Wine Show and a record amount of gold and double gold Veritas awards.

While he was privileged to be working with some of the Cape’s finest vineyards, Johann says he started asking himself the question: Where am I going as a winemaker and how do I want to move forward? “I realised that what I needed was focus; to specialise in specific cultivars from a specific terroir. From both a stylistic and quality point of view I always had a soft spot for the cooler climate areas that produce wines of elegance, finesse, balance and longevity. I was particularly excited about the fruit quality of the grapes from Benguela Cove and their potential to produce wines of a distinctive style and consistent good quality year on year. There is so much potential on this estate just waiting to be unlocked.”

Not that Johann is in any great hurry. “Winemaking is a slow and unhurried process.

It takes years to get to know your vineyard and many more to develop your winemaking philosophy and come to grips with how you are going to express that in the cellar. At Benguela Cove the focus will be on estategrown fruit that express the unique terroir and character of Walker Bay. I am

committed to putting that character and sense of place into every bottle.”

Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate is entering a new era.

Celebrated winemaker Johann Fourie has left KWV after 10 years to take over the reins at Benguela Cove.

The new custom-built Benguela Cove Lagoon Estate winery is scheduled for completion in time for the 2017 harvest and will have a capacity of 700 ton.

Johann’s vision for Benguela Cove has been incorporated into the design of the new winery, which is being custom built around the estate’s varietal mix and block sizes. “With the diverse soil types and different cultivars and clones planted in sitespecific blocks, I have an exciting palette to work with.” Now working with a smaller team than previously at KWV, Johann is looking forward to being more involved in all aspects of winemaking, from viticulture to branding, marketing and wine sales. He also enjoys the social aspect of wine, which he calls the “entertainment business”, by engaging with wine consumers, doing tastings, talking about wine and sharing his knowledge.

Here he will be working hand in hand with his wife Tanja, who has been appointed as marketing manager for Benguela Cove.

As laid-back, friendly and approachable as Johann may be in person, he is clearly a perfectionist when it comes to his winemaking career. His impressive qualifications include not only a diploma in Oenology and Cellar Technology from Elsenburg, but also a degree in Agriculture from CPUT, a diploma in Wine Business Management from UCT’s Graduate School of Business and a certificate in Wine and Business Management and Leadership Development

from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Johann says he is looking forward to working with owner Penny, Nick and their dynamic team, not only at Benguela Cove but also at their UK property, Mannings Heath in Sussex, where Johann will head up the production of sparkling wine.

“They are creative business people and entrepreneurs who have a clear vision and who move swiftly to achieve results.

This is the type of environment that brings out the best in me.”

Johann will be dividing his attention between Benguela Cove and Mannings Heath, where soil preparation started in August and the first vines of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, for the exclusive production of sparkling wine, will be planted early next year.

“I’m very for-tunate to be involved with the design of both wineries from scratch,” says Johann. “The Mannings Heath winery will be in sync with the Benguela Cove philosophy of producing authentic cool-climate wines – and we’ll be doing it in two upand-coming wine growing regions that I’m particularly excited about. Some of the world’s best sparkling wines are currently produced in the UK and because the two wineries are in different hemispheres I’ll be able to be fully involved in both.”

As for the huge challenge he’s facing, Johann just smiles and says: “It all starts and ends with passion. If you have that, I believe the rest will follow naturally.”

Village E x p lo r e r

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18 October 2016

New life for Lemm’s legacy

T

he historic Lemm’s Corner will come to life again with a vibrant new market on Sunday 4 December, just in time for the peak holiday season. “This market used to be a highlight for traders and visitors alike, and the sense of family within the trade community was a huge drawcard,” says organiser Jozua Rossouw of Rossouw Modern Art Gallery, who has taken it upon himself to re-establish the market.

The Lemm’s Corner Market is named after Bernard Lemonsky, the owner of the historic Lemm’s Stores which was demolished in the 1980s. It will be located in a prime position in the centre of town, on the corner of Main and Harbour roads, now part of the Old Harbour Museum grounds. The market will follow the

What’s new in review

Deep, dark, funny and frenzied Review by Hedda Mittner

I

purred with pleasure from the first page to the last of Jonathan Franzen’s latest novel, Purity. Then again, I’ve been a fan of his intelligent prose and sardonic humour since the universally acclaimed The Corrections, which won a sleuth of literary prizes and caused quite a hoo-ha when it was selected for Oprah’s Book Club in 2001, but Franzen snubbed the celebrity host by declining to appear on her show.

Desperate to unravel the mystery of her parentage, Pip

Bloomsbury (2015)

The structure of Purity

consists of seven sections that focus alternatively on Pip and a handful of other engrossing characters. There is the proverbial bad boy, enigmatic and emotionally

Jonathan Ball (2016)

A college graduate with no

Fourth Estate (2015)

Vintage (2016)

particular talent or ambition, and now also burdened with a crippling student debt, Pip works a dead-end job while sharing a run-down house in Oakland with a group of outcasts. Lacking direction and a sense of identity and belonging, Pip’s future looks bleak. But she is a feisty character and, with her sharp wit and cynical intelligence, she proves remarkably resilient. Determined to find information on her phantom father, a chance encounter with a curious character soon sets her off on a path of adventure and discovery.

William Morrow (2016)

by the epithet of Pip, and said mother, who is not quite the picture of mental health. For starters, she leads a reclusive life under an assumed name in a ramshackle cabin in the woods outside a small Californian town, and refuses to divulge any information about her real identity or past. Having saddled her only daughter with such a dubious name, along with all the unrealistic expectations it implies, she is also tightlipped on the question of Pip’s father and imprints on her the importance that his identity remain a secret forever.

unstable computer-hacker Andreas Wolf, who grew up in East Germany before founding a WikiLeaks-like website, the Sunlight Project, which he runs from his topsecurity headquarters in the jungle of Bolivia; nice-guy Tom Aberant, who founded an award-winning online journalism site in Denver, which he runs with his long-time lover, the responsible and dedicated journalist, Leila Helou; Tom’s first wife, eccentric heiress Anabel, who drove him away with her emotionally exhaustive demands; and the beautiful young girl Andreas fell in love with in his youth.

Penguin Random House (2016)

Purity opens with a motherdaughter conversation on the phone between the eponymous Purity, who goes

The market will be held every Sunday from 10:00 – 16:00 (weather permitting) and every first Friday of the month from 17:00 – 20:30. Night markets during the peak season in December and April will also be held from 16:00 – 22:00.

Follow Lemm’s Corner Market on Facebook to stay updated. E-mail market@sonicmail.co.za or call 082 0788 686 if you want more information or want to apply to exhibit.

Helen Zille’s long-awaited autobiography is one of the most fascinating stories of our time.

Zille takes the reader back to her family origins and her early career as a journalist. She documents her early days in the DP and the DA. A story about intrigue and treachery, floorcrossing and unlikely coalitions, floor-cossing, intimidation, false criminal charges and judicial commissions. A frank, honest and unflinching exposé.

- Penguin

Pharaoh Tamose lies mortally wounded. The ancient city of Luxor is surrounded, all seems lost. With the arrival of an old ally, the tide is turned and the Egyptian army feasts upon its retreating foe. The new Pharaoh has risen - and he must be stopped. From the glittering temples of Luxor to the Citadel of Sparta, Pharaoh is an intense novel magnificently transporting you to a time of threat, blood and glory.

- Weekend Telegraph

Trudy has betrayed her husband, John. She’s still in the marital home - a dilapidated, priceless London townhouse but not with John. Instead, she’s with his brother, the profoundly banal Claude, and the two of them have a plan.

But there is a witness to their plot: the inquisitive, ninemonth-old resident of Trudy’s womb. Told from a perspective unlike any other, Nutshell is a classic tale of murder and deceit. - Independent

If there is one narrative that has dominated headlines for two years it is that of an alleged SARS “rogue unit”. The purge in 2014 of the entire SARS executive remains unprecedented in our history.

Rogue - The Inside Story of SARS’s Elite Crime-Busting Unit, written

by Johann van Loggerenberg with ex SARS spokesman Adrian Lackay, is an attempt at telling this remarkable story from the inside out.

- Marianne Thamm

From the rise and fall of empires in China, Persia, and Rome itself to the spread of Buddhism and advent of Christianity and Islam, right up to Western imperialism and the great wars of the twentieth century, this epic, magisterial work illuminates how the Silk Roads - the crossroads of the world, the meeting place of East and West - perhaps more than anything else - shaped global history over the past two millennia. - Goodreads

is roped in to the Sunlight Project as an intern and later as a researcher for Tom and Leila, all the while becoming more entangled in a web of lies, deceit and murder that brings home the broader theme of the novel – the mass-market oppression of the internet and the destruction of privacy.

Purity is a surprisingly easy read from a notoriously serious writer, and the tone is lighter and more hopeful than either of Franzen’s earlier heavy works. He has a delicious talent for depicting dysfunctional familial and interpersonal relationships. Purity can be summed up by a text message from a minor character early in the novel in reference to Pip – “U can have her # if u have a taste for weird”.

Human & Rousseau (2016)

The Write Angle

slow market trend, and focus on sculpture, ceramics as well as exclusive arts and crafts.

Jozua says the Lemm’s Corner Market will have a specific vibe and feel, with live jazzy entertainment, a local wine bar, craft beers and delicious specialty foods. There will also be a children’s zone with creative projects for the younger visitors.

The Fever took almost everybody. But not 13-year-old Nico Storm and his dad. When they begin a new community, the townspeople are soon divided, and defence against marauding biker gangs gets harder and harder. Soon murder stalks Amanzi. In Koors the adult Nico Storm tells the story of how his father was murdered. It’s not long before murder visits Amanzi too. It’s a new direction for Meyer likely to thrill fans.

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18 October 2016

Restaurant Chardonnay Festival for Hermanus Pop-up returns to

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he Hemel-en-Aarde region is increasingly being recognised as a first-class destination for food and wine enthusiasts, especially of Burgundy-style Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. It is with this in mind that the producers of this unique wine area decided to showcase their exceptional Chardonnays with a festival dedicated to this distinctive cool-climate cultivar.

The Classic Chardonnay Celebration will be hosted at The Thatch House, a luxury holiday villa nestled on the edge of the Klein River lagoon, on Saturday, 19 November.

“The Classic Chardonnay Celebration will be more informal than the Pinot Noir Celebration and more aimed at the general wine enthusiast,” says Dieter Odendaal, coordinator of Hemel-en-Aarde Wines, “but it will be conducted with style to match the elegance of the Chardonnays from Hemelen-Aarde.” The participating wineries will include Whalehaven, Bosman Wines, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Bouchard Finlayson, Storm Wines, La Vierge, Sumaridge, Newton Johnson, Restless River, Ataraxia, Creation and Domaine Des Dieux.

The Saturday will include two festival options for Chardonnay lovers. A formal tutored tasting hosted by Dr Wini Bowman (Cape Master of Wine, respected wine journalist and previous Chairperson of the Institute of Cape Wine Masters), followed by a Chardonnay pairing 3-course lunch created by some of the best chefs from the area. The tutored tasting will be presented by each of the winemakers or producers from the participating wineries, affording wine lovers the opportunity to get up close and personal with their favourite winemaker from Hemel-enAarde.

Tickets for the tutored tasting and the designer chefs’ lunch will be limited to 150 guests.

The tutored tasting will start at 11:00 on Saturday morning.

After the lunch, guests can join

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ood news for lovers of fine dining is that Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate’s seasonal pop-up restaurant has recently reopened in the opulent Benguela Manor House and will remain open until 30 April 2017.

The Thatch Guesthouse on the Klein River Lagoon will be the venue for the inaugural Chardonnay Celebrations on 19 October. in the activities on the lawn with live music, wine tasting, and gourmet food stands and food trucks. Each guest will also receive a free glass. The cost of the Tutored Tasting and Lunch ticket is R1 100 per person.

The second option of a Leisure ticket is available to all those Chardonnay lovers who like things a little less complicated and more relaxed. The gates for this ticket will open at 13:00 and will include a glass, a picnic hamper, free wine tasting, live music, picnic pockets and gourmet food stands.

Celebrations will continue throughout the afternoon as guests immerse themselves in lawn croquet, Boules and sunset boat cruises on the Klein River lagoon. The Leisure ticket is available at R395 per person.

The Celebration will carry on into the evening with celeb DJ Tess playing some cool summer tunes until 20:00, when the gates will close. On Sunday, 20 November guests have the freedom to visit their favourite wineries in Hemel-en-Aarde. All participating wineries will be open and many will focus on Chardonnay. Transport to and

from the event will be made easy and fun with the Hermanus Wine Hoppers running routes from different pick-up points for the duration of the festival.

at www.quicket.co.za/events/ 21078-classic-chardonnay. For all the details, visit www.hemelenaardewines.com or contact Dieter on 082 659 2318 or info@hemelenaardewines.com

Bookings can be made online

Special Early Bird offer for locals The Chardonnay Celebration is offering Early Bird tickets to Hermanus residents at a 10% discount. Get your tickets from the Wine Village before 31 October. Once you’ve purchased your Early Bird ticket you will also automatically be entered into the lucky draw and stand a chance to win a case of six bottles of wine from Hemel-en-Aarde.

Win tickets to the festival Competition: Win 2 x double Leisure tickets to the Chardonnay Celebration on 19 November. Just tell us in one paragraph why you enjoy Chardonnay from the Hemel-enAarde wine region. Send your entry to info@hemelenaardewines.com before 2 November.

The pop-up restaurant will showcase the beautiful Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate for a few months over the summer season whilst a new tourism centre is being built which will include a state-of-the-art wine cellar, a fine dining restaurant, conference facilities, wine tasting facilities and delicatessen.

Surrounded by the estate’s vineyards, olive groves and lavender fields, this pop-up restaurant enjoys panoramic views of the Bot River Lagoon that set the scene for a tranquil and relaxing summer-dining experience.

Executive Chef Annelie Badenhorst has created a sublime a la carte menu carefully paired with the estate’s award-winning wine selection by their sommelier.

Guests are invited to enjoy either a two- or three-course meal and, as the pop-up does not have a liquor license, the Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate's wines are provided on a complimentary basis.

Alternatively guests are welcome to consume their own champagne, MCC or spirits onsite.

The cost of the two-course meal is R425 pp and the threecourse is R525 pp, inclusive of wine. The menu will change according to the availability of fresh seasonal produce and most dietary requirements can be accommodated. To book, contact 087 357 0637 or email manor@benguelacove.co.za.

Visit www.bengueladining.com/Her manus for more information.

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18 October 2016

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MEZZE - It’s a Lebanese thing!

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he tradition of mezze - the little appetisers served with drinks - can be found across the Mediterranean. But having enjoyed mezze in many restaurants in Beirut, with the table groaning under 50 different offerings, I believe that Lebanon beats every other country by the sheer variety on offer.

•

Mezze has to be the very best part of the Lebanese meal. Picking at a variety of fresh, gorgeous flavours, one more delicious than the next, with endless amounts of fresh pita bread, definitely leads one astray and makes you eat much more than you had intended to.

In Lebanon lunch goes on for hours and is a pure joy, with each little dish jostling for space on the table.

• •

The spirit of fun and conviviality is something everyone should experience around their dinner table. So, start a party with a small selection of mezze, serve with warm pita bread - khobz halabi - and generous lashings of extra virgin olive oil.

I have chosen two of my all-time favourites, tabbouleh and hummus bi tahine.

Tabbouleh Ingredients • A big bunch of flat leaf parsley (about 250gr) • A bunch of mint (about 50g) • 6 spring onions • Firm red tomatoes (400gr) • Half a cup of fine burghul (bulgar) (75gr) • Juice of 2 lemons • Extra virgin olive oil (10 large tablespoons) • Fine salt and black pepper • Leaves of cos lettuce or white cabbage to scoop up the salad Method • Keep the parsley (flat leaf parsley works the best) in a bunch and plunge it into salted water, rinse and dry well. A salad spinner works to dry off excess water.

• Rinse the burghul (not to be confused with couscous or rice), drain, and keep it covered in a little water to soak for about 30 minutes.

• Strip the mint leaves off the stalks and slice finely.

• •

•

Wash the mint, tomato and onion and dry with a kitchen towel.

Dice the tomato and add to the burghul.

Finely chop the parsley (Tip: do not chop the parsley, use a very sharp knife and slice finely), then the mint, and mix with the burghul and tomato.

Finely chop the onions, then add to the rest of the ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper.

Just before you are ready to eat, dress the salad with lemon juice, olive oil and more salt if you prefer. If in doubt always add more olive oil - you simply cannot go wrong.

Hummus Bi Tahine Ingredients • Dried chickpeas soaked in water overnight (250gr) • 4 small garlic cloves, crushed • 8 tablespoons tahini paste (pureed sesame seeds) • 1/2 cup olive oil • 2⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice • 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika • 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 teaspoon salt Method • Rinse the dry chickpeas to get rid of any debris, then soak overnight.

• Empty the soaked chickpeas into a colander and rinse with fresh cold water.

• Add to a pot, cover the chickpeas with water and bring to a boil. To speed up the softening process, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of baking soda.

• Let it simmer on low heat for about 1 hour while the pot is covered.

• Test if it is ready by trying to crush a chickpea with your fingers; if it crushes easily and feels smooth then it’s done.

• Once the chickpeas are cooked, and while still hot, add them immediately to a food processor with 1⁄2 to 1 cup of warm water and grind for 3-5 minutes at low speed.

• Add the salt and garlic, then slowly start to add the tahini paste as the food processor grinds away.

• Once done, slowly add the lemon juice at the end and let the food processor run for a couple minutes more. Taste the beautiful puree and see if it needs an adjustment of salt or lemon juice.

Recipes by Eunice Rademeyer, Goozi Kitchenshop

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18 October 2016

A Barefoot birthday celebration

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ariclaire Day, owner of The Barefoot Cook in Aberdeen Street, celebrated this much-loved bistro’s 10th birthday last week with family, friends, staff members and some of her most regular, long-standing guests.

“It is your support that has kept The Barefoot Cook going,” said Mariclaire, thanking her handyman and maintenance manager, husband Burt; her buyer and supplier, dad Arne; horticulturist and garden designer, mum Mariette; and relief front-of-house manager, brother Pierre. Thanks also went to Mariclaire’s staff members, Bulelwa and

Bongiwe, who have been with her since the restaurant first opened its doors in 2006, and front of house manager Ingrid, who joined the team two years ago.

Mariclaire received her training at the Hotel School in Cape Town and after graduating she travelled far and wide for seven years, working in hotels and restaurants in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France and the Caribbean.

She developed an interest in bistro food while travelling, inspired by the way in which local eateries made use of fresh, seasonal produce to create traditional dishes

Mariclaire with her parents Arne and Mariette Pitlo, and her husband Burt Day (right).

unique to a specific area, and gradually moved away from hotel management and into the kitchen.

Settling in Hermanus in 2001, Mariclaire worked at various establishments and in 2004 she met and married Burt, a commercial diver. When she heard that The Barefoot Cook’s premises was available, Mariclaire went to have a look and says, “I fell in love the minute I walked through the door.”

The quaint fisherman’s cottage is one of the oldest buildings in Hermanus and its traditional features include thick walls, Oregon pine

floorboards, two large fireplaces and a picturesque courtyard garden. Creating seasonally inspired food from fresh ingredients with her signature dash of creativity, Mariclaire has seen her restaurant build up a loyal following through word of mouth. The bistro breakfast and lunch menu changes regularly, while a fine dining element is introduced for dinner on Thursday and Friday evenings. During the summer months, they will also be open for dinner on Saturday evenings. Call 028 312 4681 to make your booking.

Mariclaire Day celebrated The Barefoot Cook’s 10th birthday last week with family and friends.

- Hedda MIttner

Drinking a toast to The Barefoot Cook were Peter Stuart, Suzanne and Nicholas Clark, Sue Stuart and Penny Verburg.

Instead of presents, guests were welcome to put a donation to HAWS in this olive bucket held by front of house manager, Ingrid Vermeulen. R2 400 was raised and handed over to HAWS.

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18 October 2016

Embrace change and welcome challenges

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ur SOLOBEAR series of success stories for budding entrepreneurs and small business start-ups “To be a champion, learn from one” - is now into its fourth round. In this narrative we learn the lessons of a humble, hardworking and highly successful business executive who developed a career for himself in the American health-care industry.

CEO of Insight Health Corporation, Steven Plochocki’s message to the youth of today is a simple one – never stop striving for success; never stop learning from the success of others; and never stop teaching the lessons you have learnt in life to those less fortunate than yourself.

“Growing up as a young boy in a working-class neighbourhood in Detroit, my first role model was my father, a survivor of the

Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War. Never earning more than $25 000 per annum to support a family of five, he taught me early on about work ethic and values. He also showed me how the human spirit could prove to be incredibly powerful, when properly motivated and focused.

“It was these humble beginnings that set the stage for the way I would later manage my business and motivate employees. While growing up, I gained a distinct understanding for people spanning all walks of life, and I knew there would be no shortcut to success. I also knew that whatever I wanted to achieve professionally had to be earned through hard work, dedication, and by developing an affinity with

the people with whom I worked.

“As an avid athlete, I played a variety of sports my entire life – from grade school to college. I believe sportsmanship significantly contributed to my professional success and armed me with many of the tools necessary to head a large corporation. My passion for sports and my drive to win taught me the value of teamwork and setting and attaining goals. There could have been no better preparation for transitioning from the playing field to the health-care field.

“At the beginning of my career, I excelled as a salesman. When my boss asked me to move and take over a new sales territory, I was hesitant to make a change because I knew I had

built the best territory in the company. But he advised me that the only way to grow and succeed was to step out of my comfort zone. I took his advice and uprooted my family – not once, but twice.

“These changes taught me how to take calculated risks and overcome fear. I soon realised the more you embrace change and welcome challenges, the more you overcome your fears. And the more experiences you undergo, and the more you shower yourself in success, the less fear you develop.

“Today, as CEO of a large health care corporation, the lessons I learned early on in life – some the hard way and some through the advice of wise souls, like my father, sports coaches, teammates and former bosses – serve as

the foundation for my progressive management style. And I try to teach this philosophy to my employees every day.

“I often reminisce about the specific lessons I learned but welcome the fact that I am still learning. And teaching. If we can prepare the leaders of tomorrow today by offering sound, simple advice, then we are sure to have many great successes on the horizon.”

SOLOBEAR thanks Mr. Plochoki for his inspirational words of wisdom. We as outdoor-going, sun-loving South Africans are particularly heartened to hear the role and importance sport and sportsmanship had on his business career.

We could not have said it any better.

So our SUCCESS #4 is simply

this. Embrace change and welcome challenges. Never stop striving, never stop learning and never stop teaching.

A wise man once coined the popular phrase “if you’re not growing, you’re dying.” So it is with entrepreneurship and new venture creations. Our advice to the youth of the Overstrand is to dream big, look positively to the horizons, and go out there and make a difference in life for you, your family and for others.

SOLOBEAR salutes you.

Vukuzenzela!

Rola VW Hermanus are proud supporters of SOLOBEAR. Pioneer your own Frontier.

A youth art development initiative in the interests of Overstrand entrepreneurship.

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October 2016 2016 2618 JANUARY

Watch your pets’ weight O My Pet besity is the biggest health problem facing South Africa’s pets.

We feed our pets too much and exercise them too little and the consequences are frightening: overweight pets have shorter lives and are at higher risk of diseases like arthritis, diabetes, urinary conditions, skin conditions, heart disease and cancer. Fat pets are less happy.

But obesity is both preventable and treatable, so why is it still such a big problem? A major reason is love. Odd as it may seem, many pet owners equate overfeeding and giving out treats with showing their pet how much they love him or her.

We’re also not objective about our pets’ size. Nine out of 10 owners mistakenly think their pet’s size is normal; yet more than 50% of patients seen at veterinary clinics weigh more than is healthy.

Here’s our list of dos and don’ts for slimmer, healthier pets: Don’t Make food available all of the time. So-called ‘free choice’ feeding has probably been the

Dr Hilldidge Beer

single biggest factor contributing to feline obesity.

Do Feed two to four small portions daily and control the amounts fed so that over a period of time the cat does not gain weight.

Don’t Overload your pet with foodie treats. Cakes, sweet biscuits and food from your table will pack on the pounds.

Do Reward them with nutritionally-balanced, low

calorie treats like Probono Light cookies and Vondi’s Coconut Oil health biscuits from Vetshops, or Hill’s metabolic treats (available at vet clinics only). Ostrich or venison chews and biltong, as well as chicken jerky (dried chicken breast) are also ideal as the fat content is minimal.

Treats shouldn’t just be edible: a walk, a game in the garden or a brush are as important to your pet as filling his tummy. It’s the attention he craves and the companionship.

Don’t Buy pet food because it’s attractively packaged or conveniently found at the supermarket. These foods are often high in carbohydrates (flour and sugar) and preservatives and low in protein – the most important ingredient in a pet’s diet.

Do Ask your vet or Vetshop for advice on what to feed your pet. Your pet’s nutritional needs depend on breed, size, age, amount of physical activity and environment. Preexisting conditions like arthritis or allergies will also

influence what your pet should eat.

Don’t Believe changing his or her diet without encouraging exercise will exact weight-loss miracles.

Do Schedule regular walks or active playtime with your dog particularly if they’re left alone for long periods.

Encourage cats to play by providing interactive toys

that simulate an escaping prey. EberVet Vetshops stock a wide range of toys, balls, leads and collars for all your pet’s exercise needs.

Don’t Give in to begging. It’s easy to succumb to a soft, wet nose or persistent meowing.

Do Put your dog or cat in another room while you are at the dinner table if

you can’t resist their demands.

Don’t Believe it’s too late for your pet to slim down.

Do Check out The Hill’s Pet Slimmer programme run by veterinary clinics.

Go to www.petslimmer.co.za Veterinarian Dr Hilldidge Beer is CEO of the EberVet Petcare Group.

18 October 2016

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2618 JANUARY October 2016 2016

The allure and value of having a plunge pool

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ummer is all but here - and so are the visitors. You may well find that popping down to the beach is more complicated than it usually is. But you need to cool down and you don’t want to hit the traffic, right?

My Home

Small plunge pools are the perfect option, especially for those who have limited outdoor space. Plunge pools will give you the pool experience even if you have the smallest backyard, and you will be able to take advantage of the many benefits these pools provide.

usually no deeper than 1,2 m at the deep end of the pool. As in nature, there are no hard and fast rules to the shape or size of commercially made plunge pools, but as a rule of thumb, a smaller pool is defined as a spa, while a larger pool is considered to be a swimming pool.

We all know that on a hot summer’s day there is nothing more relaxing than dipping in the backyard pool after a day of work, spending a couple of hours with the kids on a weekend afternoon and enjoying pool games, or just lying down next to the pool with a cold drink and a good book. Many people love the idea of a backyard pool but having a full-size garden pool is impossible because of the small outdoor space or the cost and maintenance implications.

There are many ways to enjoy fabulous pool time and plunge pools are a good option as they can be fitted in almost any space. Moreover, you can do it on a budget. Plunge pools are one of the best space-saving ideas, and although they are limited in size, they can be customised with water features like waterfalls, jets and pool lighting.

The term “plunge pool” was adopted by the pool industry to describe a pool that is larger than a spa but smaller than a swimming pool. Manufacturers began designing these pools in response to customer demands for pools that offered the advantages of a swimming pool in a restricted area.

Generally speaking, plunge pools range from four to seven metres in length and can be from two to three metres wide. They are

they are not very convenient for families with children who want to enjoy pool games and activities.

Plunge pools look intriguing despite their size. The typical plunge pool is small and shallow, designed for lounging rather than swimming. You cannot play volleyball or swim laps in a plunge pool, but if you want to relax on a hot day and cool yourself, this type of pool is a good option.

The growing demand for plunge pools has led to many creative and original small plunge pool design ideas which are beautifully fitted in small backyards and create a fantastic atmosphere.

However, a plunge pool may be all you can fit into a courtyard and is ideal for taking a cooling relaxing dip. Not convinced? Let’s weigh up the benefits to owning a plunge pool: •

The affordable price and low maintenance costs added to the fact that a plunge pool adds value to the property are very good reasons to opt for a small-size pool.

•

Plunge pools can be heated, and again, due to the small size, the cost of heating will be considerably less than heating a full-sized swimming pool.

•

In terms of visual appeal, plunge pools significantly add to the appearance of the outdoor space and the value of the home. When a water feature and ambient lighting are added, the overall look is exceptionally attractive and the plunge pool easily becomes a focal point in the garden.

•

With a beautiful deck area around the pool, the transition between indoor and outdoor living space can be designed with a great aesthetic value and show good taste, creative and original ideas and express the lifestyle of the homeowners.

SUMMER BLISS A plunge pool is proof that some of the best things do indeed come in small packages.

These pools offer a number of advantages, the biggest of which is the space and cost saving.

In terms of health benefits, plunging in cold water after a workout or after a sauna is practised by many athletes and

the cooling effect of water has been appreciated since ancient times.

Another major advantage of plunge pools is that they need less water - this means that you will have less water evaporation and lower

maintenance costs in general.

In terms of design, the options are numerous and vary in shape, size and style so that every homeowner can find the most suitable pool for a small backyard.

On the downside is the fact that

- www.minimalisti.com

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4 October 18 October2016 2016

Medical Village to cater for community demand

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n ever-increasing population in the Hermanus and surrounding Overberg areas and high demand for quality medical facilities has prompted Annenberg Property Group to develop a multi-disciplinary, state-of-the art medical centre, which will be known as Hermanus Medical Village.

The medical facility will cater for communities in the greater Overberg area including Hermanus, Onrus, Caledon, Barrydale and Swellendam through to Heidelberg and Bredasdorp.

Says Dudley Annenberg, MD of Annenberg Property Group: “Opening in January next year, Hermanus Medical Village brings a comprehensive range of cutting-edge medical facilities to this rapidly expanding node. Situated in De Goede Street in close proximity to the provincial hospital and Mediclinic, this brand-new development will include the three-theatre, 22-bed Hermanus Day Hospital, Hermanus Oncology Centre, Spescare - a 20-bed sub-acute facility - and Hermanus Elderly Care Place frail care facility.

“The day hospital concept has grown exponentially in the health sector as it offers a costeffective facility to perform operations that do not require the patient to stay overnight.”

Typical operations that are performed at a day hospital are general surgery, ophthalmology, gynaecology,

Says Annenberg: “Notably, there are very few dedicated upmarket frail-care facilities in the Western Cape, as generally they are an ‘add-on’ within a retirement development in order to attract buyers. By offering this option on a rental basis it makes frail care more easily accessible as and when required.”

My Health

urology, orthopaedic, maxillofacial, plastic surgery, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and dental.

Comments Brian Evans, CEO of Hermanus Day Hospital: “Hermanus has a large population who require medical facilities and many patients have had to travel distances for certain procedures. Our day hospital will be a doctor-driven facility and by inviting all the local doctors to participate in this venture, we will ensure that we acquire the latest technology to enable us to provide medical care of the highest quality.”

Annenberg says in addition, given the uniqueness of the town of Hermanus with its scenic coastline, whalewatching attractions and tranquil ambience, Hermanus Medical Village has the potential to be marketed overseas as a medical safari destination. “For example, at the current exchange rate someone from the UK could afford to fly to South Africa and have plastic surgery at Hermanus Day Hospital for less than it will cost in their own country.

“The Overstrand Municipality insisted that we include an

UNDER CONSTRUCTION An artist’s impression of the new Hermanus Medical Village on the corner of Church and De Goede Streets, which is scheduled to open in January 2017. oncology centre, so Hermanus Medical Village will also include Hermanus Oncology Centre, which will be headed up by Dr John Duminy who hails from Klerksdorp Wilmed Park Hospital, where he was head of the branch of Doctors Alberts, Bouwer and Jordaan Inc for the past 10 years.”

Says Dr Duminy: “Previously, people residing in these areas would need to travel to Cape Town or Somerset West for oncology treatment, with the only other oncology facility in the region being even further afield in George on the Garden Route. In fact, our research has shown that a third of the patients at Somerset West’s oncology centre are from this region.

“In Swellendam, at the practice of Doctors Boshoff & Partners a premises has been obtained to start a peripheral

outreach clinic to extend the services of Hermanus Oncology Centre to the community and all the surrounding towns. This will include appointments for newly diagnosed cancer patients as well as follow-ups.

In this way we will have a facility where we bring a chemotherapy service to the community instead of their having to drive lengthy distances to the nearest oncology centre.”

Dr Duminy obtained his MB.ChB in 1995 and Masters of Medicine in Radiation Oncology in 2004, both from the University of the Free State, prior to which he obtained the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Potchefstroom University in 1988.

With vast experience in clinical oncology, Dr Duminy treats his patients with chemotherapy as well as radiation therapy in a radical as well as palliative setup. He has done over 400 low-dose rate brachytherapy cases for prostate cancer where radioactive iodine seeds are implanted into the prostate gland.

Says Annenberg: “As an additional service offered to oncology patients, five rooms

will provide on-site accommodation should they wish to stay overnight in private suites.

“Supporting both the day hospital and oncology centre as well as serving the greater Overstrand area is Spescare, a 20-bed sub-acute facility offering a comprehensive range of specialist rehabilitation services following an accident, illness or injury resulting in a physical or cognitive disability for those who require specialist medical rehabilitation via doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians, social workers and case managers.”

All these medical disciplines will occupy an entire wing of the village, while the other wing will be occupied by Hermanus Elderly Care Place which offers a frail-care facility with 20 private ensuite rooms and 17 double en-suite rooms on a rental basis, all with balconies or patios, air conditioning, DSTV and monitored with CCTV cameras. To be managed by Medipartners, a division of Spescare, the facility will include a residents’ lounge and dining room leading on to a patio.

Stanley Snyman, CEO of Spescare adds: “What makes this specific service offering unique is that permanent accommodation is offered within a private health establishment, giving the resident the peace of mind that their care and wellbeing is not only monitored by professional nursing staff, but they also have access to a multidisciplinary team of people including doctors, nurses and support staff.

“The permanent accommodation at Hermanus Medical Village will cater for single residents as well as couples with en-suite living units.”

Annenberg Property Group has also developed St Stephen’s Cure Day Hospital, Oncology Centre and sub-acute facility in Skool Street in Northern Paarl as well as the successful, completed Panorama Healthcare Centre in Cape Town’s northern suburbs, with Hermanus Medical Village being the group’s third foray into the market. During the course of next year two further such projects will be developed in other suburbs of the Western Cape.

For further information contact Dudley Annenberg Property Group on 021 465 7780 or dudley@annenberg.co.za.

Hermanus Elderly Care Place opens on 1 February next year – for further information contact Chené van Niekerk on 021 8508999.

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2618 JANUARY October 2016 2016

Cancer - an unnatural-born killer Aly Verbaan

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s the worldwide population’s life expectancy increases, so will the incidence of various cancers, and by the age of 80, it is estimated that one in 10 people will die from malignant carcinomas and sarcomas.

Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases and 8 million cancerrelated deaths a year.

Furthermore, the number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next two decades. Cancer incidence has already risen by 18% since 1990.

The brighter side, if there can be one, is that Dr Margaretha van Rooyen is of the opinion that, with new medical technology growing exponentially, cancer “will be under control by 2050”. While that is unlikely to help anyone currently over the age of 40, it offers great hope for the longevity of their children and grandchildren.

And it seems the statistics will get worse before they get better: It predicted that in 2030, over 13 million people will die of cancer. In fact, an interesting population prediction is that by 2030 there will be more people over the age of 60 than under the age of 10, so perhaps the rising cancer stats make sense from that point of view.

Dr Van Rooyen was speaking to a capacity filled hall of the U3A on Friday last week, wrapping up the Latest Medical Developments series of talks that ran over the past two months.

Dr Van Rooyen’s talk, simply entitled Oncology 101, started with the origin of the word “oncology”, for those of us who don’t speak Greek: The word “onco” means bulk, mass, or tumour while “-logy” means study. This is precisely what she specialises in, having worked as a clinical oncologist at GVI Oncology in Somerset West since 2004, and consulting in Hermanus regularly.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a class of diseases characterised by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected.

Cancer harms the body when altered cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumours, which can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and can release hormones that alter body function. Tumours that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.

Malignant tumours form when two things occur: a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymphatic systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion in which that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis. When a tumour successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasised.

What distinguishes cancer cells from normal cells is their rapid rate of division into identical cells very quickly, and these cells don’t age or die in the way normal cells do (in a process called apopstasis). The resulting chaos is much like what the state of world politics is in, said Dr Van Rooyen.

according to Dr Van Rooyen, its incidence is rising by between one and two percent per year. A significant correlation between never having had children or never having breastfed has been established, as well as having one’s first child over the age of 30 - mothers who have their first child after 30 are three times more likely to develop breast cancer. That is a concundrum indeed.

No association between oral contraception and breast cancer has been established, but hormone replacement

surgery (radical prostatectomy), but with fewer side effects such as impotence and incontinence.

The procedure can be completed quickly and patients are usually able to go home on the same day and return to normal activities after a day or two.

Lung cancer It almost goes without saying that lung cancer is the number one killer of all the cancers, and smokers are over ten times more likely to develop it. In addition, more

Chemotherapy is used to treat many types of cancer and works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells and lessening the chance it will return.

Chemotherapy can be used to shrink tumours that are causing pain and other problems.

Carcinogenesis is the molecular basis of cancer and is a multistep process that starts with non-lethal genetic damage or mutation. These changes are the result of the interaction between a person’s genetic factors and three categories of external agents, including: physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionising radiation; chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, aflatoxin (a food contaminant) and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant); and biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria or parasites.

Normally the body will repair damaged DNA, but if it overlooks any, that area will become malignant. This can take up to 10 years to manifest. Once malignancy sets in, the cells will replicate extremely quickly and cell migration and invasion begins.

Angiogenesis, in which new blood vessels are formed, results in highly vascular tumours that are far more aggressive, and some cancer cells even have enzymes that stimulate blood supply cells.

These are not normal blood vessels, and they are “very clever” in that they can control what goes through the system and what doesn’t.

Thus it must be remembered that cancer is a systemic disease, i.e. one that affects a number of organs and tissues, or affects the body as a whole.

Breast cancer As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this cancer was discussed at length.

Apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 29 in South Africa. Furthermore,

machines, electrons, and more rarely other particles such as protons; and internally by drinking a liquid that is taken up by cancer cells or by putting radioactive material in, or close to, the tumour.

Radiotherapy destroys the cancer cells in the treated area by damaging the DNA within these cells. Although normal cells are also affected by radiation, they are better at repairing themselves than the cancer cells. Systemic radiation therapy uses radioactive substances, such as radioactive iodine, that travel in the blood to kill cancer cells.

For some people, chemotherapy may be the only treatment they receive, but most often, chemotherapy is used in conjunction with other cancer treatments to: make a tumour smaller before surgery or radiation therapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy); destroy cancer cells that may remain after treatment with surgery or radiation therapy (adjuvant chemotherapy); help other treatments work better; kill cancer cells that have returned or spread to other parts of the body.

therapy (HRT), if used continuously for more than five to ten years, has shown to increase the risk of breast cancer, as has the genetic component of other bloodrelated females in the family who’ve had such cancer.

Prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, and is diagnosed in an estimated 80% of men who reach age 80. It is a testosterone-driven disease, but if picked up early enough, the prognosis is good. Treatment can involve surgery, external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy (the insertion of radioactive iodine seeds directly into the tissue).

Permanent seed implantation is a less invasive treatment option compared to surgical removal of the prostate. It is suitable for patients with a localised tumour and has been shown to be a highly effective treatment to prevent the cancer from returning.

The survival rate is similar to that found with EBRT or

young women are smoking tobacco now than ever before.

Dr Van Rooyen speculated that this could be in an effort to conform to society’s expectations of being ultrathin. Lung cancer has the worst survival rate, so these young women will make lovely slender corpses.

Chemotherapy not only kills fast-growing cancer cells, but also kills or slows the growth of healthy cells, and the most common side effects are fatigue, mouth sores, nausea, and hair loss, which often get better or go away after chemotherapy. The treatment is usually administered via a needle in an arm vein, but can also come in the form of pills, capsules, or liquids, as well as via a shot in a muscle in the arm, thigh, or hip, or topically as a cream that you rub onto your skin.

Treatment options Now for the better news: treatment options. The main ones are radiotherapy, chemotherapy, biological or targeted therapies, surgery, hormone therapy, bisphosphonates, and bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Dr Van Rooyen concentrated mostly on the first three.

Radiation has been used in medicine and treatment (radiotherapy) since 1985 and about 40% of cancer sufferers have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. It is given in various ways, including external radiotherapy, using X-rays from linear accelerator

Interestingly, chemotherapy was developed in the 1950s and 60s, after WWII, because most countries that had been making chemicals to kill people then redirected their research to killing cancer.

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets the changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread. Most targeted therapies are either smallmolecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies.

Small-molecule drugs are small enough to enter cells easily, while monoclonal antibodies are drugs that are unable to do this but instead attach to the outer surface of cancer cells.

Most targeted therapies help treat cancer by interfering with specific proteins that help tumours grow and spread throughout the body. One reason why cancer cells thrive is because they are able to hide from the immune system, and certain targeted therapies can mark cancer cells so it is easier for the immune system to find and destroy them.

Healthy cells in your body usually divide to make new cells only when they receive strong signals, which bind to proteins on the cell surface, telling the cells to divide. This process helps new cells form only as your body needs them.

But, some cancer cells have changes in the proteins on their surface that tell them to divide whether or not signals are present. Some targeted therapies interfere with these proteins, preventing cell division and helping to slow cancer’s uncontrolled growth.

Targeted therapy can also stop signals from the tumour to form new blood vessels, which the tumour needs to grow beyond a certain size. Some targeted therapies are designed to interfere with these signals to prevent a blood supply from forming and the tumour from growing. Or, if a tumour already has a blood supply, these treatments can cause blood vessels to die, which causes the tumour to shrink. Another type of targeted therapy can also starve cancer of the hormones it needs to grow by either preventing the production of specific hormones or rendering the hormones inactive.

Pain management Opiates like morphine and methadone are still the pain treatment drug of choice, and Dr Van Rooyen assured the audience that it is a very good pain drug and that fears of addiction are overrated. There is no maximum dosage and it can be taken indefinitely as palliative care.

Medicines for cancer pain are usually given by mouth but can also be taken in other ways: intravenously via needle or an infusion pump; skin patches; rectal suppositories; spinal anaesthesia or an epidural; as well as nasal sprays.

Dr Van Rooyen concluded by mentioning the unmentionable – cannabis. While it is now legal in many states in the USA as well as several European countries as marijuana cigarettes or as dronabinol oil, it is still very much illegal here.

Dr Van Rooyen said that as such she could neither suggest nor recommend it, but that if one were to take it, “you would still have cancer, but you simply wouldn’t care”.

[Additional facts and figures: www.who.int]

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18 October 2016

Sport

Annual showcase event at Hermanus Golf Club

J

ust a few weeks remain before the prestigious Walker Bay Classic graces the Hermanus Golf Club again, this time for its 34th year.

By Tony O’Hagan

This is a highlight on the golf calendar and comprises four events, starting with a Warm Up on Wednesday 9 November, followed by the Sundowner on Friday 11 November, the Walker Bay Classic on Saturday and the Walker Bay Classic Mixed on Sunday 13 November.

For the record

The Warm Up was initiated last year especially for the manne and proved to be a popular introduction, with a rugby talk after the golf. This year the golf will be followed by a braai in the evening and a cricket panel discussion, involving Protea legends of the past. The Walker Bay Classic Sundowner on Friday also provides an opportunity for golfers to prepare for the main attraction the following day.

The Walker Bay Classic on

Saturday is a dawn-to-dusk event, with breakfast served from early in the morning.

This year there are 316 golfers participating, with a full morning and afternoon field.

This is a men's event and the competition is based on an alliance bogey plus format.

The main sponsor of the Classic is Southern Turf Management (STM) with many additional sponsors contributing to ensure the success of this showcase event. All participants will also receive a goodie bag of TaylorMade-Adidas golf

This golfing extravaganza culminates on Sunday 13 November with the Walker Bay Classic Mixed which has attracted a field of 160 golfers.

The competition format is an alliance stableford. We wish the organisers a successful golfing week and may the weather gods play their part.

For further enquiries contact the club manager, Sharon Sleigh, on 028 312 1954.

Charity Boules rules, okay?

Dressed to the nines and clutching glasses of fine sparkling wine, 40 players and 30 supporters attended the 13th annual Whales Boules Charity Challenge on Saturday 8 October on the lawns of The Marine Hotel.

Kari Brice has organised this Charity Challenge since inception 13 years ago and numerous sponsors have given support to this worthy cause over the years.

This year the main sponsor was Checkers and funds raised were for the Hermanus Night Shelter. Teams vied for fabulous prizes sponsored by Checkers, The Marine, Lomond Wine, Pongracz, Amarula, Scottish Leader, Southern Right Charters and more.

The entry fee for participants was R170 and supporters paid R120 which included lunch and a "goodie bag" filled with sponsors' products and many tastings along the way!

The boules competition comprised teams of two persons with the ultimate prize, a floating trophy, crafted by Peter van der Merwe.

Numerous prizes were awarded, including to the best dressed and the competition winners.

This year’s winners of the Whale Boules Charity Challenge were Ben and Etna Pheiffer, with runners up Greg and Helen Forbes and in 3rd place, Robbie Lapping and Denny Cronshaw.

DOUBLE FAULT In an odd cyber-space lapsus calami, it was reported in the previous edition of The Village NEWS that Isabel Fauel won the ladies' singles in the Plate Division of the Hermanus Tennis Club championship competition on 21 September. In fact, the supercharged mother of two Dulcie Sargeant beat Isabel in straight sets.

products to enhance their playing abilities.

The game of boules ("balls") was introduced into France by the Roman soldiers, with the French version also commonly known as petanque. The game is so popular among the French that an annual event in Marseilles attracts 10 000 players and 150 000 spectators.

The International Boules Federation has made overtures to have petanque included as an Olympic sport

since 1985, but without success. However, this may happen in the future and one of our budding Charity Challenge competitors could vie for Olympic honours!

The Whale Boules Charity Challenge continues to be a wonderful day, filled with fun and commaraderie and, let’s not forget, a little competitiveness as well.

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October 2016 2016 2618 JANUARY

Legendary tale, mammoth pages and epic price

f you are a rugby cognoscente and happen to have R150 grand, or even a mere R30 000 you don’t know what to do with, Thursday evening at Sumaridge Wine Estate was the place to be. Attended by local glitterati, three versions of a bespoke, limited-edition, handstitched tome - the Official Springbok Opus - were launched amidst much winedrinking, canapé-snacking and hand-clapping. There was also plenty of camera action as fans lined up to be photographed with famous former Springboks, Jannie Engelbrecht and Mannetjies Roux.

The Classic Edition has all the features of the Captains Edition except the Captains’ signatures and add-ons, but with a certificate of ownership. This edition is priced at R30 000 and is limited to 2 900 copies.

FULL HOUSE Former Springbok wing Jannie Engelbrecht, marketing and sales manager of the Official Springbok Opus Craig Mark, and former Springbok centre Mannetjies Roux.

The Opus is the story of Springbok rugby from the first game played in 1891 and is a unique celebration of the extraordinary history of the Springboks. It took four years to compile this special offering which is presented by Opus in conjunction with the South African Rugby Union. Many esteemed writers were commissioned to tell the captivating story of Springbok rugby. The content and photographs are unprecedented and it claims that “the story of rugby is South Africa’s story”. It is somewhat unfortunate that the Springboks were just crushed by the All Blacks 57-15 a week ago, but at least that game wasn’t in time for the book, so we don’t have to dwell on that ignominy.

The ultimate edition is the Captains Edition, which is limited to 100 copies and signed by 40 South African captains. This 620-page edition of 150 000 words is presented in a silk-covered clamshell case and is 50 x 50 cm, weighing 55 kg. The edition has three gigantic photographic gatefolds and is sewn and bound by hand in the finest leather. It sells for R150 000 and includes two VIP test match tickets, a personalised signed Springbok jersey, attendance at a Springbok Captains’ presentation and a certificate of ownership.

GLITTERATI Jozua Rossouw, owner of the Rossouw Modern Art Gallery, and Talita Engelbrecht, marketing honcho at Hamilton Russell Vineyards ensure they don’t spill wine on the once-in-a-lifetime Opus.

The third edition, known as the Midi Edition, is unlimited and a scaled-down version of the Classic Edition, measuring 38 cm x 38 cm and weighing in at 11 kg. The Midi is also presented in a clamshell case and is priced at R3 500.

The nationwide publicity tour started at the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum in Cape Town and made its way last week to the Hemel-enAarde Valley. Owner of Sumaridge, Holly BellinghamTurner (along with her husband Simon Turner), who divides her time between their home in Suffolk and Hermanus, is passionate about all things South African, and sport in particular, and had no hesitation in sponsoring the evening for Opus.

Says Craig Mark, sales and marketing director of the Opus: “The Opus can hardly be described as a book. These works document and celebrate our rugby story and are to be enjoyed and handed down to generations as valuable family heirlooms to treasure that history. This is the only Opus to be produced on a rugby team. It will only ever have one edition - it really is a once-in-a-lifetime publication.”

When asked whether he would be buying an Opus, Jannie Engelbrecht laughed and said, “You must remember that I was a bokkie in the days when we played, but weren’t paid.”

PHOTOS: Nicole du Toit Photography (www.nicoledutoit.com)

However, if you have more money than Jannie Engelbrecht, order your copy at www.springbokopus.co.za

TrailSeeker MTB a huge success

T

ristan de Lange and Katie Lennard claimed dominant wins in the men and women’s marathons respectively at Round 3 of the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape Series Hemel & Aarde event held at Sumaridge on 8 October.

Tristan (Mannie’s Bike Mecca) clocked a time of 2 hours, 48 minutes, 51 seconds for the 62 km distance, which included 1 365 m of vertical ascent. Stephan Senekal (Specialised) finished second, just over two minutes later with CP van Wyk (Maties) rounding out the podium a further three minutes back.

“I was quite surprised at how much climbing there was.

That last climb to the finish was quite a kicker! The route was stunning and the trails were fantastic. It was a really enjoyable race, with the perfect mix of single track and road sections,” said an elated Tristan a student from Stellenbosch.

In the women’s race, the pace was reasonably quick from the start and the pack began to splinter after 20 km where the technical sections began.

Katie was the strongest on the technical terrain and was the lone leader before the halfway mark.

She kept a constant pace and steadily increased her lead, clocking a winning time of 3:24:26. Tanja Oosthuyse was second in 3:29:19 with Catherine Colyn claiming the

final podium spot a minute later.

“This is the first time I’ve done this race. The route delivered proper mountain biking, which I like. Lots of rough surfaces, some mud, lots of climbing and descending and plenty of single track. And there was beautiful scenery,” smiled a delighted Katie, a medical research scientist at UCT. “Riding out here is awesome!

This area has the best mountain biking in the Western Cape. The conditions were perfect too – no heat, wind or rain and the trails were just beautiful,” said runner-up Tanja.

“The weather is always a bit unpredictable in the Cape, so the pre-entry numbers were a little lower than we expected, but there were a lot of late entries so we are happy with the final numbers. This area boasts some of the best riding in the country and it’s a pleasure to be able to offer a round of the Nissan TrailSeeker Series here again,” said Fritz Pienaar, director of Advendurance, the event organisers.

In the 36 km Half-marathon, Robert Hobson and Vicky van der Merwe won the male and female races overall respectively. For complete results, visit www.saseeding. co.za. Round 4 of the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape Series will be at Bosman Wines, Wellington on 19 November.

To enter, visit www.trailseekerseries.co.za

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18 October 2016

Schools L

Concert transports audience on a cloud

earners of Hermanus Primary had audiences enthralled with their annual school play. The production of My Cloud.com – an African Fairy Tale was described by many as one of the best school plays ever. And those were not just the words from proud moms and dads.

Such was the demand that the school had to add a

fourth night of the performance to cater for the hundreds of parents, grandparents, families and friends who wanted to attend.

“Wow, what a performance,” and “I cannot believe the quality of the production,” were just some of the comments that echoed in the school passages after the show. The renditions of Ons

vir jou Suid-Afrika by Bok van Blerk and Disturbed’s version of Sound of Silence accompanied by an African drum were followed by rapturous applause such as the school hall has not heard in many years. With the amount of work that the play directors, teachers and parents have put in they deserve a special thank you. Each and every child who took part must receive a standing ovation.

Hermies matrics take a final leap Hermanus High School’s 2016 matrics took the traditional jump off Piet se Klip in front of Bientang’s Cave into the sea on Friday to celebrate their last day of school.

After this rite of passage, the learners will be hunkering down to prepare for their final exams that start on 24 October.

Before heading out to Piet se Klip, the matrics attended the prize-giving ceremony in the school hall where the dux learners and the new student council were announced.

The head boy for 2017 is Thys van der Merwe with Jeremie Verdoodt as deputy, and the head girl is Amy Hess with deputy Hanerie van Zyl. The Village NEWS wishes the matrics all the best with their exams and future endeavours.

PHOTOS: Richard Middelmann

JUNIOR THESPIANS Ariska de Jager, Shaylee Bouwer, Caru-Mari Fraser and Joshua Cloete had the audience in stiches with their clever remarks and witty script. Below are the Zebras who impressed the audience with their dance skills.